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.
There isn't a child of God who does not face challenges, impossible situation from time to time. For some, it is a daily experience - sometimes a continuous challenge. We've prayed, put our faith into action, prayed some more but still nothing happened. We've asked, seek, knock: but still nothing is happening - or so it seems. Like this father, we know Jesus can help, but we sometimes wondered, would He?
We too need The Holy Spirit in our lives. He is our Deposit on Eternity! Without God's Spirit in our lives, we are none of His. The Holy Spirit keeps us burning brighter every day, He keeps us going, He strengthens us and guide us in the way we should God. He is truly a life companion. I find that I am more decisive when I follow the instructions of The Holy Spirit (Isa. 30:21). It's such a comforting feeling to know and follow the voice of God. This is only possible with the Holy Spirit's help.
While God loves us unconditionally, His blessings seems to be on condition of our obedient response to Him. Throughout the Israelites journeys and the condition of their settlement in the promised land, their blessings was dependent on their "contract" with God. Their part in the contract was just to be obedient to God. This seems a very simple request, but many died as a result of disobedient.
The Bible records the story of Ananias who reneged on his vow to God and his wife as an accessory to the fact. Ananias had promised to sell his land and return all proceeds to God; but after the sale, he had a change of heart. He decided to lie about the sale price with the view of only giving part of the proceeds to the Church. His wife was in full support of this decision. He went to church and presented his offering, but the Holy Spirit told Peter that Ananias lied about the sale price. When confronted on the spot, his immediate punishment was death. The same punishment was meted out to his wife only minutes after his burial. A really harsh punishment for breaking a vow!!
It’s no easy feat to forgive someone over and over again, especially for the same wrong. It’s as if they aren’t sincere and has no desire to stop. But God did not mean forgiveness for only the offending party. Forgiveness works equally well for the offended too. Releasing someone from the wrong they did or continue to do to you is freeing your heart to receive God’s abundant grace and peace.
Knowing Him and the fellowship of His sufferings: like the three Hebrew boys, like Job, like Abraham, we can know that He will deliver, and if He chooses not to deliver, He will be with us in our fiery trials. He will take us through. The fellowship of knowing that He will never leave us nor forsake us is so assuring, so we can obey His instructions with a willing heart.
There is an abiding peace when you obey out of love. Love God supremely and allow Him to love others through. Love others not because they are good but because they are God's child.
The Comforter wasn’t just for the disciples back them – He is for us today as well! As parents, we can rest assured that our kids will continue to hold onto the faith that we instilled in them, while they were home. We can draw comfort from God’s words that they will not depart from the training given; that Jesus Christ will become even dearer to them in this their period of separation from home.
