Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit… and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Psalm 51:12-13 Today, when you go to church or the to the store, reach out to someone and be kind. If there is a first-time guest who walks in through the doors of your church, put yourself in their shoes; they don’t know anyone, they feel out-of-place, and they are hungry enough for God to get themselves out of bed and get ready to go to a place with strangers. Your smile, your kindness, and your love can…
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways. Psalm 51:12-13 Restoration is one of the most beautiful things we can experience in God. Sometimes there are those among us who have worshiped among us, but they fall away from God. We often use the term ‘backslider,’ but the word of God says they are a transgressor; someone who has walked in the ways of righteousness but transgress from His law. I was once a transgressor. Yes, I was that person you saw with her hands raised one week and then slowly fade into a distant memory. I was that girl who was lost, then saved, then lost again. What I needed, and what every transgressor needs, is love. Love that surpasses judgment. Love that overwhelms disappointment. And, love that abounds. The Bible clearly states that all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God. If you have been in the place of a transgressor, then you know that people deal with bitterness, condemnation, and the fear of judgment. We need to revisit God’s mercies often. After God reignites the joy of His salvation in…
The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17. One of the most beautiful moments I will forever cherish as a mom is when I can soothe my daughter or son’s crying by picking them up, and whispering, “mommy is here.” As I hold them close, they will melt into me, their breathing will slow down, and their heart rates will regulate. They feel secure in my embrace as I quietly sing or hum softly. You may be going through a difficult season and crying out for comfort. I love the scripture above; it says that our God sings over us, just like a loving mother sings over her child. God sings a lullaby over you—to soothe your sorrow, to heal your pain, to remind you that you are not alone. Today, take all of your hurt, all of your care, all of your anger, all of your hopes and dreams, and leave them in the hands of Your mighty warrior; the King of all kings. He will fight for you and…
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105 I remember the exact moment when I finished reading though the Bible for the first time. I was in my second year at Bible College and I was snuggled in bed. Up to this point I had tried to finish reading my Bible through in a year, but without success. However, something shifted in me when I became resolute to know God more, I became addicted to reading the Bible every chance I had. The moment I checked off the last box in my…
“He (Elkanah) had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.” 1 Samuel 1:2 Hannah was set apart, but not in a way anyone would desire. Being barren during this era was a disgrace upon women and considered a divine judgment from God. Her society viewed her as an unfit wife and misunderstood her predicament as God’s disapproval rather than seeing the panoramic view of God’s master plan. “In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” 1 Samuel 1:10-11 There may be an impossible situation that you are facing right now and you have been weeping bitterly before God. You’re heart may feel like it’s in a million pieces and it seems impossible to ever feel whole again. But, God Is Able I know a God who can pick up the pieces of…
Some friendships can shake our world because we realize their motives were not pure. Even King David encountered false friendships like this in the Old Testament. He writes, “It is not an enemy who taunts me, I could bear that… Instead, it is you—my equal, my companion and close friend. What good fellowship we once enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God… His words are as smooth as butter, but war was in his heart.” Psalm 55:12-14, 21, NLT. I have experienced the unfortunate displeasure of having a friend pulverize my confidence. In the beginning of this particular friendship there wasn’t any warning signals. Eventually, she began to tear me down with harsh comments and then build herself up within the same conversation. That, dear reader, is a red flag. I allowed her opinions of me to dominate the way I worshiped, the way I sang, the way I preached. When she walked in the room, I would become weak both physically and spiritually. I allowed her negative opinion of me effect me to the point that I had a negative opinion of myself. I gave this person so much power over my voice—over the voice of God in…