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Julie Long

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Devotions

An Open Heart

1 Min Read
    “And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul” (Acts 16:14 in the King James Version of the Holy Bible). Are you having difficulty believing God for a miracle or perhaps you are struggling with a belief in God at all? I challenge you to sincerely ask God to give you a trusting heart. I have full confidence that, like Lydia, the Master will create the conditions in your heart that will allow you to receive and accept the Word of God.
    Prayer: Lord, please open my heart as you did for Lydia in the book of Acts. I want to grasp all that you have planned for me today. Open my understanding of Your Word and enable me to live an abundant life.
    Devotion by Julie Long
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Devotions

Perfect Love

1 Min Read
    “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12).
    “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another” (I John 4:11).
    “Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” Romans 13:10).
    The love of God is perfect, self-sacrificing, and pure. God loves the loveable as well as the unlovable. He loves us in spite of our imperfections. If we are to love each other as God loves us, we must also love without reservation, even when that individual is difficult to love. Love like God’s love is not mean-spirited and does not try to cause harm. It seeks only the good of the other person.
    Prayer: Lord, help me today to respond with love toward all those I meet. Let my love be sacrificial, seeking the good of the other above my own personal desires. The more I give love to others, the more I increase my love for You. Thank You for letting me feel Your love in my life.
    Devotion by Julie Long
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Devotions

Fear – A Non Factor

1 Min Read
    Life has a way of turning us from faith to fear. The Bible tells us that God does not cause us to fear (2 Timothy 1:17). God gives us the gift of confidence, love and a calm, well-balanced mind. So how do we make fear a non-factor in our lives? Apply the Word of God to your life everyday. Constantly remind yourself of Matthew 6:30-31, “Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?” (King James Version of the Holy Bible)
    Prayer: Lord, I accept the gift of Your care and concern for me today. I cast aside my anxiety and choose to live care-free! Lord, I trust in your provision, power and plan for my life. I will not allow worry to distract me from trusting in You. Amen.
    Devotion by Julie Long
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Devotions

God’s Right Hand

1 Min Read
    “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:” (Revelation 1:17 in the King James Version of the Holy Bible). While serving a prison sentence on the island of Patmos, the Apostle John was acutely aware of his aloneness and in need of renewed courage from the Lord. The “right hand” of God is synonymous with His power. At this low point in his life, John said, “And he laid his right hand upon me.”
    Prayer: Lord, I ask You to place Your right hand of power on me so that I can face this day with confidence and courage. I ask for the same assurance of Your presence and power as You gave the apostle John when You placed Your hand on him.
    Devotion by Julie Long
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Devotions

Irrefutable Joy!

1 Min Read
    “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul” Psalm 94:19 (New International Version of the Holy Bible). We can live joyful every day because our happiness is not based on circumstances, but rather it is predicated on God Himself. Joy dwells with God which means wherever God is there is joy! If we make room for Him in our lives, we can experience a deep and abiding joy regardless of external conditions. The joy of the Lord knew the poverty of a lowly manger birth and the agony of the cross. Joy triumphed over the grave – it is irrefutable and undefeatable! This joy does not deny the distress or minimize the pain in our life, but finds God in the midst of it.
    Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for joy that transcends my present circumstance. I pause today to rejoice in the God of my salvation. Though I may face sorrow, or urgent needs, or anxiety, or illness, I face it with my soul secure in You. Amen.
    Devotion by: Julie Long
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Devotions

Jehovah-Nissi

1 Min Read

“And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi {that is, The LORD my banner}:”(Exodus 17:15 in the King James Version of the Holy Bible). The Word of God reminds us today that we must construct altars of remembrance for the victories we have won while holding high the banner of His Name. The track record of God’s faithfulness should give us courage to face any obstacle in our future.

Prayer: Most High God, when I call You my Jehovah-Nissi, I have effectively raised the banner of Your sovereignty over every circumstance in my life. If I will uphold the awesome Name of Jesus, I will experience victory today and everyday! Amen.

Devotion by Julie Long

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Devotions

God’s Dwelling Place

1 Min Read

“Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore” (Ezekiel 37:26 in the King James Version of the Holy Bible). Throughout Scripture people desired to house God’s presence inside walls made with hands. But, the Bible tells us that God’s presence is not restricted to wood, cement and brick, He is with us always. Wherever the Spirit of God is, there is a sanctuary for the sick, the hurting and the downtrodden.

Prayer: Mighty God, You are a sanctuary for us in the storms as well as the celebrations of life. The permanent church building is a wonderful place of rest and worship, but today I pray that You will create in my heart a sanctuary for Your use. Amen.

Devotion by Julie Long

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Can You Keep a Secret?

2 Mins Read
    “A talebearer revealeth secrets; but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter” (Proberbs 11:13).
    In the information age that we live in, it seems as if there are no secrets anymore—especially when it comes to the personal lives of those in the public eye.
    In the past, the magazines or other news media that exposed private (and often humiliating or embarrassing) details of people’s lives were considered tabloids and frowned upon by the other respectable news outlets. But not anymore. The boundary lines of decency have been erased, and it is a race between all the news media to see who can be the first to publish or broadcast the “scoop.”
    At the first sign of a bulge in a female celebrity’s stomach, the news media begin to publish questions about whether she is pregnant. Maybe she has just put on a little weight, but the rumor mill is already off and running. If she actually is pregnant, just wait a few weeks and you will know the sex of the baby, the due date, where it will be born, and a myriad of other details, usually reserved for family and close friends. We are also privy to information about the intricacies of people’s marriages, infidelities, subsequent divorces, and remarriages that really is none of our business.
    Because we have so many “talebearers” that have crafted “revealing secrets” into a fine art, it has developed into a public pastime that has bled over into our own personal lives. It is increasingly difficult to find people who do not delight in spreading gossip about others. But the Bible gives us strong admonition to discipline ourselves to not be a talebearer, or repeat everything that we hear. Proverbs 17:9 says, “He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.”
    Proverbs 26:20-22 says, “Where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.” Don’t be a talebearer! Be a faithful person who knows how to keep secrets!”
    Written by Beth Dillon
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Devotions

A Spirit of Generosity

1 Min Read
    “Their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity” (2 Corinthians 8:2 in the New International Version of the Holy Bible). This statement was made by the Apostle Paul about the Christians living in Macedonia who gave generously to the church in Jerusalem which was experiencing a time of famine and poverty. Paul used the Macedonians as an example to others of cultivating a spirit of giving despite the negative circumstances and financial difficulty they themselves may be facing. Generosity doesn’t always refer to giving from our wealth. It is giving from our heart that pleases God. A person who gives to others in ways that may or may not include financial blessings, is a person who has a healthy, “rich”, inner life!
    Prayer: Lord, I must confess that generosity doesn’t always come easy for me. Teach me to have a giving spirit – a heart that is sensitive to the needs of others. Amen.
    Devotion by: Julie Long
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