11/10/21 11/10/21

Poetry Am I Walking with Jesus?

Walking with Jesus should
Make a difference.
Do I?
Does it?

He keeps his promises.
Do I?
He is willing to forgive, forget.
Am I?
Do I?

He seeks truth,
is truth.
Do I prefer my assumptions to His truth?
He is loving and kind.
Am I?

Or do I rationalize negative attitudes,
And respond accordingly?
He hates evil, sin and wrong,
knowing they destroy.
Do I love and trust Him enough to fight against them, too—
In my life, family, community, nation?

Am I willing to follow His way, not mine?
Allow Him control, to live within?
Realizing walking with Jesus means
Becoming all He created me to be

For in letting go,
I find forgiveness and hope,
And a Savior friend who never lets me go.

© 2021 Carolyn R Scheidies
Feel free to share

10/18/20 10/18/20

Devotion Staying on Track—Don’t Be Misled

Satan doesn't care how He gets God's people off track as long as he does so. One way he trips us up is to get us entangled with details of life and faith that take time and energy, but that leads others away rather than to Christ, divides rather than unifies, and makes us more concerned with format and legalism than a living relationship with and faith in Jesus.

Timothy 1:3c-5 ...charge some that they teach no other doctrine, Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. Now the end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of true faith:

We need to be wise to Satan's tricks, and always, always realize we are saved by God's gift of grace not by works which we do. It's about allowing Jesus Lordship in our lives, not about earning our way. About following Him, not “me.”

I Timothy 1:15 (KJV) This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

5/13/20 5/13/20

Devotion Giving Up Control?

God’s path to His blessing isn’t a blanket “It’s Ok.” He requires each of us to come and acknowledge His Lordship. It is letting go and letting Him take control of our lives, something most of us find very difficult to do.

Jesus isn’t simply a “Get out of trouble card,” when we goof up. Sin isn’t a popular word, but it is the definition of what we do when we make choices that harm ourselves and/or others. Do we lie, cheat, steal, even in minor ways? Do we hurt others with our words, assumptions, innuendoes, and gossip?

Do we go our way, shutting God out of our lives, maybe even, while claiming to follow Him? He is our creator, Lord, and Savior. He is so much more than we want to accept. But, until we do so, we remain outside His comfort, protection and peace.

Am I willing to let go, give Him access to clean me up from the inside out, and to follow Him wherever He leads? Do I truly know Him, His will, His way? Am I ready to deepen my relationship with Him through regular communication and by studying His Word?

Until I am, how can I claim to either know or follow Him? Yet, He is still here, waiting for you and me to ask, to bow, allow Him in to forgive and set free.

1 John 1:9 (ESV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

4/14/20 4/14/20

Devotions Not my Way, But His--and Lives in Freefall

We have a tendency to “bend” God's principles to fit what we want to do. But for us, as for the Israelites, God makes it clear that if we want His blessings, we must not add or take away from His Word.

Deuteronomy 4:1-2 Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers gives you. You shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish ought from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

We need to obey in His way, His timing and with a willing heart. We can only do this if we are daily communicating with Him through prayer and meditating on His Word.

Help me, Jesus, not to try to fit You into my life choices, but that my life will reflect a heart that knows and follows You. Amen.

Deuteronomy 4:6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.

4/2/20 4/2/20

Poetry Two Words that Changes Lives

Two words.
We pass over them,
Maybe, too familiar these simple words.
Yet, we need to consider their power,
Their reality,
Their impact on lives and hearts,
Families and countries.
They are words to savor and share.
Words revealing deep love and care,
Words showing life and love and hope
In an often dark and confusing world,
Words that make a difference
when we believe and heed,
Starting today,
With you, with me.
The two life-changing words?
Jesus saves!

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. --John 3:16-17 (NKJV)

I plan my life out a day at a time, so my posting schedule can be erratic.

Sign up for my newsletter and you’ll never miss a post.