While there is a season for everything and “a time to every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1), God has entrusted us to use what He has given us in a beautiful, purposeful manner.
Time is expensive, for it is the one resource we can use but can never get back, grow back, or buy back. As quickly as the second hand marches in its nonstop rotation around the clock, that moment has passed—then another, and another.
With each second of time, we are given a beautiful offering in this life to do something positive and purposeful. With each second granted, there are possibilities. Opportunities stand before us, if only we will take the time to recognize them.
“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Psalm 90:12), the psalmist proclaimed. Taking inventory of our time and delegating each portion with intentional purpose helps us use the gift of these twenty-four hours in a way that not only honors the God who gave us time, but also reflects our care in stewarding it well.
Will all our time be ordered with busyness and tasks? No. Ecclesiastes reminds us that life consists of seasons—times of action and times of rest, moments to allow the varying experiences we face to unfold as they must.
Yet as the second hand continues to turn, I recognize the precious gift given to me in this moment—and in those that follow. With that recognition comes a desire to be more mindful and aware of how I use my time.
Time, in and of itself, is beautiful to have and to experience. Experience it well, my friend. Use it wisely, and you will never regret a single second you have spent.
Ask. There are many times, and for many reasons, I do not deserve the ask. To be hushed, to have the privilege revoked, would be justified.
Ask. Yet God welcomes it. He ushers me into His Word, where I find testimony upon testimony revealing how often the want was simply the asking.
There are grievous things in this life—things heavy to bear. And while we are not promised exemption from trials or woes, He still understands and welcomes the ask for relief.
There are heart-stirring aspirations that awaken good desires within us. How to get there, how to set it all in motion—ask. God is all too pleased to offer guidance to a truly searching heart.
Asking allows us to bring everything—from the hurtful to the joyful—and seek His thoughts, His face, His glory in it all. After all, it is God’s will we ultimately desire to be accomplished in our lives.
Your ask draws you closer to Him through seeking. Your ask establishes God as rule one in whatever your heart longs for. Your ask says, “God, I need You.”
Oh, how the Heavenly Father delights in the faith of a child who comes to Him willingly and openly. Do not let fear or doubt withhold your ask. Asking is a privilege the Father has blessed us with—one He longs for you to use today.
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7).
“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Ephesians 3:20).
“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed” (James 1:6).
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7).
Your ask speaks of position. Your ask speaks of His power. Your ask speaks of faith. Your ask speaks of relationship with the Father.
There is a fantasy floating around that not only fuels disbelief but also discourages many hearts. It’s the exasperating thought that says, “Why am I always the one dealing with this or going through that?”
I want to pull back the curtain on the truth behind that thinking, because regardless of what any one person is enduring, you are not the only one.
The rise of social media and the hype behind picture-perfect homes, families, careers, and lives has left a void in the hearts of those looking from the outside in. We begin wanting what others have or wishing we could do all that they do—forgetting that a picture, no matter how perfect it appears, never tells the whole story.
No one goes through this life unscathed. Everyone carries something they probably wish they didn’t have to.
This world, in its fallen state, offers a plethora of problems, trials, difficulties, and disappointments. Jesus never hid this truth from us. Instead, He openly warned us: “In the world ye shall have tribulation…” (John 16:33b).
Yes, life will get discouraging at times. And yes, some days are going to be a hard pill to swallow. That’s simply the truth.
So how do we deal with those days?
Well, dear, let me tell you—you must learn to keep your view of this life small and big.
I know what you’re thinking: “Huh?!”
Let’s start with the small view. This means taking your eyes off what everyone else is doing. Stop looking at one-day snapshots and using them to compare or summarize your life. Instead, focus on your current sphere and environment—your home, your people, your family, your responsibilities. Tend to what God has placed directly in front of you rather than being fixated on what others are or are not doing.
Then we come to the big view—and this is crucial. There is no greater focus for your life than Jesus Christ, who finished His warning about trials with this promise: “But be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33c).
This means we must intentionally shift our eyes—and our hearts—from them to Him.
There are many so-called “grand views” of life posted daily for the world to admire and envy. But the grandest view of all is a soul satisfied in its Savior. When we know He is carrying us through this life, we can rest. We can trust that regardless of how things appear—to others or even to ourselves—He reigns in victory, and because of Him, so do we.
At the end of every life is a story that unfolds between its beginning and its end. That story will not be flawless. Its pages will include letdowns, setbacks, hard days, and tear-filled nights. Nobody—and I mean nobody—gets through this life unscathed.
So don’t wish for another person’s life or circumstances. You don’t know what burdens they carry behind the posts. Instead, choose contentment. Be satisfied and grateful for where you are and what you have today.
Don’t let envy rob you of the joy you have in Jesus—and all He has already given you and done for you.
And remember, everyone has good days and bad days. It’s all about how we respond to them: “In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him” (Ecclesiastes 7:14).
All busyness is not good. Any productivity expert will tell you that if your busyness pulls you away from your goal instead of toward it, then it is just that—busyness. In the end, it amounts to nothing when it works against the results we desire.
So let me ask you: What are your desired results for this season? Is your busyness bringing you closer to them?
This time of year is always full—and often too full. As Christmas approaches, our schedules tend to get thrown off balance. There are extras of everything: extra celebrations, extra events (especially if you have children performing in pageants, plays, or musicals), extra shopping with extra thought given to meals and gifts, and extra planning for all the details surrounding this special season.
These “extras” have become synonymous with Christmas. And while celebrations are wonderful, it’s worth asking: If all these extras distract us from our main reason for celebrating, then what is their purpose? Have they drained the joy from the very reason we should be joyful?
Everyone carries their own expectations for this season, but perhaps it’s time to realign our hearts. Maybe we should adjust our perspective until we can look beyond all the preparations and remember the true Reason for the season: the birth of Christ.
Maybe it’s time to set the busyness aside and carve out quiet moments of reflection. We might reread the biblical account of our Lord’s birth slowly and meditatively. We could spend time with writings that highlight the true story of Christmas, or watch films and performances that tell the narrative of the nativity. Immersing ourselves in these stories can reawaken the wonder we often lose amid the rush.
Celebrations are good, but the reason for celebrating is greater, and it should never be overshadowed by our agendas. Let us remember where our true joy comes from:
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” —Isaiah 9:6
May He be the desire of our hearts—not only in this season, but all year long.
Isaiah 7:14 – “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
Matthew 1:18-23 – “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
Luke 1:30-35 –“And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”
Luke 2:7-14 –“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Recently, I have been asked to stretch beyond my comfort zone in dealing with a certain matter. To step into something that I don’t know how it’s going to turn out. But also, recently, I have been trying my best to do more than just quote the words of faith; I have been working on deliberately applying them and practicing them even more than before.
Sometimes life calls us to take challenging and uncomfortable steps. Often, those steps do not come with full disclosure about the results, making those initial moves even more uneasy. As humans, we like to know or at least get some kind of inkling about how things will turn out. Thomas, who, historically, is referred to as the doubter in the group of the original disciples, had a hard time believing in the resurrection of Jesus Christ without visible, physical proof. As a matter of fact, he said, “Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25).
The tragedy of the cross dampened all he had previously witnessed during his term as a disciple of Christ. In fact, Thomas, if we’re honest, only verbally spoke the same reaction of disbelief as the other disciples, who had only come to believe after seeing evidence for themselves.
But Jesus said, “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29).
Those who have come to faith through the word of the testimony of these founding apostles and the Holy Scriptures were not, are not, ones who visibly and physically laid eyes or hands on our Lord. But by faith, we believe.
Our evidence is only in accepting what Scripture provides as truth – and that’s enough. Our hearts have been opened to receive this truth through the Holy Spirit – and we are glad.
Our salvation is the greatest thing we can believe and hope for, but faith does not stop at the door. Throughout our Christian journey, we will encounter many times of not knowing the result of the next step.
Thomas’s experience can help you filter your response when encountering these unknown moments. Many of our Christian decisions will be by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). And we can go forth believing without having all the answers laid out for us in detail or wrapped in a pretty package.
The cross was not beautiful, but by faith we believe in the beauty of salvation that it produces. If we can believe for that, that all our sins have been washed away and taken care of, everything else is little in comparison.
Even if you can’t see it, just believe. Our eyes, our knowing, can get in the way of something greater that God may want to do. Don’t let what you see or don’t see be a limiting factor in your life. Instead, let it be an area of expansion for your faith. As a seed grows to be a fruitful plant unseen in the soil, your faith will grow best in the times of the unseen.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1
I don’t pray anymore for faith like Abraham’s or courage like David’s, or for any other qualities modeled by someone else.
Their lives are significant, and we can learn from them—but God is writing something personal in each of us. Every one of us carries aspects of ourselves that God wants to shape, refine, and bring to life. When we yield to His molding process, we become the version of ourselves that He intended from the beginning.
I want to become the best version of me that God desires. I’ve realized He has placed a unique beauty and originality within every person. Together, we each bring a distinct “flavor” to the larger story of humanity.
The stories of others can inspire us and offer guidance, but trying to replicate someone else’s journey can leave us discouraged when our path doesn’t look like theirs. And that’s because it was their story—not ours.
God sees the beauty in who you are and in the path you walk with Him.
We honor the footsteps of those who have gone before us, but we also embrace the truth that our road may look different. The beauty of your life rests in who God designed you to be.
The best version of you isn’t found in imitation—it’s found in His intention.
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10
So much work was poured therein. It’s beauty – unsurpassed. Its fame – spread like wildfire. Its design – intricate and lavish. Gold, along with untold amounts of precious metals, materials, and gems, adorned its inside and outside. Precise planning and devoted hearts worked in building what would become known as Solomon’s Temple. That sacred place where people would centralize their worship. That holy place that would house the Ark of the Covenant.
After the ark was placed in its new home, praise among the people erupted in joyful adoration. Instruments sounded their melodious tunes. Voices raised with glorious praise and humble thanksgiving to the Lord, saying, “For he is good; for his mercy endureth forever!” (2 Chronicles 5:13).
Then, the extraordinary happened! God filled the house with the cloud symbolizing His mighty presence, and the priest could not minister there “for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God” (2 Chronicles 5:14).
Through the years, this Temple would go through many changes due to leadership, the waning of people’s hearts, and the destruction it endured due to enemies (twice).
And yet, for all the catastrophe that building went through, God still had a place designed to rest His presence, His Holy Spirit: “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19).
God promised Jeremiah that a new covenant was coming, which was going to be heart-focused (Jeremiah 31:33) due to being Spirit-filled (Ezekiel 36:26, 27; Joel 2:28, 29).
At the birth of the church in Acts 2, on the day of Pentecost, God fulfilled those prophecies when the manifestation of the Holy Spirit took over the upper room and the one hundred and twenty persons therein. This experience fulfills the very words of Jesus Christ Himself: “Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem worship the Father… But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him” (John 4:21, 23).
The Father wants to fill the temple of our hearts!
While we gather in our local churches and assemblies of worship, may we remember that our worship is not predicated on the building, no matter how grand or humble. Our true worship is all about honoring Him who resides in our hearts. For that’s the temple God wants His glory to fill the most. In His sight, you are the lavishly beautiful one.
We are instructed in the Holy Scriptures not to forsake “the assembling of ourselves” (that’s a command found in Hebrews 10:25), but always remember that real worship is not about the music or experience. Real worship is seated in our hearts.
Blessings~
For more inspiration, I have included these articles for your reading pleasure:
There is a place for drawing near the presence of God, within and without. Solomon did everything in his power to beautify the sacred space of the ancient temple. Are we doing the same for the temple within?
Joseph of Arimathea made sure Jesus’ body was wrapped in “clean linen.” Through the brokenness of His body, we have been healed. Through His shed blood, we have been washed. We carry the Savior and His new covenant on the inside of us. Have we wrapped Him in “clean” vessels?
A lot of people are living for a showy outside life, but it’s the treasury of your heart that God values the most because it is in this place He wants to reign, rule, and abide through His Spirit. The lavish, ornamental details of a physical building cannot compare to a heart that has been made a ready place for God to dwell.
It never fails. If there is time, I try my best to properly prepare.
I make every effort to stay abreast of the latest forecasts. And at the thought of an impending storm, I go through my house to make sure certain things, especially those regarding the possible absence of power, are in place.
I plug in my computer, phones, tablets, and portable chargers in the event of an extended power outage.
Nobody likes to be without the things they depend on for day-to-day functioning. When disruptions occur with no ability to plug in, we can feel incapacitated and at a loss. We often don’t realize how important our power source is until it’s no longer available.
Thankfully, there is one power source we can always plug into. We can connect, without interruption, to the Word of God. And whenever we feel at a loss in life, unsure of which way to go, God’s Word will always be there to supply the illumination we need.
Even if you do not understand all that you are reading, we are invited to ask God in faith for wisdom, and He will happily supply (James 1:5-6).
Many circumstances can cause our lights to flicker, but we never have to be without light or the power source that supplies it: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).
Power lines can get severed by winds and branches falling on them, but God’s Word will never fall or be disconnected. It will always be relevant and the “right-now” source to turn to at all times, for all things.
“Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word,” (Psalm 119:114).
If you enjoyed this morsel of motivation, feel free to click on the articles below for more inspiration.
Many blessings to you~
“Power Source”
Where you plug in, where you get your resources and information, your inspiration for life, matters more than most people realize. Fill your life and thoughts with useless fillers, and you remain empty. But if you get connected to true power, you can run this race and fulfill the destiny God has ordered for you. Jesus said, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). In God’s Word, there is truth, revelation, and power! Get connected!
If there was ever a time when we needed to drown out the world’s noise and build ourselves even more in the Word of God, that time is now! When fear tries to speak, make God’s Word louder! Magnify what the Lord says in your life and declare His truth.
God’s Word will illuminate your life. God’s Word is the answer to all. Every question, every choice, every pondering of the spirit finds an answer covered in the “inspiration of God.”
In many dark times, the Word is what shines a light brighter than any sun. In the Word, we find comfort, solace, and peace no matter the prisons that try to hold us.
All these words speak beautifully of the testimony of what I was brought out of. For if the conditions were optimal, then there would be no need for the rescue. If I was good where I was, there would be no need for a recovery.
History has repeatedly proven that there is a vast void one experiences in the life that is lived outside of this holy renewal. There is an intense longing that says, I need saving. And saving, He did.
Crushed and broken, Jesus gave His life for mine. The sacrificial atoning exchange took place. Not for me to question or be in doubt, but to walk bravely in the paths He has ordained for me. Not to fear, but with confidence, He instilled in me the strength to stand toe to toe with what is before me, declaring, I can, because He did.
In His redemption, I can experience a life that I would have never imagined. Not one centered around the benefits of the gains this world offers. But it is because of the blessing of newness of life He presents to me.
Those words, “being redeemed,” speak to me and comfort me, telling me of His surrender and offering of Himself. He paid for what I could not.
It was my life that needed the change. Still, He arranged it so that I would be the one to reap the benefits of the seed of Himself sown (John 12:24). That I might be a part of the fruit of that vine (John 15:5), attached to Him, nourished by the flow of life therein, and brought up that I might live eternally with my Savior.
Only His atoning work makes this possible. When He reclaimed my life with the giving of His, the longing has been satisfied, and the rescue has been eternally made. My path before I encountered such grace and mercy was dismal at best. But when He died for me and invited me to take of Him, my soul said, yes. And now I have been captured by this gift of love.
Take in, dear friend, all that He offers you. Take in His love. Take in His being. Take in His gift of deliverance, for it is an incredible feeling when He declares such a loving action fulfilled in your life. And you will never be the same again.
“…Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine” (Isaiah 43:1).
If you like this devotional read, I’m sure you’ll love:
Sometimes a knight in shining armor just won’t do. You need the most powerful of the land, the King; Almighty God, to come to the rescue. Nobody can help you like He can. Nobody can love you like He can. Nobody can save you like He can. We need the King! Turn to the King – He’s waiting for you!
Corrie Ten Boom reminds us, “There is no pit so deep, that God’s love is not deeper still.” To the soul that turns to Christ, the ugliness of sin is done away with and He will satisfy with the beauty of redemption.
Oh, what a day that will be! The chains and the shackles of this world will be permanently loosed and true freedom will come once and for all. God’s people will rise to reign in victory because the Redeemer has come!
Even if things don’t look like their turning in your favor. Even if today doesn’t look better than yesterday. God, your Redeemer is alive and in charge. No matter what it looks like right now, believe HIM through it all!
Promises. Oh, my dear ones, the Bible is full of them. Each one is a God-breathed word to His people: “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (2 Corinthians 1:20). And let me reassure you, not one of them will ever fail or fall to the ground as a non-existent thing.
Today, as you face this day, you may encounter things, situations, or even people who speak against those God-breathed promises for your life. You may even wrestle with thoughts regarding His promises for yourself. Nevertheless, as true as they were when He originally inspired them. As true as they were when those heavenly assurances were written by the Spirit into the heart and by the hand of the one whom He spoke through, they are still true today.
Not only are they still true today, but they are still true today for you!
Don’t get comfortable with the idea of believing that somehow God’s promises are more for others, disqualifying yourself from accepting His holy offers.
No, my friend. As His child, those promises are just as much for you as if your very name were written in the Holy Book next to them. As He spoke for all of His children, so He speaks His promises to you.
With the possibility of facing many ups and downs in the day, the foundation of God’s Word doesn’t change, and in that Word live these promises we hold so dear. For they are our light even in the dark days.
Is there a word you need spoken over your life today? Is there an area where you feel depleted of strength? Is there an encouragement of hope you need to anchor yourself in during these moments? Search for it in His promises. Whatever issue, wisdom, encouragement, or guidance you seek, the answer is in His Book. It’s in the Holy Bible.
Lean upon His Word today. Let His promises fill the crevices that may need extra support. He won’t fail you. His promises will always remain true and in effect.
My Friends, there are sooooooo many promises of God that still remain true to this day, and they always will be. I chose these few to share with you from my heart to yours. I pray that each one will speak life into your life today, and you will feel the embrace of the Father through His written word. May your heart be strengthened as you click on each one and read the encouragement they offer. Blessings~
PROMISES THAT ARE STILL TRUE!
You Are Held:“By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.” Psalm 71:6
You Are Special:“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” Psalm 139:14
You Are Not Alone:“Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world,” Matthew 28:20b
You Are Important: “How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!” Psalm 139:17.
And, You Make a Difference to God: “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.” Luke 15:7
Word For Life Says... 