Tag Archives: Example

Jesus Things – Tim Wade

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In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. John 1:4

I think I was the youngest person to ever work as a mall Santa. Seventy-two-year-old Evelyn thought so as she pulled down my itchy fake beard and inspected my youthful twenty-three-year-old face. Evelyn had her picture taken with Santa every year of her life, and now it was my turn. “You sure are a young one,” she observed, as I did my best to re-attach my beard.

But not every experience was as traumatic as the one with Evelyn. My most memorable experience was of a little girl with long curly brown hair, soft brown dancing eyes, and a bright warm smile.

“What is your name?” I asked as she hopped up on my lap.

“My name is Amy,” she said ducking her head.

“How old are you, Amy?”

Amy held up five fingers.

“And what do you want for Christmas?”

“I want a Cabbage Patch Doll, My Little Pony, a necklace, and Jesus things,” replied Amy.

“Jesus things?” I asked. “What are Jesus things?”

Amy shrugged her shoulders and smiled. “I don’t know. Just Jesus things.”

I wished Amy a Merry Christmas and told her I would do my best to get her everything on her list.

A week later the job was over.

As I walked past Santa’s throne one last time, someone asked what we were going to do with all the children’s letters to Santa that had been stuffed in his mailbox. I volunteered to take them and once back home began to look through them. Among them was one written in crayon from a little girl named Amy.

Dear Santa,
I want a Cabbage Patch Doll, My Little Pony, a necklace, and Jesus things.”
Love Amy

At the bottom of the page was a picture of each gift, a manger scene, and a cross…and then I got it.

In a way that few adults rarely understand, Amy had grasped the true meaning of Christmas; that Jesus had been born in a manger so that he could die on a cross. But Amy not only understood that Jesus had been sent to earth to die for the sins of the world, she also understood that he had come to give us all a present – eternal life. She could not put her understanding of this gift of life into words, but she could feel it in her spirit. It was a gift God had given her, and the gift she wanted the world to have; salvation that comes only from the only begotten Son of God – Jesus things.

Tim Wade is married to Shannon and is the father to four daughters and one son. A former college pastor and current part time teacher of grades K5-12 in a private Christian school, Tim has a heart for kids, loves to teach the Bible, and has a passion for learning. Tim has degrees in Religion and Divinity and has written for Deeper Devotion Magazine, and Focus on the Family’s Clubhouse Magazine.

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His Way – She Said

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His Way

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:8 NIV

Listen to His Way – She Said

She always got her way. My childhood friend was two years younger than me and bossy. She always had to go first and when we played pretend house, she was always the mommy and I was the cat. (Thank goodness she didn’t know about litter boxes or I’m sure I’d have ended up in one.)

I’ve never been one who thrived on having my way. In fact, when I’m put in a situation where there is confrontation over who’s right, I get queasy. My husband and I discuss calmly rather than argue. We rarely screamed at our kids, rather we worked from the old fashioned theory, “My word is good and if I say no, I mean no. If you disobey, there is a consequence.” In this case, our way was the way.

I was raised in a southern, conservative home plopped in the middle of the Bible Belt…a place where values were truly valuable and folks believed in the golden rule. God’s way.

I’m happy to step to the side for the greater good. I don’t have to always be right or have my way, but I’d be lying if I said I never went for a few unnecessary triumphs. I, like most, am weak and selfish at times. Still, my folks taught me to choose my battles. Fight the ones that were important—ask the question, “In the greater scheme of things, is this really worth a fight?” More times than not, it wasn’t.

I learned when it was important to demand my way—like when we battled the school system for our learning-disabled son. I understand my way is not always the right way or the only way and gaining what I want in an instant may not be the best for the future.

The entire chapter of Isaiah 55 is “God’s way.” He promises us an everlasting covenant of love. So when I get to the part that says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” I have to grasp hold of the one whose way is the only way… the unfailing, unshakeable, and unchangeable way of God. Do I always understand it? Nope. But I know He is far greater than me.

In my own selfish and stubborn attitudes, I sometimes battle God for His undeniable best way. Even when it’s hard, God knows best and my concession to Him is not weakness but obedience. In my obedience, is His covenant of love…a much better trade.

When you think your way is better, stop. Turn loose and let Him lead for His way is far better.

Read Cindy’s devotions

HE SAID, SHE SAID RADIO IS MOVING TO MONDAY NIGHT…Join us as we delve deeper into the meaning of God’s word and apply it to our own lives.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and cofounders of ChristianDevotions.us. They cowrite the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host Blog Talk Radio’s Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! along with Scott McCausey. And now you can catch them each Friday evening at their new time, MONDAY’S at 6 p.m. on He Said, She Said Radio. (Call in number, 646-929-0706 ).

Do you sense something vital missing from you relationship with your spouse, children, and God?

Try He Said, She Said: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion. This compilation of 54 devotions includes scripture verses, space for journaling, individual prayers and words of wisdom from two of today’s funniest and insightful Christian authors. This heart-warming collection of stories will inspire you to reach for the true source of joy: a life lived for and through God. These deeply personal devotions offer biblical insights and spiritual truths from the perspective of one man and one woman.

He Said, She Said: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion
by Cindy Sproles & Eddie Jones

That's Why They Call It Making Love: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion

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By Many or by Few – Harriet Michael

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Jonathon said to the attendant, who carried his weapons, ‘Come and let us cross over to the garrison perhaps the Lord will help us. Nothing can keep the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.’ 1st Samuel 14:6 NAS

My husband stood firm in his beliefs. It wasn’t easy, but He held tight to God’s word. He was appointed to the board of trustees of a seminary only to discover he was in the middle of a controversy over the nature of scripture. My husband stood firm in his belief that God’s word was inerrant and true even though for a while it seemed he was alone in his stand. By the end of his second term on the board, the seminary had changed directions.

King Saul’s son, Jonathon, attempted a solo military mission accompanied by only his armor bearer. The Bible relates the story of two brave men who attempted to conquer their enemy alone — with only themselves and God. And conquer they did! God handed a victory to the Israelites that day using just two men whose faith was great.

My father has always said, “One with the Lord is a majority.” The story of Jonathon proves my father is right. One with the Lord IS a majority. In fact, the Lord by Himself is a majority even if none should follow Him. Job acknowledged this truth when he said, I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.

What is God speaking to you about today? Rejoice in whatever direction He is leading you. And if in doing what God has for you today, you find yourself standing alone, remember the truth of Jonathan’s words. Nothing can keep the Lord from saving (doing His work), whether by many or by few — or by one! May God show you His mighty hand today. When you are grounded in Him, stand firm.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank you for your presence with us. Thank you that we are not alone, even when it seems that way to us. And we especially thank you for strengthening us and enabling us to do whatever it is You have asked of us.

Thought for the Day: Stand firm. You are not alone. The God who created you and called you for His purposes will accomplish what He has planned – whether by many or by few.

Harriet Michael is a freelance writer in Louisville, KY. Her work has appeared in devotional and other Christian magazines as well as the anthology, Love is a Flame and the devotional book, The Women of Southern, A Walk Through the Psalms. Reared in Africa as the daughter of missionaries, she has been married for 31 years. She and her husband have 4 children and 1 grandchild. Follow Harriet at www.whatHehasdoneformysoul.blogspot.com.
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Halloween Head – Jackie Brown

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A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1

I’ve been called many names, but never an orange pumpkin. “Mom, your hair looks like an orange pumpkin,” my  ten-year-old daughter confessed.

I decided on a whim to have my black hair highlighted for the first time. It was six months after having a baby, so my hair was growing like wildfire, but I wanted a change. Every new mom wants a new “do” to restore the damage that’s been done after losing a few thousand strands prior to delivery.

It was three months since my highlight and the color had definitely faded. I looked at my reflection and secretly agreed with my daughter, but I didn’t want to confess it out loud. Instead, I snapped. “That’s not a nice thing to say. You can leave now.”

“You say things like that to me, Mom. You tell me I have a rat’s nest in my hair,” she said.

During the week, I’d allowed my heart to process what she was saying and it aligned with my memory verse for the week: A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

My daughter was right and it took my Halloween-looking head (think black and orange stripes) to coax my heart that I was wrong. I’ve said harsh words to her about her hair for a long time and when she shared her opinion, I bit her head off. The proverb is correct, it did stir up anger inside of me and I know what I’ve said and done has done the same for her.

My prayer is to be gentle with my words. I am working on being a positive, encouraging mom so I can build up my daughter and my entire family. 

Seek out good encouragement. Submerge yourself in the Word of God. Let His words be yours.

Father, thank you for my precious daughter and my silly pumpkin head, (which I will now fix) to remind me of my harsh words. Forgive me for being a hypocrite as I memorized my verse without putting it into action. I pray for kind, gentle, uplifting words to come out of my mouth.

Jackie Brown is a wife and mom to four children. She is the founder of a non-profit freezer cooking ministry within her church of 5000. Her blog, Mom on a Mission for Christ, attracts women who want to cook whole foods and freeze meals for their family while helping both church and community. Formerly an abandoned, homeless orphan, Jackie has the opportunity to serve homeless women and children monthly through her passion for freezer cooking. She enjoys speaking, reading, writing, camping, and family. www.cookandplay.webs.com.

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Invited – She Said

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Invited to the Banquet

Then he told his slaves, ‘The banquet is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore, go to where the roads exit the city and invite everyone you find to the banquet. ‘ So those slaves went out on the roads and gathered everyone they found, both evil and good. The wedding banquet was filled with guests. Matthew 22:8-10 HCSB

Listen to You’re Invited – She Said

Leadership directive 1: Set aside time for those who move your agenda ahead. Defer the rest to lower management.

I’ve been left out of a lot of things in my life. Some mattered, others didn’t. But the day I stood at a Fortune 500 Company National Sales meeting and read the first line of their leadership directives, I knew I’d never advance in the company.

Our director of sales walked into a room filled with executives and closed the door in my face. It only took seconds for me to figure out even my best was not good enough to move her and her agenda ahead.

It was an empty feeling. My desire was not to be in a company leadership position. I tried to make the cut but the truth was, my heart wasn’t in it. I didn’t want that type of position. I loved working with employees and the sales staff. My goal wasn’t to advance upward, but to expand outward. Without my production, the executive director wouldn’t move ahead. Result. I wasn’t invited to the meetings. Turned away. Referred to lower management.

In the parable of the wedding banquet, Jesus showed the importance of every individual. This king’s friends were too busy to attend the banquet so he opened the doors to everyone. Some were good, some not, but the fact was…everyone was invited. No one was left out of the invitation.

Christ offers us an invitation to know Him, to be a part of Him. He sets the table and waits for us to join Him at the feast. Sadly enough, more chose to be too busy than those who chose to make time. For those who accept the invitation, Jesus opens His arms and welcomes them.

The leadership directive Christ offers is far different than that of some corporate agendas. Trust in me, I will provide. Come to me, I will save you. Seek and you will find. You are my bride. I prepare a place for you.

I didn’t advance my executive director because my heart was in a different place. She closed the door; didn’t invite me in. But Jesus, in His unconditional love, welcomes me to His banquet.

He welcomes you too. All you have to do is accept.

Read Cindy’s devotions.

Today’s He Said, She Said marks another in a new series with a focus on God’s promises. Join us over the next few weeks as we claim the goodness of God in our “weakly” lives. – EJ & CS

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and cofounders of ChristianDevotions.us. They cowrite the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host Blog Talk Radio’s Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! along with Scott McCausey. And now you can catch them each Friday evening at their new time, 6 p.m. on He Said, She Said Radio. (Call in number, 646-929-0706 ).

Do you sense something vital missing from you relationship with your spouse, children, and God?

Try He Said, She Said: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion. This compilation of 54 devotions includes scripture verses, space for journaling, individual prayers and words of wisdom from two of today’s funniest and insightful Christian authors. This heart-warming collection of stories will inspire you to reach for the true source of joy: a life lived for and through God. These deeply personal devotions offer biblical insights and spiritual truths from the perspective of one man and one woman.

He Said, She Said: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion
by Cindy Sproles & Eddie Jones

That's Why They Call It Making Love: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion

Print version $9.95
Kindle eBook $2.99
NOOK eBook $2.99

Tortilla Chip Revelation – Barbara Winters

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Worship the Lord your God, and his blessings will be on your food and water. Exodus 23:25 NIV

I almost ate a tortilla chip from my daughter’s plate.

“So what?” you may ask.

God gave me a directive: Eat a special diet for one week. The simple act of reaching for the chip indicated I was on auto-pilot. My routine was second nature. I thought little before popping my favorite foods into my mouth.

God gave the Israelites a directive before reaching the Promised Land: Do not bow down before their (the enemies’) gods or worship them or follow their practices. You must demolish them and break their sacred stones to pieces. Had I fallen before my god? Had food crept in and become a god in my life without my realization?

Misleading influences casually slip through the cracks into our lives – a television commercial for Pizza Hut, a church potluck with Mabel’s famous chocolate pie, a candy bar fundraiser for the local sports team. Before we know it, we’re knee deep in extra calories and foods to which God previously said, “No.” We are in enemy territory worshiping their gods.

We can allow our focus to shift from God to food, succumb to the world’s way of thinking, and begin justifying improper eating habits. However, our justifications are invalid. And this path leads to destruction – physically and spiritually.

Pause and evaluate God’s directive for you in the area of eating. If you find yourself in the position of justifying improper eating habits, demolish those beliefs. Take captive your thoughts, and replace them with truth.

God’s directive to the Israelites came with a promise. If they worshiped God, and God alone, He would bless their food and water. This principle is true for us. When we worship God, He will direct our eating and, subsequently, bless our food and water.

Lord, I desire to worship You, and You alone. Show me if I justify eating improperly. Take my thoughts captive and speak truth into my life.

Barbara Winters and her husband, Don, have four children, Kevin, JT, Kenneth, and Melinda. Barbara home schools her children and encourages her husband in his pastorate position. Barbara writes a column on the characteristics of God for Lucid Magazine at www.lucidmagazine.com, has several articles available for purchase at Churchmouse Publications, and writes two blogs: http://foodliesandtruth.blogspot.com/ http://thefatherheartofgod.blogspot.com/

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A Fountain of Living Water – Nan Trammell Jones

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Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:14

A young woman sat by the hospital elevator weeping. She gripped her cell phone and between deep gasps, described her mother’s critical condition to her support system on the other end. Fear and despair translated through her voice. Anguish seeped through her soul.

And she sat alone.

My husband and I looked at each other and without saying a word, we sat down, knowing that we could not leave this woman without first offering comfort. When she finished her phone call, we gently approached her. David offered his handkerchief. I offered a hug. We held her, allowing her to expend the emotions that were ripping her apart.

The Lord has been teaching us the best evangelism is relational evangelism. The Holy Spirit lives within us – the wellspring of Living Water dwells deep within us. When we allow God to release the valve, so to speak, His love and grace and mercy will overflow into a hurting world. God’s love will draw people to Him.

And that’s exactly what happened. We didn’t need to quote 50 scriptures alongside the Four Spiritual Laws. All God required of us was to allow Him to love this young woman through us. It was awesome. We comforted her. We prayed with her. She took us back to ICU to meet her mom where this remarkable God-moment continued with more encouragement and prayer.

It was so wonderful to be used as a vessel of God. There’s something about pouring out His living water that not only revives someone else, but quenches our own thirst as well.

Do you care enough to share a drink?

Nan Trammell Jones is thankful for the opportunity God has provided her to develop a long-awaited speaking and writing ministry called Jubilant Light Ministries. She and her husband, David, are called to reach and restore broken lives through the power of God’s presence. You may visit Nan at her website: www.jubilantlight.com. She also writes a daily devotional blog, Morning Glory: http://morningglorylights.blogspot.com/ which is written to teach small nuggets of gold from God’s Word.
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Not Even a Hint – Jeff Fisher

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But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Ephesians 5:3

My 10-year-old son agonized for several weeks. The challenge was to learn the 50 US states, their capitals, and attempt to spell them correctly. It was a daunting task for a 5th grader. He worked hard, identifying Montpelier as the capital of Vermont and he knew that somewhere in North Dakota there was a city called Bismarck. As he stressed over his upcoming test, he said “Dad, I hope I pass. I need to get 70%.”

Sometimes I wish God’s standards for my life weren’t so high and hard. I wish He would be OK with a 70% effort in the area of righteous living. How about it God? Doesn’t a “C” in Christianity sound nice?

But His standards are higher . . . much higher. God calls me to be holy. He wants me to be perfect in Christian living. He wants my whole body, mind, and spirit set aside for His purposes.

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. This verse encompasses more than sexual immorality and greed. Its range is broad and calls for no hint of any impurity.

When I set my own standards for Christian living, they end up being much lower than His best. I feel OK when I arrive at a certain level and stop depending on Him. I plateau and stagnate at places where holiness becomes difficult.

There are many times when I want a  ”hint” of something I’m not supposed to have. I might want to hang on to a bad relationship or a bad habit. I might want to be angry or vengeful for a while. I might not want to get rid of those movies, music, and computer websites that dirty up my life.

Isn’t it funny how a hint never seems to be enough? When I open the door to impurity, I end up wanting more. The trap snaps quickly and I get dragged down the wrong path.

God’s call is high. You can’t get away with being partially holy. God wants you wholly holy. You can’t hang on to a hint of anything unrighteous and still please Him.

Dear God, help me to strive for your high standards of holiness. I’m dependent on You to help me get there. Amen.

Jeff Fisher is a financial analyst by day and a blogger/podcaster by night. He has a background in ministry and has pastored churches in Texas and New York. He and his wife live in Cary, NC with their two sons and run the website Porn to Purity. Jeff is also host of the Top Tips For Sexual Purity Podcast, available on I-Tunes.
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In God’s Time – Kelli Kossel

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Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. Psalm 37:7

“Are we there yet?” What adult doesn’t cringe at this question when traveling with their children?

I’m impatient when it comes to waiting on God. It’s an area of my life that never seems to go fast enough. I find myself waiting in eager anticipation of His response—wanting God to answer right away. Fix the problems now. “If only you would do this one thing for me, God, I promise to…” or, “If you really loved me, you would…”

God’s idea of time is vastly different from ours. To Him, the entire span of our lifetime passes in the blink of an eye. God isn’t slow answering our prayers. He has a plan and His timing is always perfect. He wants us to be patient just as He is patient with us. The lessons I may need to learn may take some time. I learn to wait patiently for Him as my trust grows. He knows what is best for me — obedience.

God has us wait for His answers for several reasons. If our prayer is selfish or has the wrong motive, God may fill our heart with compassion. He always has our best interest at heart and will not grant us something that isn’t good for us.

Out of trials, pain, and temptations grows patience and dependence on God. Sometimes we need to endure hardships long enough to come out stronger in faith.

We must learn to rely on Him. God sometimes answers in unexpected ways. I’ve sometimes found an answer revealed in the midst of a surprising response.

Be assured, God hears your prayers and His answer will come, even if you feel like He has forgotten. Remember His goal is to bring us closer to Him.

As you await God’s answer to your prayers, be patient and trust Him.

Kelli is a licensed Acupuncturist and, as part of her practice, counsels people about nutrition, stress management, and other lifestyle behaviors related to health promotion and prevention of disease. She has a passion for writing Christian philosophy, Christian living, devotions, poetry, and health related topics. Kelli is known for taking difficult biblical principles and teaching readers how to apply them to their everyday lives. She shares her heart in both her work and writing.
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Get Up and Pray – Harriet Michael

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The captain went to him and said, ‘How can you sleep? Get up and call on your God! Maybe He will take notice of us and we will not perish.’ Jonah 1:6 NIV

Susan is a joy. She loves the Lord and she’s someone I look up to. I enjoy hearing her opinion and getting her perspective on things. But in addition to being insightful, she’s also one of the funniest people I know.

Susan leads a women’s Bible study in her home. After each study, we share a casual lunch. At one of our first luncheons, I noticed an index card on Susan’s refrigerator that read: “Why are you sleeping? Get up and call on your God!”

“What’s this about?” I asked.

“Oh, this is a Bible verse. The captain of Jonah’s ship said it to Jonah when he woke him up as he slept in the bottom of the ship. Someone pointed it out to me once and I thought it was great. But sometimes I’m not so sure. When I wake up in the middle of the night for no apparent reason, this verse always comes to my mind. I begin to think of all the people and situations that need prayer. Often I get up and slip into the spare room to pray. After spending some time in prayer, I am always able to fall back to sleep but sometimes I wish this verse didn’t swirl around in my head in the middle of the night.”

I frequently think about Susan’s words and the verse that inspired them. Unlike my friend and others I know who sometimes battle insomnia, I don’t have trouble sleeping. I’m one of those people who can sleep anywhere, any time. For me the verse pops into my mind in the mornings rather than in the middle of the night. I wake up hearing the voice in my head telling me to “Get up and pray to God!” I’m reminded that the focus of my day should be my Lord.

When you feel God’s nudge to pray, don’t hesitate. He’s calling you to an important task.

Harriet Michael is a freelance writer in Louisville, KY. Her work has appeared in devotional and other Christian magazines as well as the anthology, Love is a Flame and the devotional book, The Women of Southern, A Walk Through the Psalms. Reared in Africa as the daughter of missionaries, Harriet has been married for 31 years and has 4 children and 1 grandchild. Visit Harriet at her blog www.whatHehasdoneformysoul.blogspot.com.

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