Tag: bible

faith

Devotional for April 15

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Living in the Eye of the Storm

23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.
25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.
28 For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.
30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.
31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. Psalm 37:23-31(KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Never take the easy way out. Mental toughness comes from being able to get “hard to do things” done. Always remember: when things get as hard as they can get, from that point on they can only get easier. Learn to endure. Mental toughness is a fruit that grows from prevailing prayer. Prevailing prayer is not about continually asking. It is more about continually believing that after you’ve prayed you will receive it. Once it is in the mail you don’t have to keep asking for it to be sent. Be joyful like Abraham. Praise God and be thankful while you wait to receive it. (Proverbs 1:10-19; Proverbs 10:2-5; Luke 9:61-62; Hebrews 11:8; Romans 4:20-25; Genesis 32:24-28; 1 Kings 18:41-46; James 5:13-18; Matthew 7:7-8, 21:22; Hebrews 11:11; Mark 11:24; Isaiah 53:1; Mark 9:23) 

Today’s Bible Reading

Leviticus 19; Psalms 23-24

Ecclesiastes 2; 1 Timothy 4

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

Almighty and everlasting God, grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer

faith

Devotional for April 14

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Abide in the Word

15 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved. Psalm 15 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Life is a journey sometimes filled with clouds of unknowing and storms of doubt. Fear them not, because God is faithful. Pray for the love of the truth and such times of testing will result in the experiential knowledge of the truth, which are necessary to strengthen belief. (John 18:37-38; Luke 13:23-24; 2 Timothy 3:7; John 17:11, 14-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:7-17; John 16:33; James 1:2-4; Proverbs 3:5-8; 2 Corinthians 10:4-6; Proverbs 17:3, 1:23, :11-12, 16:3; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Jude 1:24-25)

Today’s Bible Reading

Leviticus 18; Psalms 22

Ecclesiastes 1; 1 Timothy 3

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread; Open the eyes of my faith, that I may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer

faith

Devotional for April 13

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Blessed Are All Those Who Run to the Lord

6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
7 I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. Psalm 2:6-12(KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

It is easy for the things of this world to consume too much of our attention. Struggling to keep our heads above water seems like the norm for many of us. We rush around putting out one fire after another, chasing our own tails, and fighting over cheese in a world that is becoming more volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous every day. Who will save us from ourselves? There is but one who can speak to the condition of every weary soul, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Many today only trust in money, but the believer needs to remember the name of the Lord. Jesus Christ is our Ever-Present God. Jesus Christ is our Peace and Well-being. Jesus Christ is our chief Shepherd and Protector. Jesus Christ is our Provider and Source. Jesus Christ is our Unchangeable Absolute, Victor and Triumphant Warrior King. Jesus Christ is our Eternal Righteous Redeemer. Jesus Christ is our Healer, Divine Health and Strength. It is good to praise the Almighty Power of the Lord for our sake. Giving God the glory due his name adds nothing to God, but it sure does provide an anchor for our soul. (Ephesians 1:3-12; Matthew 6:24; 2 Timothy 3:1-7; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Romans 8:1-5; Hebrews 6:17-19, 13:8; Psalm 21:13, 23:1-6, 20:7-9; 2 Thessalonians 3:16).

Today’s Bible Reading

Leviticus 17; Psalms 20-21

Proverbs 31; 1 Timothy 2

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread; Open the eyes of my faith, that I may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer

faith

Devotional for April 12

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Praise Our God

5 Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.
7 He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.
8 O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard:
9 Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.
10 For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. Psalm 66:5, 7-10 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

The fire of youth is a marvelous thing. It can be wasted chasing after good times, or it can be invested striving after good works. What we are left with when youth is gone depends largely upon how we chose to spend it. (1 Peter 2:2; James 1:21; 1 Corinthians 13:11; Ecclesiastes 11:10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 2:1-10; James 1:2-4; Hebrews 6:1-3; 2 Corinthians 11:3; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12; Psalm 16:6-8)

Today’s Bible Reading

Leviticus 16; Psalms 19

Proverbs 30; 1 Timothy 1

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread; Open the eyes of my faith, that I may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer

faith

Devotional for April 9

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

The Blessed

147 Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.
2 The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.
3 He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
4 He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.
5 Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
6 The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.
7 Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:
11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.
12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion. Psalm 147:1-7, 11-12 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Keep working. It is destiny for the bird to sing and the butterfly to dance, but only after working through the egg or cocoon. Skipping  workouts is NOT the way to grow strong. The spiritual equivalent of skipping workouts is refusing to fight the good fight of the faith. Once we have broken free of our spiritual cocoon, the striving will cease. We only need to stand in a right relationship with God, put on the complete armor God has provided, and remain in the love of God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. Victory is assured, because the battle is the Lord’s. (Psalm 78: 1-11; Zechariah 13:9; James 4:7-10; Proverbs 16:3; 2 Corinthians 10:4-6; 2 Chronicles 20:15-22; Ephesians 6:11-18; Romans 8:26-39; John 15:3-11; Hebrews 11:32-40; 1 Peter 5:6-11)

Today’s Bible Reading

Leviticus 13; Psalms 15-16

Proverbs 27; 2 Thessalonians 1

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread; Open the eyes of my faith, that I may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer

Daily Writing Prompt

There is Only One

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment
Daily writing prompt
What book could you read over and over again?
View all responses

I have been reading the Holy Bible everyday for 16 years now. This practice has completely changed everything about me for the better. By faith I was born again many years before I started feeding daily on the Word of God. My life didn’t start to change, however, until I started learning and practicing the Word. I have read the entire NIV, ESV, NASB, NLT, and KJV versions of the Bible. I have been blessed by them all, but the most blessed version of the Bible for me is the KJV. I have been reading it exclusively for the past 5 years or so. I plan to continue this practice for as long as I live. It is just as essential for my soul as air, food, and water are to my body.

Here is the key: Don’t go to the Bible to decide whether or not you should believe it. All who do so will find it locked and it’s transforming power out of reach. Go to the Bible to see what we are to believe. This is the knock that opens the Holy Book. (Matthew 4:1-4; 2 Peter 1:20-21; James 1:21;Romans 12:2; Matthew 7:7-8)

faith

Devotional for April 8

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

The Narrow Way

5 Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.
6 He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him.
7 He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.
8 O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard:
9 Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.
10 For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
11 Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins.
12 Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. Psalm 66:5-12 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Everyone believes that exercise and healthy eating are necessary for physical fitness, but belief alone is not enough. Fitness comes only to those who practice what they believe, and so it is with the things of the spirit as well. Faith is the practice of what we believe. We are called to live by faith and depend on the grace of God to press toward the call heavenward in Christ Jesus. Now faith is the evidence of our hope in the promises of God. Turn from lessor things and seek God. He has promised to make himself known to those who hunger and thirst for His righteousness. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Can anything in life be more important than knowing Him? Stop demanding a burning bush, a light brighter than the sun, or to put your hand into His side. Believe the gospel, enter into it by faith, and expect to be strengthened by grace. (Exodus 3:1-6; Acts 26:8-29; John 20:24-29; Hebrews 11:1-6; Hebrews 13:9; Matthew 5:6; Psalm 81:10; James 2:15-19; Hebrews 10:38; James 1:2-4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 2:20; Hebrews 13:5; John 14:1-7; Matthew 28:19-20)

Today’s Bible Reading

Leviticus 11-12; Psalms 13-14

Proverbs 26; 1 Thessalonians 5

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread; Open the eyes of my faith, that I may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer

faith

Devotional for April 6

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

For God Alone My Soul Waits

5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.
7 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
9 Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.
10 Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
11 God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.
12 Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work. Psalm 62:5-12 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Diet and exercise are but means to an end. Pray for the means, have faith in God, and patiently endure while putting in the work. This is the solution for 99% of all problems. The remaining 1% will require a miracle outside of the elementary principles of the world. Miracles are meant to be the exceptions, not the general rule. Be it diet and exercise, a piece of wood thrown into the water, a bronze serpent raised on a pole, or a bandage laced with figs, have faith in God the source of all power. Everything else is just the means. (Psalm 14:2; Habakkuk 1:15-2:4; Psalm 62:11; Mark 11:22-24; Hebrews 10:35-39; Proverbs 23:23-26; Hebrews 1:1-3, 11:1-6; Galatians 4:9; Mark 10:24; Psalm 9:9-11; Exodus 15:22-26; Numbers 21:4-9; 2 Kings 20:1-7; Psalm 90:17; 2 Thessalonians 3:10; Psalm 44:1-8)

Today’s Bible Reading

Leviticus 9; Psalms 10

Proverbs 24; 1 Thessalonians 3

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give me this bread, that he may live in me, and I in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer

faith

Devotional for April 4

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Jesus is Lord

1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. Psalm 100:1-5 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Age is much more than just a number. The perfect age has less to do with the number of years and all to do with being old enough for the vain desires of youth to have passed away while still being young enough to pursue what is really important in life. Work hard, recover well, and grow stronger. The maxim “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” is a half-truth. It is just as likely that what doesn’t kill you will actually leave you weaker. It’s only what you can recover from that actually makes you stronger. Falling down, distractions, detours, obstacles, and other such things are common to every journey. Such pitfalls often take us by surprise, but nothing surprises God. Set your affections on the things above and He will keep you in perfect peace through both seasons of ease and difficulties. (Proverbs 29:15; Proverbs 22:6; Ecclesiastes 4:13; Proverbs 24:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:3; 1 Peter 4:12; Philippians 4:10-13, 3:13-14; Revelation 3:14-22; John 16:33; 1 John 5:4; Isaiah 26:3; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

Today’s Bible Reading

Leviticus 7; Psalms 7-8

Proverbs 22; 1 Thessalonians 1

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give me this bread, that he may live in me, and I in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer

faith

Devotional for April 3

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Trust God

18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.
22 Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee. Psalm 33:18-22 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Willingly suffer the soreness that comes from time to time from lifting weights and working out. By such the body is hardened and the mind is strengthened. We must also be willing to suffer the testing of our faith to strengthen us spiritually. What God has worked in, we are to work out. Salvation through Jesus Christ releases us from bondage to sin and gives us the power to live for God. The freedom that comes from our salvation is not to be used as license to continue to practice those things that lead only to death though. Rather, we are to make the fear of the Lord our rule, which is to love truth and hate every false way. This is a safeguard as we learn to live in the righteousness purchased for us by Jesus Christ. Testing and cleaning up after the ox is not fun. The maxim “no pain, no gain” applies to both. It is by testing we are made strong. (Matthew 11:28-30; Proverbs 14:4; John 15:14-16; Philippians 2:12-13; 1 Peter 2:1-5; Romans 6:11-14; 1 Peter 4:12-13; Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 1:15-23; Psalm 18:29-35; Revelation 22:21)

Today’s Bible Reading

Leviticus 6; Psalms 5-6

Proverbs 21; Colossians 4

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give me this bread, that he may live in me, and I in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer