Devotionals

Galatians 4:4-7 CEV

Today, I found the need to run errands and throughout my journey I spent quite a bit of time waiting. I waited to make left turns. I waited for appointments. I waited in lines to purchase supplies. Wait, wait, wait…it seems to go with the season.

Long ago, people walked in the darkness waiting for the Light of the world to arrive. At the appointed time—when the time was right—God sent his Son. Christmas is the perfect time to celebrate the arrival of Immanuel—God with us! Now, we no longer have to live in the darkness; we can live in the Light that leads to abundant Life with Father. Blessings for your weekend.

Galatians 4:4-7
4 But when the time was right, God sent his Son, and a woman gave birth to him. His Son obeyed the Law, 5 so he could set us free from the Law, and we could become God’s children. 6 Now that we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. And his Spirit tells us that God is our Father. 7 You are no longer slaves. You are God’s children, and you will be given what he has promised.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the life you bring each day; a beautiful reminder of your perfect timing. Thank you for being with me, Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Galatians 3:23-29 The Voice (VOICE)

Yesterday, we shared a mission outreach to the residents at Oak Tree ALF. It was such a special time. They were so very appreciative of the gifts we brought, the refreshments we served, and the songs we shared to celebrate Christmas with them. Our gifts were socks and slippers. We had to do a little shuffling with sizes, but eventually I think everyone received a pair of slippers and socks that fit him or her. Getting the right size is important; enclosed toe and heel slippers must fit each individual’s feet.

Salvation is one gift that fits every believer; one size fits all hearts. To be saved means to be born from above—to make room in our hearts for the Anointed One. To be born from above is to be spiritually transformed and set apart for God’s purposes as his children. Therefore, we take on Christ’s characteristics and values with our lives. At Christmas, we tend to focus on tangible gifts, but the best gift you can give your friends and loved ones is Christ in you. Love them the way Christ loves you. Treat them with kindness and patience as you share time. Forgive others who have hurt you; honestly, forgiveness is a gift you give to yourself. Be subject to His power, because Christ wants to touch other lives through you and he values people and relationships.

Galatians 3:23-29

23 Before faith came on the scene, the law did its best to keep us in line, restraining us until the faith that was to come was fully revealed. 24 So then, the law was like a tutor, assigned to train us and point us to the Anointed, so that we will be acquitted of all wrong and made right by faith. 25 But now that true faith has come, we have no need for a tutor. 26 It is your faith in the Anointed Jesus that makes all of you children of God 27 because all of you who have been initiated into the Anointed One through the ceremonial washing of baptism have put Him on. 28 It makes no difference whether you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a freeman, a man or a woman, because in Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King, you are all one. 29 Since you belong to Him and are now subject to His power, you are the descendant of Abraham and the heir of God’s glory according to the promise.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the generous love and kindness you always extend to me. In fact, the love and kindness you give me is always the perfect fit. Your saving care is the answer to my longing heart this Christmas. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Matthew 8:14-17 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Touch is a powerful gift from God. We send and receive messages and meaning through touch; therefore, it is a form of language. God made us to respond to his powerful touch, as well as to respond to the emotional and physical touch of loved ones. I tend to be a hugging person, but I realize and respect the fact that some people might not feel the same way. Sometimes just taking a person’s hand and praying for them is the perfect message that initiates healing.

During his first advent—when Christ came and took on human flesh—he touched people and they received all kinds of messages and healing miracles during his ministry. In our passage today, Jesus takes Peter’s mother-in-law by the hand and instantly she is made well. If you need a touch from Jesus today, just ask him. Each week during prayer I ask Jesus to give me a hug. Touch speaks to my heart and gets me ready to reach out to touch the lives of others. Jesus is the Healer and he does that through touch. Let him touch you!

Matthew 8:14-17 Jesus Heals Many People

14 Jesus went to the home of Peter, where he found that Peter’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with fever. 15 He took her by the hand, and the fever left her. Then she got up and served Jesus a meal.

16 That evening many people with demons in them were brought to Jesus. And with only a word he forced out the evil spirits and healed everyone who was sick. 17 So God’s promise came true, just as the prophet Isaiah had said,

“He healed our diseases and made us well.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the power of touch. Please continue to touch my soul and leave me well. May I experience the power of your loving hug and touch every day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Jude 17-25 The Voice (VOICE)

Are you quick to protect that which you treasure most? As a Christ follower, I understand the opposition that will come into my life because I have chosen to live and teach God’s Word as the standard of Love and Truth. The Holy Spirit is my Protector; therefore, I seek to guard the work of the Spirit in me. The enemy does not want me to focus on the Spirit of Truth or the power that God has offered to deliver me from evil. If you are a follower, you understand that to be true of your life, as well. Therefore, we have to contend for the faith against the opposition of the darkness that tries to overtake the Light or Truth. We must live in harmony with God’s plan and obedience with how God has designed it to manifest in our lives. Protecting God’s Truth is our greatest act of obedience. What we value most, we guard, right?

In our passage today, we are encouraged by Jude—brother of Jesus and James—to remain vigilant in our faith; it is the Christian duty because we have committed our lives to the Son of God. In one short letter Jude exposes the work of false teachers trying to deceive people by telling them Christ’s followers can live any way they want in their flesh without fear of God’s punishment. Therefore, divisions start popping up all over the place. Jude stands to protect the Truth in that place. I encourage you to focus on the Truth, guard the work of the Spirit in you, and give no power to the darkness.

Jude 17-25

17 But you, friends, remember the words of the emissaries[a] of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King: 18 “At the end of time, some will ridicule the faithful and follow their lusts to the grave.” 19 These are the men among you—those who divide friends, those concerned ultimately with this world, those without the Spirit. 20-21 You, however, should stand firm in the love of God, constructing a life within the holy faith, praying the Spirit’s prayer, as you wait eagerly for the mercy of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, which leads to eternal life.

22 Keep being kind to those who waver in this faith. 23 Pursue those who are singed by the flames of God’s wrath, and bring them safely to Him. Show mercy to others with fear, despising every garment soiled by the weakness of human flesh.

24 Now to the One who can keep you upright and plant you firmly in His presence—clean, unmarked, and joyful in the light of His glory— 25 to the one and only God, our Savior, through Jesus the Anointed our Lord, be glory and greatness and might and authority; just as it has been since before He created time, may it continue now and into eternity. Amen.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this wisdom from Jude, today. Help me to focus on and exalt the Truth of your Love you have placed around me each day. I want to starve the darkness that tries to consume my faith by remaining in your Joy. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Isaiah 29:17-21 New Life Version

In his prophetic word from the Lord, Isaiah describes the new world God will create for his people. It will be a world that is entirely different than the world in which we live now. Violence and hatred will have no place in God’s Kingdom. In fact, the new world will reveal the joy, compassion, and justice of God. It will be governed by his flawless and perfect character of love. The focus for everyone will be upon Jesus the Light of Truth and every knee will bow to worship him.

In my study today, I am reminded that God is always seeking to bring justice. He knows all about the wrong things that have happened to us because of the work of evil. He is not unaware and one day he will deal with it; he will right every wrong. I am not sure how he plans to do that, but I look forward to the day when evil has been destroyed and Truth enthroned.

Isaiah 29:17-21

18 In that day those who cannot hear will hear the words of a book. And the eyes of the blind will see out of the darkness. 19 Those who have suffered will be happier in the Lord. Those who are in need will have joy in the Holy One of Israel. 20 For those who show no pity will come to an end. And those who laugh at the truth will be stopped. All who want to be sinful will be cut off. 21 Those who say something to make a man seem to be in the wrong, and who trap the one who acts as a judge at the gate, and who tell lies to cause a good man to be punished, will be cut off.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the justice you have extended to me in Christ Jesus. You have saved me from the penalty of my own sin. I know one day, you will provide a world that is fueled by joy. It will be so amazing! Thank you for your plan. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

2 Peter 3:11-18 The Message (MSG)

The other night John and I drove and took friends to a Christmas Dinner Party in downtown St. Petersburg. John was driving and I was sitting way in the back to accommodate our guests (our SUV has three rows of seats). Sadly, many times when I sit in the back of a vehicle I suffer with motion sickness. So, I asked John to drive very carefully; no quick movements, turns, or sudden stops (lol…miracles do happen!). Anyway, I was determined to pray and keep looking forward. He said, “Mar, I may not be aware. How will I know if you start getting sick due to my driving? Give me a secret phrase, so we will not concern our friends.” I said, “Ok. I will say, ‘Did you see that?’”

As I sit here studying our passage this morning, I am reminded how many times in our sin-sick world the Lord places things before His creation as a way to say, “Did you see that?” In other words, God is always working to get our attention to the signs of the time and the sickness of the human soul apart from the work of Christ. We must not allow the sickness of the world to overpower or misdirect us; keep looking in the direction of the Word. Wake up! If your focus each day is on Christ, you are going to be looking in the opposite direction the unbelieving world is looking. What is important to you doesn’t make the list of unbelievers. In fact, devoted believers will be hope-filled, peace-living, joy-driven people whom the unredeemed, angry, and flesh-driven world cannot comprehend. Never forget, the things of the flesh are opposed to the things of the Spirit (Gal. 5:17). Jesus is behind the wheel and is driving on the journey through this sick world and we are going to be experiencing all kinds of things—pressure will build as he reshapes his children in the image of Christ and works to bring salvation to the whole world. But, stay obedient to the Word and keep looking for Jesus, because you are going to see some amazing miracles as promised by God.

2 Peter 3:11-18

11-13 Since everything here today might well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life? Daily expect the Day of God, eager for its arrival. The galaxies will burn up and the elements melt down that day—but we’ll hardly notice. We’ll be looking the other way, ready for the promised new heavens and the promised new earth, all landscaped with righteousness.

14-16 So, my dear friends, since this is what you have to look forward to, do your very best to be found living at your best, in purity and peace. Interpret our Master’s patient restraint for what it is: salvation. Our good brother Paul, who was given much wisdom in these matters, refers to this in all his letters, and has written you essentially the same thing. Some things Paul writes are difficult to understand. Irresponsible people who don’t know what they are talking about twist them every which way. They do it to the rest of the Scriptures, too, destroying themselves as they do it.

17-18 But you, friends, are well-warned. Be on guard lest you lose your footing and get swept off your feet by these lawless and loose-talking teachers. Grow in grace and understanding of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ. Glory to the Master, now and forever! Yes!

Prayer: Lord, this is such an amazing time to be alive and I thank you for the promises you have given that keeps me moving forward with hope, peace, and joy in your love. You are so good! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 146:5-10 New Living Translation (NLT)

Are you good with keeping a promise? A promise is a word that one will do or refrain from doing something specified. From a biblical perspective, a promise is a legally binding declaration that gives the person to whom the promise is made a right to expect or to claim the performance of that word/act. I really try to keep every promise, but over my lifetime I have suffered a few failures. God never fails to keep his promises and they are always filled with his goodness; above anything we could possibly ask, think, or imagine (Eph. 3:20). Peter teaches, “Through His shining-greatness and perfect life, He has given us promises. These promises are of great worth and no amount of money can buy them. Through these promises you can have God’s own life in you now that you have gotten away from the sinful things of the world which came from wrong desires of the flesh” (2 Peter 1:4).

In our passage today, the psalmist reminds God’s people they can find joy if they place their hope in the promises of God. Why? Because unlike us—his human creation—God is always good for his Word. He keeps every promise not just for a moment, but forever. We can partake in the divine nature God has promised, but we must desire God more than we desire the satisfaction of our flesh. In our obedience, we bow before God’s authority and step into everything the Lord has promised. The result of obedience is JOY unspeakable!

Psalm 146:5-10

5 But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper,
whose hope is in the Lord their God.

6 He made heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them.
He keeps every promise forever.

7 He gives justice to the oppressed
and food to the hungry.
The Lord frees the prisoners.

8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down.
The Lord loves the godly.

9 The Lord protects the foreigners among us.
He cares for the orphans and widows,
but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.

10 The Lord will reign forever.
He will be your God, O Jerusalem, throughout the generations.
Praise the Lord!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for always keeping your promises to me. I know I can place my hope in your flawless character and extravagant love. Like the psalmist, I praise you! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Matthew 12:33-37 The Message (MSG)

Yesterday, I had the great joy of sharing a discussion with a gentlemen who stopped by the church. Our Connect2Christ Church building used to be home to a series of banks and this man worked for one of the early banks. He wanted to see how we had remodeled the bank building; he was impressed with the appearance and how welcoming it had become. However pleasant the physical appearance may be of the church, it is the heart of the Body that I care most about. Is the building filled with the tangible presence of God as revealed through the love and nurture of the people? Do the people in the building reflect the character and attitude of Christ as they lay down their lives to help others experience Jesus? Have the people formed relationships built upon mercy, but passionate to know the Truth and live it? If not, the physical building might look good, but the inside substance of the building will be diseased and powerless. I thank God everyday for the debt-free C2C building, but I praise God for the heart of the people who come to worship God there, as well as seek to exalt him in their lives!

In our passage today, Jesus has an encounter with the Pharisees in which he takes issue. They reject Jesus as the Messiah and they spew all kinds of fake info about him to the people. Jesus is not passive to the Pharisee’s insults or attacks and he speaks truth about their evil thoughts and attitudes. He puts them in their place and cautions them about their words and how those words tell God a whole lot about the disease that lives within them. The Pharisees care about the appearance and political correctness of things, but Jesus does not. He cares about what spills forth from our hearts through our words.

Matthew 12:33-37

33 “If you grow a healthy tree, you’ll pick healthy fruit. If you grow a diseased tree, you’ll pick worm-eaten fruit. The fruit tells you about the tree.

34-37 “You have minds like a snake pit! How do you suppose what you say is worth anything when you are so foul-minded? It’s your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words. A good person produces good deeds and words season after season. An evil person is a blight on the orchard. Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the love I have for you and your people. Keep our hearts growing and producing healthy fruit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

FYI: It has come to my attention the Scripture reference from yesterday’s devotion was incorrect. The passage and verse I used came from Psalm 21:13. Now, I thought I was seeing a bit better since my eye surgery, but I can tell I need more prayers! lol…laughter is good medicine!

Psalm 21:20

This morning as I am praying and enjoying fellowship with God, I am keenly aware of my need for his strength. In fact, I will go so far as to say the strength I already possess and the increase of strength I desperately need for today all come from God in the first place. Scripture encourages us to recognize this divine strength within us and to be strong in it (Eph. 6:10). We are not to boast in our own strength, but to accept the reality that our flesh is very weak (Mark 14:38). If we are willing to confess our need for God and rest upon his strength we find help in our greatest time of need. The Apostle Paul was dealing with a “thorn in the flesh” and he begged Jesus three times to remove it, but Jesus told him, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in your weakness” (2 Cor. 12:8). Paul’s testimony becomes a life lesson for us.

In our passage today, David has tasted yet another victory over evil. His enemies came to take him down, but the strength of God caused David to rise in victory. God’s strength was released as David recognized his need and called for help. This is the blessing of God’s presence with his children. So, not only are we promised strength in our weakness, we are invited to be filled with joy as he comes to be a present help. We all need the strength of Almighty God to live out each day for his glory. So, call upon the name of the Lord and ask him to be your strength in whatever area of your flesh that is experiencing weakness. He has promised grace and strength for the humble. Stand there by faith and thank him!

Psalm 21:20

Show your strength, Lord,
so that we may sing
and praise your power.

Prayer: Lord, I am in need of your strength, today. I know nothing in my weak flesh can battle the evil sent to defeat me. Therefore, I stand in your strength. May your strength be made perfect in my life, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Isaiah 11:1-5 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

The Lord offers his children the fullness of his peace: spiritual rest, security, and stability as we abide in his holy presence. The peace of God emanates outward; it begins as a seed in our hearts and grows as an expression of the new life Jesus brings. We need to identify our fears and take them captive, because the enemy uses that fear and wrong thinking to rob us of this promise from God. According to the Apostle Paul, “We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). Are you taking advantage of the peace the Lord offers you?

Let us take time today to praise Jesus Messiah for his ministry in the past, the power of the Word in the present, and the promise of a future that is governed by the standard of Peace he sets forth.

Isaiah 11:1-5 Peace at Last

11 Like a branch that sprouts
from a stump,
someone from David’s family
will someday be king.

2 The Spirit of the Lord
will be with him
to give him understanding,
wisdom, and insight.
He will be powerful,
and he will know
and honor the Lord.

3 His greatest joy will be
to obey the Lord.
This king won’t judge
by appearances
or listen to rumors.

4 The poor and the needy
will be treated with fairness
and with justice.
His word will be law
everywhere in the land,
and criminals
will be put to death.

5 Honesty and fairness
will be his royal robes.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the security you offer me. I want the fulness of your peace. Help me to stay in that place and forbid fear or wrong thinking to have any power in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.