Devotion (Page 10)

Read Luke 7:1–9:50 Luke 9:18-21, 23-25 18One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone. Only his disciples were with him, and he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” 19“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead.” 20Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Messiah sent from God!” 21Jesus warned his…

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. It’s fine, you might say, to tell me not to worry, but how exactly do I do that? Here’s how one woman handled the struggle when her teenager was going…

Psalm 141:1-4 (NLT) O Lord, I am calling to you. Please hurry! Listen when I cry to you for help! . . . Take control of what I say, O Lord, and keep my lips sealed. Don’t let me lust for evil things; don’t let me participate in acts of wickedness. Don’t let me share in the delicacies of those who do evil. In this Psalm David not only called on the Lord for protection from the enemies that were…

The Lordship of Christ is the centrality of the Scriptures, and to this testament we hold true. Christ as Lord is not just what we say, it must be that which governs how we believe and live our lives. As Lord, Christ is supreme over all and His purposes must be the focus of our lives as we journey through life here on the earth. To His Lordship the Church has been called to be witnesses both in lifestyle and…

1 John 3:18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Falling in love is a temporary experience. It is not premeditated; it simply happens in the normal context of male-female relationships. What many people do not know is that it is always temporary. The average life span for being “in love” is two years, probably some change to ” The Emotional Experience of Falling in love. The “in…

Read It! Matthew 20:29-34 & Ephesians 1:19-23; 3:20-21 Jesus and his disciples were leaving the city of Jericho, and a large crowd was on their heels. The people had seen the miracles Jesus had performed, many had heard him preach, and several were simply curious. But hundreds were moving down the dusty road toward Jerusalem. You know how it is in a crowd—especially an anxious and excited crowd! Someone’s always stepping on someone else’s foot, a few children are always…

Psalm 66:13-14 Now I come to your Temple with burnt offerings to fulfill the vows I made to you— yes, the sacred vows you heard me make when I was in deep trouble. It is commonly understood that when it comes to life threatening situations people who exhibit little interest in spirituality and eternity are suddenly moved to pray when under fire. Others have been known to experience dramatic conversions under threat of hanging. In many instances people are moved…

1 Corinthians 8:1-3 (NLT) While knowledge may make us feel important, it is love that really builds up the church. Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. But the person who loves God is the one God knows and cares for. That the ancient Greeks were exceptionally clever goes without saying. Anyone who has read their philosophers, attended their plays, studied their buildings, learned their mathematics, or contemplated their art recognizes their unique skills.…

Jeremiah 31:3 Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.” Have you ever felt disappointed, sad, frustrated, fearful, or angry? Did you know the Bible teaches that emotions, both positive and negative, are gifts from God? How dull life would be if we had no feelings. Try to imagine watching a sunset, a ball game, or the ocean with no emotions. Imagine…

Matthew 5:43-45 Jesus said, “You have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.” There are times when others will misunderstand, mistreat, or persecute us, and it’s hard not to respond to such treatment by retaliating or rejecting those who act that way toward us. That would…

Psalm 56:8 (NLT) You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. The year was 387. A small group of Africans were leaving Italy to return to their homeland. Among them were a mother and son. The two had developed a close bond over the years, the mother praying ceaselessly until her son’s conversion, which had occurred the previous year. Now they were staying in…