Category: Devotions

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Daily Devotion

Pressure

"Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”  Genesis 40:11

My sister in ministry (and in life) sent me a message a little over a week ago mentioning depression.  I felt the need to write about this, as I have been graciously favored by God to be delivered from depression a few times now.  Clinically defined, depression is a mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frustration interfere with everyday life for a long period of time.

Its funny to me how one word can have so many meanings and interpretations.  Look at the root word here–press.  To my surprise press has many means, as both a noun, a transitive and an intransitive verb.  To press as mentioned above implies pressure applied to something.  Press also means to distress or trouble. To press can also mean to keep pushing, have courage, and to persevere.  The prefix de which can mean down, away from, off, entirely, or reverse the action of.  The suffix ion means the act or condition or result of.  Combining these gives us de-press-ion which means the condition of being troubled entirely–or in whole, as a depression negatively affects your mind, body, and spirit man.

Pressure and time are the two ingredients needed to create some of the most beautiful precious jewels ever seen by the human eye.  Diamonds are nothing but carbon, which makes up common coal, pressurized over time.  The same process creates rubies, emeralds, sapphires and alexandrite, some of which have values that are out of this world.  But the great jewel is what you become when you endure depressing situations and circumstances with God as your anchor.  As said in 1 Peter 1:7, "These have come so that your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."  Keep pressing!!  I love you as always!

"We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair." 2 Corinthians 4:8 NLT

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Daily Devotion #2

Don't 'Do You'
 
"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!"  Isaiah 26:3 NLT
 
 My whole life seems to go off kilter when I'm out of sync with God.  When I don't spend time praying or reading or even singing, I feel terribly off balance.  I can even tell on days when I have not prayed yet that I seem to be extremely snippy at people or just inclined to be mean (I know, I'm not mean :D).
 
For example, today started off GREAT!!! But lets go back to my Saturday…ugh.  I was Misses Grinch.  I don't recall what time I initially woke up, but I only got up to eat and went right back to bed.  I did not even say "Thank You Lord" for waking me up, didn't pray didn't do anything.  And of course I was in a particularly rotten mood all day.  Every time I would wake up, I would simply think about all the things bothering me and I would focus on those things.  I don't know when it was…but I finally had enough of moping around.  Somehow I mustered enough energy to get out of the bed and eat a little.  But I think and I know that I did not give God His due reverence because I dwelt on everything but His word.  I know I have had crappy days that I did not even pray that morning but I caught myself and prayed that the day restart with God in mind. 
 
When we place the due focus on God, we realign our plans and wills to His plan and will for us.  We take ourselves out of the driver's seat and get over out of God's way.  The greatest blessing though is having God's peace reign over our decisions and actions.  Having our steps ordered by Him is the best feeling ever.  When I went to get my new car this year, I had been praying and putting the issue before God.  He allowed every single thing to fall into place pertaining the car.  I did not feel pressured or a single amount of stress in making the purchase.  He blew my mind every step of the way.  And only God can do that when we focus on His will.  Stop doing you and do God!
 
"Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:7 NLT