“Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shall thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shall be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.”  
Psalm 37:3-5


The Children of Israel learned how to move with God. —But, let’s be real, they really did not have a choice. The presence of God was within their sight as a beautiful cloud, keeping them sheltered from the desert sun by day; and, as a pillar of fire by night, keeping them warm and toasty from the harsh desert wind. They moved when God moved. For them, moving was easily discernible; they could see God’s presence with their eyes.  However, given only their faith to go on today, I wonder how they would react.

Praying and waiting for God to tell you when to leave or not, you have to admit, can be a little frustrating. Suppose it’s a move to a job you need? Or perhaps, moving from an undesirable situation to what appears to be another undesirable situation? Or, for that matter, staying put? And, this is when you actually have an opportunity to leisurely select between one decision or another. What happens when you feel desperate? What about when your bills are piling up, the cupboards are bare, and you can’t find the resources. What then?

The Children of Israel had an amazing visual every day and evening to keep them focused. You do not have God in your sight. --Or, do you?  We see God’s beauty in the earth every day. We have only to look around to see the marvelous works of His hands.  In addition to this, we have His Holy Word as our guide; and, our prayers as our conversations with Him. No matter how much we may lack patience, our Bible says to pray for what we need. So, whether it is an answer to a problem, or help in discerning between several options, like the Children of Israel, we always have God within our midst.  Most of all, remember that our Bible says in Psalm 37:3-5,
“Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shall you dwell in the land, and verily you shall be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of your heart. Commit your ways unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.”
​
Continue to trust, pray, and have faith. --You will know precisely when He needs YOU to move.  L.

Study Reference: Psalm 37:3-5   
From: "Moving With God." In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living.
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: Yasu+Junko

"What is man that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou visitest him."    
Psalm 8:4

 
Suppose that today, instead of feeling like a powerful Child of the Most High God, you are feeling alone, left out, invisible, or unloved. And, no matter what you tell yourself to get out of it, you still find yourself thinking about it all day.  —Then, here is something else for you to meditate on instead.

If you really stopped for a moment to consider just how much God really loves you, it would be absolutely staggering!  God is ever mindful of every detail of your life.  He is so mindful in fact, that within an earthly population of seven BILLION people, even the tiny swirls on your fingertips —something that you never really look at,  barely acknowledge, or ever pay any attention to, can never be found on any other person, anywhere in the world!  Not even an identical twin!  —That’s just how “mindful” God was when He decided that you should be born.
How’s that for attention to detail!  

So remember, it doesn't matter how you feel; feelings can betray you.  You are never alone; never left out; never invisible; and, above all, definitely loved!  So, go ahead, get on your knees, clasp your hands, and speak to your Heavenly Father!  L. 
 
Study Reference: Psalm 8:4
Excerpt from: Your Thoughts: “It’s All About YOU” In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions for Everyday Living. 
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo:  Zohar    
 
**Now, it’s your turn to write down your own thoughts in your journal regarding today’s verse.

​
"Fear thou not; for I Am with thee: be not dismayed; for I Am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of  My   righteousness.”     Isaiah 41:10 

 
Although we are the first to encourage others, occasionally, even Christians wonder if God listens to our petitions.  This is something we do not like to admit to non-Christians, and sometimes not even to other Christians, yet it is true.  We really don’t want anyone to know that God may or may not be speaking with us; or, even worse, we may or may not be listening to God.   It is not because our love is in question; it has more to do with our human frailty—our inquisitive nature.  The inquisitive nature that got us into trouble in the first place; those imposing, nagging questions that were created by sin to disrupt our armor of faith. 

We question our certainty that God will come through for us; we wonder whether He will come through in time, and we consume time querying what the outcome will be.  Because of our human frailty, we forget that in God’s economy, the outcome is simply a by-product of the process, even though the process is the part most of us would prefer to skip. 

In this era of our “faster is better” culture, it is difficult to wait for anything.  Yet the slowness of the process is precisely the part that builds our fortitude—it molds and strengthens our character closer to the character of Jesus.  The same goes for your individual circumstance.  Your circumstance is part of the journey, and the journey is part of the process. 

Wherever you are in your journey with God, embrace the process.  Do not bother to try to rush through it; you will only get out of it after you have learned the necessary lesson or lessons to move on.  Learn to strengthen your armor of faith so like the many characters in the Bible, you get through the process armed with the lessons you have learned for the next leg of the journey. Remember, Jesus has not left you; He is simply leading the way and waiting for you.  L.   

Study Reference: Isaiah 41:10  
From: "Embracing The Process." In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living.  
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: Rui Silvera

​“Count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith produces patience.”   James 1:2-3


Patience is one of the hardest things for us as Christians; and, God works with us on a continuous basis to learn the art of patience.  The issue with patience is, our time is limited. We want, what we want, now, not later. It is indicative of our generation. We have learned how to make things faster, streamlining as many things as possible, taking out some of the extraordinary to make room for the mundane and the ordinary. We have become so accustomed to the basic, when we see something just a little above ordinary, we are inspired. 

Take a look around; we have fast food, fast lanes, quick-dry, instant-this, and instant-that.  Gone are the days of slow-brewed, slow-broiled, homemade, and hand-done. The problem is, although we want everything as quickly as possible, God’s timing is still the same.  A day is still 24 hours; and, one year is still 365 days, give or take a leap year.  And although calendar days were originally named by men, “the rising of the sun and the going down of the same,” still represents one day. God’s original clock works on a schedule, both for days and for human beings. This has not changed since the beginning of time.

For most of us, patience is a problem; I am no different. If I could walk faster without running, type faster without practicing, and learn more without studying, I am certain I would sign up in a minute. But the truth is, everything takes time—everything.  We are the decision makers of what we do with our time.  Even when we seemingly have no choice, we have a choice.  We have the choice to work and be miserable, or to work and be thankful.  We have the choice to wait on line with patience, while doing something that interest us, or wait in line tapping our foot and complaining about the slowness of the process.  We have the choice to spend our time with people we love, or waste it with mundane onlookers who could care less about our life. We have the choice to learn something new every day, expanding the horizon of our knowledge; or to sit back comfortably believing we know everything we need to know in this life, remaining closed-minded and archaic.  

...Learn to have patience. Patience with what you do, with whom you love, with what you learn, and more importantly, with God. God answers all prayers necessary for you to have the best of the life you have chosen for yourself. Respect those things not chosen for you and understand that somehow they are not distributed to you for a reason. Acknowledge those things placed in your life, taking the time to reflect backwards so you can learn how certain decisions made in the past have resulted in the here and now. Have patience. Patience removes fear. Be patient; for God created time, and time always wins whether you are patient or not.  -L. 

Study Reference: James 1:2-3
Excerpt from: "Patience:" In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions for Everyday Living. 
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: Peter Gridley / Getty
​

“And the LORD said unto Satan, 'Whence comest thou?' Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, 'From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.'  And the LORD said unto Satan, 'Hast thou considered My servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God, and eschews evil?' Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, 'Doth Job fear God for nought?'”    Job 1:7-9
 
​
Suppose God was having a conversation about you, what would He say about your life today?  Would He be impressed or disappointed with what you have done with it so far? 

The Bible says, Job was a perfect and upright man; a man who loved God and hated evil. Yet God, showing Job off, allowed all manner of devastating trials to be used by Satan to test Job’s heart, short of taking his life.  And, while the Bible speaks of David as a man after God's own heart, David also had a rough time!  David had to acknowledge his misconduct and suffer the consequences of his actions on more than one occasion.  And although, he personally killed hundreds of men, those men were killed under God's direct orders.  He paid a hefty consequence for the one life he was indirectly responsible for; the life of his friend Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband. And, since David was a true warrior, a man who clearly understood how precious life was, almost all of God's sanctions against him would end with the death of people he deeply cared about. 

It is a precious thing for us as Christians to be saved by Grace. It allows us the opportunity not to have to stand before God for every action that is the sum total of our life. It is because of our Savior Jesus Christ who covers our sins that most of us are not consumed.  I don’t know about you, but, quite frankly, if I were tested at a fraction of the level of David or Job, I would certainly fail miserably.  Yet, we must still strive to live and maintain a righteous life; because, we love and stand on the side of God. It is the least we can do as a sign of respect and love for Jesus’ sacrifice.

In response to today’s question, the thought is, if God is having a conversation about YOU, pray that it is a really good one.  One that weighs heavily on the plus side rather than the minus side; because, as easily as you and I breathe, He can alter the direction of our lives with the ease of a whisper.  L.  

Study Reference: Job 1:1-12; 2 Samuel 11:1-17; 24:10-17
From: "What Would God Say?"  In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions for Everyday Living. 
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: Joel Robison

"Now to Him that is of Power to establish you according to His gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made   known to all nations for the obedience of faith.”   Romans 16:25-26


“When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of [God’s] Vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.”  This statement was written by the late Poet Audre Lorde; I took the liberty of replacing her word “my,” with the word “God”.  We have to assume when Ms. Lorde wrote this statement she was referring to her own vision for her life.  However, the word powerful seems more profound and fortified with God in the text. 

When we are given the power to step out of the ordinary to embrace the higher aspects of ourselves, we can opt to be fearful, or dare to embrace the possibilities of life and run with it.  Throughout the Bible there are examples of those who chose to embrace God’s power in their lives, simply to find enough trouble to fulfill multiple chapters and verses. Yet endure they did, embracing the process and fulfilling their purpose.  God never said it would be easy, He said, “My Grace/strength is sufficient unto thee.”   2 Corinthians 12:9

There are some aspirations you will have that, unbeknownst to you, are divinely inspired; times when you simply are not certain how you came to want a particular thing for your life, yet somehow the dream lives and burns in the depths of your soul, waiting to be fed, nurtured, and birthed in the reality of your existence.  Do you dare to fulfill its calling, or do you simply fear its strength, cower into yourself, and vanish?  

There will come a time when you are summoned to use your strength in the service of God’s vision, and you will have to decide whether you have one or the other; overwhelming fear immobilizing God’s vision for your life, or enough over-powering faith to conquer your fears and put the vision in motion.  L.  

Study Reference: Romans 16:25-26 
From:"Power to Endure."  In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living.  
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell ​
photo: Olympian

“And the Lord spake unto me, saying, Ye have compassed this mountain long enough; turn you northward.”               Deuteronomy 2:2-3


​Have you ever felt as if you were going in circles around a mountainous experience, experiencing the same issues over and over again, literally getting nowhere fast?

The children of Israel traveled in the wilderness and around the mountainous region of Sinai for 40 years, instead of what was supposed to be a few days journey across the Jordan River into the Promise Land. Their rut around the mountain was orchestrated by God to eradicate their disbelief and corruption. Then one day, God speaks to them in today’s verse saying, "You have spent enough time circling the mountain, time to change direction."
I am not certain which direction they were going, but we know one thing for certain, it was not north!

Every once in a while, we may feel as if we are in a rut, traveling in a circle, experiencing the same thing over and over again. It is as if you are in the same long-running Broadway play using the same set but different actors, feeling frustrated and underwhelmed.  Yet sometimes, the “routine” or “rut” experience has been orchestrated by God to help you eradicate some issues from your life. For the children of Israel it was disobedience, disbelief, lack of faith, and corrupt morals. For us, it may be lack of forgiveness, disobedience, faithlessness, and lapses in integrity. It can almost appear hopeless, because nothing you do seems to be able to pull you out of it.  And, your prayers seem to fall flat, because somehow you know this is exactly where God wants you to be at this time.

If so, know that there is a lesson or lessons you will have to experience and/ or learn first, in order for you to move forward to fulfill God’s greater expectation. Pay close attention to the lesson, so that when the time comes, you will hear the distinction in The Voice that says, “You have compassed this mountain long enough; turn ye northward!”  L.

Study Reference: Deuteronomy 2:1-3, Psalm 51:10-12
From;"Circling The Mountain." In The Master's Hands; 365 Daily Devotions for Everyday Living
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: Mauricio Sewell

“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
 

Personal study and prayer answers all questions. However, sometimes we need the openness of another person to explain, or to understand, an answer we received in prayer that we are reluctant to listen to. When I was younger, I was committed to meditation.  I somehow believed that by meditating I would learn the answers to the questions I found perplexing.  It was not until I became an adult that I learned it was more productive to meditate on the Word of God, to gain an adequate understanding about the things I questioned. Then, I met a young man who would help me to understand more about God than any other individual I knew at the time. He questioned e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g about God, forcing me to actually pay more attention to what I was reading, and intently study what I actually believed. As a result, it increased my curiosity to gain a deeper and better understanding of my relationship with Jesus. 

Often, as Christians, we think those who question us about God are problematic, and/ or confrontational, not understanding that they represent our own lack of knowledge of God’s complexity. Yet, simply put, as Believers our unique focus is to be able to teach others about Jesus.  All of us are damaged by one thing or another, whether we admit it or not; and, all people need the Love of God, whether they know it or not. 
So, the question for most of us is--How do we teach others about Jesus, without sounding like a crazed fanatic?  The answer is, just by being ourselves. Not our regular selfish self, but our higher God-centered self. Our higher God-centered self will always find a way to accommodate others, helping them to grow, learn, and understand the nature of God’s Word.

To apply this principle is relatively simple.  We must work through the common bond that binds us together as humanity. —Love. If we allow it, our love for God and our knowledge of Jesus will be emitted through our actions, our thinking, and our relationships with others. It is in applying these innate characteristics that we will prove, or disprove whether we are ready for a true ambassadorship to represent Jesus.
The question today is, are YOU ready? L.
​
Study Reference: Philippians 3:13-14
From; "Seeking..." In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living. 
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
    

“I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; but now, my eye seeth Thee”  
Job 42:5


When I finally finished, In The Master’s Hands; I wanted to conclude with a thought that would summarize the entire process. I knew that there would be a few readers who would never really believe that every daily I wrote was written for me. It did not matter if the devotion appeared cynical, redemptive, lofty, or sad; every one was written with a lesson for me. What I learned was that the only way for you to gain the kind of biblical understanding that is not limited to pleasantries, is for you to do it yourself. –Study, study, study, -learn, learn, learn; then teach, and learn some more.

I had to really sit down and ask myself what the entire writing process was all about. How can the stories contained within the Bible speak to us in today’s culture?  Our lives are not about the little dilemmas or even major hardships that we go through, it is about the process. –The discoveries we uncover about ourselves as we go through our ordeals.  It doesn’t matter if they are extended bouts of elation, or basic life episodes we consider devastating. In the larger scheme of things they are all the same. It comes down to how we deal with it. It comes down to the impression it leaves on our lives, and whether it defines who we are or who we become. Will the results make us bitter, wicked, vengeful, disobedient, callous, envious, and atheistic; or, will it remind us how fleeting life is, elevating our spirits to offer gratitude, love, forgiveness, humility, generosity, empathy, and devoutness. Although I love the poetry of the biblical book of Job, the story of Job is not my favorite, yet, what I found is, as a Christian in today’s culture, our lives literally come down to the book of Job, chapter and verse. It does not matter what kind of problems Job went through; they were all devastating. Yet, the lesson for us is that, throughout the process of his trials he maintained his devotion to God, recognizing that no matter what occurred, no matter how devastating the event or how he felt day to day, his devotion to God never wavered. –God was still his strength.  

No matter how alone Job felt, and how much he questioned God, he knew God was always by his side. That’s what I learned. God is always there right by your side. So, don’t give up.  Like all the cyclical storms of the earth, your storm will pass. The question is, How will it leave you?  L.
​
Reference Study: Job 42:5, Job 1:6-12
Excerpt from: "The Lesson Learned." In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions for Everyday Living.  
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: ​Cardiff-Peter-Kennelly

​"For a good tree brings not forth corrupt fruit; neither does a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bring forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil. For of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks. And, why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”       Luke 6:43-46 


​Do you really want to change the world? —Are you tired of everyone around you and their drama?  Are all your 
co-workers, friends, and church members getting on your last nerve? Is it all just too much? Problems here, problems there, problems everywhere! The kids are bad, the people are rude, and it appears that life is harder than it needs to be. You watch the evening news and it seems that everyone in the world is losing their minds; and, there’s nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide. What can you do?  Where can you start?  

Well, if you are really interested in impacting the world and making a definite change in your life, here’s a suggestion. It has been said, if you really want to change the world, start with one person at a time.  And, to make the greatest impact, the first person you must place on your list is the one staring back at you in the mirror.  

Does everyone seem rude to you? Then you should be kinder. When you are kinder, others in your midst become kinder. Do others seem increasingly selfish? Then, begin sharing more of yourself and what you have. It may not seem like a lot, but, if you seek a need and fill it, you will impact change. Are you surrounded by hate and loveless relationships? Find ways of expressing your love for others and for humanity-at-large. You may not change the entire world—at first; but, you will certainly change the environment around you—the part of the world you live in. 
If it is true that we are separated from all people in the world by six degrees of separation, then imagine how a change in your life will impact the first six people you interact with after you have adjusted your attitude about life.  Imagine the next six. And, so on …and, so on ….and, so on… 

When we change ourselves first, everyone around us changes. It is a simple premise with an enormous impact. Whether it is your attitude, perspective, or demeanor, when you change yourself—everything in the world changes!  L. 

Study Reference: Luke 6:43-46 
From:"Changing The World." In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living.  
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo:  Lukasz Janyst/ shutterstock

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?"   
Ecclesiastes 3:1-9


​Science proves God every single day.  As Christians we must embrace science and technology as proof in understanding how difficult it is to dismiss how truly awesome God is!  

Scientists say that in order to create a computer that does all of the unconscious and mundane things your brain does every day, they would have to build a computer that takes up the entire square footage of the Empire State Building, in New York.  And, even then, if they are really lucky, it would barely function with the minimal workings of a newborn baby.  But Of course, as most new mothers can tell you, even this feat by a computer is impossible, since human babies evolve minute by minute after they are born.  And, we continue to evolve, minute by minute, day by day, month by month, and year by year until we take our very last breath.

The Bible says that the average human will live 70 years (Psalm 90:10).  If we break it down to seconds, every day that we live we would have consumed the 86,400 seconds which were added to our time on earth. On average, every month, we use 2,592,000 seconds; and, every year we use 31,536,000 seconds, give or take a leap year. And just in case we actually live to age 70, as most of us will, then, we would have consumed 2,207,520,000 seconds during our lifetime. Computers are evolving every day; they were designed to reduce the minutia and mundane so that we could do the things that really matter in the lives of humanity with and for other humans. They were not created to isolate us from each other. No one will ever say, “It was so wonderful the way she loved her computer.”  Or, “My, my; he spent so many hours with his beloved computer.” 

Somehow, our time on earth is always shorter than we think. Why not maximize every single second, of every single minute, of every single day?  -L.

*It's your turn to write your thoughts on today's verse in your journal.

Study Reference: Ecclesiastes 3:1-9  
From: "Your Thoughts: Time."  In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions for Everyday Living. 
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo credit;  Marbles, Mike Gong

"Nevertheless, My loving kindness will I not take away from you; nor suffer My faithfulness to fail, My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of My lips."  
Psalm 89:33-34


Throughout the Bible, there were many instances where God prophesied a future occurrence in the lives of His people. He did so in the lives of Abraham, Samson, David, Elizabeth, Joseph, and Mary, to name a few.  Yet, they all had to wait to see the manifestation of His promise.  Why should you be any different?

Sometimes, we will receive a vision of a future event in our lives while we are still in the midst of an arduous or trialing situation. We remember the prophesy; and yet, it appears as though it will never manifest. Then, we somehow get the inclination that we should help God in producing the vision, and so we do not wait for God’s direction; only to find out, our timing was completely off.  Our waiting becomes a burden, our trust in God becomes an issue, and disappointment appears to become our closest friend. However, do not be dismayed.

You received the vision so you would not lose faith. It was a key; a look into your own future to offer hope, patience, and strength when those arduous and trialing times became way too burdensome. God promised you a better future and will not falter.

According to today’s verse, even on the worse days when your trust and faith is at its lowest, God says, He will not take His loving-kindness from you. His faithfulness will not fail, and nothing that He has promised you will He alter from your life. It is right there in your Bible in black and white.
–Hallelujah!  –Isn't that a terrific prophesy for your life!   L.

Study Reference: Psalm 89:33-34
From: "A Prophesy In Your Life."  In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living.  
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
​photo: shutterstock

“And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.” Exodus 17:11-12


There are times in your life when you will have to accept the help of others to accomplish a task God has asked of you. The story of Moses on the mountain raising his staff against the Amalekites to win the battle helps us to understand the acceptance of help from others when we need it.

As part of Moses’ covenant with God, he was to use his staff as a means of accomplishing various tasks for God. We have all seen the scene in the movie, The Ten Commandments, where his staff is used to devour the snakes of Pharaoh. Moses’ staff would prove God over and over again. Yet, in the first battle against the Amalekites, as Moses stands on the mountain with his staff raised high, his hands begin to tire; and, like any of us, he eventually has to drop his arms to his side out of fatigue. The problem is, every time he does so, the Amalekites begin winning the battle. Noticing the problem, Aaron and Hur, who were on the mountain with him, sit him down on a rock, and with each man on either side of him,THEY hold up his hands for him and Joshua's army goes on to defeat the Amalekites. It is a great example of kinship, friendship, honor, respect, love and teamwork, used to win a battle.

Sometimes there are things we must do alone that God will ask of us for our own growth as individuals.  And, there are times when God will need for us to work with others because, working alone is simply not enough to accomplish the task. The Bible says, Moses’ “hands were steady until the going down of the sun.” 

Remember, true friendships are sacred; true friends will find a way to help, even if they have to use their hands to hold up your hands as part of the process.  L.

Study Reference: Exodus 17:11-15 
From: "Accepting Help." In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living.  
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: bigstock

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”   John 10:27


There are thought patterns governing our lives on a continuous basis. Although some inner thoughts are placed there by society, friends, foes, and family; the majority of them are primarily governed and manufactured by us. These thoughts can be more powerful than our spoken words, and can cause more damage to us than our most lethal enemy. The kinds of thoughts we have can literally mean the difference between success and failure; happiness and depression; righteousness and wickedness; even life or death. 

Working on a project in the psychiatric unit for an out of town hospital, I saw patients that routinely heard voices urging them to commit suicide.  Voices that were so outspoken and unrelenting, some patients would routinely sit for hours at a time speaking out loud—responding to an unseen person.  Most of us would consider them nuts. However, the thing to remember is, we all have those voices; those nagging little inner thoughts that can bombard our lives telling us how bad we are, or how incompetent we are at something. It is the classic image of the little angel and the devil’s imp sitting on your shoulder urging you to opt between good and evil. For some people, the imp has taken possession over their lives. They have allowed those negative thoughts to gain full access so often, there is no room for the thoughts of goodness released by God.  Still, there are some people reading this today that somehow think they cannot relate to the people who hear voices urging them to harm themselves or others.  Yet the truth is, we hear the same thoughts all the time: 

“You are no good!” “You’re too fat” “You’re too skinny!” “You’re so unattractive no one will love you!” “Ugly!” “Stupid!” “You never get anything right!” “You can’t do that!” “You’re an idiot!” “Who told you—you could do that!” “You’ll never amount to anything!” “You are better off dead!” “No one loves you! —No one ever will!”

They are all lies, lies, and more lies. There are tons of these negative, self-deprecating, non-affirming mantras we say to ourselves every day --words that come directly from the pits of hell that should have no life in the mind of a Christian.  Jesus gave us the WORD to live by when we find ourselves lost and struggling to maintain a positive attitude and outlook. These words have truth and power to enforce us with the knowledge that He alone speaks to us. He alone has conquered all other voices; and, if we allow His voice to take precedence in our lives, it will negate any negative power over us. He will never leave us or forsake us, and most of all, He loves us more than we could possibly ever imagine. 

We are called by His name, and hear His voice.  It is not that we cannot fall prey to the voice of the imps around us; it is that we should never allow any other voice to take precedence in our lives, even if that voice, with all its negative overtones, clearly sounds like our own.  L.

Study Reference: John 10:11-14, 10:27
Excerpt from: "Thinking Out Loud." In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living. 
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: bigstock

“Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him; because, that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.”
Deuteronomy 15:10



“Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak; for your work shall be rewarded.”   2 Chronicles 15:7


As children we were taught to bless our meal; not because the meal was potentially dangerous, but because it was an opportunity to thank God for His provisions.  As adults, we must learn to extend this blessing to our work or daily routine, since our work is ideally a provision from God; and, by blessing our provisions we are also blessing God.

The act of verbally blessing your work not only helps you to go through your daily routine, it also helps to alleviate potential problems with co-workers and /or others, who may be going through issues even more difficult than you could ever imagine.  In addition to this, it blesses your work in direct opposition to those whose only desire is to sabotage the work you do. Sometimes, those who you work, or interact with are simply going through problems so overwhelming in their personal life, it manifests itself in their demeanor at work.  Either way, you have no way of knowing which one is which –a deeply personal problem, or wicked sabotage.  So, pray for them; nothing grandiose, just quietly at your desk prior to your interactions with them. –It will work wonders. The truth is, we never really know why certain co-workers are placed in our path by God. Like the Ethiopian chamberlain baptized by Phillip in Acts 8:26-38, it just might be to get them closer to God, or simply for God’s Glory.

In today’s text, Deuteronomy 15:10, God instructs employers to deal fairly with their servants /employees; since, in doing so, not only will they be blessed, but everything within their business will be blessed. –This includes you!
Bless your work, bless the company you work for, and more importantly, bless your bosses. It will change their outlook; but, even more important, it will change yours.  L.

Study Reference: Psalm 103:22, Psalm 145:2, Romans 12:14
From: "Blessing Your Work."  In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living.  
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: I. Ytimg

“Peter, seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, ‘If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
​-Follow thou Me.”  
John 21:21-22

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On occasion we are reminded in the Bible to “mind our own business,” when it comes to what Jesus has asked others to do. Not only what He has asked, but also whom He has asked. For example, as Christians, we somehow believe we should all look the same, speak the same, act the same, even worship the same based on our own meager understanding of God’s Word, not fully understanding that there are unique roles assigned to all Christians based on upbringing, character, physical abilities, social status, dialect, and personality, just to name a few. There is a special correlation between you and those you will speak to concerning the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Your unique capabilities will be used to reach those where countless others have failed.

In John 21:14-17, after dining with Jesus for the last time after the resurrection, Peter the Apostle is asked by Jesus three distinct times, “Lovest thou Me?” Peter replies, “Yea Lord, Knowest that I love Thee.”   Jesus states, “Feed My Sheep.”   It is a wonderful exchange of God’s directive to all Christians.  However, there is a verse I find even more compelling found in today's verse, John 21:21.  It appears as Jesus is speaking to Peter concerning what he should do for the Kingdom of God. Peter, espying John, whom the Bible refers to as, “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” instead asks Jesus,
“What shall this man do?” And Jesus replies,
“If I will, that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?”

In other words, do not worry about how another serves God, concern yourself with the responsibility that God has given to you.

There are some who will walk the straight and narrow path to find God, and there are others who will, like the thief on the cross, find God in their very last breath. Let’s not forget, even in our scant human understanding of perfection; we have all fallen short of the Glory of God, and, it is on God’s Honor, by His Grace, and in His Mercy that each person is saved. L.

Study Reference: John 21:14-24
Excerpt from:"Minding Our Own Business." In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions for Everyday Living. 
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: Renjith Kumar

“And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie; though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”   Habakkuk 2:2-3


The first time I read Dr. Steven Covey’s book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, I was completely overwhelmed. I had to read the chapters more than once for it to really sink in.  The book is an intellectual review of what it takes to be a highly effective leader; not simply in business, but in life. There are several universal principles; such as, the development of a personal mission statement and charting a vision course that will ultimately cover your life, family, and career.  More importantly, with considerable regards to humanity as a whole, and above all else, God. 

Truthfully, I never really considered a written statement for my life until I read the book. I had always written down my goals, but the thought of writing a mission and visionary statement for my life, until then, seemed unnecessary. That was in the early 90’s; I knew what I wanted to do, and was clearly on track to accomplish my goals. At the time, my company was doing well; and, the leadership training and development program I developed had garnered major interest from a large city agency.  As I have gotten older, my life and my goals have changed. Maybe, it has changed for you also.  Writing a vision and mission statement for your life is a means of keeping you on track. It forces you to critically and spiritually look at all aspects of your life, while working to maintain your higher ideals through the vicissitudes of life—you know, those crazy ups and downs where keeping up your ideals can be a lot harder than keeping up with the neighbors.

Writing a mission and vision statement for your life is not easy, it takes a lot of thought.  It can be highly complex in its simplicity, leaving very little room for all those vicissitudes in your life.  Or, it can be so simple it borders on the impossible; like, “promoting world peace.”  But, if praising, loving, and respecting God is number one on the list, it will be difficult not to see it through.  Keep in mind this statement by writer Os Hillman; "God often births a vision in your life only to allow it to die first before the purest version of the vision is manifested." 
—True words indeed; but, write it anyway.  L.

Study Reference: Habakkuk 2:2-3, Proverbs 29:18 
Excerpt From:"Write The Vision." In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living. 
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
​photo: shutterstock