Day 7 devotional highlights the testimonial of the miraculous transport of a family stalled in a car out of harm’s way. The second testimonial will tell of how God engages in manual labor. Day 8 devotion is dedicated to speaking declarations and blessings over our families and Day 9 will end with a time of total worship and entering the Presence of God.

 

January 8

Day 7

Focus: God Among Us

Scripture:  Matthew 1:23 King James

²³Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Hebrews 13:5 Amplified 

⁵ Let your character [your moral essence, your inner nature] be free from the love of money [shun greed—be financially ethical], being content with what you have; for He has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!

God Among Us

John 1: 1, 14 says God wrapped himself in flesh and walked among us. He did so for approximately 33 years and then he was taken away. In parting, Jesus promised that he would not leave us comfortless and that he  would come to us in the form of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38 promises the Holy Spirit to the Jews and Gentiles, and all those that he would call to partake in the salvation.

In this devotion I present stories of “God Among Us” still today. You judge for yourself. The individuals that have relayed their stories of their dealings with God are true. I suppose just as the written Word, the Bible, seemed incredibly unbelievable during times contemporary to their happening, perhaps there will be some that will not believe these incredible stories as well.  That’s okay. It won’t detract from the experience of those that were involved and those that believe God still moves in miraculous ways. Read and consider the power of God.

Transported

Brenda, her cousin Katie and 4 children were driving home from a Christian conference on Interstate 40 in North Carolina. Traveling approximately 65 mph Brenda, the driver, spotted a mass of something in her lane. She was traveling at a good clip and could not swerve to the right or left lanes as there were other cars there. She had no choice but to run into whatever it was. Everyone lurched forward on impact and the car stalled.  They were in the middle lane of traffic at a dead halt. Whatever they ran over did not allow Brenda to continue driving. Stunned and looking around they saw, almost simultaneously, a tractor trailer heading straight toward them. No time to think, the car wasn’t moving and they were seconds away from impact. They all called out “Jesus!”  Some may have called “Jesus” out of fear of the impending, some may have called out for deliverance, some may have called out because they knew this was it, this was how their life would end.

However, the next thing everyone knew was that they were on the side of the road with no one having any conscious recollection of how they got there. When they all calmed down, they got out the car to see what they had hit. There it was. A mattress had wrapped itself around the front wheel and had locked the wheel in place. This miracle happened 25 years ago and still today brings chills every time she shares the story. – Brenda C., Bloomfield, CT

God Shovels Snow

For the umpteenth time it was snowing again! Good grief! Being a single woman owning a home gave a feeling of great independence but it had it’s down sides. Shoveling snow was one of them. And here it is again for the third time!  I was on my way to church so I couldn’t do anything until I got back. A temporary reprieve to an inevitable chore.

On the way home from church a slow dread consumed my demeanor. Feeling rather pouty I said to myself ‘I don’t want to shovel again’  like someone was there who cared. It had snowed about 2-3 inches and it was fresh so it wasn’t going to be too bad. I was nearing the house and one more right turn I would be home.

On turning I laid eyes on my property. I couldn’t believe it! Some good Samaritan had shoveled my driveway! I was ecstatic! Oh my goodness! I didn’t have to shovel! God touched someone’s heart I thought.

Who ‘Dunnit’?

Sporting a big smile, I pulled into the driveway wondering which neighbor could have done it. I would definitely give them something for their kind deed. One neighbor was an older lady with hip problems who walked with a cane and used a chairlift to get to the main floor of her split-level home. So, it couldn’t be her.  My other neighbor was an older lady as well but she did have a son that could have possibly done it. But I looked at their driveway and it had not been shoveled. The only thing cleared in their driveway was where their  car had been parked. It wouldn’t make much sense for him to shovel my driveway and not shoveled his mother’s. The guy barely spoke to me.  

I got out of the car to inspect.  Looking at where the driveway meets the lawn there were no shovel imprints that would be commonly left after shoveling. In fact, there were a few clumps of snow that were left in the driveway. I looked at the sidewalk which was cleared of snow but also did not see the usual straight-line imprints a shovel would leave. Walking from the sidewalk back to the driveway more stumped than ever I felt the warmth of the sun on hit my back. I turned around and it dawned on me instantly. The sun, it was the sun! It was not so much a miracle that the sun melted the snow. It was more of a miracle that the sun did not melt the snow in my neighbor’s driveway whose driveway is separated from mine by about six feet. God wanted me to know He heard me and ‘sun-veled’ my driveway by precisely directing the sun’s rays to my driveway and sidewalk! This was His way of showing that He will take care of me even when I have a pouty thought! He was listening, He cared. – Marilyn R., East Hartford, CT

Picture of my  ‘sun-veled’ driveway and sidewalk. The cleared spot centered in the snow on the right was left by the car that was parked in my neighbor’s driveway. 

 

Worship Song: God Who Moves the Mountains 

Petition:

Pray God’s miraculous providence and protection over the lives of family and loved ones. Remember God is not a magician, He is GOD. As in the testimonies above, He works through nature or through unexplainable events to provide and to protect. He still is the God who can naturally and supernaturally intervene in our lives.

Thanksgiving:

Do you recall a time where there is no other explanation but God’s intervention in your life? Thank Him for it knowing that God’s grace in our lives did not end with the “Amen” in Revelation. God is alive and wants to take part in our lives in every way!

Praise Song: Miracles 

Meditation/Journal:

Take some time now to think about God’s awesomeness. Think of how you may have limited Him in your mind. Remember Jesus could do no miracles in his hometown because of the people’s unbelief. Don’t let that be you.

End Day 7:  Shofar

 

 

January 9

Day 8

Focus: Blessing our Generations

Scripture: Numbers 6:24-26  King James

²⁴ The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:

²⁵ The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

²⁶ The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

You are what you speak. There is power in words, the power of life and death. The old parental admonition to ‘Do what I say and not what I do’ has long fallen into the archives of incredulous sayings. In the age of ‘going for the gusto’, and ‘you only live once’ carries a tinge of recklessness and abandon. As keepers of the faith, we must keep the faith for our children when they have lost theirs. We do that by speaking the Word of God over their lives and never giving up on them. So, let’s speak life over our families, children, grandchildren and those that have not yet taken breath.

Worship Song: Man of Your Word

Petition:

When you speak over the lives of your loved ones it is good to reference the promises of God. So with each blessing you declare over the life of your family member, speak the Word of God.

Salvation

He will even rescue the one [for whom you intercede] who is not innocent;
And he will be rescued through the cleanness of your hands.~  Job 22:30

I pray that through the cleanness of my heart You will have mercy and send grace to those that walk outside your covering until they are redeemed!

Courage

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. ~ Joshua 1:9

Lord I declare that my family will be courageous in the face of foes and challenges and they always remember that You go before them.

Strength of Character

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. ~Philippians 4:13

I declare that my family will trust in the source of their strength, Jesus Christ, that in times oppression they will replenish their strength in You.

Provision

And my God will supply every need according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. ~Philippians 4:19

I pronounce the blessings of the Lord on my family, that they will lend and not borrow, that they will be full and not suffer lack. That they will be good stewards of what is provided to them.

Protection

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. ~ Psalm 91:1-2

Lord you call for the righteous to abide under your wings in the secret place. Lord I ask if you can just cast the shadow of your protection upon my family that would be sufficient enough to protect them from evil.

Direction

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. ~ Proverbs 3:5-6

Lord I pray that you get all up in their affairs as they make life decisions.

Hope

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. ~ Romans 15:13

Lord I pray that they never lose hope, never give up and will be tenacious in everything they do. For in that they will always have joy and peace if they secure the hope that lies in You.

Peace

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ~ Philippians 4:6

I pray that with hope in you that there will peace and all anxieties will not overtake the heart of my family.

Joy

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. ~ Psalm 16:11

Oh Lord, I pray that they will come to know You in a way that they have not known you before. That they will love to be in your holy presence in sweet communion with you.

Love

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. ~ 2 Corinthians 13

Lord I pray godly love fills the marrow of their bones that they know both how to love and to receive love.

Wisdom

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. ~ James 1:5

Lord I pray that decisions are made with godly wisdom taking into account not only themselves but the lives of others.

Thanksgiving:

Thank you, Lord, for everything you have done for my family. Thank you for carrying us through the losses. This life is but a vapor so let us appreciate every moment we have with them. Let us place everything in perspective of the big picture and not major on minor things. We will love when there is none given in return. When all is said and done, let us live to live in eternity with You.  

Praise Song: The Blessing

Meditation/Journal:

Think on your family corporately and individually. Is there something you need to do? Perhaps something you need to fix? Is there someone you need to love more, not because you need it but because they do. Compose your ‘To Do’ list and do it!

End Day 8:  Shofar

 

January 10

Day 9

Focus: Worship Him!

Scripture:  Song of Solomon 1:4 Amplified Bible

⁴ Draw me away with you and let us run together!
Let the king bring me into his chambers.

Worship!

Jesus you are worthy to be praised! What can we offer you but ourselves, our worship, our love. It is nothing but yet you Almighty God desire our love above all others.  We humbly bow and give you our adoration and praise!

Alpha & Omega 

 

You are holy God. I pray to be more like you. Do not allow me to be overcome by the things of this world. We in this world not of it. We have been grafted into you Lord. Cleanse us that we may enter your presence Lord!

Agnus Dei / Draw Me Close / I Am Thine O Lord

Father, there is none like you! My life is void without you in it. Lord let me live in you and You in me. Lord, I never want to make you ashamed. I want to rise to the glory and power you have reserved for me. Let the world see Christ in me!

Shout to the Lord

Thanksgiving:

Thank you for your love. Your covering is ever present. We worship you Lord and beside You there is none other.  

Meditation/Journal:

The worship songs added to this devotional were never meant for light listening but were meant for you to begin to enter the presence of the Lord.  If you did not begin to feel yourself drifting away into the presence of God during this devotion, rewind. Remove anything from your mind that distracts you from being in His presence. Believe me, whatever it is will be there when you are done. The only difference is that you will be refreshed and can take things on with a more enlightened perspective than before. Here’s where you need to ‘lose your mind’ so you may gain entry into His Presence. Go ahead, give it a try. Then write your glorious story!.

End Day 9:  Shofar