Tag: prayer

faith

Devotional for June 26

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Quote by Bruce Coleman: "It is not the greatness of the work that pleases God. It's the spirit in which the work is done."

Rest in the Lord

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 62:5-12 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Everybody in the world is ready to be rich, beautiful, and famous. Anyone who asks God to fulfill any such selfish ambitions will be greatly disappointed. We are all ready to be superstars for Jesus, but not many of us ever consider humbling self to wash the feet of the saints. We only deceive ourselves when we use work for God as a cloak to hide the seeking of glory for self. It is not the greatness of the work that pleases God. It’s the spirit in which the work is done. Better a little with righteousness in all things, than great riches, flawless beauty, and billions of social media followers yet perish like the beasts. (Psalm 37:16; 49:16-20; James 4:1-4; 1 Peter 2:11-17; Mark 11:25; Psalm 66:16-20; Proverbs 24:27; Haggai 1:2-11; Luke 17:7-10; Philippians 2:3-4; John 6:27-29; Psalm 119:36; Matthew 13:45-46; Matthew 16:24-26; 1 Timothy 6:6-16)

faith

Devotional for June 25

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment
Quote by Bruce Coleman: "Work and depend on God for the increase."

See This and Rejoice

1 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.
8 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
42 The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord. Psalm 107:1-3, 8-9, 42-43 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

God has promised fantastic things for those who believe, yet nothing more than He intends to fulfill. Every good promise is for all who believe. Seek to know God and not just to receive His gifts. Let the one who believes, pray. Let the one who prays, work and depend on God for the increase. Nothing is too big for prayer, because nothing is too big for God. Nothing is impossible to the one who believes, because nothing is impossible for God. Do NOT be like the horse or mule without understanding. Let the believer pray and work for the glory of God. (2 Peter 1:-11; Mark 9:23; Luke 1:37; Hebrews 11:6; Romans 10:16-17; Psalm 32:8-11; Mark 11:22-24; Matthew 6:28-33; James 5:17; Psalm 90:17; 1 Corinthians 3:6-7; Ecclesiastes 9:10; Colossians 4:12; Ephesians 6:5-8; Luke 12:42-46; Ecclesiastes 10: 18; Ecclesiastes 5:18-19; 1 Peter 4:10-11)

faith

Devotional for June 20

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment
Quote by Bruce Coleman: "Jesus Christ is our Rock that can never be shaken."

Set Your Hope in God

78 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God. Psalm 78:1-8 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

We carry the concerns of life etched on our faces and clinging to our waist, hips, and thighs. Many of us carry as much as 20, 30, 40 or more pounds of excess weigh that a healthy body was never meant to carry. Health is more than the absence of disease. Good health also requires peace in the soul. The pursuit of fitness strengthens the body, and by pursuit of God we come to know peace in the soul. The body should by strengthen by diet/exercise to extend youthfulness, and there is no reason to fear getting older when your heart is strengthen by the grace of Jesus Christ. Love the Lord with your whole heart and be blessed whether young or old, whether full or empty, come rain or shine. Jesus Christ is our Rock that can never be shaken. (1 Samuel 12:16-25; Matthew 11:28-30; Romans 12:1-2, 13:14; Corinthians 5:17-21; Galatians 6:16; Romans 8:1-8; Psalm 90:17; Matthew 5:3-9; 1 Timothy 4:8; Romans 1:17, 8:28; Psalm 103:1-5; John 11:33-44; Hebrews 13:8; John 14:27; Revelation 22:21)

faith

Devotional for June 18

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment
Quote by Bruce Coleman: "God has promised to lead us if we will just stop grabbing at the wheel and keep our right hand in His."

Trust the Lord, O My Soul

34 Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.
38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble.
40 And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him. Psalm 37:34-42 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Who’s in charge of your life? The default belief on this side of the garden of Eden is that self is in charge. Amazing when you consider that most people can’t even bring themselves to make their bed when they get out of it each morning after have made the decision to do so. “That’s because I changed my mind,” they will say. And the river of denial flows on and on. One thing you learn pretty early on in the military is that two people cannot be in charge at the same time. They end up stepping on each other and pulling the team apart. The same is true for each of us individually. The Holy Spirit and self can’t both be in charge of your life. Since we are limited in both knowledge and ability, doesn’t it make more sense to choose the leadership of Almighty God? God has promised to lead us if we will just stop grabbing at the wheel and keep our right hand in His. (Isaiah 41:10, 13; Psalm 32:8-11; Matthew 11:28-30; Matthew 6:24; Mark 3:25; Psalm 81:10-12; Amos 2:11-12; Matthew 16:24-25; Romans 12:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22; 2 Timothy 3:1-7; Jude 1:19-25)

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 June 2

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment
Quote by Bruce Coleman: "It’s not a lack of knowing holding most people back, it’s a lack of doing. Knowledge becomes power only when it is applied."

The Lord Promises Peace for His People

8 Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.
9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.
10 Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.
11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
12 For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield. Psalm 5:8-13 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Always start with mastering the basics. The training secrets of Mr. Incredible are useless if you haven’t yet learned to be consistent with your workouts. With the combined knowledge of the entire world in the palm of our hands, rarely is the problem a lack of solutions. It’s not a lack of knowing holding most people back, it’s a lack of doing. Knowledge becomes power only when it is applied. We could have written the book on agriculture, but we will grow only weeds if we never lift a hoe. The simple plain truth is far better than the most appealing lie. The sooner you turn from sin and reach out for the Lord the better. Confess to the Lord, forsake every sin no matter how small, and turn to Him with your whole heart. There is power in the name of Jesus Christ to break every chain. Blessed is the one who enters by the straight gate and follows the narrow way. This is the long game that starts small and leads to eternal life. (Joshua 1:8; Proverbs 19:27; Colossians 2:18-3:7; James 1:22-25; Luke 4:16-21; Matthew 13:1-23; Hosea 10:12; Proverbs 24:30-34; Matthew 7:13-14; 1 John 1:9-10; John 15:5-8; Deuteronomy 30:19; Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; 2 Timothy 1:7; Psalm 27:4; 1 Peter 5:6-11)

faith

Devotional for June 1

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment
Quote by Bruce Coleman: Regardless of the type of seed sown with repetition, it can only produce the fruit of its kind. Good reps build strength and bad habits only weaken the soul.

Blessing and Favor of the Lord

8 Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.
9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.
10 Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.
11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
12 For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield. Psalm 5:8-13 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Getting started is hard because it means overcoming the inner resistance that comes with establishing good habits. Eat better, stand up more, get busy, move, and sweat just to name a few. Will power is the spark needed to get things started, but it is the fire of desire that keeps things running for the long game. Regardless of the type of seed sown with repetition, it can only produce the fruit of its kind. Good reps build strength and bad habits only weaken the soul. Conformity to the world fills the heart with desires for things that bred bad habits. The heart is a tinderbox and whatever sparks evil desires is playing with strange fire. Watch and pray. Guard the heart by recognizing when to turn it off, when to avert the gaze, and when to walk away. (Jeremiah 31:31-33; Isaiah 61:3; Proverbs 4:23; Mark 14:38; Genesis 4:7; 1 John 2:15-17; Matthew 7:15-20; Galatians 6:7; Romans 12:1-2; Leviticus 10:1-2; 1 Samuel 15:22; Matthew 5:29-30; Matthew 13:45-46; Luke 11:27-28; John 4:24; Psalm 119:1-3; Proverbs 6:23-28; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-5; Philippians 4:8-9, 20)

faith

Devotional for May 31

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment
Quote by Bruce Coleman: remember this: don't quit just because things are hard.

My Heart Rejoices in the Lord

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 33:16-22 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Get after all the good that God has placed in your heart to do. Don’t quit just because things are hard. The foundation for all success is a willingness to suffer awkwardness in the beginning, and endure hardship to the very end. Keep moving forward in faith. When things become overwhelming, take a knee and lift your heart up to God. Unload your burden on the Lord and He will restore your soul. Be still and abide in the Vine. He has said we ARE branches. Only believe the gospel. May God open our eyes to see, understand, and know the truth of His word. Be bold. Stand firm in faith to claim the victory. (Ecclesiastes 7:8; Psalm 78:5-9,37,41; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Romans 8:26-32; Proverbs 28:1; 2 Timothy 1:7; Mark 11:22-24, 4:26-29; Proverbs 16:3; Psalm 23:3; Isaiah 26:3; Matthew 11:25-30; John 15:1-11; Psalm 46:10; Mark 13:31-37; 1 Peter 5:6-11)

Ponder this:

What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?

faith

Devotional for May 30

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment
Quote and picture of Bruce Coleman: Physical strength is good, godliness is better, and best of all is the daily exercise of both body and convictions.

Delightful Are the Commands of the Lord

30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
31 This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.
32 The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.
 Psalm 69:30-32 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Physical exercise in this modern world is the key to maintaining our strength as we age, and godliness is profitable for life in both this world and the next. Physical strength is good, godliness is better, and best of all is the daily exercise of both body and convictions. (Proverbs 14:7; Ecclesiastes 7:12; Job 28:12-28; Mark 12:18-34; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; 1 Timothy 4:7-8; John 6:63; Hebrews 4:12; 1 Corinthians 6:13; Luke 19:29-31; 1 Corinthians 6:19-22; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Matthew 6:24; 1 Timothy 6:6-16)

faith

Devotional for May 29

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment
Quote by Bruce Coleman: Prayer is the watering of faith needed to grow strong.

God is Our Strength and Shield

2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
3 Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God.
4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.
5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.
6 Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.
7 They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.
8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.
9 Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed.
10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
12 O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee. Psalm 84:2-12 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Physical training alone is not enough to become a mighty man or woman of God. It takes more than physical development to be like Samson or one of David’s mighty men. It takes faith. Therefore, let not the goal of physical training be to develop bodily strength alone, but let the purpose of all training be to strenghen our faith in God. Growing up in our salvation means to hold “God is” as an unchangable fact. Prayer is the watering of faith needed to grow strong. Prayer to God is the highest privilege of the child of God. Show me who you pray for, and I will show you who you love. Tell me who prays for you, and I will tell you who loves you. How fortunate it is to have people praying for you. Gold and silver are nice, but prayer is of far greater value. Therefore, pray, pray, pray. (Exodus 3:13-15; 1 Timothy 4:1-10; Hebrews 11:1-6; Philippians 2:12-13; Judges 13:24-25; Mark 11:22-25; 1 John 5:14-15; Psalm 44:6-8; Romans 10:17; 1 Chronicles 29:10-13; James 5:13-18; Ephesians 3:14-21)

A Prayer Request

Please offer a prayer in the comments.