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A Devotional for the Anxious Heart: Psalm 34: 18-19
Scripture: “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:18-19). Thought: God is compassionate and always near, especially in our brokenness. He doesn’t sometimes deliver, he always delivers if we seek him, albeit maybe not in the way we think. Needy and dependent, but in a good way. God, our father, wants to be there for us in everything, but especially our brokenness and deep sorrow. We are righteous when we seek him above all else. Application: We have, in our brokenness and need, often tried to hid…
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A Devotional for the Anxious Heart: Deuteronomy 31: 8
Scripture: “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” (Deuteronomy 31:8 ESV) Thought: God is our faith and ever present leader. Because God is faithful and present, we can and must put our trust in him and never be afraid. Application: Joshua was being commission by Moses to lead the Israelites into the promise land. His commissioning was a really big deal. Regardless of the significance of his call, Moses said Joshua should still fully trust God. Our calling is to also follow God’s lead. To trust that he has gone…
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A Devotional for the Anxious Heart: James 1:2-4
Scripture: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness . And let that steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4 ESV) Thought: God is wise and all-knowing. He allows us to encounter difficult circumstances to mold us and shape us, but he is never far away. We should rejoice, even in our difficulties. God is using those difficulties to grow us. By our faith, we will emerge victorious. Application: It is hard to rejoice in suffering. The flesh wants to engage in self-pity and justifying worldly…
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A Devotional for the Anxious Heart: 1 Peter 5:6-7
Scripture: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him because he cares for you.” (ESV) Thought: Our pride, or refusal to depend on God and be subject to him) often is the root of my anxiety. Pride keeps us captive to worry, anxiety, and dread because we are constantly trying to be “enough”. We are not enough on our own—never have been, never will be. Only through the power of the Holy Spirit are we made whole, new creations in Christ. Application: What do you do with worry? Are you humble enough to…
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A Review of The Jesus Revolution Movie
My husband and I recently watched the new movie The Jesus Revolution. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t exactly sure what the movie was about before we watched it. We were bored on a Saturday night and looking for something to do. For those of you who haven’t seen or heard of the movie, the movie portrays the rise of the Jesus Movement in the early 1970s from the perspective of the pastor and members of the Calvary Chapel church in Costa Mesa, CA. The movie is based on true events and the lives of Pastor Chuck Smith, street preacher Lonnie Frisbee, and member and future pastor/evangelist Greg Laurie. It covers a…