Tag: jesus

faith

Devotional for February 26

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

My Help Comes From the Lord

121 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. Psalm 121 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Spontaneous thoughts may be spiritual. The human spirit can be influenced by both good and evil. A flaming arrow shot from the shadows is a predictable tactic of the enemy of our soul. By suggesting one wrong thought, feelings are ignited that cause a cascade of similar thoughts that lead the mind away from God. The enemy knows that as long as he remains hidden he will not be resisted. Be on guard and watch over your inner dialog. Do not cast away your confidence in God, for He will never fail you. Rather cast away the faithless thoughts the enemy slings your way. Submit to God and live victorious. (Luke 9:53-55; Proverbs 20:27; 2 Corinthians 10:4-6; Ephesians 616; James 4:7; Hebrews 13:5; 1 Peter 5:6-11)

Today’s Bible Reading

Exodus 9; Luke 12

Job 27; 1 Corinthians 13

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing; Send your Holy Spirit and pour into my heart your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son Jesus Christ, 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 February 25

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

God Listens to My Prayer

16 Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.
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 66:16-20  (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Thinking right is always the next step along the beach of righteousness. Vain thoughts are often the cause of stumbling. Ignoring the aliment is the same as refusing the treatment. Consider a mature faith to be like a sea-washed lighthouse, anchored on the Rock, firmly withstanding the ebb and flow of life. The tides of life change from high to low, going in and going out. This will sometimes cause training, diet, wellbeing, and even the best laid plans to be fractured. This is common to all, but refuse to allow what you can’t do right now to stop you from doing what you can. Remember that even a few loaves and a couple of small fish are enough to feed a multitude with God. The grace of God is more than sufficient for all things, but be sure you are not just seeking to do your own will and asking God to supply His power just to help you get your own thing done. Deny self, pick up your cross daily, and follow Jesus. Pray to the Lord of the harvest to conform your will to His, and then go to work with gusto to glorify our God.  

Today’s Bible Reading

Exodus 8; Luke 11

Job 25-26; 1 Corinthians 12

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing; Send your Holy Spirit and pour into my heart your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son Jesus Christ, 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 February 23

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Show Us, O Lord, the Light of Your Countenance

80 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.
2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us.
3 Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. Psalm 80:1-3 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

A championship physique is balanced. The exercise you avoid because you don’t like it points to your weakness. Prioritize your weak body parts, or your strong ones will create your greatest weakness. Over reliance on that which is dominate weakens the whole. And if your greatest strength fills you with self-reliance and pride, rather than thanksgiving and praise, it will become your greatest hinderance.   

Today’s Bible Reading

Exodus 6; Luke 9

Job 23; 1 Corinthians 10

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing; Send your Holy Spirit and pour into my heart your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son Jesus Christ, 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 February 22

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Happy Are the People of Whom This Is So

9 I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.
10 It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword.
11 Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood:
12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:
13 That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets:
14 That our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets.
15 Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord. Psalm 144:9-15 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

The one who wants to build big guns, steal buns, and a flat gut is wise to first seek to build a healthy lifestyle. By focusing on good health, the big guns, steel buns, and a flat gut will come quicker and last longer. The truth found in the Scriptures is crystal clear that all such things are not what make life worth living though. We are to first seek a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and then everything needful will be added. (Proverbs 24:5; Luke 12:15; Matthew 6:28-33; 1 Timothy 4:8; Matthew 23:23)

Today’s Bible Reading

Exodus 5; Luke 8

Job 22; 1 Corinthians 9

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing; Send your Holy Spirit and pour into my heart your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son Jesus Christ, 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 February 21

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Praise the Lord for His Goodness

23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
24 These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.
25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end.
28 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
31 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. Psalm 107:23-32 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

We all want to be happy and loved. Therefore, the common theme of advertisements are the use of sexy, cool, and happy looking people to influence us to buy things we really don’t need. We are all susceptible, but youth are especially prone to be reckless behaviors, because the foolishness of sin is easily overlooked when its consequences are delayed and death seems so far away. Believe the truth of the gospel if you want to be free. There is no need to become super muscular, flawlessly beautiful, filthy rich, or anything else to be happy and loved. Great is the love God has for us. There is no way back for the fallen angels, but Jesus’ death on the Cross is proof of the extent of God’s love for us. (Ecclesiastes 8:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:10; 2 Peter 2:3-6; John 3:14-17)

Today’s Bible Reading

Exodus 4; Luke 7

Job 21; 1 Corinthians 8

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept my prayers; and because in my weakness I can do nothing good without you, give me the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments I may please you in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer

faith

Devotional for February 20

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

I Will

5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.
6 The Lord preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me.
7 Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.
8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
9 I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. Psalm 116:5-9 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Some days will be nice and easy, others will be rough and tough. Push hard when you feel strong, ease up when you don’t. Rest when you must, but never quit doing what is right whether you feel like it or not. Doing what is right is always a matter of faith, never feeling. Feelings result from sight, but faith results from willful obedience to the word of God. Hold to the narrow path that leads to eternal life. The selfish pursuit of happiness leads only to moral decay and much suffering. There is no lasting happiness apart from the pursuit of the Lord and His righteousness. Let us be diligent to do what pleases God, and happiness will follow. Happiness is a fruit found on the branch rooted in the love of God, as are the other fruits of the Spirit such as contentment, gratitude, and peace. Even the elementary principles of this world affirm this teaching of Jesus Christ our Lord: good fruit comes only from a good tree. Not that we can make ourselves good by our own efforts. This impossible work has to be done for us by God and requires our consent and submission. Pray and God grant us the grace to do our part. (Matthew 6:31-33, 12:33-35; John 15:1-11)

Today’s Bible Reading

Exodus 3; Luke 6

Job 20; 1 Corinthians 7

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept my prayers; and because in my weakness I can do nothing good without you, give me the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments I may please you in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. The Book of Common Prayer

faith

Devotional for February 18

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Give Thanks

10 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. Psalm 51:11-14 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Be quick to eliminate worry, hurry, and fear  by the exercise of your faith. God is able work out all things for good for those who love Him. God certainly doesn’t approve of everything in this corrupt world of ours, but whatever He allows to happen He weaves into His divine plan for our salvation (Romans 8:28). There is liberty in that profound truth for all who can accept it. The fact that life seems to be getting more complicated every day hardly needs to be stated. The great robber of our peace comes from worrying about the multitude of things we cannot possibly control. We surely grieve the Holy Spirit with our discontentment caused by unbelief. Rather than worry, fret, murmur, fear, or be discouraged, pray for the needed grace to hold onto the one needful thing of trusting God. Visualize worry and fear rolling off your mind like water off the back of a duck. Otherwise, worry becomes a burden that makes us too heavy to fly and too tired to swim. Enter into the rest of the Lord by faith. Let your one desire be for Christ to dwell in your heart, and He will take care of all the multitude of other needful things. Things are just tools in the hands of God. Don’t give glory to the axe, the saw, or the rod. They are just tools. Give glory to our God who swings, cuts, and shakes them all (Psalm 62:11; Isaiah 10:15; 1 Chronicles 16:28-34; Psalm 29:2, 46:10; 1 John 5:21). 

Today’s Bible Reading

Exodus 1; Luke 4

Job 18; 1 Corinthians 5

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept my prayers; and because in my weakness I can do nothing good without you, give me the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments I may please you in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. The Book of Common Prayer

faith

Devotional for February 17

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Give Thanks

20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
21 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. Psalm 107:20-22 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Understand who we are called to be by God. Be obedient to the sweet heavenly vision given to us in Christ Jesus. Know this as well: our motivation to be conformed to the image of Christ will always be hindered by the measure of belief you yield to all the naysayers around you. Righteousness starts with believing God. This is how all our elders recorded in the Bible obtained a good report. Believe that there is an inheritance keep for us in heaven, and that God will surely keep us here on earth for our heavenly reward. Believe God. God alone is completely trustworthy. Therefore, we can trust that what He commands He will also enable us to do. By faith believe Almighty God has created you anew in Christ Jesus even before you see or feel any evidence of it. Fan your faith until you catch fire, and be all that God means for you to be. (Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Philippians 2:13)

Today’s Bible Reading

Genesis 50; Luke 3

Job 16:-17; 1 Corinthians 4

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept my prayers; and because in my weakness I can do nothing good without you, give me the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments I may please you in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. The Book of Common Prayer

faith

Devotional for February 15

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

The Willing People

1 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
2 The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
4 The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. Psalm 110:1-4 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Only those who have experienced weakness ever learn to truly appreciate strength. Long periods of uninterrupted strength, beauty, sunshine, and the like are easily taken for granted until they are taken away. Too much ease and comfort are the enemies of progress. Growth requires a willingness to step outside of the ease and comfort zones in order to reach higher and dig deeper. This is a requirement for physical progress just as it is for growth in the Christian life. The way higher up in the spiritual life is lower down in humbleness of soul (John 3:26-30). Submit yourself to God. Choose to be conformed to Jesus Christ, who humbled himself and suffered death on the Cross to do the will of the Father. God, who did not spare His only Begotten Son, will certainly do the necessary work in your heart that only He can do. We are responsible for the choice of asking for it in faith, and God is responsible for the result. Our part is to trust God, and God’s part is always everything else. God alone is forever faithful and completely trustworthy. Happy is the one who trusts God to be God. 

Today’s Bible Reading

Genesis 48; Luke 1:39-80

Job 14; 1 Corinthians 2

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept my prayers; and because in my weakness I can do nothing good without you, give me the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments I may please you in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. The Book of Common Prayer

faith

Devotional for February 14

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Let Us Praise the Name of the Lord

7 Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:
8 Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word:
9 Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:
10 Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:
11 Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth:
12 Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.
14 He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the Lord. Psalm 148:7-15 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Hardly anyone ever thinks they have too much money, too much strength, too much beauty, or too much influence. These things are desirable, but to pursue them for their own sake is like vainly pouring more and more water into a broken container. The end result is a life filled with less and less satisfaction. On the other hand, the pursuit of God and righteousness through Jesus Christ leads to ever increasing satisfaction. Just how satisfied a soul can become from drinking deep of the living water no one really knows; for the triune God of all creation is like a boundless sea of infinite depth. Have faith in God. Faith is believing the great and precious promises of the holy Scriptures (John 7:37-39; Ephesians 3:14-21).

Today’s Bible Reading

Genesis 47; Luke 1:1-38

Job 13; 1 Corinthians 1

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

Set me free, O God, from the bondage of my sins, and give me the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to me in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.  The Book of Common Prayer