Corona Devotionals

Just do it. Nike might be famous for that slogan, but the Holy Spirit has the patent on the notion.   In fact, the purpose of the Holy Spirit is to encourage, enable, empower and sponsor us to move from our current space/activity/thinking into what God has next  for us.  God gives the Holy Spirit the go-ahead and the Holy Spirit gives us a nudge.  Then  our job  is to just do it. ...these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.   The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.  ( 11)  For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.  ~I Corinthians 2:10-11 No--none of us  knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God ...but, if his Spirit reveals  a thought or feeling to us today, then  just do it--- Whatever the "it" is that crosses your heart or mind.  The presence of the Holy Spirit within us and in our lives as believers is all part of God's

What are we under the influence of? To be more specific, what is our faith under the influence of?  We all have people, traditions, teachings, upbringings and even dysfunction that has influenced our faith. And even if someone/something was a part of our lives years ago, often we can still be under the influence of it today. But it's time for us to be under the full influence of what God says,  instead of anything or anyone else.  ~~~~ Somewhere slumbering deep in my soul is a buried belief that true faith and the authentic following-after-of-Christ should be painful and self-sacrificing in (almost every) way. That we must be actively-experiencing-denial of some (or all) pleasures in order to be living close to Christ.  The main (spiritual) problem with this notion is that... God never said that and Jesus never taught that.  And actually--Jesus breathes the opposite concept into us as His children:   I have come that they may have life,  and have it to the full   (John 10:10 NIV)

Everyone has advice for us--from friends and family to Twitter, Facebook and the news.  But I prefer life hacks from the Lord. I am often derailed by my own thinking, or at the "good counsel" of others, but God's Word never returns void ( It is the same with my word.   I send it out, and it always produces fruit.   It will accomplish all I want it to,  and it will prosper everywhere I send it.  ~Isaiah 55:11 ).  And so today's "Life Hacks" are sponsored by the Lord and Psalm 127: Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted.  ~Psalm 127:1 Are we building a house?  Buying one?  Renovating?  Just trying to keep our counters clean? Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted.  ~Psalm 127:1 Unless He builds it... the foundation of whatever is being built in our lives needs to be Jesus.  The roots and the groundwork need to be secure and steeped in Him, or the work of the builders is wasted . Let's be done with

Many years later, when Moses had grown up, he went out to visit his own people, the Hebrews, and he saw how hard they were forced to work. During his visit, he saw an Egyptian beating one of his fellow Hebrews. (12) After looking in all directions to make sure no one was watching, Moses killed the Egyptian and hid the body in the sand. (13) The next day, when Moses went out to visit his people again, he saw two Hebrew men fighting. “Why are you beating up your friend?” Moses said to the one who had started the fight. (14) The man replied, “Who appointed you to be our prince and judge? Are you going to kill me as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?” Then Moses was afraid, thinking, “Everyone knows what I did.” (15) And sure enough, Pharaoh heard what had happened, and he tried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in the land of Midian.  ~Exodus 2:11-15 Isn't that us ? That double-life? That hoped-for double reputation? That double standard and that two-fac

Have you had a "Red Sea" moment in your life?  Where you were at a dead end.  There was no way , and yet God made  a way.  A way that was invisible before.  A way that was not there  a year ago/an attitude ago/ a moment ago,  and yet, He made a way through where-we-were to what He had next  for us? After a miscarriage we stood on the banks of a Red Sea we could not wade through on our own.  The questions, hurt and bewilderment were too deep to trespass.  There was no way...yet God made a way.  He split that sea, held the waters back and we walked into a new pregnancy.  I held my breath for almost nine months, but He made a way through where-we-were to  what He had next .  A way that  was not there  months ago/sobs ago/ a baby ago,  and yet, He made a way. Sudden and shocking death struck our family in an instant.  Accidental and way-too-young and there was no way.   The Red Sea waters blocked any forward movement.  Death will do that to you.  We could not pass.  And then, God

Is the Lord worthy?   Yes! Does He deserve our time, our talents, and our hearts?   Yes! But does the Lord of the universe deserve our  lavish  praise?  Should we exercise extravagance in our efforts and offerings unto Him?   ...Yes! I was caught off-guard by what I felt the Bible reminding me of today.   We become conditioned to the the Biblical foundations of contentment and simple (non-extravagant) living, but perhaps we can get so caught up in "denying oneself", that we may end up denying  The Lord  the worship, honor, and (surprise!) the  extravagance  He is due.   Because make no mistake... Our Lord is worthy of any effort or length we are willing to go to in honoring Him. And they sang in a mighty chorus: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered—to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.” ~Revelation 5:12 Is it wise to "make much" of our worship and offerings to the Lord?   Yes! Perhaps we should look to someone wit

Rain, rain, rain.  That's what we've had a lot of lately.   What good can come of it?   Indoor recess, shotput and discus areas filled with ankle-deep mud, slippery-wet soccer fields, messy paw and footprints all over the house, parental sideline-support that is pushed to its soggy limits, and a huge puddle-lake that has filled half of our backyard.  That is some of what "rain, rain, rain" has amounted to lately in our lives.   It can be difficult to see anything good coming from the heavy clouds and steady showers. But then I peered out an upstairs window and saw some backyard "neighbors" that I've never encountered on our property before.  Waddling happily among the puddles and fresh daffodils, I realized that their visit was made possible  only  by the effect of the rain, rain, rain.  These misplaced geese reminded me that even the soggy parts of our lives bring new encounters, new adventures, new people, and new opportunities that would not have been