devotional – The Beacon

[john 20:24-29]

‘But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.’ [John 20:25]

HE IS RISEN. Happy late Easter, everyone. I’m just gonna discuss a couple verses relating to something that happened shortly after Jesus’s resurrection from the grave. The verse above is essentially the start to the story I’m gonna talk briefly about today: Doubting Thomas. Essentially, Thomas was not with the other disciples when Jesus appeared (newly risen from the dead, no big deal), so they all came back and told him. This was his response. As much as we kind of scorn Thomas for this response, I can’t help but wonder: would I have that response? Would you? This is just one of those things that just seems too good (or crazy) to be true. I totally understand where Thomas is coming from. However, the next verse goes on to say ‘a week later’. Like, what?! He’s surely heard more about this (and how has He not seen Jesus by this point?!), and He is still not believing?

‘Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ Then He said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.” [John 20:26b-27]

I can’t even imagine being Thomas here. Being called or by Jesus. And I’m sure at this point, Thomas believes- since Jesus is right in front of him. But I can’t even fathom touching Jesus where they witnessed Him being pierced with nails. It’s just crazy, but so amazing. And I’m sure Thomas definitely stopped doubting and started believing right then and there. And I love the small detail at the beginning: the doors were locked, but Jesus still just came and appeared. What. That also probably helped Thomas believe…and scared him.

‘Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” [John 20:29]

Obviously, only a select few got to see when Jesus rose from the dead, the rest of us just have to go on faith and belief. And He blesses those of us who do- those who hear these words in the Bible and believe that He did what they say He did. And it’s a beautiful thing. I understand being a doubting Thomas. It is HARD to trust God sometimes, but I urge you to try. Because the rewards and blessings are unfathomable. I’m just thankful for a God who didn’t just leave us–He came back. To show us that He is GREATER THAN DEATH. And that is GREAT. He is great. Happy Easter, everyone.

love,

erinn victoria

[luke 23:44-46]

‘It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.’ When He had said this, He breathed His last.’

[Side note: I know that Good Friday was yesterday, but I didn’t post then, so I’ll cover Good Friday now and Easter (His resurrection) next post!]

There are quite a few recounts of Jesus’s time on earth, but I’m currently studying Luke, so I figured I’d go with Luke. Let’s start with that first sentence:

‘It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining.’

This sentence is quickly stated, and possibly overlooked, but it’s a pretty astounding statement. Can you imagine people who weren’t there witnessing the crucifixion? They were probably quite confused…nonetheless, this would be pretty astounding even if you were witnessing it. It’s 12 in the afternoon, and all of a sudden, the sun just stops shining. This alone should alert the people that something was going down, something dark and, well, scary. While it was God’s plan all along for Jesus to die on the cross, it’s still a dark time, thinking that we put Him on that cross for no real reason/crime.

‘And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.’

Another statement that seems kind of insignificant. This version is Luke doesn’t go into much detail at all, but other recounts of this tell us more about this curtain. This curtain, as explained in Exodus, was to separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. The tearing/removal of this curtain showed that Christ had entered heaven for us, so that we can now enter God’s presence as well. (As explained in the foot notes of my NIV & The Message Parallel Study Bible.) One of my favourite details of this event, though it’s not mentioned here, is that the curtain was torn from top to bottom. This was a HUGE curtain, and this particular detail just proves that it was God’s doing. Pretty cool proof, right?

‘Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.’ When He had said this, He breathed His last.’

This is such an extraordinary declaration. And it’s something we should declare as well. We need to commit our Spirits into His hands. Allow Him to do with us what He wants–even if that means death, like in Jesus’s case. And that last sentence…it just hits ya. Like, all of a sudden, He spoke that and then breathed His last. Just like that, His mission on earth (for that time anyway) was complete. Little did the people watching realize, He had other plans…even though He had definitely given them a spoiler alert earlier, they wouldn’t even realize what hit them.

Stay tuned for a post on the resurrection later. As for now, be thankful for this incredible sacrifice He made. He made it to forgive us from OUR SINS. Thank Him for this incredible act. And commit your spirit to Him.

Hope you all had a great Good Friday and have a lovely Easter!

-erinn victoria

[mr. t & his battle with cancer]

Now, first–I know next to nothing about Mr. T. Pretty much the most I know about him is from what I’ve seen of him on Dancing with the Stars this season. That being said, I came across an article that discussed his faith in God and how it got him through his battle with lymphoma in 1995. So, that’s what I’m going to briefly discuss here today. I encourage you to read the article, but I’ll sum up bits and pieces as well.

I cannot even imagine being diagnosed with any type of long-term illness, cancer, etc., but I do know that the only way I’d make it through would be if I had faith in and trusted God. So, I always appreciate when I hear of others who do the same. He relates his time to the book of Job, saying that no matter how strong our faith is, all the good we do, etc., we can still go through really crappy times. The key is to have faith. This is such a hard response to have when we encounter major trials, but it is certainly the best one to have. Just trust that God is going to get you through it–no matter what it is.

Another part of this story that I love is that, now that he’s come out on the other side of all this, he gives back. He goes to hospitals to encourage and see the sick kids there, he sees it as serving God. And it is. When we help the sick, poor, needy, downtrodden, we’re ‘helping’/serving God. He loves ‘the least of these’ & we’re called to as well. Mr. T has also pledged to give any money he makes from Dancing with the Stars to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Mr. T can be an inspiration to any of us. His story helps us to remember that just because we’re Christians does NOT mean we get an easy, care-free life. We will have struggles. The key is to have faith and trust in God that He will deliver you from these troubles. He will lift you up out of that pit of depression. Have faith in Him.

thanks for reading, guys!

-erinn victoria

UPDATE: Since posting this, Mr. T danced his final dance on Dancing with the Stars and talked about his battle with cancer. It brought most people in that audience to tears the other night, and I encourage you to watch and be inspired.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFAzJ2LMxgs[/youtube]

[luke 10:42]

”One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it…” [msg]

”…but few things are needed–or indeed only one.” [niv]

The context of this verse, as some of you may know, is these two sisters who invited Jesus over to their home. One sister is definitely that Type A person (I can say that because it’s me…), who is bustling about, trying to make preparations and make everything perfect–this is Martha. Mary, her sister, is sitting at Jesus’s feet–‘hanging on every word He said’ (Luke 10:39 MSG). Eventually, Martha complains to Jesus about her sister (always a great idea, right?), and the above verse is His response. He tells her to not worry about so many things, and that Mary has chosen to focus on the ‘right’ thing…really, the ONLY important thing.

This story happens only over a couple of verses and doesn’t seem to be too life-changing, but it can be. We are ALL like Martha so much of the time. We’re constantly moving from one activity to the next–this current generation is known as the one without an attention span, we’re ALWAYS DOING SOMETHING. However, this response from Jesus reminds us to just sit and BE. He reminds us that there is truly ONE important thing and it’s spending time with Him. Obviously, the things He calls us to do (share His word, love others, etc.) are important as well, BUT–none of those are important if we don’t first align ourselves with Him. If we don’t start our day off with a couple moments of silence with just you and Him, our days will suffer. We can try to do all that He calls us to, but I think it will be in vain. We’re supposed to do those things in His name, but how can we do that if WE NEVER SPEND TIME WITH HIM??? It’s ludicrous, right?

I am extremely guilty of this. I tend to talk to God throughout my day, but I get right out of bed in the morning and start DOING. He will give us the time, strength, peace, and energy to get through the day–but first, maybe give Him the time of day, yeah? One thing is important today. And tomorrow when you wake up. And the next day. Remember it. Spend those few precious moments with your Lord and Saviour (and hopefully more throughout the day!) and it will NOT be taken away from you. He promises that. And He is a God who does not break His promises.

thanks for reading, guys! share with your friends! or acquaintances–I’m not picky!

love,

erinn victoria

‘hosanna’ [hillsong united]

‘Heal my heart and make it clean.
Open up my eyes to the things unseen.
Show me how to love like You have loved me.

Break my heart for what breaks Yours.
Everything I am for Your Kingdom’s cause.
As I walk from earth into eternity.’

So, today was a shuffle-a-worship-playlist-and-find-a-song kind of day. But I do have a soft spot for this particular song. I haven’t listened to it in awhile, but there was a period of time where it was always playing–whether it was on the radio or at church. This song has become very commonplace though, so I encourage you to, this time, really listen to it. Particularly the bridge–as I say with many worship songs.

I love this passionate prayer that the song poses. We should be asking God to do these things in us each and every day. They are hard, intense challenges, but very important. Ask Him to cleanse your heart–He desires to already, but you should have a desire to ask Him to heal you and your heart. Pray that He would open up your eyes, and that you would see through His eyes. When you see through His eyes, you’ll see people in a new, loving, forgiving, graceful light–and hopefully refrain from judging others. We need to see people and LOVE them. And I love that last line in the first part. One of my daily goals is to love others as He has loved us. I fail so often, but it’s something to truly strive for. He has loved us in such an incredible way, and we should certainly try and love others that same way.

Finally, we need to be broken by what breaks Him. The things that break His heart need to break ours as well. We can’t just see all these horrible things happening around us and around the world each day and let them go by. We need to really look at those things and REACT. We need to be broken for His kingdom and for Him. He can repair us and truly use us when we’re broken for Him. Last, but certainly not least, give EVERYTHING you have and are for His kingdom. We need to devote ourselves to living for Him and His kingdom.

Sorry that this was just a break-down of the bridge, but it’s so good. And can be such a good thing to just pray each and every day. Thank you for reading this and I’ll be praying this prayer over all of you and praying it myself.

love you all,

erinn victoria

[demi lovato–5 years sober]

‘So grateful. It’s been quite the journey. So many ups and downs. So many times I wanted to relapse but sat on my hands and begged God to relieve the obsession. I’m so proud of myself but I couldn’t have done it without my higher power (God), my family, friends, and everyone else who supported me. Feeling humbled and joyful today. Thank you guys for sticking by my side and believing in me.’

[this is not the picture from her instagram post, but I love it because it's so natural--and she's stunning here. It's actually from another time she was busy inspiring people--talking about her battle with mental illness.] — [this is not the picture from her instagram post, but I love it because it’s so natural–and she’s stunning here. It’s actually from another time she was busy inspiring people–talking about her battle with mental illness.]

This was the caption to a recent Instagram post by Demi Lovato. As you can see in the picture (linked above), she was referring to being 5 years sober. This is obviously an INCREDIBLE feat and she is such a great role model for it (and many other reasons). However, I truly love that she credits her success to God, first and foremost. It’s definitely easy to get caught up in ourselves sometimes and think we’re so great for accomplishing this or that, but it truly is Him who helps us out of those tough situations and temptations.

Two verses come to mind whenever I think about temptations, and they’re such important ones to remember. First, is 1 Corinthians 10:13, which says: ‘No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.’ I love this verse because so often we feel so alone when it comes to temptations. We feel ashamed for being tempted in the first place and like we can’t tell anyone, and we feel sinful because we know we shouldn’t be partaking in that activity, so it’s important to remember that He is with us. He will provide a way out. Sometimes, it may not be super obvious, but it’s there. Look to Him in those times. As Demi said, she would ‘sit on [her] hands and begged God to relieve the obsession’. It takes an incredibly strong person to do that.

The other verse I think of is 2 Corinthians 12:9, which says: ‘But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.’ He is strong when we are consumed by weakness. This is one of my favourite verses. We all need support when we’re feeling weak, so it’s great to know that when we are at our worst, He will and can be at His ‘best’, so to speak. He is our strength. You’re never in this alone. No matter what it is.

thanks for reading!

love,

erinn victoria

[psalm 34:15-19]

‘The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are attentive to their cry;
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth.’
[Psalm 34:15-16]

I love the second part of verse 15 there: ‘His ears are attentive to their cry’. Not only does He hear us when we cry out to Him, but He’s awaiting our cries to Him. He keeps an eye and an ear out for you to ensure that you are safe and not in trouble. This is an incredible privilege, and much more enticing than the second part of that passage. I can’t imagine having the Lord ‘against’ me. He is an all-powerful God and that is somewhat terrifying. However, it is incredible to have such a loyal, loving God on our side. He wants to stand up to those who do evil, those who may be bullying you. He wants to keep the righteous safe.

‘The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.’
[Psalm 34:17-19]

He delivers the righteous from ALL their troubles. That’s pretty amazing. I love the second verse, that He is close to the brokenhearted. The Message version says ‘If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there…’ I love that phrasing too. When we’re brokenhearted and down & out, we tend to feel all alone, but that’s exactly where we’ll find God. He is strong in our weakness.

And that last verse…people may think that once you’re a Christian/a Christ follower, you’re with God and nothing can harm or hurt or trouble you. But that is 100% wrong. Sometimes, being a Christ follower causes more problems than not–at least in the way that you will be persecuted more for your beliefs, etc. It’s definitely worth it, but it’s important to know that Christians are not just immune from difficulties and trials. However, it’s also very important to note that last part of the verse/that last word: ‘the Lord rescues him from them ALL.’ He saves, rescues, and delivers us from ALL of our troubles. As the Message puts it: ‘God is there EVERY time.’ He won’t abandon you. The Christian lifestyle may get difficult, but the important thing is that we can survive it all because we have God by our side. He’ll deliver us from the trouble every single time.

Look to Him when you’re in trouble. He’s waiting for your call. He wants you to ask Him for help. Never feel alone, because He pulls close to you when you’re hurting, and He is always there for you.

Have a lovely day, all! I won’t be posting for about a week and half as I will be on spring break–so have a lovely week, as well!

love,

erinn victoria

[tim tebow–press conference]

‘[Sports are] not why I’m here. It’s not my biggest calling…
I want my life to be so much more than that.
I want to be someone that was known for bringing faith, hope, and love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need…
I am grateful to sports because it has given me a platform…’

I encourage you first to click here and watch the short clip of a recent press conference with Tim Tebow–I didn’t want to quote it all, but I definitely could have; so please watch the above first.

I think that Tebow is an excellent picture of what the Christian ‘celebrity’ should look like. As previously discussed, we should all use the gifts that God has blessed us with; however, if from those talents, we achieve success (or even fame), the credit needs to be given to Him. In addition to giving the credit to Him though, we also need to use our platforms for the ultimate good–use it to further is Kingdom.

I think we all desire to be successful in whatever fields we pursue, but if we do desire this, it should be mainly so that way we can influence more people as we go along. If you have a platform, no matter what work you do, you should use it simply to bring faith, hope, and love, and most importantly GOD’S LOVE to those influenced by you.

It’s so important to also recognize that whatever field of work we go into–whatever material success we obtain–is not necessarily our ultimate calling, that our true ULTIMATE calling is to bring people to Him. To bring His Light into people’s lives.

pursue His Kingdom & do His Kingdom work above all else.

thanks for reading!

-erinn victoria

‘resurrecting’ [elevation worship]

‘By Your spirit, I will rise
from the ashes of defeat.
The resurrected King is resurrecting me.

In Your name, I come alive
to declare Your victory.
The resurrected King is resurrecting me.’

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI2_yS6K9GE[/youtube]

So, while this whole song truly is GREAT. I am pretty much posting it for this bridge. Just read those lyrics a couple of times over. Or listen to the song–because it’s repeated a LOT. hah. But really–every time I reflect on these lyrics or hear them, I get chills. Those are some impacting, powerful statements. (And if you follow me on any social media, you already saw me geek out about these powerful lyrics this week, so oops! heh.)

We may feel knocked down, defeated–but by HIS SPIRIT, we can rise from those ashes. [The only imagery I’m getting here is Fawkes the Phoenix, just a side note.] And only in and through HIS name can we fully come alive, and when we do–declare His victory!!! Whenever you or any loved one wins something or performs well, etc. we want to shout it from the rooftops, right? This is no different–except for the fact that this is SO MUCH MORE INCREDIBLE. He has DEFEATED the grave. Not only that, but He DIED on a cross to save us from our sins. So, He succeeded in wiping our slates clean of any sin and then still ROSE FROM THE DEAD. That is a victory if I’ve ever heard one. We are alive and living our wonderful, blessed lives because of Him–DECLARE that.

He is the true resurrected King. He is the only one who has truly been resurrected and He is the only One who can resurrect us. When you feel beaten down and defeated–look to Him. Because that revival and new life that you so long to feel, will only come from Him and His Spirit.

thanks for reading, all! It means so much.

love,

erinn victoria.

p.s. If you’d like to see me post more pictures of His gorgeous creation and my thoughts/lyrics I like, follow my insta: erinn_victoria

[psalm 31:9-10a, 14-15a]

‘Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress;
my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my soul and body with grief.
My life is consumed by anguish
and my years by groaning…

BUT I trust in You, Lord;
I say, ‘You are my God.’
My times are in Your hands…’
[Psalm 31:9-10a, 14-15]

[Side note: Sorry that it’s such a broken up selection today, but I don’t want it to be too long, and these were the main points that needed to be discussed. hah.]

So, wow. Those first two verses. They really hit you, right? And the Message translation is a whole other story–‘I’ve cried my eyes out; I feel hollow inside. My life leaks away, groan by groan; my years fade out in sighs.’ Doesn’t David do an incredible job of showing that pain and depression and anguish here?

To be completely honest, the first thing that came to my head, sadly, was how I felt after a break-up. I’m seeing all my tweets in timehop, etc. and it hurts to even think about myself hurting so badly back then. I mean, we’ve all felt that though. That soul-crushing sadness that David’s referring to here. Obviously, his was for a much different, much more dignified reason, but still. However, I have always stood by the fact that a break-up should hurt. You should feel that pain, or did it really mean that much to you, you know?

ANYWAY though. I’m not turning this into a relationship blog, I promise. I am incredibly happy now, and I believe I am SO much stronger having gone through the pain for past relationships. I couldn’t be more grateful for all my past experiences. And I think that the stories I have to tell–the pain I’ve felt, the tears, the anguish, and then the new-ness, the refreshed feeling, the happiness that comes after–are a perfect testimony to these verses. I know I struggled a lot in that time, but I did try HARD to trust God. And I think that that is the absolute best solution we can come up with for times like that. Use those last two verses as your guide. TRUST in God. And commit all your days to Him.

It’s so important to know that lots of people have felt that pain–the pain you may be feeling right now. Know that you’re not alone. But also, know that the best thing you can do is TRUST GOD. He has a plan, I promise you. And though it may suck at the moment, there’s a reason for it. He’s making you stronger, preparing you for the next battle/struggle. He knows what’s best for you. And just like your parents and friends hate to see you struggle, He dislikes it so much more. You’re His kid, His creation. He will help you through this–now and any time in the future. Unfortunately, pain and suffering tend to just be a part of life. Make it easier on yourself and just trust that He’s holding your life in His hands. And He knows what He’s doing.

thanks for reading, guys!

love,

erinn victoria

p.s. If you are struggling, and need someone to talk to–reach out; I would love to help in any way I can.