Archive for category: Devotional

By Major Gaylene Yardley
Divisional Women’s Ministries Secretary – Southwest Division

Begin by singing or listening to the song “He Knows My Name” by Paul Baloche

Scripture Passage: Psalm 139:13-14

This portion of scripture is a favorite of mine.  It came into my life at a very important time as a corps officer in a very challenging corps.  I often felt like I didn’t fit into this place or the appointment.  I asked God what He was doing and why He put me in a place where I was the odd one out.  Many things happened in this corps that I could write a book about.  It was a place that I learned the power of God and His will for my life.  It didn’t happen overnight.  It took quite some time, but God is faithful, even when I am not.

Psalm 139 is so important as it tells us how important we are to God.  He is our creator and the one who knows us best.  We are fully known because of His love in creation.  Genesis 1:27 tells us that “God created us in His image Male and female ~ He created us.”  Because of this we can know that we are fully known. 

Have you ever created something with your hands?  If you are like me, it never seems to come out as I saw it in my mind’s eye, but it still is a creation that I made and therefore it is important to me as the creator of it.  Creating something from nothing gives us a feeling of accomplishment and achievement.  We did that and it may not look like we thought it would, but it is our creation. 

Psalm 139:13-14 reads; “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mothers womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Look at all the ladies sitting around you today and the difference there is in each one of us, but even in those differences, we are created in His image.  He knows us fully as He is the one who created us.  Psalm 139 tells us so many wonderful things that God knows about us.             

• He knows when I sit and when I stand.
• He knows my thoughts.
• He knows when I go out and when I lay down.
• He is familiar with all my ways.
• He knows what we are going to say before we say it.
• He knows where I try to hide.
• He knows I cannot hide from Him.
• He knows my frame or body because He was there when I was created.
• His eyes saw my unformed body.

What a wonderful list this is and how almost unbelievable it is that He could love me so much that I was made by His own hands.  I am fully known!  Known, because He is the maker, creator of who I am. 

I began by telling you that this chapter came to me during a very challenging time in my life as a mother, pastor, officer, daughter, granddaughter, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend.  It was a time that a young woman of my corps became pregnant and told me first.  Her mother didn’t speak English and she wanted me to talk to her mother and let her know that she was pregnant at the age of 14.  I was so sad for her, and I was so nervous to try to talk to her mother as we had no common ground, no common language.  I went into my office and asked God to help me be a messenger of truth and peace in this situation. 

 I went to see her mother and to talk to her about the uncomfortable situation.  The mother was understandably upset.  She yelled, she cried, she became angry, she had all the emotions a mother would have in this situation.  She immediately told the young girl that she should go and have an abortion.  I only know that because the young girl was translating for her mother and for me.  The young woman cried and ran off.  What was I to do?  Lord, help me with this.  I need you now. 

I opened my bible to Psalm 139 and read it, in English, and asked God to speak to this mother as I read the words that said, “You knit me together in my mother’s womb, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”   After I finished reading the chapter, I excused myself and left the house.  The next day the young lady came into my office and told me that her mother had changed her mind and that she could have the child and give it up for adoption.  I told her that I would help her anyway I could.  After going home that night I told my husband and we agreed that we would take the baby and offer to adopt it. 

The young lady gave birth to a beautiful little girl and decided to keep her.  For the first two years of her life, my husband and I were able to help her and to see tis little one grow and to be nurtured.  She was at the corps every program that she could be, and we were able to speak truth and Jesus into her life as well as her mother. 

This scripture is so important for each of us as God has a plan for us.  Something that He has ordained for us to do and to be.  He is our creator and because of that, we are fully known!

Prayer:  Father, we thank you for knowing us because you created us for your pleasure.  We thank you for the differences we all have and for the things we share that are alike.  We love you for your great love for us.  Your sacrifice of Jesus shows us your perfect love.  We thank you that we are fully known because your word tells us so.  Thank you for all you are to each of us!  Amen.

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By Captain Leilani Armendariz
Hemet, CA Corps – Southern California Division

This devotional coordinates with this month’s craft: His Precious Child Painting

I was sixteen years old when I held my firstborn child. I was a child myself. And I remember looking at that little face and being completely in love. I knew, even then, that I would do absolutely anything for that child. My instincts to protect and care for him immediately kicked in and all I wanted to do was make sure that this little boy always knew that he was loved and wanted. He was my precious child.

When I was nineteen, I married a man who loved my son as I did. Though they did not share a biological connection or a last name, my husband raised that little boy as his own. He cared for him and provided for him as he grew up. He showed up to school plays, football games, and graduation ceremonies. He was there for every heartbreak and every celebration. As far as my husband was concerned, that boy was his precious son.

When my son turned nineteen, he found himself planning his own wedding. The now young man said to my husband, “As my wedding day approaches, and as I imagine what my life will look like starting a family of my own, I cannot imagine not having my dad’s last name. That’s the name I want my wife and my children to have. That’s the name I want.” He then asked my husband if he would adopt him and give him his last name. My husband’s response was that he had always been his son and with great joy, he adopted him just weeks before the wedding.

Friends, we have been given the opportunity to be adopted by God, to become His children.
God’s Word tells us in John 1:12-13, “Yet to all who receive him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

We are all created by God. The Psalmist writes in Psalm 139:13, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” God sees us and loves us simply because we are His creation. And while it is true that we are all created by God, we must be adopted by Him to be called His children.

John reminds us of three truths in verse 13. The first truth is that being a child of God has nothing to do with our natural birth. Other biblical translations read “not of blood” meaning that this spiritual adoption has nothing to do with a physical blood relationship.

The second truth is that being a child of God does not depend on human will. Many of us have loved ones who are believers and who pray for us, but simply knowing someone who knows the Lord, and prays that we would know Him too, does not make us a child of God.

The third truth is that being a child of God is not dependent on human decision, meaning that we are not the source of this adoption. We cannot simply decide that we are His child and then live however we want to live. This adoption is only possible through God. His word tells us that He makes us His children only when we receive His Son, Jesus Christ, and believe in His name.

But once we make that choice, we bear a new name: His precious child. John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

From the moment you and I choose to believe and accept Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives, God sees us through the lens of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and we are accepted and adopted. With our new name, we also receive the inheritance of our Heavenly Father – eternal life. God wants to make sure that you and I know that we are loved and wanted. We are His precious children.

The chorus of Hillsong Worship’s song, “Who You Say I Am” says this:

“Who the son sets free, oh is free indeed; I’m a child of God, yes I am.
In my Father’s house, there’s a place for me; I’m a child of God, yes I am.”

My son wanted my husband’s last name because it said to the world that he was his son. As he lives his life and grows his family, it’s my husband’s name that will live on in generations to come. When we come to Jesus and we are adopted into God’s family, we are given God’s name. Our daily lives tell the world that we belong to Him, that we are His children. As we live in the full understanding that we have the
inheritance of eternal life, we can love people into the Kingdom who are still looking to be loved and wanted. As more choose to receive Jesus and believe in Him, they are adopted into the family of God and the name of the Lord will live on for generations to come. What a blessing it is to be His
precious children!

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By Major Gaylene Yardley
Divisional Women’s Ministries Secretary – Southwest Division

Note: This devotional coordinates with this month’s craft, Soap Carving, and this month’s Bible Study.

Can you say that you have not sinned today? Listen to this prayer.

Dear Lord,
So far I’ve done all right.
I haven’t gossiped,
haven’t lost my temper,
haven’t been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or overindulgent.
I’m really glad about that.

But in a few minutes, God,
I’m going to get out of bed.
And from then on,
I’m going to need a lot more help.

I feel this way many times. I’m doing great God and then…My dinner burns, I drop the milk on the floor, someone almost hit me at the left turn, my boss told me I am getting extra work for my plate, my kids played hide and seek in the clean laundry, and on and on.

When things like this happen, I get mad, I say things in my head that I can’t say out loud, I resent people for their actions that I have no power over. Life happens and we must realize that we do sin daily in our actions or in our thoughts.

1 John 1:8 tells us, “If we say we have not sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” The passage goes on to say (v. 9), “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The soap we will use in our craft is a great reminder of this verse. We can be cleansed from our sins only through Jesus Christ, but we have to confess those sins to Him. Sometimes it is hard to admit our wrongs, our mistakes, our actions that we have done. I don’t like to admit when I am wrong. I want it just to all go away, but it doesn’t until I confess it to the Lord. Then it is all gone. What a great promise to us that he is faithful in forgiveness. I pray that you are grateful that Jesus loves you enough to wash your sins away and to do it anytime and anyplace you come to Him with your sins. It can be while you are working, vacuuming, eating dinner, going to bed, Jesus meets you where you are.

Maybe someone has been unkind to you. Maybe you have been hurt by someone close to you. Maybe you feel you can’t forgive them. C. S. Lewis said this, “Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive.” It’s a great concept until it’s you who must forgive someone you do not feel deserves it. In Matthew 18:21 and 22 we read some very difficult information. “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times”? Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” NIV

So, do you deserve forgiveness? Perhaps you might think a bit differently after reading this verse. None of us deserve the forgiveness we have in Christ Jesus, but it is a gift from Him for the sins of the world that He took upon Himself. Jesus extended this forgiveness to you, so why don’t you extend it to another person who has wronged you? Remember Ephesians 4:32 NLT says, “Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God through Christ Jesus has forgiven you. “

The plan for our lives as followers of Jesus is to ask for forgiveness and to extend that to others as well.

May our prayer be:

Thank you Lord for helping me through the day and forgiving me for my sins and for helping me to forgive those who wronged or hurt me today. I am glad to receive your forgiveness and to extend it to others. Amen

By Major Millie Bearchell, Retired

Growing up in a rather large family, 7 kids and two parents, we lived a life that was by today’s standards, “lower middle class.” We didn’t have a lot of material items, my 3 sisters and I shared one bedroom, and we had just one station wagon to get us places. I look back and the memories I have are good ones. We may not have had many worldly possessions, but what we had was enough.

When my parents were promoted to glory and it was time to clean out their small apartment, one of the items I desired the most was one or two of my mother’s journals. I enjoy from time to time, randomly picking up one of her journals and reading what she wrote on a specific day. Even to this day, my eyes tear up when I see her beautiful handwriting, making my heart ache for her. I love to read what she had to share, a special scripture on her heart, a hymn she was thinking about, commenting on one of her children or grandchildren. There was nothing philosophical or deep theological thoughts, just sweet musings of her blessed life and her gratitude for all she had.

I believe I have inherited her love of journaling. I journal almost every day and much of my journaling takes place in the early morning, with my cup of coffee, my favorite pen, my current journal, and my Bible. So much of what I journal has to do with Scripture verses that have spoken to me, what God is doing in my life, and just random thoughts. My journal is also where I keep my prayer lists. I love to put names, situations, that have been given to me to pray for, but also those things that come to mind. I love to refer to past prayer lists and see how God has been so faithful in his answering those requests according to His will and time.

Last year as Brian and I were planning for retirement, I was grieving over losing “my” flock. One morning in prayer and journaling, I asked God where my new flock in retirement would be? The answer I received so clearly was, “your grandchildren.” I have 7 amazing grandchildren ranging from 16 years to 3 months, and each one of them precious to me. God told me to get them their own journal and to begin journaling to them in their book. January 2022, I began to write in 6 of those journals, adding the newest one in February of this year. I do not write every day, but I do write in their journal on their birthday, when they have done well in school, or excelled on their sport team. I always write that I pray for them constantly, that I’m proud of them, and that I love them.

The legacy that was left to me by my mother has been the impetus behind this new endeavor for my new flock. My desire is that when my grandchildren read their personal journal, see my handwriting, they will treasure the words and sentiments I have given to them. I have not decided when or what age I will give it to them, or if it will go to them upon my promotion to glory. But for now, I will write to each of my flock, making sure they know how special they are to me and more importantly how special they are to Jesus.
Spiritual writer Henri Nouwen said, “writing can untangle thoughts, express our emotions, and give artistic expression to life.” Writing is a spiritual habit: Writing can be a true spiritual discipline.

“Writing can untangle thoughts, express our emotions, and give artistic expression to life.”

Henri Nouwen

Journaling helps you declutter your mind, which leads to better thinking. Writing in a journal also sharpens your memory and improves your learning capability. There’s a reason why when you take the time to pen your thoughts, plans, and experiences, you remember them better, while also feeling more focused.

I love what Psalm 5:1-3 states, “Give ear to my words, O Lord, Consider my meditation. Give heed to the voice of my cry, My king and my God, for to you I pray. My voice You shall her in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.”

Journaling is a way of slowing life down for even a few moments. Covered in prayer, and saturated with God’s Word, journaling can be a powerful way of hearing God’s voice in the Scriptures and making known to Him our requests.

I came across this anonymous quote which adds value to the idea of journaling. “One of the more effective acts of self-care is also, happily, one of the cheapest.”

Psalm 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”

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