Corona Devotionals

Ever had to "psych" yourself up for a perceived-difficult situation? Your mind has done the mental-math and all of the solutions end in disaster. That's the problem with mental-math, it almost always proves incorrect.  Because it is our anxieties talking, our worries working, and our unknowns taking command when they have no authority to do so.  That was me.  That was my racing mind and my bothered heart.   God knows us.  He knows what we're worried about.  He knows the bullies in our minds and He is our  rock of safety. If you have been there or your mind is going there today, God has a prayer for us.  A Psalm, actually. Psalm 71 1 O Lord, I have come to you for protection; don’t let me be disgraced. 2 Save me and rescue me, for you do what is right.  Turn your ear to listen to me, and set me free. 3 Be my rock of safety where I can always hide.  Give the order to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. 4 My God, rescue me fr...

As Jesus went with him, he was surrounded by the crowds. ( 43) A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure. ( 44) Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped. (45) “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. Everyone denied it, and Peter said, “Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you.” (46) But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.” ( 47) When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. ( 48) “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” ~Luke 8:42-48 ~~~~~~~~ The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. ~Luke 8:47 Why have we touched Jesus? Would we tell a whole crowd about our si...

I zipped up our travel bag for the weekend trip (soccer/campground/family visit/fill-in-your-own-destination), and I happily checked-off all the items on my packing list. I actually enjoy packing and I take pride in being "prepared for any situation".  Scorching sun--I packed the SPF.  Steady rain--I packed the rubber boots and umbrellas.  It's "Summer" but still freezing--I packed gloves and maybe even hand-warmer packets.   Packing for our journeys started off years ago with extra outfits and emergency snacks in a diaper bag and it's developed into a full-palette of ingredients for a week's-worth of meals when away on vacation or double toiletry bags if our family is "split" in two cities or states for soccer games over a weekend.   It may sound crazy, but I enjoy packing and lists give me a sense of comfort, control and even purpose. Whoops!  That's probably exactly why God told me to throw out my lists when I opened the Bible today. ...

What does "temptation" look like? And do we recognize it (and it's malicious intent) when it presents itself? Satan is tricky. I have to give him that... He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” –Genesis 3:1 Temptation always pushes on our pride/our desires/our wants, and that's because (just by being human) we are most vulnerable in these areas. And so, I ask again: What does "temptation" look like? And do we recognize it when it presents itself? We want to villainize "temptation" and put red lipstick and a bikini on it, or big muscles, or a dollar sign with six-digits. But would you recognize "temptation" if it showed up as an invitation to free ice cream with friends? Unless you are a 14-year-old boy, probably not. But that is exactly how "temptation" came knocking on our door last night. Our boys (12 and 14 years old) have been leading a Bible study once-a-week after...

Let's go back to the very beginning of our faith in God. I don't mean "scripturally", so I am not talking about turning to the Book of Genesis. I don't mean "chronologically", so you can pause in doing the mental-math of when you first asked Jesus into your heart. I mean--let's be reminded/refreshed/and revitalized by going back to the simple Truth of what faith in God is and what it means to us . We "decorate" faith with acts-of-service/pious discussions and opinions/theological debates about current affairs and age-old issues affecting God's people, and sometimes all of that stuff buries the simple Truth and exuberance of why we "believe" in the first place. Today let's strip all of that away and let God splash cold-water in our face with the refreshing reminder of what our faith in Him means to us. I'm ashamed to say that in the fast and busy pace of "Christian-life", I had almost forgotten. But I was re...

And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them. ~Luke 8:37 Have you ever experienced the shock and awe and power of God? The " people in the region " had heard about what Jesus was doing, but they did not know what to do with the actual experience of Jesus getting involved/changing a life/and making "wrong" right---right before their eyes. Have you ever experienced the shock and awe and power of God in someone's life? In your own life? Are we actually ready to receive it when it happens? Or have we become accustomed-to/comfortable-with/and even accepting-of inappropriate and ungodly behavior and beliefs in our own " region "? The man, who was possessed by demons, had been living in a cemetery outside the town for a long time (Luke 8:27). The people were used to him. His antics were a little scary, but the people in the region had learned-to-live-with-him. T...

For the land you are about to enter and take over is not like the land of Egypt from which you came, where you planted your seed and made irrigation ditches with your foot as in a vegetable garden. (11) Rather, the land you will soon take over is a land of hills and valleys—w hich drinks water from the rain of heaven, ( 12)  a land for which the  Lord  your God cares; the eyes of the  Lord  your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year.   ~Deuteronomy 11:10-12 One of the best parts about knowing Jesus is the hope-for-tomorrow (literally and eternally) that faith in the One true God instills and promises to our hearts and minds. With Jesus, there are always better days ahead (Heaven being our ultimate destination), but it is also beneficial for us to remember how He has watered us even during our driest spells of life. We can trust in God's promises (found in the Bible) for our tomorrow, and we c...