Category Archives: Devotionals

Christian Growth, Devotionals

East-to-West

 

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My husband Norm worked as an over the road truck driver. That may sound like an obvious statement but a true trucker gets my drift. It means that he drove coast-to-coast not having the benefit of driving local and sleeping in his own bed every night. He covered a lot of territory, from east-to-west in our great nation, earning a good living as a profession truck driver.

“If I rise with the sun in the east, and settle in the west beyond the sea, even there you would guide me. With your right hand you would hold me (Psalm 139:9-10 NCV).” He was never alone. God was there. He led the way and held my husband in his protective care. In my life, he makes his presence known, his direction available and extends to me his hands of love.

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Christian Growth, Devotionals, Prayer

Heart-to-Heart

 

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Prayer: Heart-to-heart talk with Father. Open your Bible to the Book of Psalms. The search is easy; Psalms is half way through the Bible. King David penned the majority of Psalms. His poetic passages are emotional and riveting. They speak to my heart, but first they were heart-to-heart communication with his creator. As a man after God’s own heart, (Acts 13:22) he opened his heart and cried out to his loving Father.

“Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm 51:9-10 NIV).” In the deepest recesses of his heart, David recognized his sins and transgressions. Yet, he also firmly believed his Father could cleanse him and remove all traces of sin. Communing, heart-to-heart, he also asked for renewal of his spirit deep within. I hunger for heart-to-heart talks with Father.

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals

Up in a Puff of Smoke

 

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Up, in a puff of smoke! It alludes to rapid ruin for a structure. Yet, scripturally, smoke is symbolic of God’s glory, presence and power. His glory filled the Jerusalem temple. “And one cried to another and said, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory! And the foundations of the threshold shook at the voice of him who cried, and the house was filled with smoke (Isaiah 6:3-4 Amplified Bible).”

Smoke wafted through the screen door of the camper and ascended through the opened vent in the ceiling. Watching, I pondered on the idiom-where there’s smoke, there’s fire. In this case, I knew my husband was burning leaves. There is validity in the statement. Sometimes we can only see smoke; the fire, though not dominant, is there. Where there is smoke, there is sacrificial fire. Elijah made an offering unto holy God.

“Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You, the Lord, are God, and have turned their hearts back [to You]. Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice and the wood and the stones and the dust, and also licked up the water that was in the trench (1 Kings 18:37-38 Amplified Bible).” The Lord can still today turn our hearts back to Him. We need only to repent and return.

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

A Prompter

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Have you ever worked in hometown theatrical groups? Maybe you enjoyed drama club in high school or college. In your speaking roles, the director expected you to know the dialogue. Even if you were an extra with only a small speaking part, memorization was mandatory. Oops, you forgot your line. Off stage, a prompter fed you your lines.

The Holy Spirit is prompting the faithful. “And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say (Luke 12:11-12 Pilgrim Study Bible).” Feed on His word and He will feed you your lines.

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

Buttons and Bows

 

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We recently received two female kittens from our next-door neighbors.  I affectionately named them Buttons and Bows. The first couple of days they were reclusive but now put on regular entertainment. As children first learning to walk prefers the risk of running, our kittens know one speed, wide open. We wanted the kittens to curtail the farm mouse population; they throw in the antics as a bonus. I seldom see one kitten without the other.

“Also, on a cold night, two under the same blanket gain warmth from each other, but how can one be warm alone? And one standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer, three is even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:11-12 Living Bible).” A third kitten…three kitty stooges. Hmm… Buttons, Bows and Barrettes. I think I’ll pass on that.

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

Validity of Divinity

 

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We are touchy-feel folk. We like to see a car with our own eyes, grip the steering wheel with both hands, and take it for a test drive around the block. Then, after exiting the sale model we firmly close the door, step aside and kick the tires. Seeing is believing. In faith, we believe before we see…

Doubting Thomas sets a clear example of setting feelings aside as validity of divinity. (John 20:19-29) “Jesus was standing among them and greeting them. Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger into my hands. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!’ ‘My Lord and my God!’ Thomas said (John 20:26b-28 Living Bible).”  

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

Blind Will See

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I can be so blind. The optometrist may chart me as having 20-20 vision, yet I cannot see. I should see not only with my eyes but also with my spirit. There are forms of temporary eye blindness as well as permanent loss of sight. Spiritually, the Holy Spirit can remedy my temporary blindness.  The blind want to see… “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened (Isaiah 35:5a NKJ).”

Christ Jesus brought sight to the physically and spiritually blind. Afflictions can damage my visual perception. “while we do not look at the things which are 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 4:18 NKJ).”  What I am blind to is beyond description.

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

The Angels Sing

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It’s not really over when the fat lady sings; she frequently comes back for encores. Doomsayers predict the end of the world. Yet, the end of the age looms on the horizon, not the end of the world. God will make a new heaven and earth. (Revelation 21:1) It’s not over until the angels sing!

“Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise (Revelation 5:11-12 NIV)!”  

 

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

The Simple Life

 

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My mother was a very beautiful lady. In many portraits, she looked more like a model than her role of worker in oils at the photography studio. Some family and friends compared her to popular starlet and singer Deanna Durbin. It was only natural that Mom became an admirer of the movie star.

 I remember Mom’s excitement when receiving a Christmas card from the celebrity.  Recently, I saw headlines of the death of Deanna Durbin at the age of 91. She had turned her back on Hollywood fame and notoriety after only a few years before cameras. She lived, and died, in seclusion in France. She preferred the simple life.

“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 NIV).” Fans will remember Deanna Durbin; family will cherish her…

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

Gong Show

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We moaned, we groaned; yet, we watched. In the 1970’s viewers tuned in for the Gong Show with host Chuck Barris. It may have paved the way for reality TV. Contestants were gonged when their performances were bad; humiliated, they cringed at the sound of the gong. No cymbal could have such a menacing ring.

“If I could speak the languages of men, of angels too, and have no love, I am only a rattling pan or a clashing cymbal (1Corinthians 13:1 Williams New Testament).” God hears my empty words. I visualize angels hitting a gong and my exiting the scene with my head hung in shame. He is the God of second chances; he also says, “Well done…” (Matthew 25:21)

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