Christian Devotional

Standing in the checkout line, I noticed the child from the corner of my eye. You couldn’t help but notice since he was wailing at the top of his lungs, “I want it!” His bedraggled mother tried her best to wrestle the package of M&Ms from his hands while at the same time apologize to the cashier. Tommy wanted the M&M’s, but his mother knew that her child was not “lacking” for food. 

Although I don’t like to admit it, there are times I can be like Tommy when things aren’t going my way. But there is another to whom we can look who points us to the key to being calm and trusting rather than demanding and complaining. 

David, the shepherd boy who became king, is an example to us. In Psalm 23:1 he stated, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Say those words with me. “I shall not want.”

David grasped what I sometimes forget. There’s a difference between what I “want” and what I “lack.” Psalm 23:1 is best interpreted, “The Lord is my shepherd (Jehovah-Ra-Ah), I lack for nothing.” In other words, David was aware that the Lord was watching over him, leading, and protecting him. He was mindful of his Shepherd’s presence and provision. 

If there are times you focus more on what you want rather than on God’s present provision and you desire to develop a more grateful attitude, consider daily journaling that for which you are grateful. Begin being more like David and less like Tommy. 

JEHOVAH-RA-AH, thank You for being my Shepherd. Help me to be increasingly mindful that in You I lack for nothing. 

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Have you ever felt desperate and cried out to God to help to do what He’s asked of you? No doubt, such was the case for Abraham when God asked him to sacrifice his son, Isaac.

Although Abraham didn’t understand why God would ask him to do something so unthinkable, he had confidence in God’s goodness and told his servants, “We, not I, will return.” 

Abraham took the steps of obedience to which God called him, one faith step at a time, not knowing how God would provide. 

In the final moment, as Abraham raised the knife to sacrifice Issac, God stopped him. He provided a ram in the place of Isaac. Genesis 22:14 records, “Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.’” (“Jehovah-Jireh” is the KJV’s translation of YHWH-Yireh which means “The Lord Will Provide.”)

In the act of Abraham being called to sacrifice his only begotten son we get a glimpse of what it was like for God to sacrifice His only begotten Son. 

Jesus, like Isaac, was laid on the wood, stretched out, but instead of being freed, died in our place. Jehovah-Jireh, God will Provide, provided Jesus as a substitute for us. 

What will you do today…and every day to show your gratitude to the Father and to Jesus? 

JEHOVAH-JIREH, You saw my need and provided Your only begotten Son to die for my sins. Jesus, thank You for willingly laying down Your life for me. I am overwhelmed with gratitude and pray I daily reflect my gratitude by my life.

On this National Cancer Survivors Day, we pause to celebrate every survivor, and to give glory to our faithful Lord for healing Debbie of stage 3 lung cancer. Whether you’re a survivor, currently in the fight, or standing beside a loved one, may you know the hope, peace, and salvation found in Christ alone. 

If you don’t know Jesus and would like to learn more about Him, click HERE.

For encouragement, prayers, Scripture, music, and resources for the cancer journey, visit our Hope for the Cancer+ Journey page.

“You can’t see God, so how do you know He’s there?” people sometimes ask. I think one of the best responses is found in Romans 1:19-20 where Paul writes:

“…because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power, and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” 

Paul acknowledges that God is invisible to our eyes. However, he points out that God’s existence is clearly seen by how God has and continues to express Himself through creation. 

Look at the glory of the sunrise, sunset, and heavens. Consider the majesty of the mountains. Inspect the tiniest flower. Count the sizes, shapes, and colors of animals. Marvel at the miracle of the human body. 

God may be invisible, but His handiwork is clearly visible. Our privilege and calling is to give credit where credit is due for God’s creation, eternal power, and divine nature that is clearly displayed. Join me in the following chorus of praise. 

“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen” (1 Timothy 1:17). 

King eternal, immortal, INVISIBLE God, I praise You and thank You for the glory of Your creation and for making Yourself clearly seen through Your handiwork. May my life point people to You.

Do you make it a habit to spend time with God each day? If this is something you struggle with, 365 Days of Praise is the perfect devotional to help you spend more time in God’s presence and reflect on His incredible attributes. Get your copy HERE. You can also grab a copy of the companion praise and prayer journal, Prayers of My Heart, HERE.

Have you ever felt at your wit’s end…puzzled and perplexed about a situation? Perhaps you don’t know what to do with a child or your marriage. You may feel at your wit’s end in regard to a work situation or friendship. When we feel at our wit’s end it is often because we’ve exhausted our resources. We’ve tried everything we know to do and haven’t come up with a solution. Talking things over with a friend or family member hasn’t helped. Recommended books and resources haven’t provided the answer. 

When we’re at our wit’s end, we do well to “stop, drop, and pray” as I write in “Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion.” Stop and drop to our knees. Why? If we’re already “dead in our tracks” about what to do, what better place and before whom could we better stop? We bow because we are humbly aware that we need a higher power and His name is Jesus Christ. 

We stop and drop to our knees because we want to hear from the Lord, who says in Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go.” 

We’re bowed and quiet, looking up for divine help. We’re listening to what some call a still small voice and is, in fact, the Holy Spirit speaking into our spirit. 

If you’ve never tried it before, I encourage you to stop, drop, and pray, “Lord, instruct me and teach me the way I should go… with my job, with this project, with my child, in my marriage, with this health concern.” 

Lord Jesus, my INSTRUCTOR, I love and adore You and thank You for the promise that You will instruct me and teach me the way in which I should go. Help me listen well. 

Would you like to develop a deeper prayer life? Get a copy of Debbie’s book, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion, to learn how.

Have you questioned God’s goodness when He didn’t answer your prayers, or didn’t answer in the timing you wanted? If so, it helps to meditate on Isaiah 40:28 which reminds us of how much higher God’s ways are than ours. “The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable.” 

What does that verse have to do with God not answering our prayers or not in the way we want? 

Isaiah points out that God’s understanding is inscrutable. The New International Version of the Bible states, “His understanding no one can fathom.” The New King James Bible states, “His understanding is unsearchable.” 

In other words, when we pray and God doesn’t answer in the way we want or the timing we want, it has nothing to do with God’s goodness. Rather, it’s important to remember that God’s understanding of what we’ve prayed about is beyond our understanding, but not His. His understanding is “inscrutable;” limitless. 

Trust and faith are essential not only in our profession of faith but also our daily walk and prayer life. We can trust God, whose understanding is inscrutable, beyond what we can understand. Will you trust Him today, knowing He is good? 

Lord, Your understanding is INSCRUTABLE, beyond what I can fathom. Help me look to you in faith, trusting in Your goodness. 

Are you facing disappointment or struggling with unmet expectations? Get a copy of The Plan A Woman in a Plan B World to discover how to take charge of your thoughts and let God reignite your hopes and dreams.

Can you imagine being told that a distant relative passed away and left you all his money? “That’s nice of Uncle Fred,” you say, thinking of his modest clothing and car. Then, the executor of the estate continues, “Congratulations. You’re a billionaire.” Stunned, you realize that you never knew how much Uncle Fred possessed. 

Believers may be like that in relation to our inheritance in Christ. If so, consider how David recognized the Lord as his inheritance in Psalm 16:5, “The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot.” 

David is mindful of the ways the Lord is his inheritance and praises Him for what he has inherited in the Lord: His goodness (v. 2), His support (v. 5), His counsel and instruction (v. 7), His steadying presence (v. 8), eternal security (vv. 9-10), and resurrection to heaven’s joy (vv. 10-11). 

Do we recognize the Lord as our inheritance and praise Him? If not, we can begin today because when Christ died, we were granted an inheritance in Him. First Peter 1:3-4 states, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.” 

The Lord Jesus, the resurrection from the dead, heaven, the right to the Tree of Life, and so much more is our inheritance. Are your feet dancing and hands praising the Lord? 

Lord, You are my INHERITANCE. I love, worship, and rejoice in you! Thank You! Thank you! 

Want to learn more about the imperishable inheritance believers have in Christ? Watch this video clip of Debbie’s teaching on the subject.