Tag: Bible

A Date With Destiny

Kingdom Come

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Heal the sick who live there. Tell them, “The Kingdom of God is coming to you!” Luke 10:9

Happy Birthday ~ October 9 ~

You see miracles happening all around you. While some people may dismiss them as ‘coincidence’ or ‘good timing’, you remain keenly aware that most remarkable incidents are actually the hand of God acting on behalf of His precious children. 

You know that He is doing miracles and wonderful things in the lives of those around you, and you feel compelled to participate in them.

Like Moses with his walking stick, which was an ordinary tool of his trade, you too are able to perform miraculous works using the tools of your career as well.

Every day, as you perform the tasks of your ordinary duties, you are given opportunities to deliver healing into the lives of your friends, family, and co-workers. The skills and experiences which serve as ‘tools of the trade’ in your career field, are vital to God’s work. You function in your divine destiny as you bring healing and deliverance to those you encounter throughout the day.

You often experience overwhelming gratitude to God for being such a loving Creator who takes interest in the everyday life events of His creation. 

You love watching miracles unfold in the lives of those you love and it brings you great joy to be an active participant in each.

As the Kingdom of God advances, you carry His banner of hope and healing into ordinary places; infusing the atmosphere with divine expectation.

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A Date With Destiny

Who Are You?

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What does your birthday reveal about your spiritual gifts, character, and calling?

This unique devotional uses your birth month and day to guide you through key scriptures—from Genesis to Revelation—using the chapter and verse numbers that match your special day.

What’s inside:

  • Bible verses matched to your birthday [Month] = chapter, [Day] = verse
  • Reflections on your spiritual personality, strengths, and values
  • Encouragement and inspiration for your walk with God
  • A powerful tool for self-discovery and faith growth

Perfect as a birthday gift, personal devotional, or keepsake.

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Tetelestai Recovery

Don’t Get Too Cozy In Your Cave

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In 1 Samuel 22, we read about David, the would-be king who is making decisions clouded by dysfunction. The story begins with rejection, danger, and drama. David is at risk. He has experienced trauma. He is out of his element, all alone, and without clear direction. His life has come down to a series of geographical moves and his only reason is simple, “I am here because it was not safe there.”

These words ring true for us as well. We have experienced trauma. In response, we run, we tell lies, we act crazy, and in the end, we finally find a cave where we can hide.

We enter our caves carrying something that makes us feel fierce. We carry memories of times when we weren’t so weak. Despite our insecurities and weakness, we also know there is resilience, tenacity, and charisma woven into our DNA by the Creator of the Universe.

In David’s story, he had the sword of Goliath strapped to his side, reminding him of his greatest victory. But, later, after experiencing his own trauma, it seemed his glory days were over. He is hiding in a cave which he refers to as his stronghold. Battling anxiety, depression, and loss, the cave becomes a makeshift fort for David and his absent army. Bringing an abrupt end to his promising career, his entire future has been destroyed by one man. The grief was too much to bear.

The man who once killed a giant with a rock, got hit between the eyes with trauma and it took him to a dark place. Everything changed. Nothing will ever be the same. He is alone. He is unprepared. He is in self-defense mode, and his behavior becomes irrational and unpredictable.

We too have experienced moments of trauma, laying the groundwork for our current dysfunctions. Whether we can remember them or not, each of us has heard, seen, or experienced things that made us feel unsafe, forcing us into unhealthy coping patterns. For some, the trauma was a single event, such as an accident, an illness, or a loss. For others, the trauma came gradually in waves, due to chronic pain, devastating disappointments, years of neglect, indifference, or abuse from a parent or spouse, or the emotional baggage of living in a deeply dysfunctional environment.

Chapter 7, Don’t Get Too Cozy In Your Cave https://a.co/d/gU3iw9Y

A Date With Destiny

Help

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Mark 9:27

But Jesus took hold of the boy’s hand and helped him to stand up.

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The Lord cares deeply about you and comes to your rescue whenever you ask for His help.

God sees that some of the things you go through are difficult. You know that help is required if you are going to be able to withstand the pressure and come through to the other side, unscathed.

With the calm reassurance of Jesus at your side, these struggles do not leave you weakened. Instead, you emerge from difficult predicaments with a newfound awareness of your position of power in Christ.

You sense His presence of with greater intensity during times when you are down and finding it impossible to stand on your own.  Because of this, you have learned to be grateful for your struggles, because they generate a new level of intimacy between you and your Savior.

Because you know He is there to carry the heaviness you feel after having been wronged, He enables you to move freely into forgiveness where healing can be found. 

Assured that the Creator of the universe is interested in what happens to you, and is willing to help whenever you ask, your confidence is solid and no earthly problem can shake it.

https://a.co/d/4a536Xc

A Date With Destiny

The Winner’s Circle

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1 Corinthians 9:24

Surely you know that many runners take part in a race, but only one of them wins the prize.  Run then, in such a way as to win the prize.

You do not consider your life to be your own. Your know that your life is set on a specific course designed by God. Your existence holds significant implications for future generations and you do not take this responsibility lightly.

This knowledge doesn’t indicate an attitude of presumption or arrogance, but rather, a position of humility. You know that your role is one of duty, rather than comfort or self-indulgence.

You know that without God’s guidance, you would be wandering through life, unsure of your purpose. Without knowing your purpose, you would be subject to life on the proverbial hamster wheel, struggling to find meaning for your existence.

As it turns out, God has given you a special direction in life.  He has chosen you for a journey which takes you far beyond your wildest dreams.

You appreciate this call. You are grateful for the destiny you have been given and you know that there is nothing you lack in order to fulfill it.

Contentment comes easy to you because God has enabled you to see through the deception of greed and envy to find the true meaning of life. You do not get entangled with the past, but you press on toward the goal.

God has provided you with clarity of mind and purpose. You are content with what you have and enjoy the pursuit of something greater than personal happiness.

Your desire to follow God’s plan is evident in the paths you take. There are times you inadvertently veer off course, but you recognize it immediately.  When this occurs, you listen for the Holy Spirit’s voice, like a spiritual GPS, and get quickly back onto the right road. 

God has given you a creative mind which empowers you to press on with enthusiasm and fervor.

When your time on this planet has ended, and your soul is released into the spirit realm, you will be greeted by your Creator. Having run the course and finished your race, He will welcome you home with open arms and proudly declare, “Well done!”

https://a.co/d/ajFafzm

Tetelestai Recovery

The Next Right Thing

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If we were to replicate an artistic masterpiece, for example, Michelangelo’s sculpture David where would we begin? A block of granite would be a good start, but after that, what next? A chisel in one hand and a hammer in the other, then tap, tap, tap away. It seems there should be no concern over the shape of the nose until the face has begun to take form. An artist would not frustrate himself over an earlobe’s curve if the nape of the neck has yet to be established.

It is one thing for a sculptor to envision his finished project. It is quite another thing, to plan for every tap, every move, and every chip. The first is art. The latter is insanity.

And so, we were given only one instruction at a time. God didn’t show us how to take the next 53 steps of our journey. He simply showed us one first, and then the next, and the next, and the next. He knew that we had a tendency to run out ahead of Him and wander off. Therefore, He gently kept us at His side, giving us only one instruction at a time. He knew that one simple stumble could place us into the path of the enemy, so His hand held us close. To counteract the enemy’s offensive moves, His plan had to remain flexible and changeable. Therefore, if He gave us the entire game plan, we might have run ahead and walked into a trap or missed His unexpected strategic maneuvers.

Therefore, we encouraged ourselves and each other with the simple mantra: Do the next right thing. That’s it, that’s all. God never asks us to make a five-year plan, complete with bar graphs and pie charts. He merely asks us to place one foot in front of the other, holding tight to His hand.

One step at a time, taking care not to run ahead, we found that God’s direction for us wasn’t always religious in nature, nor did every event seem extraordinarily significant. But as our journey continued, we realized that each right thing led us to the next right thing. And in this realm of just one thing, the next right thing, we found balance in our walk and harmony with ourselves.

Chapter 13, The Next Right Thing https://a.co/d/deLSbDM

Tetelestai Recovery

Just Keep Walking

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Our relationship with Jesus has grown through some amazing times. It is an exciting experience of falling in love with the King of Kings who chose us as His Bride. He says He delights in us. We say the feeling is mutual!

Now, we no longer feel apprehensive about our desires. They have been placed there by God and will be fulfilled through our partnership with Jesus. As a member of His royal family, our needs will be met so we can be busy with Kingdom business.

Many Citizens of the Kingdom are hurting, hungry, and sick. Some are simply battle-weary and overdue for a little rest. Our Kingdom assignments are to reach out to them through the means of written words, spoken words, authentic friendship, and compassionate care.

In our New Normal, we find a sense of purpose and direction in knowing that we are on a mission for our King. He has planned coincidental meetings with people who have been called to fulfill their own assignments in partnership with ours.

Our New Normal is everlasting recovery, a new perspective of life’s adventure, and an ability to take life in stride, knowing that the One who created the universe and everything within it is on our side. He is with us and for us. He is our Advocate, our Father, and our Spirit. This New Normal gives us fantastic strength to endure whatever matters come before us. We walk in partnership with our Creator to the divine destiny He has set before us. Our path may not always be easy or smooth, but it is softened by walking with Him.

In our New Normal, we can release our fears of making mistakes and manufacturing failures. We look straight ahead, eyes fixed on Jesus, with our feet firmly planted on level paths. What we want and what He wants for us, are synchronized perfectly.

We simply walk it out together, one step at a time.

Tetelestai Recovery 2 – Our New Normal https://a.co/d/dh91w7s

Tetelestai Recovery

The Testing of Our Faith

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One evening without notice, a moment of grace fell on our Friday night group. One member shared a passage from the book of James. It altered our perspective about these irritating, uninspiring days when we are simply putting one foot in front of the other.

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4

What do these tests look like?
  • When our feelings betray us and tell us we don’t love God like we should.
  • When our behavior slips into an old pattern and makes us believe we have not changed.
  • When the excitement and enthusiasm we once had for God seems dull and muted.
  • When we just don’t care about trying so hard, because it’s too much work.

Previously, these difficult times had been dark and made us doubt our relationship with God. We were frustrated to find Him so distant when we needed Him the most.

However, when we begin to view these events as a process which increases our patience and equips us for the next level, we start to see their value. We no longer need to feel frustrated when God goes silent. A good teacher is always silent during a test.

Tetelestai Recovery 3: Leveling Up / Chapter 4: Be Patient With Yourself https://a.co/d/0TrI59R

Tetelestai Recovery

A New Brag

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Paul had a messenger of Satan he referred to as a thorn in the flesh. He realized it was to keep him from becoming conceited, but still he asked God to remove it. He asked three times and each time, God told him His grace was sufficient. On that third ask, Paul finally realized there was a higher purpose for the thorn.

He was quite the achiever. He was a writer, and activist, a preacher, and the recipient of divine revelation. Those are some heady titles. Anyone in his position would struggle with arrogance.

Before his conversion, Paul had been a well-educated, well-connected, influential person. Perhaps he had an ego problem all his life. He was ambitious about his political career and eager to gain social standing by stopping the Christian movement. As a Roman citizen, educated in the Pharisaical law, he could advance his political pursuits in the eyes of the religious leaders while also remaining a loyalist to the Roman government. Snuffing out the Jesus movement would have brought him the promotion and respect he deserved.

But as he sat in a prison cell, frustrated with a messenger of Satan, he couldn’t think of anything he’d like more that to have God take it away.

We wonder if this messenger of Satan was one of the guards at the prison. Maybe they had worked together when Paul was a Christian bounty hunter, and the guard was now taunting him about being ‘one of them’. Perhaps the messenger of Satan was another prisoner. Perhaps the thorn was a conspiracy theory that Paul was a double agent, and the Damascus conversion was a clever lie to get the early Christians to trust him so he could infiltrate their secret communities and advance his political career.

No matter who or what his thorn in the flesh was, it caused Paul a great deal of distress. But God said, “My grace is sufficient. It is made perfect in your weakness.”

So, the guy who was prone to conceit found a new brag. He would brag about his own weakness so the grace of Christ could be the driving force behind all he would accomplish. It was hard on his ego, but good for his soul.

…Continue reading https://a.co/d/hH2bXok

Tetelestai Recovery

The Risk of Enlightenment

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In our leveled-up position, we consistently receive divine revelation and fresh insights from the Lord. As mysteries are revealed and scriptural mysteries jump off the page, we become quite passionate about our supernatural encounters. These events are the mountain tops of human experience in our never-ending quest for significance and purpose. It is a glorious experience to serve as a trusted confidant to one’s own Creator.

Once these secrets and mysteries are in our possession, we encounter opportunities to dispense them as the Spirit leads. We walk in spiritual authority and become bold in the pursuit of our call. Sometimes our newfound confidence can start to look like conceit.

The pendulum swings back and forth between passion and pride. We are overwhelmed with gratitude for what God has given, and we are enthusiastic about our call. Yet, we are also enthralled with our newfound knowledge and comprehension. In our human frailty, we sometimes get carried away with our heightened awareness and become a little too impressed with ourselves.

Conceit is a common problem for any receiver of divine revelation. Without realizing it, as a leveled-up believer, we might find ourselves at the center of attention. We may start gauging our success by the compliments we receive and the followers we collect on social media. We may become so certain of our own divine revelations that we begin to discount the teachings of others. We may find ourselves craving and thriving on comments like, “I’ve never looked at it that way before,” or, “You have such a gift for interpretation,” or, “You are so inspirational.”

It is encouraging to hear supportive comments and reassurance. We are told repeatedly throughout the scriptures to build each other up because God knows we need encouragement. However, our fragile egos may be so deeply damaged, the slightest compliment can make us feel like we are walking on air. Therefore, when we are given a position of great influence, the risk of conceit rearing its ugly head is always a threat.

As with the story of Paul, we too may find ourselves with a thorn in the flesh; a messenger of Satan to prevent us from becoming conceited. Those of us with a prickly past have plenty of thorns and thistles scattered along the path we once walked. We are quite vulnerable to a messenger of Satan taking a stab at us with the fragments of our old life.

…Continue Reading https://a.co/d/exK63jy