Written by Juliet Constantine, these devotionals share thoughts and blessings from on high to give you encouragement, wisdom, and strength to face life's many challenges. Juliet has authored two sets of devotionals: "At His Feet" and "Finding Jesus In The Scriptures". Select from all the devotionals below or choose a topic from the menus.
I must believe that He has my best interest at heart. And just as He did, He bids me speak life over my situations. I will speak positive hope over my family and my job. I will speak eternal life over my life. I will not die here. There is hope. I’ve come too far to give up now. My dawn will be seen at the breaking of the day. I will live. Suicide isn’t a solution. I will hold on. I will stay the course. I will live and not die.
We run the risk of our eyes being blinded and our hearts hardened when we refuse to believe God’s words. We are admonished that we should “Believe in the LORD your God; so shall ye be established. Believe His prophets; so shall ye prosper.” (2 Chronicles 20:20) When we refuse to believe God’s words, our behavior is comparable to Cain’s, Pharaoh’s, and all examples listed in the Bible. When we believe, our actions will ‘fall in line’. True belief is followed by acceptance and change. We will order our lives after God’s words.
How is your belief in God’s words? Are you walking in light or in darkness? To walk in the light means to believe and obey His teachings: “line upon line and precept upon precept.” No man can change God’s words, and traditions cannot do away with His specific instructions. You cannot believe some parts of His word and refuse to believe other parts. It’s all or nothing.
Talk about bursting bubbles. They just crowned Him King. How could He speak about dying so quickly? It’s a time to live, to effect change, to free them from Roman occupation! They finally accepted that He is the Christ their prophets wrote about. Could it be that the Son of Man and this Christ are two different persons, or could they be the same? What was Jesus saying? Hence their question: “Who is this Son of Man?”
Sometimes we hear a message, or might have read a passage, but the real meaning of what was read or said seems to have missed us. It might have been the same with the disciples then; but praise God, they eventually understood His messages. He came to be the sacrifice for all people; not just Jews. The hour came and Jesus Christ was glorified. When Jesus spoke of being glorified, He spoke of His death. He knew that only His blood was the true price for our ransom from sin.
Jesus’ preferred method of teaching His listeners is through parables with the sole intention to help them understand. It would seem that most of Jesus’ listeners were farmers, or that His work was centered in a society whose economy was heavily dependent on farming. So He used the lingo of the day that all could understand. In speaking of His death, He said that He would be glorified. Now this was a puzzle to His listeners because we all know that when someone receives glory, it’s a celebratory time of showing honor and respect.
After He departed Earth, Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit who speaks to us in softer tones. Amid the hustling and bustling of life, He still speaks. If you listen closely, you will hear Him say, “This is the way, walk ye in it.” As you train your ear to listen and your heart to obey, the voice of God will become clearer to you. His will for your life will be revealed; and when in obedience you follow His guidance, you will come to trust His leading.
am reminded of other instances when persons from foreign lands came to God’s people desiring to learn more about Him but were deprived. King Hezekiah had visitors from Babylon. Instead of showing them the God of Heaven, who delivered him from his enemies, he showed them the riches of Israel. Perhaps in a bragging attitude, he showed them everything in his house. He got the opportunity to introduce God to these people; but instead, he showed them material wealth.
