Devotions

In 1978 a comedy called Different Strokes came on the air. It ran until 1986. Gary Coleman was one of the children on the show and always got the biggest laugh with his line, “Whatcha talkin’ bout, Willis?”

In Luke 6, Jesus was teaching his disciples and one of the lessons he taught them was that a tree is known by its fruit. “A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes.”  [6:43-44 NLT]

Jesus was not really talking about trees because He goes on. “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.” [6:45 NLT]

Jesus’ lesson is about people. Our heart’s priority is what we talk about the most. That made me ask myself, “Whatcha talkin’ bout, Terry?”

What do I talk about the most? Am I focused on what is pleasing to me, or even what is not pleasing? Or do I focus on what pleases the LORD? I think if I want to deepen my faith, I need to start by listening to myself and what the abundance of my heart is speaking.

Holy Spirit, open my spiritual ears and let me hear what my heart brings forth. Amen.

Fear. It is the atmosphere of much of our society. We fear the crashing of our economy. We fear the loss of the very foundations of democracy. We fear radicalism, hatred, injustice, and so much that is displayed across our government, media, and social lives every day.

As a child of God, however, fear is part of our past, not our present. When Christ redeemed us, when grace appeared for us, the fear that lived in us was replaced with something far stronger. We received the Spirit of adoption into the family of God.

“So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, ‘Abba, Father’. For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.” [Romans 8:15-16 NLT]

Now God is personal, He is our “Abba, Father.” He is not our enemy, but our Father. As His Spirit lives in us, He Himself testifies to us constantly that we are God’s children. GOD’S CHILDREN!

If there is anything that should bring us to our knees, it is not the fear this world promotes, it is the wondrous truth that “I am a child of God!” We cannot say that enough. We cannot meditate on that enough. We cannot live that enough. It is the only thing that will drive fear from us!

I am a child of God!

Since my hospital stay the first week of January, I haven’t been able to get to church on Sundays. This ‘condition’ I’m trying to get stabilized is worse in the morning. I improve some as the day goes along.

I miss the people I am used to spending Sunday mornings with. I miss the love and encouragement I find there. I miss the hugs and the smiles. I miss the worship, the messages, and the prayer. I miss church!

Hebrews 10 reminds us of the benefits of meeting with other Christians. “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” [vs24-25 NLT]

When we attend church, we motivate others and receive motivation to love and to do the good works God has ordained for us. We find encouragement to keep drawing closer to our Savior and LORD Christ Jesus.

The days are getting harder and more volatile as we approach the time of Christ’s Second Coming. We aren’t going to thrive if we try to do it alone – at least I’m not going to – I need the church!

I mentioned yesterday that last Saturday my Verse of the Day was Philippians 2:14-16. That passage begins with a vital command. “Do everything without complaining and arguing.” The goal of that command is “so that no one can criticize you.” [NLT]

Unfortunately, that is one of those commands that often fall by the wayside. We are a culture that loves to complain and loves to argue and that cultural norm has at times invaded the church. I know I have fallen victim to it!

What makes this attitude even more horrendous is that persecuted Christians around the world think American Christians are living a miracle. (It is estimated that 380M Christians faced some form of persecution in 2025. That ranges from hunger, lack of medical care, lack of access to work or school, to imprisonment without a trial, torture, and martyrdom.)

I have been reading some of the testimonies of these persecuted ones. They marvel that American Christians can meet whenever we want to, that we can sing our music as loud as we want to, that we have access to Bibles (as many as we want in whatever format we want.)

While they suffer for Christ, I’m often complaining about how loud the music is – or something just as trivial. God forgive me. Amen & Amen

Last Saturday one of my Verse of the Day emails was Philippians 2:14-16. “Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.” [NLT]

It had my complete attention. The night before Bob and I had watched two “law” shows. One was “Alaska Law,” and the other, “Ozark Law.” Both rattled me!

I know that the intention of those shows is to rattle, but “Ozark Law” was most disturbing as it showed what happened last Memorial Day weekend at the Lake of the Ozark strip. I watched scantily clad women, drunks, fights, foul language, and scenes of what my generation might label debauchery. I wanted to cry over the hopelessness and lostness of so many of our young people.

As Christians, we are commanded to “live clean, innocent lives as children of God.” We are commanded to shine brightly “in a world full of crooked and perverse people.”

We need to pray for our young people. We need to shine brightly with hope. We need to live clean lives. There can be no deviation from the Word of Life.

If our young people do not see Christ in us – where will they see Him?

One of my favorite verses and expressions is found in Genesis 25, in the passage recounting the birth of Isaac’s and Rebekah’s twins, Esau and Jacob. Rebekah had been barren. Then Isaac prayed and God answered his prayer. Now Rebekah was dealing with the answer to prayer.

“And the children struggled together within her; and she said, ‘If it be so, why am I thus?’” Genesis 25:22 KJV]

I know various translations make that sound more modern (“Why is this happening to me?”), but I love reading it in the King James. How often I have quoted it back to God. “If everything is good, why am I thus?”

 There are times in life that contain difficult circumstance – even though our relationship with our Father God is solid and secure. Being a child of God does not make us immune to the “why am I thus” happenings in life.

And while God told Rebekah why she was “thus,” (“The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals.”), He doesn’t always tell us why we are “thus.”

We often need to handle those kinds of questions with faith and the knowledge that God loves us and we can trust Him even when we don’t have all the answers. Amen & Amen

“Huggers are happier.” I saw that phrase in a Max Lucado 365 Devotional I started reading for 2026. I researched that statement and found multiple studies done on hugging. Each study gave multiple reasons why that statement is true.

I spent a few days in the hospital recently and I was “touched” quite a bit. But none of the touching involved a hug given in love… except one afternoon. Two of my beautiful granddaughters came to visit. Initially they sat quietly because I was sleeping and they didn’t want to wake me. They were about ready to leave when I woke up.

The next few minutes were filled with hugs. That did much more for me than sleeping did. It lightened my spirit and warmed my heart.

If you remember the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15, you probably remember the joy of verse 20. “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.” [NLT]

The father stepped out of the cultural role and ran to his son and the first thing he did was throw his arms around him to hug him. I can almost feel the strength of those arms tightening around him. I have felt the same strength of the arms of love around me.

Huggers (and those being hugged) are truly happier.

Ever wonder how you fit in? I was saved in a small Pentecostal study and prayer meeting. A few weeks after, the leader decided to pray over various people about their motivational gifts. I had no idea what he was talking about. (I discovered quickly that I had to learn a brand-new language and brand-new concepts.)

The leader explained that this is how I would “fit in” the body of Christ. He went around the room and spoke over various people. It sounded wonderful! Prophesy, Teaching, Administration, Mercy … such grand concepts. When he got to me he said one word, “Encouragement” and moved on.

“Encouragement?” That’s it? That’s how I will fit in the body of Christ? Sounded a bit wimpy to me, but I have learned over the years that he was correct. I have also come to appreciate the motivation of encouraging.

Romans 12 is a marvelous practical chapter (especially after all the heavy doctrine that proceeds it in Paul’s letter). It begins with presenting ourselves as living sacrifices and goes on to speak of how we “fit.” (Read it today if you get a chance.)

“In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to …. Do it gladly.” [Romans 12:6-8 NLT]

A couple things happened recently which took my mind back to the mid-80’s and a Christmas event at Loomis church. I’ve told this story before but today it has a different emphasis for me.

I had picked a Christmas musical play for the youth to perform at Christmas. It had a “rap” song in it. In comparison to “real rap” this was simply a song with a light rhythmic beat and the words spoken instead of sung. Still, it was cutting edge in the 80’s for a church where there were older people who had been Christians for decades. I worried about it a bit but went ahead anyway.

I looked out on opening night and right up front was an older couple. She was in her early 90’s and he was a couple years younger. When the performance was over she headed straight for me. My initial thought was, “Oh no, I’m in for it now.”

She got right up in my face and said, “It’s about time we got some life in this place!” and turned away with a smile.

I have always looked at that event as an encouragement. Today I looked at it differently. Today, I realized I want to be her! I want to be that old lady that is right on the cutting edge of the new things God is doing in the church today! I want my battle cry to be “It’s about time … and I am all in!”

 “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?” [Isaiah 43:19 NLT]

I don’t make resolutions at the new year, but if I did, I found one posted by a Facebook friend that I think I might actually be able to keep.

“New Years Resolution. Laugh a little louder, smile a little bigger, love a little deeper and walk through life a little slower.” [Kelly’s Treehouse]

I love to laugh! I love to smile! I love to hug people and find ways to show love and encouragement to others. And whether I like it or not, life itself is forcing me to walk a little slower.

I have always been “fast.” I walked fast, worked fast, talked fast. I drove my parents crazy because I was always on the go. I think I drove my husband and kids a bit crazy also as I wanted things done “now!”

But aging demands a slowdown. My body no longer tolerates “fast!” It laughs when I even try to incorporate “fast!” into daily life. I am forced now to abandon “fast!” for a much slower life, and to be honest, while this slower life is in many ways frustrating – it is also infinitely better.

Being slower means I sense God’s Presence with me more often. I hear His Voice better. I appreciate this beautiful world He created. Walking through life a little slower is a wonderful blessing. Amen & Amen