Devotionals

1 Corinthians 12:1-3 (TPT)
1 My fellow believers, I don’t want you to be confused about spiritual realities. 2 For you know full well that when you were unbelievers you were often led astray [tempted] in one way or another by your worship of idols [anything that usurps God’s reign in your heart], which are incapable of talking with you. 3 Therefore, I want to impart to you an understanding of the following:
No one speaking by the Spirit of God [under the unction of God] would ever say, “Jesus is the accursed one.”

No one can say, “Jesus is the Lord Yahweh,” [Lord God] unless the Holy Spirit is speaking through him.

Is Jesus Lord God over your life? We can all wrestle with thoughts, emotions, and desires that seek to usurp the Lord’s rule in our hearts. To profess ‘Christ is Lord’ is to speak the Truth regarding God’s Word and influence over our lives. Christ is Lord when we allow him to rule and direct our destinies as his followers. False teachers disguise themselves as harmless sheep, but inside they are wolves out to devour and discredit the Word and minimize the Lord God (Mat 7:15). Their goal is to build their own empires instead of the Kingdom of God. Anointed teachers are validated by the fruit of their actions; how they honor and reflect the Word, as well as how they treat others in their care.

Prayer: Lord, when I am tempted to exalt my own ideas and desires above your way, please help me stand on your Word and put things back into a righteous perspective. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

2 Timothy 1:12-14 (TPT)
12 The confidence of my calling enables me to overcome every difficulty without shame, for I have an intimate revelation of this God. And my faith in him convinces me that he is more than able to keep all that I’ve placed in his hands safe and secure until the fullness of his appearing.

13 Allow the healing words you’ve heard from me to live in you and make them a model for life as your faith and love for the Anointed One grows even more. 14 Guard well this incomparable treasure by the Spirit of Holiness living within you.

Our confidence must be in Christ alone as the Anointed One. Let’s define confidence as faith in God, certainty and assurance of one’s relationship with God, a sense of boldness that is dependent on a realization of one’s acceptance by God, and a conviction that one’s destiny is secure in God. When we have confidence in God, then whatever comes our way we can handle it in the strength and power of the Anointed One. As a believer, you never face anything that grace cannot successfully take you through. Fear not and have courage as you place your confidence in Christ. Blessings for your weekend.

Prayer: Lord, when the storms of life threaten to overwhelm me, please keep me focused on your love and help me remain confident in your power. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

John 7:37-39 (TPT)
Rivers of Living Water
37 Then on the most important day of the feast, the last day, Jesus stood and shouted out to the crowds—“All you thirsty ones, come to me! Come to me and drink! 38 Believe in me so that rivers of living water will burst out from within you, flowing from your innermost being, just like the Scripture says!”

39 Jesus was prophesying about the Holy Spirit that believers were being prepared to receive. But the Holy Spirit had not yet been poured out upon them, because Jesus had not yet been unveiled in his full splendor.

As the weather gets hotter and hotter, I find myself more and more thirsty when I am outside. I crave water and that is really the only thing that quenches my thirst during those times. Well, as our times on earth come closer to the return of Christ, things are heating up. My thirst for Christ has intensified; I realize he is the only one who can satisfy my spiritual thirst, sustain me, and bring me peace at this time. The world has nothing to offer me that satisfies me. Only coming to Jesus and being willing to drink of his “life” (eternal life) gets me through a day with the right attitudes and perspective. So, each day prepare yourself to receive the Living Water and keep pressing on in the good fight of faith. BELIEVE and Receive Living Water!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the filling of the Holy Spirit who satisfies my thirst. I come to you each day to drink from your well; to partake of that life which only you can give me. As I receive, I believe living water flows from my innermost being and I am able to share your goodness and joy with those around me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Romans 8:26-27 The Passion Translation (TPT)

26 And in a similar way, the Holy Spirit takes hold of us in our human frailty to empower us in our weakness. For example, at times we don’t even know how to pray, or know the best things to ask for. But the Holy Spirit rises up within us to super-intercede on our behalf, pleading to God with emotional sighs too deep for words.

27 God, the searcher of the heart, knows fully our longings, yet he also understands the desires of the Spirit, because the Holy Spirit passionately pleads before God for us, his holy ones, in perfect harmony with God’s plan and our destiny.

Through the coming of the Holy Spirit, God has immersed us with eternal life; therefore, we are not left alone in our weakness to deal with our problems. This is a good thing, because life right now has many people scratching their heads for understanding, as well as looking for direction and insight to deal with these unexpected challenges we are facing. Here is where we start for answers; we need to pray and ask for divine wisdom and help. The Holy Spirit rises up within us to intercede for us in accordance with God’s will; he is the heart-searcher who fulfills God’s plans. We might not know even how to pray about a situation, but that does not change the fact that our God does know what is needed and through the work of the Spirit that prayer is articulated in the throne room of heaven according to God’s plan and our destiny. Spend time in prayer each day and pour your heart out before God, then trust the Lord to answer with his highest and best for you and others.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the Holy Spirit who searches my heart. As I pray and place my own needs or the concerns for others before you, I trust you to bring answers that are in accordance with your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Romans 8:18-24 TPT A Glorious Destiny
18 I am convinced that any suffering we endure is less than nothing compared to the magnitude of glory [radiant beauty] that is about to be unveiled within us. 19 The entire universe is standing on tiptoe, [intense anticipation] yearning to see the unveiling of God’s glorious sons and daughters! 20 For against its will the universe itself has had to endure the empty futility [chaos] resulting from the consequences of human sin. But now, with eager expectation, 21 all creation longs for freedom from its slavery to decay and to experience with us the wonderful freedom coming to God’s children. 22 To this day we are aware of the universal agony and groaning of creation, as if it were in the contractions of labor for childbirth. 23 And it’s not just creation. We who have already experienced the firstfruits of the Spirit [Awakening] also inwardly groan as we passionately long to experience our full status as God’s sons and daughters—including our physical bodies being transformed. 24 For this is the hope of our salvation.
But hope means that we must trust and wait for what is still unseen. For why would we need to hope for something we already have?

The revelation or “unveiling” of the Lord is at hand. Soon it will take place and we must be ready. God’s glory will come to enter us in a supernatural and surprising way. Believers will be filled and permeated with the divine glory and as that happens, the world will know we belong to the Lord. There will be no question that God’s glory lives in us. It’s so very exciting!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for making me One with you in the Spirit. I wait for the unveiling of what is now unseen within me, but I know is imminent. I love you and I pray for your will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Romans 8:14-17 (TPT) Sons and Daughters Destined for Glory
14 The mature children of God are those [only the mature] who are moved by the impulses of the Holy Spirit. 15 And you did not receive the “spirit of religious duty,”[slavery to performance] leading you back into the fear of never being good enough. But you have received the “Spirit of full acceptance,”[consecrated children] enfolding you into the family of God. And you will never feel orphaned, for as he rises up within us, our spirits join him in saying the words of tender affection, “Beloved Father!”[revealing endearing devotion] 16 For the Holy Spirit makes God’s fatherhood real to us as he whispers into our innermost being, “You are God’s beloved child!”

17 And since we are his true children, we qualify to share all his treasures, for indeed, we are heirs of God himself. And since we are joined to Christ, we also inherit all that he is and all that he has.[grace has made us royal heirs to the King] We will experience being co-glorified with him provided that we accept his sufferings[accept his feelings] as our own.

To be mature as children of God is to allow the fullness of Christ to overwhelm us; to embrace the Spirit of God’s love and be moved by those impulses. That means we accept his feelings knowing there are things [attitudes/behaviors] in fallen creation that grieve his heart; we will feel those burdens and experience the sorrow he feels as well as the joys. Scripture calls us to accept Christ’s sufferings as our own; therefore, the mature must also accept his standard of righteousness. We do not have to guess about God’s perspective, because we already have the Word and Spirit of God bearing witness to that standard. However, as we accept and share in his sufferings, we also share in his glory—the external manifestation of his being in us. What a wonderful destiny!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for imparting to me the Spirit of full acceptance. I do not have to work my way to you; I simply open the door for your Lordship over my life. As I mature, I take on more of your nature and live listening as you whisper into my innermost being. Thank you for making me your daughter. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 33:12-15 (TPT)
12 
Blessed [Happy] and prosperous is that nation who has God as their Lord!
They will be the people he has chosen for his own [his inheritance].
13–15 
The Lord looks over us from where he rules in heaven.
Gazing into every heart from his lofty dwelling place,
he observes all the peoples of the earth.
The Creator of our hearts considers and examines everything we do.

It is such an honor to be a part of this nation, yet I pause when I read this passage and pray for us to make God our Lord. Jesus is Creator God. To make God our Lord is to make Jesus the Ruler and Master over our lives; our individual lives and collective lives as citizens of this nation called the United States of America. To make God our Lord is to give him the authority he is due as Creator; we obey him and his Word out of respect and reverence. Then, we will be one nation under God. Blessed and prosperous is that nation. Do you pray every day for this nation to be one nation under God? We must never stop praying for every person in this nation and beyond to have a relationship with God as Lord. Remember, “Nothing is impossible with God!” (Luke 1:37). I pray for a move of the Holy Spirit that will bring all hearts to the Creator who is the Word of Truth.

Prayer: Heavenly Lord, please continue to rule my heart and lead me in the paths of righteousness for your glory. I pray for the people in the United States of America to identify the divisive work of evil; to grow beyond the divisive work of the media, corrupt leaders, and lawless individuals into the redemptive work of the Lord who alone brings blessing and prosperity. You are the God of the impossible who loves every heart, so I pray and ask knowing you want to be our Ruler and Lord. Holy Spirit bring a miracle; start today with this prayer! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

John 3:31-36 (TPT)
31 “For the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks from the natural realm. But the One who comes from above is above everything and speaks of the highest realm of all! 32 His message is about what he has seen and experienced, even though people don’t accept it. 33 Yet those who embrace his message know in their hearts that it’s the truth.

34 “The One whom God has sent to represent him will speak the words of God, for God has poured out upon him the fullness of the Holy Spirit without limitation. [without measure] 35 The Father loves his Son so much that all things have been given into his hands.[all things/people/authority] 36 Those who trust in the Son possess eternal life; but those who don’t obey the Son will not see life, and God’s anger will rise up against them.”

In our passage today, John the Baptist tells his disciples about the need for them to now support Christ and his disciples; to be excited and joyful about the Savior and his followers increasing in influence. John reminds his disciples they have an earthly job to do to share the gospel, but it is always imperative to exalt the One who came from God and carries the fullness of the Spirit. As we trust in Christ and obey his Word, we too are given the fullness of the Spirit. However, we must choose to operate in the Spirit rather than in our human understanding—our flesh cannot understand the ways of the Spirit. When we invite the Spirit to fill us, we may release the work of the Spirit to bring spiritual health and healing to those around us. Certainly, we can engage in ministry in our flesh, but it will never accomplish what the work of the Spirit can do through us as we trust and obey the Word. The anointing of the Spirit brings freedom and unlimited power for redemption and restoration. Let us pray for the work of the Spirit in our hearts and through our lives. Praise God!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the Gift of the Spirit; the limitless Spirit of eternal life and wholeness. I cling to and trust you in all things to guide my paths. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

1 Peter 4:7-11 (TPT) Prayer and Love
7 Since we are approaching the end of all things, be intentional, purposeful, and self-controlled so that you can be given to prayer.

8 Above all, constantly echo God’s intense love for one another, for love will be a canopy over a multitude of sins.

In our passage today, I am left pondering the intentional love of God laid down for us as his children. Therefore, it is our response to that love that we be equally as intentional, purposeful, and self-controlled with our commitment to pray for one another; all believers because Satan uses our human weakness for his advantage to get us to disobey God. Peter knows what it is like to be “sifted like wheat” by Satan and feel unworthy of the love of Christ, yet because of the restorative work of grace, he urges God’s children to focus on echoing God’s love as a protective act. The word “echo” is translated “to be so closely joined with something that you become its echo.” In other words, we become so connected to Christ that we replicate his forgiveness and love toward one another. Committing and growing in prayer and love are a part of getting us ready for Christ’s return, as well as serves as an enclosure (canopy) which covers and conceals our sin as the Spirit brings restoration from the inside out.

Prayer: Father, thank you for covering me with your love. Help me to use love to cover others while you are working deep within all your children. I want to be an encourager of your pure love while not being an enabler for promoting sinful acts. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

May 25, 2020
1 Peter 4:1-5 (TPT) Living in the Grace of God
4 Since Christ, though innocent, suffered in his flesh for you, now you also must be a prepared soldier, [arm ourselves for a battle] having the same mind-set, [attitude—learn to think like Christ] for whoever has died in his body is done with sin. [after we have suffered in our flesh we are done with sin] 2 So live the rest of your earthly life no longer concerned with human desires but consumed with what brings pleasure to God. 3 For you have already spent enough time doing what unbelievers love to do—living in debauchery, sensuality, partying, drunkenness, wild drinking parties, and the worship of demons. [idolatry] 4 They marvel that you no longer rush to join them in the excesses of their corrupt lifestyles, and so they vilify you. 5 But one day they will have to give an account to the one who is destined to judge the living and the dead.

Today we celebrate Memorial Day. We remember the soldiers who gave their lives protecting our freedom. We thank God for them, honor their sacrifice, and pray God’s rewarding grace over them. As believers, we need to remember we are like soldiers, but we stand against the spiritual enemy—the power of sin—that comes to rob our spiritual freedom. We suffer as we lay our unrighteous desires and inclinations down; parts of us die, but after we have made the decision and stayed the course in our commitment to Christ, grace comes to liberate us and separate us from that which tries to destroy us. The Spirit of God sets us free, so we may live for his glory!

Prayer: Thank you Father, for sending some of your children to fight for our country’s freedom. Help me to never forget the price that was paid, so I could live and worship you. You desire to help me live fully human under divine leadership. So help me, by your grace, to step into the restoration process of remaking me in the image of Christ each day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.