faith

Devotional for March 29

March 29, 2024 Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

O God of Our Salvation

1 Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.
2 O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.
3 Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.
4 Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.
5 By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea:
6 Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power:
7 Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.
8 They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.
9 Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it. Psalm 65:1-9 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Distance to the destination doesn’t really matter when you can enjoy every step of the way. God is always in-charge. It’s easy to sit down and throw a pity party when things aren’t going your way. Life being full of ups and downs is such a common experience that it hardly needs to be stated. There will be days when you move forward with smashing through to a new personal best, just as there will be other days that set you a few steps back. Such is the pulse of life. Happiness comes from trusting the Lord through it all. Don’t anchor your consistency to feelings which change like the wind. The time will surely come when the wind is contrary. Be ready to put out the oars when necessary and go to work, holding onto the hope set forth in the Gospel. Be willing to love. Choose faith. Live in the light. Walk in the Spirit. This is the will of God for all who are called to be in Christ Jesus. (Isaiah 52:7; Psalm 30:4-5; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Luke 9:62; John 16:33; Matthew 5:13-16; Philippians 2:14-16; Romans 8:28; 1 John 5:4-5; 1 Corinthians 16:13-14; Romans 8:35-39, 16:25-27)

Today’s Bible Reading

Exodus 40; John 19

Proverbs 16; Philippians 3

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring us again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer

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Devotional for March 28

March 28, 2024 Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Trust in the Lord

13 For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.
14 But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God.
15 My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
16 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake.
19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!
20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.
21 Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city. Psalm 31:13-16, 19-21 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Healing balm in the hand is useless as long as the mind is preoccupated with dis-ease producing thoughts. We all have to learn to deal with doubts, worries, fears, negativity, lust, pride, and plenty of other such unprofitable thoughts. This is where all error of the heart begins. Unchecked unprofitable thoughts breed only unwanted emotions and unprofitable behaviors. Stop the downward spiritual by rejecting all such thoughts as soon as you become aware of them. Cast down and reject faithless thoughts and imaginations. Do NOT accept such thoughts by allowing them to run amuck and pull on the heart strings as they please. Such thoughts are NOT inspired by God. Refocus on right things by meditating of the Word of God. If the same unwanted thoughts keep returning and you can no longer continue the fight, admit your helplessness. Awaken the Lord. Pray and ask for the grace to be still. He is merciful and He will quiet the storm for you. (Psalm 10:4; 58:3; Matthew 12:43-45; Hebrews 3:10; Isaiah 55:7; Mark 4:37-41; Isaiah 50:10-11; Psalm 81:10-14, Hebrews 4:12, 11:3; Psalm 1:1-3; 2 Corinthians 10:4-5; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; Hebrews 11:6; Isaiah 26:3; Philippians 4:8-9)

Today’s Bible Reading

Exodus 39; John 18

Proverbs 15; Philippians 2

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

faith

Devotional for March 27

March 27, 2024 Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Know the Lord

5 Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high,
6 Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!
7 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;
8 That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.
9 He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord. Psalm 113:5-9 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

What we want and what we need are not always the same things. Trust God and you may not have what you want, but you will always have what you need. Waste no time crying over the luxuries you lack. Doing so only distracts from the very opportunity God provides to help you move forward. Sometimes the providence of God is like the mother eagle deliberately making the nest uncomfortable for the eaglets so that they mature and take to the sky. Pray and go to work. Some things work better than others, but nothing works unless you do. (Deuteronomy 32:9-12; Numbers 14:2-3; Exodus 14:15-16; Hebrews 3:7-19, 4:11-16; Isaiah 40:28-31; Proverbs 26:10-15; Hebrews 6:7-12; 1 Corinthians 5:7-8; Philippians 2:14-16; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Ephesians 3:20-21)

Today’s Bible Reading

Exodus 38; John 17

Proverbs 14; Philippians 1

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

faith

Devotional for March 25

March 25, 2024 Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

God Is the Restorer Of My Soul

1 In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.
2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
3 Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.
4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
5 For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth.
6 By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee. Psalm 71:1-6 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Pray for the means and the ends will take care of themselves. Set end goals in accordance to whether or not they glorify God. Let your motives for everything be for the love of God and doing what is pleasing to Him. The life hidden in Christ has Christ reigning as Lord and Master of the heart. Let the truth of God be our standard and rule for discerning right and wrong. Faith in the Word, prayer, and the grace of God are the means by which we bear the fruit of the Spirit. Such fruit produces all manner of good of works in the world that God predestinated us to do before the world began. There is no better news than the Gospel. (James 4:1-8; Matthew 6:27-34; John 15:1-8; Galatians 5:19-24; Matthew 16:24-26; Colossians 3:1-17; Ephesians 1:3-6, 2:10; Psalm 96:7-13)

Today’s Bible Reading

Exodus 36; John 15

Proverbs 12; Ephesians 5

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

faith

Devotional for March 19

March 19, 2024 Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Our Promise for the Sure Mercies of David

89 I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.
3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah. Psalm 89:1-4 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Faith is spiritual muscle. Even the things of the natural world teach us that everything which is seen comes from what is unseen. The masterpiece cannot be seen on the blank canvas. The priceless work of art cannot be seen within the block of marble. The corn cannot be seen in the kernel of grain, and the fully grown adult cannot be seen in the baby. Only in the eyes of the artist, the sculptor, the farmer, and the Creator is that which is unseen commanded to come forth. Birth pains are sure to come, but don’t abort the vision. The journey of 1000 steps will never be reached if one turns back after taking only 999. (Hebrews 11:1-3; Proverbs 29:18; Hebrews 4:12; John 12:20-26; Hebrews 10:36-39, 4:2; Mark 4:24-32; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11)

Today’s Bible Reading

Exodus 30; John 9

Proverbs 6; Galatians 5

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant me the fullness of your grace, that I, running to obtain your promises, may become a partaker of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer

faith

Devotional for March 18

March 18, 2024 Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Remember thy God

63 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
2 To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.
3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.
5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:
6 When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.
7 Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. Psalm 63:1-7 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Wisdom teaches that the means are just as important as the ends. Remember to fight the good fight of faith. The world is full of distractions that if not guarded against will cause us to forget. Both sunshine and rain are given and allowed by God to make us stronger, but we must cooperate and engage in the battle. Stop wrestling with God and start resisting all that is contrary to His holiness. Be not like the seed sowed in the rocky soil, which had little roots. Neither be the hare that takes the shortcut to a free lunch, and ends up as the main course in the trapper’s stew. Much better to be like the tortoise that takes the straight path of consistent hard work, and in time has a sure reward. The value of reaching any great height comes from the patience and endurance it takes to reach it. The longer and harder the struggle, the greater and sweeter the victory. Press on. Victory awaits. (Luke 8:4-15; Hebrews 10:36; Proverbs 20:21; James 1:2-6; James 4:7; 1 John 5:4;1 Timothy 6:12; Philippians 3:12-14; 1 Corinthians 15:51-58; 2 Timothy 4:7-8)

Today’s Bible Reading

Exodus 29; John 8

Proverbs 5; Galatians 4

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

faith

Devotional for March 15

March 15, 2024 Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Blessed Be the Lord, the God of Our Salvation

7 O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah:
8 The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.
10 Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.
17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.
18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.
19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.
20 He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death. Psalm 68:7-10, 17-20 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

The power of a laser comes from a single point of focus. The hungry cat that runs into the middle of the heard and gets distracted by every darting beast, is likely to remain hungry. Multitasking is for amateurs. To reach the heights of whatever mountain you want to climb requires the ability to focus. Use some horse sense, put on your blinders, and go to work. Distraction is a favorite tactic of the enemy to get you focused on what you see, and thereby upset the divine order of faith first then feelings. To remain firm, our thoughts must be continually refocused on faith in God rather than on what we see, what we imagine, and how we feel. To allow your thoughts to be tossed about by faithless feelings based on current circumstances, is to build on shifting sand. Stand firm in faith by depending on wisdom, the word of God, and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let feelings be what they may. Make no requirement that feelings always be good and you will be free. (Hebrews 11:1-6; Matthew 7:24-29; Luke 9:61-62; Hebrews 10:38-39; John 8:31-32; James 1: 2-8; 2 Corinthians 11:2-3; Galatians 5:7-8; James 1:12-18; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6; 1 Peter 5:6-11)

Today’s Bible Reading

Exodus 26; John 5

Proverbs 2; Galatians 1

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

faith

Devotional for March 14

March 14, 2024 Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Teach Us To Number Our Days

1 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
3 Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.
12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90:1-4, 10-12 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Only God knows the end from the beginning, and sometimes it’s hard for us to see even the next step. Simply start with the determination to push through difficulties, and resolve to stick with it to the end. Sooner or later we all come to a point where we must stop wrestling for control of what we can’t control, and simply hold on in faith. This is how Jacob prevailed, and this is how we overcome the world. (1 John 5:4; Mark 11:22; Proverbs 3:5-8; Ecclesiastes 11:6; Proverbs 3:27; Galatians 6:7; Genesis 32:24-31; John 4:6-30, 39-42; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

Today’s Bible Reading

Exodus 25; John 4

Proverbs1; 2 Corinthians 13

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant that I, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear my cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer

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Devotional for March 12

March 12, 2024 Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Great Are the Works of the Lord

111 The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
3 His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
4 He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
5 He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.
6 He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.
7 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.
8 They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.
9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name. Psalm 111:2-9 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

The path of love and faithfulness always leads to God. The peace this world gives depends on the favorable winds of circumstance. It may last only a season and can be lost in an instant. Very different is the perfect peace our Lord Jesus Christ displayed throughout the four gospels. He was never worried, never bothered, never flustered, and never hurried. “My peace,” said Jesus, “I leave with you.” His perfect peace is such a precious gift in this world filled with volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. The peace of God requires simplicity, not favorable circumstances. Just as multi-tasking is an enemy of excellence, so multi-concerning about many things all at once is an enemy of inner peace. Let the hurricanes, earthquakes, and firestorms pass you by. Listen and obey. The ears of the spirit function by faith. Listen for that small quiet voice saying, “be still and know that I am God.” Be still and know that God is with you. (Isaiah 26:3; John 14:27; Psalm 46:10, 57:5, 94:19, 23:1-6; Philippians 4:4-9)

Today’s Bible Reading

Exodus 23; John 2

Job 41; 2 Corinthians 11

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

faith

Devotional for March 11

March 11, 2024 Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

God is My Strength and Portion Forever

73 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.
22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.
28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works. Psalm 73:1-3, 21-28 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Patience sometimes requires the eyes to be taken off the desired results and re-focused on the proper execution of the process. Stand firm. Let not the passing rain dampen your feelings. Life would be extremely boring if we knew all the details from beginning to end. It is enough to have the sure hope of everything working out for good for those who love the Lord. He who called you is faithful, and He will complete the new creation He began in you when you were born again. God will surely make of you a fully mature Christian soldier. Be attentive and take these commands: Submit all to God and resist the devil; Watch and Pray. (Ephesians 2:1-10; Philippians 2:13; Hebrews 11:6; Philippians 1:6; 2 Timothy 2:3-7; James 4:7; Mark 13:31-37)

Today’s Bible Reading

Exodus 22; John 1

Job 40; 2 Corinthians 10