Daily Devotion, Daily Wisdom

[baddison]

January 7, 2013

Devotional:

For [there is] not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Ecclesiastes 7:20 (KJV)



Yep, we're all broken, flawed, and tainted. Or, at least that is what we
were (cf. 1 Cor. 6:9-11). Praise God, because of his grace and the work of
Jesus, we can stand before God holy, without blemish, and free from
accusation (Col. 1:22).



PRAYER:

Forgiving Father and Holy God, thank you for redeeming me from my mortal and
sinful ways by the sacrifice of Jesus. Thank you for empowering me to become
more like him by the power of your Holy Spirit. Thank you for making me
through grace what I could never be through my own efforts. Thank you, dear
God, for saving me from my sin, ransoming me from my guilt, and redeeming me
to share in your glory. In Jesus name I praise you. Amen.





Wisdom:

Furthermore the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and sware that I
should not go over Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that good land,
which the LORD thy God giveth thee [for] an inheritance: Deuteronomy 4:21
(KJV)

 

[baddison]

January 8, 2013

Devotional:

Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the LORD thy God [is] among you, a
mighty God and terrible. Deuteronomy 7:21 (KJV)



What foe can defeat the people of God? None! Our God, our Deliverer, is
mighty in power, awesome in holiness, and greater than any of our foes. We
refuse to fear what the evil one threatens because our Savior has already
ultimately defeated him.



PRAYER:

Abba Father, calm my fears and sooth my anxious heart. By the power of your
Spirit, please bless me with boldness and confidence as I seek to live for
you in a world that is often hostile to my faith and opposed to your values.
I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.





Wisdom:

Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. 1 Chronicles
16:11 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

January 9, 2013

Devotional:

Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for [there is] none like thee, neither
[is there any] God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our
ears. 2 Samuel 7:22 (KJV)



The promises of God to Abraham and David, the work of God through Jesus, and
the miraculous preservation of both the Abrahamic and Davidic lines to Jesus
are nothing short of miraculous. They are testimony to God's faithfulness
and power. When we get discouraged by the unfaithfulness and blasphemy so
prevalent in our world, we need to remember the faithfulness of our God and
his awesome power displayed through his chosen people.



PRAYER:

Father of all and Provider and Protector of your people, please give me a
sense of courageous awe at your power and a sense of reverential wonder at
your faithfulness. There is no other being or power like you, for you alone
are God. I praise you for your glory and grace. In Jesus' name I praise you.
Amen.





Wisdom:

But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast
the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Hebrews 3:6 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

January 10, 2013

Devotional:

Make a chain: for the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of
violence. Ezekiel 7:23 (KJV)



God hates it when the innocent are afflicted with violence and bloodshed. He
hates evil and political corruption. He hates courts that are false and
leaders who are abusive of their power. We need to be rest assured that he
will provide deliverance for his faithful followers and administer justice
to those who have abused or harmed other people -- if not in this life, for
sure in the life to come.



PRAYER:

Father, thank you for assuring me that your justice will ultimately be done
with those who are violent, corrupt, wicked, and abusive. Give us patience
to wait in hope until that day of ultimate justice is done. In Jesus' name I
pray. Amen.





Wisdom:

But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast
the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. James 4:10
(KJV

 

[baddison]

January 11, 2013

Devotional:

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. Romans 7:24-25
(KJV)



Our bodies are mortal and flawed. They are tainted with our weakness and sin. But, by the grace of God given us in Jesus Christ, our future does not rest in the dust with our bodies, but in the power of our perfecting Lord.



PRAYER:

Almighty God, thank you for giving me life beyond the death of my mortal flesh. Thank you for giving me holiness beyond my sin-stained flesh. Thank you for delivering me from death and bringing me into your glory. Now, dear Father, may my words, deeds, and thoughts reflect your grace and power in all I do today and each day that follows. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.





Wisdom:

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Ephesians 4:26-27 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

January 12, 2013

Devotional:

For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand
would deliver them: but they understood not. Acts 7:25 (KJV)



Timing is everything. Well, not everything, but an important thing. God's
plan and power provide us with everything. Finding his timing for that plan
and power is crucial. When Moses took it upon himself to redeem God's
people, he failed. After being humbled in the wilderness, God called him
back to deliver the people at the divine moment and according to the
Almighty's plan. The results led to the Exodus -- the redemption and rebirth
of God's holy people.



PRAYER:

Dear Heavenly Father, I am often impatient and frustrated by having to wait.
Forgive me, dear God, for trying to rush your timetable and for assuming my
plan is your plan. Please give me wisdom to know what do, where to go, and
when to act. In Jesus' name I pray for this patience and wisdom. Amen.





Wisdom:

[[A Song of degrees.]] Blessed [is] every one that feareth the LORD; that
walketh in his ways. Psalm 128:1 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

January 14, 2013

Devotional:

Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: [but] thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it [is] a cursed thing. Deuteronomy 7:26 (KJV)



A little corruption, a little poison, and a little rotten are all oxymorons.
God has made us pure and perfect in Jesus. What a glorious thought! Why would we want to stain his perfection with what is evil. Our Father wants us to dedicate ourselves to him, and to living as his holy people (Rom. 12:1-2;
1 Pet. 1:13-16).



PRAYER:

Holy and Righteous God, please empower me to resist temptation and to run away from sin. Give me a more passionate desire to cherish and protect the purity you have given me by the sacrifice of Jesus. Give me a holy revulsion to evil and wickedness. Draw my heart closer to your own and give me a passion for your holiness. Thank you for making me holy and precious in your sight. In Jesus' name. Amen.





Wisdom:

Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof [is] brutish. Proverbs 12:1 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

January 15, 2013

Devotional:

Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man
knoweth whence he is. John 7:27 (KJV)



God in human flesh is how John 1:14 describes Jesus, God's ultimate message
(cf. Heb. 1:1-3). Of course this is a mystery that we cannot fully fathom.
It is beyond our human experience and limited reality. Jesus' critics want
to easily characterize him as someone who cannot be Messiah because they
think they know where he is from. They are wrong. They think he is from
Nazareth and not Bethlehem. We know better. They are even more wrong,
because Jesus isn't ultimately from Bethlehem; he is "from above." Jesus
exhausts our imagination and overflows our cup of wonder as we seek to
understand all that he is as our Savior, Christ the Lord.



PRAYER:

O Lord, forgive me for my limited vision of Jesus' glory. Enable my heart's
ability to find wonder, joy, grace, exhilaration, glory, and awe in his
power, his grace, his sacrifice, his victory, and his love. To you, Father,
and to the Christ, be all the glory and honor that my heart can muster and
my voice can proclaim. In Jesus' name I offer you my praise! Amen.





Wisdom:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,
walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 1 Peter 5:8 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

January 16, 2013

Devotional:

And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as [one] having authority, and not as the scribes. Matthew 7:28-29 (KJV)



Unlike the teachers of his day, Jesus didn't have to shore up his teaching with obscure quotes from past teachers. Jesus, the Word of God, spoke the very words of God. He did and said what the Father willed. His life and his words had ring of authenticity and an awareness of power that extend through the ages and beckon us to his truth. This Jesus, our Teacher and Lord, is different. His words are powerful. His teachings are true. So his will must be our passion!



PRAYER:

Holy God, thank you for speaking through your prophets and through your Scriptures. But, Father, I praise you for speaking your greatest message in Jesus. As I see the character of his life, I am drawn to you. As I hear the authenticity in his words, I seek to humbly obey. Thank you for sending Jesus to be my teacher, my guide, my Lord, and my Savior. It is in his name, Jesus, that I pray. Amen.





Wisdom:

For to me to live [is] Christ, and to die [is] gain. Philippians 1:21 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

January 17, 2013

Devotional:

Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it
may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD, hast spoken [it]:
and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever. 2
Samuel 7:29 (KJV)



God had blessed King David incredibly -- from a shepherd boy to King, from
an errand boy to a war hero, from a small town to the leader of a great
empire. David's concern, however, was that God stay close to him and his
descendants, and uphold the promises he had made to David. More than any
other discovery in his life of service, David had learned that the future,
that every battle, and that any real hope lie in the presence of the LORD
God of Israel. When God speaks, he keeps his word. When God acts, he acts to
redeem. So David asked that God do what he longs to do, bless his people and
keep his promises.



PRAYER:

Trustworthy and honorable God, my Father who has sustained me and blessed
me, thank you for your presence in my life and your promises for my future.
Bring me into your presence with great joy, just as you have promised, so
that I can dwell in your house forever. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.





Wisdom:

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)

 

[baddison]

January 18, 2013

Devotional:

Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour
was not yet come. And many of the people believed on him, and said, When
Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this [man] hath
done? John 7:30-31 (KJV)



The enemies of Jesus had tried repeatedly to seize him. Yet the Gospel of
John reminds us again and again that no one could seize Jesus until he
offered himself up to them. Jesus followed God's timetable just as carefully
as he obeyed his Father's will. So we can know with assurance that when
Jesus died, he did so to redeem us and obey his Father's will, not because
he was powerless to defend himself. Jesus' death is a voluntary sacrifice, a
triumph of his obedience to his Father's will over his own will for
preservation. He obeyed and we are saved! He offered himself as a sacrifice
so we could be adopted into the Father's family!



PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, I thank you for honoring our Father and being obedient to him
and his timing in your life. Thank you for choosing to die for me and redeem
me from my sin. Thank you, dear Father, for such an incredible display of
love and mercy that cost you so much. Please give me a more profound sense
of my worth and significance to you, because I know the great price you paid
to redeem and adopt me. In Jesus' holy name I pray. Amen.





Wisdom:

He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that
followeth vain [persons is] void of understanding. Proverbs 12:11 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

January 19, 2013

Devotional:

And they that use this world, as not abusing [it]: for the fashion of this
world passeth away. 1 Corinthians 7:31 (KJV)



This often repeated theme in the New Testament and from the lips of Jesus
should be the great reminder that we shouldn't spend our lives working for
what is temporary.



PRAYER:

Lord God Almighty, the Alpha and the Omega, the Eternal I Am, thank you for
being what everything else in the world cannot be. Please awaken my heart to
things of eternal significance and open my eyes so I can see through the
things that are transitory. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.





Wisdom:

And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and
therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD
[is] a God of judgment: blessed [are] all they that wait for him. Isaiah
30:18 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

January 21, 2013

Devotional:

[[To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David.]] O LORD our Lord,
how excellent [is] thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above
the heavens. Psalm 8:1 (KJV)



These two concepts seem to be contradictory, or at least unconnected. On the
one hand, God's name is majestic in this plain ol' transitory space we call
earth but at the same time he is glorious and above the highest heavens.
This collision of different worlds is played out in the life of Israel. It
is made clear in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. It will be made
glorious in us, who will one day share in the glory of the heavens because
we have boldly declared the majesty of our LORD God on earth!



PRAYER:

Thank you, dear Father, for Jesus' promise that if I honor you and confess
him on this earth, you will gladly honor me and call my name in the presence
of your angels when the time comes for me to stand before your throne. In
Jesus' name I thank you. Amen.





Wisdom:

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the
heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a
garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my
salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.
Isaiah 51:6 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

January 22, 2013

Devotional:

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the
law of sin and death. Romans 8:2 (KJV)



Praise God! We are delivered from law-keeping and enabled to live out the
will of God in our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit!



PRAYER:

Thank you, dear Father, for your grace and mercy. Praise you, God Almighty,
for your incredible sacrifice to bring my pardon. Glory and honor to you, O
Sovereign LORD, for your gift of the Holy Spirit to lead and guide me in
your will and transform me into a person of your character. In Jesus' name I
thank you. Amen.





Wisdom:

[Yet] a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to
sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an
armed man. Proverbs 6:10-11 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

January 23, 2013

Devotional:

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God
sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned
sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in
us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:3-4 (KJV)



God gives us two gifts that fulfill the Law's righteous demands, but which
the Law itself could never give us. First, he gives us the perfect sin
offering -- his Son Jesus -- to forgive, cleanse, and redeem us from our
sin. Second, he gives us his Spirit to empower us to be what he wants us to
be. God gives us in the New Covenant what the Law and the Prophets promised
was coming. Praise God for his plan, his promises, and his gifts!



PRAYER:

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for your incomparable kindness and grace in
giving me your great and perfect gifts of your precious and perfect Son and
the blessed Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name, and by the intercession of the Holy
Spirit, I praise and thank you dear Father. Amen.





Wisdom:

If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but
deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion [is] vain. James 1:26 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

January 24, 2013

Devotional:

Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the
word. Acts 8:4 (KJV)



When someone tries to stomp out the flame of dry broom weed, the sparks fly
upward and ride upon the wind, spreading the flame far and wide. As Satan
tried to use persecution to discourage the early church, the very martyrdom
and persecution that drove these Christians from their homes was used by God
to spread the message wherever they went. Each believer was a spark driven
on the Divine Wind of God's empowering Spirit.



PRAYER:

O great God of mercy and grace, give me a holy passion to share your love
and power with all I meet no matter what circumstances led them into my
acquaintance. Give me the wisdom to see and the courage to act on the
opportunities to share Jesus with those in my life. In the name of the Lord
Jesus, I pray. Amen.





Wisdom:

[This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of
the flesh. Galatians 5:16 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

January 25, 2013

Devotional:

And [this they did], not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the
Lord, and unto us by the will of God. 2 Corinthians 8:5 (KJV)



Paul was surprised at the Macedonians' generosity to the Lord's work for two
reasons. First, they were very impoverished and didn't have much to share.
Second, rather than viewing what they had as their own, they gave themselves
to God and then to his servants who were asking for their help in
ministering to others. Their example is a great reminder to us of how we
need to approach our giving to help others in need.



PRAYER:

O Righteous Father and Holy God, forgive me for being selfish with the funds
you have so richly shared with me. I want to give my heart and my life to
you fully, not holding back anything from your will, and I ask you to help
me know how to best use the blessings you have entrusted to me. In Jesus'
name I pray. Amen.





Wisdom:

Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. [Let
her be as] the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at
all times; and be thou ravished always with her love. Proverbs 5:18-19
(KJV)

 

[baddison]

January 26, 2013

Devotional:

But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is
the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better
promises. Hebrews 8:6 (KJV)



The Old Testament is a beautiful covenant of love, as God redeems fallen
mankind and sets in motion his plan of grace to bring us to Jesus. But as
powerful as that old covenant was, we have come to a superior covenant
because the mediator of this new covenant is Jesus, who is the perfect
sacrifice and guarantor of God's great promises.



PRAYER:

Thank you, Almighty God, for sending Jesus to fulfill the promises and carry
out the plan you set in place so long ago and revealed by your prophets of
old. I thank you and praise you in the name of Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.





Wisdom:

And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed [are] they which are called unto the
marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true
sayings of God. Revelation 19:9 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

January 28, 2013

Devotional:

So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them,
He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. John
8:7 (KJV)



When we find it easy to identify the sin of others, God wants us to be
reminded of how important it is for us to take a rigorously honest inventory
of our own faithfulness. He wants us to deal with our own sin before we
evaluate anyone else.



PRAYER:

Forgive me, Father God, for my sins. Forgive me, especially Father, for the
sin of a critical and judgmental spirit. Deliver me from such hurtful and
evil habits, forgive me of my sins, and please bless me with faithfulness.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.





Wisdom:

Follow peace with all [men], and holiness, without which no man shall see
the Lord: Hebrews 12:14 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

January 29, 2013

Devotional:

But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the
better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed lest by any
means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. 1
Corinthians 8:8-9 (KJV)



We have incredible freedom under grace. However, our freedom never gives us
the license to destroy a weak brother or sister's walk with the Lord. Let's
use our freedom considerately, especially toward our new brothers and
sisters in Christ. These new Christians need our encouragement; they already
have enough stumbling blocks!



PRAYER:

God of all grace, please help me to be an encouragement and a good example
to new Christians and those who are weak in their faith. Please, help me
guard my life from being a bad example to others. In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.





Wisdom:

Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak
against you as evildoers, they may by [your] good works, which they shall
behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. 1 Peter 2:12 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

January 30, 2013

Devotional:

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of
God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none
of his. Romans 8:9 (KJV)



We show who is in control in our lives by the way we live! We show our
relationship to the Father by living with his character in our world. So
let's live under the control of the Spirit -- obeying the Spirit's inspired
Word and following the Spirit's lead -- so we can show and share Jesus in
what we say and do!



PRAYER:

Dear Father, please help the beauty, grace, and holiness of Jesus to be seen
in me. May my life show the control, grace, and fruit of the Holy Spirit in
all I do today and every day. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.





Wisdom:

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth
corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for
yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt,
and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure
is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:19-21 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

January 31, 2013

Devotional:

When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto
her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She
said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go,
and sin no more. John 8:10-11 (KJV)



Forgiveness is wonderful if it leads to life change. Jesus came to call us
from sin, into his presence, and for his good pleasure. He gave us grace but
is also gracious enough to not leave us in sin!



PRAYER:

O LORD my God, holy in all your ways, please transform my heart and my life
into your holy will. Give me the assurance of forgiveness and the courage to
leave my sin behind. In Jesus' name I ask you for your gracious and
unlimited power to mold my heart and my life into a clearer reflection of
you. Amen.





Wisdom:

Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Colossians
4:5 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

February 1, 2013

Devotional:

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he
that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of
life.

John 8:12 (KJV)



After stumbling around in the dark one night watering my yard, I was
overjoyed to find a flashlight so I wouldn't meet any unexpected "critters"
as I reached into the shrubbery to turn my faucet on and off. My joy,
however, is far greater at finding Jesus, who illuminates my heart on my
darkest nights, illuminates my future with his coming glory, illuminates my
path with his words of truth, and illuminates my hope with the dawning of
each Sunday, my weekly reminder of his triumph over the grave.



PRAYER:

Father, dear precious and holy God, how can I ever thank you enough for the
light of my life? Until my face reflects the light of your glory, Jesus will
light my way. Thank you. In the name of Jesus, the Light of the world, I
praise and thank you. Amen.





Wisdom:

The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the
earth. Proverbs 10:30 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

February 2, 2013

Devotional:

For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit
do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by
the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Romans 8:13-14 (KJV)



Sometimes it's a battle. Sometimes it's a war. Without the power of the
Spirit, our willpower would eventually give out and our ending would be more
distant from our Target than our beginning. But because of the Spirit's
power, our losses can be overcome and our progress to our Goal is assured.
(2 Corinthians 3:17-18)



PRAYER:

Forgive me, Father, for the times when I've let my flesh win out over the
call of your Spirit. Thank you for cleansing me with the Spirit's holy fire
and sanctifying me and drawing me onward to be more like my Savior. In
Jesus' name I pray. Amen.





Wisdom:

Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these
things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place
sweet [water] and bitter? James 3:10-11 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

February 4, 2013

Devotional:
For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof. Hosea 8:14 (KJV)


In prosperity, God's people left the LORD and followed their own gods and practiced their own morality. Except neither was "their own." The northern tribes of Israel simply became like the pagan people around them -- practicing the same detestable immoral lifestyles, forgetting the poor and the alien, cheating the widows and the powerless. God wanted them to know that he knew what they were doing. The Almighty wanted them to realize that he would act and bring justice. The Sovereign LORD wanted the northern tribes of Israel to realize that they have sown their own destruction, and even though they cannot even fathom its possibility, God made sure it was coming because of their hardness of heart and their refusal to live with character. Their destruction is a great reminder to us that our name of Christian, our claim to be God's chosen people and his holy priesthood (1 Pet. 2), doesn't matter unless our lives portray his character, our heart displays his compassion, an! d hands do his will.

Prayer:
Father, forgive us, for we sin. Father, forgive me for sinning and looking the other way at social, judicial, and racial injustice. Empower me, dear Lord, empower us, to truly be your Holy Nation, bound together by our faith in Jesus and not by our race, age, nationality, political preference, or social economic status, connected by our praise of your glory and exemplifying to the hate-filled world, the grace the comes from knowing You as our Father. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Wisdom:
Submitting yourselves, one to another, in the fear of God. Ephesians 5:21 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

February 5, 2013

Devotional:
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Romans 8:15 (KJV)


God is so holy, so mighty, so awesome, and yet he bids us to call him "Abba Father." Abba was a term of endearment, familiarity, dependency, and love used by Jewish toddlers to address their fathers. God, through the incredible gift of his Holy Spirit in us, has given us this ultimate gift of availability, love, companionship, protection, and mighty care. Abba! Sweet Abba Father! My God, my LORD, the Sovereign ruler of heaven's armies and Creator of the universe is also my Abba!


Prayer:
Abba Father, thank you for being so close and yet so mighty, so accessible and yet so holy, so tender and yet so trustworthy. Thank you, dear Abba, for allowing me to come to you as your loving child. In Jesus' name and by the power of the Holy Spirit I pray. Amen.




Wisdom:
Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore. Psalm 105:4 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

February 6, 2013

Devotional:
When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: "HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND [fn]CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES."
Matthew 8:16-17 (NASB)


How does Jesus feel about us when we feel tormented by evil and unfairness? Does he really long to touch our broken bodies when we are sick? Look two places and you will know the answer. First, look at him in the dusk of early evening touching the untouchable and you'll know. Second, look to the cross and see him in anguish so we can be confident that he knows and cares. But, there is a third place to look. Look to the future when we will see him, and every tear will be dried from our eyes and we will share in his glory. Here we trust in his grace and know it only in parts and pieces, but The Day will come when we will know fully the words of Matthew 8:16-17 in our own immortal bodies (1 Cor. 13:9-12; 1 Cor. 15:35-58).


Prayer:
Holy and Righteous Father, until The Day of ultimate grace is fully realized, I trust your love and mercy will sustain me through the servant grace of my Savior and your Son. In his name, Jesus of Nazareth and of heaven, I pray. Amen.





Wisdom:
Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong [thy] days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever.Deuteronomy 4:40 (KJV)

 

[baddison]

February 7, 2013

Devotional:

"Otherwise, you may say in your heart, 'My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.' "But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Deuteronomy 8:17-18 (NASB)



What do we have that wasn't given to us, either by God's generous grace, unexpected blessing, disciplining hardship, providential opportunity, or good health? And when we stand before the throne of judgment, what will our claim to grace be? Our claim on grace is based only God's generous and loving gifts that have made us pure, holy, and whole! Nothing we possess, accomplish, or buy can give us such a claim. Only God's generosity, grace, and love can bring heaven's greatest gifts to us.



Prayer

I thank you, dear Father, for your wonderful and extravagant blessings. All that I have, all that I am, and all that I ever hope to be exists only because of the mercy or grace you have lavished upon me. Thank you, in Jesus' name. Amen.






Wisdom:

But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 2 Peter 3: (NASB)

 

[baddison]

February 8, 2013

Devotional:

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18 (NASB)



"Life is hard. Anyone who tells you differently is trying to sell you something." This line from the movie "The Princess Bride" is poignantly accurate. But it is not eternally accurate! Better days are ahead, and they are better than anything we can dare imagine. "O that will be, glory for me... when by Thy grace I shall look on His face, that will be glory..."



Prayer

Please, Almighty God, give me the courage and the vision to anticipate from afar the ultimate realization of grace that you have waiting and to believe up close that you are working to bring me home to you, and to that glory. In Jesus' name. Amen.






Wisdom:

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who [fn]are perishing, but to us who [fn]are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18 (NASB)

 

[baddison]

February 9, 2013

Devotional:

When they say to you, "Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter," should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? Isaiah 8:19 (NASB)



We live in an age when people want to mix the contents of many mystical faiths into the boiling pot of a their own pseudo-Christian religion. Most do not know that the basic claim of Scripture is simple and clear. Only God, the Almighty Yahweh, is truly God. Only the one true and living God is to be worshiped. Only this Abba Father is to be trusted. Yes, there are other spiritual powers, but these powers lead to despair, death, and destruction. Seek God, the Yahweh of Israel, the righteous Father of Jesus, and live.



Prayer

Almighty Father and holy Majesty on high, rekindle in our lands a passion to seek you in truth so that the world may know your grace, so the people will honor your character, and the nations know your peace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.






Wisdom:

For it is written, "AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL [fn]GIVE PRAISE TO GOD." Romans 14:11 (NASB)