Month: October 2022

Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

What does pure in heart mean? Does it mean you are perfect and always loving, kind, peaceful, faithful, hopeful, etc.? I don’t think so. Why? Because God knows we are human. If we were perfect why would we have a need for grace? Why would Jesus have to go through everything He did here on Earth?

No, I think pure of heart means you genuinely mean well. You try your hardest. You realize when you fail at being any of that long list above. When you realize it you are prepared to make amends and seek to change the situation.

I can’t tell you how many times I have had to ask God for a human moment. Seriously, I need to throw a tantrum for a minute. I need Him to hear my pain. Then I step back and ask Him to make me willing to be willing to let go of the anger. Finally, I apologize and move on. God reminds me He has big shoulders. He can handle it. He knows my intentions underneath it all are still pure. I don’t want to feel this way. I have to find a way to deal with the emotions. We all have to because we can’t just be perfect and never feel anything.

Today, let the guilt of not being perfect go. Choose a pure heart that knows you are working on dealing with all the emotions that get thrown at you every single day.

Lord, thank You for not expecting perfection. You just want us to have a pure heart and willing to try. ~amen

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Luke 12:1

Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”

Hypocrisy does not mean we as Christians will always be perfect. It does not mean we preach about something and then fall flat on our faces over it. Hypocrisy is “do what I say and not what I do.”

News Flash! We are not perfect. We make mistakes. The thing that sets us apart from hypocrites or should set us apart from hypocrites is we take responsibility. We know when we have done wrong. We admit we have done wrong. We make amends when possible and seek to try better. We learn from our mistakes.

We get into trouble when we let our pride stick around. Our judgment of others to make ourselves look better is the issue. When that yeast of hypocrisy takes over it ruins it for everyone. All of a sudden every Christian looks back and Satan laughs!

Jesus was not warning against us! He was reminding us to stand up and be responsible. We must swallow our pride when we screw up and show others how we live by grace!

Lord, I don’t want to be the reason someone walks away from You. Help me swallow my pride and step up and take responsibility when I screw up. ~amen

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Luke 12:40

You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

I certainly never set out to offend anyone. Today, however, I may step on someone’s toes. For that, I truly am sorry. Please, hear me out though. In the end, we can agree to disagree and still be friends.

Here is the thing. God is the ONLY One that knows when Jesus will return. Jesus, Himself has no idea (Matthew 24:36). So, why do so many people spend so much time trying to figure it out? Instead of looking for the time, how about just be ready?

I know the bible lists signs of the end time. Can I tell you something? All those signs have been seen since the moment Jesus stepped off this Earth. Why? Because Satan has no clue either. He is also in constant preparation for his big day. Seriously, look through history. You can find several people who could have potentially turned into the antichrist.

I am not saying stop watching for Christ’s return. I am saying don’t spend all your time looking for the signs and miss HIM. Just be ready!

Lord, I know You are coming for me someday. It may be the end times for us all or it may just be the end of my time here on Earth. I just know I am ready. ~amen

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Proverbs 19:20-21

20 Listen to advice and accept discipline,
and at the end you will be counted among the wise.
21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
but it is the LORD’S purpose that prevails.

I giggled over today’s verse, Proverbs 19:20-21, in the Message Bible.

20 Take good counsel and accept correction that’s the way to live wisely and well. 21 We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but GOD’s purpose prevails.

I mean verse 20 is kind of a duh, you would think. However, we see everyday people ignoring that advice. Then we get to 21., “We humans brainstorm options.” Oh my goodness that is SO me. It is like I think I need to give God advice. Maybe He needs my good council, so He can live wisely and well. Really?!?!

I hope I am the only one that does this, but I am guessing I am not. Maybe together we can giggle the next time we worry and begin planning our way out. If you see me on the street cracking up laughing at nothing, I probably just asked God, “Have You
considered this option?” Good thing He is patient!

Thank You, Lord, for being so patient with me when I think I know what’s best.

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Matthew 5:16

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

This is one of my favorite bible verses. As a matter of fact, it is our family verse. Newsboys uses the verse in their lyrics for the song, ‘Shine’.

Shine.
Make ’em wonder whatcha got.
Make ’em wish that they were not
On the outside looking bored.
Shine.
Let it shine before all men.
Let em see good works and then
Let em glorify the Lord.

The point is very simple. Our actions are so important. Your greatest witness is not stopping everyone you see and asking them if they know Christ. Your greatest witness is living Christ! It is how you treat others, it is how you handle situations. Yes, it is also what you do when you screw up!

You want to be a witness? Shine and make them wonder what you got. That will lead them to glorify the Lord!

Lord, help me shine Your love on everyone meet today. ~amen

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Isaiah 26:4

Trust in the LORD forever,
for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal.

Once again I need to refer to the Message Bible for today’s verse. “Depend on GOD and keep at it because in the LORD GOD you have a sure thing” (Isaiah 26:4). It is those last five words, ‘you have a sure thing’ that caught my eye. How many things in life can you be sure are a sure thing? We usually always laugh and say, “The only two things sure in life are death and taxes.”

I know there are lots of people that wish they had the sure bet, or the lotto numbers, or even just knowing what tomorrow will bring. That is not what God is promising you. What He is promising you is to be there every single step you take. He is promising not to leave you, nor forsake you. He is promising peace, strength, and wisdom as you need it.

Life is not and will not be easy. Searching for the next sure thing here on Earth will only give you temporary satisfaction if you catch it. I want eternal peace and happiness. I think I am going to bank my sure thing on God.

Lord, You are the only sure thing I can count on in life. Thank you for always being my Rock. ~amen

Matthew 15:30

Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them.

Today’s verse from Matthew comes from a Max Lucado bible study I am doing with a group of women. In combination with the verse from Max’s devotion yesterday, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest,” (Matthew 11:28) a thought dawned on me. I tend to take on too much, thinking I should handle it all.

I was raised to be self sufficient. I was expected to work hard and not rely on anyone. Now, this in itself is not a bad thing. However, I have a God I can always rely on for everything and need to learn how. I feel the need to point out that my parents did teach me that as well. Somewhere though I lost that thought. I felt it was my responsibility to keeping everyone happy all of the time. Boy, is that a big mistake. You see, I am not God and neither are you.

We don’t have to take on the world. We just need to do our part and let God handle the rest. No request is too small or too big for our God. Just go to Him with everything. He is waiting to help.

Lord, I am sorry I try to take on the world without You. I am learning my place and will turn to you. ~amen

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Matthew 6:14

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

I must have read today’s verse in Matthew hundreds of times. I know I have also taught and been taught on it. Today, I read it a new way for the very first time.

I have always read it as I forgive so that God can forgive me for a later offense. Today, I read it as God will forgive me for not forgiving the person in the first place. Now, you may have always read it that way. I am not sure why I haven’t but I am so glad I did today. I am not sure why I ever was so arrogant to think that I didn’t need forgiveness for not forgiving someone.

Unforgiveness is a horrible thing. It eats away at your soul. It creates anger, hate, and in stirs up all the pain in a situation. I am not saying forgiving is saying what the person did was OK. I am saying it is not OK to let the person control you anymore. Believe me, that is exactly what is happening. You are giving that person the power to steal your peace when you don’t forgive. It also means you are harboring hate in your heart. When we forgive, God forgives us for our hatred.

I know it will not be easy. But today, you need to at least be willing to be willing to forgive. Let God handle the rest. he can help you. I promise. He doesn’t want to see anyone carry around all that pain.

Lord, I struggle at times with forgiveness. Please know I am always willing to be willing to forgive with Your help. ~amen

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1 Samuel 2:2

There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.

Dwayne Johnson may call himself the rock. Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend. BUT, let’s be honest here, there is no Rock like our Rock. There is no Rock like our God!

I have had a couple of days that culminated into a temper tantrum today. I haven’t slept in a couple of days, and little things have been piling up. When yet another thing went wrong today, I peeled out of a parking lot heading straight for Dunkin Donuts only to get behind a truck with a sign painted across its tailgate, “Don’t worry, God is still in control.” Yes, I do believe God has a sense of humor.

I also know God was trying to remind me that when I was finished with my tantrum, He would still be there. He would still be my Rock and support me even right now, right where I stood. I was on solid ground and nothing was going to change that.

So go ahead, throw that tantrum and let it all out. You are on solid ground. God will hold you up!

Thank You, Lord, for being my rock. I know when all around is sinking sand, on Christ the solid Rock I stand. ~amen

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