“Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. Therefore WE DO NOT GIVE UP.”

II Corinthians 4:7-9,16 HCSB

Christ followers have a special superpower: HOPE! Keeping our fixed on the cross with a view to eternity gives us unparalleled perspective and mind-bending perseverance. Fueled by the Holy Spirit, we press on with audacious courage through the most relentless of trials and tribulations to attain the prize of “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

What’s YOUR superpower?🚦

#SuperPower #What’sYourSuperpower #JarsOfClay #Treasure #HolySpirit #PressuredButNotCrushed #PerplexedButNotInDespair #PersecutedButNotAbandoned #StruckDownButNotDestroyed #WeDoNotGiveUp #Devotionals #StopLightDevotionals

“and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭61:3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

For the Christ follower all the suffering and heartache will be turned from mourning to joy when we meet Jesus in heaven. But did you know He also does this NOW—while you are still alive? We do not have to stay imprisoned with despair and anxiety because Jesus came to set us free from those shackles. Instead, he sets a beautiful crown on our heads. The ashes of our grief will fertilize the work He is doing in our hearts so that out of it will rise a strong oak of righteousness to God’s glory. Are t you excited to think about what your crown will look like?🚦

#BeautyFromAshes #JoyInsteadOfMourning #PraiseInsteadOfDespair #HeMakesAllThingsNew #FreedomForTheCaptives #Freedom #Devotionals #StopLightDevotionals

“I will always obey Your instruction, forever and ever. I will walk freely in an open place because I seek Your precepts.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119:44-45‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

The person at peace with God is already walking in freedom, no matter the external physical constraints. The person who denies God is in a prison all their own, shackled by ghosts of the past and fear for the future. Do you believe God sent Jesus to pay the price for your sin? Have you accepted this gift and begun walking in the freedom of obedience?🚦

#Obedience #Freedom #Instruction #FreedomInObedience #Devotionals #StopLightDevotionals

“For I do not trust in my bow, and my sword does not bring me victory. But You give us victory over our foes and let those who hate us be disgraced.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭44:6-7‬ HCSB

After a zip-lining course my family decided to complete a ropes challenge course with the final challenge a tight rope walk high in the trees. I’d watched the others do it, and they were cheering me on, but trusting my harness to hold me up if I fell did not come easily or quickly. Faith can be that way—hard to let go and trust God. As we recognize God’s hand in our lives over time and how He has demonstrated His faithfulness to us it becomes easier to step out on the tightrope knowing He is there to hold us up.

What, or who, are you trusting in today to deliver you through times of adversity?

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭41:10‬ ‭HCSB‬‬🚦

#TightRope #Faith #Trust #RopesCourse #LettingGo #Devotionals #StopLightDevotionals

“Be gracious to me, God, be gracious to me, for I take refuge in You. I will seek refuge in the shadow of Your wings until danger passes.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭57:1‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

You are driving down a road when a light rain rages into a storm with thunder, lightning and hail. You can’t see clearly, and it is unsafe to continue driving. What do you do? The prudent person pulls over to seek shelter under a bridge or other covering until the storm passes.

During the storms of life we sometimes need to pull back and seek shelter in God. During these seasons we may have to say “no” to other things that would pull at our energy so that we can let the Holy Spirit refuel us and let Him do battle on our behalf. If you welcome this time of refuge and refreshment you will be recharged and ready for the next adventure that awaits.🚦

#Gracious #Refuge #ShadowOfYourWings #Storm #Danger #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 HCSB

“Pull yourself up by your bootstraps!”

“Suck it up!” “Smile!” “It could be worse.”

Have you ever felt encouraged in your heart from hearing any of these words? Or did it feel like even more weight had been placed on your already heavily burdened heart? When the weight of the world has dragged your spirit to dark places of hopelessness, lift your eyes up to the light of heaven’s promise. There is no better encouragement than that of eternity in the presence of God.🚦

#bootstraps #suckitup #hopeless #promise #eternity #encourage #encouragement #encourageeachother #devotionals #stoplightdevotionals

God call the judges into His courtroom, He puts all the judges in the dock.

“Enough! You’ve corrupted justice long enough, you’ve let the wicked get away with murder. You’re here to defend the defenseless, to make sure that underdogs get a fair break;

Your job is to stand up for the powerless, and prosecute all those who exploit them”

Ignorant judges! Head-in-the-sand judges!

They haven’t a clue to what’s going on. And now everything’s falling apart, the world’s coming unglued.

“I commissioned you judges, each one of you, deputies of the High God,

But you’ve betrayed your commission…”

Psalm 82:11-7 The Message

Listen as you hear the gavel strike the wood three times, calling court into session. God Himself walks in, and each of us is on the dock. Yes, you and I are the ones on trial! He called us to be prudent and discerning, to be on guard and watchful. Instead, we stuck our heads in the sand and tried to take the easy way out when evil had stuck his foot in the doors of our homes, our hearts. As evil overtook more and more of the space in our hearts and homes, we looked the other way. We sipped the wine; we dulled the hurt and fear until we convinced ourselves it wasn’t really happening. Before we knew it, everything fell apart. The world as we knew it shifted, and it was not pretty. Now what?

“Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!” Lamentation 3:23. HCSB🚦

#Judges #Court #HeadInTheSand #Commissioned #FootInTheDoor #TheWorldShifted #HisMerciesAreNewEveryMorning #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals

“Then Moses continued to speak these words to all Israel, saying, “I am now 120 years old; I can no longer act as your leader. The Lord has told me, ‘You will not cross this Jordan.’….Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid. For it is the Lord your God who goes with you; He will not leave you or forsake you.””

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭31:1-2, 6‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

For many of you this has been a season of struggle and grieving. A person dear to you has passed on, or the relationship has changed and become painfully distant. You are forced to say goodbye or to let go of dreams that will not materialize. It’s hard, and it’s scary to face the world that seems suddenly so different. “This is not the way it was supposed to be,” you tell yourself.

Yet, somehow, in the midst of the inner storm, God calls you and I to be bold and courageous. Knowing we would be scared and hesitant to put one foot in front of the other when they feel like lead in quicksand, our Heavenly Father assures is He is with us and will never leave us. May comfort of the Holy Spirit cloak you, and may the power of the resurrection renew you.🚦

#death #change #lettinggo #dreams #grieving #loss #bebold #bestrong #courageous #devotionals #stoplightdevotionals

“If you ever forget the Lord your God and go after other gods to worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will perish.”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭8:19‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

When I place other things before my time with God, I am bowing down to other gods. What are some of the things you let interfere with your time with God? Cell phone? Work? Shopping? Worry? Health problems? Body image issues? All of these things separate us from God and cause us to perish spiritually. What changes do you need to make to set aside sacred space for you and God alone?🚦

#Idols #NoOtherGods #BowDown #Perish #WhatAreYourOtherGods? #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals

“For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with streams of water, springs, and deep water sources, flowing in both valleys and hills;”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭8:7‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

That bone dry, barren desert season will come to an end. God will have worked in your heart to humble you before Him until you acknowledge your need of the Savior. When God takes you into your next season, one ripe with opportunity as well as the potential for excess, the temptation will be to forget it was He who provided so generously. At that point you begin living out of step with the Spirit. God calls you to walk alongside Him, both through the fallow desert AND the lush countryside. Remember always Whose you are.🚦

#StreamsOfWater #Springs #DeepWaterSources #ValleysAndHills #Desert #WalkInSpirit #RememberWhoseYouAre #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals