The Uncommon Love of God

 

 

Kimberly Poteet – Prayer Center Coach, cbn.com

Imagine living such a godly life that the Creator of the Universe takes special notice of you!

Job and Cornelius were two such men whose devotion got God’s attention — yet both experienced what it was like to be despised and rejected by men (Job 1-42, Acts 10-11) .

Job’s rejection came after all-manner of destruction had overtaken this once-wealthy and honored man.

Cornelius’ rejection had been lifelong because he was a Gentile.

Yet God took notice of them and even set things in motion to redeem them to a place of acceptance and honor.

Everyone envied Job. He seemed to have it all: money, family, friends – plus he loved God. In Job 1:1 he is described as “blameless – a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil.”

Yet when calamity struck him and his household, people mocked him. Friends even said that only the wicked experienced such turmoil.

Job was grieved by such accusations, and he longed to be understood! In Job 19:23, he said, “Oh, that my words could be recorded…”

He did not know that those very words would be part of God’s written Word – giving hope to generations regarding how a righteous man endures trials!

In the midst of his hurt, Job had faith rise up in him as he proclaimed “my Redeemer lives…” (verse 25). Job knew that one day he would stand before a Righteous Judge – and I believe that thought gave him hope.

How amazing that he had such hope before experiencing a breakthrough!  He even prayed for the friends who accused him before anything had gotten better for him!

Another man of great renown, Cornelius, lived at the time of the Apostle Peter and the early Christian church. Cornelius was a Roman army captain of the Italian Regiment. He is described as a “devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God” (Acts 10:1-2).

Cornelius’ servants described him as one “well respected by all the Jews,” (verse 22). Yet Cornelius had become accustomed to being kept at arm’s length, never fully embraced by God’s chosen people.  But God wanted to change that.

As Cornelius prayed one day, an angel appeared to him, saying

“Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering!”  (verse 4).

The angel instructed Cornelius to send men to Joppa and summon Peter; meanwhile, God worked on Peter’s heart.

Through a vision, God instructed Peter to “not call something unclean if God has made it clean” (verse 15).

So as Cornelius’ three men arrived at the home where Peter was staying, God furthermore instructed Peter,

“Get up, go downstairs and go with them without hesitation. Don’t worry, for I have sent them” (verse 20).

This was a big step for Peter.

Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean” (verse 28).

And after hearing Cornelius share why he sent for him, Peter replied:

“I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right” (verses 34-35).

This encounter helped open a door to greater fellowship between the entire family of God.

Our Great Defender

 

 

Marissa Nordlum – Email Analyst, cbn.com

Sometimes during my devotional time, I like to glaze over the book of Job in the Bible. Let’s be honest, who wants to read or hear about suffering? We live in a world where suffering seems all too familiar to many of us. But there are many truths and healing principles we can learn and apply to our lives by studying Job and his character.

When my oldest son was born, he spent his first week of life in the NICU fighting for his life. His oxygen levels plummeted less than 48 hours after his perfect birth and within a whirlwind of events, I found myself on my knees in a NICU triage room crying out to God to save and heal my baby boy. Life is but a vapor, and the reality of our human frailty felt overwhelming in that moment. I found myself in a state of full dependency on God, much like Job does throughout his trials.

During my son’s stay in the NICU, we saw the hand of God move mightily upon his life and heal his body in a miraculous way. I will never stop giving thanks to God for His great mercy and healing in my son’s life! Multiple tests on his heart, stomach, lungs, and blood were run, and every test began to come back clear. We left the hospital with “inconclusive results” about exactly why his oxygen dropped in the first place. While doctors were perplexed, I knew it was because God was his great defender. He had saved his life and I would spend all my days advocating for my precious boy, telling every doctor, nurse, and therapist his story—a story of the miracle-working power of Jesus.

Through this trial with my son, I learned a very important lesson: always be the advocate for my children. I learned to fight for them and defend their identity as a child of God, even in the medical world. I learned to speak the truth of God and declare that the cross of Christ alone has the final word over their precious lives.

Job knew this same principle to be true of his Heavenly Father when he declared:

“Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high” (Job 16:19).

Job knew that God was his advocate, his great defender. And even through his moments of doubt and trial, he continually praised God. He trusted God’s character and knew that He would deliver, defend, and advocate for him.

Since the days of Job, nothing about God’s character has changed. He sent His perfect son Jesus to the earth to die a horrible death, and to be resurrected with power and fullness of life in His hands. Jesus has been through everything we will ever go through, and He sympathizes with us in our weakness.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:15-16).

Even greater than that, He left the Holy Spirit here with us as a helper and advocate for us!

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—” (John 14:16).

We can rest in knowing that trials are only temporary. That suffering won’t last forever, but that God is with us. He will advocate for us, and He will be our great defender (Psalm 18). How great it is to trust in and put all our hope in Heavenly Father like this!

Have You Ever Felt Disqualified?

 

 

Daniel Yanez – Vive Mas Social Media Coordinator, cbn.com

Have you ever felt the pressure to reach new goals, meet certain objectives, or simply seek to be a better person with God? Although there are probably success stories that we remember, there are moments we feel frustrated to the point of feeling discouraged or disqualified to move forward.

When I find myself in this situation, thoughts of defeat have made me feel disqualified to be used by God. However, I have great news; our past mistakes do not define how God sees us because Jesus died on the cross to redeem us from our sins.

The Bible tells us about Saul, the controversial character who persecuted believers and whom everyone feared. Then, one day, on the road to Damascus, Jesus met him, and his life took a 180° turn. Although he became a new person, many weren’t convinced of Saul’s transformation:

“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name” (Acts 9:13-14).

I’ve often found myself in the role of Ananias, trying to disqualify myself for the mistakes I’ve made, but if God did not disqualify a man as terrible as Saul, He wouldn’t do it with us either.

But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.’ At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God (Acts 9:15, 20).

It is likely that you will hear voices that will try to discourage you throughout your life, but remember that God created you from the beginning with a great purpose and nothing can bring down or overcome what He says. God has the last word:

To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his. If he holds back the waters, there is drought; if he lets them loose, they devastate the land. To him belong strength and insight; both deceived and deceiver are his (Job 12:13, 15-16).

Dear friend, I can say with certainty when I feel most disqualified, that is when I have experienced the grace of God the most! A year ago, I was so frustrated over not seeing specific goals and dreams fulfilled in my life, but today, I can testify of His great love and care for me, even during one of the lowest valleys of my life. The Lord opened the doors, and I am confident of His great plan for my life! So, whenever you feel disqualified, whenever you think you are not able, keep these words in your heart:

But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Glory to God for His great love for us!

Prayer:
Father, thank you for your grace and mercy. Thank you for being strong when I am weak. Help me to trust in Your plan and purpose for my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Sitting With Others: Who Is God Sending You To?

 

 

Rich Miller – Manager, CBN Prayer Center Digital Interactions, cbn.com

When you think of who God used to lead you to Jesus, who comes to mind? When you think of who reflected Jesus to you in how they loved others, who do you picture?

I imagine quite a few that I know would answer with my father’s name. My dad was a hero at spending time with people through home visitations. While pastoring for over two decades, he was known just as much for taking time to visit people as he was for being a pastor. The personal touch came easy to him; he was able to lead several people to Jesus on their deathbeds because he had taken the time to sit with them through the years.

My father reminds me of Philip in Acts 8. Here, God sets up a divine appointment for Philip to share the Gospel with an important eunuch from Ethiopia who oversaw the queen’s treasury. This devout eunuch had just finished a trip to Jerusalem to worship and was a true seeker of God. When Philip approaches him, directed by the Spirit, the eunuch is meditating on a prophetic passage from Isaiah 53. However, he is not aware that the passage is a messianic prophecy that points to Jesus.

Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Acts 8:30-31 (NIV)

Like this Ethiopian eunuch, many today seek to know God but lack the revelation of who He revealed Himself to be in Jesus. As Jesus declared, when you have seen Him, you have seen the Father (John 14:9). The Apostle Paul makes clear that it is our responsibility as believers to proclaim this good news:

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? Romans 10:13-14

God was drawing this eunuch to Himself and was willing to chase him down, through Philip. The eunuch invites Philip to sit with him in his chariot and help him understand what he is reading. Sitting with someone involves taking the time to be with them. It’s an invitation to fellowship. Philip accepts the offer and shares the good news of Jesus Christ with him. Historians claim that once this eunuch returned home, he was the first to share about Jesus in Ethiopia.

In your life, who is the Lord leading you to who is searching for Him? Whether it is a divine appointment that is momentary, or someone that you’ve “sat” with through the years, He wants to work through your testimony to fill in the blanks to the questions they have about Him. Like Philip, may you be sensitive to His promptings and recognize these eternal moments.

By His Grace Alone

 

 

Tori Troncone – Email Analyst, cbn.con

When I first got my dog, I was determined to teach him all kinds of tricks. We’d spend summer evenings out in the backyard with my pockets full of little training treats. I taught him to sit, shake, lay down, and roll over. I never taught him anything more extravagant than that, but now he’s really good at the basics. Actually, maybe too good at the basics.

Nowadays, anytime anyone is anywhere near his treat jar, or even just snacking on something that he’d like a bite of, he starts running through all of the tricks he knows. Without being asked he’ll sit, offer his right paw to shake, followed by his left, he’ll lay down, and finally roll over. He does whatever he thinks will please you enough to earn him a treat.

Unfortunately, this is a lot like what my relationship with God used to look like. Instead of walking in loving relationship with my Creator, I was just constantly trying to please Him, running through all of the “tricks” I knew. I thought if I could just please God enough, if I could prove myself to Him, then He would love me and bless me.

God is our loving Father. He does not desire this type of transactional relationship with us! We cannot earn or bribe our way to His love and blessings.

Simon the magician learned this lesson when he ran into the apostles in Samaria. When he saw the works that the apostles were doing by the power of the Holy Spirit, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power!” (Acts 8:18-19). But Peter said to him:

“May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God.” (Acts 8:20-21)

I never tried to bribe God with physical money, but my heart was in the same place as Simon’s. God cannot be bribed with money, actions, good intentions, or anything else that we think will gain us His favor and blessing. As Jesus reminds us in John 14:6, HE is the way. HE is the truth. HE is the life. No one comes to the Father except through HIM!

May God bless us with the wisdom and humility to remember that we are saved by His grace alone. There is nothing we can do to earn or purchase our own way into the Lord’s favor. The price for our salvation has already been paid by Jesus Christ. Lord, help us to trust in You fully!

His Sovereign Hand

 

 

Kenneth Porter – Prayer Center Assistant Coach, cbn.com

When I came to Virginia in 2019, CBN wasn’t on my radar. I didn’t have any direction or purpose at that time. I had been falsely accused and fired from my teaching position. I interviewed everywhere but to no avail, there were no openings. I did Lyft driving for a while until I couldn’t afford to do it anymore. At my lowest point, I was looking on CBN’s website for encouragement and I saw job openings. I told myself, I can at least pray for someone.

Eventually, CBN’s human resources department contacted me. I was interviewed by a representative and soon hired.

When I came on as a new hire, I prayed for a woman from California who had an outreach ministry. Toward the end of the call, she asked me if I had something in the courts. (FYI: I never told her about my situation. And I was not a firm believer in prophecy at that time.) I told her yes. She prophesied over me. She mentioned that the decision will be overturned. A week later, my attorney called me. He told me that I was exonerated from all charges concerning my former employer. I was ecstatic!

God has blessed me ten times over since being at CBN. In 2019, I was a broken man who lost his teaching position because of false accusations. Now, in 2022, I am a revived man in Christ. I’ve also been promoted while serving at CBN. And, exonerated!

I am reminded of a Scripture in Job:

After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. He said: “May the day of my birth perish, and the night that said, ‘A boy is conceived!’ That day—may it turn to darkness; may God above not care about it; may no light shine on it” (Job 3:1-4).

He was so frustrated that he wanted to curse the day that he was born. I was there in 2019. Job had a problem trying to comprehend his circumstances. His circumstances appeared to be very bad. But He did not know what was happening from God’s perspective. Job did not know that there was a commotion in the heaven between God and Satan, that Satan was challenging God about Job’s faith. He could not recognize God’s sovereign hand.

When we are faced with hardship and difficult situations, they can overwhelm us. When we look at God from the middle of our circumstances, we will have a distorted understanding of Him. We may say a statement like “God doesn’t love me” or “God is unfair.” It can easily come out of our mouths. However, it is vital to understand our painful circumstances through God’s perspective to understand His character and His will. He can turn everything around for good.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

We must recognize God’s hand in our circumstances. He can do exceedingly and abundantly above what we ask or think

Surfing 101

 

 

Beth Patch – Senior Internet Editor & Producer, cbn.com

My sister and I stood knee-deep in restless water at the ocean’s edge, jumping over each incoming wave, squealing and laughing as we held hands and learned the art of not getting knocked down.

As we got older we ventured deeper and instead of jumping the waves, we rode them. The precise timing of wave riding challenged us to be in sync with the rhythm of the ocean. Too far behind the rise of the wave and you go nowhere. Too early ahead of the wave and you get creamed by the churning, white, foamy aftermath, sometimes pummeled to the ocean floor in its harshness. However, when we strategically positioned ourselves just behind the cap of the wave and were propelled by the current’s natural forces; we commandeered a smooth ride to shore.

At times, I feel life is like an ocean. Some waves are pretty rough, then a few gentle waves; and then it seems the waves are trying to drown me.

Have you felt this way at times? That life is determined to beat you up? That it’s difficult to get a moment between the onslaught of waves to catch your breath?

In Job 1, we read that Job suffered tremendous losses all in one day: his property, animals, servants, and all of his children. Talk about feeling like you’re drowning! Yet, this is what Job said,

“I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The LORD gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!” (Job 1:21 NLT).

Wait a minute! Job praised the name of the Lord after all that? How can that be? I would say it’s because Job was certain to his core that God is good and worthy of praise and honor, regardless of any circumstance. When we love God and trust Him as the Master of our lives, just as He is the Master of the ocean, we do not drown in despair. He provides the Holy Spirit to give His children courage and strength and to position us as professional wave riders. We can expect the waves of life to keep coming and look for opportunities to ride each wave triumphantly to the shore.

Job endured all of these sorrows without blaming God. He wins the surfer of all-time award! And in the second half of Job’s life, the Lord not only restores what Job lost but gives him twice as much as he had before, as well as seven more sons and three more daughters (Job 42:10-13).

God does not seek to destroy us with rough seas. However, the evil one would like us to think the waves will be our undoing. Satan’s purpose is to have us focus on and fear them. God’s purpose is the opposite.

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life (John 10:10).

For all of us who are feeling the effects of rough waves, we can agree together these waves will not overtake us. Almighty God, Jehovah, is the Master of the ocean of our lives and gives us the victory through our faith in His only begotten Son, Jesus, who was sacrificed for our sins and rose again to rule the oceans and the universe with His righteousness.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

 

 

Maria Stockman – Digital Copywriter, cbn.com

“Between a rock and a hard place” is a phrase I heard growing up that I never understood. I think of that phrase now a lot when I read Scripture, though; we see time and time again God’s people in seemingly hopeless scenarios—essentially between a rock and a hard place. But His plans are always better than ours. You think, there is no way they’re getting out of this one! But God always makes a way.

In Acts 7, Stephen is before the council, and in response to their questions, he tells account after account of their history of persecuted prophets. He starts with Abraham, works his way to Joseph, and then gets to Moses in verses 20-21.

At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God’s sight. And he was brought up for three months in his father’s house, and when he was exposed, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son.

Moses’ story jumps out to me as a rock-and-hard-place situation. First, Pharaoh ordered all the Hebrew baby boys killed. Then, Moses’ mother hides him for three months, puts him in a basket in the river where she knows Pharaoh’s daughter will find him, and then God makes way for his mother to be his “nurse” and ensure his care at the beginning of his life (Exodus 2:1-10). Then, if that wasn’t enough, God continues to rescue Moses from a rock and a hard place, as we see later in Exodus 14.

As the Israelites flee Egypt, they’re standing at the Red Sea and see two options: drown in the Red Sea or go back to Egypt to be enslaved. The ultimate “between a rock and a hard place” scenario! But God made a way that wasn’t even an option. He parted the Red Sea, and the Israelites walked through on dry land.

How often have we been in situations where we felt like all the options were in front of us, and all seemed like hard choices, but God provided a path we didn’t see before? For me, I look back and can count a handful of times where I’ve experienced Moses and the Red Sea moments where God brought help through an avenue I didn’t know existed.

Remember that God is a God of love, kindness, and grace when you find yourself in a seemingly impossible situation. He is full of mercy and wisdom, and He is just. Ask Him to make a way for you to move forward in His will. Ask for guidance, direction, and wisdom. God is often working things out in ways we can’t yet see. So trust Him and lean on Him through these times.

Jesus, thank You for making a way when things seem hopeless. Help us never lose sight that your plans are greater than ours. When we think we’re in a rock-and-a-hard-place situation, bring us comfort and peace as we trust in You. In Your name. Amen.

Chosen to Serve

 

 

Maria Stockman – Digital Copywriter, cbn.com

In 2013, I had the privilege of being part of a church plant in an inner-city neighborhood. It was arguably the most challenging and rewarding spiritual experience I’ve ever faced. The hours were long, and the jobs were thankless; nonetheless, we were a joyful group of people!

It took four months of immersing ourselves in the community before we launched our first church service. We started with a children’s ministry, a mentoring program for youth, and a weekly Bible study. Our offerings fit our mission; for the first year, it felt like that was all we needed. Our church grew over the year, nothing major, but people in the community came to know Jesus and got plugged into the church.

At our weekly Bible study, I noticed the majority of the group were women. So, I approached my pastor and suggested that maybe we start a women’s ministry or at least a women’s Bible study. I thought he would say, “Yes, great idea! My wife could do that!” because isn’t that what pastors’ wives do; they run the women’s ministry? (All the pastor’s wives reading this are groaning right now, I’m sure!) However, he said that if you see a need, you should pray about filling it. Um, excuse me. I was coming to him with an excellent idea for someone else to do, not me!

I agreed to pray about it and revisit the conversation with him later. The Lord absolutely was putting it on my heart and used others in my life to confirm that this was my season to serve Jesus by leading a women’s Bible study. Our time together during this study was so precious, and I still remember many of the great meals, laughter, tears, and prayers we shared over the years.

We’re all chosen to serve, and each of us is called to different areas. In the early Church, in Acts 6, we see that some were neglected during the meal distribution. The apostles gathered all the disciples and basically said, “Hey, we are called to preach the Word of God, so we’re going to appoint some of you to serve” (Acts 6:2, authors paraphrase).

So, through prayer and the laying of hands, the apostles essentially commissioned these men to serve the church to meet all the needs. I love this line in Acts 6, and if you pay close attention, you’ll see a similar theme throughout the book:

And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith (Acts 6:7).

The Lord continued to add to the number daily of those who found faith in Jesus Christ. He was rapidly growing the church, and His followers were using their gifts and talents to not only share Jesus but to feed, clothe, and shelter His people.

Are there areas in your church or community where you see an unfulfilled need? Don’t wait for someone to ask! God has chosen you to be His child; therefore, let’s all serve Him and His Kingdom as part of our worship of Him!

Sing Praise to God

 

By Emma Danzey, Crosswalk.com

Psalm 59:16 says, “But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength; Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, For You have been my stronghold And a refuge in the day of my distress.”

As For Me, I Shall Sing of Your Strength
Have you ever noticed how young children will sing and hum without a care in the world? It just comes naturally. When they are happy or working on something, they cannot help but sing. Children are not worried about if their voices sound on pitch or if others are even listening, they are in their own world full of glee. Psalm 59:16 starts out saying, “As for me.” Even if the world around us is silent in acknowledging and worshiping the One true God, as for me, I will sing. We can have that child-like faith that leads us to sing and worship our Savior regardless if anyone around us even recognizes that Jesus is Lord. Our attitude of thankfulness and genuine praise will pour out regardless of what others think. We will not people please, we will honor God. We will sing of His strength because He is worthy of our worship and our song.

Yes, I Shall Joyfully Sing of Your Lovingkindness in the Morning
There is something about fresh dew, tweeting birds, and a brand new sunrise that creates a sense of hope for a new day. This Psalm reminds us that we can be joyful in singing about God’s lovingkindness in the morning. Lamentations 3:22-23 says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” The forgiveness and mercies of our Savior give us reason to sing. He gives us hope and the encouragement to keep going and live in His grace each day. We can celebrate His great mercy towards us as we wake up each day and see just as the sun rises again, so His forgiveness remains and we can start afresh.

For You Have Been My Stronghold and a Refuge in the Day of My Distress
Lastly, we sing because God has been there for us in our troubles. He has been our safety and our protection when we have been in difficulties. He has never left our side in our darkest moments. Webster’s Dictionary says that stronghold means, “A place of security or survival.” When we ponder our most challenging days, we remember that we were never isolated in them. Our Stronghold, our Lord was our place of rescue and protection. John 16:33 reminds us that Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” He has been our refuge. He has held us in our sorrows and carried us in our weaknesses.

One of the worst things that we can do is forget how the Lord has been faithful with us throughout our lives. Looking back at our trials and how He was there helps us overcome the struggles of today. It is because of His presence in the difficulties that we have reason to sing. If it were not for the cross of Christ, we would not have the victory. If it were not for our sufferings, we would never see breakthroughs. The mountains we face to climb enable us to pour out praise in a meaningful way. He has given us the joy and ability to sing because He has been faithful not only in the good times but in the hard ones.

His Miracles and Wonders

 

 

Brenda Salguero – Coordinator of Orphan’s Promise Guatemala, cbn.com

All people — including Christians — go through moments of disbelief. We even use the common phrase, “I have to see it to believe it,” to express our need to see and understand something tangibly. We may have negative thoughts that separate us from what God wants to do in our lives.

Throughout my work in ministry supporting children, I have heard countless heartbreaking stories where it feels impossible to help improve their situation. However, I receive many good news reports that counteract the negative. God shows me His power and miracles through projects supported by CBN. Every time I encounter a difficult situation that is difficult for my human reasoning, the Lord reminds me:

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2 NIV).

Recently, I discovered a project was ending due to a lack of resources for the children in the program. These children received their only meal thanks to this project. Volunteers joined in prayer to cry out to the Lord for His provision.

God made a way, and His miracles and wonders were on display as Orphan’s Promise was able to continue this program. It was there that God confirmed this teaching,

“The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people” (Acts 5:12).

Think about how many miracles we see daily. For me, it’s a miracle that God has chosen me as His daughter to be a blessing to others and thus be able to see and be a part of His wonders. For you, what miracles do you receive daily?

Think of the blessings God has given you, the battles you have fought, and the miracle of waking up each morning to a new day and the opportunity to see and be a part of God’s wonders. See that being alive is a miracle because God has a great purpose for you in His plans.

Father, thank you for loving me and setting me apart to be your child. Please help me see the wonders and miracles you pour out each day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Precious Memories with My Father

 

 

Tara Jackson – Telephony Project Assistant, cbn

As a proud veteran of the United States Marines Corps, my father loves to reminisce about his time in service. It was only fitting that our morning runs together were led with cadence calls. As a teen, I would rise and grab my shoes in eager anticipation of our runs. You see, our running times were something special—time exclusively reserved for him and me as we trod across the country roads. It was a daddy’s-girl dream. While I learned physical discipline, this developed over time into a spiritual discipline. I learned perseverance.

The lesson from our morning runs is one of many biblical lessons that my father has deposited into my heart. As I reflect on my dad this Father’s Day, I recall the many lessons I have learned through him. And whether he realizes it or not, he has shown me a glimpse of what my heavenly Father is like.

In my early years, I learned about the heart of God for orphans and the less fortunate as my dad cared for the children who lived next door to us and whose home was filled with drugs and chaos. Whether it was to the church, the playground, or the music store, he shepherded them alongside me as if they were his own.

On other occasions, I learned that God is to be prioritized first as my dad would honk our car horn and tell us to come outside for church. If we could be on time for work, school, or a hair salon appointment, we could surely be on time for God.

On still other occasions, I learned that God has given us life to glorify Him and enjoy it together as my dad would wake the entire family up on a Saturday morning to go play tennis. I could go on and on.

Fathers play a fundamental role in the lives of their children. They are to protect, provide, nurture and admonish, and point us to the ultimate source of life, our heavenly Father. While not perfect, they are to be an earthly representation of who God is. If our earthly fathers have such an impact on our lives, compare this to the bursting, unconditional love that our heavenly Father has for us:

“So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” Matthew 7:11 (NLT)

Consider the many gifts God has given us. He has given us breath for our bodies. He has given us His creation: the beautiful sunset, the pleasure of delicious foods, the warmth of community, and fellowship. Most wonderfully, God has given us His Son:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NIV)

God does not stop there. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we not only have eternal life but have a rich, personal relationship with Him as Abba Father (Romans 8:15). With all the blessings our heavenly Father has given us, day by day our praises should echo what great love the Father has lavished on us! 1 John 3:1 (NIV)

This Father’s Day, let’s take time to recognize those who have taken on the role of fatherhood in our lives, whether a biological father, church father, etc. Lastly, let’s give thanks to our heavenly Father.