Posts with the category “devotions”

Salvation makes us new creatures in Christ Jesus and gives us a new spiritual identity. Then God calls us to walk in newness of life.That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.- Ephesians 4:22-...  Read More

Because we were created to have dominion, there is ambition to achieve great things in every human heart to varying degrees. But we must keep it in check. "Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another." - Psalm 75:5-7  Read More

We were created for the Lord, but because we are earthbound creatures for the moment, we are often tempted to seek satisfaction and fulfillment upon this earth. But it will never be found here. "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." - Romans 15:13  Read More

The Lord has many blessings in store for us, but we must use the means by which He sends them. And that means is faith. "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." - Hebrews 11:6  Read More

We all delight in seeing the results of our work and ministry, but there is so much that is beyond our control. "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase." - 1 Corinthians 3:6-7  Read More

We who are saved by grace are more than conquerors in Christ. But for now, we must remember that we have an enemy, the devil, who constantly opposes us. He will not ultimately defeat us, but we must never give him an advantage. "To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices." -2 Corinthians 2:10-11  Read More

Our bodies are subject to much wear and tear over time, and we are subject to pain, disease, and ultimately to death. But God has more in store for those who are believers in Christ. "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." -1 Corinthians 15:51-52  Read More

There are places where we walk where we can easily slip and fall. But there is also a mindset that is slippery and will cause us to fall spiritually. "But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." - Psalm 73:2-3  Read More

We should seek to help one another whenever we can, but we often find ourselves in the position where there is nothing that we can do. But there’s one thing that we can always do. "Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf." - 2 Corinthians 1:11  Read More

There are times of crisis and difficulty through which we must all go. Sometimes it may seem that God is silent and not doing anything. We must not give into feelings, but rather look to Him in faith.  Read More

In the physical realm, children are very eager to grow and become bigger, stronger, and more knowledgeable. The same ought to be true with our spiritual lives. "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen." - 2 Peter 3:18  Read More

It is impossible to get through life without being opposed and disliked by some people. It is especially difficult to take when it seems that there is no just cause behind it. But even when others oppose us, God is working. "And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life." -Genesis 45:4-5  Read More

We definitely want and need God to bless us in many ways. And He will surely do so, but we must look beyond ourselves. "God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations." - Psalm 67:1-2  Read More

It is easy to trust the Lord when all of our needs are met, and things are going smoothly. We must learn to trust in Him at all times. "Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah." - Psalm 62:8  Read More

It is a source of grief and discouragement to us believers that we still sin after we are saved. But there is coming a time when we will sin no more. "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen." - Jude 1:24-25  Read More

Conflict is inevitable in a sinful world, but we must do all we can to resolve it when possible. "It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling." - Proverbs 20:3  Read More

It is very easy to become smug and self-righteous when you are saved and have been delivered by God from many sins of your past. We must persistently resist this temptation. "Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." -1 Corinthians 6:10-11  Read More

It is every believer’s responsibility to stand firm against sin and to be faithful to the Lord. But even so, we cannot do it alone. "O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard: Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved." - Psalm 66:8-9  Read More

One of the sad realities of the Christian life is that we often do not get answers to prayer because we have not prayed. But sometimes prayers go unanswered because of the prayer itself or the motive behind it. "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts." - James 4:3  Read More

In the midst of a difficult experience and when everything looks bleak, we must not give way to fear or lose hope. And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me." - Genesis 42:36  Read More

There are obviously many stages in life through which we must go. Sometimes we need to get moving, but sometimes we just need to be still. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." - Psalm 46:10  Read More

We live in the age of self-esteem, but in truth that is not a biblical concept. However, we do need a proper view of ourselves. "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." - Romans 12:3  Read More

God in His great wisdom has made us for relationship with Himself and with each other. As such, we need to do all we can to cultivate strong relationships with one another. "A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." - Proverbs 17:17  Read More

When you are in a difficult situation and it seems that there is nothing you can do, there is always one thing that you should do. "I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth." - Psalm 57:2-3  Read More

We discover very quickly that being saved from our sins does not make us sinless or perfect. When a believer sins, God has made provision for us. "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." - 1 John 2:1  Read More

God gives us many blessings as we go through life, but we must be careful not to be deceived into thinking that we are the cause of those blessings. "For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive?  now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?" - 1 Corinthians 4:7  Read More

We usually associate prosperity with financial wealth, but that is certainly not the kind. "And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand." - Genesis 39:2-3  Read More

Sometimes the load that we carry is very heavy, and seems as if it would crush us beneath its weight. But we were never meant to carry that heavy load alone. "Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." - Psalm 55:22  Read More

It is a blessing to know that we are loved by God, but it is absolutely astounding to comprehend the depth of His love. "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not." - 1 John 3:1  Read More

Our Lord made many shocking statements when He was on Earth, and this is certainly one of them. "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law." - Matthew 10:34-35  Read More

One of the great needs for believers is to be people of discernment, and to be good students of God‘s word. "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." - Acts 17:11  Read More

We desperately need the grace of God in our lives every day, and there are three very important manifestations of this grace. "Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father." - 1 Thessalonians 1:3  Read More

There is an internal struggle that every believer faces day in and day out against sin. But there is surely victory to be had. "I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me." - Romans 7:21  Read More

Fear is natural and healthy when we fear the consequences of dangerous behavior or sin. But sometimes it is easy to be overcome by fear of bad things that could happen in the future. "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me." - Psalm 56:3-4  Read More

Many people spend much of their lives  trying to do religious things to please God and hopefully find a place in heaven. None of them are of any value. "For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." - Hebrews 9:26  Read More

We usually have a hard time suffering hardship, especially when we are in the right. But suffering is sometimes God’s will for us. "Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator." - 1 Peter 4:19  Read More

Grace is God‘s favor given  to them who do not deserve it. Yes, it is for sinners, but not all of them will receive it. "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." - James 4:6  Read More

Earthly governments and nations have risen and fallen through throughout history, and they will continue to do so. But there is an eternal kingdom coming that will never end. "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear." - Hebrews 12:28  Read More

What sin has done to the human race is tragic. We are all sons of Adam and daughters of Eve, but sin has divided mankind and still continues to do so in ways that we should not be divided. "And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation." - Acts 17:26  Read More

Because God is holy and just, He would not and could not allow sinners into heaven on just any grounds. He made a way to do so without compromising His holiness. "To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." - Romans 3:26  Read More