BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women
A daily devotional podcast for women hosted by Pamela Crim, offering spiritual guidance and encouragement through biblical teachings and personal reflections. Each episode aims to inspire listeners to live a bigger life with faith and purpose.
Episodes
2203 Loved By the Maker
Jesus says we will be known by our love, and our love is to make Him known. But let me ask you a question:
Who is the hardest person for you to love?
Oh, I know exactly who it is.
It’s someone you live with. Someone you work with. Someone in every one of your circles.
It’s YOU.
You are the person you are hardest on. You know every flaw, every failure, every awkward quirk, every stupid
2202 Already, But Not Yet
Today we’re living in the middle of a story that’s already promised an eternal ending, but we’re not there yet. We’re here – in the middle. In the middle of real life with real problems, real threats, real pain. Every day we are closer and closer to what is promised, but we’re not there yet.
Within our Bibles is a story which so sweetly shows us our Jesus standi
2201 Parable of the Friend In Need
Did you know in Jesus’ time of walking this earth and preparing his disciples to spread the gospel and reach the ends of the world with his offer of salvation, he never once taught them how to preach. He didn’t teach them how to organize a mission. He taught them this one thing … HOW TO PRAY. In teaching how to pray, we learn how to surrender to the Father, how to grow in trust,
2200 Parable of the Good Samaritan
One day while Jesus is teaching, an expert in religious law asks a question – “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life.” Today we think of eternal life solely as life after death – heaven. But this word ‘eternal’ was used as a particular QUALITY of life that comes from God. Eternal life was a life that could be had living right here and right now when
2199 Parable of the Pharisee and Sinful Woman
Sometimes, to understand the meaning of a story Jesus told, you have to back up and understand the entire scene. For today’s parable, we can’t just jump into the story without looking at what happened right before it. The situation leading up to the parable is actually the key to understanding why Jesus told it in the first place.
So, before we get to the story, let’s back up a little. What was ha
2198 Parable of the Barren Fig Tree
Luke 13: 6-9, “Then Jesus told this story: ‘A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’ The gardener answered, ‘
2197 Parable of the Patch and the Wineskins
The Bible can be confusing – It can also be so powerful it will radically change your life. There are some books in the Old Testament you can flip to that seem so rigid and so impossible, that a life following God is unattainable. Then there are books in the New Testament filled with overflowing mercy and grace that perfectly cover your every imperfection.
So which is it – rigid and im
2196 Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders
Matthew 7: 24-27, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is build on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. Wh
2195 Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector
Luke 18: 9-17
“Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else:
Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that t
2194 Parable of the Persistent Widow
Luke 18: 1-8
“One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.
‘There was a judge in a certain city,’ he said, ‘who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself,
2193 Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus
This story told by Jesus is quite different. Unlike all his other stories, this story includes specific names. This tells us it’s a true story of real people living real lives with a real destiny. These are true events.
I’m a documentary junkie. It’s the only TV I ever watch. So imagine this story as we read it unfolding like a docuseries. I’ll split it into episodes for ef
2192 Parable of the Shrewd Manager
This could be one of the most confusing and easily twisted stories Jesus told. Maybe you’re like me and you’ve read it before, said “well that doesn’t make sense”, and quickly moved on. On the surface this one doesn’t make sense. However, if you really seek, you will find a deep message that truly does make sense.
So, let’s read this story together and thi
2191 Parable of the Lost Son – 2
Jesus tells us a story of 2 sons. One was the prodigal, and one was not. Of course the prodigal, the one who struggled, the one who messed up is the one who often gets the focus in the story. Afterall, he is the one who was lost and was found. He was the one who the father celebrated. But what about the other son. The son who didn’t struggle. The son who didn’t mess up. The son who sta
2190 Parable of the Lost Son-1
This is the final of the trilogy of stories Jesus tells to explain the worth of a single soul to God. We had the Parable of the Lost Sheep where the shepherd leaves the 99 to find the 1 who has been lost. We had the Parable of the Lost Coin of the woman who has 10 coins, but when she loses 1 she looks relentlessly until it’s found. Notice the numbers – 1 out of 99 – 1 out of 10 &
2189 Parable of the Lost Coin
When Jesus tells a story, you listen. When Jesus repeats 3 stories with the same meaning, you REALLY listen. Every story he told during his time here on Earth was of important purpose, but to repeat the same lesson 3 times in 3 ways tells us Jesus desperately wants us to get this message.
Today’s parable is part of that trilogy teaching. The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin and the Lost Son. The te
2188 Parable of the Rich Fool
Luke 12: 16-21
Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to
2187 Parable of the Lamp
Jesus tells a little story with big impact. Luke 8: 16-17, “No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house. For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all.”
Imagine a dark room
2186 Parable of the Three Servants
If there’s one of these stories that Jesus told that has most impacted my life, it is this one. It’s a guide for daily living and it will meet you exactly where you are every day of your life. The moral of the story – JUST BE FAITHFUL.
What happens when you are faithful with little? God sees you can be trusted with more.
What happens when you aren’t faithful with little? Go
2185 Parable of the Bridesmaids
Before we read this story Jesus told, I want you to do something. I want you to see it. Don’t just read the words on the page. Step into the story. Picture the wedding. Picture the bride. Picture the bridesmaids. Picture the anticipation of the groom’s arrival.
To really understand what Jesus is saying, we need to understand a little about Jewish weddings in His day. There were several
2184 Parable of the Great Feast
Jesus also told them other parables. He said, “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come!
So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everyt
2183 Parable of the Evil Farmers
Today we will study a parable that seemingly has nothing to do with us. It’s easy to assume Jesus just told this story so the Pharisees who were in the crowd realized how bad they were. But haven’t we learned if Jesus told a story then, it applies to us today? Haven’t we discovered so far in our study of the parables that Jesus’ stories are layers and layers deep?
So, as we
2182 Parable of the Two Sons
Matthew 21: 28-32
But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.
Which of the two obeye
2181 Parable of the Vineyard Workers
Jesus has great news for us today: We can be screwed up and late to the game, but if we will simply be available and show up, God has grace for us, work for us to do, and a great reward in store.
Matthew 20: 1-15:
For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work.
At nine
2180 Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor
Jesus is serious about forgiveness. He gave his very life to forgive you. And … he asks you to forgive every other soul who has hurt or offended you. Yes, everyone for everything.
Now I don’t know, but maybe that’s a nearly impossible task. Forgiving them – what? They aren’t even sorry. Why should you offer them forgiveness? If for absolutely no other reason, because
2179 The Parable of the Lost Sheep
Matthew 18:12-14, “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that eve
2178 The Parable of the Disciple
Matthew 13:52, “Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old.”
Well what on earth is Jesus trying to show us here? Being a teacher of religious law means you know your Bible. You know facts. You know history. You know verses. You know order. But there’s more than j
2177 The Parable of the Fishing Net
Matthew 13: 47-51, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away. that is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, throwing
2176 The Parable of the Pearl
Yesterday we studied the Parable of the Treasure. Now, Jesus continues his teaching with another similar story tied to it. They go together, so let’s read them together.
Matthew 13: 44-45, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. Again, the Kin
2175 The Parable of the Treasure
Matthew 13:44, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”
I want you to imagine for a moment coming to the end of your life, and standing before your Creator as he shows you a life of your movie. Everything you did in your entire lifetime. And imagine realizing you
2174 The Parable of the Yeast
Have you ever made homemade bread with yeast? How much yeast do you put in with the flour and water? Just a tiny amount. How much of a difference does the yeast make? ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
As Jesus was teaching, he knew everyone listening understood this because bread wasn’t something they picked up at the grocery store. It was made every day in their homes. The women especially knew exactly w
2173 The Parable of the Mustard Seed
The next parable Jesus tells is one of the most debated in Scripture. Unlike some of the other parables, Jesus never explains this one. That means faithful Bible scholars have reached different conclusions.
Let’s read it for ourselves.
Matthew 13:31-32, “He put another parable before them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in
2172 Parable of the Wheat and Weeds
In our study of the parables of Jesus, we find the next story he tells. Remember, that’s what a parable is – it’s a story along with a teaching. It’s earthly stories with heavenly meaning told for a purpose by Jesus.
Matthew 13: 24-30
Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night as the workers s
2171 Parable of the Sower
While Jesus walked this earth, he taught us the truths of God and the secrets of living well. In just 3 years of ministry he said everything he needed to say, and he said it perfectly. Now, over 2000 years later, his words are our perfect guide for life.
Some of Jesus’ teachings were on deeply spiritual things that he knew we would struggle to understand. Not all things needed to be understo
2170 Praying In Circles
It’s back-to-school time. Today, I have friends walking their baby into kindergarten for the very first time. And I have other friends helping their baby move into a college dorm.
Those two days feel worlds apart… until you’ve lived them.
Those of us a little farther down the road know the truth. One day you’re zipping a backpack that’s almost bigger than they are. Th
2169 Here’s the Line
Is there something from your past holding you back? It could be 50 years ago, or 5 days ago. Regardless, past regrets, guilt, and shame have a way of holding on to us. We replay the stories we have no way of changing because what is done is done. You can’t go back. You can’t undo it. So, what do you do?
Too many of us are serving life sentences for sins Jesus already died for. We keep
2168 When You’re Desperate
Maybe you’re living out a story that doesn’t look like you imagined. You had dreams, you had desires, you had plans … and your life seems to have fallen flat. You’ve been left wanting – left waiting – left wondering.
When will things change for you? How much longer do you have to wait? What if what you want will never happen? Then what? Will you just be miserabl
2167 The Gift Below
Last week we talked about valleys and mountains. Valleys being those dreaded low places in life, and mountains being those beautiful highs. We all want to stay in our mountaintop experiences, but we can’t. Do you remember why? Because nothing grows on top of a mountain. If you go high enough, the view is breathtaking, but the air is too thin for anything to grow.
And that’s the way we
2166 Know His Voice
Jesus said in John 10:27, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
Here’s what Jesus didn’t say – “Only a select few, super spiritual will hear my voice.” No, he said, “My sheep listen to my voice.”
Jesus calls himself our Good Shepherd. What does that mean? In ancient Israel, a shepherd wasn’t just the owner of she
2165 That’s God’s Grace
Have you ever questioned if God really likes you? We’ve been told over and over again that Jesus loves us … but does he like us? Is he pleased with us? How does he see us when we fail? When we struggle? When we wander?
I met a beautiful woman at our Colorado Retreat named Stevie. Stevie is this strikingly woman with black hair, a huge smile, tattoos, and rides a Harley. Honestly, she&#
2164 Destination – Jesus
God has promised He has good plans for you (Jeremiah 29:11), but wouldn’t it be nice if He included turn-by-turn directions? I mean REALLY nice. Not some vague “trust Me” and “walk by faith” business. I want GPS. I want step-by-step instructions complete with an arrival time and the occasional heavenly notification saying, “There’s a problem ahead. I’
2163 Just Be Caught
This week, I watched a simple video of a man in a suit with a strong Irish accent explain something so beautifully and so clearly. He talked about how easily we twist salvation into being faith plus works.
He posed one question: If you were to die tonight and stand at the gates of Heaven, how would you explain why you’re there?
He said if you answer that question in the first person, youR
2162 God of Both
Life is full of mountains and valleys. One day we’re standing on the mountaintop, taking in the view and thanking God for how good life feels. The next, we’re walking through a valley we never saw coming, wondering how we got here and how we’ll ever make it through.
That’s life. No one gets a permanent address on the mountaintop, and no one stays in the valley forever. We a
2161 Not Over Yet
What do you do when it’s over?
Not when it’s hard.
Not when it’s uncertain.
Not when things could still work out.
What do you do when it’s OVER?
When the divorce papers are signed.
When the prodigal still hasn’t come home.
When the doctor’s report confirms your worst fear.
When the bank account is empty.
When the addiction wins again.
When what was already bad s
2160 Powerful Not Pitiful
Here’s my prayer for you today: May you be led by what is in you, not by what is around you.
Because what is around you is loud.
Distractions.
Drama.
Disappointment.
Fear.
Bad news.
Negative people.
The invitation to live a small, defeated, mediocre life is everywhere. But daughter of God, you were never created to live looking down.
Downcast.
Downtrodden.
Down in the dumps.
Down is not your
2159 In the Name of Jesus
There are probably things you do every day without really knowing why you do them.
Think about it.
When we meet someone new, we shake hands. But why? The original purpose was to show that your weapon hand was empty and that you came in peace. Most of us aren’t checking each other for concealed swords anymore, yet the handshake remains. We do it because it’s what we’ve always done
2158 The Lord Jesus Christ
In Scripture, there is great significance behind a name. A name was much more than a label or a way to identify someone.
Today, names often carry little significance beyond what sounded good to our parents at the time. We choose names from baby books, family traditions, or popularity lists. Most people never stop to ask what their name means. It’s simply what people call us. Take me, for exa
2157 Live Different – Fruits Part 16
Under the direction of the Spirit and his inner influence, you live DIFFERENT. Absolutely nothing changes a person like the Spirit of God. This is change from within, change at the very core of who you are. It is lasting change that makes you into a radically new person.
The Holy Spirit leaves nothing untouched, nothing undone, nothing unchanged. Gradually and continually God’s presence with
2156 The Fruit of Self-Control – Fruits Part 15
Here it is—today we study the final fruit of the Spirit. And isn’t it just like God to save a grand lesson for last? The one fruit every one of us knows we desperately need: Self-control.
In mentoring women to pursue their God-given goals and live the life they were created for, I hear this all the time: “Pamela, I just don’t have any willpower. I have no self-control.”
Hav
2155 The Fruit of Gentleness – Fruits Part 14
As God’s presence takes up residence in you and becomes your guide, that harsh outer shell begins to break away. The walls you’ve built crumble. And what grows like fresh ivy taking over that old exterior is GENTLENESS.
Gentleness is not weakness, nor is it passive. This word translated into ‘gentleness’ was used to describe a powerful horse that had been trained. The horse
2154 The Fruit of Faithfulness – Fruits Part 13
Faithfulness isn’t something our culture celebrates very much. We celebrate talent, success, influence, and achievement. But heaven celebrates something different. Heaven celebrates faithfulness.
In the life of someone not under the influence of the Holy Spirit, faithfulness is a constant struggle. But in the life of someone filled with the Spirit, faithfulness begins to grow naturally. It b
2153 The Fruit of Goodness – Fruits Part 12
When we are under the influence of the Holy Spirit, our very character changes. From within, we become different. Girl, you’re simply not who you once were.
Have you noticed as you change and grow it almost puts a spotlight on our loved ones who are NOT. Maybe someone you love is NOT under the influence of the Holy Spirit and they seem to be stuck in old way … well, they are. When you
2152 The Fruit of Kindness – Fruits Part 11
In our study of the fruits of the Spirit, we’re understanding this isn’t a list of attributes to strive for, it’s not a checklist for being a follower of Jesus, it’s the tangible results that grow in our lives when we’re connected to God. FRUITS of the Spirit. Fruit grows. Fruit is the natural outcome of a healthy tree.
The Holy Spirit is God’s presence living w
2151 The Fruit of Patience – Fruits Part 10
Patience is actually NOT something you lack when the Holy Spirit dwells within you. Patience is something that naturally grows within you and is produced in your life. It’s a byproduct of the presence of God. Just as an apple tree naturally grows apples, as God’s girl, you naturally grow patience.
So why do you feel like you’re lacking it? Why do you still get frustrated in the w
2150 The Fruit of Peace – Fruits Part 9
The fruits of the spirit are the direct results of God’s presence in our lives. It’s the natural byproduct produced from within us when God’s Holy Spirit lives in us. Today we study the 3rd evidence that grows like fruit on a tree. Galatians 5:23, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, PEACE …”
Peace. In Greek, Jesus would have
2149 The Fruit of JOY – Fruits Part 8
Joy is one expression of the life of Jesus growing within us. What exactly is joy? It’s deep, not surface level. It is permanent, not circumstantial. It’s a settled confidence, not a mood. It’s a spiritual strength, not a changing emotion.
And this joy, according to Nehemiah 8:10, is the source of your strength.
Joy is supernatural, not natural. The source of joy is God – n
2148 The Fruit of Love – Fruits Part 7
Galatians 5:22, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: LOVE …”
God isn’t asking us to manufacture love. This isn’t about trying harder. God invites us to connect with him and grow in him, and as we abide in him, his love naturally flows through us.
Jesus says “Apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) This is why some people ar
2147 The Inside Story – Fruits Part 6
Returning to our study on the Fruits of the Spirit, this is part 6. So far we’ve looked at living on the wrong side of the list – what happens when we live WITHOUT the direction of the Holy Spirit and under the influence of the world and our flesh. We see all those things that create destruction and chaos in our lives, but wow, they happen so naturally. We don’t have to try to be
2146 Seven Year Miracle
(This is an unscripted devotional sharing the story of a 7 year miracle in the making.)
Story of the Prodigal – Luke 15: 11-24
Waited for 4 years – began to run out of hope – tried in desperation to do it my way – to regain control – to force, manipulate
Story of Waiting – John 5: 2-9
38 years, but he still showed up there. He still had someone carry him there t
2145 Meet the Spirit – Fruits Part 5
This week we’ve studied what our lives looks like without the Holy Spirit. Without God’s influence, without God’s direction over our life, we naturally drift toward dysfunction, selfishness, broken relationships, and sin. Left to ourselves, our sinful nature becomes the driving force behind our decisions, our attitudes, and our actions.
That’s exactly what Paul describes in
2144 The Better Party – Fruits Part 4
Today, we’re wrapping it up – the yuck list of what our lives can become when we are not under the influence of the Holy Spirit and following his guidance. So far in Galatians 5: 19-21 we’ve seen the sexual sins we so easily fall into, then the attitudes and behaviors that damage our relationship with God and others. It’s been a real yuck fest hanging out on the wrong side
2143 Hidden Sins We Excuse – Fruits Part 3
Open up your Bibles to Galatians 5 and we’re going to add a few more to the list of yuck – Yes, the left side of the list under the label “Without the Holy Spirit”. We’re looking at what we do and who we naturally become the Holy Spirit isn’t given room in our lives and we’re directed by the world and our flesh. This list is like a blarring alarm, “W
2142 The Wrong Side – Fruits Part 2
When you live under the influence of the Holy Spirit, beautiful things naturally grow in your life. However, when you lack the things that grow in our lives under the direction of the Holy Spirit it’s because you’re NOT under the direction of the Holy Spirit. You’re not connected to Jesus. You’re connected to the world and you’re under the influence of your flesh.
Yes
2141 Under the Influence – Fruits Part 1
There is something directing your life. You’re not doing this on your own. You’re either under the influence of the world and the flesh, or you’re under the influence of the Holy Spirit. One of these guides your thoughts, your attitude, your perspective and your actions – and your life looks radically different depending on your influencing factors. Look around my friend &#
2140 Straighten Up
Luke 13:10-13: “On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, ‘Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.’ Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and pr
2139 Your Disciplined Surrender
God isn’t looking for the strongest, the smartest, the most experienced, or the most qualified. None of the things we place such importance on are on God’s list of expectations of us.
God asks for something specific from us … believe. Simply believe he will do what he says he will do. Believe he can do it through you and he can do it for you.
We are so quick to dismiss ourselves.
2138 Guided, Not Certain
Is there a decision you’ve been avoiding because you’re afraid of getting it wrong? How long have you been waiting for certainty before taking a step? Here’s the problem: Certainty rarely comes before obedience.
When you make a choice, you stand a chance of being wrong, and who likes being wrong? I’ve never met a single person who enjoys being wrong. Because of our fear of
2137 Jesus Is Sleeping
Have you ever been on a boat in a stormy sea? Have you ever seen waves so big they can swallow your boat? Have you ever felt the panic of beginning to sink?
I haven’t, and I must say, I’m quite grateful. I love living through an adventure to get to the other side with a good story, but that’s one I prefer to just read about.
The disciples had this real-life experience, and Mark g
2136 Healing For My Girls
Life has a way of convincing us that nothing will ever change.
Faith reaches for Jesus anyway.
Jesus specializes in restoring what looks lost.
Mark 5: 21-43 (two separate stories intertwined)
Has the vibrant, joyful woman God created you to be been buried beneath years of disappointment?
Have the circumstances of life pressed down so heavily on you that you’re no longer truly living—you are
2135 No Lone Rangers
Alright, my armored up sister – we have a battle all around us – what are we going to do about it?
Well, here’s what we’re NOT called to do – we’re not called to run head first into battles with the enemy. We’re not told to sneak into enemy territory and plan an attack. We’re told to put on our armor and STAND FIRM. Do not waver. Do not back down. Don’t give an inch of terr
2134 Sword School
Now that we have all 5 pieces of our armor, the belt of truth around our waist, the breastplate of righteousness covering our heart, the shoes of peace for our ready feet, the shield of faith in one hand to protect us from the fiery arrows, and the helmet of salvation protecting our mind, we have one last thing to do …
Ephesians 6:17, “Take the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.”
We hav
2133 Eyes on Jesus
In the halls of our Venice, Italy retreat house are priceless paintings and works of art. Clearly, the owner is a serious collector. But one piece stopped me.
It hangs in a second-story hallway—gold-framed, almost sculpted into the canvas itself. It’s not just a painting; it has depth, dimension, movement. Figures seem to step forward out of the frame and cast real shadows on the wall. And it tell
2132 Faith Under Fire
Here we are, God’s daughters, under attack. Every day the enemy attacks with the hopes of distracting us or distancing us from God. That’s why we must put on the full armor God has offered us. He doesn’t want his girls vulnerable to the devil, he wants us victorious.
Last week we studied the first 3 pieces of our God given armor for the spiritual battle:
The Belt of Truth
The Breastplate of Righte
2131 Don’t Fight Barefoot
There are 3 pieces of God’s armor we are to “put on”.
1. The belt of truth.
2. The breastplate of righteousness.
3. The shoes of peace.
In getting dressed for the unseen spiritual battle, the final thing we put on are our shoes. And think about it, you’re not ready to leave if you don’t have your shoes on. My husband knows I’m not really walking out the door if my shoes aren’t on. My shoes are the
2130 The Bulletproof Vest
Part of your armor against the ploys of the enemy is a bulletproof vest for your heart. If Satan can twist your heart, if he can harden your heart, if he can damage your heart, then he renders you ineffective. Nobody looks at a cynical, irritable, negative, grouchy Christian and says, ‘wow, I gotta have what she has.’ Yip – ineffective! Zero impact for Jesus. Saved but not set apart for good
2129 Put Your Belt On
When you really know about the unseen spiritual battle happening, you then have a choice … stand with God in the battle, or sit down and dismiss yourself from it. Sadly, most of us either refuse to acknowledge the battle happening at all – or – we refuse to allow our self-centered little lives to be bothered with it. But the truth is, we are bothered by it, continually. Every single fa
2128 See the Unseen
Yesterday we studied the importance of becoming strong in the Lord before we try to armor up for battle against our enemy, the devil. Again, what good is the best armor in the world if the soldier has no strength to stand? God is strong and he wants his girl strong. God is strong and he’s not raising weak daughters.
Remember, how do you gain this strength? By supernatural infusion! It’s our CONNEC
2127 Supernatural Infusion of Strength
Ephesians 6:10, “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” This comes BEFORE you put on the armor in verses 11-17.
Putting even the best armor on a weak soldier does no good in the battle. The soldier must be strong to use the armor. Maybe you’re weak right now – girl you don’t need heavy armor – first you need to be strengthened.
How do we gain this strength? “Be strong IN the L
2126 A Contagious Carrier
Remember how yesterday we talked about Jesus and Peter needing to pay their taxes, and Jesus tells Peter to do what he’s always done – go fishing. But this would be a completely different fishing experience because this time, Peter was fishing with Jesus – and Jesus is the difference maker. God had perfectly aligned just the right fish with a valuable coin in its mouth to bite Peter’s
2125 The Difference Maker
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to miss God when life feels ordinary?
We pray for miracles, yet overlook the countless ways Heaven is already moving around us. We beg God for provision while standing in the middle of prayers he’s already answering. We ask him to open doors, never realizing the door in front of us was opened by his hand all along.
Girl, God is working in your life right now.
N
2124 More To the Story
Have you ever listened to someone tell a story and thought, “Please get to the point.” Some people include every detail, every side story, every random moment. And when they say, ‘To make a long story short,’ you know the story is about to get longer.
Now, when it comes to your Bible, long stories are kept short. One encounter with Jesus would be an entire best selling book, and instead we read ab
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