“Finally, brothers, rejoice. Become mature, be encouraged, be of the same mind, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭13:11‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

Spiritual maturity and rejoicing go hand in hand. You will be hard pressed to find a fully developed follower of Christ who does not find joy in the midst of struggle and peace in the eye of the storm. Joy is a choice. It is a way of seeing the world through the supernatural lens of the creator.

Challenge: Every morning for 40 days write down 3 things for which you are grateful. They must be different every day. Watch your thinking transform. 🚦

#Rejoice #Mature #SpirituallyMature #SuperNatural #FullyDevelopedFollowerOfChrist #JoyIsAChoice #ChooseJoy #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals

“As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭17:15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Do you find yourself longing to reach that destination of fully being the person you WILL become? Be encouraged that you are no longer who you were. As you continue to seek God’s face through prayer and listening to Him through the reading of and meditating on His Word, you become more like Him. Embrace the journey!

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

‭‭I John‬ ‭3:2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬🚦

#reflection. #InHisImage #Likeness #SeeYourFace #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals

“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:1‬ ‭NASB‬‬

Paul writes to the Phillipians from prison in Rome, telling them to rejoice! It’s not just rejoice, but rejoice IN THE LORD. Rejoicing in His goodness, sovereignty, power, majesty, and love for us will safeguard our hearts in this age of attacks from the enemy and temptations that pull us every which way. Rejoicing in Him keeps our hearts and minds trained on the cross and in gratefulness for our salvation, putting everything in perspective. Rejoice! 🚦

#rejoice #RejoiceInTheLord #Safeguard #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals

“But the men who had gone up with him said, ‘We cant attack those people; they are stronger than we are.’ And they spread among the Israelites aa bad report about the land they had exported. They said, ‘The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size…we seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.'”

Numbers 13:31-33 NIV

These ten men saw there very same thing Joshua and Caleb had seen when they all explored the land together. These men spread their fear and anxiety through all the Israelites as fast as Hollywood gossip spreads across news stands

Why are we so quick to believe the naysayers who are so hquick to point out the challenges instead of positioning ourselves in faith before our all-seeing, all-knowing God who can defeat anyone? What if we spread the Good News of the gospel with the same fervor as faithless negativity? What would our world look like if we focused on “whatsoever is true, whatsoeTuesday, June 18, 2019ver is noble, whatsoever is right, whatsoever is pure” and spread this like wildfire throughout our communities? It’s up to you. It’s up to me. 🚦

#Gossip #HollywoodGossip #BadReport #LittleFaith #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals

“Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.””

‭‭Numbers‬ ‭13:30‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Caleb and Joshua were the only two of the twelve who went to Canaan on a secret mission to check out the land, the people and the terrain who came back and said, “We can do this!” The other 10 came back and reported that the cities were too large and the people were like giants, ready to devour them. Even after God had parted the Red Sea so they could walk right through it, provided the manna from heaven, and never left them, the Israelites chose to listen to the majority view and turn away from what God commanded them.

As believers who earnestly seek God, we will find ourselves, from time to time, to be a minority voice. This does not make us wrong, but it does test our courage. God’s Word tells us to stay the course in faith, and in doing so you find yourself entering into His rest. Be at rest.🚦

#Joshua #Caleb #JoshuaAndCaleb #Minority #MinorityDecision#Canaan #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals

“The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭103:13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The word “father” conjures up so many different images for different people. My own father died when I was young, so until my husband and I had children, I was mostly been an outsider to this special relationship. Others I know have enjoyed a healthy, loving tie with their dads. Still others choke back tears of pain at the memory of this dreaded monster. We mortals often project, consciously or unconsciously, the attributes of our earthly fathers to the Heavenly Father. If I do that, as I did for many years, I wait with angst for the ball to drop, for the time when He is gone. If my abused friend ascribes such traits to God, he wants nothing to do with Him.

Aren’t you glad we have His Word to set the record straight on who God really is? “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.” (John 14:18) He is the Father who keeps His promises, who loves unconditionally, who leaves the 99 sheep to find you and me. Oh, how He loves us.🚦

#FathersDay #FathersDay2019 #Father #HeLivesUs#FatherToTheFatherless #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals

“Then the Lord said to Aaron, ‘You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites.’”

Numbers 18:20 NIV

Let’s face it, it can be hard to look around and not compare ourselves to those who seem to have so much more than what you and I have. In a world that badgers Christians with “name it, claim it” and “believe it, receive it,” we are told if we just had more faith we would be healed of our ailments and given everything we ask for “in Jesus’ name.” But, you say, “I believe. I have faith, but I am NOT healed, and my wealth is all gone.”

Gods word offers a different promise. The Lord says, “I am your portion and inheritance.“ Health can waiver, and wealth can dry up, but God never leaves us. Have you trained yourself to be satisfied in Him? 🚦

#Inheritance #NameItClaimIt #BelieveItReceiveIt #HeIsEnough #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals

“Go! Say to these people:

Keep listening, but do not understand;

keep looking, but do not perceive;

Dull the minds of these people;

deafen their ears and blind their eyes;

otherwise they might see with their eyes

and hear with their ears,

understand with their minds,

turn back, and be healed.”

Isaiah 6:9-10

Do not dull your mind to truth and settle for a baseless ideology. Let Him open your spiritual eyes and ears to the Truth found in His Word. God wants to give you supernatural sight so you will perceive His activity at work in the world around you. Be alert!The enemy seeks to blind your eyes and confuse your mind.🚦

#EarsThatHear #EyesThatSee #MindThatUnderstands #SpiritualEyesight #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. – 1 John 5:14-15 NIV

If we are truly walking with God our requests will be in line with His will. How do we know His will? Don’t expect a big clap of thunder and a booming voice! Read His Word and ask Him for wisdom and discernment. God speaks to us through His Word; we speak to Him through our prayers. Pray with thanksgiving and a humble but expectant heart. God loves you and will work all things together for good for those who love Him and are following His purposes. (Romans 8:28)🚦

#Prayer #GiveThanks #AccordingToHisWill #HisWordIsHisWill #WaitingForLightning #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals

“Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline?”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:7‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

Often we think of discipline as synonymous with punishment, but God’s Word paints the picture of a loving father training his child to follow instructions. Few people learn big life lessons through pleasant experience. The Israelites were no different. God miraculously rescued them out of Egypt by parting the Red Sea, yet when it came to conquering the Canaanites, they didn’t believe God could give them victory, so they didn’t obey. That disobedience cost them 40 years in the wilderness, and a whole generation missed entry into the Promised Land of Canaan. It was a painful lesson.

What has God been trying to teach you?🚦

#Discipline #Suffering #SufferingAsDiscipline #HeDisciplinesThoseHeLoves #Hardship #LearningTheHardWay #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals