Post Holiday Blues

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.James 4:8 NIV Bible Gateway

It’s now been about two weeks since Christmas so how is your mental state? You may still be putting things away or writing thankyous. Have you allowed yourself to slip into a self pity mode of the blues? It’s very easy to do if you don’t watch what you are dwelling on. 

Comparing yourself to another’s situation or starting to get negative can get you in a bad mood pretty easily. Think of people who have lost loved ones over the holidays or maybe didn’t have the money to buy gifts or take trips. How about those in North Carolina still dealing with horrific storm damage from earlier. Or then there is Southern California and wildfire destruction. 

It is sort of like the character George Bailey in the classic old movie ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ which is a must see at Christmas. He was at the end of his rope over potential financial destruction and about to commit suicide when his angel Clarence appeared to save him as a result of many prayers going up for him. When the angel says “to think you were going to take your life over money” George replies “it may not be important in Heaven but it is pretty important down here” and so the story goes.Your life is valuable and people in your life depend on you so never start digging a pity hole which is hard to escape from. 

PRAYER: I am grateful first for life. Next for family then friends. Thanks for food and clothing and money to use and help bless others with. Guard my heart from wrong thinking. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Your 21 Days

 

 "So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer."Ezra 8:23

My former church,  Church of the Highlands in Alabama is having 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer right now. I have a link at end of devotion for any who care to check it out. Churches are joining from as far away as Hong Kong. 

My question to you is what are you fasting from or seeking God for in these 21 days of the new year? A time to regroup and to rethink things and pause and not overreact. 

Your church may not be starting the new year this way but it is an awesome method to take a good hard look at your life and make it less self centered and more God centered. Maybe you will find things to fast such as social media or too much TV. Anything in your life that takes you away from your walk with the Lord basically. 

PRAYER: Father as I start a new year I want your help in being still and waiting on you in so many areas of my life. I pray for those far from you who need a daily walk with you. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Www.churchofthehighlands.com/21days

Don’t Just Throw A Scripture On Stuff

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.“ Matthew 23:23 NIV Bible Gateway

Recently the Los Angeles area was devastated by fires of apocalyptic style. When people are hurting it is easy to toss out a scripture here and there for comfort or maybe even in an unkind judgmental way, but may I challenge all believers to go beyond the scripture to prayer and practical help.

At times when people are at their lowest point such as losing all the material goods to a fire they may be able to be reached easier with the message of the gospel. When you get to the end of yourself and your stuff there is God.

No one leaves this Earth with a U Haul being buried next to them at their gravesite. Your stuff can be destroyed in an instant but the relationships you make, the kindnesses your show and the love you provide last for eternity.

PRAYER: I get overwhelmed at times trying to organize and get rid of things I don’t really need and in the big scheme of things just having friends and family is the key. Help me be placed where I can help someone hurting. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Focus On Good In 2025

 

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.Colossians 3:2

It is so easy to be negative or even think you aren’t then to slip up and be labeled judgmental. I have a great idea!!. Focus on doing good in 2025 and skip political squabbles. 

Intentionally set your mind on ‘things above’ and allow God and the Holy Spirit to handle the issues of our fleshly nature. Don’t try to prove anything to anyone. Be still and be at peace. 

As I watched Former President Jimmy Carters funeral at the National Cathedral in DC with people of both political parties in attendance I noticed for once kindness and gentleness. Why not do your part in the year ahead to speak love and pray for those who you disagree with or who don’t care to be in your circle of friends. 

PRAYER: Lord I want to be more like you in every way. Guard my heart from wrong thinking. Show me how to live even those I don’t feel like. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Put Your Critical Spirit To Rest in 2025

 

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.Romans 12:3

New Year’s resolutions run the gamut from losing weight, getting in shape, starting a new hobby, doing something on your bucket list but do any of you need to be more loving and less critical in 2026?

Sometimes an innocent opinion can be misinterpreted to be criticism. A new tactic would be maybe to start praying for the person you are tempted to make an unkind or seemingly judgmental comment about. 

God loves everybody ponder that for a moment. Liberal, conservative, gay, straight, democrat, republican. Ask God to help you see through His eyes and ask Him how perhaps you need to minister to others. Let God do the fixing you just love and pray. 

PRAYER: I am grateful Father for all you have done in my life. Thanks for your redemption, grace, mercy, love and forgiveness. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Love In A World Of Hatred

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.1 John 2:15-16 NIV Bible Gateway

Seems this world we live in is antagonistic toward the believer or a person who would dare stand up for fighting evils in our culture. The anger can even come from a family member who doesn’t understand why you aren’t sucked into the culture and its’ lies too. 

This hatred can cause you to be labeled critical or judgmental because you don’t buy into the lies of those whose heart is hard and who is in love with the darkness even though they may not think so. 

You press on to pray for school students, do prayer walks, and ignore ugly comments and being unfriended or blocked because you are ‘mean spirited’ and too religious. Sound familiar to anyone? Just keep praying my friend no matter how much you are being mocked or ridiculed. Prayer works. 

PRAYER: Father please help those I know who don’t care much about you and call people who do religious because of their lack of understanding. I pray for a massive revival to break out and many get saved. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

New Years Plans/Thoughts

 

Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.Isaiah 43:19

Each year the clock and calendar rolls around to a new year it is time to think about making changes, trying new things, starting a new tradition, or starting a new hobby. The biggest change many choose is losing weight and getting into shape. 

Might I challenge you to get your physical body in condition yes but more importantly your spiritual body or soul. Many are ambitious in that they say the plan is to read through the Bible in a year. I admire that but it has not worked for me. 

I have the You Version Bible App on my phone and it has a daily reading but also different plans you can check out. As mentioned in a previous devotion you can do 21 Days of prayer at www.churchofthehighlands.com/21days check that out. Now go do a new thing! 

PRAYER: I choose this day to let go of grudges, wrong thinking, and stuff I have no control over and to relax and rest in your love Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

I Don’t Want To Be Critical- Help Me Lord!

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.Ephesians 4:29

How do you get rid of a critical spirit? I ask myself that because I know I myself don’t intend to be critical or enjoy being critical but sometimes I find myself sinking in the mud so to speak. Why do you or I do this and how can I stop? 

Criticism often happens when you compare. Criticism doesn’t benefit anyone. If you have been critical of someone go to them and apologize. If someone has hurt you with criticism forgive them. 

Focus in this new year on trying to be the person God wants to use for the kingdom. If you find yourself starting to cave to criticism stop and ask the Holy Spirit to transform your thinking and words. 

PRAYER: Father heal my critical spirit. Turn darkness to light and ashes to beauty. Help my words only bring joy not pain or be an irritant to someone. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Day 2

 

"Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning."Joel 2:12

Many churches across the US are having 21 Days of Prayer right now with today being day 2. This is something I always looked forward to back at my former church in Alabama. It is a way to regroup your life and focus on God and what you need to do to be closer to Him. 

If done with fasting it can even have a greater impact on your walk with God. Fasting not only food but social media, alcohol, coffee drinks, TV, whatever is in the way of your devotion to God. Think it over. 

Are you more in love with Jesus or with things in the world? Is there an area of your life or a person you have been praying for? This 21 days is perfect time to refocus and get serious about it. 

PRAYER: Lord help me not allow distractions of this world to take my focus off you. Forgive me when I have hurt anyone or opened my mouth when I should have stayed quiet. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Note-

You can stream Church of the Highlands daily 21 Days of prayer by going to www.churchofthehighlands.com/21days. Live weekdays at 6 CST but on demand later. 

Is It Possible To ‘Crush Proof’ Your Heart?

Above all else, guard your heart for everything you do flows from it.Proverbs 4:23 NIV Bible Gateway

Have you been emotionally hurt by unkindness, harsh words, being shut out of something or someone’s life? A tough skin is needed to deal with many jolts to our heart strings. 

Learning to understand there are all sorts of people and personalities and not everyone is walking with the Lord and not everyone is full of kindness. Give people the benefit of the doubt but realize not everyone is going to want to be your friend. 

Be thankful rejoice in what blessings you have. Pray for people who hurt you. Pray for those who even think prayer is stupid and a waste of time. Healing of any kind takes time. Be still. 

PRAYER; Help me take each day as it comes. To not get in people’s faces who don’t like me but to pray and be kind. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

A Solid Foundation For 2025?

 

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”Matthew 7:24-27

If a home is built on shifting sand or on the edge of a cliff chances are when rains come it will slide down the cliff. If on top of sink hole it could fall into the ground. 

How is your spiritual foundation for 2025? Don’t concern yourself about the condition of others judging them or criticizing them but instead be concerned for your own condition but of course pray for others you know. How can you get stronger in 2025? 

Be strong and don’t go back to falling into your own self pity mode or being too hard on yourself. Continue pressing on and get strong by feeding your mind with scripture. Not random Bible reading but studying verses and applying them. Continue to run looking up to Jesus the author and finisher of your faith. 

PRAYER: Today I want to be able to let go of stupid things I have done or said and not bring guilt on others or judge them. Help me Lord to start anew to grow closer to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Moving Above And Beyond

 

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. Philippians 3:13 NIV BibleGateway

Here you are on day 3 of a brand new year. A chance to make changes, do things differently, right wrongs and so forth.

I always enjoy when the calendar flips to a new year. It is a nice breaking point to purpose in your heart you will change things up and set new goals for the new year. To branch out try new endeavors no matter what your age.

Move above and beyond any areas in your life that have robbed your God given joy. Surrender things to God only He can do. Happy 2025!

PRAYER: I am grateful for new beginnings and chances to do things different. Guide me as I seek to keep my focus on you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Note:In the past few days if you have missed any devotions go to www.godslemonadestand.blogspot.com to see them.

Faith Is Believing When Common Sense Says Not To

As it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.Romans 4:17ESV Bible Gateway

I loved watching good Christmas movies and Miracle on 34th Street is a classic. This movie storyline was all about not believing in Santa Claus. The title was a line from the movie. 

Sometimes when you stand in faith or believe in faith you may have skeptics or nay sayers. Think of all the extraordinary stories of faith in The Bible. 

How about the Virgin birth of Jesus? Sarah having a baby well past child bearing age. There are still faith miracles today. Just believe. 

PRAYER: I thank you for helping me believe  that if you have faith nothing is impossible. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Experience A New Beginning

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.2 Corinthians 5:17

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 Happy New Year! Wherever you are today take time to begin the new year with prayer. Don’t be too busy or preoccupied to forget about it. It may be a challenge as in my case at 0 Dark thirty I will be on a tour bus headed for grandstand seats at Tournament of Roses parade but will still figure out how to do it. 

I like how each year gives us a new chance, a fresh calendar, the ability to start over. So why not purpose in your heart you finally will. 

My former church in Alabama Church of the Highlands has 21 Days of Prayer in January 5-25 and people throughout the World participate online. It is something I look forward to each year. If you live in Alabama and can go to one of their campuses in person do so. Their website is www.churchofthehighlands.com/21daysfor info. Now go be blessed. 

PRAYER: Today I am excited about a brand new day to make up for stuff in my past I messed up on and with your help to start doing things God’s way. In Jesus’ name. Amen.