Pleasure, fun, and ease void of all consequences, modeled by the sexy and cool, is the cheese most often used in the mouse trap set for the human soul. (Proverbs 1:10; Psalm 1; John 8:31-32)
Devotional for February 23
Show Us, O Lord, the Light of Your Countenance
80 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.
2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us.
3 Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. Psalm 80:1-3 (KJV)
The Morning Exhortation
A championship physique is balanced. The exercise you avoid because you don’t like it points to your weakness. Prioritize your weak body parts, or your strong ones will create your greatest weakness. Over reliance on that which is dominate weakens the whole. And if your greatest strength fills you with self-reliance and pride, rather than thanksgiving and praise, it will become your greatest hinderance.
Today’s Bible Reading
Exodus 6; Luke 9
Job 23; 1 Corinthians 10
The Prayer Appointed for This Week
O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing; Send your Holy Spirit and pour into my heart your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer
Devotional for February 22
Happy Are the People of Whom This Is So
9 I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.
10 It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword.
11 Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood:
12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:
13 That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets:
14 That our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets.
15 Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord. Psalm 144:9-15 (KJV)
The Morning Exhortation
The one who wants to build big guns, steal buns, and a flat gut is wise to first seek to build a healthy lifestyle. By focusing on good health, the big guns, steel buns, and a flat gut will come quicker and last longer. The truth found in the Scriptures is crystal clear that all such things are not what make life worth living though. We are to first seek a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and then everything needful will be added. (Proverbs 24:5; Luke 12:15; Matthew 6:28-33; 1 Timothy 4:8; Matthew 23:23)
Today’s Bible Reading
Exodus 5; Luke 8
Job 22; 1 Corinthians 9
The Prayer Appointed for This Week
O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing; Send your Holy Spirit and pour into my heart your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer
Devotional for February 21
Praise the Lord for His Goodness
23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
24 These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.
25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end.
28 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
31 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. Psalm 107:23-32 (KJV)
The Morning Exhortation
We all want to be happy and loved. Therefore, the common theme of advertisements are the use of sexy, cool, and happy looking people to influence us to buy things we really don’t need. We are all susceptible, but youth are especially prone to be reckless behaviors, because the foolishness of sin is easily overlooked when its consequences are delayed and death seems so far away. Believe the truth of the gospel if you want to be free. There is no need to become super muscular, flawlessly beautiful, filthy rich, or anything else to be happy and loved. Great is the love God has for us. There is no way back for the fallen angels, but Jesus’ death on the Cross is proof of the extent of God’s love for us. (Ecclesiastes 8:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:10; 2 Peter 2:3-6; John 3:14-17)
Today’s Bible Reading
Exodus 4; Luke 7
Job 21; 1 Corinthians 8
The Prayer Appointed for This Week
O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept my prayers; and because in my weakness I can do nothing good without you, give me the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments I may please you in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer
Devotional for February 20
I Will
5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.
6 The Lord preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me.
7 Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.
8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
9 I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. Psalm 116:5-9 (KJV)
The Morning Exhortation
Some days will be nice and easy, others will be rough and tough. Push hard when you feel strong, ease up when you don’t. Rest when you must, but never quit doing what is right whether you feel like it or not. Doing what is right is always a matter of faith, never feeling. Feelings result from sight, but faith results from willful obedience to the word of God. Hold to the narrow path that leads to eternal life. The selfish pursuit of happiness leads only to moral decay and much suffering. There is no lasting happiness apart from the pursuit of the Lord and His righteousness. Let us be diligent to do what pleases God, and happiness will follow. Happiness is a fruit found on the branch rooted in the love of God, as are the other fruits of the Spirit such as contentment, gratitude, and peace. Even the elementary principles of this world affirm this teaching of Jesus Christ our Lord: good fruit comes only from a good tree. Not that we can make ourselves good by our own efforts. This impossible work has to be done for us by God and requires our consent and submission. Pray and God grant us the grace to do our part. (Matthew 6:31-33, 12:33-35; John 15:1-11)
Today’s Bible Reading
Exodus 3; Luke 6
Job 20; 1 Corinthians 7
The Prayer Appointed for This Week
O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept my prayers; and because in my weakness I can do nothing good without you, give me the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments I may please you in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. The Book of Common Prayer
Devotional for February 19
The Lord Takes Pleasure in His People
1 Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.
2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
3 Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
4 For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.
5 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Psalm 149:1-5 (KJV)
The Morning Exhortation
The temperature outside may be dropping. You may be cold, hungry, and sore. Be thankful and happily go to work anyway. Be comforted by the knowledge that even one small step in the right direction is never taken in vain. Doing the will of God, though it may sometimes be hard work, is always profitable when it is proceeded by prayer. Seldom can we see far ahead clearly, but that’s okay. It is enough to be able to see the next right step, and then to take it in faith. Make sure whatever you do is to please God rather than to please self or someone else. Do this, and you can be sure that your steps, no matter how big or small, will always be to the glory of God. Only those who lose their life for the Lord’s sake ever find it. Spiritual fruit grows in bunches. God is not nearly as concerned about us being kept comfortable as He is about us being made holy. (Galatians 5:19-24; Luke 9:23-24; John 10:10; Zechariah 4:6; Mark 5:36)
Today’s Bible Reading
Exodus 2; Luke 5
Job 19; 1 Corinthians 6
The Prayer Appointed for This Week
O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept my prayers; and because in my weakness I can do nothing good without you, give me the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments I may please you in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer
The Gift of Faith
Some call it the assurance of faith, but the experience of it is far more important than the name we give it. If you can believe that Jesus Christ is the holy Son of God, you have faith at least the size of a tiny mustard seed required for salvation. The gift of faith is similar to a second touch that gives an inner assurance of an unshakable rightness of having faith in God (Mark 8:22-25). Hold on to the faith you have right now through the testing of it. God will gift you with the assurance of your faith all at once, in His perfect timing (Habakkuk 3:17-18; Hebrews 11:1-6, 10:35-39).
Devotional for February 18
Give Thanks
10 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. Psalm 51:11-14 (KJV)
The Morning Exhortation
Be quick to eliminate worry, hurry, and fear by the exercise of your faith. God is able work out all things for good for those who love Him. God certainly doesn’t approve of everything in this corrupt world of ours, but whatever He allows to happen He weaves into His divine plan for our salvation (Romans 8:28). There is liberty in that profound truth for all who can accept it. The fact that life seems to be getting more complicated every day hardly needs to be stated. The great robber of our peace comes from worrying about the multitude of things we cannot possibly control. We surely grieve the Holy Spirit with our discontentment caused by unbelief. Rather than worry, fret, murmur, fear, or be discouraged, pray for the needed grace to hold onto the one needful thing of trusting God. Visualize worry and fear rolling off your mind like water off the back of a duck. Otherwise, worry becomes a burden that makes us too heavy to fly and too tired to swim. Enter into the rest of the Lord by faith. Let your one desire be for Christ to dwell in your heart, and He will take care of all the multitude of other needful things. Things are just tools in the hands of God. Don’t give glory to the axe, the saw, or the rod. They are just tools. Give glory to our God who swings, cuts, and shakes them all (Psalm 62:11; Isaiah 10:15; 1 Chronicles 16:28-34; Psalm 29:2, 46:10; 1 John 5:21).
Today’s Bible Reading
Exodus 1; Luke 4
Job 18; 1 Corinthians 5
The Prayer Appointed for This Week
O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept my prayers; and because in my weakness I can do nothing good without you, give me the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments I may please you in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. The Book of Common Prayer
Devotional for February 17
Give Thanks
20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
21 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. Psalm 107:20-22 (KJV)
The Morning Exhortation
Understand who we are called to be by God. Be obedient to the sweet heavenly vision given to us in Christ Jesus. Know this as well: our motivation to be conformed to the image of Christ will always be hindered by the measure of belief you yield to all the naysayers around you. Righteousness starts with believing God. This is how all our elders recorded in the Bible obtained a good report. Believe that there is an inheritance keep for us in heaven, and that God will surely keep us here on earth for our heavenly reward. Believe God. God alone is completely trustworthy. Therefore, we can trust that what He commands He will also enable us to do. By faith believe Almighty God has created you anew in Christ Jesus even before you see or feel any evidence of it. Fan your faith until you catch fire, and be all that God means for you to be. (Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Philippians 2:13)
Today’s Bible Reading
Genesis 50; Luke 3
Job 16:-17; 1 Corinthians 4
The Prayer Appointed for This Week
O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept my prayers; and because in my weakness I can do nothing good without you, give me the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments I may please you in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. The Book of Common Prayer
Devotional for February 16
Thy Throne, O God, Endures Forever
1 My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
2 Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.
3 Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.
4 And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.
5 Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.
6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
8 All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad. Psalm 45:1-8 (KJV)
The Morning Exhortation
Mysteries are to be expected when contemplating the infinite God. As magnificent as our abilities to think and reason are, even the brightest of us are still limited. For this reason, God has given us His word and only requires faith (Hebrews 11:1-6). It is impossible for us to fully understand all the mysteries of God, but faith is so easy that even a child can come to know the truth by it (Matthew 18:1-4). All the necessary knowledge about God has been provided for us in the Holy Bible. It is far more important to worship God as He is revealed in the Holy Bible than it is to know all the mysteries beyond our understanding. Knowing God as He has revealed Himself is a grace that is even more essential to the spirit than sleep is to the body. Sleep is an essential component for health and fitness that can’t be stored, caught up on, or ignored. You either accept the need for 7-8 hours of sleep out of every 24, or you will eventually have to pay and suffer for lack of it. Fear not. God has promised to give His beloved sleep (Psalm 127:2). Give thanks for it when it is sweet, and pray for it when it is not. The One who has chosen you to be in Christ Jesus has predestined you to bring forth His fruit. Submit yourself therefore to God, and willingly choose to do His will. When our will is to obey, God provides the way.
Today’s Bible Reading
Genesis 49; Luke 2
Job 15; 1 Corinthians 3
The Prayer Appointed for This Week
O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept my prayers; and because in my weakness I can do nothing good without you, give me the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments I may please you in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. The Book of Common Prayer
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