Devotionals for the Heart: Someone who remains the same every day

The Person and the Promise Remain the Same
A devotional by Patricia Russell

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

—Hebrews 13:8 (KJV)

I have found myself doing what my parents used to do when I was younger—pointing out places that “used to” be where a store or a building was located.

It has either been built over by a condo or new development, leaving no evidence of what was there before. I’m sure you can relate. Maybe you’ve gone back to visit a neighborhood that in your mind held memories but no longer looks the same. Sometimes it’s for the better, but many times there is a sadness that accompanies that change.

We were created to grow and become more like our Creator (God) and reflect His image in the Earth. Because of Adam and Eve’s original sin they committed in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:1-3:24) our human nature leans more toward evil than good. However, when Jesus Christ died on the cross (Matthew 27), was buried and rose again (Matthew 28), that event broke the power of sin over us (John 3:16).

Now, when we put our faith and trust in Christ, He gives us a new nature and the power to become conformed to His image. We receive the power to change for the better forever. It is an amazing gift of grace that was given to us by God, and it’s all based on a sure promise because our God cannot change and will not go back on any of His promises.

The promise of the Messiah (Jesus Christ) coming to die in order to bring us back to a relationship with God was a promise that never changed. Once again, the promise was made by the promise keeper, God, who remains the same. Our life as humans are filled with change: Our world is changing every day. Men and women alike are never satisfied with what they have but are always wanting more. Politicians make promises that often go unfulfilled. Today it’s sunny and tomorrow it’s raining. As we age, our bodies change too. I’m often stating that obvious, that I’m not 16 anymore! Our hair color goes from one shade to the next, and our other features change as we grow older.

Perhaps you’ve asked, “Does anything remain the same? Is anything constant?” The true answer is yes because God never changes. The writer of the book of Hebrews 13:8 (KJV) states, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

You can open the Bible, read a promise in one passage, keep turning the pages and you’ll see His consistency: God does what He says He will do. His character does not evolve or become something other than who He has always been. Our faith can be rooted in this knowing. Our faith must be rooted in Someone who is constant and unwavering for it to grow. We have one constant in life who never changes: Jesus Christ.

There have been times when I’ve been discouraged and disappointed, but when I recall the goodness of God and how He has allowed me to hear a message, receive a timely phone call or text message I can see that He has not forgotten me. I can see how He has kept me. I can see His constant provision in my life. Why would I not trust Him whose name is “Faithful and True” (Revelation 19:11)?

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for never changing. Your Word reminds us that You are the same yesterday, today and forever. There is no one like You. I want to be like You in character. Please help me to be consistent in my speech and behavior so that I can reflect your holy nature and serve You as a witness to the world for Jesus Christ while I am living on this Earth. 

In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “The Same” by Anthony Brown and Group Therapy. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Constant” by Maverick City, Jordin Sparks, Anthony Gargiula | Ft. Chandler Moore. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Patricia is a worship leader, songwriter, speaker and compiler of her 2020 best-seller anthology Stronger Resilience: Stories to Empower the Mind, Body and Spirit, as well as Lord I Trust You: Words of Encouragement to encourage readers and share life lessons during her cancer journey. 

Patricia writes, speaks, and teaches on the power of God’s Word to heal and empower you to become all that you are purposed for. She has traveled internationally and shared her gifts with audiences to encourage, empower and share life lessons through word and song. Patricia has sung on national television broadcasts and shared the stage with several respected speakers including Anne Graham Lotz and Rev. E.V. Hill.

Her greatest joy is being married to her husband, Wayne, for 36 years. Together they serve the community through their local congregation as well as providing premarital and marriage coaching. They have two adult children, Raquel and Benjamin. As a two-time breast cancer overcomer, Patricia coaches’ others to develop resilience and live life to their fullest.

Patricia has released two gospel music recordings: “Draw Me Nearer” and “Lord, I Trust You”. In March 2022, she launched her podcast “Becoming Resilient” which can be downloaded wherever you get your podcasts and also seen on YouTube.

When not reading or studying, Patricia loves to eat Thai food and spend time with “Lucy” – her daughter’s Yorkie-poo who has taken up room in her heart.

~*~
Connect with Patricia:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patrussellsings/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pat.russell.98877/
Email Patricia: patrussellsings@gmail.com

Merry Christmas, dear hearts! :)

Words of Faith: God Is With Us

God Is With Us
A Words of Faith story written by Cara Putman

"When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you."~Isaiah 43:2 (NLT) 

I want to walk through life without fear. To walk with the sure knowledge that God is with me. He. Is. With. Me.

Much of my life, I have known this to the core of who I am. In fact, this knowledge is foundational to who I am. If you read my novels, you will see that ultimately they come back to this point. That God is with us.

My characters learn that in some way.

I’ve had to learn that in some deep, real way. The way that strips the candy coating from my faith and digs deeply into the bedrock of my beliefs.

Eight years ago I had a miscarriage. Prior to that I would have said life had challenges, but it was nothing God and I couldn’t handle. Much of it was the kind of thing I could handle on my own. I’d thank God for His provision, I’d ask for His leading and His direction, but there had been very few times where I had been pushed so far beyond what I could endure that I didn’t know how to find myself. 

Here, let my words from 2010, a few months after my second miscarriage, illustrate how shattering these events were:

I’m on a quest to restore my heart.

The miscarriages have caused a piece of my heart to break. And while I want to grieve fully and completely—and some would tell you a tad too much—I don’t want to live with heartbreak.

I want to live where the sight of a pregnant woman doesn’t remind me that I’m not 7 1/2 months pregnant right now. Where the learning that another relative or friend is pregnant doesn’t pierce through my heart with another reminder that I have another little one waiting for me. That there isn’t the pain of separation. Of what ifs. Of what might have beens.

Each day I think I get a bit closer.

Then there’s an anniversary of a loss or a due date.

Or I simply go to Chick-Fil-A and see a pregnant woman or someone with an infant. And I smile as my eyes fill with tears. So if you see me like that, know I am fighting back even while my heart breaks again.

That’s where I lived. But I wrestled it to the ground with God. I had to know that when I was curled up in the closet with so much pain that I didn’t know what to do, that God was there. I had to believe that He would somehow use the pain for His good. He has.

If you’re in the midst of your own pain right now (so many of my friends and loved ones are walking such hard journeys right now), know that God is there. He never leaves. He never forsakes us. Jesus endured that, so we wouldn’t have to.

So if you can’t feel Him, look up. Look out. You will find Him. And He can put your broken heart back together again.

~*~

Author bio:

Cara C. Putman, the award-winning author of 20 books and three repackages with more books on the way, is madly racing toward deadline with her first legal romantic suspense for Harper Collins Christian Fiction. 

She graduated high school at 16, college at 20, and completed her law degree at 27. First for Women Magazine called Shadowed by Grace “captivating” and a "novel with the works." It received the Christian Retailing BEST Award for Historical Fiction and the HOLT Award of Distinction. 

Cara is active at her church and a lecturer on business and employment law and communications to graduate students at Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management. Putman received her JD from George Mason School of Law and her Master’s in Business Administration at Krannert. 

She serves on the executive board of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), an organization she has served in various roles since 2007. Putman also practices law and is a second-generation homeschooling mom. She lives with her husband and four children in Indiana. 

~*~

Connect with Cara:

Website - www.caraputman.com
Facebook - www.facebook.com/caraputman
Twitter - www.twitter.com/cara_putman
Pinterest - www.pinterest.com/caraputman
Goodreads - www.goodreads.com/CaraPutman

Thankful Thursday: Serving A God Who I Can Trust

It's Thursday and I'm thankful that I serve a God who I can trust. There are a lot of things in my life right now that are uncertain and I'm facing a future that is unknown. BUT I take refuge and solace in God's Word (The Holy Bible). I know that I can trust my "unknown future to a known God" as Corrie Ten Boom so famously said.

I'd like to share this song by Lauren Daigle with you. It's about trusting God no matter what happens in life. I hope that it will encourage your heart.

God bless you!

Love,

Alexis

P.S._ Here's the song:

My thoughts on the Love of God

Because He Loves Us
A devotional written by Alexis A. Goring, founder of "God is Love" blog

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” ~John 3:16 (NIV)

When my Mom is sick, I still reach out to hug her because she is my Mom and I love her no matter what. So at the risk of me becoming sick by being near her, I still risk it because I know that giving a hug makes sick people feel better. My willingness to risk getting sick so that I can help my Mom, makes me think about something greater: the Love of God and the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ who drew near to humanity when we were at our worst because He loves us. 

Jesus Christ came to Earth to reach out to the sick and hurting people in a world ridden with the negative effects of sin. He gave hope to a hurting world by reaching out and restoring people. Jesus Christ's ministry on Earth gave us hope. At the risk of being separated from His Father, Jesus risked it all to be near us, to hold us, to console us and most importantly, to restore us through His gift of salvation. Christ's love for us cost Him His life. But He defeated death and the grave when He rose again! Now, He is the Divine Mediator between God and humankind (1 Timothy 2:5).

The Bible says that we have a High Priest (Jesus Christ) who is familiar with our suffering and our pain (Hebrews 4:15). He knows the human plight so well because He lived here on this planet and endured every trial and tribulation we may ever face. Yet, He did not sin and He was victorious! Christ drew near to us and was not afraid to take on the sins of the world so that we may be free from the wages of sin, eternal death (Romans 6:23)! Why did He do this? Because He loves us!

So if you’re going through something that you do not understand or dealing with pain that makes you feel isolated and alone, guess what? You are NEVER alone because JESUS understands. He feels your pain. When you’re hurt, He’s hurt. When you cry, He cries. When you need a hug, He is there to envelop you with His love.

The Bible says that Christ is near to the brokenhearted and crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18). We serve a High Priest who is able to empathize with our every pain, no matter how BIG or small (Hebrews 4:15). How is He (Jesus Christ) able to relate to us and understand everything we’re going through? Well my dear, it is because He’s been where you are, quite literally. Jesus walked in humanity’s shoes for 33 years of His life here on Earth. He carried our pain to the Cross on a hill in Jerusalem that Christians today refer to as Mount Calvary. It was there that he paid our penalty for our sin when He allowed the Roman soldiers to nail him to the cross. Now I do say "allowed" because Christ is God's Son. He could have easily defeated the soldiers and taken himself off that Cross and never died. So what kept him on the Cross? He did it because He loves us. 

The Bible says that He who had no sin, became sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus took our place on the cross. He paid the penalty for our sins (death). But in the process, He broke Satan’s hold on death. No longer would our death be eternal. No longer would God be out of reach for us. Because of Christ’s sacrifice, if we accept His gift of salvation then when we die, we have the promise of eternal life that we will receive when Jesus returns to Earth to take His faithful followers home to Heaven where there will be no more pain or sorrow. In Heaven, we will experience the abundant, painless life that God planned for humankind before sin entered our story.

God restores: Christ’s death on the cross reconciles us to God. Jesus serves as the bridge between mankind and God’s Throne. Because of Christ’s death on the Cross, we mere mortals can now approach God’s throne through prayer boldly and find help in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16). Because of Christ’s sacrifice, when we sin, Christ reminds God that He paid the penalty and God covers our sin with the blood of Jesus Christ. Then, He casts our sin into the depths of the ocean (Micah 7:19) and remembers it no more (Isaiah 43:25). Because of Christ, we can have a new start after we ask God to forgive us for our sins. 

The Bible says that God’s mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). Every day is a clean slate when you’re confessing your sins to God and living for Him. Now, this is not an excuse to keep a cycle of sinning then asking for forgiveness and taking it for granted that you can start new tomorrow because the Bible says that there will be a time where God says “enough” (Revelation 22:10-12) and tells His Son (Jesus Christ) to go to Earth and get His children, taking His faithful followers home to heaven. At that time, if you’re still in your sin, you’ll miss out on eternal life. So please do not wait until it’s too late. Accept Jesus Christ today. Ask Him into your heart. Plead for forgiveness of your sins. Find a good, Holy Bible-believing church and fellowship with other believers in God. Surrounding yourself with other Christians is important and so is telling the world about the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

When you are in love with God and appreciate all His Son has done for you, it’s hard to NOT share your love for Him with the entire world. I know that when Jesus came into my life and His glory changed everything in my life story for the better, it was hard to keep it to myself. It’s when my writing ministry was born. I started writing devotionals like this one and embarked on a journey of sharing His love with the world through message boards, blogs and social media. It’s such good news! Try inviting Jesus into your heart and you’ll see why you cannot keep your love for Him to yourself. He is AMAZING and His love for us is out of this world! And our true home, Heaven, is more beautiful and blessed than any place on planet Earth (1 Corinthians 2:9). Did you know that we won’t need light when we get to Heaven because the glory of God will light all of heaven? Read Revelation 21:23 for proof. I am SO looking forward to going home. Aren’t you?

But back to the main message of this devotional: Christ loves you. He fights for you. He’s passionate about saving your soul and taking you home to heaven to live eternally. The Bible says that He’s come to give us life and give it more abundantly (John 10:10).

Aren’t you glad that we serve a risen Savior who is in our world today? Aren’t you glad that He draws near to you at your worst and loves you no matter what? Aren’t you glad that He paid the price for our sins (The Bible says that the wages of sin is death) and made it possible for us to be reconciled to God (who hates sin) and live eternally?

I know I am (so glad). If you don’t know Jesus, I encourage you to get to know Him today. Read His Word (The Holy Bible). Draw close to Him and never let Him go.

In closing, I'd like for you to listen to this song, "How He Loves Us". It's performed by Kim Walker-Smith and Jesus Culture (musicians). Enjoy! 

Words of Faith: Standing on God's Promises

Standing on God’s Promises
A Words of Faith story by Grace Marshall

In my heart, I know that God will take care of me. As Psalm 37:25 says, “I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread." Yet when I lost my job last October, it was hard to keep that in mind. 

However, it was in the struggles that I realized how blessed I am to have a God-fearing and God-loving husband who could support me when I was weak and vice versa. It always seemed that when one of us struggled the other was there to point toward God and say, “Don’t lose faith.”

We knew for months that God was calling us out of southern Illinois to Missouri and we both really wanted to go but neither of us knew how. We prayed to the Lord to show us the way and we studied and researched options. Finally we decided that it would be better to stay in Illinois for a few years and then move to Missouri when our finances were in better order.

Then, at the beginning of October during a church service, the Lord prodded me to just move and I patiently explained that it would be better to wait. I didn’t tell my husband about the prompting but the Lord was goading him as well. During the altar call my husband asked if I wanted to go up and pray with him about the move. We prayed that the Lord would lead us. Unbeknownst to me, my husband had also prayed that the Lord would remove the barriers in our way and help us move. It is a prayer that God answered. About a week later, we both lost our high paying jobs. We knew that it was God pushing us to go where He was leading us. He had removed the obstacles. So without notice, we started packing up our things and looking for jobs.

We didn’t know how to arrange it all. Would anyone let us rent a place with an indoor cat and an oversized dog (a playful Mastiff)? How could we get jobs without living in the area? When people asked why we were moving to the area it seemed flighty to say, “I love the area.” The good school was a nice excuse but being a woman, it raised questions about if I was going to get pregnant, and being called to the area by God isn’t received well by most people. We had no friends or family in the area but we knew it was God’s will so we prayed and He guided us.

First, with the spare time we had I published my first book, Person of Faith. Our business was blessed with its first job contract even though we had been in business in Illinois for months without a landing a single contract. I was offered a job, and we were led by the Lord to ask to rent the first house we looked at that had been listed for sale. We found a church to call home before we even moved. All of it was in order within one month, just like that.

Our life was like a whirlwind to us but God orchestrated everything in His perfect timing.

Looking back at it, that month seems like a small amount of time but during that time we got scared and wondered how God could possibly work things out. Our human eyes could not see how he could fulfill the promises He had given us. The truth is that faith for us was reminding each other that God had us in His hands. My husband and I both had moments of doubt and fear but we knew what the Lord had in store was better than anything we could ever do on our own. Only He could give us our hearts’ desires.

I believe that faith is standing defiantly on God’s Word and promises even when the world and your own common sense tells you to do something different. Faith is believing that you have a Heavenly Father who is powerful enough to give you the things He has promised.

~*~
Author bio:

Grace Marshall is the author of Person of Faith, a self-help book that delves into what it means to be a person of faith. She’s an avid lover of reading as well as writing and many other forms of art.

She juggles her time between waitressing part-time, building a property maintenance business, and enjoying life with her creative husband J. Lindsey Marshall, who also writes. 

She also likes to hang out with her saucy cat, Amerigo Vespucci and playful Mastiff puppy, Mini. She loves all animals but especially horses. She enjoys exploring the countryside, talking with Jesus, and trying new things.

Grace has lived in Wisconsin and Illinois, and currently resides in the Missouri hills. She believes in living life to the fullest and can’t wait to see where God will take her or have her write next. Her next book, No Pizza Delivery? is the first book in her new series “Becoming Country” and is scheduled to release this June.

Song Spotlight: "Your Destiny" by Kevin Levar

The music video above this note says it all. But as a reminder: Do NOT give up on your destiny! Do NOT get distracted! Stay ON course! Do NOT lose your focus. You have a work to do for the Lord (God)! He's brought you this far, trust Him to lead you to your destiny!

Be encouraged!