Devotionals

Daily Reading: 8-22-16

Hebrews 3:12-4:3 Contemporary English Version (CEV) 

Faith is what pleases God. It is faith in God’s love and promises that keeps us following and discovering more about God’s character. All too easily, we can choose to harden our hearts and refuse to listen to God’s voice. When we listen and obey God’s instructions, it actually causes us to prosper in every area of our lives.

The writer of Hebrews reminds his readers by revisiting the story of the Israelites in the wilderness.

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Daily Reading:  8-19-16

Psalm 103:1-8 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Some days I am overwhelmed by the love of God and how He values people; His love is so pure.  God truly desires our highest and best (our wholeness) all the time. He understands our struggles and He is compassionate and merciful with our failures.  

David was very familiar with this pure love of God; His enduring kindness and absolute forgiveness.  This unfailing love and favor that surrounded David caused him to trust his whole heart to God; every aspect of his life.  Praise for God erupted from the depths of his soul.

As we head into the weekend, let’s spend a few minutes reading David’s song of praise to the Lord. 

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Daily Reading:  8-18-16

Hebrews 12:3-11 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Suffering is the training ground for spiritual maturity. God uses it because it develops our patience and endurance.  It is never fun being corrected by God, but it is necessary because He loves us and wants us to be able to share in His holiness.  God is trying to teach us about Himself and we must decide if we are going to receive that discipline with gratitude.  

In our Scripture passage, today, the Apostle Paul is extending this same wisdom in his letter to the Hebrews.  He reminds God’s people, it is because of God’s great love that he corrects anyone.  If they are not being corrected, it is not a good sign.

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Daily Reading:  8-16-16

Luke 19:45-48 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Did you know that Jesus gets upset when people take advantage of others?  It’s true.  God is fair and just; He expects that his children will be fair and just, as well. 

In our Scripture today, Jesus comes to the temple only to find the religious leaders have allowed money changers and those selling animals for sacrifice to mistreat God’s people; to take advantage of them.   People had traveled to honor God in the temple and when they got there they were met by shysters and fast talkers.    In our lesson, we see a side of Jesus that we don’t normally see in the gospels; he literally drives certain people out of the temple.

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Daily Reading:  8-16-16

Acts 7:44-53 The Message (MSG)

Sometimes humans can be very stubborn.  We can set our minds on what we want to believe even when faced with convincing Truth.  

Stephen was one of seven leaders chosen to supervise food distribution to the needy in the early church.  He was confronted and accused by Jewish leaders of dishonoring God’s temple in the process.  However, that was a lie to cover up the truth.  Stephen was simply telling people about Jesus and many were converting to Christianity.  Instead of defending himself against his accusers, Stephen took the opportunity to share his vibrant faith and relationship with God. He reminded these leaders of God’s love and provision for his people throughout history and how God was not limited to living in a temple made with human hands.  Now, through the Spirit, God can live in human hearts. 

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Daily Reading:  8-15-16

1 John 4:1-6 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

The message of Christ, the Son of God, coming in human flesh and dying on the cross is the message of Truth.  Christ died so that we could live forgiven and in fellowship with the Father.  The Spirit was sent so we could know the liberating power of God that lifts us out of dead living due of sin.  We can know vibrant life in Christ Jesus.  Voices that speak of anything else are not from the Spirit of God; in fact, it is the spirit of antiChrist. 

Don’t believe everything you read or hear.  You can identify someone who is telling the Truth from someone who is telling a lie based on whether their ways line up with Christ’s message.  Some leaders tell people what they want to hear; they do not denounce sin nor encourage a change in behavior.  They do not confess or promote the ways of God. Rather, they promote the spirit of antiChrist.

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Daily Reading:  8-12-16

Hebrews 10:32-39 The Voice (VOICE)

If you know Christ and He has brought light and vibrant life to your human existence, you are a member of the faith company.  In other words, we live by faith in the love and provision of God.  Hard times can come to every person; no one is exempt from the trials of life that can chip away at our faith.  However, we never give up, because Christ is our Hope. 

In his letter to the Hebrews, the Apostle Paul exhorted Christ’s followers to stay strong and endure every trial, because God would stay faithful to bring his promise of salvation.  

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Daily Reading:  8-11-16

Hebrews 10:26-31 New Century Version (NCV)

Sometimes we know the Truth or God’s will on a matter, but do not really want to accept the Truth because it means we would have to acknowledge our will to sin.  In our passage this morning, the Apostle Paul reminds Christ’s followers to continue to allow His sanctifying work to be done in them.  When Christ speaks to specific sin in our lives, that sin must go on the cross so we can experience freedom.  Otherwise, we grieve the Spirit.  A turning away from this holy process the Father put into place for our spiritual growth is called apostasy.  We can choose to run the other direction from God, but eventually we will find ourselves back in the audience of His sovereign judgment.

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Daily Reading:  8-10-16

Luke 12:41-48

God has poured spiritual gifts into every one of His children.  These are gifts to be used for the exaltation of Christ and the advancement of the spiritual Kingdom.  It is unwise to handle these gifts irresponsibly, because God certainly comes with expectations.  God’s gifts are powerful and bring about the necessary results when used in obedience to God’s purposes.  We are wise if we realize God’s spiritual gifts to us are the very things that effectively draw more people into Kingdom living while on earth.  Our lives are the greatest witness to the reality of Christ in us.  In Christ, we are loving, sincere and filled with integrity, quick to witness to the goodness of God, trusting God for provision, and diligent with every task no matter what the size.  Our foreheads are sealed with the joy of our salvation.

In our passage today, Jesus has been teaching his disciples about staying ready for his return.  Jesus told his followers he would be leaving while the Kingdom was being prepared, but in the future he would return for them. They were to faithfully occupy until his return.  If Jesus returned today, would you be watching for him?  Would you be ready to give an account for your work on behalf of the Kingdom?

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Daily Reading:  8-9-16

Hebrews 11:17-28 Contemporary English Version

Faith is associated with desiring God’s best for our lives.  As well, we can count on the fact that our faith will be tested when it comes to the things we prize the most.  Things in this world might seem good and inviting at times, but compared to the promises of God it offers only fleeting pleasures.  God offers an eternity of blessing.

The Apostle Paul continues his examples of faith in his letter to the Hebrews. 

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