Posts with the category “devotions”

We tend to focus far too much on our limited abilities and resources, when our focus should be on the Lord our God who has no limits.And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work. - 2 Corinthians 9:8God is able! Not only that, but He has more than enough grace to give us for every need, challenge, trial, and...  Read More

Sometimes the truth is hard to speak when it is an opposition to how the hearer is thinking or living. Sometimes the truth is hard to hear when it points out that we are clearly in the wrong. But we must speak the truth and receive the truth anyway. "Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?" - Galatians 4:16  Read More

We have many responsibilities in the Christian life, but we must always remember that the essence of the Christian life is not rules, but rather our relationship with the Lord. "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" - Micah 6:8  Read More

We have all failed many times to do what we knew the Lord wanted us to do. Praise the Lord for His patience with us and for His faithfulness to us. "And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying,Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee." - Jonah 3:1-2  Read More

It is so easy to say the wrong thing when we are frustrated, angry, or tempted by pride. We need much help in this area. "Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips." - Psalm 141:3  Read More

Too often we struggle with a lack of motivation and desire for what is right. We must beware of making ever-present excuses. "And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused." - Luke 14:18  Read More

For much of the Christian life, we know what to do, but we often lack the desire and the power to do it. Our Lord is ready to help. "In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul." - Psalm 138:2  Read More

In our relationships with others, sometimes we will give more love than we receive. At other times, we will be more heavily on the receiving end. We are only responsible for what we give. “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.”  - 2 Corinthians 12:15  Read More

The gift of communication is one of life‘s great privileges, but there is always room for us to improve. We must strive for clarity in our speech. "For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?" -1 Corinthians 14:8  Read More

It is very easy to become filled with anxiety and irritation because of life’s problems, stress in our relationships, and the abundance of our responsibilities. But the Lord gives us a helpful solution. "And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." -Luke 10:41-42  Read More

We must admit that we tend to do our best praying when we are in the most trouble. And that is not necessarily a bad thing. But let it not be out of stubborn self-will. "Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly, And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice." - Jonah 2:1-2  Read More

When the Lord Jesus came to this world from heaven, He came to suffer and die for our sins. One description of Him in the Old Testament is the Man of Sorrows. We must also be reminded that He rejoiced. "In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. " -Luke 10:21  Read More

By nature, we are selfish and self-centered people. But the more we grow in grace and love, the more we can freely be a blessing to others. "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification." - Romans 15:1-2  Read More

Fear and happiness are usually opposed to each other. But there is one sense in which they go hand-in-hand. "Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief." - Proverbs 28:14  Read More

When God created the world, everything was good. But when man sinned, the penalty that came with sin was death. And it is truly our enemy. “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” -1 Corinthians 15:26  Read More

Because of sin, we have a natural inclination to be dissatisfied in life. We must constantly be on guard against a heart of covetousness, even after we have been saved for a long time. "Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied." - Proverbs 27:20  Read More

Sometimes believers can get upset or even despise those who do evil things. "But Christ came to call sinners to repent and be saved.I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." - Luke 5:32  Read More

Our God is wise enough and powerful enough to use every experience and circumstance in our lives not only for our good, but also for the good of others. "And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation." - 2 Corinthians 1:6  Read More

For all of life, we have responsibilities that we must fulfill, whether in the workplace, the church, the home, or elsewhere. And in tasks both big and small, we want our work to have meaning and significance. "And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it." - Psalm 90:17  Read More

Most of the difficulties and trials of life that break our hearts leave us with many questions that will not be answered in this life. But God will ultimately give us full understanding. "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." - 1 Corinthians 13:12  Read More

Because of our sinful flesh, believers are prone to wander from what we know is right even after we have been living for God for some time. There is a solution for this. "With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments." - Psalm 119:10  Read More

Life is likened unto gardening, for every deed is a seed, and we sow them daily. "Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you." - Hosea 10:12  Read More

The Christian life is certainly not a game, but it does require a great deal of effort and discipline on our part to live a godly, righteous life. "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible." -1 Corinthians 9:24-25  Read More

Sometimes we can be our own worst enemies. This is always the case when we reject God‘s Word and insist on going our own way. But even after we have made a mess of things, we can turn to the Lord for help. "O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help." - Hosea 13:9  Read More

Receiving forgiveness from God is one of life‘s greatest blessings. But granting forgiveness to others is one of life‘s most difficult challenges. Yet we must do it. "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses." -Mark 11:25-26  Read More

Much of our lives will be spent waiting, and for this we need great patience. But there are times when we must make haste. "I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments."- Psalm 119:60  Read More

Bearing insults and unjust criticism is difficult, but our Lord set the example for us in this. "Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him." - Mark 15:32  Read More

We must admit that most of our growth and life transformation does not occur during times of ease and comfort, but during times of affliction. "Before I was afflicted, I went astray: but now have I kept thy word." - Psalm 119:67  Read More

Love, mercy, and grace are all glorious attributes of God. But His patience is also truly amazing. "Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus." - Romans 15:5  Read More

We are saved from our sins by faith alone in Christ alone, and not by works. But good works are certainly important after we are saved. "This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men." - Titus 3:8  Read More

Anger is a normal human emotion and mindset. But we must take great care not to sin when we are angry. "And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other." - Mark 3:5  Read More

While we sometimes seek to have an independent spirit, we must remember that in the truest sense, our lives are not our own. "For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's." - Romans 14:7-8  Read More

One of life’s difficult challenges is learning how to respond to unexpected disruptions. Our Lord is the perfect example in this. "And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him.And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things." - Mark 6:33-34   Read More

In the spiritual realm, darkness represents evil, and light represents truth and righteousness. When we were lost in sin, we loved the darkness and were comfortable in it, but all of that should change when we receive Jesus Christ as Savior. "For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." -John 3:20-21  Read More

We know quite well that being a Christian does not exempt us from trials and tribulations. We also know that the Lord preserves us through them all. "Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." -Daniel 3:24-25  Read More

Being an intelligent person can be a blessing, but unfortunately, there are many wise fools in our world today. We need godly wisdom and good understanding. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.”  - Psalm 111:11  Read More

In the heat of trial and tribulation, when our faith is being severely tested, we can be tempted to panic. We must be mindful to pray, and to pray in faith. "And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?" - Mar.k 4:37-38  Read More

It is okay to begin the Christian life with ignorance about God‘s Word, but it is not at all good to stay that way. "And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?"  - Mark 2:25  Read More

There’s only one way to escape the judgment of God for our sins, and that is by faith in Jesus Christ. When we do so, there There’s for us. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” -Romans 8:1  Read More

We know all too well that our flesh continually resists prayer. How much more challenging would it be if prayer were against the law? "Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime." - Daniel 6:10  Read More