“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

Words of Jesus, Luke 6:45 NIV

Joints in the human body are closed, fluid-filled systems, similar to barometers, which respond to atmospheric pressure changes. Just as joint pain that comes when weather changes can be an indicator of a problem, such as arthritis, in the joint, angry outbursts and impulsive behavior can be indicators of the spiritual condition of the heart. What are you storing up in your heart?🚦

#MattersOfTheHeart #Barometer #HeartBarometer #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionalsPhotos

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NIV

“Enough! I’ve had it!” If you’ve not yelled those words yourself, you’ve likely thought them at one time or another. Someone or something pushes you over the edge, and you wonder how you can keep putting one foot in front of the other. In these times God whispers, “I am enough.“ In your weakness He comes alongside with His yoke and carries the load so that you can keep moving in step with Him. “My grace is sufficient for you.”🚦

#Enough #MyGraceIsSufficient #WhenIAmWeakThenIAmStrong #PowerIsMadePerfectInWeakness #TakeMyYokeUponYou #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionalsPhotos

“In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings. And He who searches the hearts knows the Spirit’s mind-set, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:26-27‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

When you reach the end of yourself, destitute before God, what do you pray? A popular Christian song encourages us, “ when you don’t know what to say, just say Jesus. There is power in the name, the name of Jesus.“ When you know something has to change, but you are powerless to make it happen—just say Jesus. He is there and comes quickly to those who seek Him with all their heart. Just say Jesus.🚦

The full lyrics and the song are found here:

https://www.google.com/search?q=When+you+don%27t+know+what+to+say+just+say+Jesus&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari

#JustSayJesus #ThereIsPowerInTheNameOfJesus #HeIntercedesForUs #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionalsPhotos

“Now above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. Your “yes” must be “yes,” and your “no” must be “no,” so that you won’t fall under judgment.”

‭‭James‬ ‭5:12‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

Motivational speaker and writer Zig Ziglar once said, “Honesty and integrity are absolutely essential for success in life.”

Perhaps the most practical definition of integrity is to say what you mean, and mean what you say. It is not only being honest with oneself and with others, but it is following up on what you have said you will or will not do. To always be truthful and never mislead another is, without a doubt, a supernatural act resulting from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Can others count on you and your word?🚦

#Integrity #honesty #truthfulness #integrityiseverything #trustworthiness #supernaturalact #devotionals #stoplightdevotionals

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 3:13-14 NIV

If I drive down the road focused on my rear view mirror I’m likely to crash into something in my path in front of me. As writer Max Lucado said in his book “Anxious for Nothing,” “There is a reason the windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror.” We’ve all made our share of mistakes, but there is no reason to live there, fixated on them. Keep moving forward in God’s grace.🚦

#Forward #presson #moveforward #dontlookback #learnfromyourpastdontliveinit #devotionals #stoplightdevotionals

“But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.””

‭‭Ruth‬ ‭1:16-17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Oft quoted and often misunderstood, this passage speaks not of a romantic relationship but of a spiritual one. Just as Ruth was willing to give up all that was familiar to follow her mother-in-law Naomi, you and I must be willing to step out of our comfort zones to follow Christ wherever he leads us. This often means traveling through painful, difficult spaces we would never choose on our own, but the Shepherd stays with us the whole way. Are you willing to say you would rather climb steep, treacherous descents with Him than walk through smooth meadows without Him?🚦

#WhereYouGoIWillGo #WhereYouLeadIWillFollow #NeverAlone #YouAlwaysHaveAChoice #NotEasy #WorthIt #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals #Ruth #RuthAndNaomi

“Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭145:3-4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

A funny commercial shows two older men comparing crazy surgery scars, each trying to one-up the last. What would it look like if Christ-followers stopped complaining and started boasting about God’s greatness? For today (and consider doing this every day), tell at least one person how God has displayed His faithfulness to you. Hint: All of us have been given one very special gift in Jesus Christ.🚦

#GreatIsHisFaithfulness #Gift #Boast #Brag #StopComplainingStartRejoicing #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionalsPhotos

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”

Habakkuk 3:17-18 NIV

How in the world does one rejoice in the midst of such desolation? Habakkuk doesn’t pretend this is easy, but he does tell us it is a choice. The prophet turns a “what if” into an “even if” and determines his mind’s course independent of circumstance. By training his eyes, through practice, to remain on the Savior, on the goodness and sovereignty of God, he stays in an attitude of prayer and joy.

Where are your spiritual eyes focused?🚦

#Focus #EvenIf #EyesOnTheSavior #AttitudeOfPrayer #SpiritualFocus #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals

“But about the Son he says, ‘You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.’”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭1:8a, 9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Driving down the highway in the summer I’m often putting down my visor to block the sun’s blinding rays from my eyes. Reading the Bible can be much the same way, leaving a person to feel as if someone is shining a spotlight on them and their sin. While you and I have a hard time looking at brightness, God cannot look upon the darkness of our hearts and lives. His Word is truth exposes our sin for the darkness it is so that Christ can purify us from the wickedness. Through this process of sanctification we grow to be more like Christ, desiring more to please God than to continue in sin. That’s where the joy comes from!🚦

#LoveRighteousness #HateSin #BlindedByTheLight #Sanctification #ItsAProcess #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals

“You shall have no other gods before me…You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭20:3, 17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The first and last of the Ten Commandments are closely intertwined. Webster’s dictionary says to covet is “to desire wrongfully, inordinately, or without due regard for the rights of others: to covet another’s property.” The things we desire that others have become like gods in our hearts, replacing God as priority and first love. The obsession to obtain the object(s) of our affection leaves no room or time for relationship with our Father.

What, if anything, has taken up space in your heart where God wants to be? would it look like if you addressed these timeless principles more seriously? Or maybe your battle is with another commandment? 🚦

#DoNotCovet #NoOtherGods #10Commandments #ObjectOfYourAffection #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals