Category Archives: Devotional

Your Shiny New Year

Devotional, Humanity & Sin, Living the Word, Spiritual Health, , , , , , , ,


Following every glittering testimony of faith from one raised in a stable Christian home- learning at an earthly father’s knee to love The Heavenly Father, happily participating in church life with the family, knowing a lifetime of Christian heritage- is a chorus of genuine amens and hearty hallelujahs! And rightly so!

But for many hearers, there’s a whispered, “please Lord, let that be my kid’s witness someday, since it will never be mine.”  There are those thinking of when they were children and rode the church bus alone every Sunday- and still are the only professing Christians in their families.  Many are remembering regular family participation in church- punctuated by long days and nights of familial dysfunction.  Many have no memory of attending church as a child.  Due to the troublesome vines continuously trying to choke it to death, some folks may not be able to distinguish the branches of their family tree.

The Good News is:  If you have kissed a hundred frogs and not one of them turned into royalty, if you are sleeping with pigs and slapping off flies, if you do not know your earthly father- much less your heavenly one, if you are running hard and fast from pain- afraid to slow down and catch your breath; there’s a GOD in heaven who made you, who loves you- and if you seek Him- you’ll find He was willing to take human form and die to redeem you from your natural sinful state and your proclivity to sin.

Sin has many natural consequences.  Some are merely difficult, others are horrid.  Most  important however, is the ultimate price of our sin:  It is spiritual death and eternal separation from GOD, and from all that is good and pure.  Good tidings of great joy:  Jesus Christ has come to buy back his own from the dark side!  GOD in The Son of God has paid in full for our offenses toward Him and for the harm we  have done others!

Now, respectfully, before all you precious theologians on every side of the many fences we’ve built prepare to take me to task- I thoughtfully read the book, too.  The Book says, if anyone wants GOD it is an act of His sovereign grace in that one’s life.  It says, if anyone is willing to trust in and sincerely believes on Jesus Christ, The Only Begotten Son of God, for personal salvation from sin it is an act of sovereign grace.  And if anyone consistently, yet imperfectly, displays the fruits of salvation and of The Indwelling of The Holy Spirit it is an act of sovereign grace.  And if anyone genuinely wants GOD he or she is elect.  And if anyone chooses GOD it is because GOD CHOSE first.  It says, there is not one thing, NO NOT ONE, that any of us lowly humans can do to better ourselves and our position before A HOLY GOD.  We can not even WANT God on our own.  We cannot be WILLING to obey on our own.  There is not one tiny work we can do without God either to save ourselves or to keep ourselves saved.  Everything is ALL of GOD and everything is owed to Him.  Justified- sanctified- glorified, ALL OF HIM! By Him, for Him, and through Him, ALL things came to be, and are coming to be, and will be, and are held together.  These things are in the book.  These things are in His Word.

Therefore, if you are one with a less than sparkling legacy and you truly want God, you will simply look to Him, as did the thief on the cross that solemn day long ago on Calvary’s Hill, and you will be saved! Then, you will go find your new brothers and sisters! You will link arms with them and in the power of The Holy Spirit, embrace the struggle against sin! You will go and celebrate the victory that was hard-won for you! Merry Christmas And A Shiny New Year!

Copyright 2023.    L. L. Shelton.

On Mother’s Day

Devotional, Family Life, Spiritual Health

To Each and Every Dear Child:

Conception begins in the mind of GOD.  Conception begins when your creator, GOD of all that is, decides you will be created; when he conceives of the idea of you and He declares that you will be made in His image- meaning that you will bear the stamp of His authorship.  You are invaluable and you are without exception given as a blessing, and you are to be received as a blessing.

Whether or not you remain a blessing, is in part due to our response to the gift of you and in part according to your response to GOD.  These things are true.  It does not matter what alternative information is perpetuated by the world system, for GOD who owns all that is, has declared these things to be true and nothing can change the truth.

This world is corrupt; it is the furthest thing from the goodness of GOD.  This world is ultimately governed by evil; its ruler is Satan, The Prince of The Air and the one who ushered death into the world- and from him you may expect nothing but lies.  He will often mix truth together with lie- the better to deceive you!  He is opposed to your creator.  He has been a liar and a murderer from the beginning.  Do not listen to him, as he will lead you to your own destruction while nearly always behaving as though he is the best thing available to you and has only your best interest at heart.

But there is hope! To combat the bombardment of lies, you must remember who you are! You are a beautiful work of art- conceptualized, designed, and brought forth by GOD! As you journey here, in this fallen world, seek the one who created you; seek and you will find.  Become a child of His salvation.  HE is found in a relationship with Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son.  The Bible tells me so, and I have found Him.  You can find Him, too.  Reach out to God through sincere prayer, confess your need for a savior to deliver you from your sin and your faith that Jesus Christ is God’s son sent to earth to do that very thing, believe and be saved (be justified), then He will begin to move you forward in obedience to His Word (begin to be sanctified).  GOD is the great lover of your soul, and the only one in whom you will discover your extraordinary meaning and purpose; your true and wonderful life (be glorified)!

Copyright   2022.    L.L. Shelton.

Are You Spiritually Naked?

Bible Talk, Devotional, Holistic Health, Living the Word

As it becomes more complicated on a daily basis to monitor the input of the world into our own minds, as well as our children’s, I am comforted by the recollection of a sermon I heard Dr. Adrian Rogers preach a few years before his death.  He reminded us that moral impurity comes not from what is going into us but from what is coming out, as Jesus said.  (See Matthew 15:11, Mark 7:15)

Dr. Rogers explained with tremendous articulation that if we are who we should be on the inside, spiritually, we can experience anything and our reaction will be a Christ-like response.  He gave the example of seeing the public nudity of a beautiful woman and mused that Jesus would seek clothes for the poor unfortunate soul and would Himself cover the person, and would then likely pray over that one, and possibly attempt to convert that fellow human being to The Faith, all of this rather than lusting after the poverty-stricken creature; reasoning that though endowed with physical beauty, she was indeed spiritually poor and naked.  (See  Revelation 3:17)

I have come to the conclusion that we should place our emphasis on what is right rather than on what is wrong.  This is the way to become who we should be on the inside.  It is the way to a pure heart.  Certainly, we should be aware of and we should help others to notice what is wrong, and we should be initiators of change as well, but our emphasis, our priority should be to know and to focus on what is right.  The good should be given preeminence in our hearts and minds.  We should be learning and teaching what is excellent and praiseworthy.  We should always be wearing our clothing, our spiritual armor.  If this were more often the case, there may be less wrong to confront and to manage.  (See Ephesians 6:10-10, Philippians 4:8)

Copyright 2018. L.L. Shelton.

Did You Grow Up?

Devotional

“There’s something wrong with the way I grew up.”  This admission occurs in the office of a Life coach and Biblical counselor now and again.  My standard response, or something near it:  Yes, I’m sure there is, as sin is a reality that affects the entirety of creation- welcome to the only club that involves everyone.  In fact, each human being is granted lifetime membership upon conception.  The important factor is what you will do to make your adult life one of positive contribution in spite of the lack of the perfect childhood, leaving the world somewhat better off than you found it.

Some childhood histories include genuine trauma, adult trauma is certainly a reality; and traumatic experience has the potential to ruin all good things.  Still, in the face of this physical, emotional, and spiritual monster- the ultimate question is:  Are you going to allow it to destroy you and possibly the ones you love, as well as your potential to improve society for yourself and for the next generation?

Instead, will you seek assistance through your local church, a Christian counselor, coach, or psychologist? Will you admit your troubles to a neighbor, friend, or family member and ask for help in the journey? Will you become vulnerable once again to your fallen human companions, renewing your trust in a select few? Will you continue to hope in our shared potential as we surrender to Our God who in His time is making all things new?

I am hoping.  I am believing in Our God and am considering in Faith His greatness and power, knowing that by Him and through His Word, His Son, Jesus Christ, and in His Holy Spirit, we can be changed, and that the dead shall be raised incorruptible. Will you join me in this authentic available hope?

Copyright 2018. L.L. Shelton.