Devotionals

Daily Reading: 9-20-16

1 Corinthians 9:19-23  The Living Bible (TLB)

I truly love this reading, today.  It reminds me of the importance of knowing who we are in Christ Jesus; to operate in a spirit of humility and acceptance of the person without necessarily agreeing with every choice a person makes with his or her life.  Our goal as Christ’s followers is to allow God’s love and grace to so fill us that we are influential in revealing Christ operating in our lives.  The world needs Jesus not our pompous opinions or religious judgment.  We must seek to find what we share in common with others and then enjoy discussing areas of life from there while still holding onto our own convictions.   Maybe we will be able to tell many about Jesus just by starting with respect and kindness.

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Daily Reading: 9-19-16

Acts 4:1-12 The Living Bible (TLB)

The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, so they were very upset with Peter and John’s message about Christ and how God raised him.  These religious leaders set up a council to question John and Peter.  Interestingly, Peter turns the table at the inquiry and he uses this session with the council as a way to share the gospel about the Messiah.  Because of Jesus, all of humanity is offered a relationship with God.

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Daily Reading: 9-16-16

Romans 8:31-39 The Message (MSG)

Have you ever had someone stick up for you while others condemn you?  If you know Jesus and are seeking to make him the Lord of your life, you have enjoyed a divine mediator.  It’s true, nothing can separate you from divine love, because Jesus makes sure of it.  Jesus loves you and embraces you as his own. So, today, don’t allow anything to cause you to doubt God’s love.  Be convinced; live convinced.

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Daily Reading: 9-15-16

Romans 3:1-8 The Message (MSG)

Do you ever find yourself letting things get “under your skin?”  Well, Scripture teaches for our faith to be powerful it must get under our skin.  Otherwise, it is only hypocrisy and religious talk; we can easily become smug and self-satisfied.  God’s teachings are to be believed and practiced in the deep places of the heart; nothing superficial will sustain our faith.

The Apostle Paul was teaching the Romans about the need for trusting God and practicing His Word.  The work of Grace is to deliver us from evil and straighten us out.  Then we reveal the truth that God’s Word has gotten under our skin.

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Daily Reading: 9-14-16

John 3:13-18 The Message (MSG)

According to the Christian calendar, today is Holy Cross Day.  It is a time to celebrate by focusing on the cross and how our Lord Jesus Christ atoned for the sins of the world, defeated death and the devil, reconciled the world to God, and obtained our salvation.   Proclaim the cross today; Jesus won the victory and now he draws all people to himself.  Hallelujah!

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Daily Reading: 9-13-16

2 Peter 3:8-13  Contemporary English Version (CEV)

What do you look forward to each day?  I look forward to enjoying relationships because that is what I value the most.  In our passage, today, I notice God values relationships so much that he wants everyone saved.  I am amazed by the intensity of God’s mercy.  Yet, I am aware from reading our text that his eternal judgment will be severe.  We need to be ready by accepting salvation in Christ.

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Daily Reading: 9-12-16

1 Timothy 1:18-19 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

With regard to your faith, can you honestly say you lean completely on God with absolute trust and confidence in His guidance?  The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to his spiritual son, Timothy.  In it, Paul reminded Timothy to keep the faith, as well as maintain a clear conscience.    In order to maintain a clear conscience, we must do what we know is right.  When we ignore our consciences, our conviction for right and wrong diminishes.  

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Daily Reading: 9-9-16

Psalm 51:1-10Living Bible (TLB)

Scripture teaches that sin (rejection of God’s ways) comes with consequences.  King David had an affair with a married woman and killed her husband.   The consequences of that sin were long lasting and caused David great emotional pain; brokenness.  But God forgave David’s sin and cleansed him of sin’s residue.  God is the Healer of the brokenhearted.  He is always interested in creating a clean heart within us and we need cleansing because we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  May we ask for forgiveness and receive healing.

Psalm 51:1-10

1 Written after Nathan the prophet had come to inform David of God’s judgment against him because of his adultery with Bathsheba, and his murder of Uriah, her husband.

O loving and kind God, have mercy. Have pity upon me and take away the awful stain of my transgressions. 2 Oh, wash me, cleanse me from this guilt. Let me be pure again. 3 For I admit my shameful deed—it haunts me day and night. 4 It is against you and you alone I sinned and did this terrible thing. You saw it all, and your sentence against me is just. 5 But I was born a sinner, yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. 6 You deserve honesty from the heart; yes, utter sincerity and truthfulness. Oh, give me this wisdom.

7 Sprinkle me with the cleansing blood[a] and I shall be clean again. Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 And after you have punished me, give me back my joy again. 9 Don’t keep looking at my sins—erase them from your sight. 10 Create in me a new, clean heart, O God, filled with clean thoughts and right desires.

Prayer:  Thank you, Lord, for creating a clean heart within me with right thoughts and right desires.  Help me to continue to follow your ways, so joy fills me.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Daily Reading: 9-8-16

1 Timothy 1:1-11 The Message (MSG)

The Good News of the Gospel is that we can know and enjoy the love of God when our hearts are open to making Jesus the Lord.  God desires for us to open our lives up to His rule.  As you will read in our passage today, the law was given to bring revelation to to God’s family, so they would know when their lives were off track; when they had wandered off to live according to their own desires and inclinations.  The law was fulfilled in Jesus Christ.  Now, when Jesus comes to live in our hearts, we are conformed to God by love and grace.  The Spirit helps us turn from sin in order to keep our hearts pure before God.  We are free, but not to live any way we want to live.  We are to live freely under the authority of God’s Word.

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Daily Reading: 9-7-16

Luke 18:18-30 Living Bible (TLB)

Sometimes Christ’s Word can make us feel very uncomfortable.  Jesus can ask for us to follow him by surrendering something that makes us feel secure or to which we base our identity.  What makes you feel secure or important?  What is it that makes you feel like you stand out from the crowd?  Chances are the thing that makes you feel the most important has the greatest chance of robbing you of receiving something even better.  God is Good and He desires to bring forth supernatural promises, but sometimes we have to let go of what is presently in our hands.

In today’s reading, Jesus encounters a man who gains his worth and value out of his money and possessions. These things give the man a sense of authority and power in his community.  Jesus asks the rich man to give it all away to the poor and follow him.  The lesson for this man will be to find his security and identity in Christ; not his money or his possessions.  God wants to take care of him.  Great blessings await the rich man and Jesus reminds him of that truth.  But, the request is just too much to ask and the man walks away humanly rich but spiritually robbed.  If we are going to follow Christ into Kingdom living, we must focus on what we have to gain; rather, than focus on what God has asked us to surrender.

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