March 1
“As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk” (1 Sam. 1:13).
Beloved, when, in our utter and complete brokenness, we speak to God in our hearts, we will find Him. For many years Hannah had longed for a child. She was mocked; she was told to be satisfied with a husband who was better than ten sons. Year after year, she went to the temple seeking help from the Lord.
Beloved, it wasn’t until she spoke to God from her heart in her brokenness that her prayer was answered. Have you sought the Lord in this state?
Maybe you have sought Him, but maybe there is more that He wants from you. Hannah gave her future son to the Lord. She gave what she longs for before she ever receives it. Is there something, anything, that you are holding on to that God is waiting to get back from you? Give it to Him and watch what God does my Beloved.
March 2
“And it came about at the seventh time, that he said, ‘Behold, a cloud as small as a man’s hand is coming up from the sea.’ And he said, ‘Go up, say to Ahab, “Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you.”’” (1 Kings 18:44).
Beloved, when Elijah prayed for rain, it was no small request. Rain had not come for over three and a half years. But the faith of the prophet sent his servant up seven times before he saw anything.
So great was Elijah’s belief in the faithfulness of God that he knew He would answer. Yet, faith is more than this, for when he saw just a hint of a cloud—no rain, no cloudburst, no darkening of sky, just a cloud as small as a man’s hand—this was enough for Elijah to know his prayers were answered.
Beloved, are you not guilty of disbelief until you feel the “rain” on your face? Do you fail to glory in the first small sign of answered prayer? Is your response “it’s only a small sign, much less than I need?”
March 3
“And when he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him” (Gen. 32:25).
Beloved, have you sought God for this blessing that you so earnestly yearn for? Behold, once He comes, you must take hold of Him until He assures you that you have what you have asked for in earnest.
So often those who appear intense in their speech or countenance do not seek the Lord, reaching to “grab hold” of Him with all they are made of, until they know they have been blessed.
My dearly Beloved, know this—it will cost you. From that moment on, Jacob was incredibly blessed by the Lord, but he limped away, forever leaning. From the moment you receive, you, too, will thenceforth lean. But, my Beloved, leaning on the Lord is a way you will no doubt cherish as you never again try to do things in your own strength.
March 4
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me’” (Matt. 16:24).
Beloved, this may be the first but certainly not the last time the Lord will bid you to follow Him on a course you would not have chosen for yourself. It is a fearful walk, one that many have fallen from. The horror stories far outnumber the testimonies of those who have made it to victory. Yes, the way is treacherous, painful, exhausting, and there seems to be no end in sight. There is also no guarantee of victory.
Yet, Beloved, as you take His hand and walk ever so close, many times leaning on Him or burying your head in His clothing while walking so close to the edge of a cliff, you will become transformed by the experience, not wanting to let go, ever. Accept the journey, even though it was not of your choosing.
March 5
“Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matt. 6:34).
Beloved, this verse is admonishing us not to concentrate on the “what ifs.” Wondering, and thence fretting, causes us to worry and brings on a heaviness that prevents many from ever seeing victory. So often what has been dreaded or what has been threatened never comes to pass. Yet, we have suffered in anxiousness, which is oftentimes worse than if what we feared had become manifest.
Do not settle in with what you “know” is going to happen, with foreboding, with wringing of your hands and fluttering in your heart. Instead, meditate on what the Lord has in store for you, as His Beloved, and wrap yourself in these thoughts. They will comfort you and keep you in great and joyful anticipation of the blessings He will bring.
March 6
“For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day” (2 Tim. 1:12).
Beloved, do you believe that God is able to accomplish what you have prayed for in earnest? Then are your doubts caused from the nagging thought that maybe; just maybe, He may not do it for you? Even though His own Word tells us the contrary, that He is not a respecter of persons?
Beloved, those who taste the sweet victory are those who believe. None of us who believed really knew outwardly but instead believed deep in our hearts. The strength to finish the race came when our belief was tested, when the tempter came in disguise and created circumstances that “proved” it would not be so. Yet, sown deep in our hearts was belief, even when what we saw opposed it. Belief is stronger than sight.
March 7
“Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am” (Phil. 4:11).
Beloved, keep your eyes and mind focused on the reason for your trial. It is to bring you closer to the Lord, and for you to learn and grow so that others will be drawn to Jesus by what they see in you. What a beautiful picture we can paint in our minds when we think of the contentment of Paul as he sat in prison writing this verse. Oh Beloved, what a man to have penned such inspiring words. How blessed was his life, that even now continues to minister to so many.
How is it possible to be as content as Paul during these trying times you and I are now experiencing? By being in Him, hidden in Him—drawing, seeking, searching, abiding in Jesus Christ. True contentment will only be wrought in the midst of trials, suffering, and persecutions. This is the place where we learn how to hide ourselves in Him and be content.
March 8
“Then Asa called to the Lord his God, and said, ‘Lord, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; so help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in You, and in Your name have come against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; let not man prevail against You’” (2 Chron. 14:11).
Practically speaking, at some point in your struggle to overcome the adversity in your life or the irritation that plagues you today, you will come to this, that there is no one besides the Lord who can help you.
You may receive encouragement from a brother or sister in Christ. You may attempt to gain support for your plight. But when it is all said and done, only the Lord can ever help you. He alone can show you the right path to take. He alone can change the circumstances that seem hopeless. Only He is able to turn the hearts of those who have rejected us.
Many never learn this important principle that must be applied to their lives. Please learn this and meditate on it this week. For until then will you wait.
March 9
“However, the king said to Araunah, ‘No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God which cost me nothing.’ So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver” (2 Sam. 24:24).
Practically speaking, God is not interested in or impressed with gifts or tokens of our affections that cost us nothing. Which one of you would rejoice if your husband appeared with a gift for that they had merely found on their way home? However, the more thought, the more time it took to make, or the more trials they overcame, financial or physical, in order to present you with a gift that cost them much, or maybe everything—this would bless and thrill your heart.
By following Biblical principles, you will face daily “paying the high price,” since most will cost you a dying to self—turning the other cheek, walking a second mile, not returning evil for evil. Give to your Lord today and refuse to give Him anything that costs you nothing. Then watch as everything is added unto you!
March 10
“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart’” (1 Sam. 16:7).
Many of us have never let this incredibly important fundamental principle take hold of us, especially where it counts most, in our relationship to the Lord. We concentrate and focus and are more concerned about what can be seen: the outward Christian. This is a trap. It makes us concentrate on what others will see. It is works, which are dead. Inside are evil thoughts, usually revolving around self—self-pity or self esteem, selfishness, jealousy, envy. This is the filthiness inside of the cup that God sees.
However, if we instead turn our eyes on these heart conditions, making ourselves totally acceptable to God, then He takes care of the outside, by allowing this new heart to flow so others will see Christ in us, the hope of glory. Beloved, the Lord is looking at your heart.
March 11
“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart’” (1 Sam. 16:7).
For us to really be Christ-like, we need to have the eyes of the Father, especially when looking at our wayward loved-one. Those who look at them as “the prodigal,” or sinner, will not draw them in hope, and therefore, God will not be glorified. Instead we must view each person we know as he or she will be.
In this passage, they were looking for the future king. The father brought all his sons, except for David. They saw his smaller stature, his outer appearance, and made their conclusions based on sight. But we know we must live by faith, not by our sight. The angel greeted Gideon, who was hiding, with, “Oh great and mighty warrior.”
Others saw a shepherd boy, but God saw a king in David. If you are praying for someone to come to the Lord or back to the Lord, then your eyes, in faith, should look at the heart that will soon be His.
March 12
“And it came about at the seventh time, that he said, ‘Behold, a cloud as small as a man’s hand is coming up from the sea.’ And he said, ‘Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you’” (1 Kings 18:44).
This principle, when played out, never fails to distinguish those who will come to victory in restoration and those who won’t.
The expectant believers pray and faithfully look for a sign. Undaunted that after six times of there seeming to be nothing, they continue to look until they see “something.” And because of this expectancy, they rejoice and bring glory to God as they burst with excitement over the littlest blessing.
Then all too soon their skies become gray and fierce. But knowing and remembering that they prayed for rain, they do not fear the storm, unlike most who view the storm as another trial since they failed to pray and failed to rejoice over the smallest “cloud.”
Rejoice and dance before the storms that bring your blessing, my Beloved.
March 13
“But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, ‘It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers’” (1 Kings 19:4).
Beloved, the enemy, once defeated and shamed in battle, will no doubt come to steal the joy from the victory. Elijah stood fearless, trusting God to show His might. God did not fail Elijah but instead performed mighty wonders. Yet, instead of rejoicing, celebrating, dancing before the Lord, the mighty Elijah we see here is depressed and asking God to take his life.
Beloved, do not allow the enemy to steal your victory celebration party from you, to steal the words of praise from you, to steal the encouraging testimony that was meant for those seeking restoration. Let us hold fast to the blessings, miracles, testimonies that are ours and leap for joy at the victory our Savior has brought us!
March 14
“Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us’” (1 Sam. 7:12).
Beloved, to venture forward, unafraid and unwaveringly, you must first acknowledge God’s faithfulness in your past. Has He not faithfully helped you every step of the way? It is rejoicing and meditating over the past triumphs that will bring us forward, undaunted, by what may lie ahead.
Beloved, whatever lies ahead, know this: He is already there and has made a way for you to get through it. Not a way to get around it, but a way to go through the midst of it. For it is by going through the fire that what has us bound will be burned off and therefore make us loosed. It is in the swift rivers that the burdens we chose to carry will be swept away with the current. He has helped us.
March 15
“But he took his stand in the midst of the plot, defended it and struck the Philistines; and the Lord brought about a great victory” (2 Sam. 23:12).
Oh, Beloved, to know and experience the utter joy of victory after a hard fought battle is so sweet and will stay with you all your days. In the midst of the battle that wages heavily against you, never forget, never lose sight of the victory that lies up ahead. For in times of seeming defeat, or when unexpected attacks come near and wound you, these are the times your mind will try and reason and tell you to turn back. Never. Never turn and long for calm from the battle; never long to return to the days of slavery. No matter what lies up ahead for those who move forward, no matter what tries to stop them, those who persevere, and only those, will know the exuberant joy of being a spiritual war hero—forever changed.
March 16
“And whoever shall force you to go one mile, go with him two” (Matt. 5:41).
Oh Beloved, there is one principle that is so often missed—simply doing not just what is asked, but doing more than what is asked. Of course, many—too many—refuse to go the first mile or refuse to let go of their “shirt” because they fail to see Who is really doing the asking. They see an enemy, or someone who is undeserving; therefore, they refuse when it is the Lord who has done the asking in order that they should be blessed.
Yet, again, once asked for one mile, we must go two. Once the shirt is taken, the coat must be removed and given also. Without this extra effort, there is no miracle but only wondering “why” the miracle has not been manifested.
March 17
“So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth” (Rev. 3:16).
Beloved, this “lukewarm” is a picture of most who seek restoration. That is why the rate of restoration is not one hundred percent. Again, as in yesterday’s devotional, this is the one who goes only one mile and gives only his shirt.
You have not fought, not cursed, not sinned—you are not cold to the things of God. However, you fail to be hot—forsaking all others, wanting only Him.
Beloved, for the restoration of your life you must know it is found in intimacy with Him, alone. Seek Him today to find what will truly bless you and bring you the joy you long to find.
March 18
“Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we . . .” (Dan. 3:17–18).
Beloved, are you resolute, unmoving, determined in speech and purpose: the principle of “whatever it takes” is where most who seek restoration fall short. So often I am told that if this or that happens the “believer” will give up.
However, those who determine “whatever it takes” say, “I am not letting go of this promise from God; I will not compromise what He has set out to do in my life.” Do what you will to me in the fiery furnace. Whatever it takes to bring my loved-one to you, do it, Lord.”
Now, Beloved, when fires come, you know it is part of what it takes and now you are ready!
March 19
“Then Asa called to the Lord his God, and said, ‘Lord, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; so help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in You, and in Your name have come against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; let not man prevail against You’” (2 Chron. 14:11).
Beloved, the one principle that must be learned, meditated on, and applied is where your help and hope is going to come from. In this enemy attack against your relationship there is only One Victor. When we try and appease our those we love, who are gone, when we hope, pray, or persuade “someone,”—“anyone”—to talk to our wayward loved-one, we have just set ourselves up for failure. When we believe that an attorney or our pastor or a counselor is our answer, we fail. Not until we understand and know that there is no one except our Lord and Savior shall we see victory.
March 20
“But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Luke 2:19).
Beloved, the principle of loose lips is a pit of destruction. Much is written to us about the dangers of what we say because it is such an important principle and because failure to apply the principle brings about the greatest of problems.
Yet, Beloved, it’s not just what we say or don’t say to those who have left us. It’s what we say to anyone and everyone. When you share your situation, most people have their opinion. It is the day for opinions. And each and every one of these “opinions” will trip you up in the race—every one! That is why all that we think and feel should be pondered in our hearts—not made public—but pondered in our hearts for only our Lord to see.
Beloved, ponder and postpone; let these things sink deep where they will change your heart and make it tender.
March 21
“I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord” (Ps. 27:13–14).
Beloved, so many who believe fall away. They see with their eyes and not with their hearts. Truly, if I had not believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord, I could not have waited.
We not only wait for what He has for us, but we also wait for trials to pass. Oh, how many ways we are tried and tested. This is when most fall away. They believe the tempter who says that they are to stay in it forever unless they give up. But we have His promise that we are merely passing through the dark valley, the waters.
Beloved, I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord—be strong, and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for the Lord.
March 22
“For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning” (Ps. 30:5).
Oh Beloved, to feel the fury of the Lord as He disciplines us as sons! But God, our merciful Father, desires to change us and grow us up, so He allows the chastening to remove the fleshly thoughts and actions of our sinful nature. But Beloved, His promise to us is that this fury of His anger will only be allowed “for a moment.” I know it seems that it will last too long, that if this does not end you will not make it; but our Father in heaven knows… He knows. Hang on to Him. Draw close to Him and allow Him to comfort you during this time. Allow this to be your pattern for all adversity; run to Him and hide in Him. It will only last “a moment.”
March 23
“For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning” (Ps. 30:5).
Beloved, oh, the favor of our God!! To walk in His favor is beyond all your dreams—to have finally made it through His anger and into His favor. And Beloved, this is not just a one-time occurrence when your promise comes to pass—it is when you are waiting for the salvations of your loved-ones; it is waiting for Him to meet the financial needs, and the healing of all your diseases. Beloved, it is all the little moments that add up to the lifetime of favor.
Beloved, tests and trials will be with us throughout our lives here on earth, but His favor lasts a lifetime. And for eternity. “He shall wipe away every tear from our eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”
March 24
“For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning” (Ps 30:5).
Oh Beloved, the tears that you have shed from the pain of your broken heart, they are not in vain. God has heard your cry for help. He is with you even as you cry.
Our Lord knows that the tears are cleansing your heart and soul of the things that have hardened them. Oh, He wants you to be like Him, Jesus. And it was through the things He suffered that He learned obedience to His Father.
Allow those tears to cleanse you. Do not allow them to water your bitterness about your situation. Do not allow them to be used by the tempter, who will tell you that God doesn’t hear or care. Allow them to cleanse you and wash you of all hardness to the infirmities of others. Only then will you be able to see others with the eyes of Jesus, with His compassion for the lost and the sinner.
March 25
“For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning” (Ps. 30:5).
Oh Beloved, anticipate that shout of joy when the dawn breaks in your situation. Oh, let go and give Him the praise. Do not wait until your promise arrives. Rejoice and shout, as the new day dawns, that the heaviness you felt the night before has lifted, that there is a new day. Rejoice and praise Him all day long. Let go of the thought of the night and shout for joy that it has passed.
And Beloved, the weakness and tiredness that you are experiencing is there to encourage you to lean on Him throughout your day. Lean on Him and feel His strength holding you up. Plug into His power to walk in victory and joy today. Be an epistle before all whom you come in contact with today. Let them see the joy of the Lord and experience His goodness and favor.
March 26
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you” (Is. 60:1).
Beloved, this morning let your light shine before God and man. Let the spirit man out who believes though he doesn’t see, for he knows Whom his confidence is in! Let others—and the world—see His glory on you, for it is He who should be glorified.
Why should you be despondent? He has not left you nor forsaken you. It is He and He alone who is the reason we move and have our being. “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you”!
March 27
“For behold, darkness will cover the earth, and deep darkness the peoples; but the Lord will rise upon you, and His glory will appear upon you” (Is. 60:2).
Beloved, darkness of sin is surrounding us, hovering over our very souls. People all around you are in deep darknes,s for the wickedness of mankind, all of whom have turned their hearts from God. But deep within—as you seek God earnestly, as you meditate on His Word, as you sit daily in His presence, leaning upon Him, running to His name for it is a strong tower—there, there you will see His glory. And that glory will then appear upon you.
Moses, who spent time with the almighty God, came down from the mountain and his face shone, radiating so much light that he had to veil his face.
Oh Beloved, let the light of your love for the Lord beam from your face. Let His glory rise upon you and appear upon you for all to see!
March 28
“And nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising” (Is. 60:3).
Beloved, is there light in your eyes? Does it appear on your face? Will the nations come to see the light and brightness and witness your rising? Never forget that this test, trial, and tribulation is to create something in you—His glory. This is your opportunity to spend time with Him, at His feet, at His throne! Oh, what a wonderful Savior we serve! To be allowed into the holy of holies! To enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise!
Beloved, if you are not at a place where you are rejoicing, praising, and worshipping Him, but rather you are despondent and seeking only for restoration of a relationship, then, Beloved, that person will never return. For God is a jealous God and He will have no other gods before Him.
March 29
“Lift up your eyes round about, and see; they all gather together, they come to you. Your sons will come from afar, and your daughters will be carried in the arms” (Is. 60:4).
Precious Beloved, though your eyes may fall to the ground and your spirit aches within you, the time will come when you will lift up your eyes, and there you will see all that you had lost, all that you had forfeited, to follow Him!
Oh Beloved, God is more than able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than we could ever hope, ask, or imagine! I have witnessed it almost daily, even in the midst of the storm. Yes, your spiritual eyes, the eyes of your hope, must learn to focus and see blessings in the middle—right in the middle—of the storm. All eyes see when things go well, and everyone wants to serve that kind of a god, but our God, Jehovah—He desires us to be like His Son, who walked on this sinful earth for His Father.
Learn to focus on the face of Jesus, look full into His wonderful face, and the things of this world will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.
March 30
“Then you will see and be radiant, and your heart will thrill and rejoice; because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, the wealth of the nations will come to you” (Is. 60:5).
Beloved, will you be radiant? Will your heart rejoice? Have you looked to Him? For only then will your face never be the same. Or do you look to the man in your life, how you are to please him, anticipating his meeting, talking to him. Who is your first love?
Beloved, those who find the secret place of the Almighty, those who dwell in His tents, those who are looking to Him and Him alone—they are to ones to whom restoration comes. Once your heavenly Father knows that He alone is who you desire, then all that He has is yours. Then truly are you one of His children. How is your relationship with your Creator, your Savior, your Lord, your Beloved?
Today, throughout the day, learn to seek Him. Take time to be alone with Him, for He is your Beloved. Are you His?
March 31
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Is. 40:31 KJV).
Beloved, it is during the wait that you are strengthened. Don’t waste your time fretting, thinking, planning. When you are waiting in a waiting room, you sit, knowing your name soon will be called. So sit—sit in the presence of the Lord and spend the time resting in Him and waiting in Him. Your time—your miracle—will come; your name will be called.
God knows we need this time to be ready to handle the miracle. All miracles need work once they come. Just think of the miracle of a baby and the needs of that miracle. Yours will be the same. So wait and, during the wait, rest. Rest in Him.