A Knight's Journey

I've been in a lot of prayer meetings in my life.  I can't even come close to a number.  Lately, I have wondered if we still recognize the gift we have received in the ability to just "pray"--anytime---anywhere. One of the greatest gifts we have been given with the salvation of our souls is the gift of prayer and praise.  No longer must we go to a priest to offer sacrifices for our sins.  We can enter the throne room of God--because we belong to Him.  We can do this while driving down the road--we can do this while working in the garden--I've done both-- and we can do this in our churches and our homes.  Not everyone in this world can put a checkmark beside all of these I've mentioned. Prayer is a gift given to us that cost Christ everything.  EVERYTHING.  His own life was given so that we could be made whole... When I think about this tears just fall.   I remember when the movie "The Passion of The Christ" came out in Dothan, AL.  We we...

Wrestling fear to the ground is not enough.   Fear must be stopped, and it must be replaced with FAITH .  We always need to replace the bad with the good. Otherwise, it will be too easy to slide back into the old rut of belief,  “I can’t.  - What if? - But suppose?”.      Jesus said this to the Pharisees when they claimed that Jesus must have healed the demon-possessed man with the power of Beelzebul (Satan)   43  “Now when the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, it roams through waterless (dry, arid) places in search of rest, but it does not find it. 44  Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it arrives, it finds  the place  unoccupied, swept, and put in order.  45  Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and make their home there. And the last condition of that man becomes worse than the first. So will it also be with...

"Did you think it would be easy? Listen, with every task you are given by Me, there will be trials and difficulties.  These are meant to teach you to lean on Me--not do things on your own but in concert with Me.   Too many times, you want to give up right on the edge of the completion and success of the task.  If you could see what I see, you would take those times of extreme exhaustion and press in harder.  One last push.  Stop trying to go it alone--get in timing with Me.  One step ahead or one step behind is not where you belong--it's not where the promises are fulfilled.  Walk WITH Me.   Trust Me when I tell you I am here and I will never leave you. You are not responsible for anyone's dedication and prayer life but your own.  See that you remember that.  It's your time, freely given, anticipating My every word that I desire to walk into and work through." One morning, towards the end of December 2024, I prayed and waited in my quie...

I wanted a catchy first line to begin this devotion.  A hook.  Something to really pull you in so that you would pause and take a seat and talk with me just a minute.  But honestly, the words that popped in my mind as I was waking up came with a tune: We three kings of Orient are; bearing gifts we traverse afar, field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star. I know it sounds ridiculous.  After all, most people have stopped listening to Christmas music.  I know I have.  Haven't played any since Christmas Day.  (Of course, the GAC Christmas movies are still playing.) But when I woke up, those lyrics and the music began.  Completely out of nowhere.  Why?  I wondered that myself, but then, as I lay there to get my brain fixed on what day it was--it came to me.  I was reminded that the wise men didn't show up at the birth.  They showed up on the doorstep.  They popped in for a quick visit at the house.  Unex...

As I have been praying about the new year—I contemplated some of the matters of the heart I have dealt with the past several years and what I wanted to pass down to my children and grandchildren.  I thought of these life reminders to help them live with more “peace” and less “chaos and stress”.   Grow where you are planted.   If you don’t like where you are, try to keep in mind nothing is ever permanent. Make a difference where you are- while you are there.  Be productive.     Real plants can’t grow if you surround them with fake plants.  This past year, I did what I’ve seen a few others do: I tucked some brightly colored artificial plants in with some real plants in a couple of pots that I had outside.  They looked great!  But I soon noticed the real plants withering.  I added more water.  I waited. In a few weeks, the real plants had completely died from the outside to the soil!  Something in the plastic caused serious ...

On October 25th, of this year, I had been praying in my prayer time, and the Holy Spirit gave me a word that I wrote out in my prayer journal.  I found it again this morning, feeling prompted to pull that particular book open- as tears filled my eyes--it spoke afresh to me this morning.  I feel like there is another who needs this word this morning: "For I, the Lord God, am your everlasting Provider.  There is nothing that I cannot supply.  Your trust is secure in Me.  I do not fail.  I have called you and will keep you.  Do you understand how I had all these things already in My sight?  I knew you before you were born.  I have already equipped you with the necessary weaponry to fight any battle--use what you know.  I am FAITHFUL.  Don't forget all I have already brought you through." In all my years of walking with God, I have learned that HE is always faithful.  We will go through battles and times when we feel are the deepes...