Posts made in March, 2011

LIGHT

Posted by on Mar 31, 2011 in Devotion, Easter, Inspirational, Reflection | 2 comments

I AM the Light of the World-

Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” -John 8:12
Have you ever walked in darkness? Stumbled around in the pitch black? It is hard to walk in darkness. When the power goes out and there is no light, you find yourself groping around in what was once familiar places, sometimes to stub your toe on chair you have sat in a million times. What is even worse is when you find yourself in an UNFAMILIAR place in the dark. It can be very scary. It is easy to lose your footing, easy to lose your way. Have you ever been driving when it has gotten so dark that even your headlights aren’t enough light to navigate with confidence through unfamiliar territory?Jesus says that we don’t have to stumble, we don’t have to fall. We don’t have to fear the darkness. We don’t have to lose our footing or our confidence. He is the LIGHT. He will shine in our darkness. He is like a lighthouse pointing the way, the direction for us to go.

Have you ever been in such a terrible situation, going through such difficult circumstances that it feels like darkness is surrounding you, engulfing you? Do you feel hopeless in your darkness? Jesus wants to shine through that darkness. Psalm 139 says, “even the darkness will not be dark to you (God); the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.”

No darkness can hold God in- even the darkness becomes like day. God’s light shines in the darkness. God will make the darkest night, the most hopeless of circumstances shine like day.

Jesus, thank you for being our Light. I praise you. I worship you. I follow you.

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G.R.A.C.E.

Posted by on Mar 30, 2011 in Guest Devotion | 4 comments

“For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:8-9

What is grace? It is commonly defined as God’s unmerited favor. To me it has been God’s Refuge Against Crushing Experiences.

I’ve found grace to be the thing that keeps you from going over the edge. What about when you go over the edge? Well, then it’s what keeps you from a crash landing when you do go over the edge. What about when you have a crash landing? Then, it’s the thing that enables you to get up, be mended and keep moving forward. Let me put it like this, grace is what keeps you from being crushed by the many trials and tribulations you will experience or have experienced throughout your life.

We can learn a vital lesson from Paul, the writer of the scripture referenced above. He recognized that at his weakest point, he was the strongest. For at his weakest point, the power of Christ rested upon him and that is grace - the power of Christ upon you during your crushing experiences. It seems difficult when you are in those situations to glory in His presence, but that is the only way you can find comfort in His refuge. We must learn to completely, totally and unrestrictedly trust in God to be our strength. His strength is made perfect, comes to fruition, in our weakness. I pray that God will enable, equip and encourage you today to face whatever life brings your way, not in your strength alone, but in His strength.

D’Lorah is a licensed minister at Calvary Christian Center in Ormond Beach, Florida and an instructor in the IMPACT School of Ministry. She is also is an HR professional in the education industry. She has just completed and self-published a 30 day devotional entitled “G.R.A.C.E.”. You can visit D’Lorah over at her personal blog: Joy Cometh in the Morning.

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The Secrets of Prayer

Posted by on Mar 29, 2011 in Devotion, Prayer, Reflection | 3 comments


Lord, are there secrets of prayer that I need to know? I want to climb into the depths of You and learn the power of prayer, so that I am meeting You fully, totally in lovely communion. Enrich my prayer life with Your Spirit’s guidance so that I may be pleasing to you in all things.

His response to my prayer.

When you pray; come to Me with the knowledge that you are standing before Me in complete oneness with Me.
Let your cleansing be complete and your mind be clear of obstacles.
This is a holy experience, and it will expand to include your entire being.
You are not merely reciting prayers, nor are you saying empty words.
When you are intimately sensitive to My closeness, your soul is awakened.
This divinely appointed state of being does not remove you from this world so you can make your home in the clouds - no, rather your entire being is made alive and aware of the world around you. You see its beauties as never before.
You see My face in the affection of your loved ones, and you long to give even more to them to make their lives richer, better.
Prayer is not just a thing you do, because My Spirit prays within you constantly.
The inner eye of the Spirit reveals My presence in all things.
I created you to share in My being.
You are loved by Me,
and in loving Me back you are what you were made to be.
I am the Vine and you are My branch.
In prayer you breathe in My breath, you are alive with My life,
and there is no prayer that will go unanswered.

Thank You, Lord for what you are teaching me through Your Words.

(Isaiah 65:24; Matthew 21:22; Hebrews 4:16; Jeremiah 33:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; John 14:23; John 15)
Your Humbly Grateful Daughter.

I tried to attached a beautiful 2 minute video but it wouldn’t attach. You can view it it on my blog here.
Marsha's Musings

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In the Garden

Posted by on Mar 27, 2011 in Devotion | 3 comments

A few days ago, I had the opportunity to work in the garden. It was a beautiful early spring day that came as a surprise between the recent storms. The sun was shining overhead and the heady scent of jasmine floated on the breeze. Earlier in the day I had purchased some annuals to add to my flower bed and I was excited to plant them. As I dug my hands into the earth, and felt the coolness of the freshly turned soil between my fingers, I sensed a sudden closeness with the Lord. His love enveloped me and praises filled my heart. That happens often when I am in the garden. It is as if the rest of the world, with all its cares and worries, slips away leaving just the two of us to share in an intimate moment together.

I can’t help but noticed the parallel between tending a garden and our relationship with the Lord. In order for both to thrive, we need to spend time on our knees, giving them the attention they require. A garden should be watered and fed and loved in order to survive. The more we spend time tending our garden, the more it grows and the more beautiful it becomes. But, when we ignore it and fail to feed it, weeds will grow and begin to choke out the beauty that once was there. It is the same with our relationship with Christ. When we spend time with the Lord and give our relationship the proper nurturing, it will flourish. Our budding faith will blossom and produce an abundance of fruit for His glory. However, if ignored, even a long-standing relationship can begin to wither and fade.

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me” (John 15:4).

And so, we stay in the garden. As we linger, the Lord will join us and our hearts will open, blossoming under His tender care. Daily reading of His Word, praying and praising Him will continue to deepen the bond between us and our faith will grow with each moment spent with Him.

“Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong” (Ephesians 3:17).

As I continued to kneel in my garden I was reminded of the old hymn “In the Garden”. Charles Austin Miles writes that in the garden,

“He walks with me and He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.”

The hymnist says it well. As we tarry with the Lord, we will find a joy never known before. Our growing relationship will become a blessing beyond anything we have ever experienced. Where thorns once were, new life will grow. And when properly tended, it will flourish into an everlasting love. The profound words of this beautiful hymn never fai

l to move my heart. After all, that’s where Love began…in the garden.

Living for Him, Joan

You can read more of Joan’s devotionals by visiting her blog The Beauty in His Grip.

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Attitude Reflect Leadership

Posted by on Mar 25, 2011 in Devotion | 3 comments

I ask my daughter to take out the trash and I get a sassy response instead. I beg the two younger siblings to stop arguing and fighting, but tears erupt and one storms off the bedroom hurt. Later, I hear one daughter snapping at the other, complaining about some small seemingly insignificant event.

And, I feel like I want to explode. The attitudes around our house have been everything but kind, friendly, compassionate, gracious, grateful or generous. So, I turn to the Lord, asking for wisdom, wishing for a miracle pill to change nasty attitudes into glowing sweet cherubic faces. But, what the Lord shows me is somewhat surprising.

Myself.

Starting out the day by barking out orders to kids moving slowly through morning routines and losing my cool when we are 2 minutes later than I had wanted to be. I see myself, almost through another pair of eyes, as I rage at the kids for leaving backpacks on the floor and boots in disarray.

As my husband and I settle down to relax for the evening, we turn on the TV and watch snippets of a favorite movie, “Remember the Titans.” The team of interracial high school football players were struggling to find unity and to really work together towards their goal. Team members were looking down upon one another based upon skin color and allowing pride to affect their attitudes. The captain, Gerry Bertier, asks his co-captain, Julius Campbell, why he can’t keep his guys from intentionally hurting the other players. In this heated argument, the co-captain says, “Attitude reflect leadership, boss.” And with these words, he makes it clear that the behaviors of the whole team were following the inner thinking and expectations of their leader.

This fact impacts so many areas of our lives. Every one of us is a leader in some way to some person or group of people. At church, you may be a Sunday school teacher, or a member of the worship team. Your leadership impacts the attitude of those who follow you.

The apostle Paul said this about himself as a leader,

“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice.”

Philippians 4:9

He knew that most of what we really learn is not “taught,” it’s “caught.” And if I’m walking around blowing out steam, it’s like a bad virus that everyone in the house catches. “Grumble-itis!”

At the same time, I am tempted to criticize the leaders I follow: my pastor, my boss, etc. Can I blame my bad attitude upon their poor leadership? No. The Lord still expects me to be responsible for myself while at the same time I am responsible for the way I lead others.

My own grumbly attitude had leaked down to my children and their behaviors and interactions with each other. If I had not snapped at them, they would not be quarreling with each other in the same tone of voice they heard mommy use.

My prayer for you (and me) this week is this: May we remember that our behaviors and attitudes don’t just affect us, they impact everyone listening.

Heather Cox

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