Harper's Column: My Spiritual Devotional

Consequences Our world desires fame, fortune, success, power, and the like, but is it worth it?  Does achieving the desires of the world bring with it peace, joy, contentment, and happiness?  What other options are there as we navigate life on this earth? One way to navigate life is by the world's standards and philosophies.  The world teaches that there are multiple truths: his truth, her truth, your truth, my truth, etc.  The world also teaches that a universal standard of right and wrong doesn't exist because what is considered right is relative to each individual.  Sadly, this is the choice most people make.  They wrongly believe that true freedom is defining for yourself what is right and true.  As a result, many people in Hollywood's entertainment industry have sold their souls to the devil in exchange for these worldly desires of the flesh .  Just Google it, and you will find videos of these people admitting to doing this and giving credit ...

  Why is forgiveness so difficult? C. S. Lewis wrote, "The trouble with the duty of forgiveness is that you do it with all your heart on Monday, and then you find on Wednesday that it has not stayed put and all has to be done over again."  I don't know about you, but this statement rings true for me more than I would like to admit, especially when someone close to me has deeply hurt me.  Just w hen I think I have achieved that forgiveness, I get caught off guard, and all the pain comes hurling back in my face. Kelly Minter explained that it is not that our work of forgiveness doesn't count; rather, it can be like peeling an onion – there is always another layer.  Only Jesus can do that kind of work daily.   That is why we can't forgive those who have deeply hurt us without him.  

  What is your first response? C. S. Lewis once wrote, “Pain is a megaphone to arouse a deaf world.” So, as I reflect, I ask myself, what is my first response to pain?  Do I immediately react or pause to consider my understanding, perception, or intent?  Should I clarify?   Do I respond immediately according to what I feel?  Do I even question what or who is leading my response? First, let's define pain.  Medline Plus defines pain as a signal in your nervous system that something may be wrong.  It is an unpleasant feeling, such as a prick, tingle, sting, burn, or ache that may be sharp or dull.  This definition describes physical pain, but there are other types of pain, such as emotional and mental pain.   The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke defines pain as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience; no two people feel pain the same way, even if the reasons for their pain are alike. There are ...

  Prophecy, Propaganda, or False Teachings? There was a lot of talk about the 2024 solar eclipse as time approached, and many created videos to share its meaning.  It's true;   God's word does tell us that God speaks through the skies, but God's word also warns of false teachers spreading false information.   God speaks to us in many ways.  But concerning end times and his actual arrival, if there is room for interpretation or the message is not declared so that all can witness his communication, you can be confident that it's not the prophesied grand entrance of our Savior signaling end times.  When he comes, he will manifest to all people, and there will be no question about who he is or what is happening.  The Bible says the whole world will know when He comes in all His Glory and lists many signs that have to occur before that time. Beware, my friends, of the evil that seeks to confuse and lead you astray.  I urge all to read the B...

The Beautiful Word of God:  Not a Wasted Word When I first began reading and studying the Bible, I started highlighting verses that seemed important to me, verses that told a story and had meaning.  Looking back through my Bible, very few words are not highlighted.  At that moment, there isn't a single wasted word or phrase in the entire biblical canon.  As a writer, that fact is amazing to me.  I have also learned that each story in the Old Testament doesn't have just one lesson to teach; they have layers of wisdom packed in them.  An excellent illustration of this is the book of Jonah.  If you have not read it, pause here , and take the time to read it.  It's a short book that takes little time to read.  Below I listed a few of the lessons and story references that highlight the loving character of our Lord and Savior. ·          You can run from God, but there is  nowhere to hide.  God...

  Once I had the experience of the Holy Spirit dwelling within me, I began to receive sudden revelations. The revelations I receive are God's gentle and loving words highlighting something in my life, such as behaviors, thoughts, understanding, etc., that needs attention or change. When God speaks to me, I am filled with joy, knowing I am safe and loved. Most of the time, the problem is that once I acknowledge what I need to change, I feel an extreme urge to share the revelation with those I love to fix them.   Sharing and discussing what you learn with family is excellent, but it is not so great when you share solely to fix others to improve your life. It isn't easy to stand in the shadows when you know someone you love is not spiritually in the right place, and their behaviors painfully affect you. I often contemplate fixing family members who cause me so much pain rather than focusing on bettering myself. Instead, I should focus on myself and how I respond to others with a ...

I save all the devotionals I have completed and frequently re-read them when I feel compelled.  One I have previously read tells the story of a group of Rabbis who could not agree on the meaning of 1Thessalonians 5:17 that states, “pray continually.”   While on her knees scrubbing the floor, the maid spoke up and gave an account of her prayer with each of her activities during the day.   Remarkably, her prayers were for others and building up God’s kingdom rather than her circumstances.  The devotional says the Rabbis were amazed at her great wisdom. Though I have read this devotional many times before, God used it on this day to reveal my selfishness and inability to see others who have hurt me with the same compassion that I desperately long for.   Deep pain makes a person blind to the needs of those who caused their suffering, and they become the judge and jury.   Profound sorrow gives the devil a foothold that causes blindness to everything outside of s...

I have always enjoyed paranormal reality shows.  They are a source of information, education, and entertainment since I like scary movies and psychological thrillers.  However, when I learned that God denounces mediums and all paranormal, I began to feel shame and guilt.  At that time, I also began to wonder about the spiritual beliefs of those who work as paranormal investigators.   I asked God to help me better understand his command on this topic, and He answered.   Because God is the creator of all, he knows and sees everything from beginning to  end; not a blade of grass moves without his knowledge and approval.  Therefore, God questions why anyone would seek information from anyone but Him, the creator himself, and tells us that the messages received through these sources are not of Him ( it is understood that anything not of Jesus is of evil ). "But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but o...

 Coming to Christ to Turn Away Many people come to Christ only to turn away the minute their life doesn’t seem to be blessed.  They turn because their teacher does not tell them the whole truth and set proper expectations of the Christian life.   Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, suffered pain, betrayal, persecution, and even death during his time on earth.   Are we better or more important than our Christ?   Are we more privileged than our Christ?   Absolutely not!   As Christians and believers who profess to love Jesus Christ, we must be willing to suffer as Christ suffered for us and understand that we too will suffer in this life.   Jesus himself told his followers to count the costs. Jesus answered, “If  you   want   to   be  perfect, go, sell  your  possessions and  give   to   the  poor, and  you  will  have  treasure in heaven. Then  come ,  follow  ...

 The AHA Moment Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.  ( Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV) Have you ever struggled to make sense of something in your effort to learn?  While taking Algebra I in high school, I thought that the key to learning and remembering how to correctly solve any given equation was to understand and make sense of “why”.  I was continually going to my teacher and asking her to help me understand why each step of the problem-solving was important.  Her response to me was, “Don’t worry about the why, just accept that it is”.  Once she told me that, I never had another struggle.  I aced every exam and became board while she was busy teaching the rest of the class.  My need to understand why and associate each step with some understanding and meaning was hindering my abilit...

No Different Than... I have discovered that I am no different than the Israelites who were led out of exile by Moses.  I would like to believe that if I was led by Moses and seen with my own eyes the miracles God performed through him, that I would no longer fear, that I would not lose my faith, continually forgetting the strength, power, and love of our creator; I would like to think that I would stand firm in my faith, marching forward through any circumstance without hesitation.  The reality is that I have experienced the presence of God and I have experienced his gentle words peeling away one layer at a time the things that I need to change, filling me with His truth. Yet, at each crisis or crossroad in my life, I hesitate.  I hesitate despite my faith, I hesitate despite my knowledge, and I hesitate despite my personal experience. There is no escape from the human condition that wants desperately to cry out, “What about me!”.  The truth is, my life does not belo...

  Jesus did not die on the cross so we can trust in him to make us happy and pain-free. Jesus died to stop sin from controlling us by: •           Aligning our heart with his •           Conforming us to his image But Jesus did promise to help us, to sustain us, and to never forsake us if we only love, honor, and obey him and his teachings Our worldly pain is not the ultimate threat, and it isn’t the threat that will destroy us.   SATAN is .

Fear & Anxiety I struggle with paralyzing fear and anxiety that interfere with normal functional living.  The fear and anxiety I experience, over time, has morphed into a phobia known as agoraphobia, a fear of open spaces.  Many people who know me are unaware of this fact because quite honestly, I do not talk about it; I am embarrassed and ashamed.  I used to be so outgoing and confident. So, I am not sure how I got here.  I think maybe it’s because I’ve learned nothing is what it seems , and I have yet to be able to work through it all.  I have lived my entire life believing, for the most part, people are good.  And even those who weren’t some good could be found in them too.  I truly believed in that.  My Pappy has always called me naive, but I prefer the term, optimistic idealist.  Then I married my 2 nd husband, my high school sweetheart.   After 8 years of marriage, he tells me not to trust anyone, not even him.  Then...

  Just Enough at Just the Right Time COVID has caused many financial hardships.  Businesses have been lost, homes have been foreclosed on, and life as many knew it forever changed.  My husband’s business is not any different.  We researched and looked to attorneys to learn about the various options available for survival or to plan a business closing.  I have done the bookkeeping and overseen the operations since November 2018.  During this struggle, I trusted my Lord and Savior to not only guide my steps and decisions about the business but also to manage my fear and anxiety.  I spent time in prayer and reading His word daily seeking guidance and wisdom.  Despite my genuine trust in God and His provisions, I still found myself paralyzed with anxiety and fear.  I struggled with my inability to control it and constantly felt as if I was letting God down.  Daily I asked for forgiveness and asked Him to strengthen me.  Prior to beginni...