#devotion

nikiflorica

Apr 16, 2020
2 min

The Worst Three Days

In the past, I've been pretty quick to judge the disciples for their lack of faith throughout the gospels. I mean, as Christians of today, we haven't seen Jesus in the flesh; we haven't witnessed his miracles or looked into his eyes or heard his voice speak our names, but the disciples had. Their relationship with Christ was tangible, visible, measurable. And yet, they still despaired and lost hope. Take the crucifixion for example. Jesus had warned the disciples on more than

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nikiflorica

Apr 14, 2020
2 min

How Are Those 2020 Goals Coming Along?

Well, I don't know where the first three and a half months of this year have gone, but it's probably time to check in on those spiritual goals for 2020 . . . Yeah. Remember those? I'm not usually one to make solid or specific New Year's Resolutions, but in January I found there was something on my mind that I truly hoped to improve this year. The desire of my heart was to reach a new depth in my communication with Christ. I was finding my interactions with Jesus compartmental

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nikiflorica

Apr 1, 2020
2 min

Power, Love and a Sound Mind

What's our knee-jerk reaction when we hit an unforeseen bend in the road? When the teacher assigns that horrendously stressful group project, or a family member falls ill, or our plans for the future are altered by a drastic twist or turn of events? Option One: panic. Anxiety. Fear. In the face of uncertainty, human nature latches onto worst-case-scenarios and all the ways in which we are woefully unprepared. The spirit of fear would have us panicking, and I know for myself,

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nikiflorica

Mar 30, 2020
2 min

A Message from the Prophets of Old

I'm fascinated by the concept of ancient prophets. Men and women selected by God to be the mouthpieces of divine messages—often outcast from society, ignored or called foolish, feared or hated or both, and always sustained by the very hand of God. What would it have been like to experience that calling? To spend days spouting messages that you might never see manifested, that you might never understand? A sermon brought that to my attention recently, and it fascinated me all

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nikiflorica

Mar 24, 2020
2 min

Look at the Birds

These are exceptional, surreally strange times, but maybe it takes an exceptional, surreally strange time to get our undivided attention, and take us back to the basics. Lots of people are anxious about the government's decisions regarding COVID-19, some criticizing social distancing initiatives or diminishing the virus in resistance to emergency measures. It's understandable—making these kinds of cataclysmic changes means huge impacts on all our lives, especially on financia

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nikiflorica

Mar 10, 2020
2 min

Fear Not; I Will Help Thee.

For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. ~Isaiah 41:13 Sometimes I feel as if I'm standing on the edge of a valley, gazing down from a place of safety to an amphitheatre of dangers, threats, possible disasters, and monsters of uncertainty rearing ugly heads. My path leads right through the worst of them, and though every wise voice says nothing worthwhile is easy, there's a huge part of me that is always, always tempted to

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nikiflorica

Feb 25, 2020
2 min

Children of Light

For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light. ~Ephesians 5:8 This verse is short but packs a lot of punch, and maybe that's why I love it. The Bible is indisputably poetic, but it's also filled with verses like this—passages that drive to the heart of our calling, our mission as followers of Christ. Pursuing Christ means, by its very nature, being transformed by him. It is impossible to throw oneself into the abysmal wellspring o

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nikiflorica

Feb 17, 2020
2 min

When Transformation Takes Its Time

The Bible tells us that if anyone is in Christ, he or she is a new creature—that through him, our old selves pass away and we are made new. (II Corinthians 5:17) I remember how I used to think of it as a little kid, the word "creature" conjuring an image of a hideous monster that went down into the baptismal waters and came out as something reborn. That Beauty and the Beast image made an impact on me as a kid, but one thing I've had to learn since giving my life to Christ is

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nikiflorica

Feb 13, 2020
2 min

My Peace I Give Unto You

The world outside my window this morning was blanketed in peace—gentle snow falling in heavy, silent flakes, a crisp white drapery over every branch and sprig, the air itself muffled by quiet. There was a stillness to it that demanded attention. Peace is one of the many spiritual gifts that Jesus offers to those who follow him. He said, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you." Not just any peace, but his. The peace of Jesus, given as no one in the world can give—in

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nikiflorica

Jan 28, 2020
2 min

Addicted to Kingdom Work

The King James Bible can be challenging to interpret at times, but I've often found that the wording in this translation can reach out and grab my heart in ways that others can't. Sometimes all it takes is one word that stands out to reveal a spiritual concept in a new or convicting way. This morning, in my reading of 1 Corinthians, I came across a verse in Paul's concluding statements: "I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the first fruits of

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nikiflorica

Jan 14, 2020
2 min

Verse of the Month: The Armour of Light

The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. ~Romans 13:12 Something about the turning of the year just fills us with that burning resolve, that steadfast hope that starting now, something will be different. New beginnings are exciting. They're rejuvenating. No matter how terrifying the first step of a journey may be, there always seems to be an underlying thrill that gives us the courage w

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nikiflorica

Jan 1, 2020
2 min

Adventure Awaits in 2020!

Today (aside from being Tasnil the Usurper's birthday) marks the first day of a new year, a new decade, and what could be a new chapter in all of our lives. It's been an eventful year, speaking personally. By the grace of God, I published a book, attended an Heir of Ariad Launch Party (and against all laws of introversion, enjoyed it), took part in a book signing, went to Nationals with my school's Symphonic Winds, and lost both my guinea pig and beloved great-grandmother wit

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nikiflorica

Dec 21, 2019
2 min

The Night Hope Was Born

In sifting through ideas for today's snowy Saturday Spotlight, I couldn't seem to decide on one that befit the theme of the season. With Christmas so close, a post on The Great Gatsby or Florence Nightingale seemed out of place . . . so I decided to put the spotlight where it should be this time of year. On Jesus. But how to give justice to the Light of the World, the Prince of Peace, the Wonderful Counsellor in 3000 characters or less? I'll speak from the heart. This year es

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nikiflorica

Dec 4, 2019
2 min

Blind and Blurry

Sometimes answers come slowly, through doubt, like an ice-blurred windowpane that melts into clarity one steady droplet at a time. We don't tend to think in those terms, especially when it's our prayers soaring to heaven for relief. We tend to want the answers now, this minute—instant healing, instant direction, instant results—forgetting that sometimes we need to endure a time of doubt before the answers are made clear. Jesus healed a blind man in Mark 8 in a way that may se

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nikiflorica

Nov 26, 2019
2 min

The Perfection Problem

It's always been a tendency of mine to lapse into perfectionist habits, but the grade-pressure of senior year has hardly improved the issue. With university applications up in the air and a real sense of urgency lacing school and marks, it's becoming harder and harder to put it all in the Lord's hands. Naturally, that's just what Satan wants—and it's certainly not the first time he's caught me in this struggle. But as I find myself stressing over the pursuit of perfection, I'

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nikiflorica

Nov 18, 2019
2 min

"Just Start Walking"

By faith, Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. ~Hebrews 11:8 Christians talk a lot about faith, don't they? Walk by faith and not by sight, saved by grace through faith, faith and hope and charity, following in faith. It's a foundational component of a Christ-centred life. The very nature of our spiritual walk demands it. We serve a Lord and Saviour who is pr

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nikiflorica

Nov 12, 2019
2 min

"I Am Making You a Watchman."

“Now, Son of man, I am making you a watchman for the people of Israel. Therefore, listen to what I say and warn them from me.” ~Ezekiel 33:7 Ezekiel was among the many people of Judah taken into captivity by the Babylonian Empire. I'd imagine he was in a pretty rough emotional place, lamenting the loss of his former life, the destruction of his homeland, and the enslavement of his people. But God had plans for Ezekiel, and chose him to receive something extremely valuable: th

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nikiflorica

Nov 6, 2019
2 min

Cutting Spiritual Clutter

Sometimes when the hectic pace of life kicks up a notch, it's the most fundamental things that get abandoned first. Take cleaning for example. Your bedroom may be a pristine sanctuary of cleanliness, or a jungle of clutter balanced precariously on the line between order and chaos. Either way, there are times (and we've all experienced it) that something so basic as cleaning gets pushed to the bottom of the proverbial priority list. Depending on what type of person you are, th

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nikiflorica

Oct 29, 2019
2 min

OT Truth: Facing Attacks for the Faith

Jeremiah 28—a verbal showdown between the prophet Jeremiah and false prophet Hananiah son of Azur. I'm sure Jeremiah had constant dealings with the warm-and-fuzzy prophets of his time, men who preached peace and prosperity in a time of extreme sinfulness in Judah. Why this is one of the few accounts in which we see their interaction, I can't say. All I know is that in this passage, Jeremiah exemplified a self-control that I found remarkable. Jeremiah's life was mottled with s

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nikiflorica

Oct 24, 2019
2 min

Looking Out and Giving Thanks

One temptation that seems prevalent in our luxury-cushioned first-world is the urge to dwell on ourselves. Whether it's that nagging cold, or that way-too-early morning, or that hurtful word we just can’t seem to smooth from our memories—how much time do we spend, do we waste, looking inwards, at our own troubles, instead of looking out? It’s not an easy concept—forgetting ourselves. It’s true and authentic selflessness. But when we do step out of the grey cloud of our proble

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NIKI FLORICA

The Quiet Quill