Daily Devotional 12-14-2021
Jer 1:17-19 CSB “Now, get ready. Stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not be intimidated by them or I will cause you to cower before them. (18) Today, I am the one who has made you a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the population. (19) They will fight against you but never prevail over you, since I am with you to rescue you.” This is the LORD’s declaration. After explaining the task, God charged Jeremiah to take up the challenge. Get yourself ready! is literally, “gird up your loins”. God gave him the needed strength to stand against the people of Judah. Through God’s enablement Jeremiah would be as strong as a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall. God’s strength to withstand attack would be needed…
Daily Devotional 12-13-2021
Pro 21:2 CSB All a person’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs hearts. A person may think nothing is wrong with his ways, but the Lord knows what is in his heart. “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart”. The Lord accurately evaluates one’s motives and tests them. God is sovereign and also omniscient.
Daily Devotional 12-12-2021
Psa 113:7-9 CSB He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the trash heap (8) in order to seat them with nobles—with the nobles of his people. (9) He gives the childless woman a household, making her the joyful mother of children. Hallelujah! God exalts – thus sharing His nature with man – the miserable and the poor to places of prominence and prosperity. The poor hover near the refuse heap outside the city for warmth from the perpetual burning and for food from the garbage. But God exalts them, the lowest of society, to an equal portion with the highest (with princes). God does not do this with every poor person, but when He does it for some His gracious dealings are evident. In the New Testament the truth takes on a spiritual significance, for those who trust in the Lord are given an inheritance…
Daily Devotional 12-11-2021
Psa 89:3-4 CSB The LORD said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn an oath to David my servant: (4) ‘I will establish your offspring forever and build up your throne for all generations.’” Selah Faith reverently reminds God of the covenant He had made with David. Because David was His chosen servant, He had sworn that he would never lack heirs to sit on his throne and that his kingdom would endure to all generations. An unbroken dynasty sitting on an everlasting throne!
Daily Devotional 12-10-2021
Rom 16:17-18 CSB Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them, (18) because such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites. They deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting with smooth talk and flattering words. Paul could not resist giving a final word of warning that they watch out for spiritual enemies: those who are divisive and seek to hinder the Lord’s work in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned). Believers are to keep away from such false teachers, who were not serving Christ, but were slaves to their own appetites. They were selfish gluttons. The problem, however, was that by smooth talk and flattery they deceived the minds of naive people.
Daily Devotional 12-9-2021
2Pe 3:9 CSB The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance. The Lord’s return seems to be so long in coming is that God wants as many people to be saved as possible. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise. Again Peter gave a divine-human comparison. God’s so-called “tardiness” as viewed by some people (as some understand slowness) is only a delay with respect to their time schedules, not His. In fact God’s time schedule is modified by patience, a major attribute of the heavenly Father. The words not wanting anyone to perish do not express a decree, as if God has willed everyone to be saved. Universal salvation is not taught in the Bible. Instead those words describe God’s wishes or desires; He longs that all would be…
Daily Devotional 12-8-2021
Rom 10:14-15 CSB How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? (15) And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news. After proclaiming God’s gracious offer in Christ, Paul confronted the natural questions that arise, each additional question building on the key verb from the preceding question. God’s promise of salvation to “everyone who calls” on Him begins the process. How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? Previously, to call on the Lord was equated with trusting Him or believing in Him, but here it follows the believing. When one believes in Christ, he “calls” on Him. Believing, in turn, is based on hearing, and hearing is based…
Daily Devotional 12-7-2021
1Pe 4:19 CSB So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good. Believers could be sure that they were being called on to suffer according to God’s will even if, having committed no crimes, they were suffering solely because they bore Christ’s name. Peter encouraged suffering saints to endure through the exercise of Christlike faith. Just as Christ trusted Himself to His Father who judges justly, so should believers commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
Daily Devotional 12-6-2021
Pro 20:6 CSB Many a person proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a trustworthy person? Loyalty (unfailing love) and faithfulness are desirable qualities, but not everyone who claims to have them actually does. In fact, faithfulness is usually missing. Keeping one’s word and being loyal to one’s commitments are important.
Daily Devotional 12-5-2021
Pro 15:13 CSB A joyful heart makes a face cheerful, but a sad heart produces a broken spirit. This refers to a happy heart. Inner joy shows on a person’s face, but inner grief depresses a person’s morale (crushes the spirit). Happiness and depression are issues of the heart. What a person is inwardly has more lasting impact on his emotional state than do his circumstances. Some people hold up under difficult circumstances better than others because of inner strength.