“What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.””

‭‭Romans‬ ‭7:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

People often equate the Bible to a list of “thou shalt nots” designed to squash their fun. Certainly, the law—the Ten Commandments—use those words, but they actually point us to freedom! Freedom comes when we live in harmony with God. The law informs us of our sin, so that we will find our dependence in Christ because on our own we cannot keep from sin. God fully intends us to walk in communion with the Holy Spirit and in community with other believers who share a passion to live for Christ.

Do you have a tribe of people who will walk with you and encourage you and hold you accountable? 🚦

#TenCommandments #Freedom #TheLaw #FreedomInObedience #Obedience #YourTribe #Accountability #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals

“‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭19:4-5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

After God rescued the Israelites out of Egypt He made this promise to them: obey me fully, keep this covenant—this contract—“you will be my treasured possession.” God promised to protect, care for, show favor and lavish with attention these people if they fully kept the terms of the agreement. He went on to share the Ten Commandments, “given not as a club over our heads but as a tack on our hearts. He gives them not to frustrate us but to free us to live in harmony with holiness.”(The Amazing Collection) Simply put, a Christ follower will find full peace when obeying God in thought, word and deed.

May your heart find peace in Him today and always.🚦

#Rescued #EaglesWings #Treasured #TreasuredPossession #TenCommandments #Covenant #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals

“So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭40:38‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Those old enough remember well traveling without the reassurance GPS provides, but younger people are hard pressed to follow a map without a voice guiding every twist and turn. For the Israelites, the the cloud over the tabernacle by day and the fire in the cloud at night were the reassurance of the Lord’s constant presence. As long as the cloud was hovering over the tabernacle they knew to stay put. When it lifted, the cloud guided them as to where they were to go. We have the Holy Spirit as our constant companion and guide. We seek God in the morning in His Word to know His will. He stays with us throughout our day and night. “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Joshua 1:5 NIV) 🚦

#Cloud #CloudByDay #Fire #FireByNight #HeShowsUsTheWay #IWillNeverLeaveYouNorForSakeYou #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals

“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭3:2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Have you ever felt pulled in two directions, wanting to be in two places at one time? Apostle John writes about this struggle we deal with as Christ followers, wanting so much to be in heaven in the presence of God but knowing there is work yet to be done here. We are still becoming, caught up between the now and the not yet.

“This life is not in godliness but the process of becoming godly, not health but getting well, not being but becoming. We are not now but we shall be, but we are on the way. The process is not yet finished, but it is actively going on. This is not the goal but it is the right road. At present everything does not gleam and sparkle, but everything is being cleansed.“

—-Martin Luther, German theologian and leader of the Protestant reformation🚦

#InProcess #Becoming #WeShallBeLikeHim #TheNowAndThemNotYet #ChildrenOfGod #HesStillWorkingOnMe #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31 KJV

“You just need to pull yourself up by your bootstraps.” I heard it and wondered what to do when the bootstraps are broken. Broken is exactly how I felt, and I had nothing left inside to pull up with. So I prayed. And you know what? After I waited a bit the strength finally came…not all at once but steadily building.

When you are so worn down you are at the end of yourself, it is the beginning of finding who you are in Christ. That’s where the strength comes from.🚦

#WaitUponTheLord #WingsLikeEagles #RenewTheirStrength #Bootstraps#PullYourselfUpByYourBootstraps #BootStrapsAreBrokenLikeMe #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionalsPhotos

“So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”…”Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.””

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭3:10-11‬, 4:10-13 NIV‬‬

Don’t you feel a kind of kinship with Moses here? At the age of 80 he is completely lacking confidence. Even after God tells Moses He, the God of his ancestors, would give him everything he needed to do the task He set out for him, Moses wanted to duck tail and run from the mission. But he didn’t! Our Lord, in His grace, gave Moses a helper in his brother Aaron, and Moses DID rise to the occasion.

Is God calling you out of your comfort zone to accomplish kingdom work? He equips those He calls. You are in good hands.🚦

#BurningBush #Moses #MosesAndTheBurningBush #StepUp #HeEquipsThoseHeCalls #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionalsPhotos

“When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭2:15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Overnight Moses went from a high-profile lifestyle of royalty and privilege to being an unknown shepherd of humble means in a small farming town. God would use the next forty years to grow Moses in faith and obedience to be a leader who could relate to the concerns of the people God would one day call him to lead out of slavery.

If you find yourself at a place in life not of your own choosing, frustrated with what seems to be a dry and ho-hum existence, you are in good company. Press on, living fully within your circumstances, making the most of every single opportunity for growth so that you, like Moses, are ready when God calls you to your purpose.

“And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.””

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭3:9-10‬ ‭NIV‬‬🚦

#OutofEgypt #SmalltownLife #Ordinary #HardWorkNeverKilledAnyone #Moses #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

‭‭John‬ ‭‬13:34-35‬, 15:13‬ NIV‬‬

When we are young we think of love as a feeling, craving the excitement of that new spark. God’s Word, however, gives the picture of love as verb, not a noun. It’s the setting aside your own desires to put another’s needs and desires ahead of our own. Love is the granddaughter sweetly taking the dish towel from Nana and washing the dishes for her. It’s the husband who gently puts slippers on his wife’s feet when she can no longer bend over to put them on herself. It’s a three hour lunch with a friend who‘s life isn’t turning out as planned. This kind of love is motivated by gratefulness to God for the sacrifice of His only Son for us.

What motivates you in your relationships?🚦

#LoveIsAVerb #LoveInAction #Motivation #God’sLove #Sacrifice #MeLess #OthersFirst #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals

“Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭12:7, 13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Like the Hebrews who were enslaved in Egypt, you and I were slaves to sin before knowing Christ. The shed blood of Jesus is the marking that covers us as followers of Christ, so that we are “passed over”. from death to life. We do not have to stand at the judgment seat to defend our lives. Instead, because He was pierced for our transgressions (Is 53:5) we receive healing from our sin and a judgment of our good works rather than for our many failings. Thanks be to God for this indescribable gift!🚦

#risen #piercedforourtransgressiins #covered # Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals

“From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” ).”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭27:45-46‬ NIV‬‬

In this instant Jesus willingly took on all the sin of the entire world–past, present, and future. That sin separated him from the light of the Father, plunging him into the darkness of separation, because a holy God cannot look upon sin. Jesus, who had never once given into temptation, paid that sin debt in full. Once you and I accept this gift of our debt ledger torn in two and turn to follow him, when God looks on us He sees only Christ who covered our debt for all eternity.

He loved you enough to die for you. Do you love him enough to live for him?🚦

#darkness #SeparationFromGod #HePaidMyDebt #PaidInFull #Covered # #Devotionals #StoplightDevotionals