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November 3, 2021 · 5:30 AM

Friendships

When life gets hard, you find out who your true friends are. Hard times have a way of weeding out acquaintances and fair weather friends. There are those who will stand by your side through the darkest night and those who will abandon you the moment bad things start coming your way. It’s hard to tell them apart until your faced with adversity. Proverbs 18:24 says, “Some friendships do not last, but some friends are more loyal than brothers” (GNB).

As you read that, I’m sure names are popping in your head. You can think of those who have abandoned you, but you can also think of those who have stood by your side. It’s easy to get mad at those who have fallen by the wayside, but the truth is, you don’t have to be mad at them. You don’t need those kinds of relationships in your life. Let them go and wish them well. Don’t hold grudges against them because it may mess up your lifelong relationships.

We like to think of the parable of the Prodigal Son as a story about returning to God, but I believe it’s also about friendships. When he had his inheritance and was living recklessly, I’m sure he had a lot of friends. When his money ran out and the famine hit, where were those friends? No one offered him shelter. No one offered him money. No one offered him food. He realized that the friendships he developed were poor ones and he thought of home. He realized he hadn’t been a good friend to them.

He learned that friendships and relationships are a two way street. Relationships that are one way, don’t last. He went back to the relationships that mattered and they accepted him back. While hard times can take away friendships that are one way, they can also drive us back to the ones that matter. If you haven’t been the type of person who was loyal to others, ask for their forgiveness and try to work things out. If you’ve found a friend that is more loyal than a brother, reach out to them today and thank them for being in your life.

Photo by Cynthia Magana on Unsplash

I’m taking my annual sabbatical from writing. I hope you enjoyed this previously written devotion.

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November 2, 2021 · 5:30 AM

Personal Famine

A Barley field in Angus, Scotland.

“Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming in all the land of Egypt; and after them seven years of famine will come, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will ravage the land. So the abundance will be unknown in the land because of that subsequent famine; for it will be very severe.”

Genesis 41:29-31 (NASB)

“Now it came about in the days when the judges governed, that there was a famine in the land.”

Ruth 1:1 (NASB)

There are times in the Christian walk where the river runs low, right down to a trickle. Suddenly all is silent about you, concentration is hard and the Word of God doesn’t appear to say much. I have times like these, usually through fatique which is a regular effect of my health issues. Tiredness and pain can make big and small things difficult, including spiritual matters. Yet God can use these times to help us grow in Him. During such dry times in life our Father God provides abundantly, literally from nothing. 

It was while searching for inspiration in what has been a hard day, I found myself looking at my Bible notes from Friday 26th June 2020 and I found the scriptures I present to you today. In my notes I wrote that day: “in Scripture when we find famine, God is at work in the midst of it with bountiful blessings.” Look at the story of Joseph, and how God through a famine blessed him, his family and, also his nation. Then we have Ruth, which is a truly beautiful Biblical story. To escape famine Naomi and her daughter in law Ruth return to Judah. Ruth meets Boaz in the harvest fields who becomes her husband, their son Obed is the great grandfather of David, and a forerunner of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. What a truly a great harvest in the midst of a famine!

Dear reader, in times of personal famine when life is difficult our Father God is still present, right beside us. No matter how low the water level in your reservoir, the Almighty can still work a miracle with it. He is the Master of taking the small and weak to fulfill His purpose. Let us never despair in our famine, He will feed us from His bountiful harvest!

I’m taking my annual sabbatical from writing. I hope you enjoyed this devotional by Devotional Treasures.

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November 1, 2021 · 5:30 AM

Hearing God In The Stillness

The chapel where my wife and I attend worship was built in 1935. Constructed in the Neo-gothic style, it resembles a smaller version of a Western European cathedral. And like any old building, it has a unique personality. As a musician, I used to enjoy the quirky sounds our little chapel made. The creaky floor boards in the choir loft were my favorite. 

But the powers that be decided to install a fancy geo-thermal heating and air-conditioning system in the building. One with a fan motor that runs 24/7. And the incessant drone of moving air–through the vents in the sanctuary–totally ruined the audio ambiance! 

But this past Sunday a miracle occurred! Someone switched the HVAC fan to run on a cycle. You can hear the church building again-creaky floor boards and all! 

I sat there in the choir loft before the worship service, soaking in the silence. Then it came to me in a moment of sudden insight: “It’s so quiet you can hear God!”

How many times in life does the “white noise” of the world drowned out His still, small voice? All the screens in my home practically scream, “Pay attention to me!” Then there’s the miniature slot machine in my pocket.📲 Some still call it a phone. Yet it’s far more addictive than the kind that once sat on a little table.☎️

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

Psalm 46:10

Stillness does not come naturally to me. I’ve always been a bit of a squirrel.🐿. I savor quiet contemplation with God, but find I must carve this time out if it’s going to happen.

For the past forty or so years–since I was a teenager–I’ve consistently spent time with God at the beginning of every morning. The first hour of the day, it’s just Him and me. I read scripture and devotional thoughts, spend time in prayer, and jot down my impressions. 

Incidentally, I found the Lord’s prescription for hearing Him better: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.”— Isaiah 30:15 (NIV) The Israelites of that time didn’t listen; but you and I know better.

What is your practice for spending quality time with God? I’d love to hear about it! Please share in the comments, if you’d like.

🙏❤️ prayers and love.

Photo by Irina Iriser on Pexels.com. This isn’t my church, but it looks similar.

I’m taking my annual sabbatical from writing. I hope you enjoyed this devotional by David’s Daily Dose.

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October 29, 2021 · 5:30 AM

Walking In Wisdom

One of the greatest disparities between people today and every other generation in history is the amount of knowledge that is so readily available. In the past, knowledge was handed down from books and elders. Today, the internet has everything you need to know. I’ve used YouTube to learn how to do mechanical work on my car, cook dinner, learn about history and so much more. Living in the age of the internet has definitely increased people’s knowledge.

What it hasn’t done is increase wisdom. I believe because we have forgotten the difference between the two. Knowledge puffs up, but wisdom builds up. Since time began, wisdom has been passed down from elders. With all the knowledge available, we have forgotten to walk with the wise to gain wisdom. God’s desire is that you and I grow in wisdom. Remember, it was the Tree of Knowledge that brought sin into the world. God isn’t against us being knowledgeable, but He understands that knowledge without wisdom is dangerous.

Here are some Bible verses on wisdom. 

1. Those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe.
Proverbs 28:26 NLT

2. Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him.
James 1:5 HCSB

3. Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do. Whatever else you get, get insight.
Proverbs 4:7 GNT

4. Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old.
Job 12:12 NLT

5. He who walks [as a companion] with wise men will be wise, But the companions of [conceited, dull-witted] fools [are fools themselves and] will experience harm.
PROVERBS 13:20 AMP

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October 28, 2021 · 5:30 AM

The Quiet Place

I jokingly refer to Egypt as the land of a thousand car horns because Egyptians use the horn instead of a blinker. I once tried to count how many honks I heard in a ten second span, and couldn’t do it. There were times when I just wanted some peace and quiet. To get away from the noise, I would rent a sail boat and have them take me to the middle of the Nile. It was my little quiet place where I could stop and think as I watched the sun set behind the pyramids.

Where is your quiet place? We may not love in the land of a thousand horns, but we live in a noisy world. There are so many distractions in our lives that it’s hard to find that place of serenity. It’s that place where our phone isn’t buzzing, kids aren’t vying for your attention, social media doesn’t exist, and no one bothers you. We all need that space in this world or we’ll go crazy!

In Psalm 27, David found it. He wrote, “When besieged, I’m calm as a baby. When all hell breaks loose, I’m collected and cool. I’m asking GOD for one thing, only one thing: To live with him in his house my whole life long. I’ll contemplate his beauty; I’ll study at his feet. That’s the only quiet, secure place in a noisy world, The perfect getaway, far from the buzz of traffic” (MSG). David found his quiet place in spending time with God.

Each of us needs to set aside time in our day to spend time with God. We need it to keep our perspective so we can remain calm and cool no matter what’s happening in our lives. That quiet place reminds us that God is in control and that He’s got you. Resting in His presence quiets the fears and doubts of the unknown our lives. His Word gives us the hope and encouragement we need. If you’re there right now, take some time to find that quiet place in Him. You’ll be glad you did.

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

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October 27, 2021 · 5:44 AM

Seeking God’s Guidance

I’m a pretty spontaneous person. A friend could show up and ask if I wanted to go on a road trip. I’d grab a few things, toss them in a backpack and be ready to go in about ten minutes. It might be a few hours later before I realized I forgot something or realized I had a prior commitment that I had forgotten about. Meanwhile, I have friends who given the same circumstance would not be able to make a decision to go on the road trip for a couple of days. They’d need to know exactly where the trip was going, where they would be staying, when they were coming back, etc. It might take them a couple of days to decide if they were going. If they did decide to go, they would have looked at everything from all the angles before committing.

In 1 Kings 22, King Arab asked King Jehoshaphat to go to war with Romath Gilead. Jehoshaphat jumped at the opportunity, but then thought better of it and wanted to get God’s blessing first. They got about 400 prophets together and asked them. They assured the kings of God’s blessing and victory. Jehoshaphat wasn’t convinced. He asked if there were any more prophets. They told him there was one, but he always gives bad news. Jehoshaphat wanted to hear what this prophet Michaiah would say. Michaiah told them they would be defeated and die. Ahah threw him in prison and the kings decided to go to war anyway. They were defeated and Arab was killed.

Galatians 5:16 says, “But I say, walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts]” (AMP). When it comes to making big decisions, we need to be less spontaneous and more deliberate in seeking God’s guidance. Not only that, we need to follow His leading even when it conflicts with our own desires. The Holy Spirit is constantly prompting us and speaking to us. He warns us of temptations and sin. If we hear or feel His promptings and ignore them, we are choosing to be led by our flesh instead of God. If we want to live a Spirit led life, we must habitually seek Him, listen to His guidance and follow it. When we do, we open the doors to His blessings and live the life we were created to live.

Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash

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October 26, 2021 · 5:38 AM

Rivers Of Living Water

When I was 18, I was blessed with a camping trip to the Canadian Rockies with my brother and some friends. We stopped along the way to see the sights. One of them was the Continental Divide. There was a river that broke into two parts. For the first time in our lives, we saw a clear water river. We were more amazed by that than the divide. We all ran down to the water, cupped our hands and started drinking it. Our chaperones tried to stop us, but we couldn’t help ourselves. The water was cold and refreshing, and of course clear and moving, which meant clean in our minds. I’ll never forget that experience.

In John 7, Jesus was in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast Of Tabernacles. On the last day of the feast, which was the most important one, He began to shout into the crowd. Verses 37-38 say, “All you thirsty ones, come to me! Come to me and drink! 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!” TPT They must have been physically thirsty from all the feasting, but Jesus was referring to their spiritual thirst. He not only wanted to satisfy that thirst, but to also produce in them, and us, rivers of spiritual water to quench the thirst of people around us.

We all have rivers of water flowing from us. Is yours crisp, clean and refreshing or is it polluted? Does your river make people want to come and drink? Most of us live such busy lives that we forget to check the quality of the water that’s flowing out of us. We must make sure that the source is the Holy Spirit rather than ourselves. He gives fresh water that’s full of revelation, healing and restoration. When those flow from our lives, people want to be around us. They want to drink deeply from that river because it satisfies something deep in their spirit. It will then lead them to the source of that river and then they too will have a river bursting forth from their inner most being satisfying the thirst of people around them.

Photo by Tim Peterson on Unsplash

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October 25, 2021 · 5:42 AM

Showing Your Wounds

Earlier this year I was asked to share my testimony of God redeeming me from hitting rock bottom in life. I was nervous about opening up and sharing what I went through because I don’t talk about it much. Our church played the video during each service on Easter. For the next several weeks I had person after person come up and thank me for being vulnerable enough to share. By opening up the scars in my life and making them visible, God was able to bring healing to some people, build faith in others and encourage even more. I had hidden the scars because of the pain and shame they represent in my life, but God uses those things to help others with their trust in Him.

In Luke 24, two men were walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus when a third joined them. He asked why they were sad, and they explained that Jesus had been crucified. Then the other man explained how the Torah pointed to a suffering Messiah before revealing Himself as Jesus. He then disappeared and showed up in Jerusalem to meet with the disciples. In verses 39-40 Jesus said, “‘See my pierced hands and feet. See for yourselves, it is I, standing here alive. Touch me and know that my wounds are real. A spirit does not have a body of flesh and bone as you see that I have.’ Then he showed them his pierced hands and feet and let them touch his wounds” (TPT). When He did that, they believed and even Thomas got rid of his doubt.

What wounds have you been keeping hidden? As painful and embarrassing as they may be, they posses the power of freedom, healing and faith in them. By being vulnerable enough to share your scars with others, you let them see that it’s possible to survive what you went through. You show them that God can heal and bring redemption. Revelation 12:11 says we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. Don’t let shame and fear keep you from allowing someone else to overcome the same things God brought you through. Your scars are powerful reminders of what God can do. Open them up and let someone touch your wounds. The more you do it, the less painful it is for you. In fact, it becomes empowering for you and others.

If you’d like to see the video of my testimony, click here.

Photo by Krzysztof Maksimiuk on Unsplash

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October 21, 2021 · 5:30 AM

Recognizing Spiritual Battles

When someone has one thing go wrong after another, I’ll usually ask them, “Have you considered that these may be spiritual attacks that are showing up in the physical?” I’ve learned that spiritual warfare has a way of presenting itself as a physical attack. If we are only fighting in the physical, we will never get the result we need. It’s like washing your car without putting gas in it and expecting it to run because it’s clean. You can’t just take care of the outside. Fighting a spiritual battle in the physical alone is just like that. If you’re going to win, you’re going to have to put some gas in the tank.

We all know the story of David and Goliath. This is a perfect example of a spiritual battle that showed up in the physical. Saul and his men were just looking at the physical side of the battle and were terrified. They were outgunned. David immediately recognized it was spiritual and wanted to fight. In 1 Samuel 17:32 David told Saul, “Your Majesty, no one should be afraid of this Philistine! I will go and fight him” (GNT). Saul tried to put his armor on David, but physical armor is pointless in a spiritual battle.

When David stepped onto the battlefield, he said, “You are coming against me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the Israelite armies, which you have defied.” How did he win? He fought spiritually through the name above all names, he spent time worshiping before the battle and he spent time in prayer. God gave David the victory to show that He is able to save His people physically and spiritually. We have to be willing to stand on the physical battlefield with spiritual authority and fight with the spiritual weapons we’ve been given.

Photo by Aaron Thomas on Unsplash

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

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October 20, 2021 · 5:44 AM

Intentional Encouragement

Have you ever been around someone who makes you better at something? Or someone who has the gift of encouragement? People like that seem to draw out the best in us. They make us pay attention more, do more and give a better effort. I’ve had a few people like that in my life. Each time you walk away from them you feel like you’re better for just having been with them. I always walk away from those conversations wanting to be like them and praying that God would help me to. I think of the John Maxwell quote where he says that we are either a plus or a minus to everyone we meet. I always want to be a plus, but I’ve learned it takes intentionality to do that.

David and Jonathan in 1 Samuel 18 had the kind of relationship where it was mutually beneficial. From the get go these two were around each other. They were both warriors in their own rights. Johnathan was the kings son and David was a shepherd. Even though they came from different worlds and there was a financial difference, they were still able to add value to each other. Jonathan was willing to give up his place as king for David. They had a serious bond that many of us need in our life. I believe bonds like that start with us believing we have something to bring to the table that’s beneficial to others.

In Romans 1:12, Paul writes to believers, “When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours” (NLT). We all want to be encouraged by someone else, but we need to remember that we have the power to be an encouragement to someone no matter how highly we esteem them because they need encouragement too. Look around you today as you go about your business. As God to open your eyes to see people who need encouragement. Then be bold and intentional about adding value and encouragement to them. Don’t wait for someone to be an encourager to you first. Step out in faith and encourage someone, then watch how you will be encouraged too. You have value that you can add to someone’s life today. Don’t hold back. Give it away like you’re made of it.

Photo by Duy Pham on Unsplash

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