Daily Devotions

Latest

Something Someone Said

There are people who stopped taking medicine or started taking a medicine because an individual, who had no medical training, said they should and the result was disastrous. There are people who have brought someone into their life or expulsed someone from their life because an individual said they should and the result was disastrous. There are people who have invested in something an individual told them to invest in and the result was disastrous. We should be very wise in deciding whether to live by something said by others and decide the correctness of it by the truths evident in the Bible.  ”…the counsel of the wicked and ungodly is far from me.” (Job 22:18, Amp)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mis-beliefs and Mis-understandings

(Kathy Gabler)—Can the Church, after this many centuries of preaching and teaching and experiencing God still have mis-beliefs and mis-understandings about Him and His Word? We don’t want to say, “Amen,” but we can say, “Evidently.”  However, the good news is that as long as we are not stubbornly or fearfully determined to stop and camp out on a “someday” or “no way” or “never now”, God who is faithful intends to open our understanding of “Thy Kingdom come”.  Just like yeast spreading, our understanding should be continually increasing and more and more folks should be realizing that “THY KINGDOM COME” means more than heaven “someday”.  It means more than Thy Salvation come or Thy Religion come.  It means more than Thy Tradition come and even more than Thy Church come!  It might hit a holy nerve to realize that the Kingdom is more than the Church and that it actually encompasses the Church!  The Church can be a touchy subject with us Christians because the Church cradles our concepts of  Christianity.  “Churchianity” provides the platform for our worship and represents God to a community.  Churchianity usually defines our expectations upon God and His Word.  Even so, when we pray, “Thy Kingdom come”, it can rattle Churchianity and initiate changes.  In fact, we need to be aware that “Thy Kingdom come” is going to cause more radical rattles this year, both personally and corporately, because there are some NEW  NORMS in the making.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Keep Standing in Freedom

If it were not possible to keep standing in freedom, our Lord would not have commanded us in His Word to do just that. He does not want us to be captive to any degree of slavery. We have been set free to enjoy freedom within the auspices of His character and redemptive purposes. Living our lives under the wisdom and direction of the Word of God leads us in the liberty of sons/daughters who know their Father desires nothing less than the richness of that purchased freedom. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Who has brought us to liberty that we may glorify Him who purchased it.  ”Plant your feet firmly therefore within the freedom that Christ has won for us, and do not let yourselves be caught again in the shackles of slavery.” (Gal.5:1, Phillips)
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Freedom in Christ

July 4th is a celebration about freedom in the USA but we know that, the world over, “if the Son gives you freedom, you are free!”. (Jn.8:36, CEV)  “[Freedom in Christ] It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Gal.5:1, NIV)  “Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.” (1Pe.2:16, NIV)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

July is For Setting Our Eyes on The Goal

The month of JULY IS FOR SETTING OUR EYES ON THE GOAL that is centered in Christ;  for getting a solid grip on His purpose for us.  “It’s not that I have already reached this goal or have already been perfected, but I pursue it, so that I may grab hold of it because Christ grabbed hold of me for just this purpose.” (Phil 3:12, CEB)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

To be in Harmony

As the people of God assemble today, may they come to be in harmony with each other and endure as they are encouraged by the example of Christ Jesus being taught and ministered in their midst.  “May God, who gives you this endurance and encouragement, allow you to live in harmony with each other by following the example of Christ Jesus. Then, having the same goal, you will praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom.15:5-6, GW)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Which is More Costly?

When wading into war became obvious on the present course of progress, 10 spies decided to change course for a whole nation and a whole generation. Not desiring to deal with any difficulties, they began to yell, “Giants!” Taking that lead in opposition to the will of God became very costly for them – much more costly than the war which was waged for the promised land (Num 32:13). But Caleb’s response to the opposition was, “We are able to overcome it.” Caleb and Joshua, who gave the good report, were the only two out of that generation who possessed the promised land.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Courage Accompanies Purpose

In the Bible God gives us the example of a young teenage boy with very limited abilities. He shows us this David who will not tolerate the bullying and tyrant posture of opposition to the will of God. Courage accompanies purpose. When we do not understand God’s purpose and God’s ways, not only will giants intimidate and prevent us but anything which poses as a possibility of change or adjustment in our comfort zones. When we receive a prophecy, the elements of that prophecy will require adjustments in some area. From the moment David received his prophecy, his life was in continual change being propelled toward destiny. Consider the story of Joseph’s life if you still have questions about change and adjustments.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Contend, Wage War, Heed

Do you have a word or promise of God that has not come to pass in your life? Then (1) CONTEND—Deut.2:24 “begin to possess… and contend”; “contend”: to excite oneself against a foe,  (2) WAGE WARFARE— 1Tim.1:18 “wage the good warfare”: expedition, campaign, (3) HEED—2Pe.1:19 “…the prophetic word which you do well to heed”:  to attach oneself to; to be given to or addicted to; to devote thought and effort to.  Seems that while we are expecting God to do it all, there is a considerable amount we can be doing.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Convictions and the Things That Inch Upward

How far up on the list have we let “minor” items inch toward “major” positions in recent years? Habits, indulgences and expenditures tend to creep ever upward among priorities and can eventually press biblically-based convictions out of position.  May the Lord help us to keep things in the order that the wisdom of biblical values would put them.   “First things first. Your business is life, not death. Follow me. Pursue life.” (Matt.8:22, Msg)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________