http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/ CBN.com Christian Broadcasting Network. News, Information, Inspiration. en-us 60 125 42 http://www.cbn.com/ http://www.cbn.com/templates/images/cbn.com-blue.gif http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/markland_mother.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD There once was a Mother so unique, so precious, that our heavenly Father chose her to be the Mother of His only begotten Son. Even though she was young, inexperienced, and poor, she was chosen. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/stratton_portable.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Divorces, depression, sick babies and homes for sale ... any problem took a new perspective when my mother-in-law flew through the door. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/patch_honoringmom.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD This Mother’s Day, let’s be like kids again. Let’s consider how much Jesus treasured us from the moment we were born. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/Watkins_mothersday.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD “…How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings…” Matthew 23:37 | How could God reference Himself as a protective mother, lest He’d poured His compassionate nature into the mother’s heart? http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/Camenisch_happy.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Mother always was good at asking the right question. It seems that true happiness is closely related to our relationship with God and receiving something through His hands—even if that something it is reproof, or being reviled for His name. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/irvin_tattered.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD I thought of how special this particular Bible was to me. It was part of the life I had with my mother. I shared Christ with her so she would come to know Him in the quietness of her days and evenings, and she loved the Lord. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/Garcia_oneday.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD For those of you who have sown seed into people’s lives, know that the seed will one day bear fruit, it will produce and the seeds you have sown are not in vain. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/irvin_mothersday.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD A mother’s love; what can compare? When we think of the sacrifices they make for their children, could it fill a book? I am sure, perhaps volumes. They give up time, sleep, sometimes food; they shed tears, and they wake to meet so many needs of the day for so many people. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/danni-god-knows-best.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD In those moments in time when I don’t have a clue what to do next, God does! When my head is hanging and my heart is broken, God knows what the next step is. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/Camenisch_God_Answer.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD I had my own agenda rather than seeking the will of God. Could that be why my prayers weren’t answered? Does Jesus withdraw when we try to use Him for our purposes? http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/Keith_LiveForever.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Don’t you sometimes wish we could live forever? I know Heaven is a beautiful place. I know I can’t even imagine it, can’t even fathom it. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/butterfield-sand-trap.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD When we step up to the tee to drive the ball down the fairway, we intend to hit the green, maybe even make a hole in one, but we all find ourselves in the sand trap now and then. Getting out of the sand takes perseverance. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/Noebel_longestminute.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Some events in our lives only take a minute, but feel like the longest and often scariest minute we've ever experienced. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/cheek_battles.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD We see David rise, fall, and rise again; and we learn from this shepherd warrior king that there is no sin that cannot be washed away and forgiven. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/gaultiere-walk-where-jesus-walked.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Have you ever followed Jesus’ steps in the Holy Land? If not, you might be surprised to know that it’s hard to experience Jesus, really experience his presence – even in the land of the Bible! http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/Matthews-change-of-heart.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD There’s no way of knowing what to expect when we talk to people about Jesus. If we start to worry too much about how people might react, we can become intimidated and hesitant to share our faith. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/murray_andrewWOG15_counsel.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Even though God had wonderfully redeemed them and was prepared to supply their every need, when His people were in the wilderness they did not wait for His counsel. They made decisions without Him. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Meeuwsen-trust-his-heart.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Dealing with death is not easy for any of us. Whether death is sudden and unexpected or whether it is the culmination of a long illness, we all struggle with letting go of our loved ones. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/odum_touch.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Jesus responded to the man’s need without heaping unnecessary guilt on him. That is still where He meets us. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/mathis-death-denied.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Lord, losing a loved one is one of the most difficult, painful experiences to understand. Sometimes that pain has caused me anger as I searched for answers. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/murray_andrewWOG28_son.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD There is such a danger of our being more occupied with the things that are coming than with Him who is to come. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Stratton-tethered-tranquil.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD When writing how his imprisonment had given him opportunities to share his faith, the Apostle Paul refused to fight his chains. Seeing our life chains as a way to anchor us to God, helps us stop chaffing against them. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/swaffield_JesusFirst.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Who we are in the world is much less important than who we are in God. In fact, our place and our position do not matter at all as long as we are doing the work the Lord has called us to do. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Markland_EasterEvangelists.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD These precious women of God, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Salome, Joanna, and others were given the first commission to share the gospel! http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/plemmons-easter.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD The disciples were sad because Jesus had revealed to them he was leaving them. Jesus was beginning to feel the weight of what was coming on the morrow. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/patch_easter.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD As He was mocked, beaten, and hung on a cross, Jesus wasn’t telling onlookers to title this event. Before He gave up His Spirit, He asked Father God to forgive the people because they didn’t know what they were doing. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/pippin_goodbye.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD As I looked down this time, the casket looked so cold and lonely. “Dad, I’m sorry we never took the time to get to know each other better. Now death has sealed off that possibility.” http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/hrichi-easter.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Before the beginning of time, God arranged a rescue mission to extend forgiveness to those who didn’t know to ask. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/Godfrey_ComeOutFromtheTomb.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Have you ever felt as though the burdens you encounter and the cares of the world have drawn the very life out of you? Well, I have good news for you! God wants you to "Come Out From The Tomb." http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/Markland-Easter-mothering-forgiveness.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD After five years of suffering, Yolanda sat across a table from the source of her pain, the road-raging young man who caused the death of her sons. It was his chance to ask forgiveness, but he didn't. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/dailey_sneeze.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD A co-worker of mine sneezed and I instinctively said, “God bless you.” Those really are some powerful words. Do I realize what I’m saying when I ask the God of the entire universe to bless someone? http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/Butler_onceforall.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Did you realize that Christ's resurrection is also our resurrection? Did you also realize that Christ's death on the cross was also our death on the cross? http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/omartian-gods-love-in-me.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD True love is not what you feel every moment of every day anyway; it’s what you commit to, and what you seek God for more of than you have on your own. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/Stewart-tunnel.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD If we’re in the tunnel, it’s imperative we trust God and stay close to Him. It’s never easy or enjoyable in the tunnel, but it’s only temporary. We will make it to the other side! http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/Pippin_Slapped.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD The question, "Why does God punish his children?" plagued me. Romans 8:29 answered it: "that we might be conformed to the likeness of his Son," and part of that likeness is He humbled himself. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/irvin_trouble.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD God is not sitting in the heavens saying, “How can I send chaos on My children today.” No way! He is the One who will make a way of escape. He is our Deliverer and our Rescuer. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Hrichi-evil.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Satan, after rebelling against God and being thrown out of heaven, chose the serpent as his disguise. As a result, thousands of years later, we still associate snakes with evil. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/slattery-dance.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Have you ever watched professional ballroom dancers or skating partners? There’s an intimate dynamic that occurs between them. What if we knew God that intimately? http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/omartian-everything-for-good.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Invite God to do something in your situation that your mind can’t even conceive of or never thought possible. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Camenisch_spring.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD How do you know when Spring has sprung when warm days outnumber cold days all winter long? http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Meeuwsen-fiery-furnace.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Is it just me, or does it seem to you that more and more people are being diagnosed with debilitating or life-threatening illnesses? http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/bagby-a_heavenly_benefits_package.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD God has a benefits package for each of us that far exceeds what any company or institution could offer. I like to think of it as a heavenly benefits package. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Matthews-crisis-hotline.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Many people sail through life without giving a thought to their Creator—until they face a serious problem they feel unable to handle on their own. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Bohnert_road_blocks.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD God will sometimes position roadblocks in front of you that call for your immediate decision to stop or go in another direction. Some of the paths God will clearly mark out for you to follow, and others you'll have to choose direction according to what the Holy Spirit says. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/omartian-new-perspective.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD As we grow in the liberty God gives us, we also find freedom to stop thinking about ourselves all the time. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/davenport-who-rules.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Let's give Him His rightful authority and experience the peace it brings. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/pearson_acrossmypath.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Start your day with that simple prayer: "Lord, send someone across my path today that I can help." http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/markland_closet.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Whatever happened to the prayer closet? http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/keys-old-tent.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD On those days when the knees creak and the hips are stiff, I long to put aside this old tent of mine. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/omartian-financial-wisdom.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD When you pray for financial blessings, ask God to show you whatever you need to see about your finances. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/markland-hitchhiker.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Rarely would I pick up a hitchhiker these days, but I felt the leading of the Holy Spirit to offer him a ride. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/veldboom-shepherd.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Have you ever found yourself in a place just as hopeless? The Bible says we are like those sheep-lost, dying and in need of rescue. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/thomaskathy-want-to-be-well.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Our family had inhaled the fumes of a series of fires containing pressure treated wood and other toxic garbage. I had become so ill that I couldn’t even remember my address when I was filling out my paperwork at my doctor’s office. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Delay_shield.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Can you say your faith is active, alive, and out front? Or is it lagging behind? http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/levellie_gingers_feast.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD When I left Ginger’s house that day, I determined to pray for her healing. But God had a surprise up His sleeve. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/darrow_glory.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD It seemed as if God was trying to tell us that, despite the horrible things we often encounter on this earth, the glory that is in store for us will surpass anything we have ever known here. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/goodwyn_lent.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Be careful that your motivations for fasting, and observing Lent for that matter, are to honor God and not to show off how spiritual and reverent you are to others. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/odum_mirror.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Few have had a healthier ability to laugh at themselves than Abraham Lincoln. Not the most handsome man on the planet, he had a charming ability to turn his features to his advantage. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/Morrison_NoSmallThing.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Our Savior came to us as a poor man, not as a king. He was terribly unimpressed with the Temple and all its glitz, but deeply concerned with people, often one at a time. Why do we think our road should be paved while His was rutted…or that this necessarily brings Life? http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/thomaskathy_his_face.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Every time I ventured out to feed my little herd of kitties, I’d get ambushed by a mob of bellowing hungry balls of fur. But as soon as I filled their dishes, they all forsook me. No more purring or rubbing up against my leg. No more clawing for my attention. I wonder sometimes, if that’s how God feels when we flock to church on Sundays. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/omartian-recognize-enemys-lies.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD We all have a spiritual enemy. For those who don’t know or believe that, their ability to identify the enemy’s work in their lives and resist it will be nonexistent. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/irvin_after_valentines.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Perhaps you didn’t have someone that gave you a Valentine rose, candy, or a stuffed animal. It is OK, just take Jesus as your Valentine; love on Him and let Him love on you. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/lanier_love.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Over the last fifty years or so, thanks to an increasingly amoral entertainment industry, love has become synonymous with sex. Sad to say, most people don’t know the difference. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/thomaskathy_ring.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Over the years, our “Happily Ever After” hasn’t always been the fairy tale we hoped for. “For richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health” have been tougher promises than either of us ever expected. But through it all, we’ve found hope in offering each other one more chance for redemption. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/gaultiere_valentine.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Have you ever thought of writing Jesus a Valentine’s letter? Could you or I love Jesus that much? I’m not talking about sentimental gush, but deep and thoughtful love from the heart. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/Bohnert_valued.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Maybe you feel like that lost coin, discarded and worthless. If so, you need to look up because God is searching diligently for you and longs for you to return to Him. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/keith_perfectlove.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Don’t stress over living up to the fairytale. Your love story, no matter how simple or how elaborate, was designed by God. He perfected it. He wrote it. He even illustrated it and signed his name on your copy. He’s the author and the finisher. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/noebel_running.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Satan wants to destroy us. He wants to keep us discouraged and beaten down. But when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, then we are called to greatness. We have a job to do for God. We don't have time to be defeated. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/henning_snowshoes.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD God, how do You expect people to reach their potential, to make a difference in the world, when we’re so exhausted? I looked up from the crusty snow on my boots and saw the answer. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/hrichi-superbowl.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD As Super Bowl Sunday approaches, the smell of victory simply feeds on this God-given desire. Its power rests in the fact of the certainty of one thing: someone is going to win. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/dehoog_love.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD I felt that God had plunked me down in a random village in the Dominican Republic with no choice but to make the best of it. And though it took time, eventually, that’s exactly what I did. It was through these kinds of bare encounters that I learned that love does not choose us, we choose it. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/henry-mad-at-god.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Have you ever been mad at God? Most of us have; because in a sense at times we lose the light to our path. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/jej_goodasitgets.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD There comes a time in every daydreamer’s life when she has to ask, “If this as good as it gets, what am I going to do about it?” http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/omartian-love-that-pleases-god.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD God makes it crystal clear in His Word about the kind of love He wants us to have. Sometimes we may wish it weren’t so clear, because what is also clear is that we can’t express this kind of love on a consistent basis without His help. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/rowe_first.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Jesus was pretty clear when He said to forsake all and follow Him. Even if that means doing things we’re not comfortable with, pushing away anything that hinders our relationship with Him, or sacrificing the dreams we want most. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Meeuwsen-treasure.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD We are in a battle that has eternal significance. On the surface it may seem like a personal struggle with some mental or physical area of weakness. That’s what Satan would love for you to think. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/watson-survival.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD When it comes to the horrors of this corrupt world, I’ve found myself hunkering down hoping they pass me by. I turn away, hoping to shield myself from the dreadfulness of their reality. Put simply, I try to survive. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/buckner_salt_in_the_ashes.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD God wants us to be so salty and full of His word and grace that not only will others want to taste and see, but that we can withstand the heat - the heat that comes from the trials and intense situations of life. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/noebel_mosesmentality.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Moses said he was a man slow of speech. He felt that God could not use him. We must move past this thought pattern and realize that God can use anyone. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Markins_rescue.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD The stray puppy was about the size of a half gallon milk carton and could barely lift his head. He was skinny and mangy, missing a lot of fur and had gunky stuff in his eyes. The man was moved to feed and water the little guy and finally persuaded by his children to bring him home with them. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Matthews-sanctity-of-life.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Modern technology has shed new light on the issue of abortion. DNA evidence and breathtaking photos of life in the womb have shattered the validity of the Supreme Court’s statement that prior to birth there is no “personhood.” http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Markland_surprise.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD On a beautiful Saturday, with nothing to do, we sat around relaxing from a busy week, when suddenly our doorbell rang. Seeing no one, she came back to the den when the doorbell rang again. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/plemmons-light-of-life.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD The church of Jesus Christ and our world are entering its most critical hour. The signs in our world all point out serious concerns to which government leaders in nation after nation have no answers. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/markland-revivable.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD We need a revival, to recapture our first love, turn back to the God of power and might, the God of love who changes lives and heals broken hearts. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/spangler-psalm91.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD As you determine with your mind to love God and set your heart to do so, you take the first turn of the key for the promises of God found in Psalm 91. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Garcia_TrueCharacter.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD The truest manifestation of our character is what we do with the mundane, the every day, and what we do when people we respect are not in our sphere of influence. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Matthews-martin-luther-king.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Prejudice appears to be a universal weakness in human nature, with every race and every group of people. We all struggle with a tendency to judge others by external characteristics rather than their intrinsic value as people created by God. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/morrow-peace.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD The peace of God is much more than a temporary absence of strife, having enough to get by for now, or a brief time of pleasure. http://www.cbn.com/SpiritualLife/Devotions/henry-burn-all-ships.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Sometimes when you make a decision to move foreword you need to burn all ships of retreat. http://www.cbn.com/SpiritualLife/Devotions/adams_advice.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Can you recall a time when someone gave you good advice that you did not heed and you ended up making a terrible mistake because of it? http://www.cbn.com/SpiritualLife/Devotions/joneseddie-emergency.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD I'm not ready to go; but our lives, like this flight, will end. When it does I want to be able to walk — not just away — but toward something better. http://www.cbn.com/SpiritualLife/Devotions/markins_muscles.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Our faith muscles will atrophy if we don’t use them. What condition are yours in? We must all work to keep them strong. http://www.cbn.com/SpiritualLife/Devotions/Norris_FullPotential.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD But it is out of love that the Lord prunes us, because He wants us to reach our full growth potential. He knows the blessings that await us on the other side of the pruning. http://www.cbn.com/SpiritualLife/Devotions/jej_novel.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD By a virtual show of hands, how many of you expected more out of your life this past year? Perhaps you prayed, waited, maybe even fasted for some dreams to be met that weren't. So what happened? http://www.cbn.com/SpiritualLife/Devotions/murray_andrewWOG29_father.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD The Holy Spirit is not a person distinct from the Father in the way two persons on earth are distinct. The Father and the Spirit are never without or separate from each other. http://www.cbn.com/SpiritualLife/Devotions/henry-tug-of-war.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD We are in a tug of war everyday. The war is with our heart. We have Satan and his demons on one end of the rope and the Lord and His angles on the other. http://www.cbn.com/SpiritualLife/Devotions/gaultiere_newyear.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD There is another way to approach the start of a New Year: Pray for God to lead you in a “New Year’s Renewal.” http://www.cbn.com/SpiritualLife/Devotions/arrington_crossroads.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD We are all pilgrims on the journey of life, and we often stand at a crossroads and wonder which direction to take. We are always better off if we seek God's guidance. http://www.cbn.com/SpiritualLife/Devotions/Irvin_newyear.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD We don't start over; but we begin again right where we are, making things better in our lives. Do you want a new ending this year? http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/markland-christmas-stocking.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Every year my family, like many families around the world, hangs stockings on our fireplace mantle, one for every member of the family. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/spangler-christmas-personal.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Biblical references indicate that the birth of Jesus Christ included several personal and meaningful encounters. Following that example, we could enjoy a more intimate Christmas with our Savior. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Meeuwsen-season.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD In difficult seasons we learn valuable lessons. Being willing to receive is as important as being willing to give. Finding our security in Christ rather than in our own ability is painful and humbling. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/keith-christmas-kitten.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD The kitten on the front step appeared one rainy night with no tags, no name and no home. He had probably wandered house to house looking for food. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/odum-christmas-fears.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD The words, “Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife” are very important. Apparently, Joseph had experienced fear about what was happening. And why not? http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Matthews_christmas_skeletons.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Genealogies and family histories were important to the Jewish people. So as a Jew writing to a Jewish audience, Matthew naturally opened his book with a genealogy. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/graves_kathryn_directions.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD I realized failure to read the instructions cost us several hours of sleep and caused a great deal of unnecessary stress, much like when I fail to read God’s instructions in His word. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/arrington-orphans.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD The death of our parents often creates a feeling of being orphaned. But God promised never to leave us or forsake us. He understands our grief and provides a safe place in his everlasting arms. Because we've been adopted into the family of God, we're not orphans. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/danni-tumbleweed-christmas.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD My small feet skidded to a stop. Before me stood a tree like none I had ever seen before. Two tumbleweeds, one on top of the other, and lightly dusted with spray snow, graced the corner of our living room. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Swaffield_TerribleBeauty_Birth.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD There was nothing loud or flashy about His birth. Jesus was born in a lonely, dark stable among animals and nearby shepherds. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/Devotions/delay-fire-starter-christmas.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Jesus' birth sparked a fire that will never be quenched! http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Irvin_ChristmasRoses.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Roses have a real significance to me. One of the names of Jesus in the Bible is “The Rose of Sharon,” and so they remind me of Him. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Keith_Tidings_Joy.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD For several years in her youth, Brooke was cast as Mary in the church Nativity drama. She remembers being able to see three crosses from a neighboring church in the distance each year and felt so sad for the baby Jesus, knowing that his future led to death on the cross. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/joneseddie-christmas-tree-wars.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD The tree lay dead on the patio. Dead a good long while based on the green halo of needles covering the concrete. Still, this was Christmas. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/christmasangel.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD For this author, facing Christmas without her husband was unbearably lonely. They had enjoyed this holiday the most and now their special traditions could not be shared together. Her depression mounted until our heavenly Father sent her a surprise on Christmas Eve. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/gaultiere_christmas.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD What kind of person would steal a Christ child figurine from a nativity set? Our hearts hurt because there was someone in our neighborhood who mistreated the Jesus we adore. So I prayed that God would help me to rejoice in being dishonored for Jesus. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Robertson_Advent_Week2.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD We light a second purple candle on the second Sunday of Advent to represent the hope of Christ coming to the world. Biblical hope is secured by God's faithfulness to His promises. For the Old Testament leaders, their hope was in the Messiah's arrival. For us, it is the hope of the Messiah's return. http://www.cbn.com/SpiritualLife/Devotions/Noebel_MeaningofChristmas.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD We can truly be happy at Christmas! No matter what may be happening, we can know that we are His children. We then become sons and daughters of God. Heaven will be our home one day. http://www.cbn.com/SpiritualLife/Devotions/pippin-gods-tattoo.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Many people get tattoos as visual reminders of someone or something very special in their lives. The prophet Isaiah wrote, "I [God] will never forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands." http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Delay-fading-scars.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD If I were to tell stories of my former existence, people who know me now would have a hard time believing that's who I once was. When Jesus changes a person, He makes them "a new creation, old things having passed away, all things having become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Robertson_Advent.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Beginning four Sundays before Christmas, celebrating Advent's purpose is twofold: first, it prepares us for the celebration of the birth of Christ and second, it reminds us that we are eagerly waiting for Jesus' return in glory. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Meeuwsen-love-bears.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD As a mother I want my children to be gentle and generous of spirit in their evaluation of others. How should we react to people who are unlovely or annoying to us? http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/murray_andrewWOG23_unlooked.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD We must desire and believe, we must ask and expect, that God will do unlooked for things. We must set our faith on a God of whom men do not know what He has prepared for them who wait for Him. The wonder doing God, who can surpass all our expectations, must be the God of our confidence. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/pearson_salvation.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Linda's father was dying of congestive heart failure in a hospital room shared with another younger man who was also dying. She witnessed to her unsaved father who she desperately wanted to know Jesus and was surprised with how God used her heartfelt prayers for another purpose. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Sproles-burned-and-blistered.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD When life hits us hard, God encourages us to walk into the flames, just like the three Hebrew boys. Their lives were made fireproof by the faith they held in a mighty God. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/michellejeter_pie.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD “Somebody ate my pumpkin pie!” Conversation stopped and heads turned. Our Egyptian friend Hassan pointed to the end of the dining room table. “It was right there, and now it's gone!” http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/odum-attitude.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD For those of us who think thanksgiving is optional, this gospel story shows how very important it is to Jesus that we take time to give thanks. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/Arrington_everything_give_thanks.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Is it reasonable to be thankful even when things are difficult? On the surface, no, but I believe we can train ourselves to be grateful even when waves of adversity and challenge crash over us. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/joneseddie-tanks.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD "Tanks" is perhaps my favorite childhood mispronunciation. At a young age my son appeared so excited and appreciative of everything, especially time spent with him. My boy still says thanks but not with the same enthusiasm. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/devotions/davenport_thanksgiving.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD My young son had the faith to pour his little heart out to God in thanksgiving, for even the smallest treasures, and now could rest secure in the love of the Father. I wondered why I often fail to do the same. http://www.cbn.com/SpiritualLife/Devotions/Arrington_Thanksgiving.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD Just as many enlist the help of an advent wreath to prepare for the celebration of Jesus' birth in December, you might want to focus on thanks-giving this November by following these simple tips. http://www.cbn.com/SpiritualLife/Devotions/markland_thanksgiving_2011.aspx?cpid=RSS_DD This Thanksgiving as we share our feast with our loved ones, give a nod to our forbearers whose grateful hearts made this all possible.