Tabetha’s Devotions

Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

Well, Proverbs 19:21 seems to be a theme with all my conversations with people lately. I am beginning to think I need to put it on a t-shirt and just point to it. The funny thing is it is also going hand-in-hand with yesterday’s blog. I am having to be very careful that I am giving God’s advice and not my own.

It is hard when loved ones feel stuck or lost. I just want to reach out and make everything better. I want to put my plans in action and make their world right again. However, I am not that powerful. I am not God. There are times God leads and uses me to help guide people. More often though, I am instructed to just listen. I can be with them, let them know they are not alone. I am willing to sit amongst the rubble with them. That is God’s plan for my life.

I may not have the roadmap to my friends’ and families’ lives, but I always have an answer for them. My answer is simple, God’s plans will prevail and I will be happy to sit with them and hold them until they get their marching orders. That is God’s plan for me.

Lord, thank you for allowing me to help others by being with them and being Your loving hugs when they need them. ~amen

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Ephesians 4:29

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Oh my gosh! I was struggling today trying to figure out what God wanted me to write about. This verse popped up. At first, I brushed it off. I thought that verse is so overdone. We all know we are supposed to be nice and keep our speech wholesome. What in the world new could the Lord want me to write about? Then it hit me! Four words raised off the page in flashing neon, ‘according to their needs’.

I have never really READ those four words. I have skimmed over them. I have just read through the verse. Those words stuck out at me today though. How many times do we give advice to help build others up to what we think they should be? How many times do we offer our wisdom and guidance and try to be helpful all the while trying to mold a person to our opinions? We think we are right and that things should be done our way. I am so guilty of that one.

We have to remember the point of using our words to build someone up is to build them according to God’s plans. He is the grand architect of each person. We must not only speak wholesome and kind words but words that God has given to meet that person’s needs.

Lord, I will work on giving kind words and look to You for the right words to build up others around me. ~amen

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James 5:13
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.

I am sorry this bible study did not get out on time. It has been a prayer day and not a praise day according to James 5:13.

I haven’t felt good for a couple of days and today landed me in bed most of the day with a migraine. This evening I was finally able to sit up. Then hubby called from work because he was having a rotten day. So, I would say it has most definitely been a prayer kind of day.

Here is what I am holding on to today. Praise is around the corner. As a matter of fact, it is already here. You see I can praise God because I know I can pray to Him when I am in trouble.

Yep! Praise and prayer go hand in hand. Our lives are never all one and not the other. It is when we realize this that we can always find balance in our lives. When we are balanced, we are anchored in Jesus. When we are anchored in Jesus, no storm will overtake us. For that, I will always sing praises!

Lord, I am so thankful that I can always find balance through prayer and praise in my life, ~amen

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Psalms 85:2
You forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins.

Jesus forgave the iniquities of all the people and covered all their sins. What makes you think you don’t have to forgive others?

Before I begin today, I would like to point out that forgiveness does not mean you have to be best buds with that person. You don’t even have to let them be a part of your life. Forgiveness means letting go of the hatred. It means quit trying to hold this person responsible for all of your hurt and pain. By the way, I agree with you. They were the initial trigger for your pain and suffering. However, now you are the one hanging on to it.

I in no way am saying this is an easy thing to do. I am not even saying it is a one and done kind of thing. Satan will play the trailers of that movie over and over again. Each and every single time, you will have to stop and go, “Nope, not today Satan.”

I know I have referred to ‘you’ this entire blog. I want you to know, I am speaking directly to me. I struggle and work on forgiveness every day. I have to remind myself, I am not God. Forging and forgetting are not natural to humans. I am also not better than God and can choose not to forgive others when He has forgiven so much for me.

Lord, I am still a work in progress and forgiveness is a topic I will return to again and again. ~amen

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John 14:2-4
2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”

You know the way. YOU know the way. You KNOW the way. It isn’t a question. It is a statement. Jesus isn’t asking you if you know the way. He is telling you, you know the way. As a matter of fact, in just two more verses Jesus tells them the way. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Yet, we constantly second guess or question ourselves. When all along we know the way. Why?

I can tell you why. It is because we have to find the way. We have to figure out, just like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, that we had it with us all the time to get home.

“You always had the power, my dear, you just had to learn it for yourself ” (Glinda, The Wizard of Oz).

You know the way. You just have to find Him yourself. No one can do it for you. He is within you and is waiting to reach out to you. Reach out to Him. Tap those magical slippers and find your way home.

Lord, I know You, so I know the way. ~amen

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Proverbs 19:17

Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.

Who is poor? Does poor only mean lack of money? Are there other ways you can be poor? I say yes!

When people read Proverbs 19:17, they often jump right to helping those who lack finances. Then they often start thinking how can they help when they aren’t exactly rolling in dough themselves. yes, help in out the financially poor is a responsibility God has placed on us. However, poor can mean so much more than finances.

There are a lot of people who are poor in spirit, poor in mental capabilities, and even poor in physical capabilities. Sometimes, A smile can be helping “the poor”. Lending time out of your day can help “the poor”. Many times, it can be a kind word, hug, or cup of coffee that can turn someone’s day around.

There is so much more than just handing over money. Poor doesn’t always mean lack of finances. Open your eyes and hearts and you will find ways to be kind to “the poor” today.

Lord, show me ho how to help “the poor” today. ~amen

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Philippians 4:4

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Let’s take a look at Philippians 4:4 in the Message Bible. “Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him!” How can I celebrate or rejoice when life is not going my way? When life has thrown me a curve ball? When my spouse asks for a divorce, my child just died, I lost my job or any other number of catastrophes? Are the words you are looking for in these sentences how can I or why should I?

Take a moment and really think about what your motive behind not rejoicing is when life just sucks. Are you really struggling to a way to rejoice or are you so angry at God, that you don’t want to rejoice? I am going to let you in on a secret, it is OK to feel both for a moment. They are honest feelings. It is what you do with those feelings that counts.

God has big shoulders. You can be honest with Him and be angry. He will listen. You can also feel drained and overwhelmed. He will listen to that too. Just the fact that you are talking to Him is a form of rejoicing. You turned to Him. You know where your strength comes from. You know where your peace comes from. You are rejoicing because you know He is there for you through every emotion and will not leave you!

So, rejoice! No matter what the feeling you are trying to work through. You know where you can turn to work through them. So, again I say, rejoice.

Lord, I am so glad You have big shoulders because sometimes I have some powerful feelings. Today, I choose to rejoice that You are there to listen to me no matter what emotion I am having. ~amen

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James 1:19
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

Now, I know when people read James 1:19 the first they jump on is “slow to become angry.” Yes, that is an important part, but do you realize it is the last of three things in this verse? It is last for a reason. They are in a very specific order. God is giving you the formula on how to control your anger. It is all right there in front of you.

First, you need to learn to listen. So many fights begin because someone misunderstood what others were saying. They weren’t listening. They heard the words but did not listen to them correctly.

Next, don’t blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. Digest the message from others first. Take a moment to form what you want to say. Even if you disagree, you can do it in a respectful manner. Who knows you may even win the person to your point of view!

Lastly, now that you have listened carefully, and thought through the conversation, you can avoid instant anger. You can calmly discuss the difference. I do want to make a note here that God did not say not to become angry, anger is a real feeling. However, if you follow the steps You will become slow to anger and avoid all of the sinful nature that comes with it!

Lord, I want to be slow to anger. Help me follow your steps to avoid situations that can escalate so quickly. ~amen

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Ephesians 5:1
Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children

You don’t lead by your words. You lead by your actions. Otherwise, every politician in the world would be the perfect leader.

OK, I promise this is not bash politicians day. I just wanted to make a point, that your words are great, but in the end, they are just words. It is what you do with those words that really counts. You know the old saying of a picture is worth a thousand words? Well, that should mean an action is worth a million!

As a teacher, I never just told the students how to solve a math problem. I showed them. I practiced with them. I was right there beside them and watched them. I guided them when they needed extra help.

God is the same way. He is not some being in the cloud that rains down do’s and don’ts and then punishes and rewards. No, He sent Jesus to show us the way. Jesus sent the disciples to show others. Now, He is sending you, to be His example also.

So, don’t just spout the Word of God. Live it! Show the World His example. Be His dearly loved child.

Lord, I want to follow Your lead and lead others by example, not my words. I want to be your dearly loved child. ~amen

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Matthew 7:26-27

26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.

Today’s verse in Matthew 7 actually came from another bible study I am doing at our church. After reading them I immediately thought of the song, “My Feet Are on the Rock” by I Am They. No matter what we go through our feet are on the rock!

However, there are days when I get knocked down and I sit up on the rock. Somedays I can do nothing but pray and my knees are on the rock. Yet, other days, I am just exhausted and I can’t take another step and I lay upon the rock. Then there are the horrible days where anxiety, fear, and worry take over and I toss and turn on the rock. The point is I am always on the rock!

The Christian life never promised days without pain, worry, grief, or strife. No, I think we actually see more. We are just blessed to be on the rock when all the storms billow around. We are privileged to sing:

On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
So stomp your feet and clap your hands
Our feet are on the rock!

(My feet Are on the Rock, I Am They)

Thank You, Lord, for being the rock on which I stand, sit, kneel, lay, and yes even toss and turn. ~Amen

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