My choice is you, God, first and only. And now I find I’m your choice! You set me up with a house and yard. And then you made me your heir! (Psalm 16:5-6, The Message) We wake up every day and make a conscious decision to choose a God-centered life. God knew us and chose…
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25, NIV) Good relationships are a huge part of our…
God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come…
The Lord said to Abram, “Leave your land, and your relatives, and your father’s home. Go to the land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation, I will bless you. I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.” (Genesis 12:1-2, GWT)…
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalms 73:26 My husband and I were driving along listening to some new music when the lyrics of one particular song caught our attention. The song was “Your Love Defends Me”…
“And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.” Luke 8:15 NLT Anyone else out there struggle with being patient? I am the person who has to take every last gift out of…
“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths,” Proverbs 3:6 in the King James Version of the Holy Bible. Make Jesus the navigator of your life! You can trust His ability to chart your course and direct your path every day.
Pray with me: Lord Jesus, I recognize how much I need Your wisdom and guidance. I submit to Your will today and make the commitment that I will follow wherever You lead me. Amen.
Devotion by Julie Long
“And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD” (Psalm 119:90 in the King James Version of the Holy Bible).
Nothing about God ever changes! Day after day; generation to generation; He remains steadfast. His enduring qualities are often in stark contrast to my character. I seem to change my thoughts, attitudes and moods as often as the wind changes direction. How I need God’s example of stability!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, Thank You for being the Solid Rock that I can build my life upon. My world is constantly shifting with changes and new challenges to face every day. I need the constant of Your love as a reference point in my life. Help me be more like You. May my life reflect Your steady endurance. Amen.
Devotion by Julie Long
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“I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me” (Psalm 51:3 in the New International Version of the Holy Bible). I think all of us remember being asked by our parents to apologize for hurting someone or doing something wrong. Sometimes it was said under our breath and without conviction but we managed to mumble the words, “I’m sorry.” Have you ever apologized to God without really meaning it? God requires an attitude of penitence like, David, the writer of this Psalm describes. It’s the kind of apology or repentance that comes from deep down in your heart where only God can see it. This plea for God’s mercy was a big first step for David who had committed the terrible sins of adultery, lying and murder (see 2 Samuel 11-12). What makes this prayer acceptable to God was David’s complete honesty about his sin. He saw his mistakes clearly and admitted the seriousness of his offense against God. Inner honesty like that gets God’s attention and His pardon.
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Prayer: Lord, I come before you today in complete humility. I must confess that I find it hard to be honest about my sins. My heart resists acknowledging my wrong doing. Help me to be willing to throw myself upon Your mercy confessing all of my faults and failures. Cleanse me, O Lord! In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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Devotion by: Julie Long