Devotionals for the Heart: Sheep and The Good Shepherd's Voice

The Shepherd’s Voice
A devotional by Mirachelle Canada

“The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” ~John 10:2-4 (NIV)

I was 21 and an student-teacher in London, England, when I found myself aimlessly wandering the streets at night, desperate to get away. The day had gone awry and I felt like an utter failure. I encountered a darkened path with a lone bench to conceal me from the world.

An occasional car rumbled passed on the street beyond my secret place. I tried to pray but my mind was cluttered with anger and confusion. Why He had brought me so far just to fail?

I suddenly felt something moist brush over my hands and my fingertips press into a soft, silk furry body. It was a dog...but not just any dog. I recognized the silky, red Irish Setter breed immediately.

A stern voice called out, "Lady!" A slender man with white hair and mustache came bounding toward us and grabbed the setter by the collar. Lady sat instantly and stared up at him. "I’m dreadfully sorry, Miss. I didn't know anyone would be in here this time of night."

Lady inched toward me. "No, Lady.” He patted his leg. "Stay." The dog sat again.

"That's alright," I said with genuine smile. "I love dogs." You have no idea, sir, that I grew up with this exact breed of dog. And the first one my parents owned was named Lady.

"Ah, you're American!" He observed.

I winced. It was that fact, among others, that had not helped me win the day.

Lady nudged him. "Ah, go on, girl. Do your business." She trotted toward the bushes.

Do her business? Had he bring his dog into this garden to poop and pee?!

"You must be wondering why I would bring my dog here to do her business."

I froze. Was he reading my mind?

"You see, I figure she's got to have a place to go, and in return she leaves behind something useful to help the plants and trees to grow." He praised Lady when she returned to his side.

"She's a good dog," I said, "She really listens to you."

"She's young that. But she listens to my voice to know what she should do. She knows who her master is.” He patted her head as she wagged her tail wildly and panting with glee.

He tipped his hat at me. "I wish you the best in our fair city, Miss." He looked to Lady. "Come on, girl." He tapped his side again. "Time to go."

The man and his bonny dog meandered out the garden gate. He whistled lowly as they went, eventually out of my sight. Moments later I was met with a stilled world again.

She listens to my voice to know what she should do...She knows who her master is.

The words resonated within my heart. I was exactly like Lady. Young, inexperienced and in need of my Master’s direction. I needed the Good Shepherd to guide me, but I had forgotten the importance of listening to His voice so He could guide my path.

So often in the midst of trouble, especially when we are young or new to Christ, we can become that forgetful sheep that wanders aimlessly from safety, then cries out for help when we feel lost. Thankfully, the Good Shepherd (Jesus Christ) is there with us, ready to rescue us from ourselves. 

Once we are listening, He calls us by name to bring us out then goes on ahead of us so that we can continue to follow after Him on the perfect path, as we learn to wait and trust in His voice alone.

~*~
Author Bio:

Mirachelle Canada is a writer, playwright, screenwriter and theatre director/producer from Northern Virginia. She teaches television production at C.D. Hylton Senior High School. 

She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Script & Screenwriting from Regent University and is a member of Act One: Hollywood Film & Television Writing Program, American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), ACFW Virginia Chapter, The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and Your Novel Blueprint.

Mirachelle is passionate about awakening creativity and the gifts of God in everyone. She is currently working on her first historical fiction novel set during WWII, inspired by her time studying theatre education in London, England.

In her spare time, she also writes and directs Christmas and Easter passion plays at Christ Chapel Assembly of God in Woodbridge, VA.

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Connect with Mirachelle:
Website: www.mirachellecanada.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mirachellecanada/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/mirachelle77/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/miracan

Thankful Thursdays: God is Always There for you and me!

It’s Thursday and I’m thankful for the fact that GOD is always there!

Earlier this week, I had a rough night. It was well past midnight so it was too late to call most people that I knew who have expressed that they want to be there for me.

So, I decided to send a text message to my Bible study group members from church. I used the Group Me chat app on my phone to do this. I simply wrote, “Please pray for me.” Within minutes, one of the group members responded directly to me using the private chat function so that only she and I could talk.

She simply responded with a message on prayer that she found online. The original author is unknown. This is what the message said:

Prayer Is Not Passive.

Prayer is powerful. Prayer is purposeful. Prayer is intentional.

Prayer is active warfare that engages Heaven and exposes every snare and trap of the enemy. In fact, prayer has the power to destroy every generational bondage that has plagued your family for years.

Prayer destroys yokes. Prayer disarms the weapons of the enemy. Prayer disrupts the forces of Hell and engages the armies of Heaven. Prayer breaks cycles and dismantles curses. When you pray, darkness flees. 

When you pray, addiction is defeated. When you pray, rejection repels and no longer has authority over you. When you pray, bitterness breaks. 

When you pray, sickness and disease leaves. When you pray, God steps in and favor rolls out before you. When you pray, peace surrounds you and joy engulfs you. When you pray, Heaven hears you. 

Prayer is the key that unlocks doors. Decide to engage God. 

God is listening!

~*~

God knew that I needed to be reminded that He is always there for me and that He hears every single prayer. So He sent this message to me through another one of His servants who is a member of my church family.

This message on prayer encouraged and inspired my heart. I felt strengthened as I read it because I remembered that prayer should be my first and last resort when I feel troubled. Read Psalm 46.

Prayer is the ultimate lifeline because it directly connects us with the Creator of the Universe (God). He is higher than any earthly power. He is wiser than the wisest and the most able to help us in our time of trouble. Seek Him first!

In closing, I’d like to share a song by CeCe Winans. The song is called, “He’s Always There.”

Be encouraged, dear hearts. God loves you with ALL of His Heart!

Sincerely,

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

Devotionals for the Heart: Kindness

Kindness is only from the Lord
A devotional by Allison M. Wilson

Key Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB) and 1 John 4:15-21 (NASB)

We’ve looked at the first four Fruit of the Spirit to see that it is not a random list of attributes. There is a distinct order to the fruit that are listed. Once the love of God is shown and accepted there is joy inexpressible, which leads to peace with knowing the Father is in total control of everything, then we can be patient with the timing of the outcome. Kindness, however, is a direct outflow of ALL of these other fruit.

We are loved because He first loved us. If you read the whole passage where this verse is found, you realize that love starts everything. Love casts out fear. What an amazingly powerful thing! Love is what kindness is rooted in, because you have to have a love of God to even be kind at all.

We cannot hate our brother or sister and still love God. Hate has no place in the heart surrendered to Him. I’ve watched so many believers tear each other apart, and been brokenhearted at what the Father must feel to see His children acting that way towards one another. Someone from another denomination may be the joke or the brunt of a sarcastic comment. That is not the kindness the Holy Spirit wishes to give through us to other believers, let alone a dying world.

I have had people lie to me, talk slanderously about me, and even curse me to my face. Earlier in my life, I likely would have gotten right back in their face and given them something to think about. Now? Now I let the Father tell me what I should say…most of the time…okay, maybe some of the time.

Our fruit is not just for ourselves. In fact, I would dare to say it’s not for us at all! It is to be shown to hurting people God puts into our paths, whether they are blood brothers/sisters in Christ or not. We, as the church, look so much like the world. We treat others with disrespect when we feel disrespected. We “don’t deserve to be treated that way,” and then demand better treatment. There are times to speak up – that is true – but how many times has the Lord told you to do so versus your flesh? How kind were you in the moment when you spoke up?

I’m a pretty direct person. I say what I mean and mean what I say. My husband likes to tell people that everyone knows where they stand with me, and I don’t see that as a bad thing. Only because I allow the kindness of God to be what speaks first. Not all the time, like I wish I would, but I’m hoping it’s more times than not. There is no doubt where I stand on things. I have my beliefs. I can tell you why I believe them according to the Word of God. I don’t apologize for those beliefs. However, I don’t treat others badly if they don’t agree. Anger and contempt never won anyone to another’s side of an issue. How can I expect someone to want to know Christ if malice and hatred are what I give them?

I’ve heard it said that kindness is free. No, it’s not. Kindness still requires a dying to self. It’s easy to be kind when others are doing the same. It is Godly to be kind when they are not kind to you. That fruit has to be something the Spirit does in you. We are not kind by human nature…not one of us. Thank God that He is not done with us, yet!

My Prayer: Dear God (Heavenly Daddy), My human side wants to be respected. I want to have others treat me well. They don’t always do that, but You call me to something greater still. You call me to be kind, as Your Son was kind, even as they tried Him, flogged Him, and crucified Him. He spoke no unkind words through it all. Make me more like Him. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:
A very early reader and lover of the written word, Allison M. Wilson has been writing since the age of 8 with the heart to impart stories and God's truth. 

She has judged countless contests for the last 25 years, reviewed for several online publications, professionally edited, and written articles and devotionals.

Wife, mother, writer, editor, teacher, mentor, and mompreneur, God keeps her busy while living in east central Florida with her family.

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Connect with Allison:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allisonmwilson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amwilson

Devotionals for the Heart: Legacy

Sharing Our Legacy
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

Tied up in losing people we love is that no one will ever know us just like that—ever again.

When my Gram died a few years ago, I didn’t just lose a confidante who understood the quirky humor and drive beneath my serious, bookish nature, or a woman with a fierce intellect and the sort of deep soul-wisdom I craved. I lost how good it felt to be understood by her. She “got” me on a level few in my world did, and with her passing, part of myself felt like it was slipping away.

Flipping through a photo album with my kids, I was horrified when my daughter didn’t remember her. I realized my children were never going to know her like I did—or know me through her eyes. I needed to do my part to change that: sharing stories and memories, passing on her legacy of authentic goodness and wit. She shaped so much of my life, my personality and my childhood. My kids needed to know this!

When Jesus died, his apostles were bereft, inconsolable, but he sent the Holy Spirit in his place to live within each them. The spirit transformed them with the power to spread the Gospel, growing the church from a handful of persecuted believers to a worldwide harvest of millions.

Just like I want to share the legacy of my late Gram so her beautiful soul can carry on in my children, we as Christians are propelled with the authority and all-encompassing command of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of the One True God, the Alpha and Omega, so all people can know Christ. The good news of the Gospel wasn’t gifted to humanity so it could be a secret for a select few but to be proclaimed so all can dance in the light of the Lord.

I love what the Apostle Peter wrote in his letter to the early believers: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people who are God’s own possession. You have become this people so that you may speak of the wonderful acts of the one who called you out of darkness into his amazing light. Once you weren’t a people, but now you are God’s people. Once you hadn’t received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10 CEB).

Jesus Christ called us out of darkness and into God’s glory. Why should we keep such good news hidden away? We are obligated to share, but more than that, we are honored to be able to share about the wondrous things that have happened to us because we chose to walk in the light. Because of this choice, we are God’s people. And because we share these stories, others can be God’s people, too.

Jesus said in the Gospel of Matthew, “You are the light of the world. A city on top of a hill can’t be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they put it on top of a lampstand, and it shines on all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before people, so they can see the good things you do and praise your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16 CEB). 

And in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus said, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the good news to every creature” (Mark 16:15 CEB).

Praise the Lord—we have an inheritance to share. Let’s do what we can to tell the world His story.

~*~
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, and a member of the Wholly Loved Ministries team.

Learn more about her fiction and read her faith blog at http://jessicabrodie.com/shiningthelight.

Devotionals for the Heart: Life lessons learned from the devotion of a bulldog

Bulldog Devotion
A devotional by Kristy Horine

“Establish Your word to Your servant, who is devoted to fearing You.”

– Psalm 119:38 (NKJV)

I once had a friend named Reeca. She once had a friend named George.

George weighed seventy pounds and was nearly twenty inches tall. His nose smashed back into his face. Furrows of wrinkles rippled from there all the way back to his ears. His teeth were horribly crooked, yet his severe under bite gave him quite an endearing countenance. His bowed legs and curled, stumpy tail rounded out the extraordinary features of his breed.

Yes, George was a dog. Although George was a prime specimen of English Bulldog, he possessed an admirable trait that far outweighed his physical characteristics – this dog was devoted.

He was devoted to the idea that he was a lap dog, despite his size. Those who survived his antics received a towel to sop up the viscous liquid that continually dripped from his enormous jowls.

He was devoted to the complete and utter destruction of Reeca’s daughter’s bike. It didn’t matter if the bike was parked or in use, George was intent on annihilation of the conveyance.

He was devoted to anything that remotely resembled food. Even with his five square meals a day, he stood at the ready to cocoon morsels in his giant tongue and draw them into the nether regions of his cavernous mouth.

Sometimes, I wish that I were a dog. Maybe it would make my life a bit easier. You see, my devotion is there, just not all there at all times. I go back and forth between being close to Jesus and being close to me. The struggle to have a wholly devoted heart for my Savior is real.

What am I to do with a heart that wants to be all in, but struggles with constancy?

I turn to my Father (God) and I read verses like Psalm 119:33-38 (NKJV): “Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it. Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way. Establish Your word to Your servant, who is devoted to fearing You.”

God is there to offer strength in my weakness and focus in my fractures. Notice the terms of responsibility in this passage.

The inside work comes from the Lord. 

Remember these key points:

· He teaches the way.

· He gives understanding.

· He moves my heart.

· He revives me.

· He establishes His word. 

Please note: The outside work comes from me. Remember these key points too:

· I move my hands and my feet to serve.

· I dedicate time to the Lord.

· I obey.

My physical work is simply an outpouring of my gratitude for His transformative work in my heart, and the food for this journey is a heaping helping of holy words found in God’s Word (The Holy Bible).

My Prayer: Oh, Dearest, Most Holy Father (God), You have used the foolish antics of a dog to keep me from being wise in my own eyes. I praise You for Your loving kindness in every day lessons. I plead like the Psalmist in Psalm 119:33-38. Work on my inside so it proves my devotion to You on the outside.

~*~
Author Bio:

Kristy Horine is a Kentucky writer, freelance journalist by trade and creative by God’s grace.

She writes a little bit of everything including poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction. Her professional and creative work has been published in newspapers, magazines and anthologies in Kentucky and beyond.

Kristy founded 3rd Letter Christian Writers in Lexington, Kentucky in 2015. Read more of her work at www.kristyhorine.com.

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:

Devotionals for the Heart: On Worry

Worry is a Distraction
A devotional by Temeka Borden

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” 

– Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

What are you worried about right now—a family member, your job, your health, making ends meet, an upcoming exam, other people’s opinions of you? 

Now, how many times have we worried about something and everything turned out just fine? Speaking for myself, I can say numerous times. 

I think many of us worry unnecessarily, perhaps more than we would like to admit. Thankfully, over the years, I have grown substantially in that area once I finally got it—once I finally realized that worry does absolutely nothing for me.

I have been saying the following for years: Worry is a distraction. Worry is a tool the enemy uses in an attempt to get your focus off of God. Worry is a tool the enemy uses in an attempt to make you forget that the Lord has all power and authority. Worry is a tool the enemy uses in an attempt to dampen your spirit and make you feel all hope is lost. Worry is a tool the enemy uses in an attempt to distract you from your spiritual mission. Simply put, worry is not of God.

The Scriptures remind us to not worry. The Scriptures remind us to not fret. The Scriptures remind us to place all of our trust in the Lord. The Scriptures remind us that if we “seek the Kingdom of God first and His righteousness” then He will take care of us. The Scriptures remind us of how powerful God’s wisdom is. Thus, we are to trust His wisdom, despite how things look. We are to trust His wisdom and be confident and comforted in the fact that He knows what He is doing, even when things don’t quite make sense to us.

I understand that because we are human, we will have our moments. However, we must remind ourselves of who dwells within us. God’s Spirit (the Holy Spirit) lives in us, and a fruit of the Spirit is peace (Read Galatians 5:22).

When worry tries to seep into your soul, remind yourself of what the Scriptures say about who God is and who you are because of Him. Remind yourself that God has everything under control. Remind yourself that nothing is too hard for our Lord. Remind yourself that all things are possible with God. Remind yourself that God is our Shepherd and that He provides for His sheep.

Just think of the Israelites and how God fed them with manna and quail as they journeyed through the wilderness. He met their needs, and when we continue to place the Lord first, He will meet all of our needs as well.

~*~
Author Bio:

Temeka Borden, better known by her pen name, Positivity Inspires, is an author, speaker, minister, and servant of the Lord. She was introduced to Christ at a very early age and was raised in the church. Her ministry focuses on encouraging Christians to love God first, to love all people, to continually strengthen their bond with Christ, and to study His Word, and live His Word daily.  

After recently experiencing what she describes as the "lowest point in her life," Positivity Inspires wrote the following about herself to serve as an encouragement and reminder of who she is in Christ:

"I am a child of God. He loves me unconditionally. Although I have my shortcomings, He has blessed me with a desire to do what is right. I have been blessed with many natural and spiritual gifts. I am an author. I am a speaker. I am a teacher. I am a runner. I am a drummer. I am a singer (when I’m in the mood), and I have a strong 'fashion sense.' I am loved. My family and friends are my heart, and I know they will support me no matter what. I am educated. I currently have two degrees (one of them a doctorate), and with God’s help, I will complete a third degree soon. I am a multi-state licensed medical professional who completed a specialty residency, which prepared me for the workforce (and made me a FORCE to be reckoned with). I am a leader. I have served in administrative roles and was successful in those positions because I made a difference (with God’s help). I am ambitious, and I know that with God, all things are possible. I know He is going to do great things through me."

Positivity Inspires loves God and she loves people. She strongly encourages others to show kindness, respect, and love to everyone. Positivity Inspires loves and welcomes diversity and flourishes in culturally diverse environments. She also is passionate about giving back to the community, and her favorite mantras are: "Speak Up!" and "Watch God Work!"

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Connect with Temeka:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/positivity_inspires/
Facebook - www.Facebook.com/positivityinspirespage
Twitter - https://twitter.com/PInspires/