"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
John 8:32
"...for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."
Philippians 2:13
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
John 14:6
Happy Wednesday, Friends! I have a tremendous prayer requests for y'all while you "sit in the stillness of Jesus's presence." My best friend and her daughter will be traveling to Russia today, and then on to Greece. They will be gone for about three weeks. The Russian leg of the trip is for her daughter to meet her birth family. Please pray for travel mercies, reasonable expectations, and health.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
"In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait expectantly."
Psalm 5:3
"O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water."
Psalm 63:1 (NKJV)
Let's remain boldly confident as we focus on Christ's presence throughout the day today! I hope you have a productive Tuesday, Friends!
Prayer requests?
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9
God is good! I'm convinced even though I don't "fathom his ways." I hope you have a wonderful start to the week, Sweet Friends!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I entrust my life."
Psalm 143:8
"I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."
Genesis 28:15
Some of my favorite devos are those with the gentle reminder to live in the present, trusting Jesus to "show me the way I should go."
Friends, I hope you have a blessed Sunday!
Prayer requests?
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
"The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."
Psalm 23:1-4
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."
2 Corinthians 4:16-17
Dear Friends, it seems that we have a preponderance of kidney stones in our midst, and I want us to pray for our friends and loved ones suffering from them. Thank-you for praying!
Have a lovely Saturday!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
"Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song."
Psalm 95:2
"The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing."
Zephaniah 3:17
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
"Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken."
Psalm 62:5-6
Happy Thursday, Sweet Friends! Today's devo is a lesson on not conforming to the world. I recently read the results of a survey, and I was saddened to learn that only 8% of Americans have a Christian World View. Let's pray for revival, not only in the United States, but also worldwide.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
"But I am like an olive tree
flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God’s unfailing love
for ever and ever."
Psalm 52:8
"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."
Ephesians 4:30
Happy Wednesday, Friends! I really loved how encouraging today's devo is because even when we fail, we get lots of participation points just for persistently trying.
From today's devo:
I look for persistence---rather than perfection---in your walk with Me.
Thanks so much for reading God's word with me everyday! Prayer requests?
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
Philippians 4:4-6
Happy Tuesday, Friends! My Gratitude Project lesson today was about how gratitude (or thankfulness) can defeat darkness! In 2 Chronicles 20, God directed King Jehoshaphat to have singers and and worshippers lead their army into battle...on the front lines! Gratitude is extremely powerful, and darkness cannot stand against it.
And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say,“Give thanks to the Lord,for his steadfast love endures forever.”2 Chronicles 20:21 (ESV)
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Revelation 1:8
“The Lord bless you
and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26
God gave us time to help us better organize our lives. Yet, He is not constrained by time. Lots of juicy nuggets for us to ponder on a Monday morning!
Prayer requests?
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
"Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
in the heavens.
Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?"
Psalm 8:1-4
"The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge."
Psalm 19:1-2
"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
Jeremiah 29:13
Ask My Spirit to sharpen your spiritual eyesight and hearing.
Friends, I hope you have wonderful plans for Father's Day today. Aren't we blessed that we have a heavenly Father who loves us, and delights in us!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
"But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you."
Psalm 5:11
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
Ephesians 3:20-21
"To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen."
Jude 24-25
Happy Saturday, Friends! I have a praise! I had lunch with a friend yesterday, and she helped me with a struggle using scripture. She's is my oldest friend, and it meant the world to me: She's quite the encourager.
I also found today's devo encouraging. Do you have a praise? Please share it with us!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
"...just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love..."
Ephesians 1:4 (NASB)
"In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps."
Proverbs 16:9
"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory."
Ephesians 1:13-14
Happy Friday, Friends!
From today's devo, via Ephesians 1:4:
I chose you before the foundation of the world, to walk with me along paths designed uniquely for you.
I hope y'all have a wonderful weekend. We're expecting tons of rain from a tropical system with storms, so we'll be working on a couple of indoor projects. Please pray for safety due to flooding, and let's also pray for the drought conditions in the Midwest and the exceptional drought conditions in the West.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
"She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come."
Proverbs 31:25
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
Matthew 1:23
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 (AMP)
Hello, Friends! I hope your week has been going well. I have been reading the passage from Matthew 11 from the Amplified Bible, and I never thought about the "burdens of religious rituals that provide no peace" applied to being heavily burdened. Interesting!
What are your thoughts about today's devo, and to you have any prayer requests?
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God."
Micah 6:8
Part and parcel of "taking the high road" is walking humbly: God loves humility!
Prayer requests? I have one today: Please pray for my allergies. Thanks, Friends! Love you all!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”
Isaiah 6:3
Happy Tuesday, Friends! It is hard to focus in today's world with so many distractions, to sit still and listen for that still, small voice. I really enjoyed today's devo. What about you?
Prayer requests? Remember to continue to pray for Sam and Matthew. Also there are other prayer requests sent privately concerning adult children. Thanks for praying with us!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
(NKJV)
The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying:
"I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with unfailing kindness."
Jeremiah 31:3
"I delight greatly in the Lord;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels."
Isaiah 61:10
Happy Monday, Friends! :D
Today's devo reminds me of one of my favorite Bible verses:
I hope you have a wonderful start to your week!
Prayer requests?
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness..."
Galatians 5:22
Happy Sunday, Friends! Here are all of the fruits of the spirit...
"Against such things there is no law!"
Galatians 5:23b
I'm leaving early to go to the 8:00 service because it doesn't require masks. I'm so happy today!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
"And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel."
1 Corinthians 10:10
"...to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace."
Luke 1:79
Have you ever noticed that if you start grumbling, or if someone around you does, it brings others down?
Friends, I hope you have a super weekend, filled with energy and activities! I am so excited to be in town and able to go to church tomorrow morning. It will be my first time since the lockdowns. Our church at the lake hasn't reopened yet, but it is reopening in July.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
"Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation."
Isaiah 12:2
Happy Friday, Friends! Today I'm placing Romans 8:6 on my fridge. From today's devo:
You are not alone in this struggle for your mind.
Prayer requests?
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
"Pray continually." 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Rest in Christ today, Friends! I love you all!
Prayer requests?
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."
1 Peter 4:8
"Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first."
Revelation 2:4
I have been pondering 1 Peter 4:8 a lot lately. The world would be a better place if Christians practiced this directive consistently. :D
Prayer requests? Please pray for our Westies Mustang Sally and Finlay. Both had dental work and are having a difficult time.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."
Matthew 28:18
"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name."
Psalm 100:4
Today I am thankful for Christ's authority over everything, including my life. I'm also thankful for the living Holy Spirit, whom Christ sent to help me.
Prayer requests?
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Lily of the Nile
Harbor Point Marina
Lake Martin, Alabama
Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
Luke 12:22-31
Isn't today's lesson wonderful! :D
I hope y'all have a super start to your week. Prayer requests? Just a reminder: Please continue to pray for Carla's son, Sam, and Sarah's son, Matthew.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
"The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge."
Psalm 19:1-2
"See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
and his glory appears over you."
Isaiah 60:2
From today's devo:
The earth still declares My Glory to those who have eyes that see and ears to hear.
I hope you have a Blessed Sunday, Friends!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
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