Corona Devotionals

You'll never guess what I tried the other night for the first time. Here's a hint: it requires focus, precision, concentration, following directions, and it can involve life or death. If you guessed archery...you would be correct.  You would also be correct if you assumed that I know nothing about archery b ut when invited to try, I said, "Yes", and (while not very good  at it), I rather enjoyed it.   I have thought about that impromptu archery session quite a bit since drawing the string on that bow, and I keep musing over the similarities that archery shares with living a life for the Lord and sharing Him with others. Both require focus, precision, concentration, following directions, and can involve (spiritual) life or death. There are so many distractions and temptations that life (and satan) throw at us...and it can be very hard to stay focused on following God, but we must keep our eyes fixed on  him.   Therefore...let us throw off everything tha...

...if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.  ~Psalm 139:9-10 ~~~ Are you out of town today?  Far from home?   In an exciting and amazing location, but somehow feeling a disconnect that we didn't expect because of the distance in between? Maybe we are (literally)  dwelling by the farthest ocean  today, and the miles-from-home feel palpable.  Or perhaps our heart and mind are local but are feeling  remote…disconnected…removed….and detached from God’s care.   Whether we are in a remote physical, emotional, or spiritual location today, God has a message in a bottle for us.  Actually, it's His Message in the Bible for us.   Our Lord  knows  us… everything about  us, and He loves us.   He  sees  us  when  we  travel  or when we are in our  home , and in both places (and all the...

Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil  spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness.      ( 2)  Here are the names of the twelve apostles:  first, Simon (also called Peter),  then Andrew (Peter’s brother),  James (son of Zebedee),  John (James’s brother), ( 3)  Philip,  Bartholomew,  Thomas,  Matthew (the tax collector),  James (son of Alphaeus),  Thaddaeus, ( 4)  Simon (the zealot),  Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).    ~Matthew 10:1-4 Whether we see  ourselves as disciples of Jesus or not ... we are... if we have accepted Jesus into our heart and God's Truth into our lives.  If we are seeking to be  like Jesus, then we are his disciples .   However, we should not be expecting to be granted the literal  authority to cast out evil  spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness ( even though...

I understand  what my responsibilities  for today are, and so do you. We understand them (and sometimes we buck them), but most of our  responsibilities in a day... we do them.   Our career, laundry, yard work, bills, house work, meals, appointments, parenting, walking/feeding the dog/pets, being a good spouse, taking the trash out, etc.... We know and understand our  secular   responsibilities... b ut what have we done to uphold our   spiritual  responsibility  to the Lord today, and in   working hard to persuade others  to Him?   Ouch.  Not sure most of us (me!) touch on this responsibility  in a regular way. But the Bible reminds us (fairly forcefully) today of Paul's example in understanding this responsibility  and how he and the other Believers with him embraced it, entered into it...and  lived it.    Help us to get to that place and understanding  today, Lord.  Amen. ...

Have you ever had a friend misjudge you?        It hurts. Ever been the recipient of a "talking-to" that you didn't deserve?  (You had done nothing wrong.)        It stinks. Ever had someone shake their (proverbial) finger in your face or give you a "tsk, tsk, tsk" while shaking their head at you in disdain?  (But what they were blaming us for  wasn't our fault? )     It can be easy to build a resentment. But consider (and be taught by God's Word) today:  What if the reaction/discipline/correction of the mistaken-treatment that we received was not our job, but God's?        Because... it is . Our  job...is to forgive. Not to brood, or sulk, or hold-a-grudge, or build-a-wall between us and them...but to forgive them.   God says that it's His job to convict and discipline (us and those-that-hurt-us), and our  end-of-the-bargain is to forgive and move for...

Have we offended God with our pride?  Our attitude?  Our entitlement? Even when our suffering is serious, deep, leveling...  God still sits on His throne and is worthy of respect, glory, and honor.  But have we (instead) dis honored Him with doubt, self-pity, self-care, and self? Remember today that God loves us.  ( See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!  ~I John 3:1 ) Remember (even in our suffering) today that God went to ultimate lengths to save us and prevent us from eternal pain, loss, and separation from Him.  ( For God so loved  the world that he gave  his one and only Son,  that whoever believes  in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  ~John 3:16 ) Remember today that God has a plan for us.  ( For I know the plans  I have for you,” declares the  Lord , “plans to prosper  you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ...