Devotional: April 8th

.. quoted from the free app ..

I am with you and for you, your constant Companion and Provider.  The question is whether you are with Me and for Me.  Though I never leave you, you can essentially "leave" Me by ignoring Me: thinking or acting as if I am not with you.  When you feel distance in our relationship, you know where the problem lies.  My Love for you is constant; I am the same yesterday, today, and forever.  It is you who change like shifting sand, letting circumstances toss you this way and that.

When you feel far from Me, whisper My Name.  This simple act, done in childlike faith, opens your heart to My Presence.  Speak to Me in love-tones; prepare to receive My Love, which flows eternally from the cross.  I am delighted when you open yourself to My loving Presence.

"I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land.  I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."
~ Genesis 28:15

What, then, shall we say in response to this?  If God is for us, who can be against us?
~ Romans 8:31

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
~ Hebrews 13:8

Devotional: April 7th

.. quoted from the free app ..

I am the Potter; you are My clay.  I designed you before the foundation of the world.  I arrange the events of each day to form you into this preconceived pattern.  My everlasting Love is at work in every event of your life.  On some days your will and Mine flow smoothly together.  You tend to feel in control of your life when our wills are in harmony.  On other days you feel as if you are swimming upstream, against the current of My purposes.  When that happens, stop and seek My Face.  The opposition you feel may be from Me, or it may be from the evil one.

Talk with Me about what you are experiencing.  Let My Spirit guide you through treacherous waters.  As you move through the turbulent stream with Me, let circumstance mold you into the one I desire you to be.  Say yes to your Potter as you go through this day.

Yet, O Lord, you are our Father.  We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.
~ Isaiah 64:8

My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, Lord, I will seek.
~ Psalm 27:8

Devotional: April 6th

.. quoted from the free app ..

Bring Me the sacrifice of thanksgiving.  Take nothing for granted, not even the rising of the sun.  Before Satan tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden, thankfulness was as natural as breathing.  Satan's temptation involved pointing Eve to the one thing that was forbidden her.  The garden was filled with luscious, desirable fruits, but Eve focused on the one fruit she couldn't have rather than being thankful for the many good things freely available.  This negative focus darkened her mind, and she succumbed to temptation.

When you focus on what you don't have or on situations that displease you, your mind also becomes darkened.  You take for granted life, salvation, sunshine, flowers, and countless other gifts from Me.  You look for what is wrong and refuse to enjoy life until that is "fixed."

When you approach Me with thanksgiving, the Light of My Presence pours into you, transforming you through and through.  Walk in the Light with Me by practicing the discipline of thanksgiving.

I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.
~ Psalm 116:17

The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, "You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die."  "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman.
~ Genesis 3:2-4

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
~ 1 John 1:7

Devotional: April 5th

.. quoted from the free app ..

Let Me fill you with my Love, Joy, and Peace.  These are Glory-gifts, flowing from my living Presence.  Though you are an earthen vessel, I designed you to be filled with heavenly contents.  Your weakness is not a deterrent to being filled with My Spirit; on the contrary, it provides an opportunity for My Power to shine forth more brightly.  As you go through this day, trust Me to provide the strength that you need moment by moment.  Don't waste energy wondering whether you are adequate for today's journey.  My Spirit within you is more than sufficient to handle whatever this day may bring.  That is the basis for your confidence!  In quietness (spending time alone with Me) and confident trust (relying on My sufficiency) is your strength.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
~ 2 Corinthians 4:7

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it."
~ Isaiah 30:15

Jesus Calling: February 4th

This seemed especially pertinent today.  This is from Jesus Calling and it's vital:

Bring me your weakness, and receive My Peace.  Accept yourself and your circumstances just as they are, remembering that I am sovereign over everything.  Do not wear yourself out with analyzing and planning.  Instead, let thankfulness and trust be your guides through this day; they will keep you close to Me.  As you live in the radiance of My Presence, My peace shines upon you.  You will cease to notice how weak or strong you feel, because you will be focusing on Me.  The best way to get through this day is step by step with Me.  Continue this intimate journey, trusting that the path you are following is headed for heaven.

The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.
~ Psalm 29:11

The Lord bless you, and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.
~ Numbers 6: 24-26

But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
~ Psalm 13:5

Jesus Calling: December 31st

Today's excerpt from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young:

As this year draws to a close, receive My Peace.  This is still your deepest need, and I, your Prince of Peace, long to pour Myself into your neediness.  My abundance and your emptiness are a perfect match.  I designed you to have no sufficiency of your own.  I created you as a jar of clay, set apart for sacred use.  I want you to be filled with My very Being, permeated through and through with Peace.

Thank Me for My peaceful Presence, regardless of your feelings.  Whisper My Name in loving tenderness.  My Peace, which lives continually in your spirit, will gradually work its way through your entire being.




For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  ~ Isaiah 9:6

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  ~ 2 Corinthians 4:7


But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world fives.  So not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  ~ John 14:36-27

Daily Devotional

If I am being completely honest with you then I have to admit that I do not have a daily quiet time.  I want to set time aside daily but I have not made it a priority.  There is no one to blame but myself.

Sometimes, if you pay attention, you will see the same thing coming at you from different angles in life.  When you finally notice the pattern .. pay attention!  Recently, that "thing" for me has been a book called Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.

This book has come across my path repetitively.. and for a long time now.  I'm embarrassed to say that I am just now catching on.  I am an avid reader and so people tend to recommend books to me quite often.  Most of them go in one ear and out the other.  It's not that I don't respect the opinion of the one recommending it .. I'm just picky and often don't try hard enough to remember the title. Anyway, this title has made an appearance so many times (and in so many ways) that I remembered not only the title but the author.  It seemed about time that I took a closer look.

After a very brief internet search, I realized two things:  1) this is a daily devotional and is meant to not be read all at once and 2) there is a free app available that gives you a week trial of the book.

Bingo!

My desire to have a quiet time, but my lack of focus, has now been rectified.  I read daily already so taking a few minutes to meditate on a book entry won't change my routine too much.  Also, I don't buy books (because I read too many too quickly) and so a free app is a great way for me to test drive it first. 

I know me and that means I can not jump head first into something that completely alters my routine.  I won't stick with it.  If I gradually start just reading the book during my existing "reading time" (i.e. lunch break) then I have added something new but not changed everything.  Eventually I will, hopefully, add a second break (ideally in the morning before work) just for this.  This may sound non-committal to some, but for me, it's the exact opposite.  I am trying to change my behavior.  I have to take baby steps.

I downloaded the Jesus Calling Lite app for droid and this is what I saw for today:

Sit quietly with Me, letting all your fears and worries bubble up to the surface of your consciousness.  There, in the Light of My Presence, the bubbles pop and disappear.  However, some fears surface over and over again, especially fear of the future.  You tend to project yourself mentally into the next day, week, month, year, decade; and you visualize yourself coping badly in those times.  What you are seeing is a false image, because it doesn't include Me.  Those gloomy times that you imagine will not come to pass, since My Presence will be with you at all times.


When a future-oriented worry assails you, capture it and disarm it by suffusing the Light of My Presence in to that mental image.  Say to yourself, "Jesus will you be with me then and there.  With His Help, I can cope!"  Then, come home to the present moment, where you can enjoy peace in My Presence.


Then Jesus said to this disciples:
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.  Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.  Consider the ravens:  They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them.  And how much more valuable you are than birds!  Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"
- Luke 12:22-26


"Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
- Deuteronomy 31:6


"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
- 2 Corinthians 10:5

This excerpt spoke volumes to me.  It met me where I am today and I know it met you where you are.  We are in different places so it speaks to each of us differently.  This is a valuable book .. especially to someone like me who does not currently have a quiet time.  It can be completely overwhelming to think "OK, I am supposed to sit down for "quiet time" and do what!?  Do I read the bible?  What do I read?  How long do I read?  What am I supposed to feel?  What am I supposed to say?"  These are all things that I felt and I know I am not alone.  I truly believe that's why this book has come into my life.  It has provided me the structure I am looking for.  I am sure once I become more comfortable with the process then I will be able to branch out and build my own version of quiet time, but for now, this seems perfect to me.

We are all at different places of our walk with God. Maybe you don't even know who He is.  I encourage you to pick up this book.  If you don't even want to do that, then I encourage you to read my posts.  I will try to let you know about any entries that hit especially close to home. 

If you have any questions, please email me.  I can not promise to have the answers but I do promise to help you find them.  If you are currently using Jesus Calling as part of your daily devotional and have any words of wisdom or insight, you are welcome to let me know as well.

Here's the Amazon link if you would like to buy it.