Jessi Morgan Devotions for the Christian Heart Podcast
Jessi Morgan in 2023 had a traumatic experience that shaped how she views life and her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God has laid it on her heart to share her experiences and inspire others to put God first in every aspect of their life like she finally did in hers. Having her daughter born 4 months early really made Jessi lean on the Lord for comfort and guidance. And today she stands here starting her own 10-15 minute podcast focusing on weekly devotionals about what God can do for you and what He's done for her.
Jessi Morgan Devotions for the Christian Heart Podcast
You Got Blessed, and you Complain?
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Ever received a blessing from God only to immediately focus on what's still missing? In this soul-stirring devotional, I open up about our family's journey buying our first home during the uncertainty of COVID. While grateful for our beautiful house, I initially felt disappointed about not having renovation funds—until God showed me a powerful lesson about gratitude and action that changed everything.
Drawing from Joshua 16-18, we explore two contrasting responses to God's blessings. The daughters of Zelophehad boldly claimed their inheritance in a time when women typically received nothing, demonstrating how faith coupled with action brings transformation. Meanwhile, the tribe of Manasseh complained about their portion instead of working with what they had, allowing fear to prevent them from claiming all God promised them.
This devotional hits right at the heart of modern Christian struggles: being thankful for blessings while still feeling entitled to more. I share candid reflections about overcoming comparison traps, recognizing God's timing, and understanding that divine blessings often require our participation.
Whether you're waiting for God to improve your circumstances or feeling stuck comparing your journey to others, this message will challenge you to see your current blessings through new eyes.
Key Passages:
Joshua 16, 17 & 18
Philippians 2:14-15
Numbers 27:1-4
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Song: Whip
Hello, hello. You're listening to the Jesse Morgan Devotions for the Christian Heart Podcast, episode 48. This week's devotional is titled you Got Blessed and you Complain. Let's go. Hi, I'm Jesse Morgan. I used to just share home decor and renovation tips on social media, but now I'm sharing something even closer to my heart my journey and love for Jesus Christ, my Savior. Welcome to the Jesse Morgan Devotions for the Christian Hot Podcast.
Speaker 1:This is a weekly devotional. I started back in May 2024, but the inspiration for it came much earlier. It was rooted in a faith journey that began when my daughter was born, four months early in 2023. Through that challenging time, god worked in ways that truly amazed me. On this podcast, I share personal stories of faith, woven together with scripture to show just how incredible God's word can be in our everyday lives. My hope is that through these stories, you'll be encouraged, uplifted and reminded of God's love and presence, no matter what you're going through. So I invite you to spend less than 15 minutes with me each week as we reflect on these devotionals together. Let's all pray. Within Episode 48, you Got Blessed and you Complain. Key passages Joshua 16, 17, and 18, numbers 27, 1-4, and Philippians 2, 14-15. Hey, everyone, welcome back to another episode of this wonderful podcast that God has so blessed me with, excited to continue our study of Joshua.
Speaker 1:Today, I want to talk about something that really hit me hard when I was reading Joshua 16-18, basically saying. It was saying to me you can't keep asking and complaining for more. Sometimes. You have to work with what you have. You have to take action.
Speaker 1:I remember when me and my husband were buying our first home in 2020. Thank God, my husband pushed me to go for it because, honestly, I was terrified, probably like many people, especially with COVID happening. I had been furloughed for four months and didn't even know if I could get my job back. But, with faith in God, we started looking and eventually we found our first home in South Florida. We found our first home in South Florida. The house is a four bedroom, three and a half bath, with a screened in pool and about 2,300 square feet, and let me take a moment to praise God for that 3% interest rate that's locked in. Amen. If you own a home, a car or something, you know what I'm talking about. Thank you, lord.
Speaker 1:So you know, we got pre-approved, we put in an offer and we won the bid on the house. Our loan officer assured us that with our income we qualify for a good loan and enough to have some extra money left over for renovations. Now let me be real with you all. This house was straight up from the 1970s. I always say Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 would be coming out of the front door. That's what we were dealing with a little bit.
Speaker 1:The previous owner did nothing except replace the roof a couple of years prior. It really needed work. So we were counting on that extra loan amount to make some updates. But when we got to the closing, reality hit. The lender had kind of fibbed with us. We only got enough to buy the house with zero left over for renovations.
Speaker 1:My heart sank. I was so disappointed and I know my husband could see it all over my face I started questioning whether we should walk away. I'm like we can't take on this house with so many issues and you know just so many things. But deep down I knew this house had potential. We had searched for months and the market was still moving so fast at the time. So we moved forward even though we had no extra money to renovate off the bat, just enough to paint the interior walls.
Speaker 1:At that moment, we had a choice complain or work with what we had. So we buckled down. We focused on paying off as many credit cards and bills as possible in the first five months, and we did it. We moved money around and made it work, and you know what God blessed us along the way. My parents surprised us and paid for the exterior to get painted. I paid off that wedding debt that I had, which, if you don't know about that story, check out episode 44. Which, if you don't know about that story, check out episode 44.
Speaker 1:We saved up enough to get some other things done in the house. We were able to get the kitchen redone. We invested in redoing our backyard with the pool, we added turf and fixed up the screen a little bit. It was really exciting. I even studied interior design more and watched tons of shows to learn how to decorate on a budget. My husband also had a ton of connections through work, so we met incredible people in maintenance and who helped us with small projects at great prices. And you know what? Through all of this, my love for home decor grew into a passion, so much that I started a home decor blog and a separate Instagram that focuses on that. Now I love our home more and more every single day.
Speaker 1:So next concept let's think about this. Comparison can steal your joy. So during those three years the first three years of me renovating this house I had a friend who was also renovating her house. But while I was doing budget-friendly updates, she and her husband were going all out high-end renovations an interior designer, more marble countertops, you name it. Now don't get me wrong, I love her. She didn't mean anything by that, but every time I shared an update she'd counter with a thousand pictures of her upgrades and how easy it was having people do all the work for them. I know she didn't mean anything by it, but I felt like the enemy. I felt like Satan was trying to get under my skin and to make me feel ashamed of my progress. But I wasn't jealous. I didn't feel like I needed more. I was good with what I had Because, at the end of the day, this was my home, my effort, my blessing, and it was enough. So the lesson from Joshua 17 is what really hit me hard Work with what you have.
Speaker 1:There are two stories in Joshua 17 that really stand out to me. The first was the daughters of Zelophehad. Both faith gets rewarded. So let me just give you a little background. Zelophehad was a man from the tribe of Manasseh, who is that partial tribe of Joseph, and he died in the wilderness on the way to the promised land. Back then, if a man had no sons, his land went to his male relatives, not his daughters. But Zelophehad had five daughters that stood up and said hold on, why should our father's name disappear just because he had no sons? This is in Numbers 27, 1 through 4. They petitioned Moses and later Joshua, in Joshua 17, 3 through 6, demanding their rightful inheritance. And guess what? God changed the law. Israel changed the law because of them. Imagine questioning a law like that as a woman back then. What boldness. And God blessed them for it.
Speaker 1:They didn't just complain, they acted and they delivered the tribe of Manasseh the next story I wanted to cover. So the whole tribe of Manasseh was complaining instead of acting. In Joshua 17, 14 through 18, the tribe came to Joshua complaining why have you given us only one portion of land? We are a numerous people and the Lord has blessed us abundantly. And Joshua basically said if you're so numerous, go clear out the forest and take more land.
Speaker 1:But instead of moving forward, they hesitated. They were afraid of the Canaanites who lived there, who had chariots fit with, you know, iron. So let me get this straight. This is me talking now. After all the battles crossing the Jordan, the walls of Jericho and the countless victories, the tribe of Manasseh was still afraid. Where was their faith? Joshua reminded them that they were strong enough to take the land, but they had to put in the work.
Speaker 1:So are you complaining or acting? This hit me hard too, because I was just like that tribe of Manasseh when we first got our house. I was grateful for the house, but immediately freaked out about not having more money for renovations. I had to suck it up and work with God, because God had given me a house. Looking back, I'm embarrassed at how I reacted at first, but I learned the lesson God provides. But we have to put in work too. Just like the daughters of Zelipahad, we claimed our blessing and acted on it. We made this house our home and we're so grateful for it.
Speaker 1:Final thought you know, are you wasting your blessing? Let me ask you this Are you thankful for your blessings but doing nothing with them? Do you take action consistently? Are you waiting for God to hand you everything without putting in the work. God gives opportunities, not just finished products. Even Jesus had to endure three days in hell before securing eternal victory. He put in the work and he's the king of kings. So let's stop waiting for everything to be perfect. Let's take what God has given us and expand on it.
Speaker 1:And I just wanted to quickly recap. You know how all three of these chapters were different, but all three, for me, are so intertwined, you know. So, within Joshua 16 through 18, I know we really focused on 17, but check out the other themes that really came out of these chapters. So in Joshua 16, partial obedience leads to struggle. Ephraim, the other part of the Joseph tribe, didn't drive out the Canaanites in their land that they were given. They didn't drive out the Canaanites completely and it caused future issues, which we will see if you continue to study the history of Israel. And then we know Joshua 17 is faith without action is pointless. Complaining doesn't get you anywhere. And the Zalapahad's daughters claimed their blessing, but the tribe of Manasseh hesitated with their blessing. And then, in Joshua 18, fear will keep you from your blessings. Seven tribes, as they said in Joshua 18, seven tribes delayed, taking their land out of fear, and Joshua had to push them forward. In Joshua 18, two through three.
Speaker 1:So as I sit here and just think about it, what a blessing this lesson was for me, and I hope it was a big lesson for you. I'm so grateful for the blessings God has given me and my family, and when God blesses me and gives me a portion of what I asked for, I need to always remember to be grateful, and I hope you are too. God gives us the exact portion we need at that time. It's been our job as Christians to praise God and continue to believe that more will come when it's time, and not complain about what was given in the moment. Or we receive something and we know the next step and we don't want to take it because the lack of faith and the direction that God is taking you and you question things. So when you don't obey completely too, you will struggle, like it says in Joshua 16.
Speaker 1:Just all these thoughts I just, I'm just so encouraged. I want you to be encouraged. We are children of God. When we are blessed, we must enjoy it and take action, take the next step and not complain, for it says in Philippians 2, 14 through 15, do everything without grumbling or arguing so that you may become blameless and pure Children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky. Let's pray Lord. Thank you for the blessings you've already given us. Help us to stop complaining. Help us to stop having fear and to start acting and to start praising you and to start knowing that we will be blessed again in the future when the time is right. Strengthen our faith so we can step into those blessings you have prepared for us. Father, we love you and Father, we praise you in Jesus' name, amen. Thanks for tuning in Until next time, taking on Joshua 19 and so forth. Love you, guys, be blessed.
Speaker 1:Well, that wraps up this week's episode. I hope these devotions help you draw closer to God each day. If this episode encouraged you, please share it with someone who might need the same message, and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss a weekly episode. Also, if you feel compelled, leaving a nice review would be so appreciated as well. For more information or to reach out, check the show notes or visit jessimorganhomecom or find me on Instagram at jessimorganlife. Remember God's timing is always perfect. Keep trusting him Until next time.
Speaker 1:This is Jessi Morgan praying off Jesse Morgan Devotions Behind the Scenes, starting right now. Hello, hello, so welcome to Behind the Scenes, just sharing some thoughts about this week's episode and reflection a little bit. I just was really excited to share a little bit more of our journey, of our home and how we got here, and this week's lessons in Joshua 16 through 18, were just perfect to fit with that, and I'm just so grateful for the home that we've built together, me and my husband, and the creativity that I get to bring to it. As people may know, I work in tech now as a program manager and I really enjoy my job. But I don't get to really be overly creative like I used to be when I was in retail. So, being able to decorate the house, analyze things, renovate construction, I just thrive off of it and I just thank God for giving me that opportunity and it's been so great to have that opportunity and I am hoping to build on that passion. But we are just so blessed with the house and we just guys when I tell you, when God gives you something, be grateful for it, take it and move forward.
Speaker 1:And there's been times I've been blessed and I've held on to the blessing, like, oh, this is good, but I'm afraid to take the next step and when you do that, you are blocking your blessings. You are blocking more blessings that are going to come later and that can hold you back, that can hold your family back, that can hold my child back. When I think about it like that, I have to move forward. I have to be Joshua who pushed the seven tribes. You have to go get your land, declare your land.
Speaker 1:Don't be intimidated by the Canaanites that's us. Don't be intimidated by other people. Don't question and think you're not good enough. You are good enough because God blessed you with the job interview in the first place. So now go get the job. Go prep for your interview and kill your interview. Go prep, for you're putting on a party for a loved one. Kill it. Make sure that party's in the bomb and don't question, thinking, well, they like it.
Speaker 1:I don't know I got the best venue, but I'm not sure. No, you got the best venue. God gave you the venue. Now go do your part, take action. So I just encourage you take action when you are blessed, take action and don't complain after you got blessed and I think to myself how many times have we done that? I've done that. We got a house and I'm over here like, oh my God, I can't renovate immediately. At least I have a place to live and we had furniture. It wasn't like we were living on the floor, you know. So just remember, be blessed. You know, enjoy being blessed, don't complain and move forward on the blessing, so then God can bless you more later. So that's my little rant for today, but love you guys. God bless till next time.
