Recent Devotions
“Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.” Psalm 84:5-7 It is believed that David wrote this Psalm when he had fled Jerusalem because of Absalom’s rebellion. He is longing to be back in Jerusalem to spend time in the house of the Lord. It seems like he envies the birds who have made their nests in its shelter, and the…
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6. About two years ago, I began praying that the Lord would show me when it was time to give up my…
“Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.” Psalm 112:1 In the opening verse of this Psalm, the writer states two requirements for living a life that is blessed. One is to fear the Lord and the other is to…
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“You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days . . . But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.” (Joshua 6:3-4, NKJV) One of the most familiar Old Testament stories is that of the battle of Jericho. Although we refer to it a battle, Israel did not follow a typical battle plan or use regular weapons of war. The victory at Jericho is a story of people marching, trumpets blowing, and walls falling. It…
“I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.” John 10:14 Yesterday we looked at the scriptures just before this, where Jesus said He was the door to the sheepfold. In this verse, He also declares that He is the Good Shepherd. David in Psalm 23 gives us a beautiful picture of the Lord as our shepherd and what this means to us. What perks do we enjoy by being one of His sheep? Verse 1 “I shall not want.” He supplies our every need. Verse 2a “He maketh me to lie down in green…
“When Herod was about to bring him out for trial, that very night Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while the sentries in front of the door guarded the prison.” (Acts 12:6, CSB) Insomnia. I dislike those nights when my brain refuses to go into sleep mode, and I toss and turn for what seems like hours. Stir in a few worries and it becomes a miserable night. Why do problems seem so much heavier in the hours before dawn? Ever been there? Acts 12 tells us about the arrest and imprisonment of Peter. Herod had…
“Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” (Acts 17:11, ESV) I planted a small tree today, but I know it will never grow any taller or develop any fruit. Fertilizing and pruning won’t help it grow. It’s fake. I was tired of trying to keep something growing in an empty spot by my house. Then I had a crazy thought. I’ll buy a fake tree and place it there. Unless someone stands close or touches it, they will never…
