Abbie Coffey

Matthew 19:24 "Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Jesus saying this stunned the disciples because in their belief system, the wealthy were for sure in because they could "pay" for their debts.  I'm thinking culturally now.  How can I relate this to today's current culture?  What would it be in our current Christian culture that someone would say is your ticket into heaven?  Do we have any misconceptions like that?  I think we do, unfortunately.  It can be in many forms, depending on whom you're talking to and where their passion lies.  For some it is mission trips.  If you do a mission trip, you are more Christian than someone who doesn't and you're in.  For some it is how much service/volunteer work that makes you more Christian.  For others, it is the way in which you live outwardly Christian by book buying, movie going, music listening, churc...

Psalm 121:2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121 is a beautiful reassurance of God taking care of us.  I often wonder how many things in which God has intervened in my world to help me and I don't even know.  I have been given this word of "help" in relation to God in my world.  I'm not sure, as of yet, exactly what it means.  I have honestly been pondering it for months now.  I am awaiting to see what it is that God is going to specifically help me with.  As I wait, I pray that my eyes would be open and that my soul would be ready when it is revealed.  So, I'm waiting for help from the Lord at a time and for a reason that has not been shown to me.  It is an interesting place of anticipation.  I don't know whether to be excited or fearful.  I know with God there is nothing to fear, but I do know that times of help can come in great pain or in great joy.  I'm hoping it's the latter, but I honestly d...

Father, today I pray for your hand to be mighty in battle.  For your Spirit to wash over me and calm my weary soul.  Lord, your hand to guide me as I walk the unknown path, knowing that you are ahead of me preparing the way.  Father I am humbled by your movement in, around, and through me.  I pray that I would have the courage to step back and let you continue to mold and shape me as I am refined in the fire.  Father the hurt is real and the pain is deep at times.  I know you understand.  Lord I know that it is all for the good of your Kingdom and will have a lasting impact on those whom you choose.  Jesus, the blessing of our friendship is overwhelming.  I am so very grateful for the way I am carried when I can no longer stand.  May your Spirit rest on me as I walk this seemingly lonesome path.  I am tired and weak.  The tears are quick to fall.  Bring my soul healing, rest and rejuvenation.  All glory and honor to y...

Lamentations 3:22 Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. A word a hope in the midst of the struggles written in Lamentations.  This is what I need today.  At times I am so easily ensnared by the little bits of life that creep in slowly and my personal lamentation begins.  These little buggers glom together and make themselves seem a lot larger than they really are.  I find myself continually being reminded of them and can't seem to shake them.  They cause anxiety and worry.  They cause sadness and frustration.  But they do not consume me.  They seem as though they might, but the Spirit sweeps in at just the right time and rescues me from falling into a state of despair.  I am lifted up out of the muck and the mire and shown the great love God has for me.  Today I am reminded of the compassion of Jesus in the way He shows up in my world on a daily basis through those around me. Situations t...

James 2:12-13 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.  Mercy triumphs over judgment. Thank goodness!  This is one of those sections of scripture that always convicts me when I read it.  I am really quite awful about comparing myself to others.  I forget that sin is sin is sin.  It doesn't matter what "level" we think a sin is.  To God, sin is sin, period.  And as Jesus said, if you think it, you've done it.  Ugh!  When I remember what I know, I am much better about accepting others and showing mercy for their wrongdoing.  How often do I think something and have mercy shown to me?  And how fortunate am I that my sin is not always in plain view?  It is so easy to compare ourselves to one another and say, "Well at least I don't…fill in the blank."  There is no, "at least".  Sin is sin in God's eye...

1 John 2:20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. For some reason, scriptures centered around truth have been popping up for me this week.  God has been continually reminding me of His truths as I continue on my Lenten journey.  This particular verse speaks to me about the depth of my soul.  The anointing from the Holy One is being set apart or consecrated by God.  When we believe in Jesus and accept his gift of the cross, we are anointed by the Holy One for a purpose only He can make known to us.  When we seek God and trust in His grace to change us, we are allowing Him to prepare us for the calling He has for us.  And with this anointing comes the knowledge of the truth, which is more than just a head thing.  The law is written on our hearts and the truth lives in our hearts.  The truth is Jesus.  Our relationship with Jesus brings the head knowledge right down into our souls, where he should be. ...

Psalm 32:5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.  I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord"- and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Verse 3 talks about keeping silent and wasting away.  Sometimes I try to keep things from God, but the verse is right, when I am silent, I waste away.  I don't just mean with sin either.  Sometimes it's the lies that Satan tells me that I struggle with telling God.  Lies that the sin I've done has not been atoned for. Lies that the love that kept Jesus on the cross was not meant for me.  Lies that if I confess certain sins to God, He will not forgive, but will punish.  The lie that I am not sinning.  Today is a good reminder to me to acknowledge my sin and call out the lies before God.  When I do that, the light is immediately shone in those dark places and my spirit is free from the weight of guilt.  God knows anyway, I don't know why we think we shouldn't tell him...

2 Peter 1:12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. God, what is it you want to remind me of on this day?…You are loved beyond measure…You have hope in eternity with me…Jesus Christ died for you that you may live life through him…You are precious…You are my creation...I am the one true God…You are mine…Nothing can separate us…I am your friend and confidant…My Spirit is with you…The resurrection is for you…You are forgiven…I know you…Trust in me…Persevere…Your faith sets you free…I am preparing you…I am the way, the truth, and the life…My grace changes you…My love for you is unconditional…I am the Alpha and Omega…I am the Savior…I am a redeemer…I am the power that put the universe into motion…I am omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent…I have sent my angels to attend you…I am victorious…I am...

Zechariah 4:6 So he said to me, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty." When I read this verse, I immediately thought of Jesus and the journey of the cross through the resurrection.  As I read the study application in my Bible, I just smiled.  Zerubbabel was whom God put in charge of rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem during this time.  Right, of course, he was.  I believe the Lord was talking about Jesus even in the midst of the rebuilding of the actual temple.  Jesus' death on the cross and his resurrection are this verse.  On the cross Jesus did not exert his might or his power as we might think of it.  His strength on the cross was the love he showed.  And his resurrection was by the Spirit.  He was made new by the Spirit, resurrected with his heavenly body.  In Jesus' death, God did not show His might or His power.  God showed His love and His mercy,...

I'm in need of a written prayer a day early this week, so I'm flip-flopping Saturday and Sunday.  I hope you don't mind… Dear Father, I am beyond grateful today for the strength and peace you provide in the storm.  When I request your help and your presence you show up mightily.  Your providence in each and every situation is beyond my understanding, yet my spirit comprehends it completely.  I love you for who you are and what you do for me in my times of need.  Lord your Spirit is felt and seen in ways I could never have thought.  Your love for those you've created is beyond any measure we could ever try to grasp. I'm humbled by the people you have brought into my life, who each play such an important role and all have a specific purpose in your plan.  You have so beautifully woven us together in unity.  Father, I am overwhelmed by your mercy and grace today.  Stay close in the days to come so that your peace can reign. Amen.

Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Right now I'm finding it hard to be thankful for what it is that I do.  Not because I am not thankful for my job, but because of the exorbitant amount of time it has been taking this month.  This verse, however, has brought me back into the right heart of the thing.  Yes, I'm exhausted.  Yes, I'm where I am supposed to be.  Yes, I love what I do.  Yes, I love whom I get to work with.  And what I do, I do in the name of the Lord Jesus.  This is all for Him.  I am given His strength, power, grace, peace, compassion and care to accomplish the calling He has given me.  I need to remember that it is Jesus in me who accomplishes all of these things.  My job is to take care of myself and stay connected to Jesus through continual prayer in order to be healthy enough physically, mentally, emot...

1 Samuel 17:32 David said to Saul, "Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him." David's confidence is apparent in this story.  He knows how God has prepared him for this battle.  He shares with Saul his story of the lion and the bear to instill Saul's confidence in him as well.  David boldly takes to the battlefield, not only because of his prior experience but also because he knows God is on his side.  We can learn something from David's confidence in God.  What trials are you going through right now?  Has God given you any prior preparation that would help you in your situation?  So often we don't realize the moments of preparation until we see them in hindsight.  Do you have confidence in God to carry you through?  I think my biggest struggle today is my confidence in God.  Not because I don't think He can carry me through, but more because I just have no idea what direction we are going...

Romans 8:3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. This is one of my favorite truths from Paul.  Those who get stuck on following the "rules" of Christianity are completing misunderstanding Jesus' death and resurrection and the new covenant this made.  If following rules changed our sinful hearts, Jesus didn't need to come.  God had already given us a set of rules in the ten commandments, to which the Pharisees added some 600 more.  We had plenty of rules to follow before Jesus came, but our hearts weren't changing.  All we did was focus on our sinful nature which then led us to do sinful things.  Paul says it this way, "For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing."  Exactly!  When we focus on the things we shouldn't do, we do them.  What is the solution then? ...

Psalm 119:15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. Today I spent time with God in prayer, pondering, listening and resting in him for 30 minutes.  I invite you to do the same.  Make time to be with your creator today and feel rejuvenated.

1 Corinthians 8:11 So this weak brother, for who Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. Chapter 8 is a good reminder of how our actions can have an effect on other believers.  It is so very important that we take care of one another, not causing each other to stumble.  I find that this is what drives me to ask the Holy Spirit for help.  I don't always recognize those things that I do that may cause another sister or brother to stumble.  I don't want to ruin someone because of my "knowledge". Verse 1 says, "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up."  That's what I want to do, build up.  I pray that the Spirit will prompt me to notice those things that I do that may puff me up rather than build up those around me. I also want to be sure that when I am sharing what I know, that I don't present it in such a way that it is off putting to those around me.  Living in the Spirit is the only way to truly accomplish this task.  Listening for prom...

Father, I pray today that you would show up in unexpected ways.  Bring joy to the areas where sadness seems to reign.  Father, help us to see what it is you are up to in your work.  May we know the path that you are leading us on and trust you to guide us with complete faith.  Our hope is in you, Lord, that we may come to find a new peace that passes all understanding.  Lord help us to see you in the day to day and to know that you are alive and well, working out the details of our lives.  I pray for relief amidst the storm.  May your Spirit fill me to the depths of my soul that I may become one with you through Jesus, my Lord and Savior.  Amen

Mark 15:21 A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. This verse brings so many questions to mind.  What must Simon have been thinking as he carried Jesus' cross?  Why did the soldiers force him to carry it in the first place?  How far did he carry the cross?  Why is this mentioned in three accounts, but it is only one sentence in each?  What are we to learn from this statement? For me it is the symbol of what we do during the season of Lent.  We walk alongside Jesus and carry the cross.  It is the one way for us to get a glimpse of what it must have been like for Jesus to walk that road.  We are fortunate and so very loved that we will never have to experience this for ourselves.  During this time before Easter, I find myself pondering the depth of love Jesus has for each of us and the incredible pain that he endured so that we ...

Hebrews 8:12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. Sometimes, at the precise moment, Satan reminds me of long ago sins and tries to flood my mind with the guilt of those actions.  This can be so frustrating!  What an incredible gift that God gave us when He sent Jesus to Earth to be the perfect atonement for all sin for all time.  And then not only that, but that the atonement completely wipes the sin away, so much so, that God does not even remember it.  This is a little above my thinking.  I cannot, for the life of me, forget the sins I have committed.  What do I do then?  When those past actions are brought to mind, I pray for the mercy to forgive myself for my wickedness, only then can I fully accept the forgiveness offered by God through Jesus.  Once I have forgiven myself, when Satan tries to remind me of the junk in my past, I then run verses, like the one above, through my mind.  I "think about wh...

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm.  Let nothing move you.  Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. Unfortunately, this has been a week of questioning for me.  I have wondered if I am truly where I am called to be.  I've been asking God for clear direction in what it is I am to do and where I am to be in many facets of my life.  I have found God to be silent in answering my questions.  I have no reason to question my journey, as nothing has happened to make me feel as though I am not where I should be.  For some reason, little comments or conversations have made me doubt.  I am being attacked.  This verse was a word from God that was much needed.  I am working harder than ever and feeling empty.  The spiritual attack is overwhelming at times.  This verse gave me the hope that my labor is not in vain. I wish sometimes we could s...

Psalm 27:13-14 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Do you ever find yourself waning in the midst of the journey?  Do you ever just need words of encouragement or reassurance?  That's where I am today.  I am in need of words to tell me, "Keep moving forward."  Waiting on the Lord can be a bit deceiving because we sometimes want to wait passively.  However, I believe at certain times God calls us to active waiting.  What do I mean by that? Waiting on the Lord is not a passive act.  It is actively seeking Him and His will.  Looking, speaking, praying, and listening are all ways in which we can practice active patience in God.  Active waiting is doing just what the verse says, "be strong and take heart".  Being strong and taking heart means that we must be in relationship with the one who is strong, Jesus. ...

2 Timothy 3:14-15 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Today I was needing a word of encouragement.  I have been overly busy in the last couple of months with the end too far down the road to see.  My job seems to eat up so much of my time.  I am tired and have very little time to spend with family.  With that, I am feeling a bit energy sapped.  I have been with people and will be with people for the next month.  For me, that is incredibly draining.  I am doing my best to make time for myself, but I am not winning that battle.  This verse then was a good reminder to "think about what I know".  This is temporary.  This too shall pass.  I have to remember to bring my inner focus back to the One who is able to g...

2 Corinthians 7:1 Since we have these promises, dear fiends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. As I have pondered the journey I am to take this Lenten season, this verse has spoken.  God's promise is for us to become sons and daughters through the removal of "unclean things" and separation from unbelievers.  My prayer through Lent is that the Spirit will reveal those "unclean things" in me that I may ask Jesus to step in and begin to cleanse me of them.  As for the unbeliever part, Paul was referring to being "yoked" with an unbeliever.  Since I am not yoked with an unbeliever, I feel called to journey in a different way with unbelievers.  There is a verse in chapter 5 which says, "So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view."  Paul is speaking about believers looking at one another.  When I read it today, it spoke to me of unbelievers. (...

John 17:20-23 "My prayer is not for them alone.  I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.  May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me.  May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." -Jesus

Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. What a great verse!  I am pondering this one all day today because it demands that kind of thought.  Grace and faith are from God; neither come from us.  Are you focused on your good deeds or are you focused on God?  We must be careful to not get too prideful in the good we do, which comes from God.  It seems to be a bit of a double-edged sword because when you do good, you feel good.  We just have to remember that the reason we do what we do comes from Jesus within us.  We are not the source of the good that comes through our lives.  God is.  What part of this verse stands out to you today?

Isaiah 43:1 But now, this is what the Lord says--he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine." It's so interesting to me that when you feel like things in your calling are going well, then Satan attacks in multiple little ways to distract you.  This week has felt very long.  I have been very busy with my job and I have felt rushed in the evenings.  I have felt as though my devotions this week have not been as strong as I would like them.  So in talking with God today, I read several verses and then just simply asked God what He wanted to tell me.  All He said was, "I love you."  That's all I needed to hear today.  After a long week of not having a ton of extra time for my loved ones, and constantly moving from one task to the next, I needed to be told by my creator, "I love you."  May this resonate today in my life so that those around me feel His love to...

Luke 15:32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. This is the last line of the story of the prodigal son in the book of Luke.  Have you ever felt like the older son?  Have you thought, I have done everything God has asked and I haven't gotten anything special for it?  I'll admit it, I've had these feelings before.  Like the older brother, I've made life all about me.  I have been completely selfish in regards to my life at times.  The older son did not stay with his father for his father's sake.  He stayed with the father for his own benefit.  Is this how I'm treating my relationship with God?  This parable is a good check point for me.  Who am I living my life for?  Jesus or me?

John 17:17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. I love this.  John refers to Jesus in the beginning of his book as 'the Word'.  When I read this, I made the connection.  Jesus is truth and here he requests that God sanctify the disciples through Him.  I believe Jesus' request still holds truth for me.  I believe I am being sanctified through Jesus on this journey.  I am noticing ways in which my countenance and actions have changed along the way, and, trust me, it isn't because I'm doing anything to help the cause.  All I try to do is surrender my whole life to Jesus and let him do the sanctifying as he says he will.  For me, it is a daily surrender for some things that I want to hold so tightly.  Have you given your life to Jesus and are you allowing him to sanctify you?  It's His job, not yours.  "For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified." John 17:19  You just have to accept the gift.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! As I was reading in Romans 12, this verse popped into my mind and I couldn't shake it.  I am giddy inside thinking about what God just revealed.  If you are in Christ, you are a new creation.  Not that you are being made into a new creation, or that you have to work to become a new creation.  It is finished. You are a new creation in Christ.  We just can't seem to figure out how to live as a new creation.  Our minds start thinking about things we should or shouldn't do.  Paul tells us in Galatians 5, "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." Seems so simple. The problem is that our pride gets in the way. We want to be the ones who are in control of our lives and get the credit.  Paul addresses that too, at the end of chapter 5. "Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each ot...

Ephesians 4:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us… This verse comes at the end of one of my favorite portions of scripture.  Today it is giving me hope in what's next.  There are many "nexts" in my life right now, from personal to familial to church to work.  As I wrestle with each of them, I am reminded of this verse.  "Able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine."  I can imagine a lot.  I'm quite imaginative actually.  This just wets my appetite for what God might have in store.  I also love the part about "his power that is at work within us".  Oh, what wonderful words!  The Spirit is at work in us, preparing our hearts for the work we will be called to do.  Sometimes that work is like a refiners fire, not so comfortable.  Other times it is like a gentle whisper that comforts and builds.  Right now I feel as though I a...

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart by pleasing to you today, oh Lord.

Matthew 25:40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Today I am struck by the compassion we are called to show to those who are undeserving in the eyes of others, to see others with the eyes of Christ.  Seeing others with the eyes of Christ doesn't mean I overlook incompetencies or imperfections.  Christ didn't.  He called us to an even higher standard than the law did.  Jesus separated the actions from the heart.  Think of the woman at the well, for instance.  Jesus loved her for who she was; he didn't hate her because of what she did.  She left him and sinned no more because she knew she was loved.  In the same way, Jesus loves us for who we are; he doesn't hate us because of what we do.  His love in us is what changes our actions.  Jesus' death on the cross was motivated by love, not hate.  He spoke words of love from the cross, "Father forg...