Tag: hope

faith

Devotional for June 28

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Quote by Bruce Coleman: "Being ready is by far more important than being concerned about when opportunity will knock."

Rejoice In the Name of the Lord

5 And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.
6 For who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord?
7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.
8 O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?
14 Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.
16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
17 For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted. Psalm 89:5-8, 14-17 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

When time and circumstances converge to create an opportune moment, where will you be? When the bell rings, will you still be in a daze on the sofa in front of the TV? When your ship comes in, will you be up early in the morning standing on the dock with your bags packed and boarding pass in hand? The unprepared are always overly concerned about the question of when. Prepare your field, then you will be ready to build your house when the time is right. Being ready is by far more important than being concerned about when opportunity will knock. (Proverbs 24:27, 10:4-5; Acts 1:6-7; Matthew 24:37-39; Romans 2:4; Proverbs 6:6-11; Matthew 3:4-12; Psalm 95:6-11, 19:7-11; Acts 19:11-16; Matthew 7:21-23, 25:1-13; James 4:5-10; Romans 13:11; 1 John 5:20-21)

faith

Devotional for June 17

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Trust in the Name of the Lord Our God

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 33:16-31 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Words without wisdom are worthless, thoughts without faith are deceitful, and actions without love are vain. Sooner or later every believer will reach a point where he or she must take a leap of faith. God will bring you to a point where the only choice is to either shrink back in unbelief, or push ahead and stretch past the present limits of your tiny belief muscles. Do not think this strange. Do not think you are unique. Even our Lord Jesus Christ was tested in the wilderness. Let our mutual faith be an encouragement to each other. Practice the faith as you have been taught and let go of fear. Rely on the love God has for us. God is faithful. He will not allow us to be tested beyond our ability to endure. (Proverbs 14:7; James 3:13-18; Proverbs 2:6-9; Matthew 4:1-11; 1 Peter 4:12-13; 2 Corinthians 11:3; Romans 1:11-12; Luke 8:4-15; 1 Corinthians 10:13; 1 John 4:16-19; 1 Peter 5:7-11)

faith

Devotional for May 2

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

God is All Knowing, All Powerful, and All Good

139 O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. Psalm 139:1-10 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

When the cares of this life are pressing you down, use the saints’ favorite home remedy for relief. Force yourself to count your blessings. When gratitude turns into thanksgiving and praise to the Lord, the rain will have ceased and the clouds will part. We may sometimes lack comfort and ease, but the one who has the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit already has the highest possible good there ever has been, is now, and ever will be. (Isaiah 51:12-13, 41:9-10; 2 Peter 1:3; Ecclesiastes 8:4; Psalm 42:5-6; Romans 8:32-39; Hebrews 13:15-16; Psalm 100:4, 147:1; Ephesians 6:10-18; Psalm 136:1-3; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

Today’s Bible Reading

Numbers 9; Psalms 45

Song of Solomon 7; Hebrews 7

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

I thank you, heavenly Father, that you have delivered me from the dominion of sin and death and brought me into the kingdom of your Son; and I pray that, as by his death he has recalled me to life, so by his love he may raise me to eternal joys; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer

faith

Devotional for April 11

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

The Soul Longs for the Lord

1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.
5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.
7 Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.
11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. Psalm 42:1-7,11 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Focus on doing what you can with what you have, and what you can’t do or don’t have, will become less and less important. Good enough executed right now is better than perfection executed too late. Procrastination gives birth to a complacency well known to miss every opportune moment. Don’t despise small beginnings and slow progress as long as you are moving forward in the right direction. One small step of faith taken today and tomorrow consistently will over time change everything. (Hebrews 13:9; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Matthew 7:15-20; Galatians 6:7; Isaiah 32:6; Psalm 17:11-15; Zechariah 4:10; 2 Chronicles 16:9; James 4:1-10; 2 Chronicles 7:14; 2 Peter 1:2-9; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12; 1 Corinthians 13:13; 2 Peter 3:17-18)

Today’s Bible Reading

Leviticus 15; Psalms 18

Proverbs 29; 2 Thessalonians 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 January 11

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

The Lord is My Strength and My Defense

8 It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.
10 All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them.
11 They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
12 They compassed me about like bees: they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
13 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.
15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly.
16 The right hand of the Lord is exalted: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly. Psalm 118:8-16 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

First seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness in all things. Stay on the narrow way that leads to eternal life. Keep to the fundamentals of good health, and fitness will improve steadily. Put away all that weakens and fight the good fight of the faith against the inner tempter. Practice denying self rather than giving into its emotionally charged appeals to gratify every desire. Pick up your cross daily by refusing to live by the burger king’s maxim to do things your own way. Follow Jesus by doing all to the glory of God, and all that is necessary will be added to you. 

Today’s Bible Reading

Genesis 12; Matthew 11

Nehemiah 1; Acts 11

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into His Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer

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.