WORSHIP: All That Jazzy
October 15, 2024 by Kathy Carlton Willis
Filed under Daily Devotions, Worship
My Boston Terrier, Jazzy, worships me. Maybe worship is too strong of a word, but I don’t think so. She follows me from room to room just to be by my side. She’ll rest at my feet or beg to lie in my lap. When I take a nap, she jumps up in bed and pressed the small of her back against the small of my back. She covers me with her kisses and looks up at me with an expression of adoration on her face. She trusts me to provide for all of her needs and many of her wishes. When I come in the door, she can’t wait to greet me. Jazzy is content just being with me.
Trading My Sorrows
October 12, 2024 by Gina Stinson
Filed under Daily Devotions, Personal Growth
In a world where it’s easy to get caught up with dissatisfaction, complaining, grumbling, and despair, it’s reassuring to know God has a trade-in policy. He has his own “cash for clunkers” deal!
If you’re feeling down, troubled, distressed or perplexed, God’s Word says you don’t have to feel despair. Feeling persecuted? Don’t…He’s not forsaken you. Feeling cast down? Don’t you know the end of the story…HE wins!
Longing For Tomorrow
October 10, 2024 by Laurie Hilliard
Filed under Daily Devotions, Family
“I can’t wait till this weekend,” I heard myself telling my friend. “My husband and I are finally going on a date. And boy, do I need it!” The problem was it was only Monday. I had to make it through a whole week until the much-needed break would arrive.
How would I survive the week? Would my children hear me wish for the weekend every time they spilled their juice, argued with each other, or came crying that they were “hurt” again? I was so focused on the upcoming weekend to bring contentment and happiness that I found myself being very discontent with the happenings of the current day. I was impatient, distracted, and irritable.
Time Out!
October 9, 2024 by Kathy Carlton Willis
Filed under Daily Devotions
“Mister, I need to GO,” whined Jimmy as he tugged on the ref’s pant-leg. “Okay, go tell your coach to call a time out for your team,” said the referee. “No, Mister, I need to go NOW!” pleaded Jimmy. What could the ref do, but send Jimmy to the restroom, while calling a time out. They were only second grade, don’t you know!
There are times when we all need to take a time out. Sometimes, it is a gradual building up of pressure that screams we need a break. Other times, it’s an urgent warning that we need to stop everything right NOW and take a time out!
A story is told of a man and woman who challenged each other to split wood for eight hours, and at the end of the time, see who had the largest woodpile. Every hour the woman took a break. The man went nonstop, thinking the extra time would amount to a larger woodpile. To him, it meant easy victory. At eight hours, there was only one obvious winner. The woman’s woodpile was much larger. The man asked, “How can this be? I worked the entire time, while you took a break every hour.” The woman responded, “I used that time to sharpen the ax!”
We each need to take time to sharpen our proverbial axes. What should we do, when we take a break from our everyday busyness? First, think of the word break spelled as BRAKE. Stop what you are doing; put the brakes on. When we slow down the inner quietness allows us to hear God’s still small voice more clearly. Through Him we find the peace that we can’t seem to find anywhere else. We relax, allowing our physical and emotional wellbeing to rejuvenate and reenergize. As one commercial so aptly put it, “Calgon take me away!”
The Bible sets up a time for spiritual renewal. In the Old Testament that time was called the Sabbath. Many New Testament Christians set aside time for the Lord the first day of the week. Unfortunately, because of our busy workweeks, Sunday becomes the only day to complete chores and errands, and it is no longer a day of rest.
AUTHOR QUOTE: Are you feeling an urgent need to leave the playing field of Life for a break? Just ask for a time out. It’s not just for ballgames or errant children. It can be ours today!
“And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest,” Exodus 33:14.
Today’s devotion is by Kathy Carlton Willis, wife to Russ, pastor’s wife to many, author, editor, publicist, and speaker. Kathy Carlton Willis Communications encompasses her many passions. Learn more at: http://kcwcomm.blogspot.com/ or http://www.kathycarltonwillis.com/.
In This World You Will Have Trouble
October 5, 2024 by James Watkins
Filed under Daily Devotions
One Sunday I made the mistake of teaching from John, “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage—I have conquered the world,” John 16:33 NET.
Right after the closing prayer, one family went out into the sub-zero weather to find that they had left the van’s lights on and their battery was dead. Another family discovered their four-year-old had gotten into their van, turned it on, and backed over a parking bumper. The worship leader went home to find her husband gone with a note telling her he wanted a divorce. That night the church’s hot-water heating pipes froze up and the parsonage’s furnace broke down. A parishioner offered to thaw out the church’s pipes with a blowtorch and caught the building’s subflooring on fire. Then things got worse!
The next Sunday, I promised never to speak on that passage again.
“Trouble” seems to be life’s default setting: flat tires, kidney stones, IRS audits . . . the list goes on and on. So, I’m assuming you and I will be facing some trouble this week. But Christ offers us “peace” and “overcoming” victory today as well.
That’s why Paul can write, “But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are experiencing trouble on every side, but are not crushed; we are perplexed, but not driven to despair; we are persecuted, but not abandoned; we are knocked down, but not destroyed,” 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 NET.
So, have a “but not” week! We will have trouble, but not defeat!
QUOTE: Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. Once we truly know that life is difficult—once we truly understand and accept it—then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters. ~ M. Scott Peck
Today’s devotion by James N. Watkins is reprinted by permission from www.jameswatkins.com [please make a hyperlink] copyright © 2009. He is the author of fifteen books, including Squeezing Good Out of Bad, and over two thousand articles. He has spoken across the United States as well as overseas.
