Guest devotions

A deadly plague by Kellie Borden (Virginia Beach, VA)

Believe it or not, there is a deadly pestilence roaming the earth called “comparing yourself to others.” Whether you want to admit it or not, this spirit invades each of us at one time or another. It’s the pestilence that chews away your confidence and worth. Don't be timid about its affect – it can kill you. The good news is that it doesn’t have to swallow the core of who you are. When the spirit lingers around you, you have a choice to receive it or reject it. I suggest you reject it.

How many times have you looked at someone – his or her brains, clothes, body shape, car, hair, or personality – and said, “If only...." or “I could have that, too, if I do A, B and C...." or even “I could gain acceptance from him or her if I did A, B and C.” How often do you critique the personality of someone more “attainable” than you only to end the day feeling discouraged and like you can never make it to the top? How often do you find yourself saying, “I’ll never be able to....” or “Why couldn’t I have been like this....”

If you’ve said or thought these things once, you’ve said or thought them once too much. Because you are loved, uniquely accepted, chosen and approved by your Maker, you have no reason or right to compare yourself with others. Make the decision to stop allowing those thoughts to rule your mind. You have not been fashioned to fit in Sally’s shoes, look like Lisa, or have Wally’s personality. You haven’t even been entrusted with Gracie’s gift of knowing how to solve every math problem on the face of the planet; so relax, allow yourself a chuckle for understanding your strengths and weaknesses, and choose to accept that you are delightfully different!

Certainly the first tool in waging war against comparison is to understand who and why your Creator is; when that revelation comes, you realize who and why you are. I highly suggest meditating on the Sword, especially during those vicious cycles of destructive thinking, to fully grasp the importance of who you are to Him and others. I also still believe one of the best things you can do to combat this locust of comparison is to strengthen your strengths. Sure you’ll run into difficulties learning to master your craft, and you may even find yourself battling comparison in that area, but I’m convinced that a choice to overcome is all it takes.

Understand your value. Understand your purpose in the world. Understand your absolute worth of being fearfully and wonderfully made. Don’t allow a bubble of lies to infiltrate your mind; choose to do something about them! Stomp on them, scream at them, stare them in the face and reject them! Laziness is already too prevalent in this culture so do yourself a favor: get off your butt, learn your passions, find your gifts and develop them! Before you know it, you’ll be soarin’ the skies of heaven in full assurance that you are worth more than you give yourself credit for, you are exquisitely valuable to your Creator and you will find yourself knowing confidence like you’ve never known it before! Happy thoughts!

Triumph in Him by DeMishea Charleston (Virginia Beach, VA)

A powerful force pulling internally…mind spinning…heart bursting….

It’s a struggle between the mind and the heart. A struggle between what is right and what you wish it could be. A struggle between facts and emotions. Satan is clever. Just when you’ve shouted “Victory!,” he comes with the very temptation you believed you’ve overcome.

At times, it is easier to press forward. But at others, it’s a battle. The consequences are known all too well. After all, you’ve been there and done that numerous times before.

Remember, Christ was tempted. Satan had the audacity to tempt our Savior. What more can you expect? But Jesus gives us hope because He suffered and yet He was innocent. “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his step, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth” (1 Peter 2:21, 22 NIV & KJ).

Why did Christ suffer? He suffered because He loved us. He loved His people so intensely that He willingly gave Himself up. “No greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15: 13 KJ). We are His friends.

Don’t give Satan authority. It does not belong to him! No matter how shrewd, crafty or sneaky he is, he can only take us at our own will. Resist the devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7).

The intense struggle…pulling and tugging like a magnet compelled by the attraction. Your mind is telling you no…this is not right. Remember your losses and time wasted. Time is the one thing you can never regain. Love can come again, money can be re-earned, but time…when it’s gone…it’s gone. You are headed down a dead end.

But “love” or lust tells you to do what you feel is right; that you should follow your heart and forget all sound reasoning. Before you engage in regret, allow your mind to revisit Calvary. Remember His passion. Tell yourself enough is enough: God is too good and I refuse to regress. No one said it would be easy. Repeat, “I can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

We must bear our cross as Christ bore His. He is our source, strength and power. “Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.” Be of good cheer, we have inspiration through our savior. Jesus said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33 KJ).

Prayer: Gracious Savior, thank you for suffering, sacrificing and loving us. Thank you for overcoming the world and giving us hope in you. Help us to resist temptation. Help us to overcome the struggles outwardly and internally. Give us strength and peace that surpasses all understanding. Keep our hearts and minds on you. To seek your kingdom and righteousness that all these things may be added unto us. We give praises and honor to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen!

The unseen by Jennifer M. Bittinger (Virginia Beach, VA)

“I don’t feel God’s presence anymore.” I sat there in my friend’s office dumbfounded by an overwhelming sense of despair, abandonment and emptiness. Why did I feel like God was so far away from the situations I was facing and from the realities of life?

My friend Rebekah gave me valuable, loving insight through her words of counsel: “You need to know that you are a precious daughter of the King and He wants to give you good things! Just humble yourself and stop trying to do it on your own.…Trust in His promises speak them, believe them, and rest in Him!”

Ouch! I felt like doubting Thomas at that moment. Why did I lack the faith to believe God for all His promises? Has God ever broken a promise? Has He ever done anything to embarrass me or destroy me? No!
I realized through my conversation with Rebekah that God was trying to teach me a greater lesson: Faith is belief in the unseen. Faith goes beyond feelings, evidence and our comfort zone.

The disciple Thomas had similar feelings and doubts the day he heard that Jesus was alive. He had seen with his own eyes the gruesome death of his Lord on the cross at Golgotha. That day changed his life forever. He watched the One he thought was the Messiah die on the cross – his faith was crushed.

You and I will never stand physically below the cross of Christ’s death, but we will stand spiritually in the shoes of Thomas at times wondering if our faith is real and feeling crushed by the blows of life. I had to ask God to forgive me for my doubts, anger and self-sufficiency in trying to do things in my own strength. Lack of faith can result in arrogance. When we choose to not trust God for a situation and, instead, take control of the problem with our own solution we actually defy His power; pride becomes a barrier blocking His presence in our lives.

Thomas saw the Lord for the first time after His resurrection and touched the nail-scared hands and pierced side of Jesus. Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29 NIV)

What will you choose today? Are you going to allow the seeds of doubt to be planted and take root in your heart, or are you going to believe even when you can’t see the evidence of His presence? Regardless of feelings, God is always there. Faith is belief in the unseen.

The power of words by Jennifer M. Bittinger (Virginia Beach, VA)

With a swift force of justice, I typed a well-crafted email to a colleague that I thought would make things right and fix the troubles that had my nerves on edge. But, just as quickly and forcefully as I had sent the email, it came back to me two-fold with greater force. Now the situation was larger and more serious than it should have become and I was the one to blame for raising its magnitude!

Why did I send that email? Why did I not think and pray for God’s guidance before reprimanding the situation in my own strength?

Have you been in a similar situation or felt remorse and guilt for the words that slipped from your mouth too quickly? Have you ever been caught in an email war? Though technology has become a blessing, it has also become a cop-out for people to say hurtful, mean things to others with the quick click of a button.

This situation with my colleague was one more lesson I had to learn about the power of words. Whether they are said from your lips, written by pen, or typed through a computer, words have the power of life and death. Yes, we can usually forgive and forget the things that people may say to us at work, church, or home. But, sometimes hurtful, misinterpreted words can brand our hearts and sever relationships for a lifetime.

The Bible is the Word of God—inspired written words from the very heart of our Creator. He created words with the intention of beauty and encouragement, but with the infection of sin words became a tool capable of destruction. The Bible warns, “Fools’ words get them into constant quarrels; they are asking for a beating. The mouths of fools are their ruin; they trap themselves with their lips.” (Ps. 18: 6-7 NLT)

Yet, God also made the beauty of words to brighten a dreary day and lighten a weary heart! The Psalmist said, “From a wise mind comes wise speech; the words of the wise are persuasive. Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” (Ps. 16: 23-24 NLT)

Words are some of God’s greatest creations; they can be used for encouragement, admonition, goodwill or destruction. It’s only a choice of how we use them. English author Rudyard Kipling (1905-1983) once said, “Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.”

Though we would like to run from our mistakes or vow to never verbally wrong another, it is inevitable with our sinful nature. But, the difference is seen when mature Christians take the pieces of messy miscommunication and approach one another with godly wisdom to mend the situation without causing lasting damage to relationships or reputations.

Jesus said, “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.” (Lk. 6: 37 NLT)

We can bring life or death . . . with the power of words. The choice is ours.