We often consider the birth of Jesus from the perspective of looking back. For a moment, I want you to put yourself in the hearts and minds of the people who were alive during this time. When you do this, it will help you understand the reason for the hope and excitement surrounding Jesus’ birth.  - Clarence L. Haynes Jr. 

SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:

Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/
Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/

We often consider the birth of Jesus from the perspective of looking back. For a moment, I want you to put yourself in the hearts and minds of the people who were alive during this time. When you do this, it will help you understand the reason for the hope and excitement surrounding Jesus’ birth.  - Clarence L. Haynes Jr. 
SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts: Your Daily Prayer: <a href="https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/">https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/</a> Your Daily Bible Verse: <a href="https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/">https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/</a>

Are you a Christian looking for a daily devotional podcast to encourage, inspire, and convict you in your walk with Christ? 7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Daily Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life. Let's study the Bible together and through the experiences of other believers, learn how to apply the Word of God to our lives.

Here’s just some of what we cover in The Crosswalk Daily Devotional Podcast:

☕️ Why the Tongue Can't Be Tamed (And What to Do about It)
☕️ The Quickest Way to an Attitude Adjustment
☕️ Your Birthday: The Most and Least Important Day of Your Life
☕️ Noticing God's Blessings in the Hardest Moments of Life
☕️ One of the Sneakiest Lies Satan Is Telling the Church
☕️ How to Push Through the Weariness of Prayer
☕️ 3 Steps to Take When Facing Temptation
☕️ What to Remember during a Stressful Election Year

If you love what you're listening to on the podcast, be sure to check out our companion devotional at https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/.

Are you a Christian looking for a daily devotional podcast to encourage, inspire, and convict you in your walk with Christ? 7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Daily Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life. Let's study the Bible together and through the experiences of other believers, learn how to apply the Word of God to our lives.
Here’s just some of what we cover in The Crosswalk Daily Devotional Podcast:
☕️ Why the Tongue Can't Be Tamed (And What to Do about It) ☕️ The Quickest Way to an Attitude Adjustment ☕️ Your Birthday: The Most and Least Important Day of Your Life ☕️ Noticing God's Blessings in the Hardest Moments of Life ☕️ One of the Sneakiest Lies Satan Is Telling the Church ☕️ How to Push Through the Weariness of Prayer ☕️ 3 Steps to Take When Facing Temptation ☕️ What to Remember during a Stressful Election Year
If you love what you're listening to on the podcast, be sure to check out our companion devotional at <a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/">https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/.</a>

7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life.

The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

The Crosswalk Devotional

Understanding the Hope Restored in the Birth of Jesus

The Bible reminds us that tomorrow is never guaranteed. Alexis A. Goring reflects on the importance of trusting God with the future and living each day in His guidance. Planning is wise, but it must always be done in alignment with God’s will. When it comes to salvation, the urgency is clear: follow Christ today, because the opportunity may not be there tomorrow.

Goring contrasts worldly hope with eternal hope, showing how human reliance on “tomorrow” can lull us into postponing crucial spiritual decisions, while Scripture urges immediate faith and readiness for Christ’s return.

Highlights


Life is unpredictable; no day is guaranteed.


Planning is important, but always with God’s guidance (“God-willing”).


Secular optimism can lull us into delay, while biblical hope emphasizes eternal perspective.


Salvation is urgent—accept Jesus today, because tomorrow is not promised.


Living with awareness of Christ’s return encourages holiness and readiness.


Scripture calls believers to live faithfully in the present, trusting God’s provision.

Intersecting Faith & Life

Ask yourself: How often do you say “tomorrow” without including God in your plans? Are there spiritual steps you’ve been postponing? Today is the day to surrender your life to Christ and live in the light of His promises, trusting that He equips you for each moment.

This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today.  Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org

TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org

Full Transcript Below:

Tomorrow Is Not Promised 

By: Alexis A. Goring 

Bible Reading:

“Never boast about tomorrow. You don't know what will happen between now and then.” - Proverbs 27:1 (GNT)

There was a time in my life when I used to make plans for tomorrow and talk about them as if they were sure to come true. Until one day, a friend carefully told me that she’s learned to say “God-willing” when she makes plans because the Bible says tomorrow is not promised. Her words resonated with me and still ring true today. Nowadays, when I speak of my plans for the future—even if it’s only 24 hours away—I say “God-willing” at the end of my sentence.

As I reflected on this recently, two songs came to my mind. They share the same title but preach a different message—one secular, with worldly wisdom and a temporary promise, and one Biblical, with words of caution, graced with eternity in mind. The secular song “Tomorrow” from the original movie Annie (1982) and the Gospel song “Tomorrow” performed by The Winans both convey a message of hope, but only one speaks of everlasting hope. Let’s look at the core message of these songs and think about it. 

The lyrics of the song “Tomorrow” from the 1982 movie “Annie”, performed by Aileen Quinn, say (in paraphrase): The singer banks on the sun rising tomorrow. She believes you can bet your last dollar that tomorrow will arrive. As she thinks about the beauty and promises of tomorrow, she feels her sorrows lift. When days are dark, and she feels depressed and lonely, she rises and declares with a wide grin that tomorrow is on the horizon, so she will be okay no matter what happens because tomorrow will be a better day, and it’s only 24 hours away.

The lyrics for the song “Tomorrow,” performed by The Winans, say (in paraphrase): Jesus Christ is knocking on the door of your heart, saying He is here, asking you to let Him in. He reminds you that He supplies everything you need. Then the person responds that they know this to be true. They tell Jesus that they will let Him in, not today, but tomorrow. They say tomorrow is a better time for them to give their life to Christ. They don’t feel an urgency in choosing to serve the Lord today. The singers of this song caution the listener that the Bible says tomorrow is not promised, so it might be too late because they may not live to see the next day. 

This is the main point: We cannot bet our bottom dollar on life getting better tomorrow because the Bible says tomorrow is not promised.

Does this mean that we should not look forward to tomorrow and make plans for our future? Of course not. We are to stay fully focused on the present and look forward to the next day. But we are not supposed to plan without including God. And when it comes to our salvation in Jesus Christ, we should accept Him into our lives today because we don’t know if we will live another 24 hours. 

According to The Bible, when God tells Jesus Christ it’s time for Him to return to Earth to take His faithful followers to Heaven, it will be too late for us to give our hearts to Jesus and follow Him. The Angel of the Lord says in Revelation 22:10-11 (MSG), “Time is just about up. Let evildoers do their worst, and the dirty-minded go all out in pollution, but let the righteous maintain a straight course, and the holy continue on in holiness.” When we see Jesus Christ return in the clouds of glory, we who lived for Him will rejoice because we know we’re going to Heaven, but those who kept delaying their decision to follow Jesus will be terrified because they see it’s too late and they won’t be able to go to Heaven. 

Let us take this seriously because our salvation is at stake. I encourage you, if you have not already, to let Jesus into your heart now—especially if you feel an urgency to do so. But if you don’t feel an urgency or hear Christ knocking at the door of your heart, or you’re entrenched in sin, it’s not too late for you because you’re still alive. Please seek God while you’re living. It will be too late when you’re dead. If you’re alive and breathing today, reach out to Him. God loves you, and He wants to welcome you into His Kingdom with open arms. 

Finally, we must always be ready for Christ’s return because the Bible says He will come when we least expect Him (Matthew 24:44). 

In closing, I’d like for you to listen to this song, “Tomorrow” by The Winans. Listen to it HERE.

Intersecting Faith and Life:

Will you let Jesus Christ into your heart today and follow Him all the way to Heaven?

Further Reading: 
Hebrews 9:28
Matthew 24:30 
1 Thessalonians 4:16 
Revelation 1:7 
Revelation 19:11 

The Bible reminds us that tomorrow is never guaranteed. Alexis A. Goring reflects on the importance of trusting God with the future and living each day in His guidance. Planning is wise, but it must always be done in alignment with God&rsquo;s will. When it comes to salvation, the urgency is clear: follow Christ today, because the opportunity may not be there tomorrow.
Goring contrasts worldly hope with eternal hope, showing how human reliance on &ldquo;tomorrow&rdquo; can lull us into postponing crucial spiritual decisions, while Scripture urges immediate faith and readiness for Christ&rsquo;s return.
Highlights
<ul data-start="866" data-end="1335">
<li data-start="866" data-end="914">
Life is unpredictable; no day is guaranteed.
</li>
<li data-start="915" data-end="989">
Planning is important, but always with God&rsquo;s guidance (&ldquo;God-willing&rdquo;).
</li>
<li data-start="990" data-end="1086">
Secular optimism can lull us into delay, while biblical hope emphasizes eternal perspective.
</li>
<li data-start="1087" data-end="1164">
Salvation is urgent&mdash;accept Jesus today, because tomorrow is not promised.
</li>
<li data-start="1165" data-end="1244">
Living with awareness of Christ&rsquo;s return encourages holiness and readiness.
</li>
<li data-start="1245" data-end="1335">
Scripture calls believers to live faithfully in the present, trusting God&rsquo;s provision.
</li>
</ul>
Intersecting Faith &amp; Life
Ask yourself: How often do you say &ldquo;tomorrow&rdquo; without including God in your plans? Are there spiritual steps you&rsquo;ve been postponing? Today is the day to surrender your life to Christ and live in the light of His promises, trusting that He equips you for each moment.
This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. &nbsp;Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | <a href="https://trinitycredit.org/">https://trinitycredit.org</a>
TrinityCredit &ndash; Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. <a href="https://trinitycredit.org/">https://trinitycredit.org</a>
<hr>
Full Transcript Below:
Tomorrow Is Not Promised&nbsp;
By: Alexis A. Goring&nbsp;
Bible Reading:
&ldquo;Never boast about tomorrow. You don't know what will happen between now and then.&rdquo; - Proverbs 27:1 (GNT)
There was a time in my life when I used to make plans for tomorrow and talk about them as if they were sure to come true. Until one day, a friend carefully told me that she&rsquo;s learned to say &ldquo;God-willing&rdquo; when she makes plans because the Bible says tomorrow is not promised. Her words resonated with me and still ring true today. Nowadays, when I speak of my plans for the future&mdash;even if it&rsquo;s only 24 hours away&mdash;I say &ldquo;God-willing&rdquo; at the end of my sentence.
As I reflected on this recently, two songs came to my mind. They share the same title but preach a different message&mdash;one secular, with worldly wisdom and a temporary promise, and one Biblical, with words of caution, graced with eternity in mind. The secular song &ldquo;Tomorrow&rdquo; from the original movie Annie (1982) and the Gospel song &ldquo;Tomorrow&rdquo; performed by The Winans both convey a message of hope, but only one speaks of everlasting hope. Let&rsquo;s look at the core message of these songs and think about it.&nbsp;
The lyrics of the song &ldquo;Tomorrow&rdquo; from the 1982 movie &ldquo;Annie&rdquo;, performed by Aileen Quinn, say (in paraphrase): The singer banks on the sun rising tomorrow. She believes you can bet your last dollar that tomorrow will arrive. As she thinks about the beauty and promises of tomorrow, she feels her sorrows lift. When days are dark, and she feels depressed and lonely, she rises and declares with a wide grin that tomorrow is on the horizon, so she will be okay no matter what happens because tomorrow will be a better day, and it&rsquo;s only 24 hours away.
The lyrics for the song &ldquo;Tomorrow,&rdquo; performed by The Winans, say (in paraphrase): Jesus Christ is knocking on the door of your heart, saying He is here, asking you to let Him in. He reminds you that He supplies everything you need. Then the person responds that they know this to be true. They tell Jesus that they will let Him in, not today, but tomorrow. They say tomorrow is a better time for them to give their life to Christ. They don&rsquo;t feel an urgency in choosing to serve the Lord today. The singers of this song caution the listener that the Bible says tomorrow is not promised, so it might be too late because they may not live to see the next day.&nbsp;
This is the main point: We cannot bet our bottom dollar on life getting better tomorrow because the Bible says tomorrow is not promised.
Does this mean that we should not look forward to tomorrow and make plans for our future? Of course not. We are to stay fully focused on the present and look forward to the next day. But we are not supposed to plan without including God. And when it comes to our salvation in Jesus Christ, we should accept Him into our lives today because we don&rsquo;t know if we will live another 24 hours.&nbsp;
According to The Bible, when God tells Jesus Christ it&rsquo;s time for Him to return to Earth to take His faithful followers to Heaven, it will be too late for us to give our hearts to Jesus and follow Him. The Angel of the Lord says in Revelation 22:10-11 (MSG), &ldquo;Time is just about up. Let evildoers do their worst, and the dirty-minded go all out in pollution, but let the righteous maintain a straight course, and the holy continue on in holiness.&rdquo; When we see Jesus Christ return in the clouds of glory, we who lived for Him will rejoice because we know we&rsquo;re going to Heaven, but those who kept delaying their decision to follow Jesus will be terrified because they see it&rsquo;s too late and they won&rsquo;t be able to go to Heaven.&nbsp;
Let us take this seriously because our salvation is at stake. I encourage you, if you have not already, to let Jesus into your heart now&mdash;especially if you feel an urgency to do so. But if you don&rsquo;t feel an urgency or hear Christ knocking at the door of your heart, or you&rsquo;re entrenched in sin, it&rsquo;s not too late for you because you&rsquo;re still alive. Please seek God while you&rsquo;re living. It will be too late when you&rsquo;re dead. If you&rsquo;re alive and breathing today, reach out to Him. God loves you, and He wants to welcome you into His Kingdom with open arms.&nbsp;
Finally, we must always be ready for Christ&rsquo;s return because the Bible says He will come when we least expect Him (Matthew 24:44).&nbsp;
In closing, I&rsquo;d like for you to listen to this song, &ldquo;Tomorrow&rdquo; by The Winans. Listen to it <a href="https://youtu.be/YUQQukbJr_s?si=bJ-JJO_6UtncnaGr">HERE</a>.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
Will you let Jesus Christ into your heart today and follow Him all the way to Heaven?
Further Reading: Hebrews 9:28 Matthew 24:30 1 Thessalonians 4:16 Revelation 1:7 Revelation 19:11&nbsp;

Tomorrow Is Not Promised

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/c7aa48da-43c7-49ae-bc52-b40900e50901/transcript

Feeling forgotten by God can happen during seasons of unanswered prayer, depression, or overwhelming hardship. This Christian devotional rooted in Isaiah 49:15 reminds us that even when life feels heavy, God’s love never disappears. Vivian Bricker reflects on how painful seasons can create the illusion that God has forgotten us, when in truth He remains present and faithful.

Scripture assures us that God’s care is even stronger than a mother’s love for her child. While life in a broken world includes suffering, spiritual battles, and emotional struggles, God walks with us through every moment. His promises remain steady, and His love never leaves us—even when we struggle to feel it.

Highlights


Difficult seasons can make it feel like God has forgotten us, but His Word promises otherwise.


God’s love is stronger and more constant than any human relationship.


Unanswered prayers do not mean God is absent or indifferent.


Life in a fallen world includes hardship, but God’s presence remains with us through it all.


Scripture reminds us we are deeply loved and never forgotten by our Heavenly Father.


God’s mercies are renewed every morning, offering fresh hope each day.

This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today.  Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org

TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org

Full Transcript Below:

Has God Forgotten about Me?
By Vivian Bricker

Bible Reading:
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” (Isaiah 49:15). 

When dreadful things happen, it is hard not to wonder if God has forgotten about us. A few years ago, I was going through a particularly hard patch in life, and I was feeling as though God had forgotten about me. Unanswered prayers and depression were getting the best of me. I did not want to leave my house, stopped seeing friends, and isolated myself from the rest of the world.

I did not want to be a part of the world anymore because I was only seeing terrible things happening. Therefore, I thought the best solution was to hide away and drown out all the hurt by keeping busy at work. During this time, I felt so far away from God. 

I reasoned that if God had remembered me, I wouldn’t be going through such challenging times. The hard truth is that God doesn’t promise us bright and sunny days. Instead, He promises us something even better—eternal life with Him. This life will become overwhelming, stressful, and painful at times, but we have all of eternity to look forward to with the Lord.

Just as God didn’t forget about me, neither has He forgotten about you. You might feel like He has forgotten about you, but I want you to challenge those thoughts. Why do you feel God has forgotten about you? Is it because a prayer wasn’t answered the way you wanted? Or is it because you are going through a challenging time?

Like you, I was under the impression that God would keep me safe from all things. Mental health struggles, physical health problems, and spiritual attacks—I thought I would never have to worry about these things again. However, facing mental health struggles, physical health problems, and spiritual attacks are all part of living in this fallen world. God does not cause these things, but He can give us support, encouragement, and hope as we walk through these challenging times. He will not take us out of these troubles, but He will be with us every step of the way (Psalm 23:1-6).  

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Isaiah 49:15 tells us, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” Mothers love their children beyond words; however, God loves us even more. There may be times when our own mother forgets about us, but God never does. This is because we are forever written on the palm of His hand, and we are kept safe by His love. 

There is not a day that goes by that God does not think about us. He will always remember us and love us. We are His beloved children (1 John 3:1). God’s love for us is always present, even if we cannot see it with our own two eyes (Romans 8:37-39). Allow these truths to bring your heart comfort, hope, and solace today. 

Open your heart to God and accept His compassion. Although you may have gone through many troubling times, He is still with you. His mercies are new every morning; great is His faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23)! 

Pray with me: Dear God, I often wonder if You have forgotten about me due to the tough situations in my life. However, now I know that You will never forget me. Thank You for always remembering me, loving me, and caring about me. Keep these promises close to my heart and surround me with your love. Help me walk in the confidence that You are always with me. In Your Son’s Name, I pray, Amen.

Have you ever felt God has forgotten about you? What helped you to remember that God loves you and that He will never forget about you? 

Further Reading:

Psalm 27:10

Jeremiah 29:11

Jeremiah 31:3

Feeling forgotten by God can happen during seasons of unanswered prayer, depression, or overwhelming hardship. This Christian devotional rooted in Isaiah 49:15 reminds us that even when life feels heavy, God&rsquo;s love never disappears. Vivian Bricker reflects on how painful seasons can create the illusion that God has forgotten us, when in truth He remains present and faithful.
Scripture assures us that God&rsquo;s care is even stronger than a mother&rsquo;s love for her child. While life in a broken world includes suffering, spiritual battles, and emotional struggles, God walks with us through every moment. His promises remain steady, and His love never leaves us&mdash;even when we struggle to feel it.
Highlights
<ul data-start="1000" data-end="1496">
<li data-start="1000" data-end="1098">
Difficult seasons can make it feel like God has forgotten us, but His Word promises otherwise.
</li>
<li data-start="1099" data-end="1172">
God&rsquo;s love is stronger and more constant than any human relationship.
</li>
<li data-start="1173" data-end="1237">
Unanswered prayers do not mean God is absent or indifferent.
</li>
<li data-start="1238" data-end="1334">
Life in a fallen world includes hardship, but God&rsquo;s presence remains with us through it all.
</li>
<li data-start="1335" data-end="1423">
Scripture reminds us we are deeply loved and never forgotten by our Heavenly Father.
</li>
<li data-start="1424" data-end="1496">
God&rsquo;s mercies are renewed every morning, offering fresh hope each day.
</li>
</ul>
This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. &nbsp;Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | <a href="https://trinitycredit.org/">https://trinitycredit.org</a>
TrinityCredit &ndash; Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. <a href="https://trinitycredit.org/">https://trinitycredit.org</a>
<hr>
Full Transcript Below:
Has God Forgotten about Me? By Vivian Bricker
Bible Reading: &ldquo;Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!&rdquo; (Isaiah 49:15).&nbsp;
When dreadful things happen, it is hard not to wonder if God has forgotten about us. A few years ago, I was going through a particularly hard patch in life, and I was feeling as though God had forgotten about me. Unanswered prayers and depression were getting the best of me. I did not want to leave my house, stopped seeing friends, and isolated myself from the rest of the world.
I did not want to be a part of the world anymore because I was only seeing terrible things happening. Therefore, I thought the best solution was to hide away and drown out all the hurt by keeping busy at work. During this time, I felt so far away from God.&nbsp;
I reasoned that if God had remembered me, I wouldn&rsquo;t be going through such challenging times. The hard truth is that God doesn&rsquo;t promise us bright and sunny days. Instead, He promises us something even better&mdash;eternal life with Him. This life will become overwhelming, stressful, and painful at times, but we have all of eternity to look forward to with the Lord.
Just as God didn&rsquo;t forget about me, neither has He forgotten about you. You might feel like He has forgotten about you, but I want you to challenge those thoughts. Why do you feel God has forgotten about you? Is it because a prayer wasn&rsquo;t answered the way you wanted? Or is it because you are going through a challenging time?
Like you, I was under the impression that God would keep me safe from all things. Mental health struggles, physical health problems, and spiritual attacks&mdash;I thought I would never have to worry about these things again. However, facing mental health struggles, physical health problems, and spiritual attacks are all part of living in this fallen world. God does not cause these things, but He can give us support, encouragement, and hope as we walk through these challenging times. He will not take us out of these troubles, but He will be with us every step of the way (Psalm 23:1-6).&nbsp;&nbsp;
Intersecting Faith &amp; Life:
Isaiah 49:15 tells us, &ldquo;Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!&rdquo; Mothers love their children beyond words; however, God loves us even more. There may be times when our own mother forgets about us, but God never does. This is because we are forever written on the palm of His hand, and we are kept safe by His love.&nbsp;
There is not a day that goes by that God does not think about us. He will always remember us and love us. We are His beloved children (1 John 3:1). God&rsquo;s love for us is always present, even if we cannot see it with our own two eyes (Romans 8:37-39). Allow these truths to bring your heart comfort, hope, and solace today.&nbsp;
Open your heart to God and accept His compassion. Although you may have gone through many troubling times, He is still with you. His mercies are new every morning; great is His faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23)!&nbsp;
Pray with me: Dear God, I often wonder if You have forgotten about me due to the tough situations in my life. However, now I know that You will never forget me. Thank You for always remembering me, loving me, and caring about me. Keep these promises close to my heart and surround me with your love. Help me walk in the confidence that You are always with me. In Your Son&rsquo;s Name, I pray, Amen.
Have you ever felt God has forgotten about you? What helped you to remember that God loves you and that He will never forget about you?&nbsp;
Further Reading:
Psalm 27:10
Jeremiah 29:11
Jeremiah 31:3

Has God Forgotten about Me?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/07946724-5373-4242-9d96-b405013390a0/transcript

God often calls us to roles that feel overwhelming or beyond our capacity. Jennifer Slattery reflects on how recognizing our flaws doesn’t disqualify us—instead, God can use our weaknesses to grow our faith and strength. By serving Him wholeheartedly, seeking Him consistently, and relying on His guidance, we can step confidently into the assignments He’s placed before us. Even when tasks seem impossible, God equips us to follow His commands and complete the work He has called us to.

Highlights


Feeling ill-equipped doesn’t mean you’re disqualified; imperfection can lead to growth when anchored in God.


Like Solomon, success in divine assignments requires a close relationship with God and attentive obedience.


Serve God with a unified heart, setting aside mixed motives and self-protection.


Seek God through prayer, Bible reading, worship, journaling, and surrender to His guidance.


Courage and strength come from trusting that God has placed you in the role and will make your efforts fruitful.

This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today.  Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org

TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org

Full Transcript Below:

Hearts Prepared for Divine Assignments
By: Jennifer Slattery

Bible Reading:
“So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God: Be careful to follow all the commands of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever.
“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.” - 1 Chronicles 28:8-10

Years ago, when I began to sense that God was opening doors for publication and establishing my calling, I became overwhelmingly aware of my sin, flaws, and weaknesses. I feared I wasn’t spiritually or emotionally mature enough to hold any type of platform for Him. Initially, I wanted to withdraw and choose a less visible role (also known as suppress and deny my gifting). As I prayed through this, however, the Lord helped me see that yes, I assessed my faults and potential vulnerabilities correctly, but my imperfection needn’t disqualify me. My recognition could, in fact, lead to growth and strength, so long as I remained focused on and connected to Him. 

If I wanted to live more like Jesus in this new and much more public role, I needed to consistently apply King David’s advice to his son Solomon. David, ancient Israel’s second king, knew his life neared its end and wanted to ensure his son had everything he needed to lead the nation well and complete David’s long-held dream of building the first permanent temple for God. 

This assignment must’ve felt overwhelming.   

To succeed, Solomon needed much more than building, math, leadership, and problem-solving skills. He needed to maintain a close relationship with God in which he remained alert to the Lord’s voice and set his heart on dependent obedience. 

Intersection Life & Faith:

We’ve probably all landed in situations for which we felt severely ill-equipped. Perhaps you’re parenting a rebellious and drug-addicted teenager, managing a highly toxic team, facing a diagnosis with confusing treatment options, or trying to heal from deep childhood wounds. 

When the path ahead feels steep and shrouded in fog, we can stall in fear, march ahead in human foolishness, or apply today’s passage.

Again, this reads:

“Be careful to follow all the commands of the Lord your God … 9 “... serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you … the Lord has chosen you... Be strong and do the work” (1 Chron. 28:8b-10, NIV). 

Let’s break this down. 

Be careful to follow God’s commands. This implies living with intention and predetermining to obey; however, He leads. Of course, I must know the Lord’s will, as recorded in Scripture and whispered in my heart, to remain intimately aligned with my Savior. 

Serve Him with my whole heart. Sadly, I often carry mixed motives. I want to honor Christ and to self-protect. I long to love my family well, but my pride often gets in the way. I choose contentment while simultaneously fighting against a desire for increased wealth, beauty, or better health. But with God’s help, I can worship Him with a unified heart. 

Seek God through prayer, Bible reading, worship, journaling, and inviting Him to remove any lies that distort my perspective of Him. He will be found by me. I’m comforted knowing that God never withholds love or relationship. He always makes Himself available to us. The moment I take a step toward Him, He is already moving toward me (James 4:8).

The Lord has chosen you. When my insecurities tell me someone else would perform my responsibilities better, the Spirit reminds me that God placed me in this role. He alone holds the figurative pen for my life and the power to make my efforts fruitful.

Be strong and do the work. While I want to begin each day quietly connecting with Christ, eventually I must leave my figurative prayer closet to follow however He leads.

May these steps, and your Father who preserved them in writing, increase your courage and resolve the next time you feel overwhelmed or insufficient for whatever stands before you.

Further Reading:
Colossians 3:23-24
2 Timothy 2:1-7
Hebrews 10:36-39

God often calls us to roles that feel overwhelming or beyond our capacity. Jennifer Slattery reflects on how recognizing our flaws doesn&rsquo;t disqualify us&mdash;instead, God can use our weaknesses to grow our faith and strength. By serving Him wholeheartedly, seeking Him consistently, and relying on His guidance, we can step confidently into the assignments He&rsquo;s placed before us. Even when tasks seem impossible, God equips us to follow His commands and complete the work He has called us to.
Highlights
<ul data-start="969" data-end="1491">
<li data-start="969" data-end="1081">
Feeling ill-equipped doesn&rsquo;t mean you&rsquo;re disqualified; imperfection can lead to growth when anchored in God.
</li>
<li data-start="1082" data-end="1193">
Like Solomon, success in divine assignments requires a close relationship with God and attentive obedience.
</li>
<li data-start="1194" data-end="1278">
Serve God with a unified heart, setting aside mixed motives and self-protection.
</li>
<li data-start="1279" data-end="1374">
Seek God through prayer, Bible reading, worship, journaling, and surrender to His guidance.
</li>
<li data-start="1375" data-end="1491">
Courage and strength come from trusting that God has placed you in the role and will make your efforts fruitful.
</li>
</ul>
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<hr>
Full Transcript Below:
Hearts Prepared for Divine Assignments By: Jennifer Slattery
Bible Reading: &ldquo;So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God: Be careful to follow all the commands of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever. &ldquo;And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.&rdquo; - 1 Chronicles 28:8-10
Years ago, when I began to sense that God was opening doors for publication and establishing my calling, I became overwhelmingly aware of my sin, flaws, and weaknesses. I feared I wasn&rsquo;t spiritually or emotionally mature enough to hold any type of platform for Him. Initially, I wanted to withdraw and choose a less visible role (also known as suppress and deny my gifting). As I prayed through this, however, the Lord helped me see that yes, I assessed my faults and potential vulnerabilities correctly, but my imperfection needn&rsquo;t disqualify me. My recognition could, in fact, lead to growth and strength, so long as I remained focused on and connected to Him.&nbsp;
If I wanted to live more like Jesus in this new and much more public role, I needed to consistently apply King David&rsquo;s advice to his son Solomon. David, ancient Israel&rsquo;s second king, knew his life neared its end and wanted to ensure his son had everything he needed to lead the nation well and complete David&rsquo;s long-held dream of building the first permanent temple for God.&nbsp;
This assignment must&rsquo;ve felt overwhelming.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
To succeed, Solomon needed much more than building, math, leadership, and problem-solving skills. He needed to maintain a close relationship with God in which he remained alert to the Lord&rsquo;s voice and set his heart on dependent obedience.&nbsp;
Intersection Life &amp; Faith:
We&rsquo;ve probably all landed in situations for which we felt severely ill-equipped. Perhaps you&rsquo;re parenting a rebellious and drug-addicted teenager, managing a highly toxic team, facing a diagnosis with confusing treatment options, or trying to heal from deep childhood wounds.&nbsp;
When the path ahead feels steep and shrouded in fog, we can stall in fear, march ahead in human foolishness, or apply today&rsquo;s passage.
Again, this reads:
&ldquo;Be careful to follow all the commands of the Lord your God &hellip; 9 &ldquo;... serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you &hellip; the Lord has chosen you... Be strong and do the work&rdquo; (1 Chron. 28:8b-10, NIV).&nbsp;
Let&rsquo;s break this down.&nbsp;
Be careful to follow God&rsquo;s commands. This implies living with intention and predetermining to obey; however, He leads. Of course, I must know the Lord&rsquo;s will, as recorded in Scripture and whispered in my heart, to remain intimately aligned with my Savior.&nbsp;
Serve Him with my whole heart. Sadly, I often carry mixed motives. I want to honor Christ and to self-protect. I long to love my family well, but my pride often gets in the way. I choose contentment while simultaneously fighting against a desire for increased wealth, beauty, or better health. But with God&rsquo;s help, I can worship Him with a unified heart.&nbsp;
Seek God through prayer, Bible reading, worship, journaling, and inviting Him to remove any lies that distort my perspective of Him. He will be found by me. I&rsquo;m comforted knowing that God never withholds love or relationship. He always makes Himself available to us. The moment I take a step toward Him, He is already moving toward me (James 4:8).
The Lord has chosen you. When my insecurities tell me someone else would perform my responsibilities better, the Spirit reminds me that God placed me in this role. He alone holds the figurative pen for my life and the power to make my efforts fruitful.
Be strong and do the work. While I want to begin each day quietly connecting with Christ, eventually I must leave my figurative prayer closet to follow however He leads.
May these steps, and your Father who preserved them in writing, increase your courage and resolve the next time you feel overwhelmed or insufficient for whatever stands before you.
Further Reading: Colossians 3:23-24 2 Timothy 2:1-7 Hebrews 10:36-39

Hearts Prepared for Divine Assignments

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/117f2fc4-ea3a-4bbb-9474-b40101126253/transcript

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