Devotionals for the Heart: Jesus Christ is always present in our life journey

The Good and Faithful Shepherd
A devotional by Jennifer Reese

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

—Psalm 23:1-6 (ESV)

How often have you found yourself in seasons and circumstances of concern, uncertainty, frustration, or confusion?

If your life’s journey has been anything like mine, I would guess you have also found yourself in such seasons and circumstances far more often than you would like. I can honestly say that as much as I want to know all the details of my life and how things will play out, I equally do not truly want to know because much of the excitement and potential to grow and take risks would be lost.

When looking at Psalm 23, one thing that stands out to me about God’s character is His being present. We see that Jesus Christ is the Shepherd who remains close by and who leads us, His sheep, along the way. Jesus is the Shepherd who always looks after us and provides for our every need. He is the Shepherd who walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death. Jesus can calm our fears. No other person and no other shepherd could ever begin to compare to Him.

A further question arises as we focus on these truths about God’s omnipotence: “Why is it so challenging to believe in the depth of our soul that He is truly the good and faithful shepherd?”

It is so easy for us to know with our minds that the Lord is good, faithful, and always present with us, seeking to always provide the best care for us. However, when we pause and truly reflect on our actions and our lives, the opposite is what is often being communicated and believed.

We sit in seasons of unknowns and battle anxieties about how everything will turn out. In other seasons, we sit in distress and anger because we see the evil one “winning”. We regularly question the purpose of certain circumstances because we cannot grasp their benefit to our lives or how they will work out for our good and God’s glory. Our functional theology can easily show where our souls are still walking in disbelief or uncertainty about our good and perfect Shepherd.

So then, how do we begin to connect the knowledge in our heads to the depths of our heart and soul? The simple answer is the only answer: by God’s grace and help alone. We need our good and faithful Shepherd to constantly remind us of how near He is in all times, of His desire to provide for our every need, and of His goodness and faithfulness to take care of us through every single season and circumstance we walk through.

As we walk day by day, what would it look like to pause and reflect on each of these verses in Psalm 23? Maybe it is taking a couple weeks to read only this Psalm and meditate on it verse by verse, identifying how you have seen the Lord show up in your life and/or current circumstances? Maybe it is taking the next month to use Psalm 23 as a prayer outline to offer up both thanksgiving and your circumstances to the Lord, trusting He is with you and cares about your heart’s concerns? Lastly, maybe it is sitting with the Lord and asking Him to soften your heart to fully believe that He is truly your good and faithful Shepherd and that you lack nothing.

I’m not sure where you find yourself today regarding this truth that the Lord is our Good and Faithful Shepherd and He is present with us always. I pray that you will consider it, reflect on it, and allow it to lead you to our Father.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for being the One true good and faithful Shepherd, always present with me and always leading me. Thank You for the truth that you are the One I truly need—not answers and not changed circumstances. Please help me rest in your presence and to truly come to believe in the depths of my heart that You are good and your intentions for me are better than I can imagine. Please help me rest my soul in You alone and trust your guidance in all things. May my heart trust Your good and perfect wisdom and care so that I may truly walk in peace and hope every day. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

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Song of Reflection #1: “Shepherd” by City Alight. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Psalm 23” by Kathy Troccoli. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “God is Here” by Karen Clark Sheard. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #4: “God Is” (1979) by Rev. James Cleveland and the Southern California Community Choir. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Jennifer Reese obtained a Bachelor of Social Work, a Master of Ministry in Intercultural Studies, and certifications in Biblical Counseling. 

Her educational training has afforded Jennifer the opportunity to work with various populations—such as foster care and adoption, refugee women, homeless, under-resourced youth, international students, and local churches. It has been through these experiences that she has seen a need for women of all ages to understand their true identity as a child of God so they can experience the promised abundant life and freedom.

By working as a Biblical Counselor and Coach, Jennifer focuses on helping women and teen girls discover who God is and to know their true identity in Jesus Christ. Through her professional work and ministry, she helps people learn how to carry out their specific purpose and calling in building God’s Kingdom that is not of this world.

On a personal note, Jennifer and her husband recently welcomed their baby boy into the world and couldn’t be happier from enjoying all the newborn snuggles and learning his little personality! She is grateful for this precious gift from the Lord and is excited to begin learning how to faithfully walk in the ministry of motherhood. Jennifer also looks forward to seeing how this gift and new season will further enhance ministry opportunities with women as she continues to minister to them.

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Connect with Jennifer:
Website: www.rootedandfixed.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/rootedandfixed
Email address: rootedandfixed@gmail.com

Devotionals for the Heart: Injecting HOPE into our hurting world

God Is Moving
A devotional by Julia Wilson

“God’s spirit is on me;

He’s chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor,

Sent me to announce pardon to the prisoners and

Recovery of sight to the blind,

To set the burdened and battered free,

To announce, ‘This is God’s year to act!’” 

–Luke 4:18-21 (The Message)

I have read this passage from Luke, which echoes Isaiah 61:1-2, many times over the years, and from different translations. It is a familiar passage and one of my favourites. God’s Word is alive and last week as I read the above, I saw it with fresh eyes. “This is God’s year to act!” really leapt out at me. How we need a movement of God right here and now.

Like the rest of the world, 2020 in the UK has been a year like no other. As I write, we are at the start of another national lockdown. No one knows what lies ahead but we do not need to worry because God is already there. God sees all our tomorrows. Nothing surprises God.

Our nation and our world needs a movement of God now. We are His mighty warriors! We need to inject hope into our hurting world.

Our pastor, Leon Evans, gave us some wise advice. He recommended starting and ending each day with the Word of God and not the news.

When we look to the world we can easily become down and depressed. No one knows when COVID-19 will end. But when we look to God, He gives us hope. He is alive and active. If we do not tune into Him, we might miss Him. We need lives that recognize His voice and His movements.

“This is God’s year to act!” God is acting. Within our church, people have come to faith during this lockdown season caused by the pandemic. They have done Alpha (a course that explores the Christian faith), joined connect groups and experienced God … yet, some have never stepped foot inside the church.

God is not confined to a building. God is alive and active everywhere!

Have you ever stood and witnessed a sunrise or sunset and just been overwhelmed by the beauty of it all? I certainly have.

I have also been struck by the love of God while doing ordinary household chores. My response was to be to get down on my knees on the kitchen floor and to worship and thank God right there and then. If I had waited, I would have missed the moment.

We have the whole world that needs a reason to hope now. We have a world that needs to know God. Jesus Christ tells us to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19 NIVUK). This is our mission. Our neighborhood is our mission field. During times of lockdown we cannot travel far. However, we do not need to go overseas to find people who need a touch of God. We need to seek and save the lost in our neighborhoods and towns!

This is God’s year to act! Will you partner with Him and inject hope into our world today?

Please may I lead you in a prayer?

Let’s pray: Dear Lord, Thank you for dying for me. Help me to live for You. Open my eyes to the world around me. Show me who needs to hear from You. Give me eyes to see our hurting world as You see it. Give me hands to do Your work. Thank You for Your presence and Your promise to never leave us nor forsake us. In Jesus’s precious name I pray. Amen.

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Author Bio:

My name is Julia Wilson but I also go by Christian Bookaholic. 

I live with my husband and five cats in a small town in Worcestershire on the banks of the River Severn (England). We have four grown up children and three granddaughters.

I have always loved reading and have always been surrounded by books. I used to work as a teaching assistant for special needs in the local high school. Ill health forced me to stop working in December 2015. I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (known as M.E.) and fibromyalgia. I now have plenty of time to read and review books!

Our eldest son set up my Christian Bookaholic blog. I review every book I read. I read over 300 books a year. I read Christian and mass market. I prefer stories set from 1850 onwards. My favourite type of books to read is stories set in WWI and WWII, and Russia under Czar Nicholas II.

I am a historian, having a Combined Humanities degree where I majored in History and minored in English. I also love swimming. I only learned how to swim in 2017 and go swimming four mornings a week for 90 minutes before breakfast, it keeps my joints going.

I am also a crazy cat lady. I absolutely love my cats. I have grown up with cats and cannot imagine life without them. My dream is to own an old fashioned seal point Siamese … but not while we have our young rescue cat as she hates other cats!

I love God and love going to a large lively church called Lifecentral. I cannot imagine life without God. He gives a peace even when life does not. He guides my life. He is my Rock.

Testimony: What God Taught Me

Okay, it's almost midnight and I am sleepy but I had to get out of bed to bring this message to you. Here's my testimony:

I was lying in my bed, trying to sleep but not being successful because my mind was focused on all that's wrong with the world. My mind also started focusing on my own issues and experiences that were upsetting. I felt the frustration of feeling like God is silent and asking Jesus Christ why He continues to let these horrible things happen in this world.

It was to the point where I told Jesus (talking/praying to Him): Why am I here? What's the purpose of my life? I am not okay. I am NOT OKAY!

After five minutes of venting to Jesus Christ (through talking/prayer), my anger simmered and I was silent. It was then that I realized that a song was playing in my head. It was a song that I had not heard or thought of for months. But it was just what I needed as the opening lyrics played in my head. Guess what the opening lyrics to the song are? "It's okay to not be okay."

The song "Exhale" is sung by Christian music artist Plumb. It took me being silent and still to realize those opening lyrics were looping in my mind for what must have been at least two minutes only I was too upset to hear it. But when I became still and silent, God spoke to me through this song. He let me know that "It's okay to not be okay/This is a safe place."

Hebrews 4:16 tells us to come boldly before God's throne of grace so that we may find help in time of need. So my venting session was more like a bold and honest prayer to God and He answered me. He told me "It's okay to NOT be OKAY." God is not afraid of honest prayers. He invites us to be open and real with him (but still respectful because He is King of the Universe). His Son Jesus Christ knows our pain and He knows exactly what we go through because He lived on Earth and experienced our pain. *Read Hebrews 4:15. 

Only Christ truly "gets it" and He's for us! He is our Advocate and Mediator before the throne of God. When we pray, it's important to end our prayers to God with "In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen." *Read John 14:13-14 (KJV).

God cares all about you and He's there for you no matter what. I woke up when I realized that God just spoke to me through the opening lines of this song "Exhale" by Plumb and I knew that I needed to share this revelation with you. But before I got out of bed, God spoke to my heart with this thought, "Remember what I taught you in Montana?" Instantly, I remembered how God told me through the words of my insurance agent (after my car crashed) before she became silent in order to focus on processing my claim. Before she went silent to focus on it, she told me "Even though I'm silent, I'm still here." Those words spoke to my heart that day (about four years ago) and it still spoke to my heart tonight. Her simple yet poignant sentence reminded me that I serve a Great God who is always there for me, even when I feel like He's being silent.

Well, there you go! I'm being transparent in this blog post because I believe that this message that God shared with me, this lesson He taught me, is not just for me. Somebody needs to hear it. I hope that it will change your life (for the better). Always keep in mind Jeremiah 29:11. 

God bless you!

Love,

Alexis

A sermon that will change your life

Video: Jesus is ALWAYS with you

Jesus Is ALWAYS With You - This Will Make You Cry! from ourprecioussavior on GodTube.

Artist Spotlight: Tamela Mann

Tamela Mann, simply said, is an inspiration! And I am sharing this song, "Take Me To The King" which is now available online and in stores, to prove it. :)

The song is honest, the message is presented with hard-hitting yet incredibly uplifting honesty and as a Christian, it gives me HOPE because we've all been there when we're so worn out and downright depressed with the hard knocks delivered to us by life BUT even then, we are reminded in the lyrics of this song that there IS a GOD and HE is KING of the UNIVERSE! Even when the world around you feels like it's spinning out of control, know that God is STILL in control of everyone and everything! And He is accessible to us through the power of PRAYER.

So if life has beaten you down, look up and remember God is: 1) REAL (2) just a prayer away.

Approach God's throne of grace boldly so you may find help in your time of need (read Hebrews 4:16).

God bless you!

Love,

Alexis