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2021 Daily Devotion - Day 463

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We have come to the end of our daily devotionals at this time. Our prayer is that they have helped you during the challenges we have faced in dealing with COVID-19. With life starting to return to some of the old normal, I thought it might be good, in this last devotional, to spend a little time examining what this period can mean for our lives. What are some of the lessons learned? We have learned many lessons. We have learned that too often in the past, we have taken many things for granted. We have seen the value of Christian Community. We have found ways to be together which was vital. We were able to spend more time with our families, especially our children, which was a blessing. And as we did, we were able to teach them more about the need to be patient and what “delayed gratification” looks like. We were reminded, if we needed to be reminded, that life can be very difficult sometimes. But we also found greater strength through more prayer and Bible reading. We learned the treme
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2021 Daily Devotion - Day 462

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Deuteronomy 29:29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” This verse has brought me comfort over the years as I face trials – trials of unanswered prayer or prayer answered but not the way I wanted or thought best. I consider these as the “secret things” that belong to God. While I may want or feel the need to understand, I am reminded that these belong to God and He does not need to share all His ways with me. Indeed, sometimes it is for my good or the good of others that they are not revealed and go unanswered. I can, however, count on “the things revealed” as belonging to myself and my children and future generations forever – statements of truth I can claim! John 3:16-17 “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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the w
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2021 Daily Devotion - Day 461

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“Basically, waiting is not just something we have to do until we get what we want. Waiting is part of the process of becoming what God wants us to be.” – John Ortberg Okay, so I can be impatient at times. We wait in lines, we wait on hold, and my personal pet peeve – waiting for slow players on the golf course! While these are very minor things overall, there was a time in my life when I found waiting to be very difficult. While my wife and I were trying desperately to conceive, we were faced with a number of different issues; an ectopic pregnancy, a miscarriage, as well as some issues on my part. I dare say I even got impatient with God! Well, God had other plans. His timing was not ours. What He saw was that we were not as emotionally prepared as we should have been at that point in time, so He decided to wait on us. In effect, He wanted to bring out the best in us first before executing His plan. In time, His plan unfolded in an amazing way. You see, we did not conceive; rather, H
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2021 Daily Devotion - Day 460

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Exodus 14:6-7 “So he made ready his chariot and took his army with him, and took six hundred chosen chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them.” Pressured by the results of the plagues, Pharaoh finally agreed to give the Israelites their freedom. Then, he changed his mind. He was so serious that he pursued them with a mighty army, including hundreds of “select chariots.” The size and firepower of that force filled the Israelites with fear. They must have felt overwhelmed! Trapped, they had no other choice but to depend on God, who parted the Red Sea to provide a safe escape. We all know what it is like to feel overwhelmed, especially with a pandemic that has threatened the world, creating chaos in many of our lives. Like the Israelites, we may feel vulnerable, inadequate, and hopeless. It is easy to be discouraged or filled with despair. But these are moments to turn to God, cry out for His wisdom, stand on His Word, believe His promises, and trust Him
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2021 Daily Devotion - Day 459

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“It may look like I’m surrounded but I’m surrounded by You! It may look like I’m surrounded but I’m surrounded by You!” Written by: Elyssa Smith Surrounded (Fight my Battles) We often sing this song during our praise worship service at Mount of Olives. This song became my mantra during a scary time in my life. I would like to share it with you. One night I woke up feeling dizzy and struggling to breathe. I immediately dismissed it as being anxiety which tends to worsen at night. Later that day, I noticed that my left foot was turning a purplish color. I notified my primary doctor who advised me to go to the ER immediately. My sister took me to the ER to be evaluated. By this time, the pain was radiating down my leg, and I could hardly breathe. I was diagnosed with a blood clot that originated in my leg and travelled to my lungs. I was admitted to the hospital for further treatment of the DVT and Pulmonary Embolism. The ER doctor on staff said if I had waited any longer, this could’ve
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