advent · Christmas · Devotional · found · free · Jesus

What is it about anyway?

Hell was already here. So many think that the devil comes when the apocalypse begins, but that is not the case. When God cast the devil out of Heaven he hit earth hard and left a crack. The devil claimed earth as his, remember Luke chapter 4?

Luke 4:5-8 NIV
[5] The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. [6] And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. [7] If you worship me, it will all be yours.” [8] Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”

The devil isn’t coming, he’s already here. That’s why Christmas is so important. It does not matter when Jesus came, it matters THAT Jesus came. We celebrate His coming, if people want to complain and say He was born in June let them. We do not celebrate a date, we celebrate Jesus.
Christmas is important because the devil had dominion until that night in the manger. Revelation speaks of a great dragon that came and tried to devour Jesus as He came into this world. Revelation 12 is a vivid chapter. Here we see the whole of Jesus’s life from prophecy to fulfillment spread out in vivid images.
The devil knew he had lost when Jesus was born. He kept fighting right up till the cross. But he had lost to the Son of God the moment Mary saw the angel. Before that. The moment when the birth of Jesus was prophesied.
We were not simply living normal lives when suddenly Jesus was born and the war between God and one of His angels who had fallen broke out around us. The evil was already here. Festering. Growing. Manipulating. Then one night in a barn there was a baby’s cry and suddenly we had hope and the evil was afraid.
Jesus coming to save us. That is what we celebrate. That is what Christmas is all about.

advent · Christianity · Devotional · encouragement · found · free · guidance · holy spirit · Jesus · Love · power of God

Before the beginning it began

The whole event began centuries before the  manger and the star. It began with God speaking the world into motion. With the world falling into sin. With God’s great love for His people. With our transformation from sinners to children of the King of Kings.
Mary and Joseph would have had a long journey on foot. The distance is roughly 90 miles and they would have chanced facing dangers from snakes, wild cats, wild dogs, bandits and even Samaritans. They would also most likely have been required to rest of the Sabbath, making the journey even longer.
The dangers were amidst them, but so was the power of God, and where God’s power is, so is peace and safety. Until it was His time, nothing could harm Jesus. But it is not likely that Mary knew that. She would have had many reasons to fear, and yet she still traveled. Because she was confident that the same God who sent angels to her to deliver an ancient promise, would also guide her and her baby to safety.
Bethlehem was known for it’s perfect, spotless lambs for sacrifice. One night, over two thousand years ago, a baby came to the small city of David to be born the last and greatest sacrifice for all of our sins. Whenever we go through our days, let us remember that we are free, saved and forgiven, only because Jesus came to be born in a stable, hated by so many, killed for the sake of us, forsaken by God until He rose blameless from the grave. All because of us.
What can we give Him in return? Nothing. Nothing is worthy. Yet all He asks for is our hearts.

Christianity · dreams do come true · encouragement · found · free · guidance · holy spirit · Jesus · no longer lost · power of God · searching · still fighting · The Bible · True Joy

The answer was with me, I just forgot to look

Remember when Mary Magdalene in the Chosen saw the Roman soldier ride past and is terrified and hides from him? Then later is so ashamed of her fear and says that she completely ignored the scriptures in her hands and hid.
I have suddenly had a moment like that.
After school ends we all feel we will get jobs right away and life will be the bees, or however that saying goes. Then when it doesn’t, you panic. Will I ever get a job? Will I end up being one more collge graduate who can’t use her diploma for anything outside of space on her wall?
Then you start to really go down hill. Wondering why people less qualified have positions you feel you should have. It’s a mess.
Then I opened my cell phone and my lock screen said Isaiah 46:4

Isaiah 46:4 NIV
[4] Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

The right verse to remind me of God’s power was right there in my hands the whole time. I had just missed it because of my stress.

How about you? How often has stress taken over your mind and made you ignore the truth of God? Too often I would guess, because it has happened too often for me.
The Bible holds all of the answers, we just have to stop and listen.
He’s got us. We just forget sometimes that:
He STILL has the whole world in His hands tonight. -Petra

Goodnight friends 🧡

Christianity · Devotional · encouragement · found · free · holy spirit · Jesus · The Bible

Acts 13

Devotional: Called, Sent, and Strengthened — Acts 13
Scripture Reading

Acts 13:2–3 (NIV)
“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.”

1. A Call in the Middle of Ordinary Worship

Paul and Barnabas were not in a special meeting or seeking a grand assignment—Scripture describes an ordinary gathering of believers worshipping together in Antioch. In that simple, everyday moment, the Holy Spirit spoke.

This reminds us:
God often calls us in the ordinary, not the spectacular.
The question is not whether we hear a dramatic voice, but whether our hearts are open and sensitive to the Spirit’s quiet direction.

Paul and Barnabas didn’t hesitate. They trusted the One who called them—and went.

Reflection:
Is my heart open to God’s direction during my ordinary, daily routines?

2. The Presence of Opposition

As the missionaries traveled across Cyprus, they encountered Elymas the sorcerer, who tried to turn the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, away from the faith (Acts 13:6–12). But God used this confrontation to reveal His power, and the proconsul believed.

Sometimes God allows obstacles or difficult people to appear on our path because He plans to use those moments to draw others—and even us—closer to Him.

Reflection:
How might God be using a difficult situation in my life to display His power or grow my faith?

3. When Others Do Not Follow

John Mark, likely a very young man, joined Paul and Barnabas on their journey—but left when they reached Perga (Acts 13:13). Scripture doesn’t give a reason, but later writings and historical research suggest the road ahead was dangerous and frightening.

Paul took this departure hard. Yet later in life, after years of growth on both sides, he would call Mark “useful to me in ministry” (2 Tim. 4:11).

This reminds us:

Not everyone who starts with us will finish with us.

People grow, change, and return.

God is patient with us, and we should be patient with others.

Reflection:
Is there someone I need to extend grace to, remembering that God is still working in their story?

4. When the Message is Rejected

As Paul preached in Antioch of Pisidia, many of the Jews rejected the message of Jesus. Paul then turned to the Gentiles—opening the door of salvation to countless others (Acts 13:46–48).

Rejection did not stop the gospel. God used it to redirect the message to those ready to receive it.

Reflection:
How do I respond when I feel rejected or discouraged? Do I let God redirect me instead of stopping me?

5. God’s Call Is Always Accompanied by His Strength

From dangerous roads to spiritual opposition to relational conflict, Acts 13 shows that the call of God is not always easy. Yet every step is marked by His guidance and power.

Paul and Barnabas went because God sent them.
They endured because God strengthened them.
And fruit came because God prepared the way.

Prayer

Holy spirit Let us have ears that will listen for when you are speaking to us, even in the quiet simple moments help us to remember that you are not looking for a show or some type of spectator sport.What you are looking for are open hearts and willing feat to do your work.Guide us as we follow you amen.

Side note: I utilized an online system to format my writing for this devotion. I will not always do this and have not done this before, but for how long my original text was it seemed a good way to summarize it for easier reading.

encouragement · found · free · guidance · Jesus · power of God · Prayer · searching · still fighting

Get back up, He’s got you

Sometimes it’s hard. You know. Getting up. Getting up when you’ve been knocked down. Getting up when have spent everything you’ve got. Getting up to do it again. Somedays the bravest thing you will do is get out of bed and try again. It’s a dangerous thing going out your front door every morning. You never know what will come. You feel you can slow down and take a break, and then suddenly realize that you can’t and that feeling almost breaks you. Keep going. You don’t want to hear that, but you must keep going.
When Jesus fell on the road to Golgatha He did not keep laying there. He got up, and God sent Him a man named Simon to help Him carry the cross.
God will sent us someone to help us carry the cross as well. His name is Jesus.
Keep going. You CAN do this!

Christianity · Devotional · encouragement · found · free · guidance · holy spirit · Jesus · no longer lost · power of God · Prayer · searching · still fighting · The Bible · True Joy

Too far away from the fire

When you don’t spend enough time with God, you begin to lose something. You lose the warmth. There is a warmth in the connection between you and God, a steady feeling of health for your soul. You may have days on end where your day was lousy, but you felt okay once you sat down and spent time with Him. Then things change. You get busy. Distracted. Sick. Tired. Something happens, and you are suddenly not spending the time with God that you used to. Then the cold slips in. Like a frost slipping its fingers under the door in December. A chill enters your bones, and you don’t know why or where it has come from. You wrap up in a blanket of comfort, TV, social media, a good book, but it’s never enough. Then, one day, you open your Bible, and suddenly, a wave of warmth floods back into your soul. You stop and pray for a bit, and more warmth comes. Soon, you are praying and worshiping and feel like you are sitting on a warm beach in the sun because your soul has its fire back.

Isaiah 53:6-12 NIV
[6] We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. [7] He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. [8] By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. [9] He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. [10] Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. [11] After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. [12] Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

https://bible.com/bible/111/isa.53.6-12.NIV

Christianity · Devotional · encouragement · found · free · guidance · holy spirit · Jesus · no longer lost · power of God · Prayer · searching · still fighting · The Bible · True Joy

The battle in the hall

The real battle, he fought alone, in the hall before the great door and the monster within. – The Hobbit

We often feel like our times of fighting with ourselves and forcing ourselves forward to do things that terrify us is not the true battle. In fact, we look on it as weakness. Yet, it is often in the hallways before the interview, before the operation, before the exam, before whatever is facing you, that is where we fought the true battle. The greatest battle to overcome, because we are fighting ourselves.

In a way, we are all members of Fight Club. We are all fighters against the enemy of our own thoughts and actions. For every time God tells you to do something, the devil tells you not to, and vice-versa. If God tells you to invite your friend to church, the devil will tell you not to. If God tells you not to go to that party, the devil will tell you you should.
You always fight your biggest battles, but yourself, in the hall.
Except one thing. You aren’t by yourself. Jesus fights with you. When the devil gets in your head, Jesus is right there attacking his defenses and stopping him from making strongholds.
Jesus is your only true defense.
Don’t let the battle of the hall hold you back from the path and the future God has set before you.

Christianity · encouragement · found · free · guidance · holy spirit · Jesus · no longer lost · power of God · Prayer · searching · still fighting · The Bible · True Joy

Some days

Some days, it hurts. Some days you wonder why you are there and how you even got there. Some days, it feels like everyone is after you and not in a good way. But God.
It’s like climbing through a thick cloud. You can’t see where you are going, but you keep going, and then finally, you see the light at the top. That’s what it’s like to turn your eyes upon Jesus. He will show that you are okay because of Him. He will give you great friends. He will give you great family. He Himself will be your support team.
You have wounds. But you are not defined by them. You are strong despite them and because of them, but they are not who you are.
Jesus cried tears of blood for a people He loved, in a place He did not want to be, about to do something He did not want to do. But He did it anyway.
He lives inside of us. His strength to carry on through the impossible is with us. He is our God.
Even when you feel like a tree who has had her bark wounded by a deer, stripped and torn but not so deep it will die, Jesus sees you. He hasn’t let you go or left you. He will get you through this.
Trust Him!

Christianity · encouragement · found · free · guidance · Jesus · no longer lost · power of God

Mist and light

Have you ever noticed the mist?
I mean really noticed it.
It’s beautiful. It changes everything so that scenes you have seen all your life, sudden you don’t recognize. But that’s also why it can be so dangerous.
If you don’t recognize where you are you can get lost. Or fall and get hurt. Or drive the wrong way.
Sin is like that. It can look so beautiful that we crave it. But then it makes everything you once knew was right and true look blurry. Suddenly you no longer know where you are or how you got there. You’re lost. But the Light of the world comes and burns back the mist showing you your way home.
If you’re lost right now, talk to Jesus and let His light terrify the dark.

Christianity · Devotional · encouragement · found · free · guidance

Be like Daniel

Life gets hard. Sometimes you get sick. Sometimes you’re far from home. Sometimes you’re under a lot of pressure. Sometimes it’s all of the above.
When times get tough, think of Daniel. He was alone in a strange land, with strange customs and ways. In the beginning he had some friends from his land, but it seems like very soon after he was singled out and made to be on his own.
When times were hard he stood firm for God and did not budge.
He continued to pray each day and watched as God moved mountains.
Then when times were good and he was recognized for what God was doing through him. He continued. He continued to put God first and to pray and to trust Him.
Sometimes life is no fun and all you want to do it cry. In those times turn to Jesus. Reach out to Him. There may be a wall to struggle past, but you will get there. And once there you will see His glory as He guides you on this path.
Stay strong in Jesus friends!