Corona Devotionals

So they arrested him and led him to the high priest’s home. And Peter followed at a distance... (56) A servant girl noticed him in the firelight and began staring at him. Finally she said, “This man was one of Jesus’ followers!” (57) But Peter denied it. “Woman,” he said, “I don’t even know him!” (58) After a while someone else looked at him and said, “You must be one of them!” “No, man, I’m not!” Peter retorted. (59) About an hour later someone else insisted, “This must be one of them, because he is a Galilean, too.” (60) But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. (61) At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” (62) And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly. ~Luke 22:54, 56-62   Disappointment. Shame. Sorrow. I can recall a couple...

Gideon had a problem. Most of "his" people (the people in his family, his town and his region) were not choosing to live for God or to serve God. They were living in fear of death (the Midiantes were seeking to destroy them), and they were giving-in-to and worshiping false gods and idols (Baal and the Asherah pole) in their lives. In contrast to almost everyone else around him, God asked Gideon to step out in faith for Him. And Gideon obeyed God's command to stop compromising in his faith and to start following and worshiping God only. And then a couple things happened: People noticed that someone had done something different. Those that knew and loved Gideon stood by him. People realized/remembered/recommitted to the Truth of God , which is what Gideon was standing up for, and their eyes were opened to the emptiness and lack-of-power in the false gods they had been giving their hearts and attention to. People responded to God's call to serve and follow Him be...

Ever feel like you are ill-equipped to serve the Lord?  Like we don't have the background, training, upbringing, education, influence, money, knowledge or strength to do Him justice? Ever feel like someone else (anyone else!) would be a better option, instead of us? Well, here is some big (and Biblical) news: God doesn't care about our qualifications!     The moment we accepted Him into our hearts He gave us clearance to serve Him.  Are we well-equipped?  Heck no!  We are sinful by nature and selfish at heart, and depending on the day and our mood, we are weak. But He is strong.  And He is with us!  And God is sending us out for Him today! Gideon  (in the Old Testament)  was a regular-Joe just like us, and that's exactly who God uses for His purposes.    God put His hand upon Gideon, and   called him into service for Him.  In the same way, God lays His hand on  our shoulder today and calls us into service fo...

We can be honest with God. If we are honest, there are times when blessings flow and our gratitude rises to God. And, if we are being honest, there are other times too. We can also be honest with God at those times. He welcomes it and He blesses it. Faith, at its core, must be honest. In the Book of Judges, The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. So the Lord handed them over to the Midianites for seven years. ( 2) The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. (Judges 6:1-2). Ouch. You know things are bad when you are forced to hide-out in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. But if we are honest, we've had to retreat to some of those places before. Maybe we are hiding in a cave today. What can we do? We can do what others who know/and knew the Lord do/have done for generations: Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help. ~Judges 6:6 We can be honest with God and cry out to Hi...

We wouldn't have to think long to come up with a prideful person in our lives whom we might wish for God to " give what they deserve"  (Psalm 94:2). That's what we (so often) want, isn't it? For people that bother/hamper/contradict us to "get what they deserve". But pride is a funny thing. We want to demand retribution on everyone else, however we are very slow (even obstinate) to see the weeds of pride that can grow over our own hearts and intentions. Upon first "read" of Psalm 94, many "others" can pop into our mind and heart. But feel the nudge of the Holy Spirit today to review ourselves as the targeted (and pride-filled) audience for whom it was written. Psalm 94 1 O Lord, the God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice shine forth! 2 Arise, O Judge of the earth.  Give the proud what they deserve. 3 How long, O Lord?  How long will the wicked be allowed to gloat? 4 How long will they speak with arrogance...

 At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief.  ( 46)  “Why are you sleeping?”  he asked them.  “Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.”  ~Luke 22:45-46 Get up!  Sometimes we need to tell ourselves this.  Sometimes we need to read God's Word , telling us to do this.  Sometimes we need to "hear" Jesus' voice speaking to us in love and in authority, " Get up." Stop wallowing.  Stop being "frozen".    At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep...   ~Luke 22:45 How is Jesus " finding " us ?   Asleep ?  Are our eyes closed to all that is occurring around us?  Are we "sleeping through" what Jesus is trying to do within us?  If Jesus is "finding" us asleep , then today is the day to "Wake up!".  ( ...for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper...

Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives.  ( 40)  There he told them,  “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.” ( 41)  He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed,  ( 42)  “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”  ( 43)  Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him.    ~Luke 22:39-43 Sometimes, the answer is "No", or at least (for now) the answer is "Not yet."   The question is,  Are we willing to pray the second half of Jesus' prayer?:  " Yet I want your will to be done, not mine." (Luke 22:42). That's a biggie.   And some of us are kneeling  right now.  ( He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down ...   ~Luke 22:41).  If we are honest, the cup of suffering that we are praying-about and aski...