Devotionals

Ephesians 4:24-32
24 And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.
25 What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ’s body we’re all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself.
26-27 Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.
28 Did you use to make ends meet by stealing? Well, no more! Get an honest job so that you can help others who can’t work.
29 Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.
30 Don’t grieve God. Don’t break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don’t take such a gift for granted.
31-32 Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.

Because of the work of the Holy Spirit in believers, we have learned Christ. In other words, we do not have to guess how God feels about things, we have God’s Voice speaking to us inwardly and witnessing to his will for our lives. Our part is to listen and obey. It truly is a new way to live. Before we invited Christ to enter our lives, we did what we thought was best, made sense, or what our flesh desired to do. Now, we belong to Christ, so we live by faith and according to the Spirit’s leading. Therefore, our thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors will all be examined and sometimes challenged by the will of God. The Apostle Paul reminds us in our passage today how strongly God in us—Christ—feels about reflecting his character and integrity in the world. In the God-fashioned life, there is no room for lying, angry rage or revenge, stealing, foul or profane mouths, gossiping, spreading rumors, or unforgiveness. That really gives us a lot to consider, today, doesn’t it? May the Holy Spirit help us to be containers of his presence that actually reflect his heart and integrity.

Prayer: Lord, as your daughter, I am called to allow you and your beautiful Spirit of holiness to live out of my physical being. Help me to ponder these aspects in your Word today and grant me the grace and power to apply them according to your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 (MSG) You’re God-Taught
4 1-3 One final word, friends. We ask you—urge is more like it—that you keep on doing what we told you to do to please God, not in a dogged religious plod, but in a living, spirited dance. You know the guidelines we laid out for you from the Master Jesus. God wants you to live a pure life.
Keep yourselves from sexual promiscuity.

4-5 Learn to appreciate and give dignity to your body, not abusing it, as is so common among those who know nothing of God.

6-7 Don’t run roughshod over the concerns of your brothers and sisters. Their concerns are God’s concerns, and he will take care of them. We’ve warned you about this before. God hasn’t invited us into a disorderly, unkempt life but into something holy and beautiful—as beautiful on the inside as the outside.

8 If you disregard this advice, you’re not offending your neighbors; you’re rejecting God, who is making you a gift of his Holy Spirit.

The Christian life is one of being made holy or sanctified by the Holy Spirit who works within us. In our passage today, the Apostle Paul reminds us that even our sexuality is to be under Christ’s control. As believers, our bodies are no longer our own; we belong to Christ and serve as containers of the Holy One. God requires that we invite holiness to invade every aspect of our lives. The fruit of self-control is a sign that Christ is Lord of our lives; it is developed as we choose to die to the demands of our flesh.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the work of your Holy Spirit to keep me in your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

John 12:48-50 (TPT)
48 If you reject me and refuse to follow my words, you already have a judge. The message of truth I have given you will rise up to judge you at the Day of Judgment. 49 For I’m not speaking as someone who is self-appointed, but I speak by the authority of the Father himself who sent me, and who instructed me what to say. 50 And I know that the Father’s commands result in eternal life, and that’s why I speak the very words I’ve heard him speak.”

Yesterday, we shared about how every human being will either accept or reject God’s Word. There are only two choices offered. Well, today Christ teaches it is the Word of God that will one day actually judge us. Jesus is the Word made flesh and we—as his disciples—are to made in his likeness. Think about it this way, the Word of God is eternal and he stands in perfect righteousness as God’s standard of love for every human life. For salvation, Christ died and rose again, so his Spirit can be the Word abiding within every accepting heart. The work of Christ makes us spiritually alive to the Father. We are then asked to follow Christ’s teachings. We are to remain—live life by spiritual power—in Christ and his Words or teachings are to remain in us—be revealed in our character and actions (John 15:7). So, with that in mind, how important is the Word of God to you?

Prayer: Lord, your Word is life and salvation for my soul. For this reason, I remain in your Word everyday and seek to allow the Word to remain or be lived out in me. In the power of the Word, teach me to do your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

John 12:44-47 (TPT) Jesus’ Last Public Teaching
44 Jesus shouted out passionately, “To believe in me is to also believe in God who sent me. 45 For when you look at me you are seeing the One who sent me. 46 I have come as a light to shine in this dark world so that all who trust in me will no longer wander in darkness. 47 If you hear my words and refuse to follow them, I do not judge you. For I have not come to judge you but to save you.

The Word of God will always face a measure of rejection, because Jesus taught, “God will blessed those who do not reject me” (Matt 11:16). The Word definitely divides people into two groups: those who accept and those who reject the salvation God offers. Even though Jesus teaches he did not come to earth to judge humanity, the Word of God will still be the Light of salvation for the human soul. Please don’t wander in the darkness. Come to the Light of God’s Word and let Christ save you.

Prayer: Lord, I realize salvation is offered to the whole world. Your goodness and mercy is perfect and your plan is all encompassing for those who hear the Word and do not reject it. Therefore, today I pray for every human heart to turn and accept the Light that leads to life in Christ. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 119:105 (NLT)

105
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
and a light for my path.

We do not have to look very far in order to recognize the existence of spiritual darkness in our world; sin and rebellion against God is all around us. God has an enemy and since we are committed to loving God and our neighbors we have an enemy, too. Without God’s Word we would all be struggling with the darkness that surrounds us in this fallen world. However, because of God’s great love for humanity, he told us the whole story ahead of time. In Christ, we learn how to allow the Word to Light our paths and help us navigate in the darkness; we do not have to stumble or lose our way because he is the beginning and the end. Christ has been made wisdom for us. The enemy tries to lure us toward pitfalls in our path, but if we allow the Word to guide us in wisdom our relationship will rest on righteousness and our faith will focus on the work of our first Love—Christ. The darkness is lifted by the Truth, so let Truth arise in your life by living the Word and Christ in you will be a light for others.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for telling me your testimony ahead of time; I am prepared to follow. I will allow the Word to guide me on the path of Truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 131 (TPT) My Heart Is Meek
131
A song of the stairway, by King David
1
Lord, my heart is meek before you.
I don’t consider myself better than others.
I’m content to not pursue matters that are over my head—
such as your complex mysteries and wonders—
that I’m not yet ready to understand.
2
I am humbled and quieted in your presence.
Like a contented child who rests on its mother’s lap,
I’m your resting child and my soul is content in you.
3
O people of God, your time has come to quietly trust,
waiting upon the Lord now and forever.

The Lord has been teaching me off and on for some time about being a “resting child.” It is in a spiritual realm of rest that I can better understand God’s heart and wisdom; to receive revelation from the Spirit and to grow in meekness. I feel secure in this place with the Lord; I know God will take care of me and guide me well. He will do the same for you. Let’s not forget Jesus told his disciples the Kingdom of God belongs to those who come to him like children; otherwise, we cannot enter the Kingdom (Mark 10:13-16). So, today, think about that place of spiritual rest that belongs to the children of God; trust the Lord because he has everything under his control.

Prayer: Lord, I humble myself and come to rest in your care each day. Quiet my soul and spill your peace over me. Help me to enter deeper into the mystery of your amazing grace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Romans 1:18-25 (MSG) Ignoring God Leads to a Downward Spiral
18-23 But God’s angry displeasure erupts as acts of human mistrust and wrongdoing and lying accumulate, as people try to put a shroud over truth. But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can’t see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse. What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn’t treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life. They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand.

24-25 So God said, in effect, “If that’s what you want, that’s what you get.” It wasn’t long before they were living in a pigpen, smeared with filth, filthy inside and out. And all this because they traded the true God for a fake god, and worshiped the god they made instead of the God who made them—the God we bless, the God who blesses us. Oh, yes!

Truth is essential in our relationship with God. We cannot deceive God because he is the truth and, as believers, he looks for us to live in him—Immanuel God with us. To live any other way besides the truth would be to live a lie and it comes with horrendous consequences—finding oneself illiterate regarding life. Actually, many times it is the goodness of God that stands in-between his grace and our demands to have our own way. Jesus teaches he is the way, the truth, and the life with Father God, so we must be listening for his voice and willing to follow his guidance. Christ is our compass toward righteousness and if we want to live to worship the God who made us, we are free to do so. Conversely, if we desire to worship the god we create in our ignorance, we are free to do so. We will taste the results of our free will and choices. It really is a matter of choosing between right and wrong or truth and lies.

Prayer: Lord, I need you to provide my sense of direction each day; so, I am looking for your grace to guide me and your glory to fill me. I want your will; please be my Savior and my God. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

1 Peter 2:13-17 (MSG)
13-17 Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God’s emissaries for keeping order. It is God’s will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you’re a danger to society. Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government.

Happy 244th Birthday, America! Thank you, God, for America—land of the free and home of the brave! We are so blessed as a country to live in the freedom Jesus died to provide. We have forgiveness and freedom from sin, as well as Spiritual power to live for him and radiate his love as humans living together in a republic that protects our God-given liberty. Where other countries may have a form of freedom, we have a hierarchy of government—One Nation Under God—that has been structured to protect our God decreed freedoms. Obviously, some people do not appreciate the priceless freedom and maintained order we have in America, because they have never tasted life without it, nor have they been called to sacrifice themselves to protect the freedom of others. It is easy to condemn and destroy something when you have contributed nothing of yourself or sacrificed loved ones to protect it. No government will ever be “perfect” until God’s Kingdom comes to earth. But, America’s freedom with secure boundaries is a priceless gift while we live in a selfish and sinful world.

As unique individuals, we are never going to see things exactly the same; yet, we are free to use our differences to grow and increase in love, appreciation, and respect. We are free to use our gifts of dialogue and compromise to bring awareness to the need for change. Because sin is real and evil is a thief, we will always need to seek restoration and change that heals and renews. We need one another to gain perspective and how we treat and speak to one another either glorifies God or exalts self. True listening is first and foremost a God imparted spiritual skill for human beings that is motivated to seek the highest and best for every person made in God’s image. May God give us listening ears to hear, a heart of love for one another, and a desire to see his goodness worked out in every life.

As citizens of the United States of America, we all have choices to make for our lives. Many of us have dreams that we may worship and serve our loving God, enjoy a meaningful and healthy life, rest in a measure of security, and cultivate rich and growing relationships with our neighbors. I want to take this time to thank God for the spiritual freedom we have been given in the Son; we are free to love and value every life not just our own. And, I want to thank our President and Vice-President, government leaders, public service personnel, and law-enforcement officers who maintain the commitment to our Constitution and for seeking to balance our freedom, security, and safety. This has been a difficult year my fellow Americans, but my prayer is that Almighty God will be exalted in the hearts and lives of his worshipers and grace will make a way through this present wilderness by faith in his unfailing love. “America, America, God shed his grace on thee, and crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.”

Prayer: Lord, I am one voice crying out, but many of us love and desire to serve you from this land called America. Have mercy upon us we pray; we have fallen short as guardians of your glory. As your children, we turn our hearts toward you for answers. Give us vision to heal this land and the power to love as you love your whole creation. As you have forgiven us, we turn to forgive one another. For those who are vessels of destruction, we pray and ask you to remove the spiritual scales from their eyes that have blinded them to the truth of your beautiful and loving presence among us. In your authority, we stand against the enemy who seeks to rob, steal, and destroy our freedom and our country. You favor the humble, so we humble ourselves before your mighty hand. We resist the work of Satan and demand that he flee. We come close to you knowing you will come close to us. We declare our loyalty to you with undivided hearts. In the power of your grace and love, we bow united in Spirit and ask for your glory to fall and your righteous authority to reign in this land! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Luke 10:21 (TPT)
21 Then Jesus, overflowing with the Holy Spirit’s anointing of joy, exclaimed, “Father, thank you, for you are Lord Supreme over heaven and earth! You have hidden the great revelation of this authority from those who are proud, those wise in their own eyes, and you have shared it with these who humbled themselves. Yes, Father. This is what pleases your heart and the very way you’ve chosen to extend your kingdom: to give to those who become like trusting children.

God does not use his love and power to control like the elite and powerful of the world. His salvation and grace is given to all who believe God exists and are willing to come to him in childlike trust. In our world, the news continually reports the failure of government leadership and civil servants like those leaders actually have the ability to bring salvation and wholeness. Really? I appreciate and value our government structure, leaders, and servants who work to bring order; I pray for them. Yet, please remember we presently live in a deceived and sinful world where evil is flagrantly displayed in greed, lust, hatred, self-centeredness, and demands for autonomy are being presented and served up in every direction. Government cannot take spiritual dominion over evil or fix hearts. Apart from salvation in Christ, the world is first and foremost rebellious against God, sinful, and therefore destined to destroy itself. We have no ability to save ourselves from the sin that is within. However, according to the Word of God, our Father is omnipotent (all powerful), owns everything in heaven and on earth, and he offers to every single heart the same opportunity to have a relationship with him, experience victory over sin in Christ, and enjoy the inheritance and benefits of GRACE—God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. God makes this invitation available now and I rejoice in it. Wake up, look up, and connect to Christ, because in him we are equal—One sinful Human Race in need of salvation—and he is the righteous Ruler of believers who will save us and, as a loving Father, always provide for us.

Prayer: Lord, in childlike faith I look to you to bring salvation and redemption to your world. I ask you to have mercy on your sinful human creation and make a way to bring truth and righteousness to every willing and open heart. As your daughter, I lift my heart to you, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 145:8-14 (TPT)
8 
You’re kind and tenderhearted to those who don’t deserve it
and very patient with people who fail you.
Your love is like a flooding river overflowing its banks with kindness.
9 
God, everyone sees your goodness,
for your tender love is blended into everything you do.
10 
Everything you have made will praise you, fulfilling its purpose.
And all your godly lovers will be found bowing before you.
11 
They will tell the world of the lavish splendor of your kingdom
and preach about your limitless power.
12 
They will demonstrate for all to see your miracles of might
and reveal the glorious majesty of your kingdom.
13 
You are the Lord who reigns over your never-ending kingdom through all the ages of time and eternity!
You are faithful to fulfill every promise you’ve made.
You manifest yourself as kindness in all you do [all God’s works are holy].
14 
Weak and feeble ones you will sustain.
Those bent over with burdens of shame you will lift up.

As I am reading the passage for today, my thoughts lean toward the word “bent” in verse 14, so I am digging deeper. According to biblical definition, to be “bent” is to be unable to straighten oneself up or unable to fulfill God’s law of love. Human inclination is bent toward rebellion and we cannot please God or fulfill his standard of love on our own. We find ourselves bent, weak, and weary simply trying to be good or holy in our own strength. Our “bent” posture can be changed if we will allow ourselves to be “yoked” or connected to the power of Christ the Good Shepherd. We must willingly bow to the Savior who uses his power as Shepherd to straighten up our lives. “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). Christ alone can lift us up and help us bear the challenges of life that evil tries to use to hinder our relationship with God. Only Christ can help us move beyond sin and shame, because he is Perfect Love. He is the Sustainer we need in order to enjoy the goodness of God. We are all inclined toward self-sufficiency which is rebellion against God; a form of idolatry to self. If you are feeling “bent” in some area of your life, then please choose to “bow and be yoked” to the Good Shepherd.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for straightening up my life and giving me the lift I need to enjoy each day in your goodness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.