Devotionals

  “Blessed is the one . . . whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2). How often do you read instruction manuals for new appliances, toys, or gadgets? Most of us are guilty of either not following the directions closely or tossing out the booklet completely. But there is one instruction manual we cannot afford to ignore—the Bible. It is our spiritual operations manual. And when we ignore it, the consequences can be eternal. Scanning through the Scriptures for the main points won’t stretch us. Randomly flipping through the pages won’t develop our spiritual maturity. We can’t skim the surface and expect to find the pearls. We need to dive deep under the surface to find the treasure. To truly grow spiritually, we need to devote time, effort, and focused attention to learning from God’s Word. Before we begin reading God’s Word, we need to prepare our […]

“What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us” (1 Corinthians 2:12).   When I am seeking to discern the mind of God, the first thing I do is examine my life to be certain that every area of my life comes under His lordship. The second thing I do is try to put my desires in neutral so the Holy Spirit can work His will in me. And the third thing is that I expect God to speak to me. I expect to hear from Him through His Word. I expect the Lord to speak to me through open and shut doors, through godly, praying friends, and through circumstances. The fourth thing I do to discern the mind of God is test the spirits. Ask the question: Is what I am doing or what I am about to do […]

  “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3). God has a unique vision and purpose for each of His children. God wants to bring glory to Himself through our lives. We must remember that God does not reveal His vision for our lives all at once. God reveals His vision to us when He knows we are ready and able to receive it. How then do we prepare ourselves to receive God’s vision? First, to understand and embrace God’s vision, we must ask Him for it. The Bible tells us we have not because we ask not—and sometimes when we do ask, we ask with selfish rather than God-honoring motives. But God promises us, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3). God wishes to reveal Himself to us, but we must first […]

  “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). The world is filled with people who are struggling. Many feel as though they never will realize their full potential. Some believe they have no potential. Others are deeply entangled in sin. Millions of lives are bound by Satan’s lies and deception. At the root of their distress is a deep need to experience the eternal forgiveness of God. Most of us have heard someone say something like, “I just feel empty, restless, and unhappy. I have tried to motivate myself, but it seems as though there is no hope for the future.” However, there is hope because there is eternal life through Jesus Christ. The power to overcome sin and feelings of hopelessness is ours when we turn to Christ through prayer. He meets us at the point of our greatest need. He […]

“He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives . . . to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair” (Isaiah 61:1, 3). Over the past few years, many people have asked whether God is really in control. Trials, tragedies, and feelings of insecurity have altered the way we live. But there is no need to fear. Tragedy and triumph frequently work as partners. As we trust God, we can experience restoration and resurrection as God brings a dying dream to life, heals our broken bodies, and mends our shattered lives. In a beautiful cathedral in Europe, a magnificent stained-glass window towered above the altar. One day a violent storm shattered the resplendent window into a thousand pieces. The church’s custodian hesitated to discard the multicolored fragments of glass. Instead, he put them […]

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). Today there are countless ways to address self-image, self-esteem, self-acceptance, and self-fulfillment. While these themes are pervasive in our culture, pursuing them is a little like drinking salt water—the more we drink, the thirstier we become. True contentment does not come from self-fulfillment, but through discovering the treasure house that Jesus Christ makes available when we surrender our lives to Him. The apostle Paul reminded us of this treasure house when he wrote, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). We must know Jesus as Lord if we are to receive the spiritual blessings He has provided in the heavenly realms. He is the only source of authentic worth, lasting contentment, […]

“Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm” (Deuteronomy 5:15). Throughout Scripture, we see the heart of God and the depth of His disappointment when His people forget about Him and His past mercies, blessings, and grace. In fact, the reason God established all the festivals and celebrations, such as Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, Passover, and others, was to empower the Israelites to constantly remember God’s gracious hand that delivered them out of slavery in Egypt and brought them into the Promised Land. He provided a visible, tangible reminder of His work. Similarly, in the New Testament, Jesus established the Lord’s Supper and baptism to point us to His indescribable love toward us with physical reminders. Why does God want us to remember? God’s desire for us to recall His past mercies has nothing to do with His own personal insecurities (He […]

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6). Giving was a major emphasis of Paul’s ministry, especially during his third missionary journey. He understood that generosity naturally leads to praise and worship of God. Unfortunately, when Paul thought of the Corinthian believers, he had to acknowledge that they had failed to keep their promises in the area of giving. The Corinthian believers had made a commitment to God. They had promised to support the poor through their gifts and offerings. However, when it came time to follow through, they did not fulfill their promise (see 2 Corinthians 8). Praise always requires a heart commitment. Giving requires the same action. If we fail to complete the promises we have made to God, our hearts will be saddened, and we won’t feel like praising Him. Therefore, before you make a commitment to give, ask God to show you what He […]

“Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). With the stroke of a pen, Emperor Constantine issued the edict of Milan in 313 A.D., and Christianity became fashionable instead of an offense deserving persecution. Suddenly, church membership rolls grew as thousands joined churches after professing faith in Christ. However, many were not sincere. Only God, the searcher of hearts, knows how many remained pagan at heart. However, their harmful influence in the church soon became apparent. A life lived for Jesus Christ is not usually outlined with popularity or ease. But churches in the West today are steeped in comfort, espousing self-help rather than sacrifice, and they are growing in number. Perhaps, like Asaph in Psalm 73, you are frustrated by the prosperity of those who do not seek the Lord nor honor His Word. Maybe you feel as though you are […]

“Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel” (Ephesians 6:19). A 2017 study conducted by American Culture and Faith Institute revealed that only 39 percent of born again Christians believe they have a personal responsibility to share their faith. This isn’t surprising when we consider that only 3 out of 10 born again adults have a Biblical worldview. No wonder Christians aren’t witnessing to the lost in their midst! It’s all the more paramount that born again believers with a Biblical understanding not give up sharing Christ. Many Christians believe they must take a stand for Christ in their own strength—and so they become discouraged. Others are crippled by their fear of rejection. As followers of Christ, we must overcome these hindrances, trusting that Christ within us will give us the words to say. What’s the key to being a fruitful witness? Obedience. […]

“The Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say” (Luke 12:12). Since the very beginning of history, God has chosen to commission His people to testify to His name. Today, He is still calling His children to share His Gospel with the world. After His resurrection, Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20). The Great Commission is not only for preachers, evangelists, and missionaries. The Great Commission is for every believer and follower of Jesus Christ. We do not need seminary degrees or a library full of commentaries to tell others about Christ. Once we accept Jesus as […]

“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12). Have you ever wondered how Moses handled discouragement? Or how Paul maintained a positive attitude when he faced the criticism and threats of others? Surely Paul fought with discouragement when he faced the threat of death. However, he kept his focus set on Christ, his source of infinite strength and eternal hope. We can do the same. Life may have many challenges—especially when you are doing what God has given you to do. But you don’t have to be overwhelmed by disappointment. We should long to be heroes of the faith—people who seek to win the race set before us and to achieve the goal that God has given. When trouble comes, don’t give up. Don’t lose heart, and don’t listen to harassment. God has a plan […]