Daily Devotions for 2020

Daily Devotions can be a wonderful blessing in life, not only to ourselves but also to those we come into contact with. Consider  how few people we me have peace, hope, joy or kindness. These are all qualities that the Holy Spirit develops in the life of the believer through daily devotions. I hope this year we can grow to be more and more like our Savior. Come join me and share a life changing year. 

The Lord is

Shepherd- He knows where he is taking us even when we don't have a clue. Better to follow Him into the wilderness than to go anywhere else

March 17, 2022
Psalm 102:1-3-  Hear My Prayer, O Lord and let my cry come to You. Hide not Your face from me in the day when I am in distress! Incline Your ear to me; in the day when I call, answer me speedily. For my days consume away like smoke, and my bones burn like a firebrand or like a hearth.

One of the great things about David was that He came running to the Father in every event, and day of His life. If he was successful, David praised God. If he failed he ran to the Father to beseech him in repentance. In this Psalm you sense that his relationship with God was strained. Maybe God felt far away. Sin, especially unrepentant sin, has a separating effect of our walk with God. Maybe, David was simply going through a season of distance. God uses that separation to make us aware of our need. What I like about David is that He was reflecting on the temporary nature of His own existence. As we get older, that is something that all of us do. We are but a little while in this world, and then we are gone. As we reflect like this we become acutely aware of the fact that there are very few things that we accomplish in our life that has eternal meaning. We spend most of our life doing menial things with little meaning. But when we run to the Father and call on His name we enter into a relationship that has eternal meaning. The actions we engage in that flow from that relationship with God are eternal. Meaningful to God! That is a life worth living. But I would encourage you to start with today. God already has a plan for you today. JOIN him today and what blessing He has in store.
March 7, 2022
Jeremiah 6:17- Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hear and obey the sound of the trumpet! But they said, We will not listen or obey.

At this time of year we are more aware than usual of angels. We think about them as they approach Mary and Joseph about their future role as parents of the Son of God. We also reflect of them as they approach the shepherds out in the field at night. What we don't understand or think about much is that God communicates with His people daily and weekly through HIs word and through the preaching of the Gospel. God communicates encouragement,  hope, warnings, and conviction regularly in our walks with Him. In times of difficulty like the children of God are facing right now, we should look carefully in God's word for direction.  In this passage from Jeremiah, God that one of the greatest problems with God's people is that they refuse to listen or obey.  Consider for a minute or an hour the great commandment of God's word. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, strength and soul." What does it mean to listen and obey this commandment? It is going to require faith, hope, time, and humility. Let's start here, because frankly, everything else will follow from this starting point. Amen

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April 6, 2022
James 5:11-13 You know how we call those blessed who were steadfast. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the Lord's end, inasmuch as the Lord is full of pity and compassion and tenderness and mercy. But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by any other oath; but let your yes be yes, and your no be no, so that you may not sin and fall under condemnation. Is anyone among you afflicted? He should pray. Is anyone glad at heart? H should sing praise to God?

For many years I had been frustrated! What I wanted and felt like I deserved did not match with what I had. That was true in my job, family and finances. I think that is true with most American or most other people in the world. I moved to other countries and discovered that many of the poor seemed to have a joy that I did not. They were exceedingly joyful when they got one meal a day. Many of us aren't happy if we don't get our order correct from Mcdonalds. Oddly, this is not a judgement on our culture but an observation about being blessed. In the passage from James he is referring to Job. A wealthy man with blessings galore. Satan was allowed to take it all away. We discover through all the hardship and loss, that Job was not blessed with possession but rather with a relationship with God. He knew God. Indeed, He knew God for a long time prior to his fall. He knew that God was good, merciful, righteous. He knew God was faithful, true and unchanging. So that when he was confronted with overwhelming loss, He was not overwhelmed. Faith is what comes from walking with God constantly. That is why James reflects in the last verse, that if you are afflicted pray. Blessed then you praise. In all circumstances turn to the Lord and dwell in his presence. That will bring peace in all situation.

March 11, 2022
James 4:11  My brethren, do not speak evil about or accuse one another. He that maligns a brother or judges his brother is maligning and criticizing the Law and judging the Law. But if you judge the Law, you are not a practicer of the Law but a censor and judge.

There are some passages that at first glance would not hold our attention, but when we start to examine it more thoroughly has surprising depth. This is a passage like that! It speaks to the life and heart of the Christian. It starts off with "My Brethren" so the passage is talking to Christians about how we are to treat our fellow believer in Christ. It you will allow me a little side track. It is like driving a car a getting ready to make a turn. You see a sign that says "Do Not Enter". This is a sign that says "Do Not Speak Downwards on Your Brother or Sister in Christ". Don't speak falsely and hurt you Brother. Don't speak hurtfully even in truth to them. Some Christians look carefully for faults in others and then eagerly share them. This is something we need not do very often at all. Indeed, Let God through His Spirit do that in His own way. We are not our Brother's personal conscience.
I have difficulty when people tell me what I can't do! I would rather hear what I can do. So let's flip this around. If we reverse it, James is saying that we are to encourage one another. Build each other up. Look for the Godliness in others and let them know we see it. This can be hard if we have not been filled with God's love, grace and mercy. Indeed, it is impossible. But when God is working in our lives then He fills us to overflowing so that other's might taste His goodness. Be that person today in anothers life.

The Lord is

2Savior- He has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that his love is greater than anything else we could ever have. He asks us to trust in that love and give ourselves to it.

March 9, 2022

Psalm 113:1-3
Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord! Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forever. From the rising of the sunto the going down of it and from east to west, the name of the Lord is to be praised!

Have you ever wondered how someone, anyone, can look around and praise the Lord? I was thinking on this today when I was riding on a bus. Someone on the bus said, "Hey did you see that?" A little later another one said the same thing. I wasn't looking at either of these things and missed the excitement. It hit me, Praise comes when you are looking for the things God is sending your way. A beautiful Sunrise or Sunset causes praise when you happen to be looking outside at that time. Rainbows can be wonderful reminders of God's mercy, but you have to be in the right spot. My encouragement to you is look for God's moment in your life today. He loves communicating to His people! Don't miss His text message to you today! 


March 8, 2022

1 John 1:8,9

If we say we have no sin, we delude ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Yesterday was an unusual day for me. You may have had one like it yourself. It started out with me being selfish and continued with me refusing to read the bible or pray. I knew God wanted me to but, by George, I wanted to do what I wanted to do. The problem was that my Bible was right beside me at my desk. The more I did my thing, the more resentment I had for that Bible being there. I got downright rebellious. Nope, I was not going to read that thing. I usually listen to worship music while I work, but not yesterday. But God has a way of addressing the problem. I turned on youtube and meant to hit the video for building a dog house but accidently hit a "Casting Crowns" video. It was like the sun breaking through on a cloudy day. I listened to another worship song and opened up my Bible. Hence, the verse for today. Freely admit to sin and He forgives. It makes for a much better day and life if you do it God's way!

The Lord is

Brother- A brother always picks us up when we are down. He fights on our side and stands behind us when no one else will. He's close! He's family! 

March 29, 2022

James 5:7-9
So be patient, brethren, till the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits expectantly for the precious harvest from the land. He keeps up his vigil over it until it receives the early and late rains. So you also must be patient. Establish your hearts for the coming of the Lord is very near. Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you may not be judged. Look! The Judge is standing at the very door.

What do you think? Is the Lord coming soon? This passage from Scripture says just that. The real question is whether we believe it or not.  James challenges us to live expectantly, letting the Holy Spirit till the soil of our Soul. Weeding, planting the fruit of the Spirit. Watering it with the word and prayer against a time of trial. As we get closer to that day of the Lord, things around us will grow darker, and scarier. As the Spirit does his work in us, our light shines brighter in that darkness. Indeed, that light is made for just this sort of darkness.  I like the reference to farming here because it reminds all of us that the Christian Faith is one that needs constant tending. Or weeds grow up and choke out the faith. 

This passage also reminds us not to complain about our fellow Christians. In fact, in times like this when darkness is rising, we need to encourage our brethren and  build them up.  Strength is necessary as we go to battle against the enemy. The Lord is coming soon! Definitely, sooner than we think!

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Kindness begets Joy and is followed closely by Grace

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