Category - Devotionals

07/25          Psalm 39:8-11 

Rescue me from my rebellion. Do not let fools mock me. 9 I am silent before you; I won’t say a word, for my punishment is from you. 10 But please stop striking me! I am exhausted by the blows from your hand. 11 When you discipline us for our sins, you consume like a moth what is precious to us. Each of us is but a breath. Interlude 

FATE

We are children of God, saved by grace and covered over by the mercies of God.  As His child when we sin it weighs heavily upon us.  We know our sin, our fate rests in Him and we willingly stand before our Father and take our punishment.  But, in Christ we are forgiven, once we repent and turn back to Him we can know the refreshing presence of the Holy Spirit as we walk in freedom.  Jesus is our forgiver and our healer and we are called to walk in Him.  

07/24          Psalm 39:4-7 

“ LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is.  5 You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.” Interlude 6 We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it.  7 And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you. 

HOPE

My hope is in Jesus.  My time on Earth is brief even if I live out a long life and Jesus is the One who brings me into the Family of God.  Nothing here on Earth is lasting but Jesus never fails.  

07/23          Psalm 39:1-3

1 I said to myself, “I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say. I will hold my tongue when the ungodly are around me.”  2 But as I stood there in silence— not even speaking of good things— the turmoil within me grew worse.  3The more I thought about it, the hotter I got, igniting a fire of words: 

DOWe are called to do the right thing.  A good habit to develop is that we do the next right thing.  When we are filled with Christ it is impossible for us to not tell others about Him.  Do the right thing. 

07/22          2 John 1:10-13 

If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement.  11 Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work.  12 I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to do it with paper and ink. For I hope to visit you soon and talk with you face to face. Then our joy will be complete. 13 Greetings from the children of your sister, chosen by God.

LIARS
Liars and thieves are seeking to destroy you.  They are filled with the Evil One and we must live our life filled with the Spirit of God who will show us who we can trust and who we must not follow.  Submit yourself to Jesus, ask Him to guide you and He will.  He will equip you to be wise as a serpent and as harmless as a dove. 

07/21          2 John 1:9

Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son.

CHOICE

I have come to Christ and now I choose how I will live.  Will I live under His teaching, listening to what He says and immediately obeying Him or will I live in my own strength doing those things that I want to do ignoring God?  This is the essence of sin and our call is to stop sinning and follow Jesus.  

07/20          2 John 1:7-8 

I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist.  8 Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward. 

CAREFUL

Our faith requires that we are careful about the way we live.  We are called to be servants of the Lord God and Jesus came to Earth, fully God and fully man, to show us how to live.  Be careful.  Watch yourself.  Listen to Jesus.  Obey Him. 

07/19          2 John 1:6

Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning. 

YOU

God has not called you to check others, to screen others, to abuse others nor has he called you to judge others.  He has called you to love others.  Love one another.  He is looking at you to be His best servant.  That requires that you love people.  

07/18             2 John 1:5 

I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. 

PEOPLE
People count with Jesus.  People are the only eternal things we will know.  Spend your time caring for people and you will discover the presence of the Lord leading you.  Love one another.  

07/17             2 John 1:3-4 

Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ—the Son of the Father—will continue to be with us who live in truth and love. 4 How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded. 

VICTORY

There is victory in Jesus.  Without Jesus it doesn’t matter because we can only win with His leadership.  

07/16             2 John 1:1-2 

This letter is from John, the elder. I am writing to the chosen lady and to her children, whom I love in the truth—as does everyone else who knows the truth 2 because the truth lives in us and will be with us forever. 

CHURCH

The church is the Bride of Christ.  It is the church where Jesus calls us to be effective in the World.  Together with the other saints in the church we can accomplish much.  But without Jesus and His leadership we will accomplish nothing for the Kingdom.  Jesus is Lord.