IN THE GARDEN DEVOTIONS

“…and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house.” Nehemiah 7:3 "Neighborhood Watch - Battle Night!" I remember several years ago attending church and as I drove up, we would watch the drug dealers openly selling their drugs. Our church sat on the corner. So, on one side of the corner was God's people (army) and the other side was Satan's (army). At times it seemed there were more attendees to their side

Humility is not thinking less of yourselves but thinking of yourselves less. "Humble yourselves [with an attitude of repentance and insignificance] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up, He will give you purpose]." James 4:10 Amp Humbling yourself before the Lord is the act of surrendering your ego recognizing your dependence on God and aligning your will with His.

"I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need." Philippians 4:12 I can remember a time when my daughter was a baby and I did not have enough milk for her. I remember watching her suck the last drop. During this time I was anxious and praying, “Lord YOU said in your word, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, n

“Our Father Who art in heaven,...” Luke 11:2 I remember times when, while I was cooking, my children would gather together in the kitchen and begin to talk to me. My son would not say much but my daughter said a lot. It seemed like as soon as she would come to a point where she really tried to get an important point across my son would begin to talk. She would become irritated and say, “Why is it every time I talk you want to say something. You never say anything until I star

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14 Often, I found myself regretting things that I've done or didn't do, mistakes made, and problems because of those mistakes. Thoughts of what if I had done that or what about this? While in a moment of fee

"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:" Psalm 23:5 On the television sitcom “Good Times” back in the 70s, James finally received his big break. He had a job interview that impressed the lady interviewer so much that she, in so many words, promised him the job. He went home bragging to his wife, Florida. Florida was skeptical and asked him how he knew he had the job. James pulled up at his belt, stuck out his chest and said, “Hayy, Hayy, Haayy, tha

"But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes." Judges 1:6 In the midst of the battle in Judges 1:1-7 God stops for a moment to tell us about King Adoni-bezek. He once captured seventy kings and humiliated them by cutting off their thumbs and big toes and made them eat the scraps from under his table. You see, part of the attack of the Enemy is to humiliate you. He strips you of your dignity, mortifies you, and bri

There is not a problem we face that God has not already lined up a solution. " for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! Matthew 6:8 "...my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

Don't Judge Anything's Worth by Its Size! "Do not despise these small beginnings,..." Zechariah 4:10 NLT

"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:43-45

Whatever You're Not, God Is! For God is the "...I Am That I Am:...". Exodus 3:14 He's whatever you need Him to be according to His will!

"And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?" Genesis 3:9 I remember when I was about 11 years old, I received a list of chores to do when my mother went to work. I would play until the very last minute until my brothers would say, Mama is coming! I remember putting everything that was on the floor in the closet. I did this for several days. When my mother came in this time, I don't know what made her open that closet door, but when she did, EVERYTHI

Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.” — This is one of the clearest scriptures directly using the phrase “heart is not right.” Acts 8:21 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9 So “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalms 51:10 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23

“In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together;..." Isaiah 11:6 NLT On July 25, 2017, three pit bulls attacked and killed my sister's pet dog, Saint, while he was on his leash in their backyard. When I got the news, I began to cry. I experienced seeing a pit bull viscously attack and kill a small dog before. He was relentless and no matter how much we screamed he would not release the dog's neck from his grasp. My sister, niece, and nephews were devastated. I never exp

“But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.” James 1:6 Did you know Doubt is a vehicle Satan uses to take you away from God? Have you ever prayed for something, and initially had faith and believed, and as you waited you started feeling like it would not happen. Recently I went on a fast praying for something specific and desperately n

“And We will build…cities for our little ones: But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel , until we have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land.” Numbers 32:16-17 KJV There was a time when you heard of someone being shot it was someone about 40 or 30, then 20, then 19, 18, 17, 16. Remember when you heard about the first 12-year-old, then 10, then OMG! 8, Oh Jesus! 5,

God has a New Beginning for every Loss, Mercy for every Mistake A Comeback for every Setback "The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning." Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT

"I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." Psalms 37:25 I can remember a time when my daughter was a baby, and I did not have enough milk for her. She was on her last bottle, and I was crying out to the Lord. I remember watching her take the last drop. During this time, I was anxious and praying, “Lord YOU said in YOUR WORD, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his

"Do not be like the horse or like the mule, Which have no understanding, Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, Else they will not come near you." Psalm 32:9 Sometime during the week, I decided to visit my nephew in prison on Sunday. I woke early in the morning and inquired of the Lord. My budget did not allow much money to travel but I asked the Lord should I go. I checked my funds and I believed He said yes. It was approximately a 200 mile drive. When I was about ½ mi

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord , thoughts of peace,and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jeremiah 29:11 I once read a story about a husband and wife that were devout Christians. They served faithfully and joyfully as Youth Counselors in their local church. They loved and cared for the children and taught them the way of the Lord but had no children of their own. They prayed that God would bless them with their own child and, like Ha