Believe & Speak

Today’s Bible verses promise that God has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and enabled us to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. While this week’s declaration reminds us to press forward with hope rather than fall backward in despair.

You and I can’t help but stumble if we try to move forward while focused on the darkness in our past. As believers, we carry the light of Christ, a light that cannot be extinguished.

God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. (See 1 John 1:5). God calls you out of the darkness of your past and into his glorious, eternal light. When you choose to leave the darkness behind you and move into growing your relationship with God, you can’t help but be engulfed in light. God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. Are you letting the darkness of your past shroud your hopes for a bright future? As a child of God who has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you are invited to live in the light, so declare your freedom to live in the light.

You are not only invited into the light, you are expected to live in the light. The Bible says that we are not practicing the truth if we go on living in spiritual darkness after we accept God’s gift of grace. (See 1 John 1:6). We can’t walk with God and stay in the dark. God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. There’s no need to be afraid of the dark when you walk with God. He will be your light. He will light your way.

Colossians 1:9 assures us that God will give us complete knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And verse 10 promises that—upon receiving this knowledge from God—the way we live will always honor and please the Lord, and our lives will produce every kind of good fruit.

My friend, the best fruit grows in the sunshine! Getting to know God better helps you gain the wisdom and understanding to shed light on every step you take. I’m so thankful we can claim the promise in this week’s declaration!

 

Longing to Belong: Discovering the Joy of Acceptance is available for purchase on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Walmart.com, Booksamillion.com and Christianbook.com. It’s also available for download to your Kindle or from the Apple store for your iBooks app. Or visit my website to purchase a copy at shawnamariebryant.com

Enjoy this 10-Day Reading Plan on the YouVersion Bible App

This week's scripture: Colossians 1:9-14

The news continually gives evidence to the shaking going on in the world. From the people in Cuba protesting against the oppressive communist regime to the polarization of the United States citizens with differing ideologies, to the effects of the COVID-19 virus that refuses to go away, these dreadful circumstances can easily make us feel shaken. In times like these, we need to fix our gaze on God and declare: When I can’t rely on anything else, I can rely on God’s peace and love.

My husband and I are small business owners, and like so many businesses affected by the COVID-19 lockdowns, ours has been struggling financially. We pray and pray for circumstances to change, but they don’t. We live in California, which was one of the first states to shut down and among the last to open. Our governor is facing a recall election because of his handling of the pandemic. And that’s not the only “shaking” we’ve been through. If you live in California, then you know that the earth is literally shaking. I’ve felt more earthquakes over the past year than I’ve felt in multiple previous years combined.

But God promised us through the prophet Isaiah, “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed.”

Do you believe that? I do! And I want to remember that promise, and commit to relying on God—especially when my finances or anything else I might be tempted to rely on prove to be insufficient.

Let’s declare our reliance on the God of peace and love.

 

Longing to Belong: Discovering the Joy of Acceptance is available for purchase on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Walmart.com, Booksamillion.com and Christianbook.com. It’s also available for download to your Kindle or from the Apple store for your iBooks app. Or visit my website to purchase a copy at shawnamariebryant.com

Enjoy this 10-Day Reading Plan on the YouVersion Bible App

This week's scripture: Isaiah 54:10

Maybe you’ve heard or said “I love you to the moon and back.” That’s a lot of love! But God’s love for you is even greater. God loves you PAST the moon. What’s more, God loves you PAST the stars.

Psalm 103:11 says, “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is [God’s] love for those who fear him.” (NIV)

A couple days ago I received a text from someone who received a fresh revelation from God as she was reading Psalm 103. Even though she knew that God is slow to get angry and filled with unfailingly love, she hadn’t really taken to heart that he will not constantly accuse us and that He does not punish us for all our sins.

Her text said, “This stood out to me because even though God has proven that to be true time and time again in my life, part of me still always thinks there is a one-for-one tally going on with God and my mistakes. Like every little thing I do must have a consequence. But that scripture specifically says, ‘He does not punish ALL our sins.’"

Yes! Psalm 103 indeed promises us that God does NOT treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to a daunting tally of our mistakes. He loves us. He forgives us. And he completely removes our transgressions from us—as far as the east is from the west.

 

Longing to Belong: Discovering the Joy of Acceptance is available for purchase on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Walmart.com, Booksamillion.com and Christianbook.com. It’s also available for download to your Kindle or from the Apple store for your iBooks app. Or visit my website to purchase a copy at shawnamariebryant.com

Enjoy this 10-Day Reading Plan on the YouVersion Bible App

This week's scripture: Psalm 103:8-12

I wrote in my blog a few weeks back about a wonderful devotional by Charles Stanley. His book is called Every Day in His Presence and it inspired this week’s episode of my podcast much like it inspired my blog.

The headline for the daily reading assigned for the very day I planned to write today’s episode was this: Recovering From Rejection. Seeing that title on that day—just prior to writing this episode—stunned me because this episode posts just prior to the first anniversary of the release date for my book about recovering from rejection.

As you may know if you’ve listened to me for a while, the Believe & Speak podcast was inspired by my book, Longing to Belong: Discovering the Joy of Acceptance, which is all about the power of our words and the healing power of declaring truth about our identity and worth.

I read portions from Dr. Stanley’s devotional in today’s episode, and reading those words about the power of the spoken word right before the first anniversary of my book’s release reminds me yet again that God gives my life purpose and significance. He does the same for you!

 

Longing to Belong: Discovering the Joy of Acceptance is available for purchase on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Walmart.com, Booksamillion.com and Christianbook.com. It’s also available for download to your Kindle or from the Apple store for your iBooks app. Or visit my website to purchase a copy at shawnamariebryant.com

Enjoy this 10-Day Reading Plan on the YouVersion Bible App

This week's scripture: Psalm 27:7-10

Do you believe that you are blessed? Today, I want to encourage you with a blessing that God wants spoken over his children. God instructed Moses to have the priests speak this blessing over the Israelites because He truly wants his children to be blessed. I am going to speak the blessing over you and I sincerely believe God will bless you.

Numbers 6:27 says, “Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in my name, I myself will bless them.” (NLT)

I believe God still honors this promise today. I’ve spoken on this podcast before about how believers in Jesus have been adopted into God’s family and, therefore, share in the inheritance and blessings of the people of Israel. This week’s declaration is true not just for the Israelites of old, but it’s true for you and I today.

In my book, Longing to Belong: Discovering the Joy of Acceptance, I talk about the value of a blessing. The book is based on Psalm 139, which says in part, “You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!”

Receiving a blessing from God is “too wonderful” and “too great to understand” because his blessing is transformative. God’s blessing involves more than speaking words of affirmation over you.

According to Psalm 139:5, your heavenly Father places his hand of blessing on your head, which means he singles you out. He focuses solely on you as he speaks into your heart to affirm your great worth and bright future. God’s blessing always includes an active commitment on His part to see it through. God wants the blessing in Numbers 6:22-27 spoken over you because he wants to protect you, smile on you, be gracious to you, show you his favor and give you peace. You are indeed blessed!

 

Longing to Belong: Discovering the Joy of Acceptance is available for purchase on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Walmart.com, Booksamillion.com and Christianbook.com. It’s also available for download to your Kindle or from the Apple store for your iBooks app. Or visit my website to purchase a copy at shawnamariebryant.com

Enjoy this 10-Day Reading Plan on the YouVersion Bible App

This week's scripture: Numbers 6:22-27

live in Central California and we’ve been having quite a heat wave. I love the thought of God standing beside me as my protective shade. Yes, Almighty God is my shield, my fortress, my deliverer and defender, but he is also my protective shade. I would never limit God to the role of a parasol or an umbrella—He is so much greater and so much more powerful! But that doesn’t mean he can’t fill a lesser role for me. Sometimes I need to run into a strong tower. Other times I need a little bit of shade.

Psalm 121:5b-6a says, “The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day.”

Do you ever feel like your issues are too insignificant to bring to God? If so, you’re believing a lie. God loves you and cares about the things that affect you. He stands ready to defend you against all harm—regardless of its severity. Seek his guidance for big and small decisions. Ask for his input on large and miniscule tasks. Wait on his direction before climbing a mountain and taking a stroll. God sees what’s up ahead even as he keeps his watchful eyes on you.

 

Longing to Belong: Discovering the Joy of Acceptance is available for purchase on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Walmart.com, Booksamillion.com and Christianbook.com. It’s also available for download to your Kindle or from the Apple store for your iBooks app. Or visit my website to purchase a copy at shawnamariebryant.com

Enjoy this 10-Day Reading Plan on the YouVersion Bible App

This week's scripture: Psalm 121:5-8

I’m following the journey of a teenager who was recently diagnosed with leukemia. Her mother posts regular updates and prayer requests to Facebook along with pictures that absolutely capture my heart.

I pray and pray for this precious family, asking for healing, hoping for good news, believing God is all-sufficient. Some prayers are answered. Others seem ignored. But even so, the mom posted these words after a not particularly good day: Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, she became a butterfly.

Oh, if only I could remember to focus on the future glory of the butterfly rather than the suffocating darkness of the cocoon.

Life can hurt, and it can hurt a lot. The Bible teaches us that we shouldn’t be surprised by the painful trials we suffer. Jesus told us to expect trouble in this world but to take heart in the midst of it, knowing that he has already overcome every evil thing the world could throw at him.

Romans 8:15 says we can call God “Abba Father” That’s an endearing term for a loving Daddy. And that Daddy has promised that one day you will share in a glorious inheritance.  As we eagerly await that future day when God will reveal who his children really are, let’s not forget that today’s suffering can’t compare to the glory yet to come.

 

Longing to Belong: Discovering the Joy of Acceptance is available for purchase on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Walmart.com, Booksamillion.com and Christianbook.com. It’s also available for download to your Kindle or from the Apple store for your iBooks app. Or visit my website to purchase a copy at shawnamariebryant.com

Enjoy this 10-Day Reading Plan on the YouVersion Bible App

This week's scripture: Romans 8:14-19

The book of Romans doesn’t teach us that we will never sin again. Declaring that sin has lost its power over me is different from saying sin will never again happen in me. If (and when) I do mess up, I won’t have to pay with my life because Jesus already paid the wages for sin. 1 John 2:1-2 says, “My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” (NLT)

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. That power within you gives you everything you need to resist temptation. Not only does the Spirit of God within you empower you to “put to death the deeds of your sinful nature”, but Jesus, through his death and resurrection, stripped sin of its power over us. 1 Corinthians 15:56-58 says, “For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (NLT)

 

Longing to Belong: Discovering the Joy of Acceptance is available for purchase on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Walmart.com, Booksamillion.com and Christianbook.com. It’s also available for download to your Kindle or from the Apple store for your iBooks app. Or visit my website to purchase a copy at shawnamariebryant.com

Enjoy this 10-Day Reading Plan on the YouVersion Bible App

This week's scripture: Romans 8:11-13

I’m glad you’ve joined me as we continue our four-week series from Romans 8:1-19. This is part two of our series, which remains focused on the transformed nature of those of us who live by the Spirit.

I remember overhearing a group of twenty-somethings reacting to the news that one of their friends had unexpectedly died, leaving a lifetime of dreams yet to be fulfilled. One shocked young man said, “It just goes to show that you need to be sure that you’ve made things right with God.”

As silence hung in the air in response to that comment, I longed to jump in uninvited and ask them if they knew how to be made right with God. I had the strong impression that they did not, and I ached for them to know the truth.

You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. If you have the Spirit of God living in you, you belong to Jesus and His Spirit lives within you.

Therefore, even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life. Nothing can condemn you because you have been made right with God through the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus.

 

Longing to Belong: Discovering the Joy of Acceptance is available for purchase on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Walmart.com, Booksamillion.com and Christianbook.com. It’s also available for download to your Kindle or from the Apple store for your iBooks app. Or visit my website to purchase a copy at shawnamariebryant.com

Enjoy this 10-Day Reading Plan on the YouVersion Bible App

This week's scripture: Romans 8:5-10

Welcome to the beginning of a miniseries from Romans 8:1-19. I’m going to spend a total of four episodes on these verses that focus on the transformed nature of those of us who live by the Spirit.

I decided to do a miniseries for a couple reasons. For one, I was inspired by Pastor Jack Hibbs to take my time with this powerful book of the New Testament. The pastor from Calvary Chapel Chino Hills says he plans to preach from Romans till Jesus returns, and I have no doubt he will find plenty of material to teach from in that one book. My other reason for doing a series is that when I started reading Romans 8, I couldn’t decide where to stop. I knew I wanted to pull out a declaration from Romans 8:1, but there is so much great news in the first several verses that I easily found multiple affirmations.

Today’s reading from Romans 8 contrasts the law of Moses with the power of God’s love. By giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins, God did what the law could not do. God freed us from the power of sin and death by fully satisfying the just requirement of the law through the body of his own Son. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Jesus paid your “sin wages” for you. If you’ve accepted him as your Lord and Savior, you belong to him. Because you belong to Jesus, you are no longer bound to the power of sin that leads to death. You are free from condemnation!

No matter what your thoughts tell you, no matter what your past tells you, no matter what the letter of the law tells you, Jesus paid the penalty for your sin so you cannot and will not be condemned!

 

Longing to Belong: Discovering the Joy of Acceptance is available for purchase on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Walmart.com, Booksamillion.com and Christianbook.com. It’s also available for download to your Kindle or from the Apple store for your iBooks app. Or visit my website to purchase a copy at shawnamariebryant.com

Enjoy this 10-Day Reading Plan on the YouVersion Bible App

This week's scripture: Romans 8:1-4