Serving on staff at The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) is an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. I get to connect with people from all walks of life, in multiple countries, and on many different levels. I create financial partnerships with our supporters and pray over a variety of topics—spanning from a mother’s prayer for the healing of her child who skinned their knee to a prayer of desperation for much more significant healing in a stage 4 cancer patient. Whether you’re calling the CBN prayer center to pray for a loved one or to let us know that you’ve just prayed with Gordon or Terry to follow Jesus for the first time, there is undoubtedly a Spirit-filled anointing of life with each conversation.

One of my favorite prayers is with Christians for their unbelieving family members, neighbors, and friends. Many times, the prayer request goes something like this: “My dad is a truly good guy. He’s caring, generous, very kind, and supportive, but he just doesn’t believe in Jesus.” We all long for our loved ones to know Jesus as we do!

New life is born every day in hospitals around the world. And new life is also established in holy matrimony, where two become “one flesh.” But the ultimate new life is being born again—new life through a spiritual birth in Jesus, which is available to all.

A difficult truth for some to embrace is that Jesus didn’t die to make bad people good. He didn’t die to make good people better. Instead, He died to make dead people alive!

Consider this passage in Ezekiel regarding a future salvation for the Jewish people:

“This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD”
(Ezekiel 37:5-6 NIV).

Just as it was prophesied that new life will be breathed into the Jewish people (Ezekiel 39:27-29, Rom 11:25-27), so also, will new life be breathed into all who believe (Ephesians 2:1-5).

In reading Ezekiel 37-39, I can’t help but see God’s character revealed as the God of love. The God of grace. The God of mercy. Multiple times God says through the prophet Ezekiel, “I will gather you” and “put my spirit in you.” When we look back from the beginning of our day, it is easy to overlook the many drops of mercy that drips from God’s hands.

Whether dry bones of the Jewish people as foretold by the prophet Ezekiel, or a simple, yet powerful, surrender and embrace by anyone believing the message of the Gospel at a neighborhood church service, the method of salvation is the same. Our God breathes new life into our bones, a supernatural reality to all who believe. This is a fantastic reason for us to rejoice today!

So, join me in celebrating this new birth all over the world, the salvation of our souls. From death to life!

My dad was raised without the kindness of a father until his mother remarried a man I only knew as grandpa. Grandpa served in the United States Marines and as a U.S. mailman. Grandpa was a man of courage, grit, integrity, and under the surface was a huge heart. He assumed the role of fatherhood, stepping into superhero stature when he accepted my dad as his own son. He wasn’t a perfect father, but he loved his children and grandchildren.

When Grandpa went to be with the Lord, the world seemed to stand still, but his example will always command action. His life remains like a monument in my mind. For me, he served as a reminder of how our Heavenly Father has adopted each of us as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself. Despite what our past says about us, we are invited into a righteous standing with God. This is not simply an invitation but a calling.

And in Christ, we have already been accepted. God the Father has called us His own and has given us all we need!

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires (2 Peter 1:3-4 NIV).

Truly consider this fact: You have been called a child of God! The Father gave His only son, Jesus, to bridge the gap that sin created—and He has received us as His very own. This is extraordinary news. Not only have we been accepted into the family of God, but we have also been invited to participate in God’s divine nature.

It is with this sacrificial adoption that we have received such an inheritance from our Heavenly Father, who equipped us for every good work—so that we would be compelled in the service of God. Such a wonderful gift commands action.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love (2 Peter 1:4-7 NIV).

Why not take a moment today to remember someone in your life who stands out as an example of the Father’s kindness? Grandpa was that example to me. Think of those who inspire you in the service of the Lord. Also, do you find rest in the acceptance of your Heavenly Father? If you are looking for someone to accept you, you’re in the right place. There is an invitation with your name on it. And if you want to affirm your identity as a child of God and receive the call He has placed on your life, the Father’s arms are wide open.

Noises surround us in this swift and fast world. We have made some of them useful — for example, the sound of a cell phone’s alarm to wake us up or remind us to exercise. Even the microwave beeps when the food is ready and warm. Noise alerts are those noises that help us live well. What would become of us without these alarms?

The Word of God warns us about and gives the value of alarms, both to the one who sends the message and the one who receives it:

Then if those who hear the alarm refuse to take action, it is their own fault if they die. They heard the alarm but ignored it, so the responsibility is theirs. If they had listened to the warning, they could have saved their lives (Ezekiel 33:4-6 NLT).

God has given us the opportunity to be those living alarms, those alarms that encourage the helpless, that raise the fallen. God has put His Word in our mouths for salvation for this time. By His mercy, we have been chosen as watchmen.  Because of this, we have the responsibility to use any means to issue the alert: messages, images, voice notes, movies and songs—anything goes to carry the loving and encouraging message of God, as it says in Ezekiel:

…You are saying, ‘Our sins are heavy upon us; we are wasting away! How can we survive?’ As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live (Ezekiel 33:10-11).

The word “alarm” can scare us, but the noble work of an alarm is just to keep us safe. The Bible invites us to change, to leave our sinful lives behind.

Today, we have television and mass media within reach to broadcast the message. As it says in 1 Peter 5:8-10:

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are. In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So, after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.

In Mexico, we live in a culture of disaster prevention due to our history with earthquakes. Seismic alarms and alerts are part of our society. I was born on September 19, 1985, and have survived the Mexican earthquakes of 1985 and 2017. My life was spared and I believe it is my duty to raise my voice, sound the alert, and activate the greatest alarm in history: Christ is the way, the truth, the life —and He will return soon for everyone who loves him.

As an editor of Christian programming, I am currently experiencing the exciting honor of sharing this message of hope with Latin America. From CBN México Studios, we sound the trumpets and pray that everyone can hear the alarm and stay safe while it is sounding.

Watch God Make a Morning – Streams in the Desert – November 28

• 202228 Nov

Thou makest the outgoing of the morning and evening to rejoice (Ps. 65:8).

Get up early and go to the mountain and watch God make a morning. The dull gray will give way as God pushes the sun towards the horizon, and there will be tints and hues of every shade, that will blend into one perfect light as the full-orbed sun bursts into view. As the King of day moves forth majestically, flooding the earth and every lowly vale, listen to the music of heaven’s choir as it sings of the majesty of God and the glory of the morning.

In the holy hush of the early dawn
I hear a Voice
“I am with you all the day,
Rejoice! Rejoice!”

The clear, pure light of the morning made me long for the truth in my heart, which alone could make me pure and clear as the morning, tune me up to the concert-pitch of the nature around me. And the wind that blew from the sunrise made me hope in the God who had first breathed into my nostrils the breath of life; that He would at length so fill me with His breath, His mind, His Spirit, that I should think only His thoughts, and live His life, finding therein my own life, only glorified infinitely.

What should we poor humans do without our God’s nights and mornings?
—George MacDonald

The soft plaster and drywall underneath the dining room window should have motivated a response long before the decay forced me to provide one. The hidden water damage was discovered shortly after moving into our family home in 2007, but it was an easily ignored nuisance in an under-used room. As a 29-year-old father with a pregnant wife, full-time job, and graduate school course load, there were more pressing matters at hand. At the time, I did not expect a delayed reaction to also include spiritual consequences.

Fast-forward to November of 2018 (yep, over a decade later) when an attempt to be a 40-year-old handyman resulted in an onion-peeling experience revealing just how serious decades of a small water offensive could be. As the baseboards disintegrated while prying them loose, the crumbling drywall exposed many completely rotted 2x4s that framed the window. This was an unwelcome nightmare of a problem to face right before Thanksgiving. Suddenly, gratitude and thankfulness were not residing in my heart. Hope had taken a serious hit as the holiday season would now kick off at a $2,000.00 deficit because of this unplanned repair expense.

I wish I could say that I immediately recognized this situation as an attempt by the enemy to steal my joy and peace. If only I had just shrugged it off and called the contractor without being stressed, frustrated, and even angry. The emotions of, “Why now?” and “Why me?” were overwhelming and my heart was way off from the appropriate place for the season of gratefulness. A focus on circumstances resulted in a hopelessly negative and defeated attitude.

In the same way, circumstances in today’s world can seem oppressive. Most of us are experiencing the pinch of finances in response to rising inflation. Political division is invading almost every facet of life. The government, media, and entertainment industries are racing to indoctrinate our children to abandon any semblance of a God-fearing existence. Hope is at a premium. Thankfulness is elusive. Circumstances appear bleak.

As Christians, we cannot afford to lose hope. We must prioritize gratefulness. In this, God’s word is clear:

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have (1 Peter 3:15, CSB).

Our hearts are our religious center. If we profess faith in Christ, He is therefore the cornerstone of our existence. Revering Christ naturally results in unending gratitude on our part, but also as the Scripture states, be prepared to share our hope. But we cannot share what we do not possess.

This world is in chaos. People are in pain. Christians must be the ambassadors of hope. We are to be a beacon of light amidst this darkness. Faith in Jesus Christ gives us more to be thankful for this season above any circumstance the world can throw at us. People are desperate for this hope. We have it. We must live in it. We must offer hope.

As we scurry through the holidays experiencing heightened stress and busyness, encountering challenges and frustrations in our paths, stop and reflect on God’s Word. Does your heart revere Christ as Lord? Is Jesus your center? If this is true, the way you live your life will attract attention. Those around you will notice your hope, so much so that they will ask, “How is it possible?” Are you prepared to give the reason for the hope that you have?

My dining room window was reframed. New drywall, plaster, and paint have been applied. Rehabilitation has occurred. Life is full of frustrations, challenges, and disappointments, but God is a God of restoration. He is calling us to live beyond our circumstances so that we can be sources of hope. Don’t let the discouraging situations of life rob you of a heart of thankfulness. Be grateful for hope. Share it. When people ask how you do it, be ready to give your answer this season and beyond.

Today’s Devotions

Peter understood the mission of the people of God. He beautifully describes it in the following Scripture:

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9 NIV).

Peter is saying we are of the office or of the position of a priest (priesthood)—and not just a priest but a splendid, magnificent, royal one.

When I first read this, I thought, really me? A severely withdrawn girl from the westside of Chicago, called out of darkness to be a part of a holy nation, a kingdom of priests?

I know now, yes, I am—and so are you. God’s priests. We are set apart for the very same reason priests were set apart in the Bible. Priests were set apart, called, and made holy for a purpose, a job, a ministry, and most importantly, to carry out the mission of God. Priests were not set apart to be isolated from people or pompously parade around the community, nor to condemn. God says be holy for I am holy. Priests are called to live out the character of a loving God—to be the hands and feet of our Lord—and so are we.

Our priestly calling brought us out of darkness and the muck and mire of sin into His marvelous light to bless His people and to live out our lives shining His truths and love throughout our world.

Several years ago, I volunteered at a pregnancy resource center as well as clinics for women. There, I spent time talking and ministering to them. It was the most rewarding time of my life. It was my calling, my priesthood, my ministry. As a ministering vessel, God used me to minister to many individuals at those facilities.

Peter says in 1 Peter 3:15:

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

We need to be ready, in season and out of season, to share our hope and faith. We may not always see the salvation of the Lord in people we minister to, but our mission is to share our hope in God. And God will shine His face upon them, lift up His countenance to them and give them His peace. Basically, He will do it all.

Lord, I pray that we realize we are Your chosen ones, Your priests called out of darkness to be set aside and sanctified to declare the works of the Lord. We, as ministers and priests, are to let our light shine so you, Lord, are seen and You are glorified.

Streams in the Desert – November 25

• 202225 Nov

Take the arrows… Smite upon the ground. And he smote twice and stayed. And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times (2 Kings 13:18-19).

How striking and eloquent the message of these words! Jehoash thought he had done very well when he duplicated and triplicated what to him was certainly an extraordinary act of faith. But the Lord and the prophet were bitterly disappointed because he had stopped half way.

He got something. He got much. He got exactly what he believed for in the final test, but he did not get all that the prophet meant and the Lord wanted to bestow. He missed much of the meaning of the promise and the fullness of the blessing. He got something better than the human, but he did not get God’s best.

Beloved, how solemn is the application! How heartsearching the message of God to us! How important that we should learn to pray through! Shall we claim all the fullness of the promise and all the possibilities of believing prayer?
—A. B. Simpson

“Unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20).

There is no other such piling up of words in Paul’s writings as these, “exceeding abundantly above all,” and each word is packed with infinite love and power to “do” for His praying saints. There is one limitation, “according to the power that worketh in us.” He will do just as much for us as we let Him do in us. The power that saved us, washed us with His own blood, filled us with might by His Spirit, kept us in manifold temptations, will work for us, meeting every emergency, every crisis, every circumstance, and every adversary.

The captive Savior freeing his people

By: Charles Spurgeon

‘Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: that the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.’ John 18:8–9

Suggested Further Reading: Hebrews 12:5–11

When you suffer tribulation, affliction and adversity, do not think that God is punishing you for your sins, for no child of God can be punished for sin penally. Let me not be misunderstood. A man is brought before God first of all as a criminal before a judge. You and I have stood there. Through Christ’s blood and righteousness we have been absolved and acquitted as before God the Judge, and it is not possible for the law to lay so much as the weight of a feather upon us since we have been perfectly acquitted. In all the pains and sufferings which a Christian may endure, there is not so much as a single ounce of penal infliction. God cannot punish a man whom he has pardoned and who is then adopted into God’s family. Now, if he shall as a child offend against his father’s rule, he will be chastened for it. Everyone can see the distinction between chastening by a father and punishment by a judge. If your child were to steal, you would not think of punishing that child in the light in which the judge would do it, who would commit him to imprisonment for having broken the law; but you chasten your child yourself, not so much to avenge the law as for the child’s good, that he may not do this evil thing again. So our heavenly Father chastens his people with the rod of the covenant, but he never punishes them with the sword of vengeance. There is a difference between chastening and punishing. Punishing is from a judge; Christ has suffered all such punishment, so that no penal infliction can fall upon a soul that believes in him; but we may have chastisement which comes to us as the result of a father’s love, and not as the result of a judge’s anger; we have felt such chastisement, and have reason to bless God for it.

For meditation: If God becomes our Father, he will sometimes judge that we need disciplining now (Hebrews 12:6–7). If he remains our Judge, he will one day condemn us for ever. Faith in Christ is the only way to have a Father instead of a Judge in heaven (John 5:24).

Today’s Devotions

The story of Jacob sounds like a soap opera, yet God was in the midst of it. Jacob and Esau were the twin sons of Isaac and grandsons of Abraham. Before their birth, God told Rebekah,

“Two nations are in your womb … and the older shall serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23).

Jacob tried to be first from the beginning, grabbing Esau’s heel as he was born; thus his name means heel-grabber.

Jacob was also a good cook, and it was for a bowl of his stew that Esau traded away his birthright as the eldest son. Later, Esau took two Hittite wives who were a grief to his parents. Rebekah then helped Jacob trick Isaac into blessing him instead of Esau. When Esau planned to kill Jacob, Rebekah convinced Isaac to send Jacob away to find a wife among her relatives.

Genesis 28:10 tells us, Jacob went out from Beersheba. Often, when you take that first step of faith on a journey, God meets you there. Jacob dreamed of a ladder from earth to heaven—and there God spoke to him.

Although he fell in love with Rachel, Jacob the trickster was tricked by his Uncle Laban into marrying her older sister first. The two wives were bitter rivals, involving their servants in a race to have children—twelve sons total. When Jacob finally headed home with his family, he didn’t know if Esau still wanted him dead.

He wrestled all night with God, who said,

“Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed” (Genesis 32:28).

If life had been easy, would he have persevered and prevailed?

The key is that Isaac had blessed Jacob:

“May God Almighty bless you and give you many children. And may your descendants multiply and become many nations! May God pass on to you and your descendants the blessings he promised to Abraham” (Genesis 28:3-4 NLT).

This was God’s plan. The blessings God gave Abraham were passed to Isaac, who bestowed them on Jacob. Through him came the twelve tribes of Israel, then the Messiah.

So this Thanksgiving, give thanks for what God has done, then pray over your family and bless them all. Pass along the wonderful blessings that God has freely given to you. As Galatians 3:14 says,

“Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham” (NLT).

God bless you.

Only two cultures in the world have existed 4,000 years: the Han Chinese, who never had to leave their land; and the Jews, who miraculously survived much of their history without a country.

We can learn from our elder brothers in the faith about how to maintain faith in the midst of a culture that opposes you.

The Lord chose Abraham, knowing he would teach his children God’s promises. How faithful are we to share His Word with the next generation? We must tell them, because the world will not. There is great joy in seeing children grow up into spiritual maturity, and their children after them.

The Jewish people have also kept their culture by keeping the Sabbath—honoring God with a weekly remembrance. It begins every Friday evening as mothers light candles and pray.

Psalm 92, often attributed to Moses, is a song for the Sabbath. The psalm opens with thanksgiving:

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night (vv. 1-2)

Are you discouraged? Give thanks and see what happens. Thank God for His faithfulness and the victory that is about to come. Declare His lovingkindness, and praise Him for the covenant He made in His own blood for you.

Verse 4 says,

For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work.

This is key to finding deep satisfaction—joy from seeing what God is doing. It’s why my father has always challenged me to pray, “God, can I be part of your plan?” There’s a gladness to be part of God’s purpose that will last for eternity.

Do you feel weary and dry? Verse 10 promises,

I have been anointed with fresh oil.

Every day, He will give you a fresh anointing, vision and hope.

The psalm concludes:

Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age … to declare that the Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him (vv. 13-15)

Think of the Jewish people singing the song of the Sabbath every week to guide them through the centuries. When looking at all the uncertainty in the world, remember—He is working, and He is faithful to see it through to completion.

So, this Thanksgiving, take time to give thanks for what God is unfolding in the world today. Our hearts can be glad because of who He is. He is using us to preach the Gospel and usher in His kingdom. In that kingdom, every day is a holiday and a Sabbath because we can rest in the finished work of Jesus Christ. God bless you.

My heart sank as I awoke to find the floor of our camper trailer soaked with water. All I could think was, “No! Not again, Lord…” I’d rushed for days to tear out the inside of the aging RV, remove any mold, and lay new plank flooring so our two toddlers could run around safely—all while living in it as a family of four with two dogs. Throughout the project, one thing after another had gone wrong, and I’d been injured multiple times. Now, I needed to rip out the floor and start again.

I couldn’t afford this kind of mistake. The worst part was how hopeful we’d become the night before, only to have it snatched away. A terrible storm had buffeted the trailer all night, and we’d just been praising God that no water had come in. Instead, the place managed to flood from the inside, as my tub overflowed from a leaky faucet. Shock gave way to desperation, and then my heart began to fill with rage. How could God let this happen? We had an agreement. I’d asked for help, and He was supposed to answer!

As it turns out, His Word had an answer:

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. (James 4:1-3 ESV)

God showed me something in my heart that fateful day in the RV. My passions were at war within me. My heart was stealing my joy in the Lord and keeping me from being able to react decisively to solve the situation—which affected my family.

There was no solution but thankfulness—through a return to the cross. God has called us to give thanks in all circumstances, but I couldn’t do it that day. I had to bow before God and yield my sinful self to Him. God had promised that I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. (Galatians 2:20)

Jesus had given His life to win me a place at the Father’s side and offer me a glorious inheritance for eternity, and He had promised His presence in life now. I had good reason to be thankful! And my angry, fearful old identity had been nailed to the cross. It was buried. I didn’t have to be that man anymore.

As a new man, I could give God thanks for a new nature and His covenant promises, and I could rise up to care for my family with joy through trials. God was enough, as His Word reminds us, be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

This Thanksgiving, turn your heart towards God in thankfulness. Let Him become the passion of your soul, and none of this world’s challenges can break you, because He will never leave.

Something Extra

NOV 20, 2022 | BY THE FELLOWSHIP

It was the day before Thanksgiving.  For the second year in a row, I did not have the means to provide turkey or any other festive food that would make the day special for my three kids. As a single mom of three in Minnesota, I was facing another year of existing on food stamps, welfare, and any other kind of public assistance that I could find. How was I going to come up with something even close to a traditional Thanksgiving dinner?

A friend told me about a church with a food ministry that was handing out boxes of food that included a turkey. Hoping it was not too late, I got in the car (while trying to ignore the  transmission fluid leaking into the snow) and headed to that church. The building was still open when I got there. Entering the building, I was thanking God for this unexpected opportunity.

Greeted by a cheerful woman, I was led to a big room with tables configured in a horseshoe arrangement. Pantry food was sorted out by type on the tables. She handed me a box that already had a small turkey in it, explaining that this was the last turkey they had. I could choose what I wanted to go with it off the loaded tables and add the items to my box. Gratefully, I filled it with a box of stuffing, some canned vegetables and a pie filling. After sincerely thanking her, I carried the box out to my leaking, rusty car.

Before I could load it in my vehicle, the woman came running out and asked me to come back inside and sign a paper to confirm that I had received a donation. Setting the box down in the  snow bank next to my car, I followed her back inside.

The woman explained the volunteers were closing the donation center down in the next few minutes and asked if I would like to fill a couple of more boxes with cans and packaged items. I was elated by her offer and together we filled two more boxes. Then she walked outside with me, each of us carrying a box of precious food. It was enough to eke out several more meals!

As we approached the car, I saw nothing but snow where the turkey box had been set down. “I cannot believe it!” I exclaimed.  The kind woman said, “Well, dear, someone must have needed the food more than you did!”

Despite my disappointment, those words really resonated with me. Most probably she was right!  The Lord reminded me of the occasions that I had myself been tempted and contemplated theft in grocery stores in the last year during desperate times.

We loaded the two extra boxes into the car, and I returned home thankful for the donations I did receive – but also sad about the missing turkey. Unloading the items from the two boxes into my almost bare cupboards gave me a sense of relief that tummies would not rumble for a few days.

Just as I finished and sat down, the phone rang. A friend I had not talked to for some time was calling. “We would like to invite you and your children to join our family tomorrow for Thanksgiving dinner,” she said.

God came through abundantly and surprised us with joy!  He always provides! In fact, for the two years my family and I spent on food stamps and welfare, barely making it through, He always provided for our needs!  Not our wants — but our needs.  And there were times, like this memorable Thanksgiving, He blessed us with something extra!  God is good all the time!