Posts with the category “devotions”

God’s Skill as Creator – Chuck SwindollPsalm 139 links us with God. This song, like few other passages of Scripture, connects us with our Creator. It answers four of the most frequently asked questions that come to our minds about God:How well does God know me? (139:1–6)How close is God to me? (139:7–12)How carefully has God made me? (139:13–18)How much will God protect/help me? (139:19–24)You mig...  Read More

The Freedom of IntegrityBy Clarence L. Haynes Jr.“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.” – Proverbs 10:9I went to pick up my daughter from school and as I was driving, my mind was drifting, thinking about this word integrity. Eventually I was brought back to a time in my early twenties when I was serving in the children’s ministry at church. ...  Read More

You Could Be Someone’s MiracleSharon JaynesToday’s TruthJesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” (Luke 18:40-41 NIV)Friend to FriendTo Beth it was the confusion of an inept airline. To me, it was a divine appointment from God.“I don’t have an assigned seat,” the disheveled young woman complained as she stumbled...  Read More

Sing Praise to GodBy Emma DanzeyPsalm 59:16 says, “But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength; Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, For You have been my stronghold And a refuge in the day of my distress.”As For Me, I Shall Sing of Your StrengthHave you ever noticed how young children will sing and hum without a care in the world? It just comes naturally. When they ar...  Read More

Change Is Scary But the Lord Is with YouBy Clarence L. Haynes Jr.“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” – Deuteronomy 31:8If you are going to be honest, change can be scary. It is scary to leave a job and start a new one. It can be scary to leave your hometown and move to another one. It can be scar...  Read More

God Is Ever Near – Chuck SwindollAll right, so God knows me and controls me (Psalm 139:1-6); He can do that at a distance, through millions and millions of light years of space. But is He near? According to Psalm 139, David's song about the amazing attributes of God, yes.How Close Is God to Me?God is no distant, preoccupied Deity. In fact, He is omnipresent. In verse 7, David states this in the fo...  Read More

Christ’s Lingering Fragranceby Annie Yorty"Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?" (2 Corinthians ...  Read More

God’s Intimate Knowledge – Chuck SwindollIf you've ever been a part of a large organization, such as a multibillion-dollar corporation or a governmental agency or a university, it's unlikely you've ever met the people at the top of the leadership chain. You may have heard their names or read their announcements, but you probably didn't know them personally. And they undoubtedly wouldn't have known...  Read More

Important to God – Chuck SwindollMost folks struggle with feelings of insignificance from time to time. Larger-than-life athletes, greatly gifted film and television stars, brilliant students, accomplished singers, skillful writers, even capable ministers can leave us feeling intimidated, overlooked, and underqualified. For some, feeling insignificant is not simply a periodic battle; it is a daily...  Read More

Why Assuming the Best Leads to Connection (Genesis 3:8-9)By: Rachael AdamsToday’s Bible Verse: “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’” - Genesis 3:8-9“How did you cook the chicken?” my husband asked.I stopped ...  Read More

A Prayer to Remember God Makes Everything BeautifulBy Victoria Riollano"Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time." Ecclesiastes 3:11Everything is beautiful in its time.I can remember a time when a verse like this would cause much frustration. I would read this verse in a time of despair and think, “Lord, how could you make this beautiful?” How could a moment of loss, tragedy, or aban...  Read More

The Reason We SingBy: Emma DanzeyPsalm 47:6 says, “Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!”Sing PraisesHave you ever heard the voice of a young child singing throughout the day just because he or she can? The sweetness of a little voice can easily bring a smile to any face. Even if the child is completely tone-deaf, it is still precious for that parent to hear th...  Read More

Names of God and What They MeanBy Allyson Holland“And those who know Your name will put their trust in you.” (Psalm 9:10)How well do you know God? His character? His heart?It’s not enough to know about God. It’s through His biblical names that you can become intimately acquainted with Him. When you understand the meanings of God’s names then you will understand His character and His heart. He want...  Read More

Being Taught by the Holy Spiritwritten by First15Weekly Overview:As believers, we’ve been given the Holy Spirit as a Helper, Teacher, Friend, and seal for the promised inheritance of eternal life with God. His presence, guidance, and wisdom in our lives are our greatest gifts while here on earth. Through him we have access to direct connection with our heavenly Father. Through him we receive spiri...  Read More

Change Is GoodBy Liz Lampkin“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to em...  Read More

Discontent Defaultby Annie Yorty“Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one is affluent does his life consist of his possessions” (Luke 12:15 NASB).The seat warmers felt amazing. I never dreamed a warm tushy would feel so good. We normally purchased cars without many bells and whistles. Those were not necessary, and I figured money could be better spent elsewhe...  Read More

Getting to the Rootsby Annie YortyHebrews 12:15 (NIV): See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.Crack! In an instant, lightning sheared the lofty locust tree in my backyard down the middle. Unable to salvage any part, my husband cut the trunk at the grass line. Since that day four years ago, the bare stump has been the ...  Read More

Set Your Face like a Flintby Anne Peterson"Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame." - Isaiah 50:7One Christmas, our Bible teacher gave each of us a specially chosen verse. Mine was Isaiah 50:7. Lois knew me. She knew coming from an abusive home, I wore shame like a well-fitted sweater. Our father ...  Read More

God is Worthy of DevotionWeekly Overview: It’s vital to the Christian life that we as sons and daughters of the most high God allow our affections to be stirred by the loving, powerful nature of our heavenly Father. Too often we feel that God is distant or separated from us. Too often we allow misconceptions or lies to place a rift between us and experiencing God. It’s in reminding ourselves of Go...  Read More

The Dark Side of Tolerance – Chuck SwindollThe founders of the United States formed this nation on the premise that each individual will one day stand before God and give an answer for his or her beliefs and conduct. The US was in fact the first modern state to establish an official policy of religious tolerance, which it formalized in the first amendment to the Constitution:Congress shall make no...  Read More

Daily DisciplesToday's Reading: 2 Chronicles 1; John 10:1-23Today's Thoughts: God is Keeping Watch"---shall be keeping watch over the doors" 2 Chronicles 23:4As I was leaving my house to go out of town for a few days, I said a prayer and asked the Lord to watch over my home while I was away. I was leaving behind my husband and my dog. Though the two of them are fairly self-sufficient, they are not...  Read More

God Prunes Us in His LoveWeekly Overview: The absolute, most important single act of the children of God is making space to encounter our heavenly Father in the secret place. Abiding in God is the foundation on which every other aspect of the Christian life finds success. It establishes roots which enable us to receive all that we need to bear the fruit of the Spirit. It guides us to constant refr...  Read More

What’s the Point? - Forward with Back to the BibleRead Ecclesiastes 2:22-25 (ESV)What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun? For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity. There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his t...  Read More

Read the InstructionsForward with Back to the BibleRead Proverbs 1:5-7 (ESV)Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.ReflectWhat does it mean to fear the LORD?Do you ever wish life cam...  Read More

Are You Being Shaped by the Savior or Warped by the World?By Brent Rinehart“But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats. Those who make them will be like them, and so ...  Read More

A Prayer to Love God’s WordBy Kristine Brown“Jesus answered, ‘It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” - Matthew 4:4 NIVI’ve heard it said that the Bible is God’s love letter to us. His love for us reaches so deep, he gave his most precious gift – his Son – so we could have eternal life with him.God’s Word expresses that deep love in v...  Read More

Time with God – John NorthRead Psalm 119:17-24“Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word. Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” (vv. 17-18)One of your main goals in life should be to see and understand the things God has said in his word!This psalm is the longest chapter in the Bible, with 176 verses, and of these, only 3 verses do not refer...  Read More

Building a Strong Foundation – Chuck SwindollThe pair of songs on the home, Psalms 127 and 128, begins with a look at the foundation. How does one establish a family legacy that will survive the inevitable crises, and then thrive for generations?Inception of the HomeUnless the LORD builds the house,They labor in vain who build it;Unless the LORD guards the city,The watchman keeps awake in vain.It ...  Read More

Today's Reading: 1 Kings 21; Luke 23:26-56Today's Thoughts: Trust and ObeyAnd all the prophets prophesied so, saying, "Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the king's hand." Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, "Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of one of...  Read More

Godliness – John NorthRead Psalm 119:1-8“Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart.” (vv. 1-2)Life is best for those who live it God’s way!A spiritual perspective on life is so different from the world’s perspective. The world looks at a person who bases his life on the word of God—who ...  Read More

Onlooker DelayBy Brent Rinehart“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12: 1-2a).If you are a daily commuter, you’ve undoubtedly heard the unfortunate phrase...  Read More

A Prayer to Wait and HopeBy Tiffany ThibaultI wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I hope. - Psalm 130:5Everything in life requires us to wait. We wait to be born, we wait to start school, we wait to learn to drive, we wait to graduate from school. We wait for a job, a spouse, a child, and a promotion. Amid all these monumental moments, there are a million little moments of learning t...  Read More

Daily DisciplesToday’s Readings: 2 Kings 13; John 2Today's Thoughts: Miracles in the EverydayBehold I do a new thing; now it shall spring forth. Do you not perceive it? Isaiah 43:19There are many times that I just want to quit. There is no real reason but I just don't feel like continuing on the same path. I want to see new things, do new things, feel new things and think on new things. I look for...  Read More

What makes the church work - John NorthColossians 2:18-19“Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.”What makes the church work?...  Read More

Needing More – Chuck SwindollInteresting word, enthusiasm. It's derived from two Greek terms, en (meaning "in") and theos (meaning "God"), carrying the idea of being inspired. In the original sense of the word, a person was so overtaken with the presence of God, he or she could barely contain the excitement. That makes sense. The truth of God applied to our circumstances brings a burst of enthusia...  Read More

Lean Inby Annie Yorty“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8a NASB1995).Jake’s massive weight almost knocked me over. The gentle giant, an English mastiff, pressed hard against my legs as I stood talking with his owner. “He’s really taken a shine to you,” she remarked as I stumbled back, trying to counterbalance the two-hundred-plus pounds pushing against me.I’ve noticed the sam...  Read More

John NorthActs 1:8“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”In everything you do, you have a choice. You can do it in your own power, or you can do it in the power of the Holy Spirit.God has placed his Holy Spirit in your life to empower your life to be lived for his glory...  Read More

Guarding Our Wordsby Laura Bailey“Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deeds along with those who are evildoers; do not let me eat their delicacies.” Psalm 141:3-4 NIVRecently my mother “gifted” me with a slew of keepsakes from my childhood: trophies, cards, papers, pictures. Eager to dive i...  Read More

Forward Momentum – Greg Laurie“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me” (Philippians 3:12 NKJV).The moment you become a Christian you enter a race.The apostle Paul wrote about it in Philippians 3: “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay h...  Read More

From Discipline to Delight: Learning to Love God’s WordBy Rachael Adams"So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it" (Isaiah 55:11).I didn’t start going to church until I was a preteen. During one of the first church services I attended, I remember watching the peo...  Read More