Category: Devotionals

John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Today I was thumbing through a magazine when one of the taglines for an article caught my eye. It said, “Who were you before the world told you who you ought to be?” I didn’t read the article. Instead I thought about the question for some time. I separated the question into two parts. “Who was I before?” and “Who does the world think I ought to be?”

Who Was I Before?

As a child, I remember hearing people often say that I was once just a twinkle in my dad’s eye. Well, that’s how I see the “before” me. I was a twinkle in the mind of God. He conceived me first in His mind before I was ever conceived in the flesh. And He had a plan for my life before I drew my first breath (Jeremiah 1:5). The “before-me” was designed to be a child of God with a heavenly Father whose love for me would be more than I could ever imagine. I would one day meet His Son Jesus, who would forgive my sins and become my Saviour. I would be a joint-heir with His Son, Jesus. I would serve God while in this life, and one day I would live forever with Him in heaven. That’s a pretty awesome “before-me!”

Who Has The World Thought I Ought To Be?

The “thief” in today’s verse represents Satan, and our sinful world is his domain. The ungodly influences of the world are constant, subtle, and varied. I realize the world first began trying to force its image upon me as a young child. The first time is when the world told me that I ought to be emotionally unstable since there were times I felt unloved and abandoned by my parents. Yes, I remember difficult times when I felt alone, but I was never abandoned by God, nor was I unloved by Him, and it was God who protected me through those hard times. As I look back, the “before-me” realizes my parents never abandoned me despite the ups and downs of my childhood; they did what they believed was best for me at the time. I also realize that God doesn’t make mistakes. He chose my parents for me because they would be the best for me in fulfilling His plan for my life. He knew the path I would walk as their daughter, and He still entrusted me to their care. So, despite the world telling me I ought to be angry or disappointed with them, I cannot be. My mom and dad were flawed human beings, sinners just as I am, but I loved them, and I know they loved me. Read more

Psalm 95:6 “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.”

When I first saw this verse, I thought it was simply a picture of how worship should be in my heart. Worshiping God is something all Christians do, but was there more to this verse than meets the eye? One thing I have been learning as I study God’s Word is that there is so much more to glean from a verse in Scripture than what is on the surface. As I thought about the words in this “simple” verse, I asked God what was it He wanted me to understand from it. Here is the answer I received.

If I could really grasp the enormity of who God is… His perfect holiness, His breathtaking majesty, His unbelievable power… I would probably never lift my eyes to Him. Instead, I would crawl toward Him as a blind person, never raising my head upward, and then I would offer my meager words of worship in a trembling voice, keeping my head low and hoping He heard me before I quietly retreated from His presence.

But this almighty God who reigns above all was not made known to me as a merciless king who sits on a sterile throne, his narrowed eyes judging and condemning me as I kneel before Him. Instead, God revealed Himself to me in the person of His Son, Jesus, who said if we knew Him, we would know the Father (John 8:19). So I look to Jesus to see God. Jesus didn’t present Himself as an omnipotent king that was unapproachable and without compassion. Instead, Jesus came to the world as a servant with a heart full of love, compassion, mercy, and forgiveness (Philippians 2:7). His life was an antithesis to ruthless kings and dictators who craved riches and glory over the needs of their subjects. Jesus came to seek and save those who were lost (Luke 19:10). He offered the world eternal life by accepting Him and His ultimate sacrifice for sin (John 3:16). Jesus beckoned to me with His arms opened wide on a horrible Roman cross, suffering and dying for me, so I could have the most wonderful relationship ever with my Lord and Saviour! That’s my picture of God!

Although I know God is omnipotent, majestic, holy and righteous (just the tip of the iceberg), it is because of Jesus that I do not need to cower and crawl to worship God, fearing what He might do to me. I can freely bow before Him with a humble and grateful heart, worshiping Him as best I know how because I know He loves me! Through the bodily representation of God the Father in God the Son, I know that when I bow down and worship God, I can lift my head and look into the loving eyes of a heavenly Father who gave all so I could come before Him humbly, yet boldly to offer my heartfelt words of praise and worship.

“Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.”   – Psalm 29:2

Exodus 33:14 “And He said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.”

In Exodus 32, Moses has just descended from Mount Sinai after receiving the Ten Commandments from God. Revealed to him by God, Moses returns to the camp of the Israelites to witness them worshipping the golden image of a calf. In anger, Moses smashes the stone tablets upon which God has written His laws, destroys the golden idol, and has the Levites slay 3,000 men.

God then tells Moses that due to the grievous sins of the people, He will not be in the midst of them anymore, but will instead send His angel ahead of them as they travel. Moses beseeches God to remain with them instead of the angel as they continue to the Promised Land, and God honors Moses in Exodus 33:14 by telling him that He will stay, ultimately leading them Himself to their rest… their destination of a peaceful land flowing with milk and honey.

I also can claim the promise of Exodus 33:14. God’s presence is with me and will give me rest just as He did with Moses and the children of Israel. When I accepted Christ as my Saviour, He promised to be with me always, taking me to my rest, the place He has prepared for me… my eternal home in heaven. My salvation through Jesus has provided me with a very special relationship with God. He now lives within me in the presence of His Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17 & 1 Corinthians 3:16), and He will continue to be with me forever! What a wonderful promise! God is with me every moment of every day!

Since God never fails to keep a promise (Joshua 23:14), I have the assurance that I will never be without Him, but this also reminds me that wherever I go or whatever I do, I take God there with me. Whatever conversation I have, He is hearing it; whatever television show I watch, He is seeing it; whatever I do that is ungodly, I drag Him into it (Psalm 139:7-10). My responsibility is to walk worthy (1 Thessalonians 2:12) by allowing God to have His will and way in my life. Sadly, I have found that I cannot do this on my own. Completely surrendering to Him is the key, but giving Him total control of my life is difficult; it is a constant battle for me. My sinful nature fights for control, and I can only overcome that by depending upon His strength for victory (1 Corinthians 15:57). As God continues His work in me (Philippians 1:6), I must strive to follow in the footsteps of Jesus to become that living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is my reasonable service (Romans 12:1).

“Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name. Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes. – Psalm 119:132-135

Ephesians 5:15-16 “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time for the days are evil.”

I always thought that when I retired I would have lots of time on my hands. I had visions of relaxing in a lounge chair doing a little bird-watching while sipping an ice-cold glass of sweet tea. Surprisingly, I find that in my “golden years,” I am as busy as the proverbial bee! Most days, I am teaching my granddaughters, which keeps me learning new things as well as them! Other times, I am traveling with my husband, experiencing new lands and cultures. Sometimes I am immersed in my writing, doing time-consuming research or rewriting manuscripts. I find I still look forward to the weekend’s respite, just like I did when I was working full-time! In all my busyness, it is easy to squander my time, but as usual, the answer for managing my time wisely in is found in the Bible!

A Time for Devotions

James 4:8 “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.”

It is important to know God. When I first met my husband, I wanted to know all about him. I spent as much time as I could with him to get to know him better. It is the same with God. The more time I spend with Him, the more I get to know Him, and I do this through my personal times of devotional study. As I spend in His Word, I learn more about Him, and as I meditate on the Scriptures, His Holy Spirit reveals more of God’s character to me.

A Time for Fellowship

Hebrews 10:25 “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

I cherish the time I get to go to church and worship with other believers. When I gather with other Christians, I am encouraged, comforted, and edified through our worship and prayer times together. As I sit under solid Biblical instruction, I learn more about Jesus and how I can follow in His footsteps. Time with my church family is precious beyond measure! And speaking of family…

A Time for Family

Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

The best way to train up a child is to be a living example for that child to follow. What was important to me as a mom often became important to my children. If they saw church as a priority in my life, it became one in their life. If they saw prayer time and Bible study in my life, they wanted the same for their life. As I strove to follow Jesus and worked to live a life pleasing to God, it influenced my children’s lives as well. Today, my children are grown, but my work is not finished. Now I am a grandmother, and I have a new role. I help my daughter homeschool my granddaughters! Teaching these two girls is such a joy for me, and I realize that I am still following God’s family directive! Weaving Biblical principles throughout their studies is one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching, and each day is a special blessing for me!

A Time for Work

Colossians 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

Even in retirement, there is work to be done! It may be work at home, at the church, or somewhere else, but until God calls me home, I know He has something for me to do. There is no job that God has called me to do that is too menial a task. Therefore, I must continually seek His direction while moving forward to serve Him.

A Time for Rest

Exodus 20:8-10 “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:”

There are lots of problems in life, and sometimes there are things that trouble and concern me greatly. These burdens can become difficult to bear, and my inner spirit sags under the weight of them. I need to be renewed. Rest is that period of time set aside for renewal. For me, I love to “rest” at church. Being with God’s people renews me! When I am at church, I lift my voice in songs of praise and worship; I bask in the goodness of His Word being preached, and I am renewed by the work of His Holy Spirit! Taking time to rest with God is so refreshing!

A Time for Hope

Titus 2:13 “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”

This last time is often referred to as the Rapture. It is the time when Jesus comes down from heaven in the clouds and calls for every Christian to go with Him to our heavenly home. Every Bible prophecy that needs to be fulfilled prior to the Rapture has been fulfilled. Today could well be the time of the shout from the Archangel, the trumpet sounding, and Jesus’ appearing, which will call us up to join our Lord in the heavens. That “time” could be today!

1 Corinthians 15:52 “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

Jeremiah 16:17 “For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes.”

Before working as an RN in Labor & Delivery and Postpartum, I trained at a well-known nursing school in southern California. During my obstetrics rotation, I saw many joyous moments of childbirth as well as some tragic ones. One of the most difficult days for me as a student nurse was when I witnessed a saline abortion, from the administration of the lethal intravenous fluid to the delivery of the baby to the traumatic aftermath that enveloped the mother. Thankfully, my nursing school did not make any of us participate in any abortive procedures.

After the saline solution had been given, we were informed the birth would probably take place the following day. The next day, I was allowed to visit the young teen to see how she was doing. She was alone in a room, going through the last stages of labor, and very afraid. There was no nurse or doctor anywhere to be found. As a student nurse, I had no idea what to do, so I went in search of help. When I found the nurse on staff, she simply handed me a bedpan, said to put the “products of conception” in it, and call her when it was done. I was stunned. How could a nurse be so callous? I chose to stay with the teen through the delivery. She was so frightened, and kept saying she only did this because her mother told her to. Her mother was nowhere to be found. It wasn’t long before the baby was delivered. She was perfect… very tiny, but perfect… and dead. I cried along with the new mother as we grieved the death of her daughter together. Read more

Psalm 139:7-10 “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.”

Have you ever felt so lonely that it seemed like the world abandoned you? Some people like solitude. I do not. For me, being alone goes beyond the quietness of the moment. For me, being alone stirs up memories of separation and abandonment and all the anxieties that go along with it. I will do whatever I need to do to avoid feeling alone.

For the longest time, I relied upon myself to avoid being alone. I would go visiting friends (not a bad thing to do); I would go shopping (too hard on the budget); I would keep the television on (definitely not the best solution). But these were all temporary solutions; they did not remedy the problem. It was only when I turned to the Lord that being alone became less foreboding. Read more

Have you ever been to a home improvement store? Have you ever noticed the wide variety of doors that are available? I had no idea there were so many different kinds! Some are solid; some are hollow. Some are pocket doors, sliding into a wall until needed. Some are half-doors, where the top swings open, but the bottom remains closed and locked. Some have windows in them, while many have only peepholes. The variance in doors is amazing, but they all have the same function. Doors let people in or out. You can lock them, hoping to keep people out indefinitely, or you can leave them wide open, an invitation for anyone to enter. You control your door. Read more

I have a dear friend who lives in Florida, and occasionally I visit her. She lives in a lovely home surrounded by a golf course, small lakes, nature trails, and some very memorable wildlife. Perhaps the most impressive to me are the alligators that can be seen throughout this area. The alligators spend most of their time in the lakes, but they often warm themselves on the land during the day. The one in the picture was sunning itself behind her house. It actually appeared quite harmless, and I wanted to get a bit closer to it for a photo. My friend warned me that contrary to popular thinking, an alligator can move in short bursts up to 30 mph on land, and she cautioned me to be careful! While the alligator was as still as could be, I chose to heed her warning, so I kept a safe distance while snapping the photo. Read more

Luke 2:10-12  “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

I grew up with several notions in my head that I really believed were true until I became an adult and realized that watermelon seeds didn’t sprout in my stomach and butter was not good to apply on a burn. These sayings were passed down from generation to generation in my family, and I never disputed them (or others), but like the seeds and butter, I have found that sometimes my understanding of certain concepts is based on assumption rather than fact. Sadly, sometimes this crosses over in my understanding of Scripture. For example, I had once assumed that the apple was the fruit of which Eve and Adam ate, but the exact fruit is not mentioned in the Bible (Genesis 3:6).

I recently realized that there is no mention of a stable in regards to the birth of Jesus, nor does the Bible record that an innkeeper provided an alternate place for Mary and Joseph to stay since there was “no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7). This “discovery” of mine compelled me to wonder, “If not in a stable, then where was Jesus born?” Read more

This time of year, my living room is cluttered with wrapping paper, boxes, ribbons, and bows as I carefully wrap the presents I have purchased for my family and friends. Sitting beneath the bright, shiny twinkling lights of my Christmas tree, the pretty packages add to the anticipation of Christmas as I see them day after day. Every so often, my granddaughters will pull out one of the their gifts, give it a shake, hoping for a clue as to its contents. The joy on their faces is priceless!

I love Christmas! Every part of it! The hustle and bustle of shopping, the decorations on the houses, Christmas movies, and baking holiday treats. Unfortunately, it’s easy to become so consumed with all the shopping and preparations for Christmas that we lose our focus on what is the most precious gift of all! Read more