Tag: encouragement

faith

Devotional for December 29

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

I Love You, O Lord

1 I will love thee, O Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
31 For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God?
32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. Psalm 18:1-2, 31-32 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

A life of too much comfort and ease will tarnish the golden years with weakness. This weakness starts with small things. Watch yourself as you watch popular entertainment. Beware of the influence of social media. By accident or design, they tend to conform us to ungodly ways of thinking and kindle ungodly desires within us. The popular culture of our day is a tool of the thief that comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. The man-made light coming from big and small screens conditions the mind little by little unless the heart is diligently guarded against it. Anything that dishonors God, or contradicts the word of God as written in the Holy Bible, is to be rejected. Do not be deceived. The pursuit of happiness for its own sake is as vain as a dog chasing its own tail. Life is more than having a good time. A good life is more than what we eat, more than what we do, more than what we wear, more than what we have, more than where we go, more than where we live, and more than who we are with. The good life is made possible only by allowing the manifold grace of God to shine forth into all of our life. Without knowing Jesus Christ, life is just a bubble waiting to burst. Seek to know Him better, because the single most important thing in this life is a personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is alive and we can know Him. Thus are we commanded: “Be still and know that I am God.”

Today’s Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 34; Revelation 20

Malachi 2; John 19

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

Almighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born of a pure virgin: Grant that I, who have been born again and made your child by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through my Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen. Book of Common Prayer

faith

Devotional for December 8

Bruce Coleman2 Comments

The Lord Upholds the Righteous

10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the Lord upholdeth the righteous. Psalm 37:10-17 (KJV)

Morning Exhortation

The only true set back is to quit. Everything else, distractions, detours, and obstacles are common to every journey. Being able to give thanks and praise to God locates you spiritually, as surely as longitude and latitude pin points your location physically. Those who find no gratitude in the past are often tempted to lose hope for the future. Learn to live in the will and not in the emotions. Take no counsel from your faithless feelings that would rage like an unruly little child. Such flaming darts take advantage of difficult external circumstances, internal aches of the body, or mental fatigue of the mind. We do well to remember the command of our Lord to possess our soul in patience, and wait on the Lord to calm the seas without and the unruly child within. Temporary circumstances, aches, and fatigue in no way alter the truth of God. Sing praises to God when the winds are favorable, and pull out the oars and row, row, row with praises to God when they’re not. Disruptions caused by the unexpected are to be expected. The destination is only reached by making adjustments whenever needed to stay on course. Be steady and always pray for the needed grace to remain in the center of God’s will.

Today’s Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 8; 3 John 1

Habakkuk 3; Luke 22

The Prayer Appointed for This Week from the Book of Common Prayer

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory now and for ever. Amen.