Daily Devotion, Daily Wisdom

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October 29, 2012

Devotional:

Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)



"New and Improved!" That should be stamped across the forehead of every Christian! When we come to Christ, he makes us new and he cleanses us of all our sins. Incredibly, this grace can be "new every morning" because of God's faithfulness and transforming power. God's grace and power are given to us through his Holy Spirit. We are new and improved, and will continue to be that way until we are completely transformed to be like Jesus! (See 2 Corinthians 3:18)



PRAYER:

Holy Father, have your way with my heart, my will, my life, and my time. I want to yield myself to you so that you can make me new and improved. I don't want to be satisfied with where you have brought me. No, dear Father, I want to become more like Jesus today, and each day of my life that follows. Thank you for your empowering grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.





Wisdom:

Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth [is] heaviness. Proverbs 14:13 (KJV)

 

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October 30, 2012

Devotional:
And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought [means] to bring him in, and to lay [him] before him. Luke 5:18 (KJV)
What is the fullest definition of a friend? The Bible offers us numerous definitions and examples. One of my favorite examples is this story of the paralyzed man whose friends went to great extremes to get him to Jesus. Their faith and their effort to get him to Jesus are the things that ultimately result in the man's forgiveness and healing. I don't know about you, but that's the kind of friend I want to be!

PRAYER: Holy Father, please bless me as I try to lead ___ (put the name of several non-Christian friends here) to forgiveness and healing in Jesus. Give me the tenacity and tact to do this with gentleness and respect without losing my sense of urgency to see them become Christians. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Wisdom:
The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. Proverbs 15:2 (KJV)

 

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October 31, 2012

Devotional:
Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. Mark 5:19 (KJV)

This man has been given back his life, ransomed from the power of Satan and the grave. How will he use it? Simple. He will go tell those in his family what the Lord has done for him. Isn't that what we need to be doing with the unbelievers in our families?

PRAYER:
Father, bless me as I seek to share my faith and your salvation with those in my family who have not yet called on Jesus as Lord and have not yet surrendered their lives to him. Help me not to push them farther away, but instead help them see all the ways you have blessed my life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Wisdom:
Better [is] a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith. Proverbs 15:17 (KJV)​

 

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November 1, 2012

Devotional:
Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. James5:20 (KJV)
When someone wanders from the path of God, let's not take that rebellion frivolously. God has given us the tremendous blessing of carrying on the work of our Savior, who came to seek and save the lost!

PRAYER:
Be with those I love who are in rebellion against you, dear Father. Use me to be your agent of restoration. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Wisdom:Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.Proverbs 3:34 (KJV)

 

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November 2, 2012

Devotional:

For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV)



Jesus was perfect, spotless, holy, righteous, and clean. Yet he became what he hated, sin. Why would he do such a thing? Because he loved us and wanted us to be what he is today, the righteousness of God.



PRAYER:

Almighty and loving Father, thank you for making me holy -- your righteousness -- by the sacrifice of Jesus. Thank you, dear Savior, for paying such a horrible price, not just by dying on the cross, but also by becoming my sin and carrying away my guilt. All praise to you, dear Father, for your plan, and thanks and glory to you, dear Jesus, for your loving sacrifice. Amen.





Wisdom:

Happy [is] the man [that] findeth wisdom, and the man [that] getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it [is] better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She [is] more precious than
rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

Proverbs 3:13-15 (KJV)

 

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November 3, 2012

Devotional:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)

Where the Holy Spirit lives, human character is changed and spiritual fruit can be seen. Certainly this maturity isn't found overnight! It is, however, noticeable over the long haul of life. What fruit is the Spirit bearing in your life? In what ways have you matured? In what areas do you want the Spirit to exercise greater control? Why not take a moment and consciously yield those areas in which you struggle to him now, as you pray?

PRAYER:
Almighty and ever-present Father, thank you for empowering positive changes in my life as I seek to be more like Jesus. Please bring to full maturity the fruit the Holy Spirit is growing in my life. You know very well that I continue to struggle with __ in my life. I intentionally turn over that part of my life to your Spirit to redeem and fully sanctify. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Wisdom:
The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion. Proverbs 28:1 (KJV)

 

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November 5, 2012

Devotional:
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and [I pray God] your wholespirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our LordJesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (KJV)

We know that true righteousness and holiness are qualities possessedperfectly by only God. Amazingly, God uses his Spirit to make thosequalities a growing reality in our lives when we will yield to hisleadership. The other day, we committed to let the Spirit work on maturingus in our weakest areas. Let's take an extra five or ten minutes sometimetoday, open God's Word, and read several passages of Scripture that apply toour specific vulnerabilities. Then, let's ask God's Spirit to transform usin these areas to be more like Christ!


PRAYER:Dear Father, may Jesus come soon with grace and glory! May I be foundblameless on that day, dear Father, not by my power and effort, but becauseof your transforming power at work within me. In Jesus' name I ask this.Amen.


Wisdom:
The beginning of strife [is as] when one letteth out water: therefore leaveoff contention, before it be meddled with. Proverbs 17:14 (KJV)

 

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November 6, 2012

Devotional:
And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. Galatians 5:24 (KJV)

When we became Christians, we died to the old person of sin and were raised up a new person. While we have many of the same battles with temptation, we also now have the power of the resurrection and the Holy Spirit at work within us to help us.

PRAYER:
Righteous Father, help me keep the dead and cast-away sin of my past far away from my heart and out of my life. May my life be a holy sacrifice that is pleasing to you. In the name of my Savior, Jesus, I pray. Amen.


Wisdom:
The highway of the upright [is] to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul. Proverbs 16:17 (KJV)

 

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November 7, 2012

Devotional:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when thedead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.John 5:25 (KJV)

Aren't you glad that not even death can stop us from hearing Jesus' promisedwords to us: "RISE!"? We will hear his voice and live with him forever. Thatsure puts a lift in my future plans; what about you?

PRAYER:Thank you, Almighty God, that Jesus' resurrection demonstrated your power todestroy death. I have confidence in your Son's promises to return, to raiseme from the dead if I die before his return, and to take me home to be withyou. In the Savior's name. Amen.

Wisdom:
The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness[shall be] a sure reward. Proverbs 11:18 (KJV)

 

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November 8, 2012

Devotional:
And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear,saying, We have seen strange things to day. Luke 5:26 (KJV)

Jesus forgave a man who was lame, then showed he had authority to forgive by healing him. As exciting and important as this healing was, the most important thing was the reaction of those who witnessed it; they praised God out of a sense of amazed awe. They recognized that Jesus had come to minister as God's very presence. When we understand who Jesus is and what he has done for us and will continue to do for us, we do the same thing today-- we offer our praises with a sense of amazement and awe.

PRAYER:
Almighty God and Heavenly Father, I glorify your name and thank you for your grace which you so lavishly poured out on me through your Son and my Savior,Jesus, in whose name I offer this praise. Amen.


Wisdom:
He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered. Proverbs 28:26 (KJV)

 

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November 9, 2012

Devotional:
And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi,sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. Luke5:27 (KJV)After capturing the hearts of the crowd, Jesus now calls another disciple,Levi (Matthew).
Two things are significant about this calling. First, Jesus called someone no other religious leader would have chosen, a tax collector and Roman sympathizer -- to any Jew of Jesus' era, Matthew would have seemed very much like a traitor to his heritage and to his faith. Second, the tax collector followed, leaving behind his livelihood and his fortune. This is a powerful reminder that there is no one we should write off as unreachable with the Gospel and as unusable by our Lord.

PRAYER:
Father of all nations, help me recognize the people you place in my path today who are ready to know more about Jesus. Give me the wisdom and the awareness to know when and how to speak with them about my Savior. In Jesus' name. Amen.


Wisdom:
A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise [man] keepeth it in till afterwards. Proverbs 29:11 (KJV)

 

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November 10, 2012

Devotional:
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. Matthew 5:28 (KJV)

Living in a sexually supercharged world and facing the prevalence of pornography on the Internet and in today's media, how are you doing with this issue?

PRAYER:
Loving Father, give me the strength to resist sexual temptation, the wisdom to stay away from it, and character to triumph over it. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray. Amen.


Wisdom:
Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but [he that is] perverse [in his] ways shall fall at once. Proverbs 28:18 (KJV)

 

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November 12, 2012

Devotional:
Then Peter and the [other] apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. Acts 5:29 (KJV)
Against a stern warning from the ruling council in Jerusalem, called the Sanhedrin, Peter and the other apostles proclaimed Jesus as Lord. They knew that Jesus had triumphed over the attempts of his enemies to extinguish him and his ministry. The apostles blatantly disobeyed the orders of the very same people who had Jesus crucified. By any standard, that is faithful courage. How are you doing in the "standing up for Jesus" battle?

PRAYER:
Lord God Almighty, please empower me by your Spirit to be courageous. I do not want to ever back down from my convictions nor ever renounce my faith in Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.


Wisdom:
And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. 1 Chronicles 28:9 (KJV)

 

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November 13, 2012

Devotional:
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Acts 5:30 (KJV)
Peter is making clear that his faith in Jesus didn't just begin with Jesus.It began with the Patriarchs, the great Jewish fathers. The God who blessed them also raised Jesus from the dead, even though Jesus had been executed inthe most heinous and degrading way possible for a faithful Jew -- he was nailed to a cross, something that was both illegal and a sign of being cursed under Jewish Law. He raised Jesus from the dead and exalted him and made him our Savior and our Lord. Praise God!

PRAYER:
Thank you, dear Father, for showing your power over evil, sin, hate,jealousy, and death. In the name of Jesus, my Lord and Savior, I offer my praise and thanksgiving. Amen.


Wisdom:
Behold, happy [is] the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: Job 5:17 (KJV)

 

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November 14, 2012

Devotional:
And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Luke 5:31-32 (KJV)

Jesus was often criticized for deliberately associating with people who were suspect in the eyes of the "religious." There was a reason for his behavior .He wasn't doing this to be popular, weird, bizarre, or hip. Jesus came tor edeem the enslaved, find the lost, mend the broken, and reclaim the sinner. Can Jesus' bodily presence strive for anything less than this today, and still call herself Jesus' Church?

PRAYER:
Forgive me, Father, when I opt for security in my acquaintances and I avoid potentially messy entanglements in my relationships. Please open my eyes to see the needy all around me. Please use me to lead them to your grace and to help them find family with your people. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Wisdom:
The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good [thing]. Psalm 34:10 (KJV)

 

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November 15, 2012

Devotional:
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 6:1 (KJV)
Compassion is not for personal glory, just as it is not a private internal emotion. Christian compassion must always motivate us to act in the best interest and for the greater good of those in need, without calling attention to ourselves or our sacrifices. God provides what we need to bless others and takes care of the reward when our goal is to please him and to be used by him to bless others who are in need.

PRAYER:
Loving God and tender Shepherd, use me each day to be a blessing to someone in need. Please open my eyes and ears to see those around me who need emotional support or financial help. Please give me the courage to bless them and lead them closer to you. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Wisdom:
My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: Proverbs 1:8 (KJV)

 

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November 16, 2012

Devotional:
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of [his] resurrection: Romans 6:5 (KJV)

So, here's the great news: if we have died with Christ, we've already died the only death that really matters. Our lives are joined with his and so we will share in his glory when he returns (Colossians 3:1-4). Even death cannot separate us from his presence in our lives (Romans 8:35-39) because we have been given the victory over death through Christ Jesus our Lord (1Corinthians 15:55-57). We do not have to fear the second death (Revelation2:11; 20:6) because we have already passed over from death into life (John5:24).

PRAYER:
Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen. (Romans 7:24-25)


Wisdom:
Know ye that the LORD he [is] God: [it is] he [that] hath made us, and not we ourselves; [we are] his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Psalms 100:3 (KJV)

 

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November 17, 2012

Devotional:
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. Matthew 6:6 (KJV)

Prayer is an incredible invitation from God to share with him what is on our hearts. Even when we don't have words to say, he helps us through his Spirit in those moments. This incredibly intimate conversation, sustained by the very precious Spirit of God within us, must never be debased by crass showmanship or pride. Prayer is not done to prove our piety, but to deepen our relationship with Almighty God!

PRAYER:
Abba Father, thank you so much for the incredible gift of prayer. Thank you for listening to both my words and my heart. Thank you for being near and not far off. Forgive me when I don't call upon you as often as I should, or when I take your gracious listening ear for granted. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Wisdom:
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh patience. James 1:2-3 (KJV)

 

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November 19, 2012

Devotional:
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. Genesis 6:8 (KJV) Reminds me of what God told Jesus at his baptism -- "... in you I am well pleased!" Even in the middle of a culture steeped in sin in Noah's time, God could find the one heart loyal to him and use him and his family to be a blessing and provide the world a future. May we each be such a person in our day, in our job, in our school, in our neighborhood. Can you imagine the difference it would ultimately make if each of us decided to be a Noah?

PRAYER:
Loving Shepherd and Holy God, please bless me as I seek to passionately live a life that pleases you and brings you joy. Please use me and my church family to make a difference in the world. In the name of the Lord Jesus I pray. Amen.


Wisdom:
For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV)

 

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November 20, 2012

Devotional:
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and [into] many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
1 Timothy 6:9 (KJV)
This is not a message for folks who are financially rich. No, this is for all of us who want to have that wealth. Craving it, coveting it, and going in pursuit of earthly wealth expose us to grave danger. Let's be reminded of Jesus' words: "Seek first God's Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you."

PRAYER:
Thank you, dear Father, for your many blessings. Please help me to be satisfied and generous with the blessings you have already given me. Please help me keep my focus on you and your Son! In the name of your Son and my Savior, Jesus, I pray. Amen.


Wisdom:
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all [men], especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Galatians 6:10(KJV)

 

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November 21, 2012

Devotional:
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all [men], especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:10 (KJV) We are to be a people who do good deeds. That's a very significant part of who we are as Jesus' followers. So let's look for the many opportunities that God places in our paths to bless others. Let's use all of these blessings to bring God glory!

PRAYER:
Almighty LORD, please give me the eyes to see and the heart to be touched by those around me who need to see your goodness and grace through my compassion and concern. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Wisdom:
Let your speech [be] alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. Colossians 4:6 (KJV)

 

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November 22, 2012

Devotional:
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:11 (KJV)

Just as Jesus died to sin, we also died to sin. But, simply putting aside sin isn't going to keep sin away from us. We must embrace Jesus' new life for us every day, with our hearts open to the Lord's exciting will for us. Let's let what is dead remain buried and in the past. Let's live passionately for God with our eyes focused on Jesus and his future for us.

PRAYER:
Sovereign Lord and Loving Father, I want the past life of sin to remain buried and dead. Please empower me to vibrant life that is full of your Spirit and always open to your leading. Please make your presence and your will plain to me. In Jesus' name I ask it. Amen.


Wisdom:
Blessed [is] the man whose strength [is] in thee; in whose heart [are] the ways [of them]. Psalm 84:5 (KJV)

 

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November 23, 2012

Devotional:
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. Ephesians 6:12 (KJV)

This is war! We face a daily battle and it is not just with sin and temptation. We have a real foe whose desire for us is our destruction. But, our foe has already been defeated and his angels stand rebuked. So, let's keep our spiritual vigor knowing that we're not playing church but fighting for the Kingdom.

PRAYER:
Almighty and Victorious King, I praise you for conquering sin and death and law for us, and making us righteous and sinless by your grace. Thank you, in Jesus' name. Amen.


Wisdom:
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 1 John 1:5-6 (KJV)

 

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November 24, 2012

Devotional:
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:13 (KJV)

Since we are in a spiritual war, we must put on spiritual armor. More than saying our daily prayers and perfunctorily reading our daily Scriptures, we must learn to recognize the spiritual armor God has given us for our spiritual protection and prepare ourselves for spiritual warfare. We should approach each day, each task, each Scripture, with a sense of urgency because we know we are at war. The day of evil will come, so let's be ready to take our stand using the tools God has supplied and the power he provides.

PRAYER:
Dear Father in Heaven, please empower me by your Holy Spirit, please make me bold because of your heavenly calling for me, and please inspire me to be spiritually courageous because of the example of Jesus. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Wisdom:
The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. Psalm 121:7-8 (KJV)

 

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November 26, 2012

Devotional:
But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.Galatians 6:14 (KJV)
Do you have a basis for pride? What is your source of that pride? Paul reminds us that our one, true, and dependable source of boasting is boasting in what the Lord has done for us on the Cross. This one source of boasting has absolutely nothing to do with anything that we have done, attained, or accomplished on our own. All other reasons to boast are fleeting glimpses at hollow fame compared to the joy and assurance of sharing in Jesus' life,death, and resurrection.

PRAYER:
Forgive me, O Abba Father, for the times I have thought myself important because of some transitory accomplishment. Thank you for giving me a bedrock source of boasting in Jesus' love and grace demonstrated in the Cross. In Jesus' name I thank you. Amen.


Wisdom:
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! Isaiah 52:7(KJV)

 

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November 27, 2012

Devotional:
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:15 (KJV)
Can you think of a more frightening thought than God not forgiving our sins? We know how much he paid so our sins could be forgiven! We know how much he loves us! We know how much he wants us to be in relationship with him! So why would he withhold his forgiveness? Because we demonstrate that we have not received it or do not understand it! God is gracious and he will not accept those who are not gracious!

PRAYER:
Holy God, there are those that I do find it difficult to forgive. Please, right now while I'm praying, soften my heart by your Spirit, cleanse my soul of any bitterness or resentment, and please empower me to let go of the pain of the past and forgive. I thank you for this grace to not only be forgiven, but to also forgive. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Wisdom:
But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find [him], if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. Deuteronomy 4:29(KJV)

 

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November 28, 2012

Devotional:
And as many as walk according to this rule, peace [be] on them, and mercy,and upon the Israel of God. Galatians 6:16 (KJV)
Paul ends his breathtaking letter to Galatians with this incredible reminder: both Jews and Gentiles who are justified by faith in Jesus Christare God's people, his Israel. Like Abraham who left on a long journey trusting in God's promise, so also all who are spiritual Israel follow God's lead and cling to God's promise through faith in Jesus Christ. Like those who were delivered in the Exodus by the power of God and with the sprinkled blood of the Passover lamb, God's people today have been blood-bought and delivered from their bondage to sin and death. Here there is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, male nor female, because in Israel, we are God's people and the recipients of his mercy and his peace.

PRAYER:
El Shaddai, LORD of the Covenant, thank you for our great Patriarchs of faith who kept the faith and trusted in your Promise. Thank you for fulfilling your Promise in Jesus. Thank you for blessing me and including me as one of your children. Now may we, your people, bring you praise, in the name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.


Wisdom:
Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things [are] naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Hebrews 4:13 (KJV)

 

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November 29, 2012

Devotional:
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Romans 6:17(KJV)
Paul stresses in Romans 6 that obedience to the will of God does not mean we are being manipulated or put under a bunch of arbitrary rules or formal laws. No, obedience of our grace-filled God is liberation -- liberation from the bondage of sin and the certainty of death, liberation from the haunting memories of sin and its effects, as well as liberation to be the people we were created to be!

PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, my head understands that being obedient to your will is a blessing and not a restriction. I know you have given me your truth to protect and save me. Forgive me for sometimes doubting and looking elsewhere for the joy and delight that only you provide. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Wisdom:
My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Proverbs 3:1-2(KJV)

 

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November 30, 2012

Devotional:
But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built! 2 Chronicles 6:18 (KJV)
As Solomon dedicated the Temple, he realized that this tremendous accomplishment of great beauty was far too insignificant and small to house the Creator of the Universe. But, God did choose to dwell with mortals. That is what the life of Jesus is about (John 1:11-18). God is awesome and beyond description, far too holy to be expected to associate with flawed human beings. As God, however, he has chosen to love us and come and live with us so we can return to him and share in his glory.

PRAYER:
Almighty God and Sovereign Father, you are more magnificent than my words can describe and more gracious than my heart can fully grasp. Thank you for your glory that is beyond human comprehension and your grace that bridges the awesome distance between us. Thank you, dear Father, for being God. In Jesus' name I praise. Amen.


Wisdom:
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Exodus 20:12 (KJV)

 

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December 1, 2012

Devotional:
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (KJV)

A few Devotions ago, we were reminded of Solomon's great dedication speech of the Temple in the Old Testament. Incredibly, Paul asserts that God has taken up his dwelling inside of us through his Spirit, just as majestically as he took up his dwelling in the Jerusalem Temple. Our acceptability to God as his holy dwelling came at a great price to him -- the death of his Son! How can we refuse to honor his holy presence in us? How can we not live a holy life in response to his grace?

PRAYER:
Forgive me, dear Father, for the times that I have lost sight of the wonder of your presence within me. The gift of your Spirit is a dazzling and humbling grace. Once again, Father, I pledge to present my body as a living sacrifice to please and honor you as your Temple. At the same time, I acknowledge that I need the presence and power of your Holy Spirit to please and honor you as your holy child. Lead me, cleanse me, purify me, and make me like Jesus by your Spirit. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Wisdom:
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16 (KJV)