DAILY DEVO...here comes the Judge

TODAY'S DAILY...

Injustice is rampant it seems. Being falsely accused of something is probably one of the hardest things to fight, not alone understand.

People tend to judge others very harshly, even if they don't have all of the facts.

The Bible tells us that God is just. This means that He is fair and impartial. It also means that He hates the mistreatment of the very people that He created. He hates lying, He hates cheating and all other forms of mistreatment of others. 

God's judgement is not like man's. God judges with righteousness. His judgement does not take into account skin color, age, or gender, He judges the heart and its motives.

(Psalm 98:9) "Sing before the Lord, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity."

One day, the final judgement will be made. And when that day comes, all the wrongs will be made right and all the earth will be judged fairly.

If you have been wronged or falsely accused, God will settle it but likewise, how you've judged others will be the same judgement given to you. 

The final verdict will be fair and justly deserved..."Please rise, this Court is now in session - Judge Jesus presiding."

BLESSINGS. Laurie

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE READING: 1 Kings 22:29-2 Kings 1, Acts 4:23-5:11, Psalm 97

SATURDAY'S SCRIPTURE READING: 2 Kings 2-3, Acts 5:12-28, Psalm 99

SUNDAY'S SCRIPTURE READING: 2 Kings 4, Acts 5:29-6:15, Psalm 100 

DAILY DEVO...love God, hate evil

So many people say, "hate the sin but love the sinner". But after reading today's Scripture reading, I say, "love the Lord, hate evil".

It's easy to become overwhelmed by the evil in this world and hate what goes on around us. 

God hates sin because it separates His children from Him. That's what sin does, it separates. 

For us to say that we hate sin does not mean that we point out the errors of others every chance we get. Rather, our hatred for sin should be a direct result of our love for God.

(Psalm 97:10) "O you who love the Lord, hate evil." 

It's easy to point fingers at people who are living life without God, but yet, hard to recognize sin in ourselves. I see this struggle on social media all of the time, attacks on certain people or people of different faiths. 

While it's good for Christians to stand for what is true, we must remember that we are not called to seek out sin but seek out those who need Jesus.

The best way to love the sinner and hate the sin is to love God. When you love Him, you will hate the sin not just in others but you will hate the sin in your own life.

BLESSINGS. Laurie

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE READING: 1 Kings 21:1-22:28, Acts 4:1-22, Psalm 97:7-12 

DAILY DEVO...change your tune

TODAY'S DAILY...

When I was younger and my attitude wasn't what it needed to be, my Momma would tell me, "change your tune".

I suppose that could be some sound advice for us today as well. Sometimes our attitude can get alittle off key and the "woe is me" tune needs alittle "I'm happy and I know it" applied. 

We've been reading in the book of Psalms and it is here that I have noticed that it speaks a lot of "sing a new song unto the Lord." Today's Scripture reading  says it again...

(Psalm 96:1) "Sing unto the Lord a new song; sing unto the Lord, all the earth." 

Today I would like to bring your attention to a key part of today's passage: 

"A new song"

Too many people get caught up in the argument of WHAT songs to sing. Like in church, some want to sing the hymns while others want more contemporary music. I want you to see what God showed me about today's Psalm...it doesn't matter the style, it only matters about the heart. 

Music is a wonderful way to connect to God and He speaks to me thru the words of music. But sometimes the words become repetitive and the message loses its meaning. Not because of the musician playing or the vocalist singing or because God isn't in the song anymore; but because my attitude has gotten off key.

When you come to a place where you can't worship God or sing His praises; it is time for a NEW song to sing. Not a song of yesteryear or woe is me but a new song of what's to come, a new song of praise and victory! 

Ask God today to put a new song in your heart… a song of praise to Him and watch how quickly your "tune will change."

BLESSINGS. Laurie

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE READING: 1 Kings 16:21-18:19, Acts 2:1-21, Psalm 96:1-8 

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DAILY DEVO...God's faithfulness is something to talk about!

I am overwhelmed when I think of all of the great stories, recorded in the Bible and those not recorded, of the lives that have been changed because of Christ.

The great Prophets, the kings, the many servants and you and I all have something in common:  God has seen us through deep waters.

I'm reminded today of the many people affected by tsunami's and hurricanes; what a frightening scare to scramble for higher ground as the water overtakes everything.

Doesn't that describe us when the circumstances of our life seem to overtake us like the flooding waters?

Thankfully, God rescued many of those drowning in confusion, fear and trouble in the Gospels and He rescues us too.

Remembering what God has already done and is still doing is worth paying attention to. Your story of God's faithfulness may not have made it in the pages of the Good News but God's faithfulness is certainly good news to all those yet to hear it.

(John 20:31) "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name."

If you've never written down your testimony, write God's faithfulness to you down and share it with someone who is drowning and needs to find a (spiritual) higher ground.

BLESSINGS. Laurie

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE READING: 1 Kings 10:14-11:43, John 20:19-31, Psalm 93

DAILY DEVO...you can't silence the gospel

The growing suppression of religious freedom is being witnessed more and more each day.

Ministers and Missionaries are being harassed and dictated as to what can/cannot be said from a pulpit, prayer is being removed from schools, christians are being banned to speak out about their faith.

Think that is unbelievable?

A student at Sonoma State University was ordered to remove a cross necklace because they were told by school administration that "it might offend someone." 

People have been trying to silence Christians for 2000 years, however, isn't evangelism the very core of Christianity?

The very nature of the message that Jesus brought was the "Good News". Matthew even wrote what Jesus wanted us to do with the Good News...

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations….” 

People can try to put faith under wraps and close the mouths of the Believer but everyone knows that Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. They may not believe in their own heart but it cannot be denied.

Even Pilate couldn't deny it as we see in today's Scripture reading... 

(John 19:20-22) "Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”

Even during the humiliating death of Jesus, it was recognized by those responsible that Jesus WAS indeed the King of the Jews. 

The Gospel cannot be silenced, not even by an angry mob who killed the very Son of God. 

It is not a time for us to be silent about our faith! We must open our mouths and stand upon the Word of God and let our voice be heard. 

How about it ~ How many have heard you stand up for what you believe?

BLESSINGS. Laurie

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE READING: 1 Kings 7, John 19:6-24, Psalm 91:11-16 

What Every Fatherless Daughter Needs to Hear

What All Fatherless Daughters Need To Know

I have been wanting to write this for some time now. Growing up without a father has been such a private place for me that it hasn't always been easy to express what is in my heart.

Father's Day has always been a difficult day for me, while others post their happy pictures with their dad and share their fond memories, I have no pictures or fond memories. I use to become sad, (sometimes jealous) when my friends had great relationships with their dad. But now that I am older, it warms my heart to see dads doting on their little girls (young and old) because that is exactly the way it should be.

Every girl desires to be a daddy's girl. Sadly, that just isn't the case for everyone. My father, for reasons only he understood, walked out on me, my mom and my two brothers when I was just a few months old. I wouldn't hear from him again for forty years which is when I found him and met him for the first time.

While I know that many girls have a different story than mine, I want those reading this to know that whether your father is absent voluntarily or involuntarily (perhaps he died when you were young or maybe he doesn't even know about you), that the emptiness and longing and the heartache is much the same. I lost my own father twice; first when he made that choice to leave and second when he passed from this world into eternity.

Over the past several years I have had many young girls sit in my office shedding tears over the absence of their fathers in their life and I began to understand the impact that my own father had given me to offer to these fatherless daughters. Growing up without a father figure will no doubt mark you but it doesn't have to damage you. I learned a long time ago that the love of a father doesn't define me, but rather, the love of my Heavenly Father does.

If you are spending this Father's Day as a fatherless daughter, please consider this:

1. You may have an increased need for approval from others. Many fatherless daughters look for love in the wrong places because they are trying to fill that void.  Look to God for His approval, His approval is all that matters in the end.

2. You most likely have built a wall around your heart, in a way to protect it from getting hurt again. That is understandable but when you give your pain and hurt to God and allow Him to crumble that wall you have built, you might find that you have a beautiful heart full of love and grace just waiting to be released!

3. You may be fearful that you will be alone. People will let you down and disappoint you, however, God remains at all times. The Bible says that He will never leave or forsake you. You are never alone!

4. If you are young and without your father, you will grief him over and over. The sad realization that you are not like other girls who have a father to walk them down the aisle on their wedding day or have a dad grilling a potential boyfriend of why he is worthy of his baby girls time will at times be overwhelming. I wish I could tell you that these moments aren't hard, they are, but somehow with the strength that only God can give, you WILL make it!

5. No matter how many Father's Days come and go, they never get easy.

6. It stings a little every time you see a beautiful father/daughter relationship but inside it warms your heart to see that such a love still exists in this crazy, mixed up world.

7. If you are a fatherless daughter because of a man's choice, know that it is not your fault. You are loved, cherished and thought of at all times. Your Heavenly Father not only created you but He loves and adores you. You are a sparkle in His eye and for that man who voluntarily walked out of your life...he is missing out on something awesome!

I don't know what your story is, but I do know that each of us go thru things that can either leave us bitter or better. I have chosen to reach out with my pain, my story, to make someone's Father's Day a little better.

You have been made for a purpose and it is a wonderful thing!

(Psalm 139:14) "I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

BLESSINGS. Laurie

@copyright laurieadams

Laced With Grace...Come Boldly!

We are to come BOLDLY to the throne of grace. But instead of coming boldly, we come barely.

I don’t know why, but too often we allow our past mistakes; our sins, to affect our confidence in coming to God. So much so that some of us opt out of praying or seeking God. We ask ourselves, “why would God use someone like me?” or “Why would God give me grace?” 

God understands our need for Grace!

He already knows we are sinners, there is nothing that catches Him by surprise. Needing grace and mercy means that we are far from perfect but even in despite of that, God wants us to come and not come lightly, but boldly!

God doesn’t hold our past mistakes over our head, He never intended for us to live in fear, guilt or shame. All those kind of feelings don’t come from God, the enemy wants to trip us up by lying to us and making us feel less than God sees us.

It doesn’t matter how big the sin is. God’s mercy is bigger! His Throne is big enough to encompass everything and everyone.

(Hebrews 4:16) “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Don’t let anyone or anything make you feel so bad that you back away from receiving God’s promises. Jesus paid the ultimate price so that we can walk freely and BOLDLY to the Throne!

Hold your head up high, my friend, and whatever you find yourself needing today…ask boldly and believe that God’s grace and mercy is yours today!

BLESSINGS. Laurie

@copyright laurieadams

DAILY DEVO...how passionate are you about the team?

There is nothing more passionate than a football fan. Up in the bleachers, you will find them passionately waving, yelling, and jumping up and down. With every pass, kick and touchdown, the crowd is screaming and waving banners. Even the quiet ones, like my husband, might surprise you with a sudden burst of excitement.

Such passion about the game. Such passion about the team.

Jesus has such passion about His team. His passion is that you and I would be on His prayer team. He wants us to be so passionate about prayer like He is. He loves it when we believe that prayer puts us on the winning team.

(John 17:20) "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message."

What an incredible Coach Jesus is! He not only prayed for His Believers but for those who were not Believers yet.

That's the kind of passion I want. To be passionately praying for my spiritual teammates and the ones yet to come.

How passionate are you about God's team?

BLESSINGS. Laurie

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE READING: 1 Kings 2, John 17:6-26, Psalm 90:1-12

SATURDAY'S SCRIPTURE READING: 1 Kings 3-4, John 18:1-27, Psalm 90:13-17

SUNDAY'S SCRIPTURE READING: 1 Kings 5-6, John 18:28-19:5, Psalm 91:1-10

DAILY DEVO...look towards the Light!

TODAY'S DAILY...

David certainly spoke from experience when he suggested that God was the lamp to lighten the darkness around him. His life was far from easy. I can't think of anyone whose life is.

David had family and friends turn against him and forced him into a life of running and hiding. Despite these dark circumstances, God remained by David's side and illuminated his steps and brought him right where he needed to be.

(2 Samuel 22:29) "You, LORD, are my lamp; the LORD turns my darkness into light."

I'm reminded of last summer when we visited the mammoth caves. Some of the areas of the cave was so dark that you needed a flashlight or one of those hats with a light on it to see in front of you.

The darkness that you and I experience in life is like that; without God's lamp shining a bright path for us, we will remain in the dark and trip over those things in front of us.

No matter what the situation is, God is our lamp. The darker things get, the brighter His light shines. Look towards the Light!

BLESSINGS. Laurie

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE READING: 2 Samuel 22:1-23:7, John 14:18-15:27, Psalm 89:19-29

DAILY DEVO...there is no perfect world until we get to heaven

We live in a culture that is selfish and self-absorbed, maybe now more than ever before. It seems the more we have, the more we want. Evidence proves that this is how most of the  world thinks, but it isn't how all of us have to think.

Showering ourselves with luxuries will not make us any happier, or content with life. In fact, I would say, the more we have, the bigger the headaches.

If we seek the treasure, the one that will bring real satisfaction, then we must die to self and live for God.

Jesus taught about this in John 12:24-25. Here, Jesus gives a little gardening lesson to teach a profound truth: a plant doesn’t grow unless a seed dies first.

You and I will not produce godly fruit in our life until we die to our own desires and ambitions.

(John 12:25) "Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life."

Too many people are trying to attain the "perfect" life here on earth, but will be sorely disappointed to find out that they planted the wrong seed.

Don't miss out by living for the wrong things, live for God!

BLESSINGS. Laurie

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE READING: 2 Samuel 15:13-16:23, John 12:20-43, Psalm 88:10-18

SATURDAY'S SCRIPTURE READING: 2 Samuel 17:1-18:18, John 12:44-13:20, Psalm 89:1-6

SUNDAY'S SCRIPTURE READING: 2 Samuel 18:19-19:39, John 13:21-38, Psalm 89:7-13

Facing our Lions

This past weekend, I spoke at a women’s conference about “Facing Your Lions”.Lions, as you know, is likened in the Bible to that of the enemy, because the enemy seeks its prey like a lion. Lions are quick to pounce on their prey, and they have one motive for doing so … to kill and eat!

The enemy, my friends, wants only to devour us.

The book of Daniel unfolds a very interesting story about the lions in our life. It is here that we see that the faithfulness to God not only brought deliverance to Daniel but while Daniel found himself in the lions den, God SHUT the lions mouths.

This is the very thing that we need to learn to do when the lions in our life come creeping around, circling us to destroy us. Often times, when difficulties come upon us, we pray to God to take it away or we wish that God would just terminate the enemy for good. But here in the book of Daniel, chapter 6 to be exact, God showed me that it isn’t our job to KILL the enemy but that we can close his mouth…

(Daniel 6:22a) “My God sent His angel and shut the lion’s mouths and they have not harmed me.”

If you read the last book of the Bible, the book of Revelation, you will see that in the end God takes care of things. God IS the victor and the enemy IS defeated. But in the meantime, we must understand that the enemy is going to lurk around and pounce on us every chance he gets. There is no getting away from the trials and tribulations in our life. Our mindset must not be on how to get rid of these lions in our life, but how to not let them cause us harm.

We can learn from Daniel how to go to battle with our lions. He survived the night in the lions den because he had his lion taming equipment: God’s Word and His Faith. Anyone knows that a lion tamer goes into a lion cage not unarmed. He goes with a chair to guard himself and a whip to keep the lion distanced. What guards us against the lions in our life is our shield of faith. What about the whip? That would be the sword of God’s Word.

Without the proper lion taming equipment, the lions (the enemy) will tear us limb by limb. The question that I would ask you today is this: “Are you prepared to spend the night with your lion?”

1 Peter 5:8 says this: “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

There is nothing more that pleases the enemy (your lions) than to see us discouraged and give up. “Lions” in our life want us to have no joy, have no excitement and have no blessing from God. However, God doesn’t want us to GIVE UP, He wants to SHOW UP!

Will you let Him?

BLESSINGS. LAURIE

@COPYRIGHT laurie adams

DAILY DEVO...when we hurt, God hurts

In yesterday's Scripture reading we see that Jesus' friend Lazarus died. Before Jesus commanded Lazarus to come forth, He first had to contend with his sisters and those who were crying over his death.

I can picture the many people who had come to comfort Mary and Martha. They began to weep too. When Jesus came upon the group of people sobbing, Jesus did something ...

"Jesus wept." (John 11:35)

Why did Jesus cry? I mean, wasn't He about to bring Lazarus back to life?

Jesus wept, I believe, for the same reason that many of us cry over the loss or heartache that others endure. He came alongside those who were in sorrow and He hurt because they hurt.

Jesus was so moved by their sorrow, He did more than just weep, He raised Lazarus from the grave. This is what He does for us too, He is moved by our sorrow that He engulfs us with His love and peace and He lifts us up out of our misery.

I don't know what you are grieving today, but please know that you are not alone. Every tear you cry, God holds in His Hand and He is broken for your sadness. One day there will be no more crying, no more death, and no more pain. Just rejoicing for all that God has brought us through!

When you hurt, I hurt. And more so, when you hurt, God hurts!

BLESSINGS. Laurie

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE READING: 2 Samuel 12:26-13:39, John 11:17-54, Psalm 87

DAILY DEVO...God can raise your dry bones!

Have you ever slammed a car door on your fingers? The first thing we want to do is stop the throbbing pain.

Our life is like that too. We don't like to feel pain. In fact, when our pain isn't healed, we tend to question God about it.

I can only imagine that Mary and Martha had questions for God when their brother Lazarus became ill and died.

You see; Mary, Martha and Lazarus had become good friends with Jesus and they had seen the power of His Healing. So when Jesus didn't come when they felt they needed Him to, they got alittle anxious.

Little did Mary and Martha know that the healing that God had planned for Lazarus was so much bigger than they could imagine.

(John 11:4) When He heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”

The plan wasn't to just heal Lazarus but it was to raise him from the dead!

Too many times, I think we can get caught up in the emotion of our pain, like Mary and Martha did, that we fail to see that God has something greater in store for us.

Whenever you feel like God has overlooked you, please remember that His plan is perfect and He may be preparing you for something bigger!

If your mountain isn't moving like you'd like - remember Lazarus and how his dry bones came alive!

BLESSINGS. Laurie

TODAY'S DAILY SCRIPTURE READING: 2 Samuel 11:1-12:25, John 10:31-11:16, Psalm 86:11-17

DAILY DEVO...dance before the Lord

TODAY'S DAILY...

I cannot even imagine the beauty that God saw in David as He danced and worshipped before Him.

It wasn't the music in the streets that put a dance in David's step but rather the music in his soul.

His heart burned with passion, joy, hope, gratefulness, and love. On the streets of Jerusalem, David danced freely, not aware of anyone else except the Lord.

(2 Samuel 6:14a) "And David danced before the Lord with all his might."

Have you ever acted a fool? Oh, I suppose some of you reading this, have hooped and hollered alittle bit at a baseball game or a concert. But when's the last time you got hyped up about the Lord?

David was so in love with his God that he danced with all of his might before God. He didn't care what others thought or how he looked in front of others.

This is how I want God to see me, that no matter what or who surrounds me, that my dance (and hoop and hollering) will all be for His glory!

BLESSINGS. Laurie

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE READING: 2 Samuel 5:1-7:17, John 9:35-10:10, Psalm 85:8-13