Tag Archives: Bible

Feb21

DAY 51 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Choosing God.

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DAY 51 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Choosing God.

Lately, the state of the world and America have been heavy on my heart, for lack of a better description, what I am seeing grieves my heart. It scares me to think about where we are heading, especially as I watch people I respect and some I love fall into the trap of the world and its traditions. If we, who are called to be salt and light, look like the world, what hope is there? This question has been an ever-present fixture in my heart and mind for a while now. Sometimes it leads me to a sweet time of reflection and growth as I seek God and His words for direction and wisdom, and other times, it leads me to deep sadness and near depression because instead of looking to my Lord and Savior who walks on raging seas, I focus on the darkness I see engulfing us.

Here’s a reminder from God’s word of who we are and what God has given us, but most importantly, it’s a reminder that sin is subtle, it sneaks in, like satan in the garden, and distracts us with half-truths and tries to redirect our hearts and minds with questions like, “Did God REALLY say…” How do we combat this? By KNOWING WHAT GOD DID SAY.

“That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments…See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ…Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch,” (Colossians 2:2B-4, 8, 21).

Our hope is Christ, our guide and the director of our path is Christ. Christ is who we look to when the world is upside down. Christ is where our hope and safety are found, NOT religion, NOT man, and NOT the world. God says DON’T handle, DON’T taste, and DON’T touch. We are God’s representatives to the world. Our call is to represent Him correctly, and God takes this charge seriously; we should, too.

“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the river and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE.” (Joshua 24:14-15A).

Here’s the truth, friends, we are going to serve something. Whether that be self or God is our choice to make. I hope, like Joshua, your answer is, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15B)

So, what am I thankful for today? That we can choose God.

Jan4

Day 4 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Redemption.

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Day 4 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Redemption.

It never fails to amaze me how God speaks directly to my heart and meets me exactly where I need to be met. It shouldn’t surprise me, but it does, every single time. He sees my fears, my questions, and my uncertainties. I think the awe comes when I realize this: the God who spoke the world into existence and made it with such intricate detail and creativity that trees can communicate with each other about dangers and food sources. That very same God cares about my fears and understands my shortcomings.

When I feel like I’m walking far from His will for me, He gently reminds me that He is carrying me, that He has wiped out my offenses, casting them as far as the east is from the west. Life on this earth is never going to be perfect. We will have troubles, trials, and tribulations. We will have fears, and we will fall short. But here is the truth, friends, a hope that you can hold fast to. Our fears, sins, and messes have no power over us. No, really, it’s true. How? Because God loves us and has redeemed us in Jesus.

So, if you feel like you’re failing, falling, or have messed up so bad that God can’t forgive you. Take comfort in God’s words to us through the prophet Isaiah and know that you are redeemed in Him.

“I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you” (Isaiah 44:22).

What am I thankful for today? Redemption.

Jan3

Day 3 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…JESUS

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Day 3 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…JESUS

Today, while doing my devotion, I wondered out loud if there was a way to live this life not feeling like a hamster on a wheel, continuously repeating the same mistakes, working hard (in my own strength) to figure out the lessons God wants me to learn, so I can move forward. I constantly feel like Paul, wanting to make the right choices, wanting to do what pleases God, but falling constantly. Do you ever feel the same? Wonder what you’re missing, not seeing clearly? Living that Romans 7 cycle?

“For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am!” (Romans 7:22-24A).

How do we free ourselves from the cycle, the never-ending rolling wheel of sin and shame? Here’s the truth, we can’t. If we could right our wrongs and wipeout our misdeeds and missteps, God would not have needed to send His Son. But fear not, friends, for we are not as those without hope. Our salvation does not depend on us, it is not for us to right our wrongs. This sin that we cannot tame or control is exactly why Christ came. We have hope, the same hope that Paul expresses in Romans 7.

“What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25).

What am I thankful for today? Jesus Christ, my Lord!

Jan2

Day 2 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Eyes That See.

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Day 2 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Eyes That See.

This morning, my devotion took me to 2 Kings 6. It is a glimpse into the life of Elisha, the prophet. The chapter, at its core, is about faith, not just the “I believe” kind, but the kind of faith that gives sight to what is unseen. The type of faith that takes God at His word without question and moves in whatever direction he says to move. The kind of faith that has no fear, because it understands that fear is not of God. This is the faith I desire, the kind we all hope to have. In verse 15, Elisha’s servant wakes up and finds that they are surrounded by their enemies. Horses, chariots, and armed men, everywhere, in fear, he runs to Elisha and exclaims, “Alas, my master! What shall we do!” (verse 15b). Elisha’s reply is eye-opening, literally.

“He said, ‘Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.’ So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (verse 16-17).

God is not hiding His might from us, even when we’re in our valleys, walking through trials, or facing immovable mountains. There are horses and chariots of fire all around us, ready to stand in battle with us and protect us. God’s love for us is immense.

In my life, I don’t always perceive or feel God’s presence when I am walking through the fires and floods of life, and that isn’t because I don’t love God or believe in Him. It’s because, like Peter on the water, my eyes are on my circumstances instead of the Lord who has power over my storms.

Here’s why Elisha’s story is beautiful: he never asked God to remove the problem. Instead, he asked for eyes to be opened, so that God’s power could be seen. It lets me know that, like Elisha’s servant, when we ask God to show us His presence, He will. Here’s the great news, friends, God is always with us, always fighting for us, always walking with us, even when we don’t feel it, and if we ask Him to open our eyes. He will.

Today, I am thankful for eyes that see,

Dec29

Day 363 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…God Taking My Heart of Stone

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Day 363 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…God Taking My Heart of Stone

Yesterday at church, I read a verse that I am sure I have read many times before, but it felt like the first time I had truly seen it. The verse is from Mark 6:52. However, before I write the verse, let me give some backstory: Jesus had just finished feeding over 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish. He then told his disciples to get in the boat and go ahead of him, while he spent some time in prayer. As the disciples continue their journey, a storm begins, and they struggle to keep control of the boat. Jesus sees this and comes to meet them by walking on the water. But upon seeing this, the disciples are afraid, mistaking Jesus for a ghost. We will pick up in verse 50b as we make our way to verse 52. “Immediately, He spoke to them and said, ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’ Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for THEY HAD NOT UNDERSTOOD ABOUT THE LOAVES; THEIR HEARTS WERE HARDENED.”

You see it too, right? “They didn’t understand about the loaves, their hearts were hardened.” I have read the book of Mark more than once, and I have never noticed this verse before. The disciples lived with Jesus, ate with Jesus, journeyed with Jesus, and witnessed every single miracle FIRSTHAND and STILL DID NOT UNDERSTAND. It made me think about my life, about all the ways I see God move in my life and in my world daily, and how, despite all He’s done, I still struggle to trust Him with 100% of my heart. It can feel discouraging, can’t it? Like a hamster on a wheel, only the hamster knows where the food is, has all the tools needed to get off the wheel, yet speeds up its pace of going nowhere. We complain about the disciples and declare that we’d have done it differently, yet here we are doing the exact same thing in real time.

Here’s the hope, friends, Jesus didn’t leave the disciples; He continued with them because He knew that one day He would lead them to understanding, one day their eyes would see fully, and when that day came, they would change the world in His name. Here’s a promise to hold on to when you feel like your heart is hardened: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws” (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

Today, I am thankful that God will take away my heart of stone.

Dec23

Day 357 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Grace That Covers Disobedience

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Day 357 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Grace That Covers Disobedience

Recently, I was asked a question that I want to pose to you. If you were to give God a Christmas gift, what would it be? I had many answers: my heart, my soul, my love, and my praise. All good answers, all things that God deserves, because, well, He is God. However, as I have been going through my devotions in the Old Testament (currently in 2 Kings). I realized that what God wants above all things is our obedience. In 2 Samuel 15, God commanded Saul to completely wipe out the Amalekites, and by wipe out He meant everything, complete annihilation. But Saul did not obey, and in verse 22, Samuel, God’s prophet, says this to Saul, “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.”

As I think about what I would give God for Christmas, my answer is obedience. Not robotic, or fearful obedience, but obedience that comes from a heart that desires to give God my very best at all times. Does that mean I’ll never disobey? No. Will God forgive me when I fall and fail? Absolutely, that’s why Jesus came. Here’s a reminder, friend: “For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace“ (Romans 6:14). God desires obedience, but understands our weakness and gives us grace through Jesus, who fulfills the law so that we can live in grace.

Today, I am thankful for the grace that covers my disobedience.

Dec21

Day 355 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…My Weakness

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Day 355 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…My Weakness

Do you sometimes feel weak, have feelings of inadequacy? Times when you’re fearful that if you move, you will fall flat on your face? Our weakness can be crippling, keeping us from moving forward, worried that if we do, we will fail for everyone to see. Here’s a truth that we often find hard to believe: don’t fear your weakness. Embrace it. Yup, I did say embrace weakness. Why? Because in our weakness God is strong. When we look at weakness through the lens of our humanity, we see it as less than or not good enough. However, when we look at weakness through the lens of God’s love and grace towards us, we, too, like Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9, can hear God say, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” To us, weakness, for the lack of a better word, is, well, weak. But God sees it as an opportunity for His power to be made perfect.

If the road you are walking seems to have more pits and potholes than paved paths. Don’t let fear of being too weak to make it keep you from taking that first step. God is there walking with us, and if we trust and believe, we will see His power being perfected in us.

“Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” John 11:40

Take heart, friends, God wants to show us beautiful, glorious, perfected power, so don’t fear your weakness. Embrace it.

Today I am thankful for my weakness.

Dec20

Day 354 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Tiredness

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Day 354 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Tiredness

Have you ever been tired–sick and tired of everything? Where you just want to give up and not even try. Life can be tiring, making us expend all our energy with little to no return, as we run into roadblocks and complications at every turn. You wonder if God hears, sees, or even cares. Then you feel guilty for doubting God’s love. It’s a cruel and, yes, tiring cycle. But here’s some good news: none of this is surprising to God. He is not shocked or dismayed by our breakdown. He sees, hears, and (believe it or not) understands. No, I mean it. Check this out in 2 Kings 19, we find Elijah running for his life, after the Lord displayed His tremendous power against the prophets of Baal. In verse four, Elijah is so overwhelmed by it all that he cries out to God and asks Him to end it all, “I have had enough, Lord,’ he said. ‘Take my life, I am no better than my ancestors.” For some of us, this moment in Elijah’s life may feel very relatable. But what God does in response to Elijah’s cries is hope that we can stand on.

“All at once, an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.’ So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God” 1 Kings 19:5-8.

God sent an angel to give Elijah exactly what he needed: strength for the journey. Here’s a truth you can bank on: God sees our tiredness and has exactly what we need and WILL SUPPLY IT. So cry out to God, friends, He hears, sees, and will answer.

Today I am thankful for (a God who understands) tiredness.

Dec18

Day 352 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…(NOT) Failure

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Day 352 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…(NOT) Failure

This year has been a year. We have been dealing with the pain of loss and the repercussions of bad decisions made. Making the year feel like one failure after another. If you are anything like me, that feeling of disappointing God and your loved ones is the most horrible in the world, and wallowing in that devastation becomes a playground for the accuser of our faith to remind us of our failures, faults, and flaws. But God has been teaching me that our struggles and shortcomings do not equal failure. Not to God. Where we see the bad we’ve done, our limitations, and mishaps, God sees opportunity.

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NIV)

Let me say it again (for those in the back): struggling and falling flat on our faces does NOT mean we are failing. It means we are being refined and molded into the image of Him whose thoughts toward us are good. Struggles suck (yeah, I did use that word), they are painful and uncomfortable, and they make us feel like horrible humans. But, praise be to God, who tells us our struggles are momentary and working in us to achieve eternal glory. Don’t despise the struggle, friends, it’s a sign that God loves us.

Today I am thankful for (NOT) failure.

Dec17

Day 351 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…”GO” and “DO”

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Day 351 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…”GO” and “DO”

Today, while doing my devotion in 1 Kings 16. It was striking to me that God never had to tell Elijah anything twice. In verse two, God tells Elijah, “Leave here, turn eastward, and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.” Verse three reads, “So he did what the Lord had told him.” He didn’t question, he didn’t think ravens will bring me food? What God? No, Elijah got up and DID what God said. NO QUESTIONS ASKED. Is that as wild to you as it is to me? That instant obedience.

I need confirmation. I will ask, “Is that you, Lord?” more than once. Question Him at every turn and, as previously stated (see day 350), try to “help”. Not Elijah. If God says it, he’s doing it. Period. But here’s what’s beautiful about obedience like Elijah’s. It rubs off on those around us and brings them blessings.

“Elijah said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first, make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: The jar of flour will not be used up, and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land. She went and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.” 1 Kings 16:13-15

Do you see it? The woman “went and did.” She “went” and “did” what God instructed, and because of obedience, she and her family never went hungry. God wants to use us to bless us and those around us in the same way. But first, we must be willing to “go” and “do” what He tells us. He’s a good God friend, and with Him leading us, we will never be hungry. So GO and DO.

Today I am thankful for “go” and “do.”