A

Cupcake Christian

and Other Devotionals

Nora Ashton

Copyright 2013 by Nora Ashton.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced by any means without prior written consent of the author, except in brief quotes used in reviews.

All Scripture quotations unless otherwise indicated are taken from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible (Public Domain).

I am grateful for the support of my family and friends.

Cover design by Victoria Davies

Thank You All

Contents

A Cupcake Christian

Recipe: For being a “good strong” Christian

In the Midst of a Storm

A Diamond in the Rough

Identity Theft

Building up your Christian Self-Esteem

Inspiring Scriptures to Live By

A Cupcake Christian

What is it about cupcakes that make people love them so much? Is it putting just the right baking ingredients in and getting something heavenly out or is it getting to create something spectacular and eye appealing with creamy frosting and multi-colored sprinkles? To be honest the outside is what catches your eyes first. There are a variety of cupcakes sold in the stores nowadays, but it’s the hand-picked special ingredients in just the right amounts that makes a cupcake stand out in your memory.

Is it that dash of cinnamon, that pinch of coconut, that handful of pecans or that pat of butter, that makes it taste just right and gives us that happy feeling all over? Actually it’s a little bit of all of it. A pinch of this, a dash of that, thrown into the mixture all stirred up and cradled with love that makes it turn out so delightfully delicious. A “good strong” Christian is very much like a delicious cupcake. Just as there are specific ingredients that go into making a cupcake that leaves an impression on your taste buds, there are also certain ingredients that go into making a “good strong” Christian.

When you hear the word “cupcake”, what comes to your mind? If you are like most people, the appearance is what first flashes in your mind. Whether you are in a bakery, grocery store or in your own home kitchen when it’s time to pick your sweet treat your eyes usually will carefully and discretely scan the sea of cupcakes. Is it the size, color or design that catches your eye? Maybe it’s the one with the gooiest creamy frosting on top that appeals to you most? This all takes place even before the cupcake has been tasted.  Everyday people do this, with others even before they get to know them. Now the time has come for that all important first bite of your chosen cupcake treat. Will that bite be moist and delicious or dry and tasteless? You will soon see that what’s on the inside of your cupcake, counts even more than what’s on the outside. The perfect cupcake is eye-appealing, flavorful and moist. You see it’s all three of these things, plus the skillfulness and love of the person doing the baking that makes it just right. Being a Christian is more than just looking the part, going to church every week or saying the right things at the right time. Just as being a good cupcake is more than just being a baked good decorated in frosting and sprinkles. You want to be more than just a Christian, you want to be a “good strong” Christian.

Do you have the right stuff?

Recipe: For being a “good strong” Christian

Ingredients

A Pinch of Love

A “good strong” Christian loves God.

A “good strong” Christian is God-loving towards others.

A “good strong” Christian gives to others freely, lovingly and with a glad heart.

A Dash of Wisdom and Understanding

A “good strong” Christian lets the Holy Spirit guide them.

A “good strong” Christian spends time in the Word and loves to talk with God.

A “good strong” Christian acknowledges their sins and repents.

A “good strong” Christian prays for wisdom and revelation.

A “good strong” Christian prays for themselves, as well as for others.

A “good strong” Christian does not judge and is open to see the point of view of others.

A “good strong” Christian has patience with others.

A Handful of Kindness, Compassion and Values

A “good strong” Christian treats others with kindness.

A “good strong” Christian is a cheerful giver, as well as receiver.

A “good strong” Christian has good values, morals and standards.

A “good strong” Christian follows in God’s footsteps and tries to follow His examples on the treatment of others.

A Smidgen of Trust and Sharing

A “good strong” Christian trusts God, in all they do.

A “good strong” Christian spreads and shares their beliefs with others, in a loving way.

A “good strong” Christian is trustworthy.

A Drop of Encouragement, Honesty, and Loyalty

A “good strong” Christian encourages and lifts up others, whenever possible.

A “good strong” Christian is loyal and honest.

A “good strong” Christian practices what he preaches.

Stir all the ingredients for a “good strong” Christian together until well blended.

The outcome of the cupcake depends on the baker, as well as the ingredients that go into the batter.

So you see, a cupcake can be so much more than just a cupcake, and a Christian can be so much more than just a Christian.

If you don’t have the right ingredients in your life’s batter, how will the world ever be able to tell the difference between a “good strong” Christian and those who don’t even know Christ?

Are you RECOGNIZABLE, as a “good strong” Christian?

In the Midst of a Storm

Have you ever been caught in a storm? I’m not talking about a weather induced storm, but a health storm, a financial storm, a relationship storm or an emotional storm. The storms of life can cause all kinds of feelings to come bubbling up to the surface. Do you remember the story about the storm in the New Testament? This story comes from Matthew 14:22. Let me refresh your memory about the story of Jesus, Peter and the storm. During this story Jesus tells the disciples to get into a boat and travel across the lake. He tells them that He will join them later once they get to the other side. In the course of their travels, the wind starts to rise and the waves get choppy. It seems as if a storm is heading their way, but they continue onward. As they reach the halfway point, a horrific storm roars in. As the storm roared and crashed all around them, fear starts to set in. They became afraid, as they thought about the outcome of their situation. I want you to imagine their wooden ship violently swaying and the ocean waves crashing all around them. They are drenched head-to-toe in water and are cold. The sky is lit up with roaring thunder and bolts of lightning. They are afraid, but they have come too far to turn around and go back to shore. They fear for their lives and safety, but then a figure of a man appears. This man appears to be walking on top of the water. Can you imagine them trying to wipe the water from their eyes? Can you see them trying hard to focus through the sprays of rain and thinking that they must be seeing things? Can you hear them crying out in fear to one another, “It’s a spirit.” The figure of the man starts walking closer and closer to the boat, yet among all the noise of the storm and the fearful cries of the disciples, they could still clearly hear the calm voice in the background. Although they recognized the voice, they were not fully convinced. Peter, one of the disciples, said “Lord, if it is you, then tell me to come to you.”  The calm voice of Jesus simply replied, “Come.” Peter instantly climbed out onto the treacherous waters and started walking towards Jesus. All was fine, as long as Peter kept his eyes and concentration on Jesus. Suddenly, Peter glanced around at his surroundings and noticed that the powerful storm was still going on. The winds were strong, the thunder was roaring and the waves were angry. Peter once again became afraid.

Maybe you too are weathering a “storm” of some type in your life right now. Are you feeling afraid, anxious, scared, confused, lonely, bitter or worried? These are all natural reactions when battling a storm. Look at Peter, one of the chosen disciples, he was someone who ate, slept and studied alone side Jesus. When faced with a storm, he also was afraid. The story goes on to show us that as Peter began to lose his faith in Jesus and placed his concentration on the rough waves and the storm surrounding him, he began to sink. Peter cried out to Jesus, “Lord save me.”

Immediately upon hearing Peter call out to him, Jesus stretched out his hand. Jesus didn’t wait or have to think it over. He immediately stretched out His hand, which is what He does when we call out to Him. He reaches for us and prevents us from falling. Jesus caught Peter and as He reached out for him, He simply said “You of little faith, why do you doubt?” Once they were safely back in the boat, the winds suddenly died down and the sea became calm. The disciples whispered among themselves, “Only the Son of God could do what Jesus had just done.” I don’t know about you, but just knowing that Jesus will stay with me until my personal storm clears, makes me feel at peace.

So while you are in the midst of whatever storm life has blown your way, just remember:

To call on Jesus.

You don’t have to weather the storm alone.

Jesus is always with you.

A Diamond in the Rough

How valuable do you consider yourself to be?

Do you recognize your value and worth?

Do you sparkle and shine or are you dull and shrink into the surroundings?

Some people just seem to light up and sparkle wherever they may be.

Do you ever wonder “When will it be my turn to shine?”

Have you ever looked at a diamond? I mean really looked at how truly beautiful it is, especially when the light hits it at all the right angles. It is truly spectacular, but it doesn’t start out that way. A rough diamond actually looks much like a pebble, something really not worthy of a second look. Which is something we tend to do with people on a daily basis. The diamond cutter, however takes the stone and cuts down to its core. Its true beauty begins to reveal what has been hidden underneath all along. To the naked untrained eye, it looks like just another piece of rock, nothing special or unique. But the diamond cutter sees beyond the surface layer. He sees what is underneath and he knows exactly what it takes to release its beauty and reveal all of its glorious splendor.

We are just like that piece of undiscovered rock with a hidden treasure underneath. God knows and sees our potential. He knows us inside and out, from the top of our heads to the soles of our feet. Just as a diamond cutter cuts into the rough stone, going deep into its core. God reaches deep inside each of us to reflect our inner beauty, to let us sparkle and reflect the light of the Lord. When a diamond is cut correctly light is reflected through the top of the diamond, producing a radiating brilliance. When God shines His light upon our faces, His shining glory bursts through us. When we accept God, as our Lord and Savior and decided to follow His Word, everyone that looks upon us should see the light of the Lord shining through us. Our walk, our talk, our lives should reflect His light. There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind as to who is directing our steps.

You should glow, sparkle and shine throughout this fallen world. As a Christian, you should walk in the light, which means your walk should be different, your talk should be different and your attitude should be different. When things happen to others as they continually do on this earth, those who are not saved should be able to look for the light in us. We have something they do not have, we have Almighty God smiling upon us, shining His light upon our faces. You may just be that ray of hope someone needs to make it through another day. You could possibly be that ray of light that tells someone that tomorrow is possible, that there is still hope. God is hope and He is inside each of us. We are God’s children and we are the shining examples of Christ that the rest of the world is looking to.

Are you shining and sparkling to your full potential?

Identity Theft

Are you the victim of identity theft?

Did you know that your spiritual identity is at risk and the devil is out to steal it?

Who is this crafty devil that I speak of? Let’s take a closer look at what the Bible says about Satan (devil), “the ruler of this world” (2Cor.4:4, JN 12:31). First of all, Satan is a created being, which means that God crated him, just as He created us. He was created as an angel, in fact he was considered to be the most beautiful of all the angels. Just as God has angels as his helpers, Satan has helpers as well. Satan has demons working on his behalf, helping to carry out his devilment and mischief. The Bible describes Satan as a thief and liar, but he is also a manipulator, killer and a con-artist. The devil is out to steal your health, finances, family, self-esteem, peace, joy, self-respect and mind. However his main objective is to steal your identity … your identity in Christ. He knows when you have been naughty and nice. He knows how to “ENTICE” you. He knows what you like and don’t like, he knows which buttons to push and exactly when to push them. He does not want you acting like a child of God. He wants you on his side, acting like one of his children. He wants you upset, scheming, lying, scared, bitter, resentful, selfish, jealous and just plain hateful. He wants you cussing, fighting and fussing. He wants you drugged up, liquored up and locked up. The saddest part of all is that we usually fall right into place. In fact this probably happens more times than we care to admit.

We forget that as Christians, we are God’s children and as His children, we are supposed to act a certain way. The devil will set up the scene, just like in a play and we appear and walk right in on cue. Lights-Camera-Action. We are not tricked or blind-sided, as we would like to believe. Usually we walk into most situations with our eyes fully open and happy to take part in whatever devilment that is happening. Some people may be thinking, why do we do what we do? Where instead we should be worrying about how easily we tend to give in to him. We take that walk on the dark-side without as much a fight or hesitation. Yes, we do know better, but that doesn’t seem to matter much, as our world shows us every day. Maybe it’s that we don’t truly believe who God has said we are.

Do you know who you really are, more importantly, do you honestly believe it?

Building up your Christian Self-Esteem

Who does God say you are?

Every day we are bombarded with what the world thinks about us. Our internal dialogue is often worse than what others may ever say or think about us. It is time to strengthen our view, opinions and thought processes. Once you become mentally strong in who God says you are, outside opinions will no longer matter. Are you ready to build up your Christian muscles and self-esteem? Just as an athlete trains every day to become strong and meet his personal goals, you too must train your thoughts on a daily basis. Renewing your mind takes time, effort and discipline. Are you ready to bulk up your Christian muscles and get mentally fit in what God says about you?

Every day we are bombarded with what the world thinks about us. Our internal dialogue is often worse than what others may ever say or think about us. It is time to strengthen our view, opinions and thought processes. Once you become mentally strong in who God says you are, outside opinions will no longer matter. Are you ready to build up your Christian muscles and self-esteem? Just as an athlete trains every day to become strong and meet his personal goals, you too must train your thoughts on a daily basis. Renewing your mind takes time, effort and discipline. Are you ready to bulk up your Christian muscles and get mentally fit in what God says about you?

What does God says about you:

1.      You are a new creature in Christ. (2Cor. 5:17)

Repeat: “I am a new creature in Christ.”

2.      You are blessed. (Deuteronomy 28:2-12)

Repeat: “I am blessed.”

3.      You are the apple of your Father’s eye. (Deuteronomy 32:10)

Repeat: “I am the apple of my Father’s eye.”

4.      You are more than a conqueror. (Romans 8:37)

Repeat: “I am more than a conqueror.”

5.      You can do all things through Christ which strengthens you. (Philippians 4:13)

Repeat: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Inspiring Scriptures to Live By

Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.  Hebrews 13:5, NIV

The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in Him. Nahum 1:7, KJV

The Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials. 2Peter 2:9, NLT

Though I sit in darkness, the Lord himself will be my light. Micah 7:8, NLT

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. Psalm 46:1, NLT

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.   Jeremiah 17:7, KJV

The Lord is close to all who call on Him. Psalm 145:18, NLT

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Revelation 21:4, KJV

God blesses us with a brand new 24-hours every day.

Make the most of it.

Nora Ashton

Table of Contents

A Cupcake Christian

Recipe: For being a “good strong” Christian

In the Midst of a Storm

A Diamond in the Rough

Identity Theft

Building up your Christian Self-Esteem

Inspiring Scriptures to Live By