“And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2 Timothy 4:4) Growing up, most of us read fairy tale stories. There are stories of princesses saved by their heroes, stories of mythical creatures and lands, etc. Some of us loved reading those type…
“Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter days. There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the LORD’s counsel—that will stand” (Proverbs 19:20-21, New King James Version). I observed how two friends faced decisions in their lives. The first plunged ahead, neither…
“And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst” (John 6:35 in the King James Version of the Holy Bible). The Weight Watcher program has a list of what they call…
The Lord rewarded me for doing right and being pure. For I have followed his commands and have not sinned by turning back from following him. I kept close watch on all his laws; I did not refuse a single one. I did my best to keep them all, holding…
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“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to live in obedience to him. Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done. Don’t let anyone lead you astray with empty philosophy and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the evil powers of this world, and not from Christ” (Colossians 2:6-8 in the New Living Translation of the Holy Bible). My mother has been a seamstress every since I can remember. Although I have not been blessed with her talent, I have learned from her skill. Mom was always a stickler for following the pattern. In order to get a pleasing result, she would carefully lay out the pattern and cut the fabric to the precise specifications. I am reminded today that the pattern of my faith that I example to my children and others must be based on God’s Word. If my Christian experience is not rooted in the Scriptures, I will not only endanger myself, but my children and others as we may all be drawn away into beliefs that aren’t true.
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Prayer: Precious Savior, thank You for the pattern of Your Word that I can follow to eternal life. Help me to stay grounded in Your Word. Remind me each and every day to point my children to a relationship with You by spending time together in Your Word. Amen.
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Devotion by: Julie Long
Paul did not want the church at Ephesus to think that living for God was a piece of cake; he wanted them to know the truth of the matter – they are in a fight to the finish. He told them in order to win the battle they must put on the whole armor of God. The Message version of the Bible puts it this way, “Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them through your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon” (Ephesians 6:13-17).
Prayer: I know that it’s a fight to the finish and that’s what I intend to do. Lord, I put on the armor so that I can withstand the enemy of my soul. You are my protection. Amen!
Devotion by Kaye Singleton
“But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.” (Genesis 19:26 in the King James Version of the Holy Bible) God told Lot to flee to mountains and warned him not to look back. For whatever reason, Lot’s wife did not take God’s command…
“Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health in the bones” (Proverbs 16:24). Often I hear people say they don’t understand the Bible. When asked if they’ve read it, the answer is, “No.” Understanding comes by reading the Word. I don’t know how to exist without…
While flying a plane in thick fog, the pilot cannot be sure of his direction unless he gives full attention to his instruments. In a thunderstorm, the turbulence can toss the plane about; the darkness within the clouds may cause disorientation. Sometimes the pilot will feel as though he is going up or down or turning around. But he cannot depend on his feelings. Only the gyros can be trusted, so the pilot must hang on to the controls in the turbulence, and discipline his mind to concentrate on the instruments-not on the storm.
There is a parallel spiritual truth for the believer in troubled times.
Undisciplined feelings will cause disorientation-even a crash- unless we keep ourselves stabilized by the facts of God’s Word.