The Storms of Life by Ann Elaine Broughton
“But Jesus immediately said to them: Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid” (Matthew 14:27 NIV).
When was the last time you were afraid? What did you do? Did you pray? I am tremendously afraid of tornadoes so this summer has been difficult for me as it seems there were tornadoes spotted all around our area. When I was a child a tornado went really close to North Baltimore. We had gone to my grandmother’s house because they had a basement. Mom said that we all stood on her porch and watched it as it left the area. I must have been around two at the time and really don’t remember the event, but to this day when I am stressed I will dream a tornado is coming. It impacted me that much. I have to admit when I hear that a tornado watch is in effect or a warning is nearby I pray really hard. I think about the above verse and try not to be afraid as I think of the story of the disciples being tossed about on a boat in the middle of the night by very strong winds.
You see Jesus spoke the above words to his disciples who were out in a boat being buffeted by strong winds for most of the night. He walked out on the water towards the boat. When they saw him they were afraid. He told them to take courage. Peter asked Jesus, “If it is you tell me to come to you.” Jesus told Peter to come and Peter got down out of the boat and walked on the water, but his fear overcame him as he looked at the huge waves. Then he started to sink. “Lord, save me!” he cried” (Matthew 12:30 NIV). Then Jesus immediately took his hand and caught him. When they climbed into the boat the wind calmed down.
Storms come in our lives that can make us sink down into the depths, but as Christians we have hope. Jesus is always there to grab your hand and lift you out of your depression or sadness or loss of hope.
When you are afraid remember this story and cry out to the Lord for help. He will never fail you and will lift up your weary spirit and give you peace. He calmed the storm for the disciples, and he can calm your spirit in the same manner. The key to handling life’s storms is keeping your eyes on Jesus and not the storm. Peter let his gaze wander to the huge waves around him, and he lost sight of Jesus. That is when he went under. Don’t let that happen to you. Keep your eyes on the Lord and he will lift you up.
Dear Lord,
I know that storms will come in my life. Help me not to lose sight of your love for me so that I won’t sink down into despair. I know that you will lift me up and give me the peace I need. Thank you for your constant love for me. Help me not to be afraid but to have faith that you will be with me through all of life’s troubles.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Monday, July 26, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
How Do You Handle Life's Challenges by Ann Elaine Broughton
“He has made everything beautiful in his time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV).
What in your life needs beautified? Believe it or not but when you are in your most challenging time in your life you are being beautified. God can use challenges in your life to make you a better person and mold you into His likeness. Those experiences may seem to you tremendously difficult but you are to learn a lesson from it. Whenever you find yourself in a situation that is difficult, it is important to pray to God and ask Him what lesson you can learn through it. You had better be open to what you need to learn so that you can move on to another area of your life that needs work. Our characters are built on how we handle difficult challenges. It is important to use these times to trust God, pray, and portray peace in the midst of chaos. That is not easy, but God can give you that peace if you take time to remain still each day and concentrate on His love. You have a choice to make. You can wring your hands, stomp your foot, shake your fist at heaven or you can throw up your hands and say, “God teach me what you want me to learn through this.” I can guarantee that God will answer your prayer and show you what you need to learn. He has never failed in this respect for me.
Jonah is an example of a stubborn character who refused to learn his lesson. He was unhappy about the Lord’s request to tell the Ninevites to repent and God would hear their prayers and forgive them. Jonah ran away from his mission, got swallowed by a very large fish and after 3 days repented for his waywardness. He learned he had better follow God’s will. But when the Ninevites repented he was angry about it and moped. His character was not changed by his lesson, which is very sad indeed. I would hope that you would not be like him, but would trust God through your challenge and show the people around you that the Lord does not fail those who love Him.
Dear Lord,
I know that you are with me during my times of challenges in my life. Help me not to doubt you, but to trust that you will make everything beautiful in my life and that what I perceive as difficulties will only make my faith stronger.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
What in your life needs beautified? Believe it or not but when you are in your most challenging time in your life you are being beautified. God can use challenges in your life to make you a better person and mold you into His likeness. Those experiences may seem to you tremendously difficult but you are to learn a lesson from it. Whenever you find yourself in a situation that is difficult, it is important to pray to God and ask Him what lesson you can learn through it. You had better be open to what you need to learn so that you can move on to another area of your life that needs work. Our characters are built on how we handle difficult challenges. It is important to use these times to trust God, pray, and portray peace in the midst of chaos. That is not easy, but God can give you that peace if you take time to remain still each day and concentrate on His love. You have a choice to make. You can wring your hands, stomp your foot, shake your fist at heaven or you can throw up your hands and say, “God teach me what you want me to learn through this.” I can guarantee that God will answer your prayer and show you what you need to learn. He has never failed in this respect for me.
Jonah is an example of a stubborn character who refused to learn his lesson. He was unhappy about the Lord’s request to tell the Ninevites to repent and God would hear their prayers and forgive them. Jonah ran away from his mission, got swallowed by a very large fish and after 3 days repented for his waywardness. He learned he had better follow God’s will. But when the Ninevites repented he was angry about it and moped. His character was not changed by his lesson, which is very sad indeed. I would hope that you would not be like him, but would trust God through your challenge and show the people around you that the Lord does not fail those who love Him.
Dear Lord,
I know that you are with me during my times of challenges in my life. Help me not to doubt you, but to trust that you will make everything beautiful in my life and that what I perceive as difficulties will only make my faith stronger.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Sunday, July 11, 2010
God Answers Prayers by Ann Elaine Broughton
"The Lord is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous" (Proverbs 15:29 NIV).
Peter was an apostle who totally realized how the prayer of the righteous could produce a miraculous event. According to Acts 12, Peter was imprisoned because he was a Christian and Herod, the king, wanted to persecute the Christians. Four squads of four soldiers each guarded Peter. It was night and he was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with chains, and the sentries stood guard at the entrance. Then all of a sudden an angel appeared and told Peter to quickly get up and the chains fell off of his wrists. The angel led him out of the prison, to the outside of the city gates, and nobody even noticed. He ran to the house of Mary and pounded on the door. Rhoda answered and left him standing there. She ran back to tell the others who had been praying fervently for Peter's release. They didn't believe her when she told them that Peter was at the door.
What does this prayer have to do with you? First, believe that prayer is a mighty tool that is given to you to have a direct line to the Lord. He does answer your prayers, and you should be prepared when the answer comes. The people were praying for Peter, but lacked the faith to believe that an angel could release him. Nothing is impossible with God, and you should not limit Him to your reality. He can do things that are beyond what you can ever imagine. Second, you must trust the Lord to release you from whatever chains you have encircling your heart. It could be fear, insecurities, low self-esteem, bad habits, or a weakness you haven't surrendered to the Lord. Satan enjoys shackling your heart with all these burdens so that you feel as if you can do nothing about them. But as you see in this story, prayer can break those shackles completely off and free you from all the bad feelings that Satan would like to immerse you in. The Bible promises you that God does hear the prayer of the righteous, and you must believe that He listens and will rescue you. Only God has the power to free you, so you must believe and pray with all your heart that He will release you from every weakness that could imprison you and weaken your witness. Pray that God will help you, and you will see His mighty power work for you.
Dear Lord,
I know that you know all of my weaknesses and faults. Please help me to overcome them in your power so that I can be a better witness for you. I believe that you can do anything, and I give you authority in my life to change my heart in any area that isn't under your control. Thank you for being my strength when I am weak.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
Peter was an apostle who totally realized how the prayer of the righteous could produce a miraculous event. According to Acts 12, Peter was imprisoned because he was a Christian and Herod, the king, wanted to persecute the Christians. Four squads of four soldiers each guarded Peter. It was night and he was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with chains, and the sentries stood guard at the entrance. Then all of a sudden an angel appeared and told Peter to quickly get up and the chains fell off of his wrists. The angel led him out of the prison, to the outside of the city gates, and nobody even noticed. He ran to the house of Mary and pounded on the door. Rhoda answered and left him standing there. She ran back to tell the others who had been praying fervently for Peter's release. They didn't believe her when she told them that Peter was at the door.
What does this prayer have to do with you? First, believe that prayer is a mighty tool that is given to you to have a direct line to the Lord. He does answer your prayers, and you should be prepared when the answer comes. The people were praying for Peter, but lacked the faith to believe that an angel could release him. Nothing is impossible with God, and you should not limit Him to your reality. He can do things that are beyond what you can ever imagine. Second, you must trust the Lord to release you from whatever chains you have encircling your heart. It could be fear, insecurities, low self-esteem, bad habits, or a weakness you haven't surrendered to the Lord. Satan enjoys shackling your heart with all these burdens so that you feel as if you can do nothing about them. But as you see in this story, prayer can break those shackles completely off and free you from all the bad feelings that Satan would like to immerse you in. The Bible promises you that God does hear the prayer of the righteous, and you must believe that He listens and will rescue you. Only God has the power to free you, so you must believe and pray with all your heart that He will release you from every weakness that could imprison you and weaken your witness. Pray that God will help you, and you will see His mighty power work for you.
Dear Lord,
I know that you know all of my weaknesses and faults. Please help me to overcome them in your power so that I can be a better witness for you. I believe that you can do anything, and I give you authority in my life to change my heart in any area that isn't under your control. Thank you for being my strength when I am weak.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Get To the Root of the Problem by Ann Elaine Broughton
"Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants........The seed that fell among the thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches, and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stand for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop" (Luke 8: 7, 14,15 NIV).
A few years ago someone from the church brought us a dump truck load of free mulch. I was happy at the time, but little did I know that the mulch contained a million thistle seeds. As I was on my knees pulling two garbage bags of thistles, a devotion came to my mind. First of all, getting to the root of your problem took on a whole new meaning for me, because the root of a thistle seems to go down the middle of the earth. If you don't pull the root of the thistle out, it will grow again to pester you.
So it is with life. We all have weaknesses in our lives that are like the thistles. They hinder our witness to others and our own relationship with Christ. Satan loves to use those weaknesses to make us do things that aren't pleasing to God. If we don't get to the root of our weakness and yank it out and present it to God, we are very likely to give in to a temptation. We must put all of our weaknesses at Jesus' feet so that He can help us when we are tested. We need to trust God and not worry. Pursuing riches and forgetting about God will only bring ruin to us and running after pleasure will only give us happiness for a brief time. To have a noble and good heart, to retain the word of God, and persevere is what Jesus wants all of us to do. This week pray and ask God to show you a weakness you have and then give that weakness to Him, asking Him for guidance and direction. Read the Bible and see how God directs you. May His word fill you so that you will mature as a Christian and as long as you live continue to grow in faith.
Dear Lord,
We all know that we are not perfect, and that we have faults and weaknesses that can hinder our relationship with you and our witness to nonbelievers. Please help us this week as we seek guidance from you on how to overcome these weaknesses and mature as Christians. Thank you for your word that helps us learn to live a life that is pleasing to you.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
A few years ago someone from the church brought us a dump truck load of free mulch. I was happy at the time, but little did I know that the mulch contained a million thistle seeds. As I was on my knees pulling two garbage bags of thistles, a devotion came to my mind. First of all, getting to the root of your problem took on a whole new meaning for me, because the root of a thistle seems to go down the middle of the earth. If you don't pull the root of the thistle out, it will grow again to pester you.
So it is with life. We all have weaknesses in our lives that are like the thistles. They hinder our witness to others and our own relationship with Christ. Satan loves to use those weaknesses to make us do things that aren't pleasing to God. If we don't get to the root of our weakness and yank it out and present it to God, we are very likely to give in to a temptation. We must put all of our weaknesses at Jesus' feet so that He can help us when we are tested. We need to trust God and not worry. Pursuing riches and forgetting about God will only bring ruin to us and running after pleasure will only give us happiness for a brief time. To have a noble and good heart, to retain the word of God, and persevere is what Jesus wants all of us to do. This week pray and ask God to show you a weakness you have and then give that weakness to Him, asking Him for guidance and direction. Read the Bible and see how God directs you. May His word fill you so that you will mature as a Christian and as long as you live continue to grow in faith.
Dear Lord,
We all know that we are not perfect, and that we have faults and weaknesses that can hinder our relationship with you and our witness to nonbelievers. Please help us this week as we seek guidance from you on how to overcome these weaknesses and mature as Christians. Thank you for your word that helps us learn to live a life that is pleasing to you.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
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