Devotionals for the Heart: God can heal, deliver and restore you

God Sees You and He Hears You
A devotional by Essie Faye Taylor

“Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you.”

—2 Kings 20:5 (NIV)

Life is an adventure—to be honest, most days it can feel like an emotional rollercoaster. We can have extreme highs and extreme lows in the same year, month, week, or even the same day. God never promised that life would be easy.

He did, however, promise that He would be with us as we walk our life path. This looks like God walking with us through our personal trauma, such as a toxic relationship, abuse, divorce, a fractured relationship with our parents or addiction. God is there with us in the darkness, in the shadows, in the face of the pain and sorrow—He’s with us through it all! His presence is constant and calming. His promise to us found in Psalm 23:4 (NKJV) is, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

2 Kings chapter 20 opens by saying King Hezekiah was “sick and near death” (2 Kings 20:1 NKJV). Hezekiah was known as a good king who walked uprightly before God. Yet this righteous man is stricken with a terminal illness. Anyone reading this story in our current time era may question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”

Trials and triumphs are part of the human experience. As believers in God, we are not exempt from the storms of life. However, we have hope in this life because God is always with us, and we have hope of eternal life because of Jesus Christ (John 3:16). But let’s get back to the Bible story. The prophet Isaiah was sent by God to King Hezekiah to tell him to set his house in order because he would die. After receiving such grave news, Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to God. He begged God to remember how He walked in truth and stayed loyal to God all his life. He wept before the Lord.

God was moved by Hezekiah’s prayer and the righteous life he lived. This led God to change His mind. He healed Hezekiah and extended the years of his life. The healing encounter in this Scripture assures us of God’s care for us today too.

God sees our situation and lifestyle. Nothing is hidden from our Sovereign and Omnipotent God. Scripture declares, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him" (2 Chronicles 16:9 NKJV). God had the record of Hezekiah’s life choices and uprightness before Him. His simple prayer of remembrance spoke volumes because of the life that he practiced before God. Our life speaks for us. Our choices steeped in biblical principles testify of God’s grace and goodness to the world. God honors His children. He is eager to show Himself strong and move on behalf of those who are loyal to Him. We see God changing His mind about Hezekiah’s death date because of his commitment to Him.

Our prayers, our tears, and our emotions matter to God–so much so that He is eager to answer and deliver us. Although your heart seems to be shattered into a thousand pieces, God is ready to heal your heart. Although you’re afraid of that recent diagnosis, our God is a Healer and He can restore your health. Maybe you’ve lost a loved one and the grief seems unsurmountable or unbearable. Put it in the Master’s Hand because He is the God of all comfort. Perhaps you’re overwhelmed by anxiety or depression or struggling with suicidal ideation. Nothing is too hard for our God to heal. Sometimes He doesn’t heal us while we are living on this Earth, but He will heal us completely in Heaven.

Nearly ten years ago, my youngest brother had a stroke while at his job. He was rushed to the hospital. My large family of believers gathered at the hospital and prayed for healing. In the next few days, my brother improved. Then suddenly he had an aneurysm and passed away. This saddened our hearts because we had prayed for his healing. But we need to remember that our God is Sovereign and He knows best. We rest in knowing that we will see him again in Heaven.

Call to Action:

1. Embrace the Sovereignty of God as you heal.

2. Trust God with your next knowing that He sees your situation, He hears your cries, and He can heal you in His perfect time.

3. Accept that healing from God comes in many forms. Healing can be immediate or gradual. It may look different for everyone.

4. Rest in God’s Sovereignty and know that you are safe with Him.

Let’s Pray:
Heavenly Father, You are sovereign. You know everything that is said and done in the dark and when no one else is around. You know the hidden and secret things. Nothing is hidden from You. Father God, You hear our prayers. You tell us to call You and You will answer us. You said that your ears are open to the cry of the righteous. Whatever we ask in prayer, if we believe it, we shall have it. We are asking for healing, Lord. We rest in Your sovereignty and Your promise to be with us at all times—good and bad. Help us to have faith that You will hear and answer our prayers. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Sovereign (Live)” by Chris Tomlin. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Essie Faye Taylor is a woman of faith. She’s a bilingual author, educator, speaker, psalmist, and interpreter. 

Essie is the author of the “Finding the Love You Deserve” series for women and teens. She is deeply committed to motivating minorities, women, and youth to heal themselves, love and accept themselves, and pursue God while chasing their dreams and carving out their life’s path.

Essie is a Chicago native where she lives with her husband Donald Taylor II.

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Connect with Essie:
Website: www.essiefayetaylor.com
Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Essie%20Faye%20Taylor/author/B09XF3TC22
Listen to Essie’s music at https://on.soundcloud.com/X6DeoRXra7YoKcC2A.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_essie_faye/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/esther.tate.39
Read Essie’s YouVersion Devotion Plan here: http://bible.us/r/Abn

Devotionals for the Heart: Warfare

Seeing the Warfare
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

Have you ever been to one of those 4D interactive theaters, the kind where instead of watching a screen and hearing the sound, you get those special glasses that transform the images into an illusion of three-dimensional solidity? Synchronized special effects also occur in the theater, like vibration, mist, wind, and more. It’s a multi-sensory cinematic experience.

But here’s the thing: When you take your special glasses off, the screen is blurry. You can’t see anything. You have a vague sense of what is on the screen, but it’s not clear.

Then, when you put the glasses back on, everything is right again.

This reminds me so much of the spiritual warfare going on all around us every single day, and how many of us can’t really see it—or don’t understand it’s there at all.

A few weeks ago on my blog, I shared about some of the troubles going on in my life lately: car issues, needing to replace our washing machine and refrigerator, a widening hole in my deck, six months spent living in our guest room because our pipes froze and flooded our bedroom, my daughter’s ongoing struggles with debilitating anxiety, and loved ones battling cancer including my nine-year-old niece, Kendall.

I could be tempted to think these are simply “tough times.” But my eyes are now trained to see it for what it is, and I absolutely know beyond the shadow of a doubt that much of this is spiritual warfare. It’s the evil one causing cracks in my life to get my focus off God and the work God intends for me. And because I know what’s going on, I also know how to counter it. I know to stay in prayer and God’s word constantly. I know to keep faith and hope, and I know that God will always triumph over evil.

With my eyes open, I can see so much.

I couldn’t always see this. I grew up in churches that didn’t talk about the enemy (the devil, the evil one) very often, let alone spiritual warfare. But as an adult, my faith has deepened. I have distinctly chosen to follow Jesus Christ, not just in my belief but in the way I live my life. I have committed every area in my life to him, and because of that, I do certain things that help me draw and remain close to him—prayer, worship, daily Bible reading, surrounding myself with other Christians, etc.

I am well aware that good and evil exist in the world, and that there is a vicious battle going on for this world. On one side is God and God’s heavenly armies, fighting to shine his light into the darkness. On the other is the enemy, the devil, using his demons and others to sow seeds of distraction and discord and evil.

Make no mistake: The devil is real. In 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV), we’re told, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

The Gospels tell us Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1). Satan entered Judas Iscariot the night of the Last Supper (John 13:27), and Judas went and betrayed Jesus to those seeking to arrest and kill him.

In 1 John 5:19, we’re told “the whole world is under the control of the evil one.”

But we are not of the world. As the apostle Paul writes in Philippians 3:20-21, “Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”

There is a mighty spiritual battle going on, all around us. Some of us cannot yet see it, but some of us can. And it is indeed real.

But there is hope. As Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Because God loves us who are his children—those of us who follow Christ and who believe and repent of their sins—he helps us fight the battle.

In Ephesians 6, Paul tells us about one of those helpful tools: the armor of God, provided by the Lord to help protect us.

As the apostle Paul writes, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand” (Ephesians 6:11-13).

This armor includes the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet readied with the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:14-17).

God provides this armor of God for our protection. He loves us, and he knows how difficult this world can be.

Jesus talked about that in John 16:33: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

The battle is real. We don’t need special 3D glasses to see it. As we grow in our spiritual journey with Jesus and draw closer to the Lord, these “special glasses” of faith gradually begin to replace our regular vision, and we start to see the daily battle clearly.

But take heart: God wins at the last. The One who created time knows how it all ends: with God in control. Some of the people on this earth who are not aware of the spiritual battle might find themselves becoming casualties of war, snapped up in their unsuspecting state by forces of evil who want to steer them away from the Lord.

Don’t be led astray.

In closing, remember this promise from God in James 4:8 (NIV): “Come near to God and he will come near to you.”

Let’s Pray: Lord, help us see the spiritual battles going on in our lives and use the tools You give us to counter them and draw a cloak of protection around us and our loved ones. Help us stay strong and keep our focus on You in the storms of life. In Jesus’ s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: "Whom Shall I Fear (God Of Angel Armies)" by Chris Tomlin. 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.

Thankful Thursdays: God is with me

It’s Thursday and I’m thankful for the fact that God is with me!

All of yesterday (Wednesday, May 29) was filled with worry, anxiety and depression for me. I woke up with a million things on my mind, rushed into my activities for that day and returned home even more upset.

There were moments when I calmed down after talking to a few God-fearing sister-in-Christ friends but as soon as our conversation was over, the anxiety picked up again. I was so overwhelmed about several serious, real-life situations that I could barely see the light of day or any hope in the severity of it all. These situations have been on my mind a lot lately but on May 29 the thoughts of these crowded every ray of sunshine out of the picture.

A few hours before midnight, a counselor encouraged me to “tap into (my) spirituality” because they know that helps me. So I did. For the first time that day/evening/night, I opened my “True Identity” Bible and searched for Scriptures that would speak to my situation.

After spending time in God’s Word (The Holy Bible) and talking to Him through prayer, I felt better. As I closed my Bible, I started singing these words, “Sovereign in the mountain air/Sovereign on the ocean floor/With me in the calm/With me in the storm.” 

When I realized that these were words to a song that I first heard years ago, I immediately went to YouTube and typed in the first few words. The song “Sovereign” by the Contemporary Christian music artist Chris Tomlin showed up first in the search results. 

I selected the lyric video version and listened to it while I read the lyrics only to find that every single lyric spoke directly into my situation! These song lyrics silenced my worries and reminded me that I can trust God no matter what because He knows everything I need and He will always provide for me.

As the song faded out, I realized that God just spoke to me through it. I know it was His message for me that night not only because of the lyrics, but because of the fact that I hadn’t heard that song in years and had forgotten the lyrics until that night (May 29). I know that it’s not a coincidence that these lyrics came to mind after I spent time studying God’s Word!

It’s also important to note that before I started reading The Bible that night, I asked God to speak to me through His Word and He did, not only through Scripture but through the lyrics of that song reminding me that He is Sovereign.

The dictionary defines the word “sovereign” as “possessing supreme or ultimate power” and the synonyms to this word that stood out to me are “boundless,” “unrestricted” and “unrestrained.”

This definition applied to God, shows us that not only does He have the ultimate power over the entire universe and everything in it, it shows that His power is unrestricted, meaning that nothing and no one can stop what He wants to do!

God’s plans for your life and my life cannot be stopped. No one and nothing (not even the evil forces) in this world or the entire universe can stop Him from blessing you! So when God seems silent, just keep trusting Him and knowing that He is working together everything for your good (Romans 8:28) because He loves you (John 3:16) and He has GOOD plans for your life (Jeremiah 29:11)!

Be encouraged, dear friends with this: No matter what happens in human history on this planet Earth, the Creator of the Universe (God) is with you. He will NEVER leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5) and His Son Jesus Christ (our Savior) says in John 16:33 that in this world we will have trouble but “take heart” because He (JESUS) has “overcome the world!”

Romans 8:31-39 (NIV) says that we are “more than conquerors” with Jesus Christ on our side! Let’s read the full passage:

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, either 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.

These Bible verses give me hope that no matter what happens in this life, God is with me. I hope that these verses give you that same hope.

Love,

Alexis A. Goring
Founder of “God is Love” blog

P.S._Here's the lyric video that I watched of the song "Sovereign" by Chris Tomlin:

Music Review and Giveaway of Chris Tomlin's NEW CD "Holy Roar"

Dear Blog Readers,

Today, I’m reviewing Chris Tomlin's new CD “Holy Roar” for FlyBy Promotions. You’re in for a treat because they’re offering one copy of his CD to one lucky winner!

Here's a photo of the album cover:

Enjoy this music feature!

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Artist Bio:

Chris Tomlin is one of the most heralded singer-songwriters in the world who has amassed an impressive body of work. He has sold more than 8 million albums, 11.3 million digital tracks with 16 #1 singles. 

Chris is one of only four artists ever to receive the Sound Exchange Digital Radio Award for over 1 Billion digital radio streams, others include Justin Timberlake, Pitbull and Garth Brooks. 



The Grammy® winner’s list of music awards include an American Music Award, 3 Billboard Music Awards, 21 Dove Awards, a BMI Songwriter of the Year Award and more. Chris’ concert tours have sold-out venues in major cities including New York City’s Madison Square Garden, The Forum in Los Angeles, Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena and Red Rocks in Denver, among others.

This spring, Chris marked another career milestone by launching his own imprint record label, Bowyer & Bow, in partnership with Capitol Christian Music Group.

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Ready for my review? Read on! 

Every song is rated between 1 and 5 stars. Here’s the meaning of each starred rating:

5 stars = Wonderful! I love it!

4 stars = Great song and lyrics, I really like it!

3 stars = Nice tune but not too spectacular

2 stars = I really do not like this song

1 star = Not worth listening to

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Song #1: Holy Roar
Rating: 5
Review: As the title song for this album, “Holy Roar” is worth its weight in gold! It’s like the rallying of the troops in God’s Army, a gathering of His people from around the world to worship Him. The tune is inspiring and the lyrics move you to worship God right along with Chris Tomlin and his band.

Song #2: Nobody Loves Me Like You
Rating: 5
Review: Listening to the lyrics of this song accompanied with the soft, peaceful sounds, is like watching the sunrise from the window of your home. The feel of this song makes you feel like you live in a beautiful, serene mountainside log cabin in the picturesque part of Montana (USA)! I can almost smell the fresh mountain air and feel the cool breeze. This song feels very much like the Fall season on the East Coast—beautiful in color, tone and feel. Through the sound and lyrics of this song, Tomlin does a wonderful job in moving the listener to worship God as they reflect on His Goodness that we’re reminded of in the song’s lyrics. It is beautifully serene, sweet and whimsical.

Song #3: Resurrection Power
Rating: 4
Review: My first thoughts in hearing the first two lines of this song were, “I heard this song on the radio!” Haha. It’s very familiar to me. I enjoy listening to it. The message that God has given us freedom from the bondage of sin if we just choose Him and accept His gift of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ, really resonates with me. The lyrics are straight-forward and Bible-based. The tempo of the song is upbeat but perfectly paced. Nice!

Song #4: Goodness, Love and Mercy
Rating: 3
Review: This song is a nice rendition of Psalm 23. There’s not too much to it. Tomlin basically sings the Bible verses without adding or taking away anything, which is good but the sound is a bit boring. It just didn’t move me.

Song #5: Satisfied
Rating: 3
Review: This song serves to remind the listener that in a world of thirsty people, only Jesus can truly satisfy. It reminds me of the Bible verse about how wells filled with water run dry but when you drink from the Living Water (a relationship with Jesus Christ), you will never thirst again. You won’t thirst for the temporary trappings of this world. Knowing Jesus is freedom from the ways of this world that don’t save your soul. Only Jesus can save your soul. Only He can quench your thirst when you’re searching for something more or trying to figure out the meaning of life. Hint: Jesus is what your soul longs for and only He can save your soul, ushering you right into eternity when He returns to Earth to take His faithful followers home to Heaven. This song reminds me that Earth is not our Home. It helps tune me into the Bigger Picture where God wins over sin and the enemy, where His plan for humanity is restored—a plan where death, destruction, and pain have no place ever again! Despite the wonderful life lessons I hear in this song “Satisfied”, I didn’t like the tune and I thought some of the lyrics could have been written better, which is why I’m giving it this rating.

Song #6: Impact
Rating: 4
Review: This song is like a welcome to worship God. It starts off slow and sweet then picks up tempo before taking off like an airplane on a beautiful musical journey, destination: the presence of God!

Song #7: Praise Him Forever
Rating: 4
Review: This song is a worship tune for real. It made me want to stand and clap my hands and dance down the church aisles. The sound of this song will make you happy and remind you of all of God’s Goodness. His Love for humankind is unrivaled.

Song #8: Is He Worthy?
Rating: 4
Review: This song is filled with questions for the listener (literally) but these questions are not without purpose. The lyrics challenge the listener to think deeply about the meaning of life, love, and God.

Song #9: Forever Young
Rating: 5
Review: Now who doesn’t want to be “Forever Young?” But this song isn’t about the “Fountain of Youth”, it’s about the Eternal King, Creator of the Universe who is forever true to His Word (The Holy Bible) and caring about His people (humankind). I love the line about Jesus creating “rivers in my soul.” It’s beautiful on every point: sound, lyrics, tempo, everything!

Song #10: I Stand in Awe (feat. Nicole Serrano)
Rating: 5
Review: Nicole Serrano’s voice is the first sound I heard in this song, and it’s beautiful. Her voice is soulful and deep yet light as air. The way that Tomlin’s voice joins hers first like a backup singer then as an equal results in a breathtaking duet between two professional singers who know what they’re doing—they’ve created a musical masterpiece!

Song #11: Praise Is the Highway
Rating: 4
Review: This song has a powerful message about the power of God to break strongholds and how praise is the highway to the throne and heart of God. I could hear the guitar and drums, which in this case are just as necessary as the lyrics.

Song #12: How Sweet It Is (feat. Pat Barrett)
Rating: 3
Review: I thought that this song was sweet but it’s not my cup of tea. The message, however, is nice because it talks about how sweet it is to be loved by Jesus but I didn’t like the song or Pat Barrett’s singing voice.

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Buy Chris Tomlin's "Holy Roar" CD here, 
https://christomlin.lnk.to/HolyRoarQW

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Hear Chris talk about the idea of his new album "Holy Roar," here.

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Read this message from FlyBy Promotions regarding the giveaway of Chris Tomlin’s CD “Holy Roar”: 

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

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Enter the giveaway contest via the Rafflecopter widget below for your chance to WIN a copy of "Holy Roar" (CD) by Chris Tomlin: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A beautiful song about God's love for you

Thankful Thursday: My birthday and other reasons to celebrate

Today is my birthday!

I am SO thankful to God for allowing me to make it through another year!

As you know, everything you have can be gone in a split second through the loss of your own life or a natural disaster such as the tornado that stormed through Oklahoma City on Monday, leaving desolation to property and devastation to hearts of the residents who live there.

The Bible tells us not to worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will “worry about itself” and each day has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:34). So each and every day that I wake up in the morning and make it through the day and sleep peacefully through the night I am thankful because you just never know what can happen.

Another reason to celebrate is inspired by this song, “Indescribable” which was first written and composed by Laura Story, originally performed by Chris Tomlin but my absolute favorite version of the song is performed by Kierra Sheard! The reason to celebrate is found within the the song's lyrics which praise God for being so wonderful. The lesson point is that no matter how often we mess up, God is still there to pick us up and will forgive us if we ask for forgiveness, repent and turn away from our sin(s). I love the line in the song that says God sees the DEPTHS of our HEARTS and LOVES US THE SAME! Now that’s beautiful. God sees the UGLY in us and YET He still loves us. Despite of us, God still shows us that there is HOPE.  The love, grace and mercy of God can transform us from the worst condition, restoring us from our broken sinful position and remaking us into who He has called us to be in this life.

Now if that’s not something to celebrate EVERY DAY, not just on my birthday LOL, then I don’t know what else is worthy of such gratitude!

So here’s to ME on my birthday and here’s to YOU who God sees and loves unconditionally EVERY DAY!