You Need Community

 "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?" Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

 

There is a TV show my husband and I found when we first moved to Idaho in 2020 entitled ‘Alone’ where survival experts are placed alone in the wilderness with only a few items to help them and the one who makes it longer than others wins a huge cash prize.Total isolation except for wild animals or fish.  Problem is many people ‘tap out’ due to social isolation. As one female contestant put it “I need community” so she called in to be picked up. 

It is okay to be alone sometimes. Every one needs their space and their time for solitude and thinking but to be dropped off in the remote wilderness is pretty extreme for anyone. Could you do it? 

God meant for us to have community even as a body of believers joining together on Sunday for fellowship or during the week for studying the Bible. If you don’t have a church home there are many outstanding body of believers throughout the United States. Start here www.associationofrelatedchurches.comto find a body of believers near you. 

PRAYER: Many lonely people just yearn for a smile, an invite, or a hello. Help me be aware of those around me hurting and needing community. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Pray Beyond Yourself

"I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people." 1 Timothy 2:1

Some people don’t believe in prayer and then others pray but then start to try to figure things out on their own. 

Where are you at? Believe receive or doubt do without. I have been involved in an awesome prayer ministry since 1996 called Moms in Prayer where we weekly pray for children and schools. Also my former church in Alabama has an awesome prayer App called Pray First, it’s free and is wonderful. 

I urge you if you don’t have a prayer life a serious one where you talk in regular English to God like He is right there with you and let Him hear your heart start one today, on your knees if you can.  Study the word prayer in the Bible. I have added a screen shot of what the prayer app looks like. Check it out. 

PRAYER:  Lord I give you my heart and my burdens. I know you don’t want me to carry them, in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Got Faith?

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.Hebrews 11:1

Once again a personalized license plate gave me my devotion idea. It said ‘GTFTH’ and could have been meaning Get Faith but similar to the ‘Got Milk’ ad campaign several years ago I am asking my readers do you have faith to get you through your today and your tomorrows? 

How is your faith meter? Are you trusting and believing God for a seemingly impossible answer to prayer a parting of the Red Sea moment perhaps? Even within the Christian community there may be mockers who laugh at your faith. 

Hang on brother and sister as God has not abandoned you and He hears your prayers. 

PRAYER: I need you Lord every hour of every day. There may be many who have caved in to following culture so help anyone like that hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

What Seeds Are You Planting In Your Heart?

And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.Matthew 13:22

Social media seeds?News flash seeds? Gossip seeds? ‘Trending’ seeds? Do you need to pull some bad weeds that have choked out the word of God seeds and  start growing fruitful things in your heart? 

Your heart sort of controls everything besides keeping you alive by constantly beating and pumping blood. It is the ‘nerve’ center so to speak and regulates your life in every area. Proverbs 4:23 speaks of guarding your heart because everything flows through it. 

Do you need a spiritual heart check up? 

PRAYER: Lord I thank you for watching over me and I thank you for helping me be vigilant in guarding my heart. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Loneliness Can Bury You

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

In August 2020 in the midst of the Covid pandemic isolation my husband and I moved from Southern Tennessee to Southern Idaho. It was not an easy move in that even though we had prayed and had peace about it there was still an ache at least in my heart. My mother heart ached as we moved further away from our oldest son Matt who could just get on I65 South from Louisville and get off at our exit on the Alabama Tennessee state line in 6 hours. On the other hand we would be gaining the ability to see our one granddaughter more than once a year we hoped. 

Anyway loneliness is an epidemic for many like shut ins and those who have lost mobility or the ability to drive or walk. I make friends pretty easy for as some say “you never met a stranger” but for others it can be painful and heart wrenching. 

Do you know of anyone you could bring cheer to with a phone call, card, or visit? Use that mouth God gave you to smile at people because smiles can bring great joy to many. Remember you are never truly alone as God is with you. 

PRAYER: Lord I thank you for my car, shoes, a phone, and friends. Help me bring joy to another. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Look At What Man Can Do-Babel On!

Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” Genesis 11:5

 

Ever since Bible times man has tried to exalt himself and prove he is pretty sufficient without God.  You and I both know how that worked out. 

When an urban free climber recently scaled Taipei 101 skyscraper live on Netflix commentators were talking about the great tower and man’s accomplishment constructing it, once again I failed to hear God acknowledged who gave man the skills to build this structure Taipei 101 as it is called. I kept hoping even I would hear the man who accomplished this feat give glory to God for his abilities. 

Brothers and sisters don’t forget to give God the praise and glory for the abilities you possess and the good things He has blessed you with. Pray for those who don’t get it to come to know Him as Lord. 

PRAYER: Jesus thank you for my life. Thank you for my voice and vocal cords and ability to make sounds. Use me to bring glory to you and not myself. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Healing Relationships

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!”‭‭Psalm‬ ‭133‬:‭1‬

Brokenness comes in many forms and to many families for various reasons. Hurting hearts of moms wanting to reconcile with estranged children is something I hear lots of today. Or divorce situations where a dad is cut off from his children too.

God never intended for broken homes to occur in the first place but they do because people do their own thing and are self centered going their own way. When this breakage occurs it leaves broken hearts in its’ wake.

Brokenness hurts so many people. God wants restoration, forgiveness and healing.

PRAYER: I ask Father that you help heal hurt people and bring reconciliation and forgiveness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.