Recent Devotions
“Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3 I grew up believing in my teen years that to be doing something for the kingdom of God, required me to do something (and I’m being completely honest here) huge and something that got people’s attention. I needed to be impacting the thousands and no less. I needed to have a huge platform and to be ministering publicity consistently. Boy, was I wrong. I look at my life now and realize that I’m still making an impact on this world, and just because it doesn’t look the…
“The Lord is my light and my salvation — so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” Psalms 27:1 It seems as though the world is getting darker and darker each day. Horrors that hid in the shadows for…
“Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house.” Proverbs 24:27 Is anyone out there a little bit spontaneous? When the mood hits just right you will paint a room in your house, rearrange the future, decide you want another child, and rescue a dog from the local…
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“Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” (II Corinthians 13:5, ESV). We are now just over one week into the new year. Many use this as a time for reflection and resolution. They consider it a fresh start, a blank page, a new leaf, or a new chapter. For many, however, those resolutions begin to wain after just a few days or weeks. Their resolve to exercise more, eat healthier, budget better, or manage…
But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the LORD has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?” (Ruth 1:20-21, NKJV) A friend is dealing with some tough issues right now. There is pain, sorrow, and many questions but few answers. Life blindsides us sometimes, and we find ourselves on an emotional rollercoaster as we try to figure out what is happening. Ever been there? So what do…
“But he knew their thoughts …” (Luke 6:8 KJV) God needs no interpreter—He doesn’t need anyone to translate the meaning of the imaginations or the intents of our hearts. He just KNOWS. Jesus said to the hypocritical Pharisees, “Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts …” (Luke 16:15 KJV) Jesus equated Himself with God. As GOD IN Christ, He could—and did—read their minds. When the Pharisees came and interrogated Jesus, He already KNEW exactly what they were thinking about Him and what He was doing BEFORE they even opened their mouths. Before they could…
“A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure. Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped” (Luke 8:43-48, NLT). “WHO touched me?” Jesus asked. Everyone denied it, and Peter said, “Master, this crowd is pressing against you.” But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.” When THE WOMAN realized she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The crowd heard her explain why she had touched Him and…
