Tag: psalms

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. 

faith

Devotional for December 7

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Trust in the Lord

9 O Israel, trust thou in the Lord: he is their help and their shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield.
11 Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield.
12 The Lord hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron.
13 He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great.
14 The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children.
15 Ye are blessed of the Lord which made heaven and earth.
16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
18 But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the Lord. Psalm 115:9-16; 18 (KJV)

Morning Exhortation

Eternal life starts on this side of eternity. Continue to exercise the body without neglecting to work out your salvation. Faith and unbelief are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Both can coexist in the same heart even though they oppose one another. Faith makes all things possible. Unbelief is the ally of the enemy who only wants to kill, steal, and destroy. Set the will to hold on to faith and guard the heart against unbelief. Faith is like spiritual muscle. Saturating the mind with the written Word and persevering through testing, are to faith what protein and weight training are to muscle. God has already provided you with both faith and muscle. Development of both, either, or neither is your choice. No one else can workout for you. There is no need to get more until you have worked what you already have been given to a high degree of perfection. Only you can chose to believe the truth for you.

Today’s Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 7; 2 John 1

Habakkuk 2; Luke 21

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. 

faith

Devotional for December 2

Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Tremble at the Presence of the Lord

1 When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;
2 Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion.
3 The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back.
4 The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.
5 What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?
6 Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills, like lambs?
7 Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob;
8 Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters. Psalm 114 (KJV)

Morning Exhortation

Good feelings are like sugar. Sweet feelings are pleasing to the palate of the soul, but not essential. Right thoughts, on the other hand, provide the essential nutrients absolutely necessary for a soul to thrive. If the will is set firmly in faith to believe the truth, fullness of joy will come to the believer sooner or later. Some seem to be sweep up into the third heaven almost immediately, while others seem to linger in the lowlands for many months and years. If the promised joy is currently missing, do NOT take a backward step. God means to bless you in His perfect timing. Continue to fan the flame of love until God fully sets your heart on fire. This is the testimony we have from countless saints who came before us. Faith in God alone is enough to always be content. Pray first. The grace of God is abundantly more than sufficient for every need. Everyone born again has accepted the grace of God for salvation. The second touch of Christ is learning to continue in His grace. Jesus Christ our Lord is the vine, we are the branches, and God our Father is the gardener. Grace is the precious sap that flows from our heavenly vine causing us to produce and bare much fruit. How much is up to God. One thing for sure, He is able to cause you to bloom wherever He has planted you.

Today’s Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 1; 1 John 1

Micah 7; Luke 16

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.