Category Archives: Devotionals

Devotionals

SKILLFUL IN WAR

DAD IN UNIFORM

{Dad, Franklin F. Ford}

                                           VETERANS STAND OUT IN A CROWD

The reason is easily discerned.

Our veterans once stood tall and trustworthy in uniform.
 Will we stand silent to the sacrifices they made for our freedom?

Israel had a decided advantage; a vast army of valiant men provided protection.

“The sons of Reuben, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh had forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty valiant men, men able to bear shield and sword, to shoot with the bow, and skillful in war, who went to war (1 Chronicles 5:18 NKJ).”

There is strength in numbers but God’s power is greater still.

“…they cried out to God in the battle. He heeded their prayer, because they put their trust in Him (1 Chronicles 5:20b NKJ).”

Standard
Christian Growth, Devotionals

UNSHEATHE YOUR SWORD!

SWORD

I ponder the imponderable.

It cuts me to the quick.SEPTEMBER 2014 002

“For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as to divide soul, spirit, joints and marrow; it is a judge of the ideas and thoughts of the heart. No creature is hidden from Him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account (Hebrews 4:12-13 HCS).”

Unsheathe your God given sword!

“Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word (Ephesians 6:17 HCS).”

Standard
Christian Growth, Devotionals, Family

THE THERMOS

A THERMOS-BLOG

It was a simple glance at a thermos bottle.

My husband had brought in from SEPTEMBER 2014 002the car. I’ve seen it countless times, filled it with steaming coffee and rinsed it out at the sink after each use. Why was this time any different? Today, it brought back memories of Dad. He carried a lunch box and thermos of coffee with him to work. I didn’t see an everyday thermos; I saw yesterday with Dad.

I do not live in the past; yet God paints my present with deep memories of days gone by. In His mercy, God removes most painful memories of regret. In their place, He sends the lingering smile of my sister Donna, Mom’s voice in long-distance calls or Dad welcoming me home at the kitchen screen door.

Lest we forget, scriptures contain many references to memorials and remembrance.

“And He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, ‘This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me. In the same way He also took the cup after supper and said, ‘This cup is the new covenant established by My blood; it is shed for you (Luke 22:19-20 HCS).”

Standard
Christian Growth, Devotionals, Salvation

PAST DUE

??????????????????????????????????????? ‘Giving credit, where credit is  due’ is good advice. SEPTEMBER 2014 002

If someone does something worthy of praise,  he or she deserves recognition. Too often, I notice poor service at a fast food restaurant but fail to thank a courteous and timely clerk.

In churches, members of the congregation volunteer their time and talent; through their efforts, the work of ministry and outreach continues.  Do I offer encouragement and hugs or simply take their faithfulness for granted? I am sorry to say I fail in consistently giving credit where credit is due.

My primary goal is to give God the credit for all He has done.

“But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:4-7 NKJ).”

Standard
Christian Growth, Devotionals

SECRETS…

A BLOG-SECRETS

Can you keep a secret?SEPTEMBER 2014 002

Are you able to ‘zip it?’

We are wise to keep some things we have heard to ourselves; God’s works and wonders do not make that list.

Tell them!

“We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done (Psalms 78:4 KJV).”

Standard
Christian Growth, Devotionals

MODERATES

BLOG CPT BLDG

     To be politically correct…

Politicians tag people who are not progressive or SEPTEMBER 2014 002conservative as moderates. Please note progressive has replaced the label of liberal. Moderates tend to be less set in their ways; either of the two main political parties can sway their minds to vote in their favor.

I’m in favor of recognizing many moderates as what they are, non-committal. They prefer to take the middle of the road. They are not for or against the issue in question.

We cannot take that stand when faced with a question with eternal consequences.

“Anyone who is not with Me is against Me, and anyone who does not gather with Me scatters (Matthew 12:30 HCS).”

 

Standard
Christian Growth, Devotionals

WORKING FOR YOU

A BLOG

  

 

 

 

  PUTTING YOUR MONEY TO WORK FOR YOU

 

Financial advisers do just that; they give their customers financial advice.

 

It would make a SEPTEMBER 2014 002fabulous animated commercial. I picture little dollar bills donning overhauls and hardhats. Their owner equips them with hoes, shovels and axes before scurrying them out the front door.

There is great empowerment through my afflictions; they work for me, not against me.

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NKJ).”

‘Whistle while it works!’

Standard
Christian Growth, Devotionals

DAYS WILL BE SHORTENED

A CLOCK

“For then shall be great tribulation,

such as was not since the beginning of the SEPTEMBER 2014 002world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened (Matthew 24:21-22 KJV).”

I hear many messages on prophecy and I will leave the interpretation of future events with the Holy Spirit…

The shortening of days is a puzzle. I realize God puts a limit to how much Satan can do. Job’s affliction is a perfect example. God would not let the devil take the life of Job. The shortening of days brought to mind an interesting experience my husband shared from a radio station.

He was the music director in a major market and had a competitive station in a nearby city. That meant they were using the same music format, after the same listeners, advertisers and ratings. The station he worked for took a radical approach.

???????????????????????????????????????

They increased the speed of their records. With ingenuity, a three-minute song became brighter, more upbeat and finished sooner. Silly as that sounds, it worked. They led in the ratings. They shortened the playing time of the records.

Standard
Christian Growth, Devotionals, Salvation

GOD’S POSTER CHILD

A CRUTCH

PAM CROPPED 2013

We see them on television, in magazines, on the Internet and billboards. Each is a poster-child.

Some have the ability to share their stories of debilitating illness and the hope that they have for healing.

A poster child offers heart-wrenching appeals for people’s support and contributions. Will you be God’s poster child; are you willing to go and tell your story? Jesus gave a healed man that assignment. (Mark 5:1-20)

“He told him, ‘Go back home to your own people and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how He has had mercy on you. So he went out and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and they were all amazed (Mark 5:19b-20 HCS).”

Standard
Christian Growth, Devotionals, Friends, Relationships

Threefold Cord

A BOG ROPE                                                  NOT QUICKLY BROKEN

                                                                                                                                  PAM CROPPED 2013

“And though a man might prevail against him who is alone, two will withstand him. A threefold cord is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12 Amplified Bible).”

Good things come ‘in threes!’

“…Grace (spiritual blessing and favor), mercy, and [heart] peace [be yours] from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord (1 Timothy 1:2b Amplified Bible).”

Standard