Dear Ones,
Happy weekend! Today is cleaning day here and seems like the kitchen especially needs it with all the new recipes I have been trying. Your question for this week is: When have you had a time when a specific scripture seemed to speak to you in a powerful way to help you through a hard circumstance?
Devotions from Judy’s heart
One day I saw a scripture posted on social media by someone I knew all the way back to my grade school years. Once before, God had used him to pray for me when I was at a conference to speak for a couple of workshops and definitely feeling inadequate. He was assigned with others to come to pray over me beforehand. What he didn’t realize was that the scripture he gave was perfect for me on how God uses the poor and the weak. In I Cor 1:27 Paul says, “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.” I felt poor, weak and foolish, and my only boast was in the Lord and not in what I had to offer.

So many years later I was asked to speak again, and as I was preparing, I noticed this same friend on Facebook sharing a Bible verse. I stopped to read it, wondering if God would use him again. This time the verse from Psalm 3:3 seemed perfect, as I began to visualize it as I prayed. They were the words of King David who was fleeing from his son Absolom who was trying to overtake his father’s throne. He prayed, “But you, God, shield me on all sides; You ground my feet, you lift my head high.”  Another translation puts it, “But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head high.”

You can almost count on it when we are doing something for the Lord: the enemy will come and try to bow us over, telling us how inadequate and unworthy we are. But as we call on the Lord, He strengthens us, infuses us with His power, lifts our droopy heads, and grounds our feet. David closes the Psalm by saying, “Victory belongs to the Lord! May your blessing rest on your people.” When times come of feeling bowed over, let us call out for the Lord to help us, protect us and lift our head in victory!

Challenge for today: When feeling oppressed by the enemy, go quickly to the Lord, grab hold of His promises and stand firm.
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy