Hearts Prepared for Divine Assignments - The Crosswalk Devotional - March 10

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Hearts Prepared for Divine Assignments
By: Jennifer Slattery

Bible Reading:
“So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God: Be careful to follow all the commands of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever.
“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.” - 1 Chronicles 28:8-10

Years ago, when I began to sense that God was opening doors for publication and establishing my calling, I became overwhelmingly aware of my sin, flaws, and weaknesses. I feared I wasn’t spiritually or emotionally mature enough to hold any type of platform for Him. Initially, I wanted to withdraw and choose a less visible role (also known as suppress and deny my gifting). As I prayed through this, however, the Lord helped me see that yes, I assessed my faults and potential vulnerabilities correctly, but my imperfection needn’t disqualify me. My recognition could, in fact, lead to growth and strength, so long as I remained focused on and connected to Him. 

If I wanted to live more like Jesus in this new and much more public role, I needed to consistently apply King David’s advice to his son Solomon. David, ancient Israel’s second king, knew his life neared its end and wanted to ensure his son had everything he needed to lead the nation well and complete David’s long-held dream of building the first permanent temple for God. 

This assignment must’ve felt overwhelming.   

To succeed, Solomon needed much more than building, math, leadership, and problem-solving skills. He needed to maintain a close relationship with God in which he remained alert to the Lord’s voice and set his heart on dependent obedience. 

Intersection Life & Faith:

We’ve probably all landed in situations for which we felt severely ill-equipped. Perhaps you’re parenting a rebellious and drug-addicted teenager, managing a highly toxic team, facing a diagnosis with confusing treatment options, or trying to heal from deep childhood wounds. 

When the path ahead feels steep and shrouded in fog, we can stall in fear, march ahead in human foolishness, or apply today’s passage.

Again, this reads:

“Be careful to follow all the commands of the Lord your God … 9 “... serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you … the Lord has chosen you... Be strong and do the work” (1 Chron. 28:8b-10, NIV). 

Let’s break this down. 

Be careful to follow God’s commands. This implies living with intention and predetermining to obey; however, He leads. Of course, I must know the Lord’s will, as recorded in Scripture and whispered in my heart, to remain intimately aligned with my Savior. 

Serve Him with my whole heart. Sadly, I often carry mixed motives. I want to honor Christ and to self-protect. I long to love my family well, but my pride often gets in the way. I choose contentment while simultaneously fighting against a desire for increased wealth, beauty, or better health. But with God’s help, I can worship Him with a unified heart. 

Seek God through prayer, Bible reading, worship, journaling, and inviting Him to remove any lies that distort my perspective of Him. He will be found by me. I’m comforted knowing that God never withholds love or relationship. He always makes Himself available to us. The moment I take a step toward Him, He is already moving toward me (James 4:8).

The Lord has chosen you. When my insecurities tell me someone else would perform my responsibilities better, the Spirit reminds me that God placed me in this role. He alone holds the figurative pen for my life and the power to make my efforts fruitful.

Be strong and do the work. While I want to begin each day quietly connecting with Christ, eventually I must leave my figurative prayer closet to follow however He leads.

May these steps, and your Father who preserved them in writing, increase your courage and resolve the next time you feel overwhelmed or insufficient for whatever stands before you.

Further Reading:
Colossians 3:23-24
2 Timothy 2:1-7
Hebrews 10:36-39

How did today’s devotional speak to you? Share your thoughts in the Crosswalk Devotional discussion.

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/VioletaStoimenova 

Jennifer Slattery is a writer and speaker who co-hosts the Faith Over Fear podcast and, along with a team of 6, the Your Daily Bible Verse podcast. She’s addressed women’s groups, Bible studies, and taught at writers conferences across the nation. She’s the author of Building a Family and numerous other titles and maintains a devotional blog at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.com.

She’s passionate about helping people experience Christ’s freedom in all areas of their lives. Visit her online to learn more about her speaking or to book her for your next women’s event, and sign up for her free quarterly newsletter HERE and make sure to connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and GodTube.

Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com

Listen to the Jesus Calling Podcast!

Welcome to this special bonus episode of the Jesus Calling Podcast, inspired by the topical themes from Sarah Young’s seasonal prayer devotional Jesus Listens: Prayers for Every Season. Today, we are featuring guests who speak to themes that all of us might be experiencing in this season of winter. As the days grow shorter and the night longer, we are offered a rare gift: permission to stop. This season can be a challenging time for many, and if you are struggling with low spirits, please know you are not alone, and help is available. This episode is an opportunity to honor your weariness, to resist the urge to rush, and to discover the profound healing that happens when we simply let ourselves rest in the stillness. If you like what you hear, be sure to follow Jesus Calling on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!

 

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Salem Radio Network Speakers

Larry Elder is an American lawyer, writer, and radio and television personality who calls himself the "Sage of South Central" a district of Los Angeles, Larry says his philosophy is to entertain, inform, provoke and to hopefully uplift. His calling card is "we have a country to save" and to him this means returning to the bedrock Constitutional principles of limited government and maximum personal responsibility. Elder's iconoclastic wit and intellectual agility makes him a particularly attractive voice in a nation that seems weary of traditional racial dialogue.” – Los Angeles Times.

Mike Gallagher Mike Gallagher began his broadcasting career in 1978 in Dayton, Ohio. Today, he is one of the most listened-to talk radio show hosts in America, recently having been ranked in the Talkers Magazine “Heavy Hundred” list – the 100 most important talk radio hosts in America. Prior to being launched into national syndication in 1998, Mike hosted the morning show on WABC-AM in New York City. Today, Talkers Magazine reports that his show is heard by over 3.75 million weekly listeners. Besides his radio work, Mike is seen on Fox News Channel as an on-air contributor, frequently appearing on the cable news giant.

Hugh Hewitt is one of the nation’s leading bloggers and a genuine media revolutionary. He brings that expertise, his wit and what The New Yorker magazine calls his “amiable but relentless manner” to his nationally syndicated show each day.

When Dr. Sebastian Gorka was growing up, he listened to talk radio under his pillow with a transistor radio, dreaming that one day he would be behind the microphone. Beginning New Year’s Day 2019, he got his wish. Gorka now hosts America First every weekday afternoon 3 to 6pm ET. Gorka’s unique story works well on the radio. He is national security analyst for the Fox News Channel and author of two books: "Why We Fight" and "Defeating Jihad." His latest book releasing this fall is “War For America’s Soul.” He is uniquely qualified to fight the culture war and stand up for what is great about America, his adopted home country.

Broadcasting from his home station of KRLA in Los Angeles, the Dennis Prager Show is heard across the country. Everything in life – from politics to religion to relationships – is grist for Dennis’ mill. If it’s interesting, if it affects your life, then Dennis will be talking about it – with passion, humor, insight and wisdom.

Sean Hannity is a conservative radio and television host, and one of the original primetime hosts on the Fox News Channel, where he has appeared since 1996. Sean Hannity began his radio career at a college station in California, before moving on to markets in the Southeast and New York. Today, he’s one of the most listened to on-air voices. Hannity’s radio program went into national syndication on September 10, 2001, and airs on more than 500 stations. Talkers Magazine estimates Hannity’s weekly radio audience at 13.5 million. In 1996 he was hired as one of the original hosts on Fox News Channel. As host of several popular Fox programs, Hannity has become the highest-paid news anchor on television.

Michelle Malkin is a mother, wife, blogger, conservative syndicated columnist, longtime cable TV news commentator, and best-selling author of six books. She started her newspaper journalism career at the Los Angeles Daily News in 1992, moved to the Seattle Times in 1995, and has been penning nationally syndicated newspaper columns for Creators Syndicate since 1999. She is founder of conservative Internet start-ups Hot Air and Twitchy.com. Malkin has received numerous awards for her investigative journalism, including the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL) national award for outstanding service for the cause of governmental ethics and leadership (1998), the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award for Investigative Journalism (2006), the Heritage Foundation and Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity's Breitbart Award for Excellence in Journalism (2013), the Center for Immigration Studies' Eugene Katz Award for Excellence in the Coverage of Immigration Award (2016), and the Manhattan Film Festival's Film Heals Award (2018). Married for 26 years and the mother of two teenage children, she lives with her family in Colorado. Follow her at michellemalkin.com. (Photo reprinted with kind permission from Peter Duke Photography.)

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Hearts Prepared for Divine Assignments - The Crosswalk Devotional - March 10

Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

The Crosswalk Devotional updated banner logo

Hearts Prepared for Divine Assignments
By: Jennifer Slattery

Bible Reading:
“So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God: Be careful to follow all the commands of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever.
“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.” - 1 Chronicles 28:8-10

Years ago, when I began to sense that God was opening doors for publication and establishing my calling, I became overwhelmingly aware of my sin, flaws, and weaknesses. I feared I wasn’t spiritually or emotionally mature enough to hold any type of platform for Him. Initially, I wanted to withdraw and choose a less visible role (also known as suppress and deny my gifting). As I prayed through this, however, the Lord helped me see that yes, I assessed my faults and potential vulnerabilities correctly, but my imperfection needn’t disqualify me. My recognition could, in fact, lead to growth and strength, so long as I remained focused on and connected to Him. 

If I wanted to live more like Jesus in this new and much more public role, I needed to consistently apply King David’s advice to his son Solomon. David, ancient Israel’s second king, knew his life neared its end and wanted to ensure his son had everything he needed to lead the nation well and complete David’s long-held dream of building the first permanent temple for God. 

This assignment must’ve felt overwhelming.   

To succeed, Solomon needed much more than building, math, leadership, and problem-solving skills. He needed to maintain a close relationship with God in which he remained alert to the Lord’s voice and set his heart on dependent obedience. 

Intersection Life & Faith:

We’ve probably all landed in situations for which we felt severely ill-equipped. Perhaps you’re parenting a rebellious and drug-addicted teenager, managing a highly toxic team, facing a diagnosis with confusing treatment options, or trying to heal from deep childhood wounds. 

When the path ahead feels steep and shrouded in fog, we can stall in fear, march ahead in human foolishness, or apply today’s passage.

Again, this reads:

“Be careful to follow all the commands of the Lord your God … 9 “... serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you … the Lord has chosen you... Be strong and do the work” (1 Chron. 28:8b-10, NIV). 

Let’s break this down. 

Be careful to follow God’s commands. This implies living with intention and predetermining to obey; however, He leads. Of course, I must know the Lord’s will, as recorded in Scripture and whispered in my heart, to remain intimately aligned with my Savior. 

Serve Him with my whole heart. Sadly, I often carry mixed motives. I want to honor Christ and to self-protect. I long to love my family well, but my pride often gets in the way. I choose contentment while simultaneously fighting against a desire for increased wealth, beauty, or better health. But with God’s help, I can worship Him with a unified heart. 

Seek God through prayer, Bible reading, worship, journaling, and inviting Him to remove any lies that distort my perspective of Him. He will be found by me. I’m comforted knowing that God never withholds love or relationship. He always makes Himself available to us. The moment I take a step toward Him, He is already moving toward me (James 4:8).

The Lord has chosen you. When my insecurities tell me someone else would perform my responsibilities better, the Spirit reminds me that God placed me in this role. He alone holds the figurative pen for my life and the power to make my efforts fruitful.

Be strong and do the work. While I want to begin each day quietly connecting with Christ, eventually I must leave my figurative prayer closet to follow however He leads.

May these steps, and your Father who preserved them in writing, increase your courage and resolve the next time you feel overwhelmed or insufficient for whatever stands before you.

Further Reading:
Colossians 3:23-24
2 Timothy 2:1-7
Hebrews 10:36-39

How did today’s devotional speak to you? Share your thoughts in the Crosswalk Devotional discussion.

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/VioletaStoimenova 

Jennifer Slattery is a writer and speaker who co-hosts the Faith Over Fear podcast and, along with a team of 6, the Your Daily Bible Verse podcast. She’s addressed women’s groups, Bible studies, and taught at writers conferences across the nation. She’s the author of Building a Family and numerous other titles and maintains a devotional blog at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.com.

She’s passionate about helping people experience Christ’s freedom in all areas of their lives. Visit her online to learn more about her speaking or to book her for your next women’s event, and sign up for her free quarterly newsletter HERE and make sure to connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and GodTube.

Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com

Listen to the Jesus Calling Podcast!

Welcome to this special bonus episode of the Jesus Calling Podcast, inspired by the topical themes from Sarah Young’s seasonal prayer devotional Jesus Listens: Prayers for Every Season. Today, we are featuring guests who speak to themes that all of us might be experiencing in this season of winter. As the days grow shorter and the night longer, we are offered a rare gift: permission to stop. This season can be a challenging time for many, and if you are struggling with low spirits, please know you are not alone, and help is available. This episode is an opportunity to honor your weariness, to resist the urge to rush, and to discover the profound healing that happens when we simply let ourselves rest in the stillness. If you like what you hear, be sure to follow Jesus Calling on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!

 

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