Traveling 60 miles per hour, I glanced to the right just in time to see a white sedan heading straight for me—right into my lane as if I wasn’t even there! I jerked my steering wheel to the left to avoid a collision. The next thing I knew, I was in a crazy spin and three lanes over, looking at the panicked face of a man driving toward me. My hands clenched the steering wheel as I cried out, “JESUS!”

The fact that I wrote this article is proof I am still on planet Earth. I did regain control of my car. All I know is I was headed for a bad wreck, I called on Jesus, my car stopped hurtling toward another car, and I found myself between the white dotted lines and heading in the right direction. I was panicked. Jesus heard my cry. Peril became pure astonishment.

I pulled over into the emergency lane to still my soul. “Thank You, Jesus!” I said over and over. Tears fell down my cheeks.

It was surreal—like what the disciples experienced when Jesus came walking across the sea. Their boat was in serious trouble, fighting the wind and waves, and they were struggling. They were afraid. And what did Jesus do?

Jesus spoke to them at once.

“Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!” Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed. Mark 6:50-51 (NLT)

Take courage. He is here. This is the same message He sends to each of us who call on Him. He will calm the storm that frightens us. His presence alone brings peace. The verse says “he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped.”

When I was headed for a collision, Jesus climbed into my red car and it stopped spinning out of control. He was with me. He set my car back between the lines. He demonstrated His mighty power over physics and His tremendous love for His child. And even if He had chosen to allow my car to crash, I know He would have been with me to bring peace to my soul in that outcome.

The plagues God used to convince Pharaoh to “Let His people go!” amazed both Egyptians and Israelites. The Egyptians felt the brunt of God’s might; the Israelites received protection from the horrible plagues. All involved were awe-struck by God’s power.

God parted the water ahead of the Israelites when their escape route dead-ended at a huge sea. They walked across the seabed on dry land with two large seawalls on either side of them. The Egyptian army barreled in behind them. And the Israelites watched as God crashed the sea waters on top of their enemies.

Wow! Whoever saw such things could never doubt God’s power or provision for “His people.” Except… these very people.

They were thirsty. They had gone several days without water. They told Moses they would rather die in Egypt (as slaves) than suffer through God’s plan (Exodus 14:11-12).

What? How could they not see the goodness of God—that He was for them? He had freed them from slavery. He had turned a raging sea into a dry pathway. He had done the impossible for them. But they became thirsty.

Their temporary circumstances caused them to forget how much God had done for them in the past. Their human nature provoked them to doubt God’s goodness.

Sound like you and me sometimes?

Oh, how wonderful it would be to have unwavering faith—always certain of God’s goodness, no matter what our current situation.

But life brings a mixed bag of experiences. We face disappointments and hurt from those we love. Our childlike faith in people we trust dwindles. And so it goes with our faith in God. We prayed for financial help and ended up losing a home. We asked for healing and the person died. We don’t understand and we lose faith. We become doubters.

Deuteronomy 6:5 says,

“And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.” (NLT)

Jesus says it is the most important commandment (Mark 12:29-30).

Loving God with all our heart, soul, and strength is key to overcoming doubt. It cements our faith and abolishes doubt.

Isaiah 55:8 says,

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” (NLT)

Trying to understand God with our human logic wastes time and energy. It’s not a faith-builder. When we walk the dry seabed with water-walls one day and question God’s goodness the next, it shows our faith depends on our circumstances. They change. God does not.

Instead, through faith, when the foreclosure happens, we choose to love God. When our friend dies, we love God. We accept His answer to our prayers and use all our heart, soul and strength to love Him. Especially when we don’t understand.

We must remember it is not this life on earth we live for. Our time here is brief compared to eternity.

“If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it.” Luke 17:33 (NLT)

What are you clinging to today? Will you put your trust in God and let it go?

Today’s Devotions

It started with a sniffle and a headache. “It must be my allergies,” I thought. I began taking allergy medication, but there was no relief. “I must have a cold,” I reasoned to myself. So, I took cold medicine and still, no relief. Then one morning I woke up and couldn’t get out of bed. My energy was depleted. “Could it be that I have the coronavirus?” I wondered.

My husband and I both tested positive for COVID-19. We spent the next three weeks in our room, isolated from our children, who now had to fend for themselves. The enemy of my soul began to have a field day in my mind. Constant thoughts of abandonment and despair filled my head. My dreams were torturous, leaving me unable to get any rest.

After days of this cycle, my spirit went into action. I began to take authority over my thoughts (2 Corinthians 10:5). I began to force myself to get out of bed and sit outside in the sun. I charged myself to walk around my room. At times, taking simple steps left me gasping for air.

One night I was barely able to breathe. I felt certain that my life was coming to an end. I prayed, “Should I go to the hospital?” I felt that God was directing me to stay at home. With that in mind, I began to tell the Lord that I didn’t want my life to end, but if it had to, I hoped that I had done everything that He wanted me to do. I asked Him to find my husband someone to be a wife and a mother for our children, and to comfort all those who would miss me.

A Scripture from Isaiah came to mind and I declared that “by His stripes I am healed”:

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 (KJV)

Then: He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you. Deuteronomy 31:8 (NLT).

 

I petitioned the Lord for my healing. You see, this was not the first time I’d had been presented with an urgent need for healing, and I knew that if He had done it for me before, He could certainly do it again. I prayed fervently through the night. Gasping desperately for air, I cried out to the Lord. After praying, I remember experiencing a peace that I can’t explain.

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 4:7 (NLT)

I drifted off to sleep. The next morning, I awoke feeling different. After weeks of having a fever over 101, I took my temperature and it was 98.7. God did it! I was healed. I immediately praised God for what He had done. The Scripture that came to me was from the Gospel of Mark:

And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.” Mark 5:34 (NLT)

Healing is real. God is still well able to do all things for you.

Questions to consider:

Do you have a need or situation that you feel is impossible for God to work with?

Would you accept His invitation to trust Him with all things, including the outcome?

Today’s Devotions

Our culture takes pride in our learning, technology, military, and wealth. Yet God says,

“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches.” (Jeremiah 9:23 NKJV)

Instead, He tells us in v. 24:

“Let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight.”

When we understand and know God—and when we exercise His attributes in our own lives—He guides us through every situation.

The first attribute He names is lovingkindness—that wonderful covenant love He has toward His people. And this is love:

That while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

We didn’t think of salvation; it was His idea to redeem us.

When I was dying of cerebral malaria years ago, I learned something that I wouldn’t trade for any other experience. I had to surrender to God completely and learn that—no matter what we face—He is Lord, and all His acts are lovingkindness. We can trust Him even when we don’t understand our circumstances.

God says in Zechariah 13:9,

“I … will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested.”

How is this accomplished? In the fire. When we are under pressure, any sinful attitudes in our hearts are exposed. God uses these times to refine us and set us free from anger and bitterness. He cleanses us so we can have a right spirit. We want everything within us to be acceptable in His sight. The purpose of our struggles is to refine us. He wants to bring forth silver and gold.

God then says:

“They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; and each one will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’” v. 9

Our relationship with God is precious to Him; is it precious to us?

When God gave instructions for the Feast of Pentecost, called the Feast of Weeks, the only offering required was the peace offering. It was an offering made by fire—not made because of guilt, but to fellowship in God’s presence. Leviticus 9:22-24 records that when Aaron made the first offerings on the altar of the Holy Place, fire came down from the Lord to consume the sacrifices. Significantly, on the Day of Pentecost, tongues of fire came down from heaven and settled on the believers (see Acts 2:3).

That fire is still burning today—

For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:29

The more we know Him and yield to Him, the more we can give Him glory and walk in a manner worthy of our calling. God bless you.

Today’s Devotions

Does praying come easily for you? I struggled with it. After I truly met Jesus, my life completely changed and as part of my transformation, I wanted to serve in any way that I could. I volunteered to usher and help greet during Sunday morning worship service, and even teach children’s Bible classes. As I grew in my understanding of who the Lord was, I still struggled with praying. I had a hard time when I was by myself and even more so in front of others. What should I say? What is the Lord leading me to say? What is the right thing to say?

Throughout Scripture, the Lord provides examples of prayers for us. One of my favorites is the Aaronic blessing given in Numbers 6:22-27:

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them:

“The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.”’

So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.” (NKJV)

According to Jewish tradition, when the high priests spoke this blessing over the assembly, they would raise their hands, separating their fingers into sets of two fingers (think of Spock’s Vulcan sign), representing the Hebrew letter shin for Shaddai (All-Sufficient). The Almighty’s Divine Presence would shine through their fingers as the blessing was being said, causing the people in the assembly to avert their eyes—out of respect for the Lord’s presence, or out of fear. What an amazing image of the Lord’s power and faithfulness! Can you imagine a blessing so powerful that the glory of the Lord would visibly shine upon His people?

While living in Hawaii, we attended a Wednesday night Bible class, and at the beginning we would not only pray together but would pray over each other individually. Admittedly at first, I had a hard time knowing how to pray. Who was I to pray over someone? Could the Lord really use me to enact His will and put His blessings on others like he used His priests?

As believers, we know that the answer is YES! By the blood of our Savior and through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are a royal priesthood made to serve the Lord (1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 1:6). Before Jesus left His disciples, He told them that they would perform greater things than Him if they believe and ask in His name (John 14:12-14). We have been given the power to pray over others the Lord’s physical blessings, spiritual blessings, and for the Lord’s peace so that the Lord will be glorified through His Son.

In Hawaii, we witnessed healings, physical blessings, people being called into different ministries, loved ones coming to Jesus, and the blessings continue. Just as with Aaron, the Lord’s divine presence was shining as we prayed. The Lord showed me that asking for His blessing on others is an important part of prayer. We ask El Shaddai, the All-Sufficient One, for His favor, His blessings, and His peace; what He provides is sufficient for us. Have you recently prayed for blessings over your loved ones? As part of His royal priesthood, let us ask our Father for His face to shine upon those around us.

Today’s Devotions

Have you ever asked God: What is my purpose in life? If so, I’m right there with you. Sometimes life can throw you a curveball, or storms may crash upon the shores of your heart that make you question God’s will for your life—and if that’s where you’re at today, friend, I want to encourage you.

Today’s Scripture readings for CBN’s “Bible in a Year” plan are Numbers 3 – 4, and Mark 3:20-35 (if you haven’t had a chance to read those yet, take a moment to do so). When you dive into the Old Testament book of Numbers, you see in the first few chapters the grand organization of the nation of Israel and instructions for how the tabernacle is to be run (which was the dwelling place for God’s Spirit at the time).

As you read chapter 3, you see that certain tribes and clans are called to perform sacred duties and tasks in the tabernacle. For example, Aaron (Moses’ brother) and his sons were called to be the priests, and the tribe of Levi was called to assist them. As you move into chapter 4, you see this organizational chart continue to be written out. The Lord then calls the specific clans within the tribe of Levi, such as the Kohathites and Gershonites, to perform duties like handling the most sacred objects for transport (Numbers 4:4-6), general service, and carrying loads (Numbers 4:24-27).

By now, you might be thinking, what’s the point of all of this? And again, I’m right there with you. As we digest this passage let’s:

• remember the spirit and purpose of the law (see Galatians 3:23-25)
• not forget that Jesus’ death and resurrection have fulfilled the purpose for that way of life (see Matthew 5:17). We now live in an era where we each are like a tabernacle, housing the Spirit of God.

Let’s take a step back and see the bigger picture. Though each tribe, clan and individual within the nation of Israel had a specific task or duty to perform, they all served a larger purpose—to serve and obey the Living God.

If you’re questioning God’s purpose for your life, let this be a reminder: Don’t let the details overwhelm the purpose. As sons and daughters of God, we are all called to the amazing, life-giving purpose of serving Jesus. Don’t get stressed out because you’re not exactly sure how that’s going to look, just focus on the bigger picture—serving God in every area of your life.

Let the Holy Spirit guide you step by step, day by day, and eventually you’ll look at your life and see that God was guiding you into the beautiful and unique destiny He had for you all along. The path might get bumpy, have unexpected turns, but God is faithful. You can trust Him and bank on the fact that as you continue to abide in Him each day, His plans and purposes for your life are bright and full of wonder.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Honor Your Parents

Kent Van Til, Today Devotions

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 6:1-4

“Honor your father and your mother . . . so that you may live long and that it may go well with you. . . .” — Deuteronomy 5:16

This command was not written for little children. They have no choice but to honor their parents. It was written to younger adults who lived with older generations. Living together in a household with three or more generations was common in ancient Israel, as it is in some societies today.

How do you treat your elders, especially your parents? I have seen some young people act worse toward their parents than they do toward anyone else. They complain that they deserve more and nicer things. They berate their parents because they aren’t up on the latest technology or trends. They throw a fit when asked to do a simple household task. When another adult says, “You sure have a wonderful child,” the parent is stunned.

Our best and our worst be­havior comes out in our families. That is why this reminder is necessary. Show honor to your parents. It doesn’t matter if they aren’t as smart or capable as they once were. It doesn’t matter that they, like everyone else, have flaws. The criterion for honor is the fact that they are your parents.

Honoring your parents will bring blessing. This command closes with a promise, saying that God gives us life and blessing for honoring the parents he has given us.

Prayer

Thank you, God, for parents, especially godly parents. Thank you for the gift they are in our lives and in others’ lives. Help us to show them proper honor and to respect all people as created and loved by you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

A Life-Changing Prayer

By: Charles Stanley

Whether or not someone is already a believer, we can pray for that person’s spiritual growth and knowledge of God’s will.

Colossians 1:9-14The prayer in today’s reading is a powerful model for any believer. The passage teaches how to pray on behalf of others—and those who do will find themselves changed in the process. In verses 9-10 of this letter, Paul and Timothy say they’ve been praying that the believers in Colossae would …

Be filled with the knowledge of God’s will. One of the major steps toward knowing God’s will is to know His Word, which provides guidance in every imaginable situation. When we pray this, we are asking God to make clear His perfect and precise will for every decision.

Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. This is a phrase that means making one’s life count for eternity. Whatever we have done in the Spirit—which Scripture compares to refined gold, silver, and precious stones—is worth exponentially more than the “wood, hay, or straw” ashes produced by worldly interests (1 Corinthians 3:10-15).

Bear fruit in every good work. When Jesus Christ is the center of our life, then our character, conduct, and conversation should bear fruit for His kingdom.

The words of this passage can be prayed for anyone, whether or not the person already knows the Lord. And in making these requests for others, we will want the same kind of growth in our own life.

Bible in One Year: Deuteronomy 3-5

And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, and had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, when she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, if I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. Mark 5:25-28 (KJV)

This woman was plagued with an issue of blood for 12 years. To have a cold or a sore throat for a few days is uncomfortable. Whenever I feel those well-known symptoms coming on, I immediately run to the store to purchase an over-the-counter anti-flu remedy. I want to nip it in the bud—try to avoid any discomfort. Twelve years? Can you imagine being ill for 12 years? Illness wears our bodies out, not only physically causing weakness, but also emotionally; sometimes causing frustration and irritability. She “had spent all that she had.” Plus, medical care is expensive. The Bible tells us that “she had heard of Jesus.” I believe she had heard the good news about many who were touched by Jesus, and healed of different diseases, and she began to have hope.

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.” Matthew 4:23

Those words would have built her faith. It built mine when I was diagnosed with cancer in 1989. I had faith that a touch from the Master could change situations. A touch from the Master could change circumstances. A touch from the Master could bring hope and heal a sick body. If you have been ill, you more than likely know that regardless of our faith, sickness makes us fearful. Trusting God for healing can be a challenge. Negative thoughts constantly bombard the mind.

Years ago, even though trusting God for healing during my illness, I would think thoughts such as:

• “Why is this happening to me?”
• “If this chemotherapy makes me feel so terrible, how can it work?”
• “Does God really heal?”

Between chemotherapy treatments, I feared my blood count levels would not stabilize. And my fears were not confirmed, because they did stabilize. I feared all my hair would fall off, but instead, it grew. I am sure the woman had fears. A touch from Jesus will calm our fears.

“… Be not afraid, only believe.” Mark 5:36

Daily, my prayer is, “Father, touch me today.” Our heavenly Father waits to hear and to answer that prayer.

“I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4

How do we receive a touch from the Master? Trust is the key. The woman with the issue of blood said in her heart: If I only touch the hem of His garment, I shall be healed. She believed all she needed was a touch from Jesus. She trusted and had confidence that if she just touched the hem of His garment, she would be made whole. She had confidence that when she touched Him, she would receive healing.

In response, Jesus touched her. In that moment, she left His presence a healed woman. In response, Jesus too touched me, and I left His presence a healed woman.

Do you need a touch from the Master today? Then lift your voice and say, “Jesus I need Your touch.” Believe and have confidence that you will receive His powerful touch!

Today’s Devotions

More than anything, America needs a profound spiritual awakening to sweep across the land. In these uncertain times, I feel a clarion call in the spirit that we must get close to God. He has not given up on us—for when we draw near Him, He draws near us.

How does revival begin? First and foremost it should start in our homes, then in our churches, and permeate the entire society.

Acts 3:19 gives this important key:

“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (NKJV).

Repentance brings refreshment. In His presence we find hope, strength and wisdom for every situation.

God assures us in Psalm 32:8,

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

To be guided by His eye, we must be close enough to see His face. The next verse cautions: Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you.

I was raised on a farm with horses. If a 10-year-old boy tries to do something good for an 800-pound horse—yet it resists by pulling back on its haunches with all its might—that animal won’t be moved. We don’t want to be like stubborn mules who will not come near our loving Master. God can do wonderful things if we will just cooperate.

He makes this great promise in Leviticus 26:40-42:

If they confess their iniquity … in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me, and that I also have walked contrary to them and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, and they accept their guilt—then I will remember My covenant … I will remember the land.

Think of the covenants that have been made over America—how the English settlers raised a cross and dedicated this land to God at Cape Henry in 1607; and how the Pilgrims signed the Mayflower Compact at Plymouth, praying they would be a city on a hill and a shining example of what happens when people willingly follow God’s principles. Think of the prayers that were offered when our Constitution was formed, and of the great awakenings and revivals over the centuries.

When we repent, God remembers the covenants—and the land.

And here is the good news:

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us … (1 John 1:9)

Our sin was taken care of 2,000 years ago on the cross. The Lord is always ready to forgive—so we can walk in freedom and enjoy “times of refreshing.” God bless you.

Streams in the Desert – February 20

• 202220 Feb

Nothing shall be impossible unto you (Matt. 17:20).

It is possible, for those who really are willing to reckon on the power of the Lord for keeping and victory, to lead a life in which His promises are taken as they stand and are found to be true.

It is possible to cast all our care upon Him daily and to enjoy deep peace in doing it.

It is possible to have the thoughts and imaginations of our hearts purified, in the deepest meaning of the word.

It is possible to see the will of God in everything, and to receive it, not with sighing, but with singing.

It is possible by taking complete refuge in Divine power to become strong through and through; and, where previously our greatest weakness lay, to find that things which formerly upset all our resolves to be patient, or pure, or humble, furnish today an opportunity — through Him who loved us, and works in us an agreement with His will and a blessed sense of His presence and His power — to make sin powerless over us.

These things are DIVINE POSSIBILITIES, and because they are His work, the true experience of them will always cause us to bow lower at His feet and to learn to thirst and long for more.

We cannot possibly be satisfied with anything less — each day, each hour, each moment, in Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit — than to WALK WITH GOD.
–H. C. G. Moule

We may have as much of God as we will. Christ puts the key of the treasure-chamber into our hand, and bids us take all that we want. If a man is admitted into the bullion vault of a bank, and told to help himself, and comes out with one cent, whose fault is it that he is poor? Whose fault is it that Christian people generally have such scanty portions of the free riches of God?
–McLaren

Today’s Devotions

After God delivered the Israelites out of Egypt, He told Moses to have the people build a tabernacle for Him. Until then, the Jews had only built altars with unhewn stones to make sacrifices to the Lord. Yet now they were to build and furnish a tabernacle in the wilderness—a wasteland with no resources—and it had to be portable.

The people had been in slavery, making bricks out of mud and straw. How could they build a magnificent sanctuary for the Lord?

The answer is found in Exodus 31:1-5, where God tells Moses,

“See, I have called by name Bezalel… And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship” (NKJV).

I used to do woodworking as a hobby but never became really good at it. I can’t imagine working in gold, silver and bronze, or cutting jewels. And here Bezalel gets a download from the Holy Spirit that enables him to do all of this.

The same Holy Spirit who filled him is in us. And He can give us the same wisdom, understanding and knowledge in all manner of workmanship. He will equip us with everything we need to know for the task that He has assigned us to do.

As Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us,

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

A good prayer to pray is, “I have no idea what I’m doing, but You know everything, and You can show me.”

God promises in Jeremiah 33:3,

“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

We need wisdom. We need understanding. We need discernment. We need to know the way to go. We need the inspiration of the Holy Spirit breathing through everything we do. And we need to consecrate ourselves daily to do the work of the Lord.

The same wisdom God used to create the heavens is the wisdom He used to create you. And in His eyes, you are greater than the heavens.

If you feel discouraged or inadequate, remember this. We can do great things for God because He has called us, equipped us, and anointed us to do His work. God bless you.

Today’s Devotions