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Devotions by Meredith

Daily Devotional with Meredith Giles

A Good Reputation

November 7, 2024

A Good Reputation Acts 5:13 AMPC The people (outside the church) held them in high regard and praised and made much of them. What is the reason that the church was held in such high regard and respect? I believe it was because they had a higher lifestyle. The church were Kingdom-level thinkers and lived according to Kingdom principles. Here’s the usual question—are we to compromise kingdom principles to honor and obey our civil authorities? Absolutely not! John the Baptist warned King Herod of his lawlessness when he was sleeping with his brother’s wife. John the Baptist was beheaded because he spoke the truth to Herod. Herod feared John as a prophet. Many times people approach officials with attitudes of superiority, criticism, and judgment. These are not attitudes of honor and respect but grating approaches to others we do not agree with. Shadrah, Meshach, and Abednego talked to the king with honor even though they spoke against His idolatry. Can we find it in our hearts to pray for those who are holding positions of leadership whether we agree with them or not? God can confront those who stand for wrong laws that are harmful and not of God. If they are not godly in their views God is able to remove them and replace them with godly men and women. Yet we want to have open communication and without anger and sarcasm, be able to share and speak our hearts with others who do not see eye to eye with us. If the church is not perceived by our leaders as those who walk in the love and compassion of Jesus Christ, and true honor for their place of authority, they will not listen to our words. We are to be as wise as serpents, as the Bible says, and as gentle as doves. This is wisdom from above. There may be times when God sends a spiritual leader to deliver a strong message to someone in authority even as the Lord sent prophets to the kings in the Old Testament. God can give us wisdom how to agree to disagree yet speak our hearts with respect and kindness. I Peter 2:17 says to “Fear God. Honor the king.” Peter said, “How can you say you fear God whom you do not see, when you cannot honor the leader, He has placed His authority upon that you do see?” If we truly fear God, we will trust the Lord that He is in total control over those who are in authority. I have heard it said that people get the leaders many times they deserve. Let’s pray daily for those in authority for God’s wisdom and righteousness. If they are evil, let’s believe the Lord to work to bring godly leaders over us. We honor God as we respect and pray for those He has allowed in position. What about you? What is your attitude about those who are in places of authority, both good and bad? Ask the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom of how to pray for them and guide you in your conversation concerning them. May He guide you throughout your day. Have a blessed day in Him.

Joy Comes in the Morning

November 6, 2024

Joy Comes in the Morning Psalm 30:5b Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. As much as we don’t like weeping, we all have seasons that have caused us to weep. Weeping is the reality of living in a fallen, sorrowful, sinful world. As much as we all would like to escape it, there is sadness in on earth. Things are not all as they should be. We could name a whole long list of sins committed in this world that cause us to weep. Therefore, there will always be weeping. Friends and loved ones who have suffered loss over recent days. Tremendous hurt and trauma from broken, painful relationships. Mistreatment and abuse that cause such grief and pain and suffering. I’m sure you have even wondered as I have, when is this going to end? You may even be wondering that very thought today over your own life’s situations. When is it going to stop? God can give us a deep grace to help us trust Him that there is a day coming when our sorrow will be turned into joy by our heavenly Father. Our verse for today encourages us to trust in the Lord’s faithfulness. There are dear saints who I observe, and I am mystified and humbled at their unconditional love and care over a disabled child or mate who they carefully, gently, and lovingly care for, bringing them out to events, Bible studies, etc., lifting them in and out of their vehicle, to the detriment of their own health. You can only imagine the scheduling and rigid routine it takes to get their loved one ready as well as themselves to be able to participate with others. My heart goes out to them, both the sick and the caretaker. I’m sure there have been many times when the weeping felt like it would never end for them. Yet our verse tells us that joy comes in the morning. In other words, when the nights are long and the sorrow is unrelenting, and you wonder if it’s ever going to end, verse 5 speaks to us loud and clear, it is going to end. Sorrow and moaning will not have the last word. Disease and sickness will not have the victorious last word in your life. We know that because Jesus always is the One who has the last word, so life has the last word, salvation has the last word, which means hope has the last word. Psalm 30:11 the psalmist says, You’ve turned my mourning into dancing. You’ve loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness that my glory may sing Your praise and not be silent. Oh Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever. Weeping may endure for the night, but remember this, joy comes in the morning. Whether you presently are in a dark, hard time right now, or that time is just around the corner, remember it is temporary. It’s temporary whether you’re walking through it right now, or you walk through it for a season to come, it will be temporary. Jesus tells us He has conquered sin and death and the grave. He has risen in victory over all of that and He will have the last word. If your loved one is not healed here on earth, they will have complete healing in our heavenly home. And for those miracles here on earth, the physical and inner healings still do happen. God is the Healer of it all and He knows exactly how and when to do it. Let’s keep coming to Him knowing that mourning will turn into dancing and joy does come in the morning. What about you? Are you discouraged over what seems to be a never-ending situation? Dear one, continue to find your place before Him, believing His Word that weeping will end, and joy will come in your morning. Blessings and renewed strength for your day.

Live by Every Word

November 5, 2024

Live By Every Word Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ This verse is a very strategic and powerful verse. This is admonition and strength given to us how to live each and every day. The word “Word,” rhema means that which is said or spoken, an utterance. Logos is the message; rhema is the communication of the message. In reference to the Bible, logos is the Bible in its entirety; rhema is a verse from the Bible. The meaning of rhema in distinction to logos is illustrated in Ephesians 6:17 which says “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” I almost had a panic attack the other night when I could not find my Bible and my journal which neither is very far out of my reach. I hunted all around my bedroom, looked down the the kitchen, dining room and living room, all to no avail. I was about to journey out to the car to check, when I decided to look one more time in my bedroom. To my chagrin, my husband had tossed the blankets over my books when he was getting into bed to read. A wave of relief flooded my soul! Whew! The Word of God is my lifeline. Abba speaks to me every time I pull away and spend time with Him. It is important to me to journal what He speaks so that I can go back and review it and know that as I meditate of His Word, He, by the power of His Holy Spirit will, by supernatural osmosis, work that all into my spirit and life. We can trust the Lord to speak through His Word, a specific word for right where you are at presently. There may be times when you pull aside to be with the Lord in His Word and it seems that there is nothing spoken to you. Be patient. I have had times when it seems that the Lord was not speaking anything, then the very next time I am reading the Word, suddenly, all that seemed to be saying nothing, all came together with a powerful Word from the Lord! Wow! Stay faithful to pull aside and hear Him speak. The Lord also speaks to our spirit through our thoughts, that still small voice of God, and you wonder was that my thinking that or was it the Voice of the Living God? Many times, we can push His Voice aside thinking “Oh, that was nothing. That was just my wishful thinking or my daydreaming thinking. Oh God, help us to be more discerning to your Voice from You Word and when You speak to our spirit, whether gently or with a roar. This is how we are to live, by every word that proceeds from our precious Abba Father. I don’t want to miss, not even one word, that He speaks to me, not one! Dear one, please draw close to the Lord as He has much, much, much to reveal and say to you! Don’t miss anything He has for you! What about you? Do you have a desire to hear His voice and live by every word that proceeds from His mouth? I pray you do. Take time daily and listen and live by every word He will speak to you. He loves you so! Blessings on your day.

Waiting Hopefully

November 4, 2024

Waiting Hopefully Lamentations 3:20-21, 25 20 My soul still remembers and sinks within me. 21 This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. 25 The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. Another phrase for “sinks” is “bowed down. Do you remember when you have felt this way? I do. The Lord will speak something fantastic to you that He is going to do and you think it is coming very soon, if not immediately. You wait and wait and then wait some more. Then the wondering and questioning will begin to move in. Did I really hear from You, Lord? Was that really You speaking this all to me? This is when He speaks from His Word that our timing is not His timing, nor are His ways, our ways. Micah 7:7 says, “Therefore I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me.” To wait in this verse means to tarry, hope, trust, expect; be patient; remain in anticipation. Noah waited seven days, from when he first saw the dove until the next time he sent her out again. There is a right way to wait and “hope.” The right way is to wait for the Lord, steadfastly expecting His mercy, His salvation, and His strengthening while you wait. Noah didn’t take matters into his own hands, and neither should you. Just wait! Keep your spiritual and physical eyes full of anticipation of His answer and fulfillment coming, according to His timing and way. Yet, our heavenly Father wants us to look with expectation, not just simply have an “I have to wait” attitude. There’s a difference. There is to be “hope,” and “expectancy,” not just a simple sitting in a corner waiting like an impatient child. We know what He has said. We know that our Father is more than good to His word. Keep in mind that the Holy Spirit is working some necessary work in you, working His process, maturing and deepening in you which is all needed for the next phase of your life’s journey. There were times in the Bible that some of the heroes of the faith almost gave up. Jeremiah, who wrote the book of Lamentations had almost given up hope in verse 20. Then the Lord caused Him to remember something that restored His hope again. It is helpful to think back on all the things the Lord has done in His faithfulness in your life. Know that the Lord is always right on time. Always acknowledge that He is faithful to His Word. Wait on Him with expectation and great hope and expect Him to do exactly what He has said He is going to do. What about you? Do you find yourself battling in the waiting process? Are you wavering in your faith that you truly have heard the Lord as well that He will bring to pass all that He has promised? Be encouraged today, my friend. He is good to His Word. Rest in Him. Look for Him to do what He has spoken, waiting hopefully. Your answers are on the way. Have a blessed day in Him.

The Lasting Bond

November 3, 2024

The Lasting Bond I Thessalonians 1:1 TPT From Paul, Silas, and Timothy. We send our greetings to you, the congregation of believers in Thessaloniki, which is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May God’s delightful grace and peace rest upon you. It began when I was in my thirties, my first ministry trip to another nation. It was to the nation of India. Our ministry was to pastors and their wives. Even though I missed my family beyond words, I loved teaching, loving, and encouraging these pastors who had so little education and tools to work with. Over the years I have traveled to many nations and have had the great privilege to be on teams who in my book, will go down as heroes of the faith. I guess I would be classified as a young Timothy when I began. I had two very special mentors. I always felt like I was there to carry their bags, so to speak. I would often lead worship and enjoy their powerfully anointed teaching. There were many retreats in my home state as well as neighboring states where we would gather with women from many churches having two to three days to be before the Lord together to encourage, pray, laugh, and cry together. I always came home refreshed and ready to journey on with the duties of life. Eventually I was given teaching ministry slots, and then on to the evening gathering times. Our times together were times of great growth and processing in my life. Our times in prayer and discussion as a leadership team, have marked me for the rest of my life. I believe that must have been how Paul, Silas, and Timothy must have felt. When you study the different combinations of team members, you find that often it would be repeated choices to minister and travel with. Timothy was a younger man who was being mentored by Paul and the other older disciples. You tell as you focus on their greetings and other verses of writing about their experiences that they had a strong bond with each other. Think of the times when Jesus was with His disciples, how night after night they would sit around a campfire having, I believe deep discussions, asking Jesus deep questions and listening intently to what He would teach them. I know longer have my older mentors. Oh how I miss them and would love to be with them again. Working together in a close bond is a powerful experience. God anoints the team and causes each member to work in sync with each other, each with their own unique gifts and callings. Then there is the laughter with tears running down your face, and the quiet sharing at night telling the deep, personal things God was working in each of us. I’ll never forget. What a blessing those precious times were. I challenge you as you read this devotional to ask the Lord, “What team would you have for me to be a part of? Where would I grow and be effective for your Kingdom?” You are not an island. We need each other. It’s important to be a working part of the Body of Christ and also to help mentor younger Christians along on their journey as well. What about you? Are you a team player or a lone ranger? Are you yielded clay on the potter’s wheel, yielded to Him to be made into a vessel that can be used by the Potter? Dear one, Abba always knows what He is doing, and He wants to use you mightily today. Have an anointed day in Him!

Filled to the Brim

November 2, 2024

Filled to the Brim Jeremiah 31:13b-14 13b For I will turn their mourning to joy, will comfort them, and make them rejoice rather than sorrow. 14 I will satiate (fill to the full) the soul of the priests with abundance. And My people shall be satisfied with My goodness says the Lord. When we cry out to the Lord, He will comfort us and console us for He sees our heart and knows every concern and plea we have. Abba always will extend His compassion, and the Holy Spirit sighs with us when we are grieving. Amos 4:8 tells us that “the Lord can cause us to be satisfied, filled to the brim with an abundant supply of exactly what we have need of.” In Job 42:17 it says that Job died when satisfied with his long life that he died full of days. The Bible tells us we can have “fullness” of joy. It is found in the Presence of the Lord. There is a time to weep, but there also is a time to rejoice. Father God tells us He will turn our mourning into joy, His great joy. So, dear one, refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for you shall be rewarded, says the Lord, and you shall come back from the land of the enemy, Proverbs 27:16. Verse 17 tells us, “There is hope in your future, says the Lord. Hosea 2:15 says, “I will give her her vineyards from there, and the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.” The Valley of Achor had at one time, been a place of despair and defeat, yet God tells us He will take those places of despair and defeat and make them places of hope and expectation. These places can be turned by God to become something that is yearned for and anticipated eagerly, something for which we see through eyes of faith as we wait before the Lord. Look hopefully in that direction your heart yearns for, that place that has seemed to be so hopeless. He will fill you with His healing, joy and hope, even a great expectation to raise up with in you rather than sorrow. He wants to fill you to the brim as you learn to wait on Him, soaking in His Presence. Our heavenly Father is not a God of little, but of great. He will not fill your life half way but will satiate, fill you to the full with abundance in spirit and in your work here on earth. You will be satisfied with His goodness. Begin to look for the Lord to heal and work in you as His Word promises. Psalm 71:5 tells us that Yahweh Himself is the hope of the godly. Press into Him today. Let Him enlighten and lead your life in every way. Look to Him today. What about you? Are you asking the Lord to fill you to the brim? Are other things more important other than to take time to set aside being with the Lord and His powerful Word? Seek Him today and trust Him to direct and guide your every step, and may you be filled to the brim with His Presence. Blessings on your day.

The Temptation

November 1, 2024

The Temptation Luke 4:4, 8 TPT 4 Jesus replied, “I will not! For it is written in the Scriptures, ‘Life does not come only from eating bread but from God. Life flows from every revelation from His mouth.’” 8 Jesus rebuked him and said, “Satan, get behind me! For it is written in the Scriptures, ‘Only one is worthy of your adoration. You will worship before the Lord your God and love Him supremely.’” The working and leading of the Holy Spirit does not always take us on a season and path that is easy. It is not always ease and comfort. Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness where He fasted for forty days. I have done a full fast for around three days, and at other times it has been a partial fast. Fasting has not come easy for me, nor probably for anyone. Jesus was led into a place where He was proven, tested, and made stronger. We are not exempt from these seasons, just like Jesus, to be tested and tried to see what really is in us. God is doing this work in us to make us strong for our future calling and ministry. Testing does not mean you are doing anything wrong. The Lord is doing a deeper inner work in you. Satan was testing Jesus in a very sinister way, to get Him to deny His heavenly Father and the calling and purpose the Lord had for His life. Needless to say, Satan was thoroughly defeated. Always remember, Satan is the Accuser of the brethren, always looking for ways to bring you down. Don’t take the bait! Jesus didn’t. Every question and temptation Satan brought to Jesus He boldly replied, “It is written; It is written; It is written.” Jesus did not water His words down. He strictly replied to the most powerful answer anyone could give, “It is written.” Jesus would not turn stones to bread, yet in the hearts of men He is able to transform a stony heart into a tender human heart and make us living bread that can become food for the nations. We must have revelation of the written Word to be able to stand against the traps and snare of the enemy of our souls. Don’t dismiss or ignore the written Word of God. It is a strong, supernatural weapon against Satan and his kingdom of darkness. Our takeaway today is to not be pushed and troubled by the enemy of our souls. Know the Word of God. Let it abide in your heart and mind so that you will be able to reply to the enemy, “It is written.” You don’t have to have a big emotional surge or outburst. You don’t even have to yell and scream. Just speak “It is written,” when Satan whispers in your ear a tempting thought to betray the Lord by some idiotic act of sin. Daily make it your business to be in His Word and may it be powerful and everlasting within you as an ongoing weapon, just as Jesus used the Word of God to defeat Satan. What about you? What do you do when you are tempted? Do you cower under the suggestions of the enemy, or do you stand up to him? Get the Word of God in you. Write it daily and meditate on it day and night. You won’t regret it and you will see the enemy leave in the Name of Jesus. Blessings on your day.

Cast Your Care

October 31, 2024

Cast Your Care Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. Psalm 37:7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret. When we cast our burden on the Lord, we are making a conscious choice to act on what God tells us is true, not just some ritualistic thing to do as a Christian in certain situations of life. Faith requires practice to grow and to become strong. The Word tells us “the just shall live by faith.” Faith comes from being in God’s Word, not just to skim over it as an occasional ritual that makes us feel religious. Abba wants us to know that we can trust Him, that He will sustain us and never let us be moved. When the Word of God truly becomes illuminated to us by the Holy Spirit, we will begin to realize that as we act in obedience to His Word, He begins to move on our behalf. The enemy will try to make us afraid. This is a gradual, yet powerful temptation. Recognize the slow suggestions of the enemy tempting you to be fearful. Choose to trust the Lord as an act of your will, and not as a response to your emotions. Intentionally, on purpose, be determined to give the sacrifice of praise-filled refusal to be afraid. As soon as you consciously can, quickly release your concerns and worries over to the Lord who has told us specifically that He wants to carry them for you. The Lord can develop a singleness of purpose in your heart. The truth of God’s Word and His heart can be trusted, and He can give us a spirit that endures and stands fast on the truth that He has given to you. It is an act of faith to be looking for God’s Spirit to illuminate the Scriptures to give us deeper understanding and revelation. The Lord will give you clear guidance every day. Let’s not try to live out of our own worldly wisdom, our own manmade wisdom. The unbroken, prideful and arrogant heart of we, as mankind, can hinder our intimacy in growing close to the Lord. In order to be able to hear His voice, and receive His understanding help, we must be humbled, recognizing our sin and our great need of daily cleansing by Him. Fullness of joy and happiness, as well as a deep peace is opened when we live in a spirit of humility. Don’t hinder your prayers and trust by nullifying your prayers by entertaining and even planning or harboring sin or wickedness in your heart. Keep short accounts with the Lord. Then His Word and Holy Spirit will be able to move freely and speak clearly to you as you cast your burdens on Him, resting in Him, and waiting patiently for His plan to come to pass. All along the way, His great admonition and counsel is to “not fret.” This is a conscious practice. You can do it with the help of the Lord. What about you? Are you carrying your own burdens or is the Lord? Are you constantly fretting and worrying? Wouldn’t you like to be free of that? Give everything over to Him and begin to put in place in your mind and emotions the admonition of the Lord today. He wants you free and loves you so.

Can You Trace God?

October 30, 2024

Can You Trace God? Psalm 105:17 TPT God had already sent a man ahead of His people to Egypt; it was Joseph, who was sold as a slave. I’ve often felt sorry for Joseph, and yet admired him as an example of one having a deep, lasting trust in God. Psalm 105:18 tells us that “His feet were bruised by strong shackles and his soul was held by iron.” This doesn’t sound like an easy time. Yet, somehow he kept his eyes and heart fixed on what God had shown him in a dream that he would one day be a leader for his people, even his own brothers and parents. What does it mean, “his soul was held by iron”? I can guess and speculate that there had to have been a tenacity in his life that was determined to see what God had promised him come to pass. A saying I have often heard is “tracing the fingerprint of God.” What it means is that you can look back and see where God was working and leading in your life, yet, you didn’t even know it at the time. Places you lived, people who came into your life, classes you took, trials you went through. Now you can look back and trace the fingerprint of God and definitely see that He had you in His hands all the time, and was working out His awesome supernatural will in your life. Each trial and every lonely time, each daring act of faith you took, those reaching out moments to someone else, God was building, maturing, preparing you for greater things and a greater calling upon your life. There had to be an “iron” in your soul, or you wouldn’t have made it. What about those seasons of loneliness, or challenges which at the time, seemed insurmountable. Verse 19 tells us “God’s promise to Joseph purged his character, until it was time for his dreams to come true.” God was good to His word, only though when He knew Joseph was truly ready to be the needed leader and ruler that the Israelites had to have. All the suffering, all the hard and lonely times, all the memories faded and almost gone of his family. False accusations, faltering friendships, the list goes on on and on of the traumas Joseph suffered. Yet God was in it all. The enemy wants you to quit, and God wants you to walk by faith, and not by sight remembering all that He has promised you as well. Father knows what needs to be grown in our character and outlook to be able to do what He has purposed for us to do. Trust Him fully today. Tell Him all your thoughts and concerns. He is always with you and He is aways listening. He hears even the faintest cry and knows every thought and concern before you even speak it. Be encouraged today, dear one. If His eye is on the sparrow, be assured His eye is on you and He is carefully watching over you. What about you? Are you battling emotional fatigue and plaguing discouragement? Remember Joseph. His life was planned out by God to the smallest detail. Remember what he told his brothers, “The enemy intended it for evil, but God intended it this way and turned it all around for His good. Trust the Lord today to turn all that is oppressive around for good in your life as well. He loves you so.

Be Awake to the Need

October 29, 2024

In the Secret Place

October 28, 2024

In the Secret Place Psalm 91:1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” There are three titles for God in these verses besides the personal name of the Lord, (Yaweh), ‘Elyon, (the Most High), Shaddai, (the Almighty), and ‘Elohim (here meaning “the Sublime God”). Psalm 27:5 tells us “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.” There are so many reasons to put yourself under the infinite care of our Almighty One. One of the greatest requirements in our lives is to “dwell in the secret place of the Most High.” It is because it will be harder and even unlikely that you will be able to hear Him clearly and assuredly if you are not abiding in His secret place. People can be very cruel and callous in their assumptions about us. Yet our Almighty One is where we are sheltered even from the tongues of others. Psalm 31:20 says, “You shall hide them in the secret place of Your Presence from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion (fortified place), from the strife of tongues. Almighty means all-powerful, our God Almighty. Mighty, unconquerable. He is the all-sufficient God, eternally capable of being all that you need. There are times when it seems the world is pressing in all around us. Psalm 32:7 says, “You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” He will direct you. He will teach you. The word “teach” means “to shoot straight.” He will direct the flow of your life. He will give you the guidance and support you need if you will find your place in the secret place of the Most High and abide under the shadow of your heavenly Father. This is the place where you will be receptive to the truth He will speak and teach you. This is your Father teaching and instructing you. He is being your refuge and your strength. You can trust Him in all ways and in every situation. Psalm 33:11 tells us, “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.” You need the Lord. You need to learn how to abide in your thoughts and in your emotions and to stay open to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Pay attention to the still, small Voice of the Lord today. You will hear Him speak. What about you? Are you abiding in the Lord? Or is He a spare tire you pull out when you are in a crisis moment? Learn to abide in Him and how to hear His Voice, even His softest whisper in your heart and mind. He then can and will be your refuge and your fortress throughout your day and life. Have a great day abiding in Him.

Stoop Down

October 27, 2024

Stoop Down Galatians 6:1-3 TPT 1 My beloved friends, if you see a believer who is overtaken with a fault, may the one who overflows with the Spirit seek to restore him. Win him over with gentle words, which will open his heart to you and will keep you from exalting yourself over him. 2 Love empowers us to fulfill the law of the Anointed One as we carry each other’s troubles. 3 If you think you are too important to stoop down to help another, you are living in deception. Have you ever made a mistake? I have many times. Growing up in a highly critical environment caused me to be super hard on myself. I suppose a lot of it was not wanting to be confronted by a parent or other authority because I wasn’t living up to their expectations, and them not truly concerned my with my own inner convictions at all, just that I was doing and living what they wanted. I hate that feeling of condemnation, not kindness or gentleness, but harsh and even loud rebuke. When talking with someone who is struggling over a slip up or a failure, harshness is not the way to go. It’s fine to let them know you are upset, even angry, but hold it down to a tone that is still gentle in your choice of words, showing them you truly love and care for them, but are very concerned and even hurt by their actions. When someone has knowingly participated in moral failing, for example, it is important to think about the long journey of inner repentance, getting to the root of why this happened. If the root causes are not dealt with, the root will spring up again. Time out is not the only answer. There are reasons why someone fails. Is it a weak walk with the Lord? Is it past happenings in their life that were never dealt with? Can we, as the Body of Christ, be filled with the Holy Spirit to overflowing in such a way, that with the awesome leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit, draw close to them and walk with them to help them come through to full restoration? Can we be firm, yet gentle? Can we believe God to open this one’s heart to see those who have reached out, are reaching out in humility and reliance on the Lord? God’s love can help us and with the help of our blessed example, Jesus, we can carry each other’s troubles. As our verse states, if you think you are too important to stoop down to help another, you are living in deception. I remember a young man in my youth group years ago who came from a broken home and strange upbringing by those not his parents, loving the Lord, yet truly struggling with addiction. He would go missing for two or three days and then would call for help. I would pick him up and bring him to our couch where he would sleep it all off for the next few days. This happened several times. His father came to me and told me not to reach out or help him in any way anymore, that he needed to suffer. How sad! Eventually this young man went to a Teen Challenge and became drug free. He now works with other addicts leading them to the Lord. What screwy ways people think. I’m so glad Jesus didn’t take that haughty, self-righteous view with me. Jesus stooped down and raised me up. I know He has and will always stoop to pick anyone up. I pray you will, too. What about you? Have you been harsh and critical in your judgment of someone who is struggling? Do you find it hard to reach out to someone who is not living for the Lord? Let’s ask the Lord to give us His heart for those struggling and to give us a gentle heart that is will to stoop down for others. Have a great day in Him.

If You Don’t Go with Me

October 26, 2024

If You Don’t Go with Me Exodus 33:12-15 Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but You have not let me know whom You will send with me. You have said ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with Me.’ If You are pleased with me, teach me Your ways so I may know You and continue to find favor with You. Remember that this nation is Your people.” The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then Moses said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” Moses was a “friend of God.” Poor Moses was called to lead a bunch of grumbling, dissatisfied people, who consistently mumbled and complained, finding fault with everything. When the Lord told Moses to take the people up to the Promised Land, but that He would not go with them because He would destroy these very people as they traveled, Moses said, “No way! Absolutely not!” Moses wasn’t going anywhere unless the Lord was going with him. How did God respond to Moses when he had this outburst? God agreed to do the very thing Moses asked because He knew Moses was His friend. He knew Moses by name, and God was very pleased with him. Like Abraham who had come before him, Moses was hungry for more of God, wanting to know Him more and more. Moses’ desire was for even more than hearing God; He wanted to see God. Think about. God was speaking to Moses and the Israelites from the pillar of cloud whenever he entered the Tabernacle and that Moses’ face shown so brightly with the glory of God that Moses had to cover his face when he left the Tabernacle so people could talk with him. Moses wanted to see God face to face. Think about what Moses said! Wow! God walked past Moses so closely! What else could Moses do but bow to the ground and worship the Lord. The glory of the Almighty had been seen by him. This solidified the very thought even more to Moses that he didn’t want to go anywhere if God was not going with him. Are you with Moses? I am! I can’t imagine trying to do life without His Presence and leading. The Word tells us that our heavenly Father even busies Himself with our every step, and that He never leaves us nor forsakes us. Somehow, I don’t believe we have a great enough understanding of the greatness and Almightiness of our God. How can He be everywhere at one time? How is it possible that He can do anything, and I mean anything, like parting the Red Sea and over a million people cross over and then drown Pharaoh and his army in the same sea? How can He know every thought and every intent of every person that has ever been and ever will be, let alone everyone who is alive and well right now here on earth, and all at the same time? I’m speechless just thinking about it. I am with Moses. I don’t want to live without our God. That would be most foolish. I pray you feel the same. What about you? Do you sense your need of Father God? Do you long for His Presence? Would you like to pray as Moses prayed that you would be able to see Him? Let’s cry out to Him that we may draw closer and closer to Him each and every day. Blessings on your day.

Help Me, I'm Stuck

October 25, 2024

Help Me, I’m Stuck 2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. There are those pesky thought patterns that begin as little buzzing flies in our minds, that eventually form lasting life pathways. These patterns can literally become walls of hindrance limiting our interaction and intuitive abilities along our life’s journey. Our thoughts are an important aspect of who we are. In Mark 12:30 God has given us all some capacity for thinking and has called us to love Him with all our mind. To love our heavenly Father with all our mind is to grow in knowledge and in thinking, to take responsibility for how we think, becoming aware of negative, hindering though patterns that can shape our lives in a very hindering, negative way. Thinking with polluted thought patterns will hinder the development of our minds in our day to day lives, as well as our spiritual growth and interaction with others. An example of this is how we interact when in a group setting. Maybe a person can develop an avoidance to being in social settings where they are expected to interact with complete strangers or say, workmates who they feel unsure of in interacting with them. Because of these negative, depressive thoughts, they become reclusive and will only attend this type of function if coaxed and cajoled by those they are somewhat comfortable with. Parents can allow their children to not have to learn to intermingle with others, even in informal settings which are a great place to grow in personal confidence. As time goes on, self-pity develops and isolation patterns become a way of life. On top of this pattern comes the pattern that others and even God Himself, should make the world the way they perceive it should be. Say for instance, they would like to date and develop a relationship with the opposite sex. Yet this is impossible because of their inability to conquer their inhibitions for mingling with others socially. Yet now they perceive it as everyone else’s fault with no effort put forth to meet and greet, to develop skills to be able to interact comfortably. These are all arguments that need to be demolished. These are pretensions that set themselves up against the knowledge of God. If the Lord has given someone a desire for a mate, or the desire for fellowship with others, then He is more than able to help you to learn how to take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. Let’s take any inhibitions, any hesitations to the Lord, asking for His help in pulling these strongholds down. Ask the Lord to surround you with supporting friends who will be a fence and prayer partners for your fears and places of hesitation to be gone in Jesus’ Name. The Lord has much for you, yet you need to work with Him. Cry out to Him today. What about you? Do you have thought patterns that hinder you from growing and moving forward in all that the Lord has for you? Maybe you don’t, but you know someone who does. Can you become a support person, an encourager for that one to be able to be set free and grow in all the Lord has for them? I pray you can. Have an encouraging, faith filled day in the Lord. Blessings on your day.

Attacking and Judging

October 24, 2024

Attacking and Judging 2 Corinthians 7:10 “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” When there is something we are battling within ourselves it is often one can take a posture of degrading, attacking and judging ourselves. This is the way of man’s thinking. We do it with others we see struggling many times with “bad” things going on in their lives, so why wouldn’t we do the same with ourselves? Judge and condemn, speaking such things as “I’m stupid” or “I’m no good” or “I’m bad.” This is self-condemning and very hurtful to who we really are. This is what the Bible calls “worldly sorrow.” When we are sorrowful over the badness that surrenders to repentance, that is godly sorrow. When we attack and heap condemnation on, whether it be ourselves or someone else, this is how the world deals with badness. Judas, upon truly realizing what he had done, went out and hung himself. Peter was totally different in dealing with his mistake. Peter was repentant, feeling sorry for turning his back on Jesus, denying Him as if He never knew Him. The Word tells us in judgment to always remember mercy. Judgment never cures anything. People love to condemn others and often will enjoy just venting and carrying on and on about someone else’s failures. It must be that internally, there comes a false sense of their own self, being better than the person dealing with their badness. Wow! I honestly don’t want everyone knowing all of the nasty skeletons that have been in my closet, that have been forgiven and dealt with because of God’s great grace and mercy. The law judges without mercy. It behooves us to see the good and the bad in not only others, but within ourselves. Honesty is the best policy is the old saying. We are human. God is supernaturally divine, yet He sent His only Son, while we were yet sinners, to die for us, and make a way into the very Throne Room of our perfect heavenly Father. What mercy! What love! Can we extend to ourselves and to others, at least some measure of mercy and love that He has extended to us? Let’s remember truth can be rigid, critical, negative and harsh. It truly and surely is truth, but Jesus in His great love, speaks truth blended with His great grace and forgiveness, with a new path of hope. Can we extend that to include ourselves, not beating ourselves, becoming mired in a deep pit of despair and failure? Can we come under the cleansing flow of our Father’s forgiveness, immerse ourselves in His strong Word and the help of the Holy Spirit? As well, let us extend to others who may be struggling, mercy, grace and encouragement of who we serve—the God of truth and grace who has so much in store for each of us because He loves us so. Let’s press into Him today with new vigor and hope. What about you? Are you beating yourself up over some failure, some slip up? Ask for His great forgiveness and receive His powerful love and hope. And reach out to someone else today who may be struggling that the great love and forgiveness of God is for them as well. Love others around you big today!