Tag: faith

faith

Devotional for December 25

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Shout with Joy to the Lord!

98 O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.
2 The Lord hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.
3 He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
4 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.
5 Sing unto the Lord with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.
6 With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the Lord, the King.
7 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
8 Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together
9 Before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity. Psalm 98 (KJV)

Morning Exhortation

Jesus Christ is beauty without end. He is Lord, Immanuel, King, Savior, God, Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace, the Captain of Salvation, Head Over All, Teacher, Friend, Brother, Husband, Bread of Life, Water of Life, Holy One of God, All and All, Word of Life, the Resurrection and Life, the Good Shepherd, the Gate and Way to Salvation, Truth, Light, my Strength, Keeper of my Soul, the True Vine, my Shield and Reward, my Hope, my Salvation, my Rock, my Heart, the Pearl of Great Price, the Bringer of Life, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Faithful and True, the Alpha and the Omega, before Whom every knee shall bow, and every mouth shall confess that JESUS IS LORD!

Today’s Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 30; Revelation 16

Zechariah 12-13:1; John 15

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

Almighty and everlasting God, increase in me the gifts of faith, hope, and love; and, that I may obtain what you promise, make me love what you command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

faith

Devotional for December 24

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

The Lord of Hosts Is with Us

4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.
6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Psalm 46:4-7 (KJV)

Morning Exhortation

Some days will be tough. Some days it will be hard to get started. Some days you may not feel like doing anything. Feeling good is like running with a strong tailwind pushing you forward. Fatigue is like a strong headwind that makes every little step difficult. We all sometimes get tired and feel like doing nothing. Let such contrary feelings be your que to take a knee and face inward toward God. Remember that God never changes. Faith doesn’t depend on how we feel. Seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness is the first of all prerequisites. Rejoice and praise Him for His wonderful goodness especially in the mist of circumstances that are less than idea. Less than idea only means less than comfortable for us, because everything is always comfortably under the control of God. He has promised to work out all things for our good. Take the uncomfortable, inconvenient, and the painful while holding on to the faith that knows God will somehow work it out for good. Therefore, take whatever God allows without complaining, whining, or feeling sorry for yourself. Pick up your cross daily and follow Jesus. Such wisdom is what allowed the saints of old to safely pass through any fire, to always stand up after being knocked down, and able to bear unbearable burdens. The peace of the Lord is the very eye of every storm. In the mist of fatigue, worry, and agitation, turn to the Lord and be still. Rest in His peace. Learning to be at peace in the mist of all the stormy circumstances of life prepares us well for every good work.

Today’s Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 29; Revelation 15

Zechariah 11; John 14

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

Almighty and everlasting God, increase in me the gifts of faith, hope, and love; and, that I may obtain what you promise, make me love what you command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

faith

Devotional for December 22

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

He Holds Our Souls in Life

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.
13 I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows,
17 I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.
18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
19 But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me. Psalm 66:8-13, 17-20 (KJV)

Morning Exhortation

Hope is the fuel that keeps the candle of the spirit shining bright in the soul. Hope is a firm conviction that future grace and mercy will be. Difficulties and troubles are common in this world, and hope makes it possible to bear and pass through them all. Stand firm then, with faith and love as your body armor, hope as your helmet of salvation, and keep your right hand in the hand of Almighty God. Be strong.

Today’s Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 26; Revelation 13

Zechariah 9; John 12

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

Almighty and everlasting God, increase in me the gifts of faith, hope, and love; and, that I may obtain what you promise, make me love what you command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

faith

Devotional for December 20

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

The Eye of the Lord is Upon Those Who Fear Him

13 The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.
14 From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
15 He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.
16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.
17 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.
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 33:13-22 (KJV)

Morning Exhortation

Exercise is important, but do we perfect the body for personal pride, the adoration of women, and the praise of men? May God forbid. Just as the Lord had need of the donkey, we have need of the body in this life. We are in the world, but we are not of the world. Therefore, we are commanded by God not to be conformed to it. Each of us is to present the body as a living sacrifice set apart as a chosen vessel in the service of the Lord. The Lord is our shepherd. Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart. If we believe that He does not speak to us, we call Him a liar. God forbid we do this just because there has always been those who falsely claimed to have heard Him speak. This fact in no way invalidates the Scriptures about the Good Shepherd speaking to His sheep. How can we hear if we don’t believe He speaks? There are many strange voices in the world today to be sure. Some say do this, some say do that, some say live like this, and some say live like that. We all need to decide who we are going to trust. First choose to believe the Word of God. Next hold on by faith through the testing of it, and the assurance of knowing that we know Him who is Faithful and True comes later. This is the divine order. We come to know the voice of people close to us by the character, quality, and tone of his or her voice. We come to know the Lord in just the same way.

Today’s Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 24; Revelation 11

Zechariah 7; John 10

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

Purify my conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in me a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and fore ever. Amen.

faith

Devotional for December 19

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Who Can Stand in His Holy Place

24 The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. Psalm 24:1-6 (KJV)

Morning Exhortation

Some may be helped by being told how to eat better and how to exercise properly. Many more are likely to be helped by following a living example of how to eat and how to exercise. Talk without action really is cheap. Few will hear unless the talk is also seen in the walk. If this be true with things that are easily seen like diet and exercise, how much more so is it true for the unseen things of God that we profess to believe. We come to know the only true God through the Holy Scriptures, and faith must precede understanding. Truth in the inward parts is meant to be a like a lit candle set on a candlestick for all to see. True light shines through love expressed in deeds. To make love known, it must be made visible through actions. May the love of God in us be seen by all of those around us through all we say and do. In this way, we glorify God through Christ Jesus who loves us and gave Himself for our redemption.

Today’s Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 22-23; Revelation 10

Zechariah 6; John 9

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

Purify my conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in me a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and fore ever. Amen.

faith

Devotional for December 16

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Blessed Be the Name of the Lord

113 Praise ye the Lord. Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord.
2 Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore.
3 From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised.
4 The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.
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 (KJV)

Morning Exhortation

Oil and water don’t mix. The only way to mix two such incompatible substances is for one of them to change. Since God is perfect and does not change, that means we are to come to God as we are and know that we are expected to change. If we come to God half stepping, wanting to follow Jesus while still living to please self, that will not work. The beginning of the necessary total life transformation in Christ doesn’t happen by growth. One can grow in grace, but one cannot grow into grace. Just as a flower in the crack of a sidewalk cannot grow into the flowerbed. It must first be planted in the flowerbed and then it can grow in it. God will grant this grace of being planted in Christ the moment we ask for it and then accept it as fact by faith. Once having done this, the next thing to do is to throw off the old man at once and turn wholeheartedly to the Lord for complete deliverance. Who would buy a house and then allow the seller to retain possession and use of it as if the seller still owned it? No one, and not even a single room would be given over to the seller. Neither does God. We have been bought by the broken body and precious blood of Jesus Christ. Not so we can have the right to do as we please, but rather so that we can be adopted as obedient children of God. Christ freely gave us all. And if we would have Christ, we must freely give Him all. Know that your offering of yourself is accepted by God as soon as you give it. Place your all on the alter before God and take none of it back The transfer of the title deed is done. Accept this now by faith. This is the glorious beginning of experiential gospel. All who call on the name of the Lord, and remain in faith, will in due time attain to the full measure of it.

Today’s Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 18; Revelation 7

Zechariah 3; John 6

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

Purify my conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in me a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and fore ever. Amen.

faith

Devotional for December 15

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Arise, O God

82 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.
2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
5 They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
7 But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.
8 Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations. Psalm 82 (KJV)

Morning Exhortation

Focus makes both light a laser and faith a conqueror. Temptations are thoughts and feelings that distract the focus from some truth as revealed by the Word of God. We cannot walk on water if we focus on the wind and waves rather than our Lord Jesus Christ. Distraction keeps faith small by disconnecting the mind from God by scattering attention. In order to fix our eyes on Jesus, the first thing to do is willingly offer Him your whole being, and then you only need to believe that He accepts you. He has commanded us to deny self, pick up your cross, and follow Him. If we willingly choose to do this, we can be sure the offering will be accepted. Chose God’s way to meet His conditions and He will always fulfil His promises. Jesus Christ is faithful and true. He has given us eternal life and His presence enables us to live out His word. Apart from Jesus we can do nothing but sin, and our own highest good is to do His will. Blessed are all who come to know and do this.

Today’s Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 17; Revelation 6

Zechariah 2; John 5

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

Purify my conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in me a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and fore ever. Amen.

faith

Devotional for December 14

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Power Belongs to God

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 62:5-14 (KJV)

Morning Exhortation

The cares of this life can at times be too heavy a burden to bear as everyone of us sooner or later learns. When you reach the end of your strength to endure, stop fighting, fall down, and cry unto the Lord for mercy. Sometimes the fastest way up is down. We enter into the rest of God only when we stop striving in our own strength. The first step to victory is to enter through the strait gate, which is Jesus Christ. Then do the outside work of denying self, picking up your cross, and following Jesus Christ with a whole hearted submission to the will of God as revealed in the Holy Bible. Getting the fields ready is preparing the heart by uprooting every weed of unbelief and nurturing the good seed of the Word with steadfast faith. Outside renewal grows from the inside, just as wheat grows from the seed within the ground. Knowing all the details about how and when the harvest will come isn’t important. It is enough to know that first comes the blade, then the ear, and then the full corn within the ear. In a like manner, better physical circumstances grow from a spiritual center by faith. Behold, now is the field ready for the bountiful harvest. The harvest is the work of God, and to reap we must dare to believe.

Today’s Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 16; Revelation 5

Zechariah 1; John 4

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.

Daily Writing Prompt

Prayer Moves

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment
Daily writing prompt
What are your favorite physical activities or exercises?
View all responses

After 16 years of starting each day with Bible reading and prayer followed by exercise most every day of the week, my morning prayer and exercise have become more interlaced. My prayer starts on my knees with my face on my mat. Sometimes I’m in this position only a few minutes and sometimes longer. It depends what’s on my heart, but I move into a set routine of flexibility exercises before getting back on my knees for more concentrated prayer. This cycle repeats with different exercises for three iterations. I have found no better way to start the day.

(James 2:26; 1 Corinthians 9:24-25; 1 Thessalonians 4:4; 1 Timothy 4:8; 1 Corinthians 16:13-14)

faith

Devotional for December 6

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Take Delight in the Lord

1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4 Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Psalm 37:1-7 (KJV)

Morning Exhortation

Deciding who you are going to trust is important, because we all must trust something, someone, or self. Blessed are all those who trust in the Lord because the grace of God is the only true power for lasting change. Seek you first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. This is the one sure path to peace, happiness, health, and eternal life.

Today’s Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 6:12-42; 1 John 5

Habakkuk 1; Luke 20

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

Almighty God, give all of us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.