Reading Time: 3 minutes So, beloved friend, not only is it important for us to know how much the Lord loves us as individuals, but we need to share this amazing love with everyone we meet. I challenge you with a love challenge! Today is the perfect day to do this two-part challenge…
Tag: devotional
Reading Time: 4 minutes We are human and part of being human is making mistakes. Sometimes, these mistakes are huge… so big that they seem to overwhelm everything in our lives — including hope in forgiveness. Perhaps you have said or thought to yourself: “Lord, I want to give my heart to You and become Your child, but I am so dirty, so unclean, so messed up, so broken, so sinful, so [insert reason here]. You would never want me!”
But you know something absolutely amazing? There is no one so broken or messed up that God would not accept and forgive them.
Reading Time: 3 minutes I want to let you know that the pain and anguish that you feel in your heart during these times is valid. It is ok to be confused and deeply saddened. It is even ok to question the circumstances and ask God “Why?” The Lord understands our pain even better than we do and He loves and cares very deeply for each one of us. That is why today’s encouragement is from Psalm 34:18.
Reading Time: 3 minutes Today I am sharing Psalm 37:23-24. I chose the New Century Version in particular because of the beautiful translation of the last part: “If they stumble, they will not fall, because the Lord holds their hand.” It is comforting to know that no matter what you are going through, the Lord will always be there for us… like a loving Parent holding on to their child’s hand.
Reading Time: 4 minutes I was so excited about launching a new short series on Hospitality earlier this week that I was woefully unprepared for the arrival of Thursday. It seemed to sneak up on me when I wasn’t looking. Then, like a playful friend, it placed its hands on my eyes and asked: “Guess who? It’s Thursday! Time for His Encouragement for Your Thursday!”
Reading Time: 3 minutes The Scriptures remind us repeated that God knows our hearts. He knows our needs, our thoughts, our tendencies, our habits, our strengths, our weaknesses. He knows our circumstances even better than we do. We can only see the here and now, but God sees the beginning and the end and everything in-between.
Reading Time: 3 minutes With only a few days left in the month of December, one year is ending and another is beginning. For many, this is the time for reflection and resolution. Whether your 2018 was amazing or terrible, filled with joy or sorrow, or a mixture of all of these, let us remember to always seek out the Lord’s blessings in our lives. That is why, as we close out 2018 and look forward to 2019, I pray that we all resolve to take Colossians 3:12-13 to heart. “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience…”
Reading Time: 6 minutes One of the most powerful yet subtle ways that the Lord moves in our lives is through people. Today’s verse is from 1 Thessalonians 5:11 and reads: “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”
Reading Time: 3 minutes I do not know about you, but I find it very hard to stay sad, discouraged, upset, apathetic, hurt or any other negative feeling when I am praising the Lord. There is something about the very act of giving thanks to God, even when it seems we have very little to be thankful for, that lifts my mood, eases my burdens, and floods me with peace. It is not always easy to find things to be thankful for.
Reading Time: 4 minutes Today is November 1st, and as is my custom, I try to spend the entire month in a special spirit of thankfulness. We should be grateful all year long, but it is not uncommon throughout the world and human history for people to recognize a time of special thankfulness, usually around harvest time. In Biblical times, two of the major feasts outlined in Scripture were specifically connected with harvest and showing gratitude to the Lord for His blessings.