Dangelo68⚔️🔥

by JDangelo

Christianity Spirituality

Season 20

* A prayer about NEEDS

* A prayer about NEEDS When I'm trying to be content LOVING FATHER, I'm struggling with lack of contentment, and I know the problem is that I'm getting my wants mixed up with my needs. To survive, I need basic things such as food, water, shelter, and love—when I have those things, I should be content. But too often I'm consumed with my wants. Even when they're fulfilled, they leave me unsatisfied, discontented, and looking for more. And when I want things that oppose your desires, I find myself increasingly consumed with jealousy, covetousness, deceit, or material-ism. Help me, Lord! Teach me the difference between my needs and my wants so that I may find contentment in living your way. As you meet my needs, show me your power and provision, and let me learn that you are suf-ficient. Refocus my mind on your values instead of on my own. Then I will no longer be grasping for something else; instead, I will have a heart full of gratitude for what you have already provided. Don't love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you." HEBREWS I3:5

Season 19

✨No Longer Slaves✨

No Longer Captive You did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." ROMANS 8:15 NKJV When a slave is released from captivity it is often hard for them to know what to do with their freedom. In fact, many slaves, in Biblical times, would choose to remain servants (bondservants) to their masters, not knowing how to belong elsewhere. We probably don't relate to slavery the way the Israelites did, but we can understand feeling powerless over sin, emotions, or even in relationships. When Jesus defeated death on the cross, he introduced a way for us to be free from our former lives of captivity to sin and death. We no longer have to fear that old life; we have a new life that is living by the Spirit. We are children of God. When we truly understand our freedom, we can begin to let go of the areas of our lives that hold us back. Abba Father, thank you for freeing me from the power of sin and darkness. Thank you that I now belong to your family and I can live protected in your love. Help me to recognize the areas in my life that keep me from living in this freedom, and give me the strength to let them go.

Season 18

The Day Of The Lord Is At Hand

The day of the Lord is at hand Everyone saw the locusts. Joel saw more: judgment from God. Many times God used natural disasters to bring judgment: He sent the flood in the time of Noah (Gen. 6), the plagues in Egypt (Ex. 7-10), and the mighty wind that caused a storm during which Jonah was thrown into the sea (Jon. 1:4). Yes, God uses natural disasters as judgment. No, not every natural disaster is a direct judgment on the very area where it strikes. If a flood, hurricane, plague, or other disaster strikes one particular area, we are wise to remember that we live in a world that is affected-at every level-by sin. God is not necessarily demonstrating His displeasure with every disaster; sin is everywhere, and we all pay the price for it. But the locust plague in Joel was a different story; though it was a terrible and fierce attack, it was not God's judgment. But it was a warning. And Joel, through "the word of the as an imminent reality. It is not something that we STUDY THE BOOK Joel 1:15 LoRD" (1:1), realized it. As bad as the locusts were, they were nothing compared to the real judgment that would surely come if Judah didn't repent: complete and utter destruction and captivity at the hands of their enemies. The locusts were just a taste. They were a reminder of God's power and the destruction of sin. They were the living, breathing proof of Joel's message to the people of Judah: repent. MORE INSIGHT The day of the Lord is not an isolated phenomenon or a single event in human history. Periods in Israel's early history and later history and the coming of Jesus and His Second Coming are all called "the day of the Lord" in Scripture. The day of the Lord can also refer to future hope, prosperity, and blessing (Is. 4:2-6; Hos. 2:18-23; Mic. 4:6-8). next: Joel 2:18-32

Season 17

Haman Plots Murder

Haman plots murder STUDY THE BOOK Esther 3:1-4:1 There's always more to the story than you realize. On the surface Mordecai, a well-respected Jew, simply refused to bow down to the king's right-hand man, Haman. But there was a long history at play behind this simple act of defi-ance. Haman was identified as "the son of... the Agagite" (Esth. 3:1). The Agagites were descendants of King Agag of the Amalekites, one of the oldest enemies of Israel. They were the first to attack Moses and the Israelites after they escaped slavery in Egypt (Ex. 17:8-15). Later Agag was captured by Saul and killed by Samuel (1 Sam. 15). Both Haman and Mordecai knew the history between their peoples. When Haman realized Mordecai was a Jew, he contrived a plan to kill not just Mordecai but every living Jew. Haman was sly. He presented the problem to the king as though the Jews were a bunch of rabble-rousers who refused to be good citizens. The king had no problem with quashing an insurgence and gave Haman permission to choose one particular day to annihilate the Jews. The day was written out officially, made into a law, and passed around throughout the Persian kingdom where the Jews were scattered. The end of God's people loomed. They had survived Pharaoh's slavery in Egypt. They had survived entry to the Promised Land. They had survived attacks by their enemies when they were a nation. They had survived captivity by the Assyrians and Babylonians when the nation was divided. But now only a remnant remained scattered in Persia. All hope seemed lost. Mordecai and the people mourned, fasted, and wept, wearing sackcloth and ashes. What else could they do? MORE INSIGHT Sackcloth and ashes were as a visible sign of mourning. Sackcloth was worn, and the mourner either sat in ashes or sprinkled them on his or her head. This custom was typically used after a death (Gen. 37:34; 2 Sam. 3:3t) or life-changing event (2 Kin. 19:1; 1 Chr. 21:16). Here sackcloth and ashes were used in anticipation of deeply felt grief. previous: Esther 2:1-18 next: Esther 4:4-17

Season 16

What peace actually is

What peace actually is Devotional What if the reason you’ve never found peace is that you’ve been chasing the wrong thing? In English, peace means the absence of conflict. No argument. No war. The problem’s gone. Quiet. So we wait for peace to arrive after everything settles down, and it never quite does. That’s not what the Bible means by peace. The Hebrew word is shalom, and it doesn’t mean the absence of problems. It means wholeness. Everything restored. Everything made right. Not just that the trouble is gone, but that you are fully okay. Nothing missing. Nothing broken. Sit with the difference. Most of us have been chasing the absence of problems. Jesus is offering shalom: wholeness in the middle of the problems. And he offers it as a gift. On the night before he was crucified, he told his friends: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.” The world’s peace comes when things cooperate. Jesus gives peace before any of that changes. Not an achievement you earn, but a gift you receive. Jesus gives peace under pressure: wholeness, through him, right in the middle of it. Tomorrow, how a fractured mind actually gets there. Reflection Have you been waiting for the absence of problems, when Jesus is offering wholeness in the middle of them? Next Step Name the “when ___ finally settles down, then I’ll have peace” story you’ve been telling yourself. Then ask: what would it mean to receive wholeness before that changes? Prayer Jesus, I’ve been chasing quiet and calling it peace. Thank You that You offer something deeper: wholeness, as a gift, right now. I want to receive it. Amen.

Season 15

How do I deal with prophecy?

How do I deal with prophecy? When I study Revelation or other prophetic books like the book of Daniel, I often feel like I'm reading the script for a movie about “The World on the Brink”. Perhaps you feel differently and think that Jesus' death and the gift of forgiveness have solved your biggest problem, the separation from God. So why do we need the revelation of the end of the world? According to the Bible, because God is planning a future world age (cf. Luke 18:30) and in it there will be no more curse for mankind (as is the case in this world) (cf. Revelation 22:3). This means not only that the concept of “sin” has been defeated by Jesus' death, but also that the world fallen by sin no longer exists in its previous form. All the negative aspects of this curse, even after the birth of Jesus and His death on the cross, will disappear. According to Revelation, however, this disappearance will not be a simple wiping away of the world (cf. Revelation 14). God gives us the free choice of how we want to live our lives. But in the end, we will have to answer to God for the way we have led our lives. Revelation speaks here of the judgment of evil, which then stands against God in a final effort and is defeated (cf. Revelation 20:7-10). Many theological discussions deal with the question of whether or not this final rebellion of evil will be witnessed by Jesus or His church, or how long it will last (cf. Revelation 3). The Bible says that we should not fear the powers that kill the body (cf. Matthew 10:28), because the victory has already been won. Revelation describes immovable things on an overall worldly level, which are apparently not very personal and in which everything seems to be predetermined. On the other hand, every person you meet and tell about the gospel can be the bearer of the message and the salvation for many more people, who thereby stand before God in judgment through Jesus. This is an incredibly active role. You are a runner for the gospel of Jesus and can proclaim His message. Next Step: Think about how you can read Revelation with confidence, because you can be sure that God and therefore good will win in the end.

Season 14

A Name For What’s Wrong

A name for what’s wrong Devotional Ever notice how your mind can be pulled in ten directions at once, replaying one conversation, dreading tomorrow, and running the worst-case scenario, all in the same breath? There’s a word for that. When Jesus talks about worry, the Greek word he uses is merimnaō. It literally means to be fractured: a divided mind, pulled apart in different directions at once. That’s not just a feeling. It’s a definition of the scattered, can’t-land, mind-going-everywhere state you already know. Here’s what matters: Jesus saw it, named it, and walked straight into it. “Do not worry about your life,” he says, not as a shame, but as a reframe Then he points at the birds. They don’t stockpile, and God feeds them anyway. “Are you not much more valuable than they?” The same God who notices every sparrow notices you. So he gives one reorientation: “Seek first his kingdom.” Fix your divided mind on one thing, and the fracture starts to heal. Not because the problems vanish, but because your mind is no longer torn between them. Jesus gives peace under pressure by putting a fractured mind back together. But if peace isn’t the absence of problems, what is it? Tomorrow, the word that changes everything. Reflection Where is your mind most fractured right now? What are the directions it keeps getting pulled? Next Step When the worst-case scenario starts playing on repeat today, pause and ask one question: “God, what would trusting You look like right here?” Prayer Father, my mind feels pulled apart. Thank You that You see me and call me valuable. Help me fix my divided mind on You first, one thing at a time. Amen.

Season 13

The Invitation

1: The invitation Devotional Be honest. What are you carrying today? For a lot of us, the pressure comes from the outside: the cost of living, the workload, a hard season at home, health news we didn’t want. And underneath that there’s a quieter layer we don’t talk about as much: comparison, the need to prove we matter, fear that spirals, the exhausting need to keep everything under control. I know what it is to carry all of it at once and think the answer is to manage every angle. It isn’t. That road leads to burnout. Two thousand years ago Jesus looked at a crowd of worn-out, worried people and said something that still lands: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Notice who he’s talking to. Not the people who have it together, the tired ones. He doesn’t say fix yourself first. He says come. As you are. Here’s the claim this plan is built on: Jesus gives peace under pressure. Not as a concept, but as a gift he’s offering. Before we can receive it, though, we have to understand what’s actually going wrong inside us. Tomorrow, the Bible gives it a name. Reflection What is the specific weight you walked into today carrying? Next Step Next time you feel the pressure rise, instead of trying to control it, say these words: “Jesus, I’m weary. I’m coming to you.” Then see what happens. Prayer Jesus, I’m tired of carrying this alone. Thank You that Your invitation is for me, exactly as I am today. I’m coming to You. Amen.

Season 12

A Church Without Borders

A Church Without Borders In chapter 13 of the Book of Acts, Luke introduces a group of leaders in the church at Antioch just before the Holy Spirit sets apart Barnabas and Saul (later called Paul) for missionary work. He names five men who are serving together as prophets and teachers (v. 1). Barnabas is from Cyprus (Acts 4:36), an island in the eastern Mediterranean. Lucius is from Cyrene, a city in North Africa located in what is now modern-day Libya. Saul is from Tarsus (Acts 21:39), a major city in the region of Cilicia, in present-day southern Turkey. Manaen has close ties to Herod’s court, placing his background in the political world of Judea, part of modern Israel. Simeon, called Niger, is also listed among them; his nickname likely suggests an African connection. This core leadership of the church at Antioch was not formed from one town or even one region. These men come from across the known world, spanning what we would now identify as parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia. What brings them together is not their shared geography, but rather their shared faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Antioch itself was one of the most important cities in the Roman Empire, located in ancient Syria along major trade routes that connected the Mediterranean world to the East. Today, its location corresponds to the modern city of Antakya in southern Turkey, near the border with Syria. In the first century, it was a thriving, multicultural center where people from many regions, languages, and backgrounds lived side by side (Acts 11:19–21). It should come as no surprise, then, that the church there reflected that same diversity. It was also in Antioch that believers were first called “Christians” (Acts 11:26), a name that reflects their shared identity in Christ above all else. From the beginning, Christianity has not been tied to one land or one culture. Rather, and rightly so, the makeup of the Christian church and its leadership has reflected the diversity of those gathered by Christ from many nations and geographies. Antioch gives us a clear picture of that reality. Even before Paul and Barnabas are sent out on mission, this local church already reflects the reach of the gospel, bringing together those whose lives began in very different parts of the world but who are now united in one calling. Lord, thank You that Your gospel is not bound to one place or one people. Broaden my vision to see Your church as You see it, and shape my heart to reflect Your global mission. In Your name I pray, amen.

Season 11

Fasten Your Truth Belt (Jdangelo )

Fasten Your Truth Belt (Jdangelo ) Reflect What was your first thought when you woke up this morning? Even before you opened your eyes or lifted your head from your pillow, was there a situation from yesterday replaying in your mind? Did you start rehearsing today’s to-do list? Awake or asleep, our minds are constantly active, and our toes don’t have to touch the floor before we face the choice to believe lies or truth about God, ourselves, and our circumstance It isn’t an accident that Paul—who understood our human tendency to exchange “the truth about God for a lie” and the temptation to worship and serve “the creature rather than the Creator” (Rom. 1:25)—listed the belt of truth as the first piece of spiritual armor that we’re to put on. When Paul wrote, “Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth” (Eph. 6:14), he wasn’t telling his readers simply to accessorize a cute outfit, though the belt he had in mind does make a statement. Worn both on and off duty, a Roman soldier’s belt was a symbol of military status, identifying his role and position. And when we wear the belt of truth, we identify with the God of truth (Isa. 65:16) and actively oppose the devil, the father of lies (John 8:44). Each day brings an onrush of temptations to doubt God’s sufficiency, goodness, power, wisdom, and love—to take matters into our own hands, to look for solutions and answers outside of the boundaries of God’s word, and to give in to worry, fear, self-pity, bitterness, anger, or despair. How will we stand against our enemy’s lies, his “craftiness in deceitful schemes” (Eph. 4:14)? The only way to stand is by dressing in the armor that our Lord forged for us, and this starts with fastening the belt of truth around our waists. The truth about God’s revealed character in Scripture, his wonderful promises for his children, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and our identity as God’s beloved daughters secures us for today’s—and every day’s—spiritual battles. Are you wearing your spiritual belt today? Whether you’re reading this devotion in the morning, over your lunch break, or near the end of your day, fasten your belt with these three truth reminders: In Christ, you are a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). You belong to God, and your primary identity is found in him, as his beloved daughter. Your identity is not found in your relationship status, your career, who your friends are, where you travel, your accomplishments, how many followers you have, or anything else. In Christ, “there is therefore now no condemnation” (Rom. 8:1). Through our Lord’s shed blood on the cross, the punishment for your sin is paid in full—past, present, and future. And when you confess your sin, God is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse you from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). In Christ, you possess a living hope (1 Pet. 1:3). Your circumstances may tell you to lose heart and give up, but God’s word tells you that your “light momentary affliction is preparing . . . an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Cor. 4:17). So don’t look to what is seen but to what is eternal. Fix your eyes on Jesus and trust his promises: he is with you right now (Matt. 28:20), and you will be with him for all eternity (Rev. 21:3). Respond Read Psalm 25:1–5. How does the psalmist seek truth? What lies have crept into your headspace recently—lies about God, yourself, or your circumstances? A tool which has helped me, and which might help you, is a lie and truth chart. Here’s how it works: for each lie you’re tempted to believe, write down a truth from Scripture to combat it. Then place your chart somewhere you will see it often. Request Father, even before I woke up this morning, you knew my thoughts, my ways, and my words (Ps. 139:2–4). What’s more, you already had a plan to watch over me, to keep me, “to hem me in, behind and before” (Ps. 139:5).

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