Sunday Devotion and Prayer – April 30, 2023
By: Bishop Dr. Etta Mhoon-Walker, Ph.D., D. Div. Sunday Devotion and Prayer. April 30, 2023 …
Month: April 2023
Saturday Devotion and Prayer – April 29, 2023
By: Bishop Dr. Etta Mhoon-Walker, Ph.D., D. Div. Saturday Devotion and Prayer. April 29, 2023 …
Friday Devotion and Prayer – April 28, 2023
By: Bishop Dr. Etta Mhoon-Walker, Ph.D., D. Div.
Friday Devotion and Prayer. April 28, 2023
“Busy Seasons of Life”
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” – Psalm 46:10
This season of our lives is super busy. While we’ve had multiple talks on how to slow down, re-arrange our schedule, or make more time for our daughters, and us, we still end up here – busy. Right back at square one. Sigh. Unfortunately, time is one thing we can never get back. So, I have managed to see this season for what it is. I have deadlines, church obligations, and so many other things that pull me in many different directions. I have learned that prayer is my immediate lifeline. We can always get through the day when we pray!
Heavenly Father,
We come before You with this season of endless demands and ask that You relieve our burdens. Be with us Lord, as we are so tired. We know that You are a good Father and will sustain us during this season, so we invite You into our busy lives and ask You to grant us peace and settle our hearts. As we strive to do our best to “juggle it all” while pouring love over our children and marriages, we set our sights on You. Be there and be our guide. Show us Your presence as You breathe a little bit of life and calm into our chaos. Deliver peace as only You can, as we find time when we can rest and lean in on You.
Give us strength to endure each day and walk beside us, leading and protecting our family as we all disperse in different directions. Gracious God, we must admit that we aren’t always good at knowing how to organize our schedules and can fill them up rather quickly with unnecessary things. We ask that You please show us where we can use our time more efficiently and wisely, as we long to honor You with our time. O God You tell us to “Be Still, and Know…” (Psalm 46:10).
But it can be so difficult to find those moments to be still. We can also easily fall into the traps of seeking stillness and peace that we don’t even recognize the times when they are given to us. Those moments are so precious to us, Lord. We thank You for Your unfailing love and for granting us time in our day to see You everywhere. We pray we take notice and look up! In Your son Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Thursday Devotion and Prayer – April 27, 2023
By: Bishop Dr. Etta Mhoon-Walker, Ph.D., D. Div. Thursday …
Wednesday Devotion and Prayer – April 26, 2023
By: Bishop Dr. Etta Mhoon-Walker, Ph.D., D. Div. Wednesday Devotion and Prayer. April 26, 2023 …
Tuesday Devotion and Prayer – April 25, 2023
By: Bishop Dr. Etta Mhoon-Walker, Ph.D., D. Div.
Tuesday Devotion and Prayer. April 25, 2023
“Godly Wisdom”“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (James 1:5)
We receive wisdom through the Word of God and the counsel of godly mentors and friends. God’s wisdom isn’t anything like what the world offers us; ultimately, it is full of peace and brings about good fruit. James wrote, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” (James 3:17)
When we approach God with humility asking Him for guidance and direction, He is faithful to give us wisdom from above. We have been given the gift of leaders in the church to help us understand and apply the wisdom in God’s Word. Church leaders are charged to care for our souls, help us through difficult times, and equip and encourage us. Do you fall into the ditch of pride, thinking you have it all figured out? Are you unteachable? Often, when we face challenges, the Lord is using the situation to sanctify, humble, and build our trust in Him. When we humble ourselves before the Lord, He gives us the grace which strengthens us in our trials and difficult seasons. Grace is always available to the humble (1 Peter 5:5). In a culture (yes, even within the visible church) where positive affirmations and self-empowered declarations are the norms, admitting weakness, limitedness, and failure is seen as negative and perhaps even harmful to your soul.
The Bible reveals that we are not enough in and of ourselves, our abilities, or wisdom; we are dust (Psalm 103:14-16). The Lord is the One who gives us the breath, ability, and wisdom to accomplish anything, walk through a difficult situation, or make major life decisions. Admitting our “not enoughness” provides an opportunity to look to God because He is more than enough and His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12). Ultimately, the Lord is glorified in my weakness and my feeling of emptiness and “not enoughness.” When we have reached our limit and don’t know where to turn, let us run to the One who holds all wisdom and grace!
Heavenly Father,
I am weighed down with the cares of this life. I run to You in humility knowing I do not have the answers for everything I am facing, but I know You do. I trust that Your Word tells me if I lack wisdom I can come to You and ask for it. You are such a faithful and generous Father, and Your abundant wisdom is what I need when I don’t know where to turn. I trust You will guide me and strengthen me with Your grace when I am overwhelmed. Thank You for placing godly leaders in my life to help me when I’m faced with difficult decisions. I trust You, equip them to care for my soul, and teach me more about You and Your ways. I repent for worrying; help me trust You more as I learn to walk in Your perfect wisdom. In Your son Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Monday Devotion and Prayer – April 24, 2023
By: Bishop Dr. Etta Mhoon-Walker, Ph.D., D. Div. Monday Devotion and Prayer. April 24, 2024 …
Sunday Devotion and Prayer – April 23, 2023
By: Bishop Dr. Etta Mhoon-Walker, Ph.D., D. Div.
Sunday Devotion and Prayer. April 23, 2023
“Obedience”
“Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” – Psalm 27:14
“Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.” Obedience takes courage. Obedience to God isn’t easy. I can’t even fathom Jesus’ obedience as He anticipated and endured the cross. It’s a daily choice to swim against the current of the world and the evil in it lurking in it. But the Lord is always greater. He can rescue us from any situation. We are safe in His arms. Pain will find us in this world. Life will knock the breath out of us, but as we lay motionless, gasping for air, we can trust our lives to the Savior who has already won the victory over death. He removes the sting of fear from our lives. We are in His hands until He calls us home.
Looking back, I know God has been, protecting me. The layers of my faith allow me to see His hand in my life more clearly. The payoff of obedience isn’t a pain-free life, but the perspective we attain through it. We can look back on the moments of our lives and know God’s hand was there to keep our backs from completely cracking in half. All the layers of His love grown intentionally in our daily walk of faith flow through the moments we are too weak to get up. He’s there. He knows, sees, and rushes to our aid. Let’s pray for the faith to obey Him, no matter how hard it is or helpless we feel, trusting the layers of His love in our lives.
Heavenly Father,
Though we are not all called to be great leaders like on a public platform, we are called to minister as such in our daily lives, to the people we place in them. Help us to be faithful, obedient stewards of Your work and purpose in our lives, Lord. Though the world may not know us for the caliber of fame as the great leaders of faith You have selected, we hold that caliber of fame in Your eyes. All of us. Thank You for going before us and protecting us as we fall and tumble in this world. Whether by our hand or that of evil in the world, thank You for always being there for us with perfect love, care, compassion, and empathy. Bless our lives with the courage to obey You and leave the consequences to You. Remove all doubt, fear, worry, anxiety, and hesitation from our hearts, so we may follow You. In Your son Jesus’ Name, I pray, Amen.
Saturday Devotion and Prayer – April 22, 2023
By: Bishop Dr. Etta Mhoon-Walker, Ph.D., D. Div. Sunday Devotion and Prayer. April 23, 2023 …
