The Fizz Stopper

By Cheri Cowell –

Recently, I finally decided to tackle the cleaning of the dreaded “kitchen junk drawer.” Most of us have one of these drawers somewhere in our home. It’s the place where all sorts of odds and ends accumulate—the things that don’t belong anywhere else. Well, my drawer had gotten to the point I could no longer fit anything in and still close it. So, I was forced to tackle the job. To my surprise, I found amazing things in that drawer. One such find was a fizz stopper—the gadget that seals a soda bottle after it’s been opened so you don’t lose the carbonation. God sent us a personal fizz stopper.

When Jesus becomes a part of our lives, His Holy Spirit becomes the seal on our soul. He locks in the joy, peace, and contentment that come with His presence. His seal also keeps the air, or Satan, from contaminating our spirit, turning us flat and useless. Often, however, we forget to put the stopper back in after pouring ourselves out for others all week long. When we notice our fizz going flat, that is a sure signal we need time with Jesus who will refill us and seal us once again.

PRAYER: Thank You for sealing me at the moment I invited Jesus to be my Lord. Praise You for sending the Holy Spirit to re-invigorate me when I’ve gone flat and resealing me to His service.

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30 NIV).

Today’s devotion is by Cheri Cowell, who writes and speaks on topics of Christian discipleship. In addition to her books and articles, you can learn about her speaking ministry and sign up to receive her daily devotional at www.CheriCowell.com

The Road Less Traveled

By Cheri Cowell –

Whether we call them New Year’s resolutions or simply think of them as plans for the start of a new year, many of us choose new paths this time of year. When choosing a path forward we can follow the road less traveled, but if we are honest, most of us prefer the path of relative ease. Crowded and filled with familiarity, this road appears to go where we want to go, after-all “everyone” is on it. One look at the commercials this time of year and we know this crowded thoroughfare—buy this product or that and you’ll look younger, feel smarter, reach your dreams. You can have it all, they scream, if only you… Songs are made to glorify this super-highway and books tempt us with stories of its fulfillment. However, once lulled by its smooth surface, we find little truth in its travel brochures. The grass isn’t greener on the other side—weeds still grow there, too.

The lesson is clear: be sure you are not fooled by their flashy advertisements. The road less traveled, the more difficult way is the true path to fulfillment. This familiar passage in Matthew speaks of this narrow way, but separated from the next passage we don’t know how to find this road and will easily fall prey to deceptive advertising. So, what is this big secret? Simple. Look at the fruit. Jesus asks, “Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?” The road less traveled might be less crowded, but those who’ve found it will have the life those on the other paths only dream of.

PRAYER: Thank You for being the Gate through which the road less traveled passes. Help me to be aware of false advertising, and to resist the lull of the path of relative ease.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14, 15-20 NIV).

Today’s devotion is by Cheri Cowell, author of Direction: Discernment for the Decisions of Your Life, a great book for those looking for a guide on the road less traveled. Visit her website at http://www.CheriCowell.com

Go and Tell

By Cheri Cowell –

I fear we’ve taken an airbrush to the shepherd’s scene in the Christmas story account and have distorted one of the most beautiful, yet dirty and smelly pictures of God’s love. This was a lowly profession and these were not educated men. The scene would be similar to one of modern day construction workers settling down after a hard day, maybe cattlemen sitting down after a day of wrangling, or maybe a group of day laborers gathered around to tell stories of their day’s efforts.

These were common men, but men after God’s own heart, for when the angel appeared to them, they were afraid. They had reverential fear, however, their fears were allayed by the angel with the words to “Do not be afraid…a Savior has been born to you” And what did these lowly, uneducated men do with this knowledge? They dropped everything and ran to see this baby. Then, overcome by joy, they told “everyone” what they had heard and saw.

Are we so excited about our encounter with God that we can’t wait to tell everyone what we have heard and seen, or are we too worried about our lack of knowledge, or credibility, or full understanding of it all? The shepherds remind us to approach God with simple faith and then to go spread the word about what we know, trusting God will fill in the rest. God is not interested in our ability just our availability because the King of Kings is more than able to take our humble gifts and turn them into the greatest story ever told.

PRAYER: God, You are worthy of praise for including all people in Your birth announcement. Show me someone today who needs to hear this great story. Then help me tell them, simply, how You have made a difference in my life.

“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them“ (Luke 2: 15-18 NIV).

Today’s devotion is by Cheri Cowell, who writes and speaks on topics of Christian discipleship. In addition to her books and articles, you can learn about her speaking ministry and sign up to receive her daily devotional at www.CheriCowell.com

Shades of Green and White

By Cheri Cowell –

Someone asked after knowing I’d seen the movie The Grinch, “Did they explain why he is green?” I had to admit they didn’t and I, a Dr. Seuss fan, didn’t know the answer. I have since come up with two possibilities. One, he lived at the dump and ate toxic waste. Two, and much more probable, is that he was green with envy. He was envious of the love and acceptance others had that he did not. That green monster has overcome me a few times, and I’m grateful my outward appearance doesn’t announce what is going on in my heart. Can you relate? The Christmas story has a place where that green tinge could have appeared, but it didn’t.

I’m sure Elizabeth, Zechariah’s wife, had to have felt a tinge of the green fever when she discovered it was her relative, Mary, who would enjoy the blessing of bearing the Christ child. Although some envy must have been there, the Bible tells us Elizabeth was filled with joy, “Blessed are you among women,” she said. “But why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord shall come to me…” I might have slipped in there “But why you and not me? You, after all, are young and have not suffered as I have. And I waited all these years…”

Have you, as I have, envied other people for their apparent blessings, wondering where yours were? Elizabeth teaches us an important lesson: The cure for envy is to openly express sincere joy in the other person’s blessing. Tell them how happy you are for them, how blessed you are to be able to share in their good news, and how thankful you are to God, who gives such wonderful gifts. When we do the right things, with a right heart (or even just a right intent if that is all we can muster with a green heart), God will give us the joy we need.

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord that I don’t actually turn green with envy. Thank You that I’m washed white as snow on the inside because of Your sacrifice. Help me follow Elizabeth in saying to those around me, “Blessed are You…and why am I so favored by God that I should be able to share in Your rejoicing!”

“At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1: 39-43 NIV)

Today’s devotion is by Cheri Cowell, who writes and speaks on topics of Christian discipleship. In addition to her books and articles, you can learn about her speaking ministry and sign up to receive her daily devotional at www.CheriCowell.com

Are You One of the Myer Girls?

By Cheri Cowell –

“You’re one of the Myer girls, aren’t you?” the question was more of a statement than an actual question. My sister and I would say with a nod, “Yes, sir.” And then we’d smile inside, because being a Myer girl meant we were raised well, and the question meant we’d worn the name well. I’m not so sure we still teach this principle today, but it is a good one. There is more to carrying a name than just signing it as your last name. Much more. God knows this principle and it is one of His favorite teaching tools.

In this Scripture, John the Baptist was speaking to those who had come for a sort of heaven insurance—wanting to be baptized so they could insure their entrance into heaven, but having no intention of changing their lives. Like signing a name without any intention of carrying the full pride of that name in word and deed. God wants us to feel blessed to be chosen to carry the name Christian, but He wants that decision to change us to the core. If we are to claim we are Christians than it needs to show in how we treat others.

PRAYER: Thank You, Father, for the example in Jesus of what it means to carry the name Christian. Help me produce the kind of fruit in my life that will cause others to say, “Look at __________! They must be a Christian, because I see the way they treat others.”

“Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones” (Luke 3:8 NLT).

Today’s devotion is by Cheri Cowell, who writes and speaks on topics of Christian discipleship. In addition to her books and articles, you can learn about her speaking ministry and sign up to receive her daily devotional at www.CheriCowell.com

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