Devotionals for the Heart: Radio Airwaves and God's Love Letter

A Spirit of Wisdom
A devotional by Paula Moldenhauer

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” ~Ephesians 1:17 NIV

I still remember the exact place it happened. Turning onto the busy street beside the mall, I pulled away from the dry cleaners. Even though it occurred almost twenty years ago, I’m reminded of the moment when I pass that location.

To some, it might not seem like such a big thing but for me, it was life-changing. I listened to Christian radio as I drove, my children all snug in their car seats. The speaker's voice across the airwaves said, “Some of you are reading the Bible as if it was a textbook, but it is actually a love letter.”

What?

My whole being woke up. The radio preacher shared truth I needed, and the Holy Spirit poked me to attention.

When you spend your life trying to be good enough, it is easy to get caught up in searching the Bible for the dos and don’ts—trying to understand what is expected rather than experiencing a relationship of love. That message on the radio was just one of many ways the Lord calls to me, asking me to seek Him, not a set of behavioral guidelines.

In verse seventeen of Ephesians, Paul prays that the Christians in Ephesus will be given the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so they can know God better.

In the old days, I would have assumed that we needed wisdom and revelation so we could behave appropriately, know what we are supposed to do as Christians, and win souls! But that’s not what the passage says. It says we need wisdom and revelation so we can know our Lord. The Amplified Bible says this revelation “gives you a deep and personal and intimate insight” into who Christ is.

I love that.

As always, Scripture tells us to get our eyes off our petty efforts to be good enough and onto the One who already is. It reminds us that Christianity isn’t about us and our efforts, but about Him and His. It invites us into the most beautiful love story of all time. Is there any greater reason for wisdom and revelation than to know our Lord more intimately?

My Prayer: Father, I pray for myself and my loved ones, asking, as Paul did, that You give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so we can know You more. I want deep and personal and intimate insight into who You are and who Jesus is. I want to live more fully in the grandest love story of all time.

~*~

Author Bio: Author, speaker, and mom of four, Paula Moldenhauer encourages others to live free to flourish. She shares this message when speaking at women’s events, and it permeates her written work. Paula has published over 300 times in non-fiction markets and has a devotional book series, Soul Scents. 

Her first published novella, You’re a Charmer Mr. Grinch, was a finalist in the ACFW Carol Awards, and she now has six published works of fiction. Her most recent release is included in A Bouquet of Brides. 

Paula and her husband, Jerry, are adjusting to a sometimes-empty nest in Colorado. They treasure time with their growing family of adult children, spouses, and spouses-to-be. 

Paula loves peppermint ice cream, going barefoot, and adventuring with friends. 

Today’s devotion was adapted from her devotional book, Soul Scents: Bloom. 

Visit her at www.paulamoldenhauer.com

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Devotionals for the Heart: A Drought, God's Love and Rain

Love in the Time of Drought
A devotional by Dana McNeely

Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, “As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives—the God I serve—there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!" ~ 1 Kings 17:1 NLT

There are always consequences, aren’t there? Tough love. Maybe you’ve told your child, “Stop that right now or you’re grounded.” Or “Get your homework done before dinner or no TV.”

When the prophet Elijah appeared on the scene, the northern kingdom of Israel had grown worse than the most disobedient child you can imagine. They no longer worshiped Yahweh, the one true God, but many gods. Their king, Ahab, had married Jezebel, a pagan princess from the city of Tyre. As queen of Israel, she’d convinced her husband to build two temples to the Ba’als, the gods of the Canaanites. Those gods promised fertile harvests and encouraged followers to participate in drunken fertility rites. Ba’al worship became popular throughout the land while Yahweh worship all but ended. Queen Jezebel was killing all the prophets of Yahweh she could hunt down, so prophets and believers kept a low profile.

Except for one prophet, an in-your-face kind of guy. Elijah strode into the temple of the rain god and announced there would be no more rain until his say so.

Bold words from a mere shepherd. And they didn’t fall on friendly ears. Israel had already suffered about six months of drought as harvest ended, and they expected “the early rains” to soften the ground for planting. King Ahab was probably there enjoying the wine and the beautiful priestesses. His palace guards were there to protect him. They could have silenced Elijah with a sword stroke.

But God had sent him for a purpose. Like a good father, God intended to allow Israel to reap the consequences of their actions. Three and a half years of drought devastated the rural community that depended upon rain for crops and herds. Tough love. It wasn’t as if God hadn’t warned them.

"Be careful. Don’t let your heart be deceived so that you turn away from the Lord and worship other gods. If you do the Lord will shut up the sky and hold back the rain and the ground will fail to produce its harvests." ~ Deuteronomy 11:16, 17 (NLT)

God is love. But love wears many faces. It may be gentle or stern. The Lord, our father, and shepherd, won’t allow his children to keep walking a path that leads away from Him, that leads to destruction. He calls us back. He turns us around. We may need tough love.

What are your thoughts?

· Do you ever read the Old Testament? Do you find it has relevance for your life?

· How could Elijah so bravely confront evil powers? Hint – James 5:17

· Was God unkind to send drought and bring Israel to its knees?

· Not every hardship that comes is a result of sin. But I’ve experienced God’s tough love.  

Afterward, I also found blessing. What about you?

~*~

Author Bio:

Inspired by the Bible story of Elijah and the widow’s son, Dana McNeely wondered why the prophet had come to stay with these two. Who were they? What was their life, before? And how did the boy change after dying, seeing the other world … and coming back? Dana began research for her novel, “Rain,” which tells the story of the three-and-a-half-year drought from the boy’s perspective. 

No stranger to drought, Dana lives in an Arizona oasis with her hubby the constant gardener, two good dogs, an antisocial cat, and migrating butterflies. She writes biblical fiction, cozy mysteries, and has written for magazines and newspapers. Her short story “Death in the Butterfly Garden” appears in SoWest: Killer Nights (2017). 

Connect with Dana on Facebook, Twitter, or DanaMcNeely.com

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The Story of Jesus Christ, a Christmas devotional relevant all year

Christmas Eve is today which means Christmas Day is tomorrow, at least here in the United States of America. But if you live in Australia or Asia, you are already celebrating Christmas Day because where you live the date is Dec. 25, 2014. Isn't it amazing how one side of the world is living in today and the other side is already witnessing tomorrow?

What's even more amazing is the story of Jesus Christ. He came into this world in the form of a baby to give us life. Not only to teach us how to live every day life for God but to show us the way to heaven so that at the end of humankind's story here on Earth, we can have a chance at eternal life.

What better way to celebrate the holiday season than to remember the reason for the season (Jesus Christ)? Today, I invite you to read a devotional written by Katheryn Maddox Haddad, a woman with a heart for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Take it away Katheryn! 

~*~
The Story of Jesus Christ: A Christmas Devotional

Written by Katheryn Maddox Haddad

The adjustments Jesus had to make for us. They were infinite.

He gave up his spirit body that could be everywhere in the cosmos at once, to be confined in a human body that could only touch, see, and hear a few feet in any direction.

He gave up his throne for an animal’s feed trough. He could have at least been born in the holy temple. But that was not enough. He had to give up everything.

He gave up glory for swaddling bands. He could have brought with him a halo; he preferred to become, in every way, one of us.

He gave up the admiration of angels for no one even noticing his birth except for dirty, smelly shepherds. They couldn’t even stay very long to worship him.

He gave up streets of gold for streets sometimes littered with putrid garbage.

He gave up the protective love of his Father to be chased by an evil king until his parents had to flee their own country to protect him.

He gave up the tree of life so he could wander the hills without even a place to lay his head so he could give people his bread of life.

He gave up most of his powers most of the time so he wouldn’t make us feel too inferior. He could have called lightning down on sinners. He held his powers back and only used them to prove who he was ~ the Prince of Peace.

He gave up angel songs for weeping.

He gave up tranquility to be tortured on a cross. How easily he could have willed himself down from it. He knew he had been born to die.

He had never been born before. He had never died before. It was only by doing both that he could overcome death for us, and give us new birth.

All this he did for his enemies, sinners of the world ~ all of us.

It is beyond our comprehension to fathom what he gave up. It is beyond our grasp to understand. God put his words in a human body for awhile so he could walk the earth with us. Such love. We are awed.

All we can do is fall at his feet and whisper, “Thank you.”

~*~
About the author: 

Katheryn Maddox Haddad grew up in the north and now lives in Arizona where there is no snow. She lives with her palm trees, cacti, music, and a computer with most of the letters worn off.

With a bachelor’s degree in English, Bible and social science from Harding University and part of a master’s degree in Bible, including Greek, from the Harding Graduate School of Theology, she also has a master’s degree in management and human relations from Abilene University.

Her newspaper column appeared for several years in newspapers in Texas and North Carolina ~ Little Known Facts About the Bible ~ and she has written for numerous Christian publications. For several years, she has been sending out every morning a daily scripture and short inspirational thought to some 10,000 people around the world.

She spends half her day writing, and the other half teaching English over the internet worldwide using the Bible as text book. She has taught some 5000 Muslims through World English Institute. Students she has converted to Christianity are in hiding in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Uzbekestan, and Palestine. “They are my heroes,” she declares.

Katheryn is a member of Christian Writers of the West and American Christian Fiction Writers, and is also an energetic public speaker who can touch the heart of audiences.

Her books include Applied Christianity, Inside the Hearts of Bible Women, The Holy Spirit in 365 Scriptures, Revelation: A Love Letter From God, Worship Changes Since the First Century, Worship the First-Century Way, The Best of Alexander Campbell’s Millennial Harbinger, and Christianity or Islam: The Contrast. Her Inspirations Under the Thinking Tree is a series of short reads on numerous thoughtful topics. She has also written two books on genealogy.

Connect with Katheryn:

Official website, inspirationsbykatheryn.com

Webpage about Star Song: http://inspirationsbykatheryn.com/historical-novel-about-jesus

Pinterest board for Star Song: http://www.pinterest.com/haddad1940/book-1-star-song

Video about Star Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6-gaxUF-d0

Amazon for adult’s version of book Star Song, http://amzn.to/1sQHrtV

Amazon for child’s version of Star Song: http://amzn.to/1ETiDZP

Barnes and Noble for all books: http://bit.ly/1ql2BVS