Corona Devotionals

Grades have always been pretty important to me.  For instance, I am still holding onto a grudge from a "B" (my only one) that  I received in college during  a semester Tennis course (required PE credit).  I still think I should have had an "A", but  the time has run out to contest it, and more importantly, it's probably time for me to let it go .    Oops, I digress, but all that to say that it's always been important to me to prepare, study, and do well in classes, on tests, and ... in life. But I was very disappointed (in myself!) to realize (during Bible reading today) that I am flunking some major areas in Faith.   Let's see how you do: 1. I f another believer is overcome by some sin , we should:     A. Shun them ("step back" from calling/texting/engaging) until they are reformed.     B. Talk/gossip to others about their fall because, "I just thought you would want to know...."      C. G ently and humbly help that person back on

Life is hard sometimes.   We have known the helplessness of being really ill.   We have known the devastation of total sorrow. We have incurred the debts of pain, betrayal, hurt and trials. Lif e is hard sometimes...but we come through it.  God restores our mental/physical/emotional/spiritual health (sometimes in different ways than we expect)...but He rescues us.   Even if we are  currently going through hard things,  we can know from past experience that we  will come through it.   "Life happens"  and bad things happen, and discipline happens, but God restores us, allows us to live, r escues  us, and forgives all our sins.   I gotta praise  Him for that today.  I gotta raise my voice   in praise  to Him for that   today...because we can.   There will come a time (and we know many that have reached it) when we will  go down to the grave... but that time is not today.   Only the living can praise you as we can  today , and we will .  E ach generation tells of your faithfulnes

When you have a grandiose meal like Thanksgiving--the variety, types, and flavors of food that day are amazing.  Top-notch and fresh, and on grand display for the big day.  Bountiful, beautiful, and delicious. But, then in just 24 hours' time, (let alone a few days or a week)...they are all just leftovers.  Somehow the vibrancy of veggies like peas and carrots and corn seem to dull into a muted-version of their Thanksgiving-selves.  Everything seems grayish, like the color of gravy .  Once fantastic  food becomes ho-hum, and my kids can be heard saying, "Leftovers again , Mom?" But I found one way to resurrect all of the Thanksgiving-day favorite foods in a way that my whole troop enjoys as much as the first time around: turkey pot pie.   Apparently, you can put new (delicious!) life back into something that was once great but has lost its luster.  In this (turkey pot pie) case, that process involves a buttery crust, lots of gravy, and anything you (still) have leftover f

What false truths (Lies!) are being shouted into our lives and ears today? Don't  believe them!  Believe God!  Believe His Word and His promises for us--they are trustworthy and true, and if we will listen to the Lord and obey Him, then He will take care of us, and He'll take care of our enemies too. King Hezekiah was doing his best to lead the Israelites  back  under the canopy of God's will and way for His people.  He w as ruling the people (and himself) under the authority of God, and things were going pretty well, until  in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, King Sennacherib of Assyria came to attack the fortified towns of Judah and conquered them ( Isaiah 36:1). And once that happened,  the king of Assyria sent his chief of staff... with a huge army to confront King Hezekiah in Jerusalem ( Isaiah 36:2)  and to smack-talk  the Israelite people, to intimidate them, to threaten them, and (ultimately) to test their faith in God.  ~~~ What I love about the Bible

Sometimes the things/ideas/principles that God tells us in the Bible seem ambiguous and general...hard to pin down and to actually know  exactly what He means, and exactly what we are supposed to (or not supposed to) be doing to  experience God's ways and desires for us as His children.   But sometimes God gets specific about His desires for us, and He spells them out very clearly.   Galatians Chapter 5, verses 19-25  do just that for us and give us  a list of "Do's" ( fruit of the Spirit ) and "Don't's" ( acts of the flesh ) that exemplify how we can best live lives that mirror God's  heart and ways, instead of man's  (sinful) heart and ways. God spells out " What Not To Do " if we are living for Him...and then God gives us the tell-tale signs/outcomes/outpourings ( fruit of the Spirit )  that we will experience when we are living in God's ways.   Interested?   Me too. God is clear about all of it...and thus, we can be clear t

I love a good deal more than anyone.  I will take the time to clip coupons if it means stretching a dollar and if there is a sale...or better yet--clearance...count me in.  There are some deals that are just too good  to pass up.   I've waited in pre-dawn chilly temperatures for Black Friday deals, and my general feeling is that good things are only made better  when you can get them on sale or for-a-deal.  Perhaps you enjoy the same thrill and satisfaction from a great value. But the Bible reminds us that there is one thing that cannot be discounted or sold at a lesser value: and that is God's truth. Buy the truth and do not sell it— wisdom, instruction and insight as well.  ~Proverbs 23:23   What God says goes, and though it can be tempting/more comfortable/the-path-of-least-resistance to sometimes sell-out and settle for less  than God's whole truth, God says Do not. When and if we start compromising on what God says--then we have sold  His truth.   And from the Bible (

I got into a holiday-food discussion with a friend the other day and pecan pie came up.   "Do you like that?", she asked, frowning.  "It's just so... sweet  and rich and sugary.  One or two bites and I am on a sweetness overload."   But the whole time she was listing the "downsides" to pecan pie, I was just nodding my head and smiling bigger and bigger. Every thing she said was comepletely true ... and I still love pecan pie.   I love the thick sweetness and deep richness, and I don't get tired of the sugary-pecan-gel.  Plus, I'd like some whip cream on top too, please. That level of sweetness  never gets old for me. I realized that the same is true for people.  We can (hopefully) be kind to everyone.  Patient with most.  Intentional even when it is it might be a challenge.   There are many kinds of people and God loves all of us and every one of us, so we should (also) love everyone. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command

For the food today, we are thankful : The mounds of mashed potatoes, the carefully carved turkey, the rolls and beans, the gravy boats, and the pumpkin and pecan pies.  Thank You, Lord for the food You have provided us. He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds...  ~Matthew 14:19 So go ahead. Eat your food with joy and...with a happy heart, for God approves of this!  ~Ecclesiastes 9:7 ~~~ For the people today ,  we are thankful : The parents and siblings, the cousins and neighbors, the family, friends, and the sisters-and-brothers-in-Christ that God has grafted into our families and lives: Thank You, Lord for the people You have blessed us with. So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. – Romans 12:5 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.  ~Mark 10:9 And you Gentiles, who were