Month: September 2016

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PWTE Daily Devotion

Hiding Our Garbage

One man’s trash is not hidden treasure.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

According to a 2015 study by Nature Climate Change, Americans threw out 5 pounds of solid waste, per person, per day. That’s equal to 262 million tons of food scraps, paper products and similar items.

pueblo-eastside-door-fxWe are good at hiding our garbage in nice containers, behind cabinet doors, and in gated areas like this one behind a restaurant in a historic neighborhood. Yet, we know the garbage is there, either because it overflows, accumulates in our living spaces or starts to stink. Our garbage cannot be truly hidden.

We also hang on to internal stuff that bogs us down—anger, hurt, hunger for power, loneliness, greed, addiction—sin.  We may spend a lot of time and effort attempting to hide our spiritual garbage, but someone always sees it. God sees it.

Yet, we can be free. Free from the painful baggage we carry every day, free from bags of stress and worry that we drag around with us, free from the sin, that stinks up our souls.

“He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.” Ephesians 1:7 New Living Translation

Christ loves us so much that He wants us to be free from our garbage. He died for us so we would be unburdened of it all!

“I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.” Philippians 3:7-9 New Living Translation

You may be thinking that you know this, but it’s so easy for the trash to accumulate while living our daily lives. So today, believe in your heart that God loves you, and has chosen you! Search your heart and soul, and throw out any garbage that is overtaking your life in Him.

Copyright text and photo Desiree Bustamante

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PWTE Daily Devotion

The Rainbow Tree

God’s gift for our journey.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

rainbow-tree-fxOn Spiral Drive to the top of Tenderfoot Mountain in Salida, Colorado, was this dead tree, beautifully painted in rainbow colors.  The mountain is rather barren on the way up, so this vibrant tree was an unexpected (yet welcome) sight on the dusty road to the summit—a colorful gift from an artist.  When you finally reach the overlook, there is a spectacular view of the city and surrounding mountains.

We are all on a road that at times seems desolate, and we look for beauty on the way to meet our Lord for eternity. Fortunately, God has given us His gift of beautiful words of encouragement, hope, and direction for our journey. All we need do is stop on the road and take in the splendor of His word.

“When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God.”
Jeremiah 15:16 New Living Translation

“I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in your words.” Psalm 119:147 New Living Translation

So when the road we travel on to heaven is tranquil or when it gets bumpy, one thing is sure:

“The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.”  Isaiah 40:8 New Living Translation

Copyright text and photo Desiree Bustamante

Categories
PWTE Daily Devotion

Power Source

I Need More Power!

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” Romans 1:16

sept-16It happened almost every episode of the Star Trek series; Captain Kirk and the Starship Enterprise are in trouble and he contacts Scottie in the engine room, saying, “Scottie, I need more power!”

I hear something similar almost everyday… “I am so tired.  I am so worn out.  I feel dragged down.  I need more energy.  I need more power!” And people try everything for some sort of lift.  You know what I mean.  Coffee, exercise, drugs, self help magazines, health foods, the list goes on and on.

But none of these things can give us real power.  They may provide a temporary lift or a marginally healthier lifestyle.  But in the end, the power to truly live in joy and hope and love cannot come from anything here on earth.  It must come from God.

We must be plugged in to the only power source that can wipe away our sin, give life beyond the grave, and give us true hope in a fallen world.  That power comes in the Good News of Jesus Christ, Savior and Lord.  That power source comes directly from God through the God made man, the Word made Flesh, God’s Son sent here to earth.

We need the true power source that does not fail in the storm, that will never come unplugged.  Those of us who have lived through power outages know how dependent we are on that electrical line into our house!  How much more are you and I dependent on our connection to our Lord Jesus.  He is the Power Source that will never fail.

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for coming to me in my weakness and sin and bringing the power of your Good News into my life.  I trust in You alone for all things, today and through eternity.  Amen.

Text and photo copyright by Steve Nickodemus