The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast – Détails, épisodes et analyse

A tree with strong roots can endure any type of wind. No matter how tall the tree’s trunk is, the roots are what matters. Whether you are in the middle of a storm or not, seeking God and learning to trust Him in all things can begin now.

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Full Transcript Below

Storms Only Last a Season

By Sarah Frazer

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. Psalm 57:1 (ESV)

The storms that have blown through the eastern part of our beautiful country have devastated so much. People, buildings, animals, and nature all succumbed to the storms' power. As so many friends, neighbors, and family pick up the pieces of the physical storms that have come through, I can’t help but think about those storms in our lives that devastate us in other ways. 

Things like cancer, heart attacks, grief, loss, depression, anxiety, and so much more have touched so many lives. These types of storms aren’t cleaned up in a few days, weeks, or even months. Sometimes, these storms leave us ragged and worn for a long time. 

We often don’t have any warning for these types of storms either. In Psalm 57, David, the rightful king, runs away from King Saul. Saul wants to kill David, and, in a panic, David writes Psalm 57. In the middle of a cave, in the dark, with the storm of an angry king threatening his very life, David writes these words. 

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. Psalm 57:1 (ESV)

David knows the storm is here, and he is seeking refuge. Instead of running to weapons, war, or his own strength, David runs to God. When the storms of life threaten to overturn our faith, do we run to God first? Do we see Him in our true refuge?

I admit sometimes I try to fix things on my own. I exhaust all of my own resources before coming to God. Let’s take a pause and speak to God in the midst of our storm: 

“God! Be my refuge.” 

What I love is that David acknowledges that he is in the middle of a storm but also reminds himself that storms will pass. He says, “Till the storms of destruction pass by.” The storms will pass by. The storm will not last forever. We get caught up in the moment and the aftermath of the destruction that we forget that the storms will soon be gone. 

Just like the hurricanes pass by, the waters will recede, and the sun will reappear again, God will stay the storms of life and they won’t last forever. We can hang on to God because He is a safe refuge and strong enough to help us through. Each day we can come to God with our weaknesses and say, “I can’t do this.” And realize that is ok! God is more than able to hold us up. 

What I love is that not only does David remind us that the storms of life will pass, but that the storms are there to serve God’s purpose for our lives. David says in the next verse: 

I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. Psalm 57:2 (ESV)

God had a purpose for David’s life, and He has a purpose for us as well. Right now, the storm might be coming, or you might feel like you are in the middle of that storm. God has a purpose for this storm. No, He doesn’t wish or cause the hard things present in your life right now, but God can use even those things for His glory and our good. In all of this, God’s purpose is to make us more like Christ (Romans 8:28-29).

May we endure the storms in the shadow of God’s care, understanding that the storms will pass and everything - even this - is part of God’s plan. 

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Our faith is often most evident when the storms come. Will we rely on God, or will we trust our own abilities to just endure it? I think we so often see life as a choice to trust God or not. The key is to develop a heart of faith along the way. So many people failed when their faith was tested because they failed to walk with God even during the “sunny days.” 

What you do between storms fortifies your life and gets you ready for the surge of what might be coming. We don’t live in dread or expect doom around every corner. Instead, we learn the daily habit of meeting with God in prayer and Bible reading while developing our faith muscles one little bit at a time. 

A tree with strong roots can endure any type of wind. No matter how tall the tree’s trunk is, the roots are what matters. Whether you are in the middle of a storm or not, seeking God and learning to trust Him in all things can begin now. Storms won’t last forever, but our faith can! 

What is one aspect of God’s character that can help anchor your heart in a storm? 

Further Reading

Isaiah 4:6

Nahum 1:7

Psalm 107:29

Matthew 8:26

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Have you asked God to show you how you can partner with Him in pushing back the darkness in this world? How does it feel to know that God’s Light and love will win in the end?

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Full Transcript Below

Focus on Jesus 

By Alexis A. Goring

“I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven.”

— Psalm 123:1 (NIV)

Let’s face it: Our world is in complete chaos. But we do have hope! His name is Jesus Christ and He can help us survive this experience on Earth. 

It’s easy to get caught up in all that is wrong with our world today: wars and rumors of wars, division in the Christian church, turmoil in our communities in the USA and throughout the world, bad weather wreaking havoc, political upheaval, as well as personal struggles and the trials we all endure as followers of Jesus Christ. Truthfully, it’s a lot and very overwhelming if that’s our focus. 

But the moment we decide to turn our eyes upon Jesus, that is when our perspective begins to change. We remember that planet Earth is not our home. We realize that one day, Jesus will return and usher all His faithful followers into Heaven where there will be no more pain, sorrow, heartbreak, disappointment, or sin. Heaven is a perfect place, and when we arrive there, we too will be perfect. But for now, Earth is our temporary home. God does not expect us to ignore all the problems we have on this planet. Instead, He expects us to serve others as we serve Him. It’s our duty to make this world a better place.

We can do that by focusing on our faith walk with Jesus. When we ask Him to show us what He is doing in this world, we can learn what we can do to partner with Him in driving out the darkness. The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the Light of the world (John 8:12) and as Christians, we are a light for Christ (Matthew 5:14). It is important to spend time with God and ask Him how we can share Christ’s light and love with our fellow humans—especially those who don’t know Jesus yet.

William J. Thoms, a British writer, said, “Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some person ever reads.” Therefore, let’s do our best to love God and all people. Our hope is that they will be drawn to Him and learn how much God loves them. When we share the love of Jesus, it helps to ease their pain as they learn how to look to Christ.

The lyrics to the hymn, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus,” tell us that when we look to Jesus, all the problems in this world seem to fade away. Our perspective is renewed as we allow His goodness, grace, and mercy to flood our souls, bringing us close to Him and reminding us that this world is not our home.

Several years ago, I was pouring out my heart to Jesus about all the pain in this world and lamenting how it was affecting me. God responded by speaking these words to my heart: “Remember, Earth is temporary and that means your pain is temporary.” He helped me see that all the trials and tribulations, death and destruction, betrayal and pain … it all will be put to a permanent end by Jesus Christ. There is an expiration date to our pain and that date is known as the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Only God knows the exact date and time when He will send His Son to take us home (Matthew 24:36).

God wants everyone to know Him and be saved in His Kingdom. Let’s keep working to share His Light and His love with our world today and every day.

There are two songs that helped to inspire this devotional today: “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” by Rachael Lampa and “Turn to Jesus” by Katy Nichole. I encourage you to listen to both, because the lyrics can help us focus on Jesus.

Let’s thank Jesus for being our safe place, our refuge and ever-present help in trouble. Let’s look to Jesus and focus on Him so that we are not consumed by all the pain and suffering in this world. Let’s thank the Lord for always being here for us and never leaving us to face life alone. 

Intersecting Faith and Life: Have you asked God to show you how you can partner with Him in pushing back the darkness in this world? How does it feel to know that God’s Light and love will win in the end?

Further Reading:

Hebrews 12:2

Hebrews 13:14

James 1:2-4

Romans 5:1-5

Joshua 1:9

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Is there a situation where you feel God doesn't care? Be patient during this time of affliction. Be faithful and bring God your prayers every day. Don't waste this time running away from him. Run toward him and see what God will do even amid great trials. 

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Be Faithful

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12

After receiving a new medication from my doctor, she warned me of potential side effects. Nausea, vomiting, and appetite loss were the most common side effects. The first couple of weeks, I did fine. The side effects were minimal, and I was able to tolerate them. 

But by month two, everything had changed. I quickly got to the point where I was sick every day and became afraid to leave my home. My stomach would change in an instant, and I could be in the middle of nowhere feeling incredibly nauseous and uncomfortable. This is far from the health I had hoped for. 

I prayed and asked God to take the side effects away. But they got worse rather than better. Week after week, I would pray fervently for God to hear my prayers. But nothing. Finally, my doctor took me off the medicine and gave me a month to reset before discussing a new brand of medication. 

While this seems small in the large scheme of life, this wasn't the first time I had experienced loss this past year. Sudden job changes, loss of relationships, and an unsteady income are all issues I was dealing with daily. 

Having a health challenge on top of it was the last thing I wanted to hear. It felt as if God didn't care and that he wanted me to suffer. After another day of unwanted side effects, I went to the grocery store to get some groceries. I entered my car and banged my head on the rearview mirror, causing a bump on my head. That sent me over the edge. 

I cried in my car in the grocery store parking lot for over an hour. I poured out my heart to God, asking him to help me since I couldn't take another thing. I'd been dealing with so much loss over the past year it wasn't easy to deal with yet another challenge. It felt as if no area of my life was going right. 

I felt compelled to continue praying and placing my hope in God. Eventually, the side effects did wear off after a change in medication, and I could enjoy the following weeks. But going through that season of turmoil felt endless. Yet, God wanted me to be patient in that affliction. He wanted me to go to him daily, giving him my days, minutes, and hours. 

In the same way, God wants us to bring our pain to him. He wants us to be patient when we are afflicted with many trials. He doesn't want us to give up hope. Instead, he wants to see us have hope during those trials. He wants us to persevere and trust that he has us in this season for a reason.

God doesn't waste our pain. He wants us to endure every trial with patience, perseverance, and hope. When we do this, we become more like Christ than ever before. It is easy to love God when things are going well. 

When things are not going well, and God feels absent or silent, we must trust him even when we can't see or feel him. He wants us to be faithful in praying to him and giving over our trials to him. When life feels endless, and we feel like there's no end to our trials, he wants us to pray to him, trusting that he will make way for our situation and turn it for his good. 

Is there a situation where you feel God doesn't care? Be patient during this time of affliction. Be faithful and bring God your prayers every day. Don't waste this time running away from him. Run toward him and see what God will do even amid great trials. 

Father, remind us that you are with us always. Please help us to be patient when we're afflicted with many trials. Help us to be faithful and give over our lives to you in prayer every day. Help us trust that you do everything for your good and that our pain is not wasted. Amen. 

Intersecting Faith and Life

What area of your life do you need to exercise patience during trial?

Further Reading

Romans 5:3-5 

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The grace He extends to us will endure throughout all time and this is shown to us in how Gentiles are now part of the family of God. At one point only Israel was the family of God; however through Jesus’ grace all people can join the family of God. 

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Full Transcript Below:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” – Ephesians 2:8-9

From the moment we come to know Jesus, we are blessed. We are blessed because we now know the Savior of our souls, our Redeemer, and our greatest Friend. Although we are now just coming to know Him, He has loved us since before the beginning of time. When we were actively living in sin, He loved us (Romans 5:8). The love of Jesus is what enables us to live graceful lives. 

While we ourselves might be lacking in extending grace in our lives, we know we never have to worry about this with the Lord. He is always extending grace to us in His actions. Even though we do not deserve His love and grace, Jesus still chooses to do this. Love is at the Lord’s core and there is nothing we can do to change this (Romans 8:37-39).

From a biblical sense, grace is undeserved favor or unmerited favor. We did nothing to warrant Jesus’ love or favor. Rather, He simply chose to love us and He continues to do so every day. The grace He extends to us will endure throughout all time and this is shown to us in how Gentiles are now part of the family of God. At one point only Israel was the family of God; however through Jesus’ grace all people can join the family of God. 

This is all because of God’s grace and His love. With this knowledge, we can live graceful lives. Rather than being fearful, doubtful, or even prideful, we can live lives of grace and love. God has given us grace, which is something we don't deserve. By all practical means, God could have eradicated the human race thousands of years ago because of our sin, but He didn't. Instead, He has chosen to give us chance after chance to come to Him. 

The love of God is abounding and this is why He has not destroyed us. God’s love is what leads Him to give us grace because it is not by anything that we did. We cannot earn God’s grace just as we cannot earn our own salvation. If one was to say we could earn God’s grace, it would be implying that we somehow could win God’s favor and this is not true. We already have God’s favor because of who He is, not because of anything we have done or haven't done. 

This is in line with our Bible passage of the day. The Apostle Paul tells us, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Similar to as I was saying before, grace and salvation were given to us by God. It is by God’s grace that we have been saved and this is through faith. As soon as we place faith in Jesus and accept Him as our Savior, we are given salvation. 

Grace overpowers our life and salvation becomes our new reality. As Paul goes on to tell us, this grace and salvation is not from ourselves. Rather, it is the gift of God. God’s grace and salvation are both gifts. We do not earn these things by our works in order that no one can boast. If God chose people based on their work, then it would give individuals a chance to boast about “how they earned salvation” or “earned God’s favor.”

Neither of these things are biblical. Instead, they are rooted in pride. Salvation is a free gift given to us by the Lord Himself. We did not work towards this gift nor did we earn it. In the same way, grace was extended to us by Jesus out of His great love. When we look at these truths, we know we can step out into the day with a grateful heart. We have been given a graceful life and this is all because of the Lord. 

May we all praise Him today and go to Him in prayer. 

“Dear Jesus, I praise You for blessing me with a graceful life. Through Your love and grace, I have received salvation. None of this is due to my own work or efforts. Instead, it is done completely by You. Thank You, Lord, for Your wonderful gift of salvation and Your grace. Amen.”

Intersecting Faith & Life:

• Are you currently living a graceful life? If not, how can you change this? 
• We cannot warrant God’s favor. Have you tried to do this in the past? If you have, how can you give up this practice? 
• Salvation is given freely by grace through faith. Have you accepted Jesus’ free gift of salvation yet? If not, do you think you might want to accept Him as your Savior today? 

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.