Recent Devotions
“Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” John 11:32. Mary had been firmly convinced that Jesus was the Messiah. She had listened to the stories from his disciples about the miracles that had been happening. She had braved the complaining from her sister and the traditions of her culture, to leave the kitchen and sit at Jesus’ feet. Listening to His teachings about the kingdom that were so different from what the scribes and Pharisees taught,…
“And Jesus said, somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.” Luke 8:46. Twelve long years. Countless doctors and treatments. Considered an outcast because of her affliction. Wondering if things would ever change. BUT then she heard about the Healer, Jesus of Nazareth, who…
Beauty for Ashes “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be…
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“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it,” (Matthew 13:45-46 from the Holy Bible New King James). This parable is a reminder that natural pearls were valued beyond other treasures in ancient times. Formed by irritations caused by foreign particles, wild mollusks or oysters produced rare natural gems with incomparable beauty. Mass produced cultured pearls from controlled environments are common look-alikes, often the same size, shape and color of lesser value. Christians cultivated in a sheltered atmosphere without life’s intrusions are like cultured pearls. They can’t match the beauty and strength of those who conquered circumstances and became priceless treasures.
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Prayer: Eternal God, give me strength to weather the storms in my life so I will shine with Your natural glow. Amen.
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Devotion by Violet Carr Moore
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). At this time of year, many people talk about the New Year’s resolutions they have made for the coming year. The list may be long or short; but as we all know, resolutions are easier to make than they are to keep. Many resolutions are rather predictable–lose weight, exercise more, eat healthier, budget better. When we start thinking of our spiritual life, those resolutions tend to be predictable as well. We decide we will pray more, read our…
“Because a loveless world,” said Jesus, “is a sightless world” John 14:23 MSG We are reminded time and time again throughout scripture how important it is to have vision. Proverbs 29:18 tells us where there is no vision, the people will perish, and that sounds pretty serious to me. We must be able to see the world, and especially people, through the eyes of God. But hate runs rampant in 2022, and many choices, actions, and reactions are fueled by hatred. We struggle to see beyond ourselves because we live in a loveless world. “Love everyone” is painted on banners, but…
“And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.” Luke 2:36-37 I remember what it was like when our children were little and how excited they would be about Christmas. We would tell them that there so many more sleeps before the day would come. Of course, they would…
