May 12, 2026 – Possible
Streams – Mark 9:23 – “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Cowman seems to have had a lot on her mind on this day because the devotion is longer than usual and it appears to be all written by her, “The ‘everything’ mentioned here does not always come simply by asking, because God is always seeking to teach you the way of faith. Your training for a life of faith requires many areas of learning, including the trial of faith, the discipline of faith, the patience of faith, and the courage of faith. Often you will pass through many stages before you finally realize the result of faith – namely, the victory of faith.”
She continues with this question, “When you have made your request to God, and the answer still has not come, what are you to do? Keep on believing His Word! …God will often purposely delay in giving you His answer, and in fact the delay is just as much an answer to your prayer as is the fulfillment when it comes. He worked this way in the lives of all the great Bible characters…. No amount of persecution will try you as much as experiences like these – ones in which you are required to wait on God…. it is this discipline of faith that will bring you into a knowledge of God that would otherwise be impossible.”
Power – Joyce leans into the topic of forgiveness (which was a big part of many, if not all, of the Bible stories) in Hebrews 10:14, 17 and writes, “God’s forgiveness is forever – ongoing for the duration of our lives; it is for every day…. He knows our thoughts;… our words;… every wrong decision we will ever make – and they are all covered.” Just knowing that we are forgiven and covered won’t help us maintain the peace He offers. Joyce tells us what else is necessary, “All we have to do is stay in a relationship with Him. After all, what He wants from us more than anything else is not perfect performance, perfect behavior, or perfect attitudes, but hearts that really love him.”
JC – “Learn to relate to others through My Love rather than yours.” This is an important lesson to lean strongly into. “Instead of trying harder to help people through your own paltry supplies, become aware of My unlimited supply, which is accessible to you continually…. Many of My precious children have fallen prey to burnout…. Countless interactions with needy people have drained them, without their conscious awareness…. Take time to rest in the LoveLight of My Presence. I will gradually restore to you the energy that you have lost….” (See Matthew 11:28-29.)
Utmost – Chambers writes today, from 2 Peter 1: 8, about “Having No Habits” meaning that “The right thing to do with habits is to lose them in the life of the Lord, until every habit is so practiced that there is no conscious habit at all.” Verses 5 – 7 tell us to “…make every effort to add to your faith goodness…knowledge…self-control…perseverance…godliness…mutual affection…[and] love.” Chambers warns, “Your god may be your little Christian habit, the habit of prayer at stated times, or the habit of Bible reading. Watch how your Father will upset those times if you begin to worship your habit instead of what the habit symbolizes…. Love means that there is no habit visible, you have come to the place where the habit is lost, and by practice you do the thing [like the list of virtues above] unconsciously…. Is there anywhere you are not at home with God? Let God press through in that particular circumstance until you gain Him, and life becomes the simple life of a child.”
JL – “Jesus, My Hope, Whenever I’m tempted to indulge in self-pity or escape into unreality, trusting You wholeheartedly is my only hope…. As I think about the many reasons I have for being confident in You, I rejoice in Your unfailing Love…. O Lord, You are infinitely wise and understanding. In Your encouraging Name, Amen.”
