Life's Happening Devotional

Today’s Scripture: ‭‭ 2 Chronicles 7:15 NIV‬ Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. As we mentioned yesterday, looking to the Son reminds us that if my people who are called my name will humble themselves and pray, I will respond and heal their lands. Now, God is saying I will give open eyes and attentive ears to your prayer. He is saying that if we hu...

Today’s Scripture: ‭2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV‬ if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. As I watched the unfolding of the eclipse, I was awestrucked by its beauty, its splendor, and celestial appearance. My daughters were excited about i...

Today’s Scripture: ‭ James 1:22 NIV‬ Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Do the word, not do you, do the word. Everyone wants you to do you, but the Bible is not a do-you book; it is a the-word book. What the word command is is what we do. We cannot live according to our flesh. That's the do-it-yourself mentality. When we live according to the flesh, w...

Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 12:2, KJV Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Title : Looking Unto Jesus Written by: Marlon McCleod We live in a world today that is filled with so many distractions. You will realize that we are on a Battlefield for...

Today’s Scripture: ‭ Matthew 25:13 NIV‬ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” Our text continues with Jesus admonishing his followers and his disciples, telling them to stay ready. He says to keep watch. In other words, stay ready. He does not want them to hear, "Truly, I do not know you" (Mathew 25:12, NIV). What a sad thing to serve God all your life and...

Today’s Scripture: ‭Matthew 25:9-10 NIV‬ “ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. There's something interesting here when it comes to stayin...

Today’s Scripture: ‭Matthew 25:7-8 NIV‬ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ Family, we are still dealing with the parable of the ten virgins. We are in the latter part of the Jewish wedding day. The bridegroom is here, and the virgins and the brides were alerted to his arrival, and they trimm...

Today’s Scripture: ‭Matthew 25:5-6 NIV‬ The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Jesus tells his disciples that while the virgins were waiting for the bridegroom, he took a long time to come. Because of this, the virgins became drowsy, sleepy, tired, and weary, they fell aslee...

Today’s Scripture: ‭ Matthew 25:3-4 NIV‬ The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The parable of the ten virgins is a familiar passage that holds many truths and essential information for us believers. In this parable, Jesus explains to his disciples what the end will be like. In essence, in chapter 24, h...

Today’s Scripture: ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ ‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭Matthew 28:6 NIV‬‬ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. For many, Jesus's death on the cross was final. He himself said that it was finished. But he also told his disciples that in three days, he would restore the temple, speaking concerning his resurrection. The Bi...

Today’s Scripture: ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ ‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭ Ephesians 2:13 NIV‬ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Jesus, the man in the middle did something for us that no one else could do. He was the Atonement for our sins. He stood in the gap, in the middle between death and life so that we could have life...

Today’s Scripture: ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ ‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭ Genesis 50:20 NIV‬ You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. If ever there was a time when there was a clear picture that the man in the middle orchestrates our lives, it was in Joseph's life. His life was amazing; it had drama, twist...

Today’s Scripture: ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ ‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭Daniel 3:21-25 NIV‬ [21] So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. [22] The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, [23] and these th...

Today’s Scripture: ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ ‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭Matthew 27:38 KJV‬‬ Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. ‭‭Jesus has always been the man in the middle. From birth until his death, he's been the man in the middle. He was born to be in the middle, to bridge the gap between God and man. The cross is the...

Today’s Scripture: ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ ‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭Romans 5:6-8 NIV‬‬ You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. [8] But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ di...

This Week's Devotional Recap. God's presence is near. Do not look at the circumstances, trials, or what you are facing and struggling with; God's presence is near. God is protecting us, carrying us, and with us. He is there. He is near. Stand in your Valley, look up, and trust that God is near. You are not alone; God's presence is near, and he is taking you through this season in J...

Today’s Scripture: ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ ‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭ Psalms 23:4 NIV‬ Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. In our low places, we sense loneliness; in our valleys, we sense fear, hopelessness, rejection, and abandonment. In the valley, there's a sense of vulnerability, exp...

Today’s Scripture: ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ ‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭Psalms 22:11 NIV‬‬ Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. ‭‭Psalms 22:19 NIV‬‬ But you, Lord, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me. Sometimes life can seem so lonely that you ask yourself, where is God? Have you ever been in a situation where you questio...

Today’s Scripture: ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ ‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭Psalms 143:8 NIV‬‬ Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. God's Presence is his love. When we are dealing with situations where we are not sure if God is present with us, we feel a sense of insecurity, abando...

Philippians 4:13 NIV‬‬ I can do all this through him who gives me strength. One of the things I am learning in my life is to depend on God more than I used to. Self-reliance leads to pride, but when we depend on God, he elevates us. Some things seem so hard for us at times, and yet the Bible says, I can do all things; now, this puzzles me because when I look at some of the things I have to deal wi...

Today’s Scripture: ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ ‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭ John 6:5-9 KJV‬‬ When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every o...

Today’s Scripture: ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ ‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭Leviticus 25:17 NIV‬‬ Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God. I am the Lord your God The Lord wants to be known by us. He wants us to have a relationship with him. When God knows us, and we know him, a certain level of fear comes with that; it's called the fear of the Lord. God does not want us to be af...

Today’s Scripture: ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ ‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭ Acts 6:2-4 NIV‬‬ So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to...

Today’s Scripture: ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ ‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭ Hebrews 12:2 NIV‬‬ fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Let's face it: Life can be challenging, painful, depressing, and distracting. Most of us live in a distracted world....

Today’s Scripture: ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ ‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭ 1 Chronicles‬ ‭4:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬ Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request. Jabez said to God, bless me that I will be free from pain. In other words, he says, give me g...