| Devotional | A Call to Repentance
LUKE 24:44-49
"This time I mean it!" After halfheartedly correcting their sons and daughters several times, parents often react with these words. Children can distinguish the underlying meaning and intuitively know when Mom or Dad is ready to take action.
In a similar way, our confession of sin to the Lord can be halfhearted. When convicted ...read |
| Devotional | Back to Basics: Our Thoughts
1 Corinthians 2:16
This may come as a surprise to some, but the apostle Paul writes that we have the mind of Christ within us. This does not mean that we are like God in the omnipotent sense. We have a finite ability when it comes to mental perception. God is infinite in His ability and knows all things. He is omniscient.
However, we are Hi ...read |
| Devotional | Confidence in the Midst of Distress
PSALM 46:1-11
"I'm outta here!" Most of us will feel this way at some point in our lives. When stress in daily living becomes unbearable, we want to escape. We may want out of jobs, relationships, or some other difficult situation. We think we can't handle things the way they are because they are much too stressful. So we decide we are walking ...read |
| Devotional | Fearing God
Proverbs 8:13
People are oftentimes confused by talk that has to do with fearing God. On the one hand, the Scriptures admonishes us to fear the Lord, but at the same time, we are told that God has not given us a spirit of fear. So how are we to understand this phrase?
Fearing God does not mean always looking over your shoulder in anxiety to ...read |
| Devotional | Forgiveness
Ephesians 4:30-32
All of us have been hurt at one time or another, and the offender may well have been someone we love. We often attempt to get past the pain of such situations with comments like, "That's okay" or "Don't worry about it," and yet we just can't seem to shake that penetrating sting. Why aren't we able to let it go?
One reason ...read |
| Devotional | Forgiving One Another
Ephesians 4:29-32
An unforgiving spirit is like an insidious cancer that eats away at a person until it has a devastating impact. But while physical cancer often can't be seen or felt until it is a real danger, the cancer of unforgiveness often steals a person's joy for years. Yet there is a sure healing process for this cancer:
Repentance: ...read |
| Devotional | How To Save A Nation
2 Chronicles 7:14
To our flesh, changing the direction of a nation seems somewhat impossible. With all the other objects or ideals people worship outside of God, it's no wonder that the thought of seeing an entire nation turn to God seems unlikely, especially when it appears godless men and women are running the country.
However, we must re ...read |
| Devotional | July 4th
COLOSSIANS 1:3-14
July 4th is the holiday that honors the founding of the United States. The occasion is celebrated in many ways: firework displays with dazzling colors, festive parades showcasing high school bands and armed forces units, and backyard barbecues with family and friends. It is a day filled with activity.
This 4th of July find ...read |
| Devotional | Lessons From a Man on the Run
Psalm 139:1-10
In the light of God's omniscience and omnipresence, it is easy to wonder why Christians still attempt to run from Him. Jonah certainly demonstrated that it could not be done, and yet people insist on trying. Why? Sometimes they act out of pure selfishness. It seems that we have an unlimited capacity to believe we know what is bes ...read |
| Devotional | Loved but Lost
JOHN 3:15-17
1. All human beings start life as "lost" people.
Since he was the first man, Adam served as representative of the human race. When he sinned against God (Genesis 3), his spirit became one of rebellion and sinfulness. (Romans 5:12) That "sin nature," which is passed along to each generation, results in our being "lost." Neither o ...read |
| Devotional | Our Helper in Prayer
John 14:16-18
One of the greatest hindrances to our prayer life is a lack of perseverance. Oftentimes people quit praying too soon. We feel that since we have asked, our answer should immediately be forthcoming or our need should quickly be met. God is not a bellhop, waiting to give us just what we want the moment we ask. We often have to exerc ...read |
| Devotional | Repentance
2 Corinthians 7:10-11
We learned yesterday that true repentance of our sin includes:
- Agreeing with Him that our behavior or thought pattern is ungodly;
- Establishing in our thinking that this sinful habit is displeasing to God;
- Identifying - with the Spirit's help - what would please God; and
- Taking steps under the Spiri ...read |
| Devotional | The Believer's Security System
2 Peter 2:18-21
While every child of God has a built-in "spiritual security system," some Christians are far more vulnerable than others to spiritual predators. False teachers, or "wolves in sheep's clothing," will seek out young and immature believers and exploit their ignorance. The wolves also hunt down people with unresolved guilt in an effo ...read |
| Devotional | The Fear of the Lord
Psalm 112:1-9
As we saw yesterday, the fear of the Lord does not have to do with terror or trepidation, but rather refers to appropriate awe and reverence for who God is. It is a quality that we as Christians should seek and nurture. Though we don't hear the expression often enough today, it should still be a great compliment to be known as a Go ...read |
| Devotional | The Holy Spirit--Our Helper
John 16:5-15
As Jesus neared the time of His death, He frequently referred to the Helper He would be sending. The Holy Spirit was promised to enable and instruct believers. Often called the Comforter, or Parakletos in Greek, He is the one who comes to stand by us and assist in whatever God calls us to do.
One of the Holy Spirit's most signi ...read |
| Devotional | The Light of the World
Matthew 5:14-16
Jesus Christ is the "light of the world" and God has commissioned His church to reveal that "light" as clearly and brightly as possible. He expects our individual churches to serve as lighthouses, beaming the truth of Jesus Christ throughout our nation. He calls us as believers to be part of a local community of faith and to help ...read |
| Devotional | The Nation's Lighthouse
MATTHEW 5:14-16
Jesus Christ is the "light of the world," and God has commissioned His church to reveal that "light" as clearly and brightly as possible. He expects our individual churches to serve as lighthouses, beaming the truth of Jesus Christ throughout our nation. He calls us as believers to be part of a local community of faith and to he ...read |
| Devotional | The Struggle of the Flesh
Galatians 5:16-26
One of the most misunderstood concepts in the Christian life is the idea of "the flesh." Exactly what is it? How do we respond to it? Does it refer to just our bodies, or is there a deeper meaning?
Today's passage presents in a painfully honest way the results of living by the flesh. These include immorality, impurity, ido ...read |
| Devotional | The Struggle With Guilt
1 John 1:5-9
Many faithful believers struggle daily with the issue of guilt. Some may even believe that guilt is a vital part of the healthy Christian life. This is a dangerous fallacy that we must completely avoid.
The difficulty arises in part from a misconception about what guilt is. Basically, it is a sense of wrongdoing, an emotional c ...read |
| Devotional | The Struggle With Jealousy
Psalm 37:4
Is it possible to take control of a jealous attitude? Yes, it certainly is! Knowing that God wants His children to be in charge of these emotions, let's examine some specific things you can do to gain victory.
First, confess your jealousy. This emotion will always--always--take your eyes off the Lord and fix them on some other pe ...read |
