www.bible.com/reading-plans/11667/day/5
I needed this devotional this morning and I am sharing it for others who may also need to read about hope, faith and love.
Category: Scripture
From the Holy Bible
Reality above the Real World
www.bible.com/reading-plans/11667/day/4
I feel bad for those who don’t believe in God, not just because they are missing out on a relationship with Him, but also because the real world of sickness and troubles is all they know. They don’t have the power of God on their side so they can rely on Him to help them through the sickness and the challenges of life. God doesn’t always heal, but sometimes He does. God doesn’t always take you out of the trouble, but sometimes He does. And whether the healing comes or not and whether the trouble disappears or not, God is still there and still by your side all the way through until the end if you trust in Him. Thus, I feel bad for those who don’t believe in God. They don’t have that knowledge that no matter what happens, God is right there, fighting on our side, and in the end, He always wins. The reality is God is real. The sad thing is that people without God don’t know it.
Nothing without God
www.bible.com/reading-plans/11667/day/3
I have never heard the term used in this devotional, “the God of the gaps.” But I know for many years, that is how I chose to live. I went about my life, including God in it whenever there was a “gap” that needed to be filled and I couldn’t do it myself. Then, after many years of halfway serving the Lord, He got hold of my heart and told me in no uncertain terms that he didn’t want to be a foul weather God…He wants to be the God of my everyday life, in all ways and always. I repented of my not quite there faith and turned to Him completely, and I have found that He is not only there for me in ways that I never imagined, but that I am so close to Him that I can hear His voice whispering comfort and advice to me, just when I need it. I am “all in” for the Lord and He is all there for me.
Yesterday, I saw my ophthalmologist and he gave me the good news that the infection in my eyes is totally clear. He also told me that I have something called membrane dystrophy, which basically looks like wavy lines going through my cornea because the surface is too dry. So, I have a special gel to put into my eyes at night and I am supposed to use my eye drops five times a day instead of four. Plus, my eyeballs are still swollen following the infection, so I am continuing to use the steroid drops he prescribed until they are all gone. I say all this to praise God for the healing but also to report that while I was in the office, I felt a tug to ask the doctor about getting a comprehensive eye exam, something I haven’t had in a couple of years. I have been going to a retina eye specialist once I was diagnosed with a “trace” of macular degeneration and the exam there consists only of finding out how the disease has progressed. The bottom line is that now I have an appointment to have the exam I need and the doctor told me that they will also do the scan on how the macular is doing and send the report to the retina specialist. I may sound crazy but I felt that tug to speak up was from God. He knows I need my eyes checked and that I was too wary of the financial cost to even broach the subject. But in talking to the insurance adviser there in the office, my insurance will cover the exam, so a problem I have been fretting about for a while was solved by listening to that little voice telling me to go ahead and ask about it. Advice from God is always sound advice and He is there to not just stand in a gap for me but to walk before me and prepare the way I should go. Again, listening and being willing to follow through are important, but a relationship with God is the way to a happier, healthier life.
Update on Mitch: The news about Mitch is not good right now. He started running a fever of 104 yesterday so the doctors say he has another infection but they don’t know how to treat it or where it is coming from. They also told him family that he may have to have one or both legs amputated as well as a hand to stop the spread of the sepsis infection. Please, when you pray, lift up a prayer for Mitch and his family. Just a reminder that they have two children under six and his wife is currently in her third trimester of pregnancy with their third child. God knows what Mitch needs…I am praying for wisdom for the doctors and for God to touch his body and remove the infection. Will you agree with me in prayer? Thank you.
We Need God’s Help
www.bible.com/reading-plans/11667/day/2
If the prophet Jeremiah needed God’s help, then who am I to say that I can forge forth on my own and will just let God know if I need Him? No, that old hymn, “I Need Thee Every Hour” is more appropriate for me, and probably for you, too. We cannot stand in a world that glorifies evil and sin without God to strengthen us and stand beside us during the daily battles of life. The reality is that we are weak, but He is strong, just like the song I sing to my grandchildren. My faith and trust in God continues to grow daily as He cultivates in me the image of His beloved Son, but I have not arrived yet. In order to face the day and all it brings, I need God’s wisdom, His grace, His mercy and His strength. God is always there, and like Jeremiah, I need to call on Him for the help that I need.
Today I go to the ophthalmologist for a follow up on the eye infection I have had that lasted almost two months. I am better now and can mostly see clearly (some blurriness at times still), but I am thankful for an eye doctor who knew how to treat the disease and wanted to make sure that it’s cleared up. God heals and sometimes uses doctors to do it. I am thankful for doctors but mostly I am grateful to God!
Christ Blazed the Trail
www.bible.com/reading-plans/13828/day/16
There’s something to be said for scripture verses that consistently point out that Christ went ahead of us and died for us so that we don’t have to pay the price of our sins. I like how this devotional gives me a mental image of Christ in a deep woods (representing sin to me) and He is blazing a trail through. When we get off the trail, then we fall, have to pick ourselves up and repent and then move forward, back on the trail again. The biggest encouragement is that Jesus doesn’t abandon us and give up on us…we just have to stay the course and look for the trail!
Worth More than Sparrows
www.bible.com/reading-plans/13828/day/15
Sometimes, I look around at what this devotional calls the VUCA world and I am astounded that God has not destroyed us yet. There is no place, however, that God’s presence cannot be felt and His touch be on us, in spite of the sinful world we live in. I am not a part of the birding community, but I relate to the LBJ’s of this world, the “little brown jobs” that seem to be everywhere, doing their thing, looking for food, tweeting and surviving. I want to know that I matter to God and His Word assures me that I do. I want to know that even in the midst of a world where nothing makes sense and seemingly few acknowledge His sovereignty, He sees those of us who do know Him and who want to know Him better. I am encouraged that He cares for me more than for the sparrows. But I am also encouraged that He cares about all His little creatures, too. It always boggles my mind that the Creator of the Universe knows my name, has numbered the hairs on my head, captures my tears and sends me friends just when I need them to listen. God is always there. He is never silent. And He always cares. That’s my encouragement for today.
For those of you praying for Mitch, he was taken off of the ventilator on Wednesday night, had surgery on Thursday afternoon and is doing better. He is not out of the woods yet and the doctors say he has a long road of recovery ahead. For those who missed the original post, Mitch is the BIL of my niece in CO and was rushed to the hospital last week in kidney failure and with a high temperature. In exploratory surgery, a toxic ulcer was discovered, he was diagnosed with sepsis and his heart began to fail in addition to his kidney. This young man is only 36 years old and has a young family, with his wife over six months pregnant with their third child now. Please continue to keep Mitch in your prayers. Prayer does work…when the doctor saw him Tuesday, he said that Mitch would need a miracle to live long enough to have surgery. He got that miracle…so let’s continue to pray for complete healing and restoration to his family that needs him. Like each of us and each sparrow, God sees Mitch, his beloved wife and his two (almost three) young children. May He be merciful and gracious and send him home fully healed and praising God for the miracle that is his life!
Depending on God
www.bible.com/reading-plans/13828/day/14
The verses in Habakkuk have long been a source of encouragement to me, but the author of this short devotional says it well. No matter what mountain we have to go over or emptiness we feel, we can trust God. He doesn’t change and His habit is to save people…from sin, from troubles, from whatever messes we create. Look at what He did for Noah. He took him out of the world that was about to be destroyed and protected him. That is not to say that we won’t have troubles or difficulties, often created by our own ignorance or willfulness. But it is saying that God loves us and will help us in the way that is best for us. Sometimes He changes the situation, but in my experience, most often He changes my heart so I can see things more clearly and lean into Him for help.
What Are You Planting Today?
Every morning when I get up, I thank God for awakening me and for a new day. Then, I get busy getting ready for my day…shower, brush teeth, take morning meds, etc. Finally, I end up in my recliner in the den with my iPad on my lap and start reading and studying my Bible and devotionals. I want to make a commitment to add something to that routine. I already pray, but I have found that many or my prayers are surface ones…just barely touching the surface of the needs of myself, my family and others. I want to spend time waiting on God to show me what He wants me to pray about for a person or for other people. Right now, there is a young man named Mitch who is in his 30’s, has two young children and a beloved wife who is six months pregnant. On Monday night, he was taken to the hospital by ambulance with a high fever and his kidneys failing for an unknown reason. The doctors did exploratory surgery and discovered a toxic ulcer leaking in his abdomen, but he is too weak for them to repair it. Meanwhile, his heart started to fail. He is on a ventilator and the doctors say he needs a miracle. So, I would like you to plant seeds for Mitch and his family today, coming before God’s throne and asking for that miracle that he needs. God knows exactly the touch that his body needs in order for it to begin to repair itself and heal.
When we plant seeds, we frequently think of what will come from the harvest. And most seeds we plant are for ourselves. Let’s reach out to others like Mitch. He is a stranger to me, but I was contacted by a family member asking for prayer. So, I will sow seeds for Mitch and others whom God brings to my mind who need a touch from Him, of healing, comfort, grace and love. We may never see the harvest, but we can plant the seeds. Giving doesn’t have to be finances; it can be time and energy and effort. God wants all of us dedicated to serving Him, not just our wallets.
Plant Generously
In his second letter to the believers in Corinth, Greece, the apostle Paul expressed His gratefulness for their commitment to generosity before challenging them with this statement:
“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”
2 Corinthians 9:6 NIVPaul knew that God had established some common-sense principles when it came to generosity. All throughout Scripture, we see both natural and spiritual implications of this cycle.
Natural: If you plant a few seeds in the ground, you will reap a small harvest. If you plant hundreds or thousands of seeds in the ground, you will reap a large harvest.
Spiritual: If you spend your time, money, talents, or energy investing in a friend, a stranger, a ministry, or the next generation, God can certainly multiply those efforts.
But Paul also makes it clear in the surrounding verses that you shouldn’t just give to get. If you do give, you should do so willingly and cheerfully—not begrudgingly.
What we sow with the right heart, God will surely multiply what we produce.
Proverbs 11:18 says, “…the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.” Hosea 10:13 says, “You have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception…”
Instead of seeds of selfishness, anger, or pride, let’s plant seeds of selflessness, peace, and humility.
Ask yourself: How am I investing my life? What types of seeds am I planting? Am I trusting that God will multiply my efforts when invested with the right heart?
Take some time to reflect on what you’re planting and reaping today, and ask God to direct your steps.
God Is Faithful
One of the things that I lacked as I was growing up was a constant love. My mom loved me, as long as I did what pleased her and made her look good to her friends. My dad loved me as long as I didn’t cost him too much. When I became a Christian in my early 20’s, for the first time I knew a love that was consistent and constant, without any conditions except that I accept His love and gift of salvation. God is always faithful, even when I have turned away or I am not as on fire as I once was. God never changes and His love has always reminded, like a lighthouse that I can see clearly or a loving hug from someone dear to me. He is always there, always loves me and I am blessed to know that His love will never fail.
From Promises to Fulfilled Covenants
God made promises to Abraham in Genesis about his lineage, and He gave the Ten Commandments to Moses in Exodus. He made a covenant to David in 2 Samuel, and declared a New Covenant to come in the book of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
All of those stories point to the arrival of Jesus Christ—where all God’s covenant promises are fulfilled (2 Corinthians 1:20).
These stories remind us of God’s faithfulness (Romans 15:4). We don’t have to look very far to see:
“That the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.”
Deuteronomy 7:9God’s love is faithful; it is constant. It endures through the generations. In a world where love is often conditional and transactional, given and withdrawn based on our actions, God’s love stands apart. It’s not tethered to the ups and downs of our circumstances. It doesn’t waver with our feelings. And it certainly doesn’t hinge on our performance.
God’s love is firmly rooted in His unchanging character.
So even if you’re on the highest mountaintop of success or in the deepest valley of despair—His love remains constant, an ever-present source of strength for those who love Him.
Today, let the words of Deuteronomy 7:9 sink deep into your soul and remember: Our God is not distant or indifferent. He is near, and His love is faithful, enduring through a thousand generations.
Encouragement from God
www.bible.com/reading-plans/13828/day/11
God has a plan for our lives, even when we don’t see it and seem to be struggling through each day. He also gives us daily encouragement if our eyes and ears are open to receive it. I recently had an online friend post that she needed prayer because one of her friends had lost her daughter to an unexpected death. Since H has been grieving for her son who was killed when a truck him him in April, she has firsthand knowledge of what her friend is going through. God didn’t cause the accident that took her son, nor did He want it to happen. But He is now using it to help her to reach out to others in a similar circumstance. Just as I encourage people who have had strokes that it will get better and that they can go on with all of the new restrictions, H can encourage this bereaved mom. When we have bad things happen, we should not be shaking our fist at heaven and railing at God. He doesn’t make bad things happen, but He will allow us to use those experiences to help others who need help as desperately as we once did. I remember what my daughter told me a week after my stroke, when I was so discouraged about what I was unable to do for myself. She said, “Mom, just do what you can do today. It will get better, but you have to be patient.” Those are my words of encouragement to each of you today. Do what you can do just for today; don’t worry about what is coming tomorrow or next week or next month. Take one day at a time and trust that God is working to make it better.
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