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Archive for the ‘Devotional’ Category
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Posted in Books, Devotional, tagged books, devotionals, Experiencing God PResence, inspirational, Julie B Cosgrove, The Present of His PResence, Where did you find God today on August 28, 2015| Leave a Comment »
In a Name…Amen
Posted in Christian, Devotional, tagged amen, God's will, Julie Cosgrove, name, needs, Where did you find God today on August 10, 2015| 2 Comments »
I love word games, you probably realized that by now. While playing Scrabble, I noticed I had several choices when it came to playing my tiles M-E-N-A
Two jumped out at me – NAME and AMEN. Why? Because one puts the “N” at the beginning while the other word has it at the end.
God showed me a lesson. It is up to us how we choose to arrange the letters. It all depends on where we place our values.
If we put ourselves first, our name is important.
Shove our needs to the back behind those of others and God’s will for our lives and we have the word Amen.
What is your “N”? Is it notoriety, making a name for yourself, or do you think of yourself as nothing? Perhaps the “n” is a negative attitude, or the feeling you will never amount to anything. Maybe it is neverneverland– a pipe dream. It could even be being noble. nice, or natural. Whatever it is, the emphasis is still on you, not God.
Think what would happen if you flipped that “N” and thought less about it and more about your blessings, your purpose, and your Savior?
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. MaAtthew 6:33
Two Letters, Two Ways
Posted in Biblical, Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged bound, Cephas, I vs. them, Julie B Cosgrove, loose, servitude attitude, unite, Where did you find God today on July 28, 2015| 1 Comment »
Hi, my name is Julie and I am a word-aholic. I play Scrabble with the computer, and have at least fifteen Words with Friends (WWF) games going at once. On my smart phone are four word games to keep me occupied while I am waiting for my friends to send me their word entries. This morning as i sipped my coffee, after my prayer and devotional time of course, I had a few minutes to play a few of the WWF puzzles. Starting a rematch this is what popped up in my tile selection:
Yes, I didn’t use the blank. (A strategic move on my part, heh, heh.) But I realized, another word could be spelled with the very same letters simply by flipping the letter “i” and the letter “T”. UNTIES can become UNITES.
It brought to mind Jesus’ words to Peter when he told him his name would now be Cephas, the Rock on which He’d build his Church.
…whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Matthew 16:19b
That has been passed on to all Christians in the Great Commission. We have two choices with the times, talents and treasures God had provided us. We can use them to untie ourselves from others, i.e separate us from them. We can strive for the bigger house, better car, more toys, and more expensive vacays. We can also use our God-given talents to shine the light of pride on whatever we do, thus distinguishing us from the crowd. We untie (loose) the ropes that binds us to others so we cab be set apart.
Or, we can use our God-given abilities to unite (bind) ourselves to others. Through loving God, and serving Him as an expression of that love, we act as a binding force to draw others into the fold. Bound together in His goodness and mercy, we are strengthened, supported, and secured. That’s the servitude attitude Jesus displayed while on earth.
God gives us the letters to play. It up to us to determine how we use the “I” (me) and the “T”(them).
Clearly
Posted in Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged John4:10, Julie B Cosgrove, Living Water, quench, thirst, water, Where did you find God today on July 21, 2015| Leave a Comment »
I saw a picture of a glass of water. Pure, thirst quenching, clear. Water is something we need to survive. We can’t go very long without it. Our bodies have water running through them. No wonder Jesus said He is the Living Water.
Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” John 4:10
God’s blessings overflow, providing us what we need to make it through the day. But, like a glass of water, sometimes we can see right through them, and so we don’t really “see.” Or what we see is distorted by the container- us.
Other times we want to add something to the water to make it taste better. Sugar, lemons, mint, cucumbers, even those small packets of energy boosters of flavorings. We brew coffee through it, or steep tea in it. We add seltzer and make it bubbly.
But your doctor will tell you there is nothing better for you than a plain, pure glass of water. The same is true with God’s blessings. Receive them, drink them down and quench your soul.
Have I made you thirsty? I pray God makes you thirst for more of Him today. Drink in His blessings. Clearly, they will be there if you look.
Symbol of battle
Posted in Devotional, tagged battles of this earthly life, flag, full armor of God, God Bless America, Julie B Cosgrove, pray for your country, Stars and Stripes, Where Did You Find God on July 3, 2015| 2 Comments »
My son, James, and I belong to Toastmasters. Each meeting offers a chance to think on our feet as one member asks impromptu questions and calls on others to answer. We call it Table Topics. Last night, he told us flags are battle signs. They mark where the soldiers are and designate the battle line, i.e. the land they have conquered up to that point. That is why there is so much emotional response to a flag, even during times of peace. He asked what symbol would we be willing to die for.
Of course the Cross, and the Stars and Stripes immediately zipped through my brain. I heard the hymn, “Onward Christian Soldiers marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before.” I also heard the hymn, “God bless America… stand beside her and guide her through the night with the light from above.”
I believe the United States is in a dark time. So are other countries in the world. Battle lines have been drawn, and we are at war…with those who would desire to take away our freedom to worship and with those who call us, the ones who pray to a redemptive God of forgiveness and love, hypocritical haters because we will not bend to the winds of current social trends. Over two millenia ago, Paul encouraged us to put on the full armor of God. We need to dress appropriately before we can fight against the principalities which threaten to undo our faith.
The cross goes before us. It symbolizes one who was willing to die in order to save us.
Will you pray to Him and ask Him to save your country before it dies? Then, pray for those who are being persecuted, and even executed just like the Savior, for their steadfast faith as they battle prejudice and evil in this earthly life. Because there but for the grace of God go you and I.
Today, God is asking each of us an impromptu question. What will be your answer?
Onward, Christian soldier.
Illuminated
Posted in Biblical, Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged darkness, illuminate, Julie B Cosgrove, path, stumble, Where did you find God today on June 25, 2015| 3 Comments »
I saw an advertisement for glow-in-the-dark paint which you can apply to a stone path. AHA! Reminds me of the Word of God.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105
The ad says the chemicals absorb the 
sunlight, so when it becomes dark, they release a glow. That way, people can see the way to travel and not stumble. This miracle paint is for sale at most of the national hardware chain stores.
While my life is sunny and things are going great, I should be storing up passages from God’s Word and memorizing them. Let them ooze into my heart and soul just as the glow-in-the-dark paint seeps into the porous stone.
The Word of God should illuminate my faith so when the dark times come, and they will, I will have them stored up inside of me. One by one, the faith-stones will light my way along the path, even though I cannot see where it leads. Then, instead of crouching and crying out in fear, afraid I may stumble, I can walk upright, assured that God’s light will guide me through.
Are you storing up His Light in you? You can get it at any local book store, or as a free app on your smart phone. It is called the Bible. Illuminating, right?
It’s What’s Inside
Posted in Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged Christ in us, it's what is inside, Julie Cosgrove, message, Where did you find God today, witness on June 16, 2015| 1 Comment »
An older woman I know excitedly told how she got a part-time job stuffing envelopes. Her eyes danced as if she was a teenager once again. Her nephew questioned what the big deal was. It didn’t sound very exciting to him.
She smiled. “Oh, it’s not the envelopes. It is what goes inside. A very important letter that will help thousands of people. I am so glad to be a part of that effort.”
Her words hit me. It’s what goes inside. The image describes the purpose of being a Christian. We are the vehicle for delivering God’s message of redemption and love to the world. In other words, we are the envelopes.
It is what is going on inside of us, i.e., the transformation by the Holy Spirit when we accept Jesus into our hearts, that is the important stuff. As others peer inside the window to our soul, they can see a difference. Something important is happening. The Light of Christ is flickering, glowing, then shining. The message revealed is one of forgiveness and salvation, of something more wonderful waiting for us beyond the pain of this world.
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. Romans 10:17
Lord, the times when I think I am not much on the outside, remind me it is what’s inside that is important – You working in me. You have placed your stamp of delivery on me, and I am simply to carry the message. Let me be more thankful, like my elderly friend, to be a part of that effort. Amen.
Hunger Pains
Posted in Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged hunger, Julie B Cosgrove, prayer, sataisfy, Squeeze More God-time Into Your Day, time with God, Where did you find God today on June 12, 2015| 3 Comments »
I was in the zone…typing away, editing as I went, the plot moving along. In the background the washer swished and the dryer tumbled. I’d break to feed a mewing cat, or refill my tumbler with water, and then scoot my chair back to the keyboard.
After a while, a slight wooziness waved over me. I blinked to refocus, only to be interrupted by a deep gurgle in the pit of my torso. Like Seymour the man eating plant, my stomach growled, “Feed me.” I sighed, pushed back my chair and opened the fridge. Door opened with the frigid air blanketing my face, indecision clouded my brain. I knew not to grab anything junky. I snatched a carton of fat-free Greek yogurt. Quick, easy to down, no cooking or mess to clean. I spooned it past my lips as I typed. That staved off the hunger for a while, but the sensation returned within a few hours.
Isn’t this often true of our spiritual lives? We are in such a rush, our concentration focuses on the “doing” mode. We forget that, like our bodies, our souls need regular nourishment in order to function. A deep hunger for God niggles us. At first we ignore it, but it doesn’t go away. We know a snack such as a faith based show won’t satisfy us. Not even a few Facebook scrolls from Christian friends.
But what to feed it? We flip through a few highlighted verses in our Bibles, scan our bookshelves filled with devotionals and inspirational guides, even stare at the Biblical saying plaques on our walls. We turn on Christian music. Still, the deep aching isn’t quite satisfied. We need real God-time. And Sunday is days away.
But any time can be stop and pray time. Regular moments with our Father in Heaven can fulfill us and sustain us as we move through our day. From the half hour spent with hands folded, we receive enough strengthening to carry us through whatever we need to accomplish. Our gas tank refills, so to speak.
Reading our Bibles is wonderful. Christian music is great. But in order to fully digest what we see and hear, we need to take it to the Father and let His Spirit help us absorb it in order to feed our faith in the way we need the most, just as our bodies assimilate the food we swallow.
Spend quality time with God today. Don’t snack now and the as you keep on “doing.” Instead, sit down, relax and devour the full-plated goodness God wishes to provide.That’s the full meal deal. Talk about soul food!
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:6
for tips, trials and triumph consider getting Squeeze More God-Time Into Your Day.
Cast Your Cares
Posted in Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged cast your cares, Julie B Cosgrove, molded, protect, Support, weakness, Where did you find God today on May 31, 2015| 2 Comments »
Wednesday evening I stumbled trying to carry a package to my car. Down three
steps, wretching my right foot and ankle in the process. In the ER clinic the nurse dampened a felt covered strip filled with fiberglass and molded it around my foot and calf. Within minutes it had taken a perfect shape, protecting and providing support and strength to my injured extremity. It now fit only me, no one else. Next, he secured it with two bandages wrapped around and around.
Reminds me of my Savior. He is the same for all of us, yet His Spirit molds to me individually, knowing my soul’s shape, weaknesses and strengths. He forms a protective shell, guarding my thoughts and shielding me from the evils of this fallen world. All the while He is healing my weaknesses and strengthening me. He guards me from further injury.
Then His grace and mercy intertwine to further support me, secured by His love. He wraps Himself tightly around my soul when I need it to protect me from further harm.
Since I fell, and my foot and ankle became injured, the doctor told me to not put weight on it for several days, but instead to use crutches. God’s Word and blessings are my crutches whenever I fall out of His will. He picks me up, often through the prayers of others, and sets me right.
Now, with this soft cast on my right leg, I’ve grasped a new meaning of 1Peter 5:7– “casting my cares on Him.”
Lord, may I rely on you in my weakness as You strengthen me, and lean on You for support as I heal whenever I tumble from Your grace. Thank You for this valuable lesson, even though painful. Amen.
I found GOD In Church
Posted in Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged expereince God, Holy Spirit guides, Julie B Cosgrove, one in CHrist, renewed, Where did you find God today on April 20, 2015| 1 Comment »
You may scrunch you eyebrows at the title. But, let’s be honest with each other. How often do you go to worship out of obedience, but during the service your mind wanders? You just are not connecting that day. You don’t “feel” the Holy Spirit moving. Your body is perched in the pew and your money is in the collection plate, but that’s about it.
This past Sunday, our rector broke tradition. He admitted he’d hit a dead end in writing his sermon and at the twelfth hour, God intervened. He heard the holy whisper in his soul, “Don’t tell them about me, they know that. Help them experience ME.” Obediently, with a cracking voice and tears welling in his eyes, he stepped away from the pulpit and spoke the Truth God had planted in his heart, mind and soul.
He interrupted the normal flow of the service and asked us all to bend a knee and pray for a renewed experience of God–dwelling in us, equipping us, comforting us, and strengthening us with His Spirit so we could bring others to Him and stand together united in Christ, for each other and beside each other. Then we stayed on our knees and confessed our sins.
As we knelt, tears warmed my eyes. I felt a surge of gentle power flowing through each soul and into me. For a brief moment, we were one in Christ. One voice, one request, one humbled desire.
Of course, this is how it should always be in worship. However,our churches are filled with humans. We are all on different paths of the faith-walk. We all have sins lurking on the edges of our souls. We all have hurts, grudges, prejudices and preferences. You know, those things Satan loves to utilize in order to separate us. Often times it is more than pews which divide us into sections.
But on Sunday, in one church who is renting space in a strip center in southwest Fort Worth as we grow our congregation, Christ’s glory filled the place as we spontaneously prayed in obedience. Our strength was renewed and we soared. It is what our congregation needed–it is what we all need.
Don’t be fooled, dear friends. We in the U.S.A and Canada are not cushioned from the evil persecution that is flooding the Coptic nations. Just because we have “In God We Trust” on our coins or sing “God Save the Queen” doesn’t mean we have an invisible wall to stop the tsunami of hatred from crashing across our land. The first waves are already lapping at our shores.
Let us all bend a knee, often and united together and pray to renew our experience of what it is like to be true children of God, washed by the blood of the Lamb, and bolstered by His Holy Spirit. Let’s no longer think about God, but truly dwell in Him. For He alone is our strength, our comfort and our hope.
JULIE B COSGROVE Scribe , Speaker, and Servant
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