Recent Devotions
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. (Hebrews 13:17, ESV) One of the most important people in my life is my pastor. Yes, under unusual circumstances, some have lived for God without a pastor, but it’s nothing we would want to intentionally do. After all, God gives us spiritual leaders to provide spiritual food and to watch over our souls. It’s an awesome but…
Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. (Proverbs 19:11, ESV) Recently, two men did not end up quite where they planned to go that day, and I’m positive neither was happy about his interrupted plans. While I wasn’t there to view…
He then told them, “Watch out and be on guard against all greed, because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15, CSB) One of my favorite summertime treats is a Slurpee, that flavored slushy drink so cold it gives brain freeze. When the temperature sizzles,…
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“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love” (I John 4:18, NKJV) The morning news is really not the best way for me to start my day. A constant stream of gloom and doom pours out of the radio as I prepare breakfast. I hear about crime, terrorism, disasters, stock market upheavals, and dire predictions about the future. This week’s fear-producing word seems to be pandemic. Before I realize what is happening, my mind fills with anxiety and what if’s. I…
“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
“And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name” (Acts 5:41). The early church enjoyed a glorious beginning on the Day of Pentecost, and thousands were filled with God’s Spirit. The early church faced great difficulties and was immediately persecuted for its beliefs. The two above statements don’t contradict each other; both are correct. The believers experienced a glorious time as the Spirit fell upon those in the upper room. Before the day was over, three thousand were filled with the Spirit and baptized (Acts 2:41). Yet, persecution…
“So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household,” (Ephesians 2:19, Christian Standard Bible). Shortly after I graduated from college, I packed my bags and moved to a foreign country where I lived for the next three years. As you can imagine, it was quite an experience—new culture, new language, unfamiliar foods, different climate —different almost everything. Suddenly, I was the foreigner, with so much to learn as I tried to adapt to all the differences. I never did apply for citizenship; and when I left the country, my…
