Live in the Light Devotional

By Wendie Van Zyl

One of the most extraordinary things about God is that He wants us to find Him, and one of the things He desires for us is to experience Him. Through His Son, He has made a way for us to have fellowship with Him, to grow in our relationship with Him, and to grow in our intimacy with Him.
My hope is that reading Live in the Light Devotional will help you to learn more about the Lord's awesomeness and allow you to enter into God's presence and peace so that you are able to enjoy your life.
The world wants us to place our trust in our circumstances, our success, our talents, or the opinions of others; our Savior asked us to put our trust in His word more than ever so that we can have peace, joy, and fulfillment.
Remember, life will become much easier when we finally understand which hands to shake and which ones to hold. When we are facing a painful hardship, joy often feels out of reach. But don't forget that those who know Jesus can live joyfully no matter what! It's a gift only our Heavenly Father gives. I believe that joy comes from gratitude, God's beautiful creation, grace, or simply delighting in God's goodness, presence, and love.
I trust and believe it all comes from spending time in Jesus's presence. Don't forget, when we spend time in God's presence, we allow the Holy Spirit to mold us into an image of Jesus's likeness! I hope as we discover God's joy and fulfillment, God's presence acts like a growth accelerator in our lives.
We will go from victory to victory and even glory to glory, as the Scriptures say (2 Corinthians 3:18). Don't forget, both happiness and suffering are critical to our development as spiritual beings. Consistency in our spiritual mindset through both good and painful times will help us never lose an opportunity to see anything beautiful, for beauty, is God's handwriting.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tellwell Talent
• Release date: Feb 24, 2023
• ISBN: 9780228882732

Book preview

Copyright © 2023 by Wendie Van Zyl

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Tellwell Talent

www.tellwell.ca

ISBN

978-0-2288-8272-5 (Hardcover)

978-0-2288-8271-8 (Paperback)

978-0-2288-8273-2 (eBook)

Table of Contents

Dedication

Welcome

Note of Acknowledgment

Introduction

A Prayer

Fresh Start

Spiritual Awareness

Five Minutes in the Word

Gracefulness

Five Minutes in the Word

Flowers Bring Hope

Endurance

Five Minutes in the Word

Encouragement

Unwrapping

Drifting Away from God

Five Minutes in the Word

It’s Raining

Five Minutes in the Word

Loving Jesus

Five Minutes in the Word

Greatness

Five Minutes in the Word

Making Mistakes

What Do the Scriptures Mean to You?

Thoughtfulness

Charming Mom

Heavy Heart

Something to Ponder

Your Identity in Christ

God Is With You Wherever You Wander

You Can Find Strength in His Name

Call to Me

Being Fortunate

Worrying

Five Minutes in the Word

Five Minutes in the Word

God Is Aware of Every Tear You Cry

Encouragement

Five Minutes in the Word

Truth

Five Minutes in the Word

More Listening and Less Talk

Five Minutes in the Word

God’s Promises

In Anticipation of Valentine’s Day

Five Minutes in the Word

Love Your Neighbor

Five Minutes in the Word

Prayer without Words

Five Minutes in the Word

Five Minutes in the Word

Five Minutes in the Word

It’s OK to Call God Your Friend

Five Minutes in the Word

Get Over Guilt

You Are Unique

I Have Wondered about God’s Love

Positive Impact

Rise Beyond

Five Minutes in the Word

Five Minutes in the Word

Walking with God

Nothing Is Impossible with Christ

Choose Well

The Love

Five Minutes in the Word

Troubled Heart

Think Before You Speak

Encouragement

Emotions and Faith

Five Minutes in the Word

A Sunny Morning

Five Minutes in the Word

A Little Help

Encouragements

He Will Guide You Out of Temptation if You Trust Him

You Serve an Almighty God

Encouragement

Never Alone

Blessings

Five Minutes in the Word

Cleansing from God

Five Minutes in the Word

A Little Motivation

Put Your Anchor in God

Five Minutes in the Word

Women’s Day, March 8

Uses Suffering to Purify Us

Five Minutes in the Word

Be Persistent in Our Belief

Five Minutes in the Word

Try to Remember the Good Things

Five Minutes in the Word

Promise Yourself Only the Best

Encouragement

Being Broken

Something to Ponder

Love

Unity

Softly and Gently

You Are Loved Even on Your Darkest Days

Your Faith Is More Powerful Than Your Fear

Prioritize Rest

Nice and Kind

Five Minutes in the Word

Courage

Five Minutes in the Word

A Box Full of Kisses

Five Minutes in the Word

Prayers

What Gives You Peace?

Encouragement

Strength

Five Minutes in the Word

Choose Love and Find Joy

The Calling to Be a Mother

Good Soldier

The Benefits of Chores

Five Minutes in the Word

God Will Fight for Us

Music as Your Outlet

God Sees the Good You Are Doing

You Are Sufficient

Our Miracles

Praying the Lord’s Prayer

Spread a Little Sunshine

Five Minutes in the Word

Let It Go!

Jesus, the Peace of Life

The Power of Kindness

Five Minutes in the Word

What We Need

Feel Appreciated

Something to Think About!

Five Minutes in the Word

Waiting and Trust

Five Minutes in the Word

A Little Bit of Inspiration

The Power of the Mind

Why Being Thankful Matters

A Grateful Heart

Divine Mercy

Praise

See the Unseen

Five Minutes in the Word

Vision

Five Minutes in the Word

Something to Ponder

Appreciating God’s Good Plan

Five Minutes in the God’s Word

How Do I Know When God Is Speaking?

Letting Go of Grudges and Bitterness

Five Minutes in God’s Word

Wipe Away Every Tear

Saltand Light in the World

Shine in the Darkness

Five Minutes in the Word

Giving Grace with Your Words

Five Minutes in God’s Word

The Meaning of Life

When God’s Timing Is Taking Too Long

Gossip

Good Things to Come

Five Minutes in the Word

The Power of Love

Five Minutes in the Word

What Is God’s Message for Me Today?

Encouragements

Walking in Truth

Five Minutes in God’s Word

The Water of Life

Truth

Encouragement

Are You Hurt?

Five Minutes in the Word

Filled with the Spirit

Five Minutes in the Word

Suffering

Foundation

Worry with Joy

Five Minutes in the Word

One Day at a Time

Five Minutes in God’s Word

Encouragement

Children

In Everything Give Thanks

Fear and Anxiety

Five Minutes in the Word

Worship

Five Minutes in the Word

Enough Trouble

Encouragement

Trusting in the Lord with All Your Heart

God-Fearing Beauty

The Purpose of Our Lives

Five Minutes in the Word

My Cup Overflows

Five Minutes in the Word

Emotional Abuse

This Faith of Ours

Crown

Self-Talk

Tiny Little Miracles

Five Minutes in the Word

God’s Voice

In Trouble? Call.

Make a Habit

Encouragement

Agape Love

Five Minutes in the Word

A Season of Scars

Five Minutes in the Word

Reach the Lost

Give Thanks

Take Mini-Breaks and Enjoy Nature

Five Minutes in the Word

Peace

Five Minutes in the Word

Remember God’s Past Faithfulness

Learn to Be Still

Five Minutes in the Word

Be Honest with God

Fruits of the Spirit

When Your Heart Feels Broken

Modesty

Five Minutes in the Word

God Turns Our Weaknesses into Strengths

Five Minutes in the Word

Measure Your Beauty by God’s Standards

Encouragement

Five Minutes in the Word

We All Drift from Time to Time

Five Minutes in the Word

Challenging Times

Five Minutes in the Word

Parents Are More Vulnerable

Five Minutes in the Word

Jesus Won the Victory on the Cross

God Reigns Supreme

Five Minutes in the Word

God’s Abundant Life

Five Minutes in the Word

What Is Life without God?

Encouragement

Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love

Five Minutes in the Word

Keep Strong

Five Minutes in the Word

I Will Walk among You

Put Your Hand on the Plow and Look Back

Five Minutes in the Word

Lose Pride

Five Minutes in the Word

Shaking the Dust

Stay Present

Meditate on Scripture

Material Things

Five Minutes in the Word

Find Peace and Comfort

Time with God

Encouragement

Producing Any Fruit?

Five Minutes in the Word

A Godly Woman

We All Belong to God

Encouragement

The Victory Is Ours

Five Minutes in the Word

Remember Your First Love

Five Minutes in the Word

Encouragement

The Lord Hears

Five Minutes in the Word

People Are Hurting

Christmas Love

Is It Tough to Find Hope?

Let It Snow

Small Changes

Something to Ponder

In Memory of My Dear Friend Marinda Heckert

Dedication

Becoming a grandparent has been one of the happiest and most memorable moments in my life. It has made me feel that my life is now fulfilled. I dedicate this book with love to my grandchildren—Shane, Reminay-Leigh, Waldenio, Miguel, Vaydn, Daniella, Violet, Vonn, Gabriella, Boden, and Aria—who have consistently given me more joy than I ever wanted. You are truly blessings who bring happiness and laughter to make an old heart young again.

Artist Wendie Van Zyl

Welcome

The declaration of women of faith is that God has done much more for us than we can ever imagine or comprehend. He lavished love, grace, and forgiveness on our lives. God showers us with hope, peace, and joy. How do we know these gifts are ours? In the Word of God, the Scriptures. His word assures us of all the riches we can enjoy in a personal relationship with our Savior. We are indeed wealthy. I invite you to dive into these daily devotional pages, read carefully what God says, take the truth, and relish your wonderful inheritance as God’s child.

I’ve chosen a few of my favorite Scriptures and expanded on the meaning and lessons from my own life and experiences. I trust these insights will be encouraging to you and that you will believe in God’s love and power more than you believe in your own feelings and experiences. Don’t forget that our rock is Christ. He loves each of us, even if there is only one of us. The greatest honor we can give our Almighty God is to live gladly because of the knowledge of His love.

All Scriptures and life lessons in this book are given as inspiration from God. My prayer is that you will take the words from God’s own heart into your heart. Our Heavenly Father loves us very much. He loves us enough to have given His Son for us, to have watched His Son die for us, and to bear the world’s sins for us. My hope is that you will find God’s incredible love and inspiration for your soul. I truly believe we need God’s truth every day of our lives to strengthen our foundation.

In His love for you,

Wendie Van Zyl

Note of Acknowledgment

Life is filled with many ups and downs. Writing a book is harder than I thought and more rewarding than I could have ever imagined. None of this would have been possible without my awesome family my dad Colin Van Niekerk, Darrell Moss, Donovan, Vincent, Morne, Brandon, Azaria, Vanessa, Mariechen, Sarie, Eloff, Ingrid, and my friends Dr Taneil Barlow, Dr Christopher Lim, Annalise & Phillip Joseph, Vivian Fujimoto, Dr Ronald W, Charlton, Evy George, George Stevens and Tellwell team. From reading early drafts, to editing, to encouragement, to giving me advice on the cover, you have all stood by me during every struggle and all my successes. This is true family and friendship. You all are important in getting this book completed.

Artist Wendie Van Zyl

Introduction

A little of my journey: You’ve probably heard the phrases I need to find myself, I lost myself, or I don’t know who I am. I believe we have all felt lost until we realize we are redeemed children of God who live and exist in Christ. Praise God! I did understand a powerful truth that changed my way of thinking about my Heavenly Father. I now realize how exciting it is to live from a new heart and accept who I am. Everything in my new life flows from knowing myself and trusting God within. Life is all about going upward and all in to pursue our dreams. Don’t let any kind of obstacle or failure pin you down or push you against your success in life. Fight hard in the battle of life and take on the challenges with courage, determination, and perseverance. Just keep moving forward with hope, and the day is not so far when life will put the crown on your head as a successful human being. I learned that life is a beautiful struggle. Sometimes it’s beautiful, and sometimes it’s just a struggle to let go of the past, seize the present, and take hold of the future. And it’s never too late to be happy and fulfilled.

Allow me to share my story with you. As I turn sixty, I am reflecting on my life’s journey thus far. Growing up, I had no idea how my life would turn out. Growing older is a privilege, although many of us fail to see it as such. Life rarely goes as planned, and it has been a long and exhausting road in many ways. But now at sixty, I am surprisingly grateful for all the challenges that have plagued me for so many years. I am stronger and more at peace thanks to my ability both to overcome the bumps in the road that I have encountered and to accept those things I just couldn’t change.

I feel extraordinarily lucky that I found my passion for wellness and helping others. I have been able to experience the utmost joy in giving back and guiding others on their own path toward healing. My young adult life was challenging and emotional. My mom was very successful in all the things she was passionate about. I spent years wondering how I could measure up to her. The emotional toll that it took on me was draining throughout most of my life.

I considered myself not good enough because I did not follow in her footsteps. But during her short lifetime, with God’s help, she leaves behind one small piece of herself one little piece of the truth of courage, beauty, and of wisdom. Thank you for putting up with my silly habits, my clumsy ways, my jokes and always being there to support me and never giving up on me. I cannot begin to convey what a relief it is to finally accept myself and appreciate all my own achievements even though they might not be based on the goals that I was taught to pursue. It took me a long time, but once I realized that I had been successful by my own definition, my stress melted away. I have also completely changed my perspective on what is most important as I’ve gotten older.

Don’t forget that we are worthy, so we praise God for the glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to His dear son (Ephesians 1:6, NLT). Through meditation on this verse, I realize God accepts me just as I am because I belong to Christ. Because of Jesus, I am worthy and accepted, and righteous by God ‘s grace. Once I learned to extend grace to myself, I was able to extend grace to those around me. Instead of being focused on myself and my failures, I was able to extend a helping hand to those around me and to be God’s vessel of grace to those I encounter wherever I go.

I have learned that instead of hiding from God, I should recognize where I am and run to God to remove my shame, heal my hurt, be blessed, and be set free. I look at God not as my punisher but as my provider, which means God always has my best interest in mind. There is nothing rarer and more important than my confidence in God and obeying His commandments! They are true stars in this world.

My challenge for you today is to live your life in a way that glorifies God, but march to the beat of your own drum. We are all created in God’s image, but we each are unique, and none of us will experience the same things in life. While we are all members of the body of Christ, we all have different roles to play. This is one of the reasons God created us all to be unique. We have different talents, abilities, and personalities for a purpose, and discovering all of this about ourselves will help us to live our God-given purpose in life. Dream big, pray, and then seek to do God’s will. Don’t forget that our purpose is bigger than ourselves and that we can contribute to what will make a difference. Live with purpose according to God’s plan for our lives, and our good decisions will have eternal significance.

Don’t forget that our mind is like a mirror. When we look in a clean mirror, we see ourselves, but when the mirror is covered with dirt and dust, all we see is the dust, and we think that’s me. Similarly, when the mind is clean, we see God, all beautiful, all loving objects of our love, and we see our own eternal soul as the lover of God. But when the mind is covered by arrogance, greed, envy, and passion, we think that’s us. I learned that life is good stewardship of the only gift we have. Don’t forget that both happiness and suffering are critical to one’s development as a spiritual mindset through both good and bad times. I learned that falling in love with myself was the first secret to happiness and self-worth. As we look at ourselves and others through God’s eyes, then life is hopeful and bright!

A Prayer

Dear God,

As the dawn breaks on a new year, let us give thanks for all we hold dear: our health, our family, our friends, and for Your powerful presence with us. Let us live each day in the most loving way possible, the God-conscious way. Let us serve all who are in need regardless of race, color, or creed. May this year be filled with peace, prosperity, and love. Even with all the cares and burdens we’ve carried, we know that we have a great purpose in this life. Let us always remember that we are all one, embracing all, discriminating against none. Lord, we give you all praise, for Your mercies are new every morning, and Your faithfulness is greater than we could ever imagine. May we welcome Your lavish love. In this new year, may the grace and peace of Christ bless us now and, in the days, ahead. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

Artist Wendie Van Zyl

Fresh Start

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here!

It’s fortunate that the God of Heaven is a God of fresh starts. He created a world in which the sunrise marks a new day. Every week has its first day. There’s the first of every month and New Year’s Day to celebrate the birth of every year. God must have known we needed a fresh start as often as every twenty-four hours! In fact, He knew we needed one even more often than we have known. So, God has provided us with an abundance of opportunities for beginnings. With each new day, we have a reminder that we can try again, get another chance, and make a clean start. And with each new month, we can confide ourselves in God anew with a prayer for a fresh start.

I discovered this during my life of challenges and trials. Nothing can separate me from God’s love. Let this divine promise flow through our minds and into our hearts and souls. Whenever you start to feel fearful or anxious, depressed, or unloved, repeat this unconditional promise: Nothing can separate me from God’s love, our Creator of all things. Remember, the old is gone; a new life emerges! Look, all this comes from God, who settled the relationship between us and Him. The past is forgotten, and everything is new (2 Corinthians 5:17). That doesn’t just mean I become new when I initially come to Christ and surrender my life to Him. It means I can have a new beginning every day, every time I see the need to start over. The apostle Paul certainly could have chosen to never speak of his past ever again, but instead he embraced it with humility because he understood his story was no longer his own. God had rescued, redeemed, and restored him for eternity. Therefore, every time Paul gave his testimony, he was sharing God’s story of redemption by using his own life as a sacrificial offering for others to identify with and learn from. He also told us about the motivation to walk in this reality and embrace the love of Christ. We are Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade His people to drop their differences and enter into His work of making right between them. Amen

Spiritual Awareness

Luke 21:36

Be always on the watch, and pray that you may able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.

I have experienced many seasons of challenges in my life. And during those periods, I pray without expecting a favorable response. I learned that sometimes we bring our requests to God not because we believe He will answer us but because it is the right thing to do. We pray once, maybe twice, only to comfort ourselves that we have given it to God. But secretly we harbor no real expectations that God will provide us with what we ask for. But real biblical prayer comes with the confident expectation that God will hear us, answer us, and give us what we ask for. 1 John 5:14-15 states, And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to his will. He hears us. And if we know he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. That being the case, when we pray and lift our voices before God’s throne of mercy, we ought also to expect His reply. Prayer and expectation have always been the pattern of God’s people. After Elijah prayed for rain, he at once sent his servant to go out and look for signs of rain. He pursued prayer and looked up six more times before his servant returned with news of a bit of cloud forming.

Luke is a familiar Scripture that we have heard often during our years in the church. As we have seen, in Luke, Christ reveals that the roles of praying to overcome and praying to endure are always vital to us during a challenging time. We cannot build a beautiful spiritual temple on something wrong. But continue being alert. Having a spiritual awakening leads to self-realization and well-adjusted living. It leads us to a joyful and content life no matter the circumstances of our life. We all want to enjoy a stress-free and normal life. Just as a butterfly appears from its cocoon, when we finally reach that state of spiritual enlightenment, we’ll be able to spread our wings and find our true selves and our true path.

I have learned to take a step forward and do things that will help me prosper and flourish in life like the little butterfly. I take a transition in life as an opportunity to embrace my faith in Christ. By doing so with confidence, I am spreading my wings and getting ready to fly. I have crashed many times. But the more I keep pushing, the closer I get to achieving what God has in store for me. It has allowed me to experience a sense of inner peace, a feeling of healing, and more compassion and empathy. "It is through gratitude for the present moment that the spiritual depth of life opens for me.

Although it was a painful process because it required me to make difficult choices on how to move forward and live with my new perspective, once my inner transformation to a higher level of awareness was completed, I was happy that I had gone through the whole experience. Mastering that spiritual awareness involved moving beyond my limited reality and gaining a broader, clearer perspective. When I make the shift to a higher level of awareness, I truly become more aware of reality as it exists beyond the confines of the self, and the only solution is a very simple one: ‘Come to me.’The intellectual, moral, and spiritual depth of our reality as a person is tested and measured by these words. Yet in every detail of our lives where we are found not to be real, we would rather dispute the findings than come to Jesus (Matthew 11:28). Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. I did grow from the inside out. I had to learn none can teach me. None can make me spiritual. There is no other teacher but my own passion and love for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God bless you.

Five Minutes in the Word

Mark 9:41

Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.

God’s love for us is magnified. One of the core values of this verse is to help one another reach the top—to hold each other up high, not to pull each other down to the ground and serve as their downfall. Everyone deserves happiness and success. Let us be one another’s guiding hands and feet and voice while reaching for the top.

God gives us a generous heart: we see blessings for everyone who humbles themselves and cares for someone. This is the kindness Jesus expects and rewards from his followers. It is very simple. God doesn’t forget those who perform a miracle in the name of Christ but also those who show disrespect or do the least kindness to anyone. Acts of kindness by Jesus’s followers may be simple, but they are also a genuine reflection of their Lord’s kindness and compassion when shared with all kinds of people. And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water, because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward (Matthew 10:42). And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me’ (Matthew 25:40). Be sure wherever there is faith and obedience in devotion to Jesus, this call brings God’s notice and approval. Amen

Gracefulness

Esther 2:17

And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in His sight more than all virgins. So, that he set a royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

This is where the history of Esther begins. More precisely, it’s the verse in which she becomes the queen. And in one of the diverse circumstances of this book in the Scripture, you see the sovereign hand of God. God worked no miracles but worked through the unremarkable circumstances of life to accomplish His extraordinary purpose. Although the preparation in this verse seemed to be for marriage, for most, the sad result was the enslavement of women. Yet even during great injustice and pain, God gives grace to His children and works behind the scenes. Far too many of us today focus on what is wrong and what we believe to be hardships in our lives, and we miss out on the basic thankful opportunities we have each day!

The hero in the book of Esther is God. Significantly, the covenant word hesed is used and translated as God’s love. See this same word in the beloved passage in Lamentation 3:22–23), where we are told that because of His mercies, we are not consumed. Ahasuerus was impetuous and cruel, but God could work through a wicked ruler. Esther was afraid (Esther 4:11), but God’s grace was with her, sustained her, and eventually turned her ashes into beauty. If you put your trust in God, He will do the same for you. Like Esther, there are many of us who have had a life far less than what we had dreamt about, or maybe life has just ganged up on you, beaten you up, and left you bloodied and wounded. The point of this story from Esther is that even when the picture painted for our lives seems grim and dark, we can and must express gratitude!

I can see three main places in Esther’s life to show us where we should express gratitude. Even when everything else leads to suffering and difficulty, we can be grateful! Esther was generally appreciative of her physical endowments. God provided for her during her captivity. She had access to fresh air. She could sip the water. She could eat something. Esther had both a home and good health. Like Esther, let’s find happiness during our difficulties. We inherit peace of mind from our Savior. Amen.

Five Minutes in the Word

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

God loves the world so much that he sacrificed his one and only Son, giving eternal life to everyone who trusts in Him. The most crucial question is how we might live in the reality that (John 3:16) portrays God, who is love and actively showed His love through Jesus Christ, His only Son, and made salvation available to everyone via Him. He came that we may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10). Jesus replied with a complete, purposeful life.

I have learned life is a journey. We are all traveling inevitably toward the end of our lives. We will either coast through life with no sense of direction, or we will have a life of purpose and fulfillment. The race is on. Where are we going, and what are we doing about it? I have learned that purposeful living is a structured and Scripture-based process to find your calling from God-given purpose. This process will guide us toward answers to foundational questions such as Who is God shaping me to be? and What is God preparing me to do? so that we can fulfill our calling from God. Remember, everyone’s life is driven by something: guilt, worries or fear, insecurity, anger, resentment, one’s past, possessions, family, money, etc. God really wants us to be purpose-driven people, driven by His plan and His purpose for our lives. Whatever the case, we are aware that Christ presented a stunning illustration of love, grace, and the liberation of total forgiveness. No more remorse. No more shame. Nothing is condemned. Only liberation, illumination, and life, all because God loved the world so much. God doesn’t love just one set of people. He does not love just one particular nation or race. God is a big God, and He has a very big love indeed. And He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without God’s compass, God’s love encompasses us completely. Be assured, the scope of God’s love covers the whole world, every nation and tribe, all languages, and people. I love the Lord because He first cast His love upon me, unworthy as I am. He chose me and saved me. Amen.

Flowers Bring Hope

Luke 12:27

Consider how the wildflowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all this splendor was dressed like one of these.

The book of Romans states that God’s eternal power and divine nature can be clearly seen and understood from what He made (Romans 1:20). Flowers, as part of His creation, hold a great deal of insight and many spiritual lessons, such as beauty, growth, temporal things, fullness, and more. They also symbolize hope and wonderment in everything they touch, and they’re gorgeous, simply gorgeous. God not only writes the Gospel in the Scriptures but also on trees, flowers, clouds, and stars. For instant, the flowers of the field grow and are attired in simple beauty without care, labor, planning, management, or emotional worries! How much more will our Heavenly Father care for us, who are His blood-bought children? If God has provided such abundance for flowers in such beauty, surely, He will care for those who have become His children by faith. This reminds me of how holiness appeared to me to be a sweet, pleasant, charming, serene, calm nature, which brought an inexpressible purity, brightness, peacefulness, and ravishment to the soul. In other words, it made the soul like a field or garden of God with all manner of pleasant flowers. Be assured, the power of flowers can overturn your attitude and bring new hope.

Some people say that flowers can say it all. And the truth is that they really can. Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature. So, don’t let the weeds cast a cloud on the beautiful flowers in your garden. Flowers and plants have a long history of symbolism in religions across the world. They are beautiful. But they stand for a great deal more than mere beauty. They represent deities and closely held values. Oftentimes these flowers are used to serve as a reminder of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. Also, several aspects of various flowers, such as color and shape, are used to represent Christ’s love and purity, which simply reminds me to be dependent on God as our faithful provider. Be assured that perfect love casts out fear, so let us replace fear with faith and simply consider the lilies of the field and how they grow; they neither toil nor spin. (Luke 12:27 RSV). But not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. Amen.

Endurance

1 Peter 2:20

But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it?

Life in every era has had its troubles. We know that some of the most painful suffering is done in silence, in the sorrow of a lonely life. Remember God’s word: He that endures to the end shall be saved (Matthew 24:13). There are many different ways to pursue happiness. People make such a great investment in trying to avoid pain and achieve happiness. The way to achieve happiness is very simple and very specific, but you must think about it a little differently. People do all manner of things to encounter this kind of happiness, and when they experience it, it seems like a true refuge from pain and conflict. Indeed, it seems to be a desirable state to try to achieve at all costs.

I remember a time when I was so happy. I want to feel that way again, so I try to recreate the same circumstances, take the same course of action, or have the same types of stimulation to recapture that glorious moment. But how is it to me to be credited if I receive a beating for doing wrong and enduring it? But if I suffer for doing good and I endure it, this is admirable before God. I learned that the pain that I suffer and the trials that I experienceare not wasted. They minister to me and educate me to develop such qualities as patience, faith, courage, and humility. All that I suffer and all that I endure, especially when I endure it patiently, builds up my character, purifies my heart, and expands my soul, makes my heart more tender-hearted and charitable, more worthy to be called a child of God.

It is through sorrow and suffering, effort, and tribulation that I gain the education that I came here to obtainand that will make me more like our Savior. Endurance is nobler than strength, and patience is more beautiful than beauty. Patience attracts happiness, and it brings near that which is far. ‘And let me not grow weary of doing good, for in due season I will reap if I do not give up’ (Galatians 6:9). As for you, my brothers, and sisters, do not grow weary in doing good, for we need endurance so that when we have done the will of God, we may receive what is promised. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (Matthew 24:13, NLT) Amen.

Five Minutes in the Word

Revelation 10:1

Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars.

John describes a mighty angel who came to announce the final judgments on the earth. He was robed in a cloud with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. This angel was certainly powerful and was bringing a message directly from God. The rainbow above his head was like a crown. This symbol of God’s promise might have resulted from the sun radiating from his face, passing through the clouds that surrounded him. This was no ordinary rainbow. First God set this reminder of His promise to humanity and His faithfulness at His very throne in Heaven. There aren’t many more beautiful sights in nature than a rainbow.

The red of the rainbow reminds us of our Savior’s blood. Rainbows always come in pairs. We usually see only one, but there