Corona Devotionals

Is it disobedient to God if we alter His commands just a little in order to serve ourselves?  (Who will ever know, and what's the worst that can happen?) How about if we are mostly doing what He says?  Isn't that good enough?  Today's Scripture provides a bold reminder that God actually does mean what He says... every word.  And when we alter His commands or ignore them, there will be a consequence.  And the question we ask should not be, "What's the worst that can happen?", but rather "What 'best' did we forfeit because we chose our path instead of the Lord's?" Missing out on God's best plan for our lives-- that is the worst that can happen.  It had been over 400 years, b ut God remembered that the Amalekites had not allowed the Israelites (His people) to pass through Amalekite territory on their way to the Promised Land, and so He said to Saul, " I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israe...

Have hurt?  Been betrayed?  Found out that you've been fooled? God knows.  He knows our side of the story and He knows theirs... and He will take care of it . The Lord empathizes.  The Lord comforts.  And today His Word scripts a prayer from David (Psalm 109) that will bless our heart if we've been hurt.   David gives vent to our pain, to our being let-down again , and to our mistreatment by others. Psalm 109 narrates our anger and our injuries from others. Feelings are real. And a desire for vengeance is real, but David's prayer is a perfect example of how the Lord wants us to handle revenge: He doesn't. It's natural to feel "wronged", and it's human nature to "want to get even", but (God says) vengeance is not ours : D o not take revenge,  my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”   says the Lord. (Romans 12:19 ). And David "leaves room"  for God to " repay...

I can recall a fairytale from childhood with a funny name and an unlikely story: Rumpelstiltskin.  A girl finds herself locked up in the king's castle because he is under the impression that she can spin straw into gold (which she cannot).  He leaves her in her cell overnight with piles of straw and if there is no gold "spun" in the morning, he will kill her.   Spin straw into gold? Who could do that?   It's a fairy tale, so she gets some help from a little man who magically appears, named Rumpelstiltskin.  There is bartering and difficult promises are made, but Rumpelstiltskin makes it possible for her to spin straw into gold.    In a mood of gratitude to our Heavenly Father, I drew the parallel (and praised Him) that  He spins our straw into gold.    The world teaches us to "make our own mark" and we spend much time, effort and money making gallant efforts to do just that.  But the truth is (regardless of the front we pu...

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate  the Lord’s glory,  are being transformed into his image  with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.  ~2 Corinthians 3:18 Ministry is a unique and special animal. It can look a little wild and skittish in the beginning and then when you aren't watching or aware, God can turn it into something totally new and beautiful. Ever been in a small group Bible study for church? Random couples or families gather a few times a month to snack and discuss God's Word. People that might not usually ever spend time together... do. Often it's a little wild and skittish in the beginning and then when you aren't watching or aware, God turns strangers into friends and more than that. The "differences" (from you) that these people had seem to dissolve, and the Lord turns once-acquaintances into totally new and beautiful sisters and brothers in Christ. That's ministry. And that is how God, i...

Ever been "caught" in something? Something you wished you hadn't. Something you never should have done, but something that you did all the same? Perhaps we might possibly even have been tempted to deny it, but we couldn't because we were caught red handed? Like, when I was in high school and I was on stage with a microphone speaking as a member of National Honor Society and I fumbled in my speech and then proceeded to say the "sh" word. On stage, with a microphone, in front of a big audience of parents and families with intelligent children. I was caught. I am still embarrassed of that moment. And I have about a million more "moments" that I can recall when I was "caught" doing/saying/thinking/speaking something that I shouldn't have. Sometimes by others. Sometimes by my conscience. And always by God. You too? Or maybe you don't get "caught" because you don't "do" wrong. The truth is, sometimes ...

Our minds are crowded. So many people, conversations, events, tweets, texts, to-do's, assignments, burdens, joys, stresses, have-to's, want-to's, and need-to's. Our hearts are crowded. Overflowing with compassion, sorrow, joy, hurt, resentment, fear, hope, love and expectation. Our lives are crowded. Some of us are crowded with non-stop busy and distraction. Some of us are crowded with uninterrupted nothing : Lonely, empty, depressed. In every sense of the definition: We are crowded. Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds.. . ~John 7:37 Jesus shouts to our crowd ed minds, hearts and lives today! Listen, Crowd ed Ones: ...Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! (38) Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” (39) (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not y...

Sometimes we make things harder than they need to be, especially when it comes to "religion". We set up gauntlets that we think God wants us to run, or maybe we don't even know God all that well. We just "think" that living our faith should be painful, limiting, or at the very least it should emaciate our fun. But have we asked God? Connecting with and pleasing the Lord is not an act of muscle or will. It is not birthed through forced routines or obligatory sacrifices. None of that comes from a heart that is rooted in God or in relationship with Jesus, His Son. All of our efforts that are launched in our will instead of God's will fall short in pleasing Him. And if we aren't careful, we will drag others down with us along the way. ~~~~~~~ Saul had seen what Godly men "did", but he would not spend-the-time or allow-for-the-submission-of-heart to become a man of God, and so his efforts were rigid and empty, and failed to bri ng God glor...