Devotionals for the Heart: A Mandate for the Month of Love (February)

February’s Mandate
A devotional by Chaplain Paul Anderson

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”—Colossians 3:12 NIV

February is known in the United States for Valentine’s Day. It is a special holiday when people express attraction and or affection for one another. New romances are ignited. Old romances are reaffirmed. Greeting cards, romantic poetry, chocolate candy and red roses are popular tokens of affinity gifted to people who are in a romantic relationship during this time.

February is also known as Black History Month. Inevitably, someone amongst those recognizing the focus of the month will quote a speech or a prolific line from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. … My favorite quote that is attributed to him is, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

Another phrase attributed to Dr. King is, “Beloved Community”. He adopted this phrase from the 19th century theologian/philosopher Josiah Royce. Royce described this beloved community as a coalition of people anywhere for whom their prime directives were loyalty and truth. King believed that this beloved community would be a bastion of security with liberty and justice for all. As the month of February opens before us, I challenge you, as you are able, to fill your environment each day this month with one of or all five traits mentioned below.

Trait #1: Compassion can be expressed as grace, humanity, and benevolence. Giving a benefit of doubt. Investing a moment of eye contact, a smile, a genuine interaction with a stranger can be re-humanizing to a person who is living in a marginalized circumstance.

Trait #2: Kindness looks like genuine courtesy, goodwill and the orientation to think and see the best within ourselves and others whose paths we cross. Kindness can be expressed by noticing something positively unique about someone and complimenting them. I see and appreciate the radiance in people’s eyes and smiles.

Trait #3: Humility is not self-loathing. It is a person’s ability to transcend arrogance and self-projections that minimize the humanity and efforts of people within our sphere of influence.

Trait #4: Providence allowed me to get a newer, used car than the one I had been driving. When I went to pick up my granddaughters from school, I could see their pride as they strode to my car. They even called out to some of their friends to draw attention to themselves as they stepped into my car. The next day, when I went to pick them up, I drove my older SUV with 220,000 miles on it. It was a teachable moment. When God provides us with evident blessings, they are to be used in His service, not paraded as the perks of piety.

Trait #5: Gentleness and patience are twin gifts. They come together and fit like a hand in a glove. Moving slowly through a crowd and being mindful of each person is what Jesus did. There may be moments when people draw from you. May it always be virtue and never contempt. Even if you find yourself in a toxic moment, be patient. Breathe deeply. Speak slowly and in low tones. Find points of agreement before magnifying differences. In so doing, you will find that your presence brings warmth and light that softens conflict and countenances. Be the change that you want to see by employing Colossians 3:12.

Let these traits be the uniform that identifies you as a devotee to the person, mind and character of Jesus Christ. When you do these things, you will begin to positively change the world inside and around you.

Let’s Pray: Almighty God, thank You for life in the month of February. Make us equal to the mandate of the month. Clothe us with the garb of truth, justice, humane affinity and generosity. In so doing, may our lives shine light and be examples of conflict resolution that will encircle the globe and bring peace where it has been displaced. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “I Need You to Survive” by Hezekiah Walker. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Chaplain Anderson is the Director Emeritus of Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries for the North American Division. In this role, he was the friend, advocate and gatekeeper for the profession of chaplaincy among Adventist pastors. 

His new mission is to specialize in personal and personnel development coaching.

He journeys with and guides clients, personal and corporate, as they define their goals and grow into their full potential.

His pastoral career began in the Allegheny East Conference where he was ordained.

Subsequently, he served in the Potomac Conference at the Sligo and Seabrook churches. His professional dream was to be a chaplain in the United States Navy. He got to live that dream and achieved the rank of Commander before retiring from Naval service in 2015 with 26 years of service.

Chaplain Anderson has earned four graduate degrees: He earned his Master of Divinity Degree was earned at the seminary at Andrews University. He earned a Master’s of Education from the University of Maryland and a Master’s in Sacred Theology from Boston University. His Doctor of Ministry was conferred by Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington D.C.

Chaplain Anderson and his wife Debra have been married for 41 years. They have two healthy, saved and well adjusted, adult children who picked good spouses and delivered four grandchildren.

Adventures through traveling, reading, praying, preaching, teaching and writing are the avenues of ministry and self-care that define his now and his destiny.

You may connect with Chaplain Anderson via email at this address, psanderson75@gmail.com.

Devotionals for the Heart: Loving God

How Knowing Yourself is a Way of Loving Yourself, and God
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

Have you ever gone so far in one direction you started to lose the path entirely?

After a perhaps predictably self-absorbed period in my teenage and young adult years, I found myself coming boldly before the Lord. Tired of all the self-centeredness of my youth, it was wildly liberating to focus on God, to focus on other people and their needs before my own. I found a joy and a peace I’d never before experienced.

Many of the scriptures talk about dying to the self, or decreasing so that God can increase in me (Ephesians 4:22-24, John 3:30, Galatians 2:20-21, 1 Corinthians 15:31).

This is a good thing, but sometimes we can do this to the extreme—push the self so far down that we barely know ourselves anymore. In one sense you could argue this is the perfect opportunity for the Holy Spirit to move through us and guide and direct our steps so we are serving the Lord perfectly and completely. But I don’t think losing ourselves entirely is God’s intention. Yes, it is very, very good to put God and others first before ourselves. But I’ve realized over the years that when we strive to lose ourself entirely, problems can set in. We forget who we are, and we actually open ourselves up to temptations in that forgetting.

I’ve always been a person who loves self-discovery quizzes. When I was a teen I’d read those tests in magazines titled something along the lines of, “Answer These Questions and We’ll Tell You Which Dog Breed You Are.” Later at work I’d take things like the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator and, more recently, the DISC assessment. It felt good to have some things explained to myself, to understand. I probably appreciated the label, too, to be able to say definitively, “This is who I am,” as if that were the answer to all my problems. (It wasn’t.)

But over the years I started to put these things aside. My kids’ and husband’s needs became far more important than mine. Eventually I found myself being so easygoing about almost everything that if somebody asked me what I wanted for dinner, I genuinely couldn’t tell them. In all the focus on others, I forgot some of my own likes and wants and even opinions.

Learning more about the Enneagram personality types has been interesting lately because it’s allowed me to stop and focus on things about myself again, things I hadn’t thought about in a while, such as what motivates me, why do I do some of the things I do, what shaped some of the values I hold dear, and so on.

In the particular book I’m reading, The Road Back to You, a Christianity-based Enneagram book by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile, the authors make an excellent point about how knowing yourself is so important in our journey as Christians because when we know ourselves well, we better understand what tempts us, what our weaknesses are. This can help us in our own sanctification process—our process of becoming more like Jesus Christ.

Knowing about ourselves can be a very good thing. It allows us to love ourselves and have deeper intimacy with ourselves, to understand some of the areas of our heart that perhaps we’ve long ignored. And when we can know and love ourselves fully, it’s also an act of love for God, because God loves us.

See, when we love what God loves, this is an act of kinship and solidarity. Denying ourself doesn’t mean disliking ourself. And I would argue that we have a tougher time denying ourself for the Lord when we don’t really know ourselves.

I have always been a bit of a loner with low self-esteem, as much as I adore people, and for many years I found it difficult to make friends. Eventually as I started to genuinely like myself and enjoy and appreciate who I am, I started enjoying my own company, and soon friendships with other people began to follow.

Similarly, I began growing extraordinarily close to God when I began to love myself and truly appreciate myself. I discovered important to love myself, care for myself, and honor myself along with God and others. Yes, I think it’s important to rank God first, others second, and self last when it comes to priorities. But we’re on that list too—we are important to the Lord.

In the words of the psalmist, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (Psalm 139:14 NIV). It’s good to remember this.

How about you? Do you find yourself focusing on yourself too much, or the reverse, hardly at all? Have you discovered a correlation between this and your relationship with God like I have? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

Let’s Pray: Dear God, please help me remember that I am fearfully and wonderfully made by You, Creator and Master of all the universe. Help me to love and appreciate myself knowing that You love and appreciate me. In my own process of sanctification, help me not forget who I am along the way because I am important to You, and what is important to You should also be important to me. I love You, Lord, and thank You for the gift of my soul. In Your holy name I pray. Amen.

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Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach and the recipient of the 2018 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award for her novel, The Memory Garden.

She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism. Learn more about her fiction and read her faith blog at http://jessicabrodie.com.

Jessica has a weekly YouTube devotional and podcast. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and more. She’s also produced a free eBook, A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When You’re Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed.

Devotionals for the Heart: When your faith in God is like a baby

Baby faith
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

“After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’”—Mark 1:14-15 (NIV)

Have you ever had an epiphany that what you’d always believed wasn’t exactly true?

Perhaps it was mostly true, but there was some key element missing that left a huge dent in the wider and more important meaning?

I grew up going to church, and I attended church off and on for most of my life (with a sizable hole in my college years and early 20s). But I wasn’t a genuine “Jesus follower” until much later, even though I called myself a Christian and considered myself to be one. The younger me would have summarized my faith this way: “I believe in Jesus, so I’m a Christian.” But the way I lived my life didn’t really reflect that.

I focused on the most basic of messages: Jesus loves you.

Of course, this is true. But my focus was on inclusion, acceptance of me just as I was, on the inherent love God has for me, His child. I was loved and important to Him, and I had value. This was the basis of my faith, and I wanted everyone to feel that same love. Spreading the Gospel was just basically letting everyone know they, too, were welcome at the table. God loves them, too.

Then one day I shook myself and wondered: Was I missing the point? Was being a Christian really about loving Jesus (or the idea of Jesus) and feeling loved in return? Wasn’t there more that should be happening here within me and the way I lived my life that really made an actual difference?

It took reading the Bible and genuinely wondering what it actually meant to be counted as a Christian for me to understand the part I was missing:

It’s not just believe—it’s repent and believe.

It’s not just “Jesus loves me”—it’s how do I love Jesus?

I began reading the Bible and haven’t stopped since. Now I’m a daily Bible reader. And what I’ve gleaned is that being a follower of Christ isn’t just belonging to a club and it doesn’t have to do anything with my feelings or even what I believe.

It’s about how what I believe transforms me. It’s about change, sanctification, a path to holiness, putting my old ways aside to embrace the new.

Here’s the thing: Belief is only part of the picture. As it says in James 2:19, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder” (NIV).

After John the Baptist was imprisoned and Jesus began His earthly ministry in earnest, the Bible tells us He began proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15).

Repentance requires transformation. It means owning that our old way of living wasn’t in line with God’s way, and it’s accepting that we need to change our hearts and lives to be right with the Lord. It means trying to understand God and God’s nature, what is good in God’s eyes, and trying to live that way, not the old way (which was however I saw best).

Another key verse that always hits me is John 14:6, where Jesus definitely states, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Note that Jesus doesn’t say “a” way or “the best” way but “the” way. He’s the way to God, the path to our salvation. He’s the only way. My attempts at compassion and kindness and inclusion might be nice, but there’s nothing I can do to achieve salvation. Being “nice” doesn’t earn me a room in God’s house. Repenting and believing, following Jesus in every sense of the word, is the only thing I can do.

Now, I look back at the old me and realize I just had “baby faith.” But I’m not a baby anymore, and as a Christian, God’s love and His hand on my life should be evident in me. I’m His representative, His “ambassador,” as Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:20.

I don’t just believe—I repent and believe. What do you think? Has your faith deepened over the years? Does the new you look far different from the old you?

Let’s Pray: Lord, help me set aside my baby faith and have the courage to take bolder steps in You. Help me grow in maturity and love, leaving my old life behind and letting Your power transform me. Help me to repent and believe so I, too, can be part of Your kingdom. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Note from Alexis: Jessica’s devotional reminds me of the song “Lead Me Lord” by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, featuring Elizabeth Goodine! Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach and the recipient of the 2018 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award for her novel, The Memory Garden.

She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism. Learn more about her fiction and read her faith blog at http://jessicabrodie.com.

Jessica has a weekly YouTube devotional and podcast. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and more. She’s also produced a free eBook, A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When You’re Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed.

Devotionals for the Heart: A Life Lesson on the way God works!

God Works Behind the Scenes
A devotional by Monique Anderson

“But, Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” 

–John 5:17 (NLT)

Seeing the images online the next day made me feel so proud to have been a part of something so epic. Picture after picture of each model coming down the runway with their sleek, clean looks gave no indication of the madness that went on backstage just moments prior.

Missing shoes, missing accessories, and even missing models is what adds to the heightened tension and pandemonium backstage at a fashion show. However, given all the stress of the last-minute details that go awry, when the lights go on and the curtain is pulled back, the press, and awaiting audience have no idea that something so streamlined came from something so chaotic.

This is what I imagine the heavenly realms look like when we send our prayers up to God. Imagine all the angels he dispenses to see about us, and them scrambling to get to our needs. I envision them getting held up by the enemy and his angels, and the spiritual warfare that takes place just to see to it that God’s will gets done for his children. Imagine what God’s work looks like behind the scenes. Let’s read this verse from Daniel 10:12-13 (NLT):

“Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia.”

I was reminded of God’s unseen handiwork when I was praying for a loved one to surrender to God. I would constantly ask God what I needed to do: Should I show them Scripture? Should I share a sermon? Should I read a devotional with them?

I felt like I received no response from God, and from what I could see, there was no change in the person I was praying for. I was not sure if my prayers were even heard much less getting answered. So, I just continued with my relationship with God in hopes that they would see all that He was doing in my life and be moved to submit to Him.

From my view in the audience, I could not see all the work God was doing backstage.

Until one day, out of the blue, he confessed he was ready to surrender. He said he felt God chasing after him, and he was tired of running. I was stunned, and almost in complete disbelief. It was presented in such a nonchalant manner. I imagined this day being a fall out, ugly cry praise and worship moment. But it was not. It was presented just as neat, and well put together as the models coming down the runway.

Just like the awaiting audience, I had no idea what was happening behind the scenes. I later found out that he was being ministered to by someone he worked with. He said he felt like there was nowhere else for him to run. His journey to Jesus reminded of this song by Casting Crowns called “Even When You’re Running.” God’s love for him was inescapable. My loved one was getting Jesus at home, and in the workplace, but in very subtle ways. I made sure never to pressure him into submission. I wanted him to want Jesus for himself, and that is exactly what happened.

I couldn't tell from where I was sitting that God had been scrambling backstage to bring all the pieces together. I just saw the finished product of a man of God humbling himself before the Lord. This situation reminds me of God’s promise to us in Psalm 91:11 (NIV) which reads, “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.”

Please remember this: From where you’re sitting it may look like no work is getting done. It may seem like God doesn’t hear you and isn't seeing about your needs. But let me remind you that our Heavenly Father is always at work. He’s never not working. We should thank God that we don’t see the mess happening behind the scenes; we just get to be a witness to the final production once He shines His light and pulls back his curtain for the big reveal.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, I praise You and thank you for constantly working in my life, and in the lives of those I care about. I am thankful that my prayers are always received and heard in your Kingdom. I will hold on to the promise of Your Word that says You will command Your angels concerning me. This promise reminds me that even when I don’t see it You’re working. I will continuously sing your praises even while I wait. Father, I love You and thank You. In Jesus's Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Monique M. Anderson is a writer, wife, and bonus mom to a 14 year old. She just recently unleashed her always present yet hidden talent of writing to the masses. She was born and raised in Mount Vernon, NY where she still resides, and serves on the prayer team of her church The Gathering Harlem.  

Monique always felt like God was chasing after her, but never felt the need to surrender. Until that is when life started veering left, and she no longer wanted to steer so she finally gave Jesus the wheel. After forming her relationship with God she always felt compelled to share the revelations that the Word gave to her. She always felt the Holy Spirit prompting her to write, but was afraid of what people might think. So her writing started in her journal. The journal turned into a book, and the book into a blog.

Slowly but surely God’s love started to cast out all fear. She started to consistently update her bi- weekly blog called “Yours Truly, Moe.” Her obedience led to further revelation. God revealed to her that He would use her to help others along their walk the same way God helped her along hers. Since Monique did not grow up in church she always felt intimidated by the Christian life. She thought that she would be losing so much of herself, not realizing that she would actually find her TRUE self.

Since God has shown her who He really created her to be, she now feels it is her life’s work to help those that are taking their first baby steps in this walk with Christ. She is doing so through her blog, and soon to be published book. Monique is excited to extend her reach to podcasts and speaking engagements in the near future.

Her blog is the stepping stone to fulfilling the vision God gave to her – “Sharing God’s revelations so we can all reflect his image and fulfill his purpose.”

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Connect with Monique:
Website: www.yourstrulymoe.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourstruly__moe/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Yours-Truly-Moe-140255684101423

Devotional by Laura Thomas about food, the holiday rush and Jesus

The Main Course at Christmas
A devotional by Laura Thomas

December did it again. It snuck up on us lickety-split and reminded us of ALL THE THINGS we need to do to hold this season together. The baking, shopping, planning, mailing, decorating, wrapping, caroling, and all the other “ing’s” we can possibly cram into a month. Martha herself would be proud of our lists and our plans and our grand expectations. Or would she?

The Master said, “Martha, dear Martha, you’re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it’s the main course, and won’t be taken from her.” ~Luke 10:41-42 (The Message)

This familiar sister story hits me between the eyes when the season of Advent rolls around. There’s Martha, the hostess-with-the-mostest, who is highly aggravated by her chilled-out sister, Mary, who seems to have all the time in the world to sit and listen to Jesus while the kettle boils and the potatoes need mashing. Most of us have both a little Martha and a little Mary in our make-up, but at Christmastime, the Martha-monster threatens to take over completely.

How messed up is that?

As we anticipate celebrating the birth of Christ, preparing our hearts can take a backseat to the frenzied festivities that vie for our attention. We primp and fuss and stress about the small stuff while “the main course” is left to go cold. That’s how The Message describes what other versions call “the good part, what is better, the good portion”, that is—Jesus time.

While Martha ran around like a headless chicken trying to make everything perfect for her Lord, Mary chose the perfect thing when she “sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said.”~(Luke 10:39, The Message)

So how about us? This is a busy time of year, for sure. Suddenly company is coming, Christmas is coming, Jesus is coming…oh yes.

Oh yes. Jesus.

We need to let our inner Mary increase, and our outer Martha decrease.

Especially at Christmas.

These wise words uttered by John the Baptist regarding the Lord Jesus, should surely be the echo of our hearts this Christmastime…and always: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30 (NIV) After all, what does our festive fretting and advent anxiety achieve? Certainly not joy, probably not peace.

Less of me, more of Him. Less of stress, more of love. It’s hard to pour out when you are running on empty, and isn’t this the season of giving? His love and ours? To Him and to others?

That consuming love of God, which Mary soaked in and devoured like air, “will not be taken away from her.” Not by the guilt trip from her sister, and not by any of the following (which happens to be rather a comprehensive list):

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)

This beautiful love-gift, this Jesus who saves us, this gracious love of a Heavenly Father will not be ripped from us like wrapping paper strewn and discarded on Christmas morning. It is ours to be savored.

May Jesus be our good part, Jesus be our celebration, Jesus be the very center of our Christmas. Let’s focus on the “main course” and, like Mary, cherish every moment with Him.

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Author Bio:

Laura is a published Christian author with a heart for inspiring and encouraging readers of all ages. 

She is truly multi-genre—with a published Christian teen fiction trilogy, marriage book, children’s stories, devotionals for Union Gospel Press, musings on her blog, and she now has a literary agent representing her Christian romantic suspense novel. 

Laura is English and Canadian, married to her high school sweetheart, mom of three, passionate about faith and family…and chocolate! 

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Connect with Laura:
Website - www.laurathomasauthor.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Laura-Thomas-183771121724664/?ref=hl
Twitter - https://twitter.com/laura_thomas_
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lauracthomas/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/lauracthomas/

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Note to Blog Readers from Alexis: This is Laura's last devotional for my blog. Due to her busy schedule, she can no longer commit to writing a devotional each month and publishing it here. SO please leave a kind comment for Laura below, letting her know how much you loved reading her devotionals this year! :)