Devotionals
April 29, 2019
“For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). As wonderful as God’s grace is in redeeming our past, it is equally powerful in the way it changes our future. No matter how far we strayed before God’s grace rescued us from our sin, His plan for our future cannot be thwarted because it is not contingent on our works, but on Christ’s. His saving grace entirely transforms us so that we are no longer dead in transgressions but alive in Christ. And because God wants to see us following after Him, living lives full of love and compassion for Him and for others, He will see this through in us by His grace and His Spirit (see Philippians 2:13, Hebrews 13:20-21). The apostle Paul, a worthy vessel to convey the power of God’s grace, wrote: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do […]
April 21, 2019
“The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11:25-26). Martha’s brother Lazarus had been dead in his grave for several days. Although Martha had seen Jesus heal many in the past, she was doubtful that Jesus would raise Lazarus to life in the present. However, there is no “too late” for the Lord Jesus. In the very presence of a dead man, Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25), declaring that this resurrection was not just a future hope, but a present reality. Soon after, Jesus called Lazarus forth from the grave, demonstrating His power over death. In the moment when resurrection was needed most, Christ proved that He was the only way for this man to be revived. Not long after He made this claim, Jesus endured the cross and then rose from the grave Himself. He proved […]
April 15, 2019
“As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him” (Psalm 18:30). With so many people and influences trying to mold us into their version of “truth,” how are we to withstand their pressures and continue to reflect the light of Christ? We need to lean on the Word of God. Paul said, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Whatever encounters we face with the ungodly, we can find wisdom and guidance and comfort in the Bible. When we share the Good News, the Bible will equip us with the Truth. When we experience rejection, the Word of God will comfort and soothe our wounds. When we fear persecution, God’s promises will give us the strength to overcome our anxieties. When we begin to […]
April 8, 2019
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). When Elisha looked into the widow’s situation, he immediately told the woman about three conditions under which her jar of oil could become her miracle. Today we will look at the first condition. The first condition was this: Get lots of empty jars. “Go around and ask your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few” (2 Kings 4:3). What are these borrowed vessels? These borrowed vessels represent her capacity to receive from God. The more vessels she had, the more she was going to receive. For, every jar she gathered in faith would be filled—the oil would continue to pour. The moment the widow ran out of empty vessels, the oil stopped flowing. God blesses you to the capacity that you make yourself available for Him to bless. If you close off […]
April 1, 2019
“The earth is filled with your love, Lord; teach me your decrees” (Psalm 119:64). Praise opens our eyes and ears to God. When we focus on the Lord in praise, we are much more likely to hear what He has to say to us. Praise opens us up spiritually to hear God’s commands. In fact, that Truth helps explain why praise is often so difficult for us: Praise demands that we make changes in our lives, and most of us do not welcome the prospect of change. It takes courage to reexamine what we believe to be true about ourselves and about God and to realize what we need to change about our lives. Sometimes the change God commands will require us to confess and repent of a sin and to make adjustments in how we live, especially in how we think of others and relate to others. We cannot harbor anger, resentment, or hatred toward others and at […]
March 24, 2019
“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 […]
March 17, 2019
“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 […]
March 4, 2019
“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 […]
February 25, 2019
“You who are young, be happy while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth” (Ecclesiastes 11:9). How you view your life will make a world of difference in how you live your life. If you live your life viewing it from a Biblical perspective, it will have deeper meaning than if you see it through a pessimistic looking glass. In Ecclesiastes 11-12, we find Solomon’s ultimate conclusion to his view on life and the lessons he learned. Today we will look at two key points from those chapters: Life is a stewardship; invest it wisely. (See Ecclesiastes 11:1-6.) Everything in life—not only possessions, but also family, friends, relationships, everything you have—is a gift from God. He entrusted you to manage all of His bounties on His behalf. You don’t own it, but He’s giving it to you to manage it for Him. You see, the whole of life, Solomon said, is […]
February 18, 2019
“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 […]
February 11, 2019
“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 […]
February 4, 2019
“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, […]