Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. (Acts 8:5-6, NKJV) Sounds of revival filled Samaria. As Philip preached, souls were saved. Miracles, healings, and deliverance from unclean spirits happened. Multitudes turned to the Lord in this time of spiritual awakening. Acts 8:8 says there was great joy in the city. With so much happening, it seems strange that an angel instructed Philip to leave the Samaritan revival and head south toward the desert. And…
When was the last time you heard someone exclaim, “I enjoy obeying your commands; I love them!”? Yet, this is exactly what David says multiple times in the Psalms. David’s unwavering delight in God’s Word was key to his relationship with God. From Psalm 119 (ESV), here are seven reasons to delight in God’s Word: The Word guards against sin. “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (verse 11). The Bible is infinitely valuable because it exposes sin, which separates us from God, so we can repent and return to Him. The reward of following God’s law is salvation and eternal life. Delight in that! The Word is wisdom. “Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors” (verse 24). The Bible is an advisor we can trust, a friend we seek for counsel. It’s a delight to be guided by the source of all wisdom! The Word inspires obedience. “Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. Incline my heart to your testimonies” (verses 35-36). In other words, bend my heart submissively toward Your law, God, and “turn my eyes from looking at worthless things”…
God built into Israel’s calendar about thirty days of feasts per year. Add the weekly Sabbaths, and the total celebration time comes to around eighty days of feasting and rest annually. God is serious about celebration! When God mandated celebration among His people in the Old Testament, He used three Hebrew words: hâlal, châgag and shâbath. At the dedication of Jerusalem’s rebuilt wall in Nehemiah 12 (ESV), these three essentials of celebration are included. Celebration Keeps God Central Nehemiah’s celebration plans included instruments and singers filling the air with triumphant praise. The people sang and offered sacrifices to God with praise that centered their hearts on the source of their joy (verse 27). God is both the reason and the focus of our celebration. Without celebration we lack the strength we need to face life’s greatest challenges and opportunities. In the middle of a day of celebration, we read this familiar phrase in Nehemiah 8:10: “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” Celebration holds the key to the strength we desperately need—the Lord. And, it is powerful when it is habitually practiced. Paul wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). Celebration Claims God’s Promises…
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” — Epistle to the Ephesians 5:15–16 (ESV) Sweet friend, motherhood can feel like a race we never signed up to run. There are meals to cook, laundry to fold, emails to answer, practices to attend, and a calendar that seems to fill itself. We live in a culture of hurry—and if we’re not careful, hurry becomes the rhythm of our hearts. When we rush through our days, we often miss the sacred invitations hidden inside them.…
“Choices are the hinges of destiny.” – Edwin Markham As women of faith—mothers, mentors, grandmothers, and spiritual sisters—we carry a beautiful responsibility: shaping the hearts of the next generation. One of the greatest gifts we can offer the young women in our lives is guidance in making wise, God-honoring decisions. Whether you are parenting a teen daughter, discipling a college student, or investing in a young woman at church, here are four devotional anchors to help her make wise decisions. Wisely Obey God’s Word “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night…” — Joshua 1:8 (NKJV) When young women ask, “What should I do?” gently redirect them to a deeper question: “Who is God shaping me to become?” God is far more concerned with her character than her calendar. A heart rooted in Scripture develops steady discernment. When she meditates on God’s Word, it becomes her compass, her guardrails, and her source of courage. As women, we model this first. Let her see you turning to Scripture before reacting. Let her witness your obedience. A life saturated in the Word aligns thoughts, attitudes, and decisions with the heart of…
Maybe next year will be different, I thought as one difficult season came to a close. Maybe next year I wouldn’t have to fight so hard or struggle so much. Maybe next year I wouldn’t be so sick and could spend more time with my family. Maybe next year I would meet the man God has for me instead of listening to the lies that I would always be alone. Maybe next year I would finally have victory over depression instead of feeling defeated. Maybe next year the financial strain would ease. Maybe next year I wouldn’t have to say goodbye to someone I loved. It is easy, after a hard season, to focus only on the pain behind us. Many hardships filled the past year—sickness, financial strain, loss, and long periods of waiting when I wanted to move forward. I fought battles I never imagined I would face. Yet in those same battles, God gave me strength I never knew I had. It is tempting to say “good riddance” to a difficult year and hope a new one will fix everything. But we do not know what God is doing while we are in the middle of the struggle.…