This is the kind of life you've been invited to, the kind of life Christ lived... He is your example, and you must follow IN HIS STEPS.  1 Peter 2:21

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                                     “Create in Me”

 

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)

 

 

Week of November 7th 2022

BIBLE VERSE:  And that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.” (Psalm 78:8 ESV)

Devotion:  There’s a saying about habits within family members that goes “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”  Basically, it means that a child will end up being very much like who they grow up with.  And in the secular world, that is a pretty common belief - that most people will end up being just like their mothers or fathers or family members or guardians.  But, that doesn’t always have to be the case in bad habits of family members.  Jesus, our Lord and Savior, is in the business of breaking chains and bad habits!  Just because family members may have all struggled with something not good, does NOT mean it has to continue in your life and the lives of your children.  God is always ready to break the generational pattern and start a new one!  Just like He talks about here in Psalm 78.  He is going to start a new pattern with a new generation that they should not be like their fathers who were not faithful to God. And the same is true for you!  Don’t let the not so good stuff that have come before you stop you from believing for better things for yourself and your future children.  YOU could be the turning point for your whole family!  YOU can be the one that Jesus uses (when you obey Him) to do a new thing and start a whole new chapter in your family’s lineage!

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Do Something:  Whether you grew up with your biological family or an another one, God in Heaven is your Father and He has good plans for you no matter what!  So, if you’ve been holding on to worries or fears or even shame about some things in your family’s past, take some time this week to share your heart with the Lord.  Remember, there is nothing you can’t say to Him, so be honest and get all your worries out.  And don’t be afraid to dream big and believe that not only can He remove those heavy weights from you, but replace them with new legacies of joy, wholeness and victory for generations to come! 

 

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Week of November 14th 2022

BIBLE VERSE: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9 ESV)

Devotion:  Right now, in the world, there’s a lot of messaging like “Follow your heart” and “Do what makes you feel good.”  But, the wisdom of man is much different than the wisdom of God.  And where the world would tell you to follow wherever your heart leads you, the Word of God reminds us that our hearts can be deceitful and desperately sick.  And I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound like a guide I want to follow! Our hearts can be affected by kinds of things - traumas we’ve experienced, people’s influence in our lives and our own false beliefs.  So, to follow our hearts could end up leading us down some pretty destructive roads.  That’s why Jesus tells us NOT to follow our own understanding (Prov. 3:5-6) or how we “feel” and to only rely on God’s Word and His direction.  Just like any good and loving parent, He knows things that we may not know about a situation, so just because something can feel “right” or “good” to us at the time, doesn’t mean that it is.  It’s why we need to allow the Holy Spirit to do a deep work in our hearts and purify them, so He can write His truths in our hearts.

 

Do Something:  Have you fallen for the world’s way of doing whatever you feel whenever you feel it?  It’s easy to do, for sure.  But, the Lord knows how dangerous that path can be.  So, He wants to remind you just how tricky your heart can be.  Knowing that it doesn’t always have your best interests in mind (but He DOES!), will help you remember that you don’t have to listen to its promptings and can stand firm on God’s words for you instead.  Our hearts can be ever-changing, but He never is.  He is the solid rock you can stand on!

                     Chaplain Info                                                            In His Steps has Chaplains on-call and available for In His Steps families. Our chaplains have extensive experience and training in a wide variety of pastoral care situations. Some of the assistance IHS Chaplains can offer grownups include Biblical pastoral counseling, marriage and family issues, conflict resolution, grief and trauma support. Please also contact us for assistance with premarital counseling, weddings and funerals.

You may contact our chaplains by contacting Ms. Donna at info@ihsdance.com or

704-650-4089 with questions or to arrange an appointment.

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As with all In His Steps activities, there is no charge or honorarium expected for our pastoral/chaplaincy assistance. In His Steps is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization and donations are always welcome, appreciated and are tax deductible.