Category Archives: Devotion

THE CONSOLING ONE

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“But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.”              John 16:7 NIV

 

When Jesus ascended to Heaven, He did not leave the disciples, or us, alone. He sent His Spirit, the Holy Spirit into the world to indwell, fill, guide and comfort His disciples, that includes us. The Amplified Translation of John 16:7, reads “Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counsellor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you].” Take note of the various descriptions of the Holy Spirit. He is the One who comes along side us, to strengthen us, to give us the help we need. He is the One Who will give us words to pray when we do not know how to pray. He will give us words to utter, when we are called to witness about Jesus. In the widest sense, He is our amazing assistant. The Holy Spirit brings gifts for us, as disciples of Jesus. We can read about these gifts in 1 Corinthians 12. His gifts make our service to Him possible! The transformation in Peter between the night he denied Jesus 3 times to the Day of Pentecost when he preached in the power of the Holy Spirit and 3,000 people were saved can be traced to the power of the Holy Spirit on his life. This same Holy Spirit is present in everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord. The question is: Are we drawing on the power of the Holy Spirit, each and every day of our lives?

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord Jesus, we celebrate the empowering of Your Holy Spirit in our lives.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Thank You, Lord Jesus, that the same Holy Spirit who was present in the lives of the early disciples, is present in everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord, empowering us to live for You. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

James 1:1-7

 

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JESUS’ CONTINUING MINISTRY

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“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”           Colossians 2: 15 NIV

 

When Jesus ascended and took up His place at His Father’s right hand, He went there to continue His ministry on behalf of His people. When Jesus returned to Heaven, He returned bearing in His body the marks of the cross, John 20:27. He went back to Heaven as the crucified Lamb of God. He returned having accomplished redemption on the cross for all who will believe in Him by faith. In the midst of our epidemic called sin, Jesus went to the cross and injected himself with our deadly disease. He then committed himself to the Father’s care and returned to Heaven with the cure. Praise God! Death and Hell are no longer our destiny, if we are trusting in Jesus for salvation. If we feel bad for the pain that Jesus bore for us on the cross, let us not forget that three days after He died, He arose from the grave in absolute victory! When He ascended back to Heaven, He ascended as a conquering King who had invaded the territory of the enemy, ransacked his position, disarmed him and returned in victory to His Father’s right hand! This is exactly what our text for today says. Jesus has forever conquered sin and Satan at the cross. He ripped the bars out of death, hell and the grave in His resurrection. Imagine the rejoicing in Heaven as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords returned in total triumph over all the enemies of God and God’s people! He is our conquering King!

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord Jesus, we celebrate You as our conquering King.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord Jesus, we celebrate that You have forever conquered sin and Satan at the cross. You ripped the bars out of death, hell and the grave in Your resurrection. Hallelujah. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Acts 11:1-18

 

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THE ASCENSION

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“After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and He sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed His word by the signs that accompanied it.”              Mark 16:19,20 NIV

 

Mark skips over forty days in one statement. He jumps all the way from day of the resurrection to the day Jesus ascended back into Heaven. We might think the ascension of Jesus is a minor event with little importance for us. In truth, the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ is one of the most important components of our faith. Let me share a few reasons why the ascension of Jesus is so important. The Ascension made our Lord’s purposes clear. While Jesus waited with the disciples, they still held to the hope of a temporal, earthly kingdom. When He left and sent the Holy Spirit, they were made to see that Jesus came to save sinners and not sit upon an earthly throne. The Ascension made our Lord’s presence real, not only to the early disciples but to each one who has accepted Him, as Saviour and Lord, through the indwelling power and ministry of the Holy Spirit. Not only could the Holy Spirit be with disciples and in them all at the same time; but He could work through them all at the same time, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Jesus in John 14:12. This is true for us. The Ascension made our Lord’s plan understandable. God’s plan of salvation involves all three members of the Trinity. The Father sent the Son. The Son gave His life and shed His blood on the cross. The Spirit was sent to take that message and apply it to the hearts of all, including yours and mine. Hallelujah.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord Jesus, we celebrate Your Ascension with great joy.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Thank You, Father, for sending Your Son, Jesus. Thank You, Jesus for giving Your life and shedding Your blood on the cross. Thank You Holy Spirit for taking the message of the Cross and applying it to our hearts and changing our lives forever. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Acts 9:10-19

 

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A SOLUTION FOR JEALOUSY

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“Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”           Psalm 37:4 NIV

 

A jealous person complains about what God hasn’t provided and objects to another person’s blessings. There are three main causes of jealousy. The first is insecurity. Uncertainty over his position as king led Saul to view David, the giant killer, as competition. A sense of inadequacy can cause jealousy. The second cause of jealousy is selfishness. Saul resented the crowd’s praise of David for his battlefield successes. We fall into the same trap when we compare our situation to someone else’s. Jealousy can surface when we see a person who has a better marriage, family, job, or financial position. Finally, pride is the third cause of jealousy. Saul’s ego wouldn’t let him enjoy David’s accomplishment. Pride will make us highly critical of another’s success. To be free of jealousy, we must do four things. First, we need to confess our emotional state to God and acknowledge His right to bless someone else. Second, we should thank Him for what He’s doing in that person’s life. Third, we need to ask Him to fill our hearts with love for that individual. Finally, we should ask the Lord to bless him or her even more. God will honour our prayer and replace our spirit of jealousy with one of love and thankfulness. To prevent future attacks of envy, we must stay focused on the Lord and what He’s doing through us. All of us battle with jealousy on occasion. When we recognize this negative attitude, let us act quickly to get rid of it. Otherwise, it damages our relationships and our spiritual health.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, as we delight in You, lead us to delight in Your blessings on others.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, we acknowledge that there are times when we battle with jealousy. Help us to recognize this negative attitude, to act quickly to get rid of it. Preventing it from damaging our relationships and our spiritual health. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

John 20:24-29

 

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JEALOUSY

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Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?”        1 Samuel 18:8 NIV

 

Jealousy is displeasure over someone else’s good fortune. Unchecked, it influences our attitudes, conversations, and actions. It eventually damages relationships and inflicts great pain on others. King Saul’s jealousy caused him to distrust David, the young warrior who had served him by defeating Goliath. David loved the king and risked his life to help the kingdom. But envy clouded Saul’s judgment. Bitterness and hostility combined with Saul’s already suspicious attitude and confused mind. Leading to irrational behaviour. As David played music for him, the king went into a rant and hurled a spear at the young man (1 Samuel 18:11). He later removed David from his presence, sending his loyal servant to the battlefield. David’s faithful service was “rewarded” with the king’s hatred, a severed relationship, and death threats. As a result, David was forced to flee. Our minds, like Saul’s, will tend to dwell on a person or situation we envy. Fueled by jealousy, our suspicion, confusion, bitterness, and hostility will grow stronger. Fear and resentment complete the picture of jealousy. We’re afraid we’ll fail to achieve the wealth, career status, or privileges of someone else. We may even resent that person’s accomplishments. In time, we may look for reasons to avoid being around that individual, eventually choosing to break off the relationship entirely. Let us open our hearts before the Lord. Are any of these feelings true in our lives?

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Holy Spirit, reveal any feelings of jealousy in our lives.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Holy Spirit, reveal any jealous feelings in our hearts, so that our thinking does not become clouded with anger and bitterness. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Jeremiah 20:7-18

 

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DEALING WITH GUILT

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“For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.”            Ephesians 1:4 NIV

 

The struggle with guilt is common to both believers and unbelievers. Its effect on us is the same, whether the source is real or false. Feeling ashamed can lead us to doubt God’s presence, provision, or promises. We might struggle to believe He loves us. If the emotions are strong enough, we may even question our salvation. Guilt can cause us to forget we are free from condemnation (Romans 8:1). It can also make us fearful that God is judging us harshly. Another response to guilt is to try and pay the Lord back for our real or imagined mistakes. To earn His approval, we get compulsively busy and stay that way. Guilt that develops from “oughts,” “shoulds,” and “musts” will rob us of pleasure in our relationships. Time with others is ruined by twinges of guilt over incomplete tasks. This can lead to discouragement and depression. Because of guilt’s destructive power, we need to resolve it quickly. When we’ve broken God’s commands, the solution is repentance and acceptance of God’s forgiveness. False guilt, on the other hand, is erased by embracing biblical truth. We need to remind ourselves of three things. First, we are special. God chose us to belong to Him and is transforming us into Christ’s image. Second, we are loved. God’s love for us is unconditional, unchangeable, and unending. Third, we are forgiven. Jesus paid the full price for our every sin. God has permanently forgiven us and adopted us into His family. God has provided an escape from our burden of guilt. Won’t you accept His offer?

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, we accept Your offer to remove the burden of guilt from our lives.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Thank You, Father that You have permanently forgiven us and adopted us into Your family. Thank You, too, that You have provided an escape from our burden of guilt. So we accept Your offer with thanksgiving. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

2 Kings 5:1-19a

 

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GUILT

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“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”           1 John 1:9 NIV

 

For some of us, guilt is a steady companion. We live under the weight of past mistakes and the fear of future ones. Even if we try to move forward, guilt tags along. Not all guilty emotions are based in fact. Those that result from breaking biblical or civil law are legitimate. When we sin, the Holy Spirit points out what is wrong and how to correct it. Then, in response to our confession, God offers us forgiveness and cleansing from guilt every single time. Where does false guilt originate? There are several answers. For one thing, Satan uses it to harass believers. Through lies and accusations, the Enemy seeks to replace inner peace and joy with turmoil and discouragement. Another source of guilt is legalism, judging conduct according to a precise standard. God’s Word establishes the way we are to live, but some Christians and churches impose additional rules. Failure to follow man-made regulations can produce shame. Childhood experiences can also bring out the negative emotion of guilt. Whether this stems from the aftermath of traumatic events or the feeling we didn’t meet parental expectations, a memory can prompt us to judge ourselves harshly as adults. Living under severe criticism can have this effect, too. Perfectionist tendencies can also bring on guilt. They tell us we can always “do more” and “do it better.” Legalism, painful childhood experiences, hurtful comments, and perfectionism are fertile soil for false guilt. If you struggle with self-blame, be sure to check the legitimacy of the source.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, show us the source of our guilt so we can be free.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord Jesus, You came to set us free from sin, guilt and shame. As we come in confession to You, show the source of all three, so we can be free. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Exodus 4:1-17

 

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BE CAREFUL

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“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!”             1 Corinthians 10:12 NIV

 

Many people act like there’s no defence against temptation. With the first hint of desire, they immediately throw their hands up and give in. We fail to realize temptation is a process. Processes can be short-circuited at any stage. Temptation usually begins in the mind, the source of an active fantasy life. The human mind has the capacity to create entire exchanges and experiences out of nothing. Through fantasy, we can enjoy something without ever bringing it into “the real world.” So, we think if it isn’t “real,” then it’s perfectly harmless. But that’s not true. Fantasy leads to a downward spiral of enslavement. Over time, it becomes boring, and the need for more gratifying fulfilment builds. Ultimately, our thoughts are so wrapped around temptation that it seems impossible to think of anything else. At that point, the desire holds our minds captive. When our lives become focused on anything other than our Lord, we’re trapped. Because the process of temptation starts in the mind, it can be difficult to escape. No matter where we go or what we do, we’ll never be able to outrun our minds! But we can disrupt the process by filling our minds with God’s Word. As we continually feed our minds with a hearty diet of Scripture, God’s Word will go to work against our fantasies. The Bible is powerful. We can trust it to set us free from the burden of temptation. Praise the Lord!

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, as we feed our minds with Your Word it sets us free.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, as we continually feed our minds with a hearty diet of Your Word, we can trust it to set us free from the burden of temptation. Thank You. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Matthew 13:31-35, 44-52

 

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TEMPTED!

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When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.          James 1:13,14 NIV

 

If there’s one thing all of us has experienced, it’s temptation. We’ve all seen something new, attractive, and unusual; something a friend has that we don’t. And we just want it. The object of temptation can be almost anything. It might be something material, like a nice house or new car. Or it could be physical, like the effect of alcohol or the rush of a new relationship. And, of course, it could be emotional, like recognition for a job well done. Whatever the object, temptation demands that we must have it now! Temptation knows no loyalty. It’s a raging beast that, if left uncontrolled, can bring absolute destruction into our lives. Simply put, temptation is an invitation to follow God-given desires beyond His established boundaries. For example, the Lord gave humanity a precious gift in human sexuality. However, this God-given desire is all too often taken far beyond the boundaries the Creator originally established. Does this mean sexual desire is inherently wrong? Not at all. But, when left unchecked, it can be the starting point for all types of trouble. Are we allowing a single desire to control our lives? Are we continually going beyond the limits of God’s approval? Let us break the hold of temptation. Thank the Holy Spirit that He will lead us with Godly desires that will bring glory and honour to our Lord.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Holy Spirit, lead us we pray with Godly desires.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Thank You, Holy Spirit, that You enable us to break the hold of temptation and lead us with Godly desires that will bring glory and honour to our Lord. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

 

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EXERCISE!

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“Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”            Romans 13:14 NIV

 

Exercise is a requirement if we want to build muscle. Left alone, muscles become soft and weak. In the same way, our spirits suffer when they never face difficulty or struggle. Apart from the strengthening effects of pain and conflict, our faith would be weak and nearly useless. This is why God doesn’t remove the tendencies of our old human nature when we become Christians. He doesn’t want to change us immediately into perfectly obedient people. The tug of our old human nature against our spirits gives faith a constant workout. The apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 5:16 that believers should “walk by the Spirit, and they will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” The Holy Spirit is our spiritual trainer committed to getting our spirit into good shape so we can resist temptations. Our goal should be to get on His exercise plan for healthy faith. We must be fully persuaded that we can’t live the Christian life apart from the Holy Spirit. Until we grasp this truth, we’ll keep trying to live in our own strength and repeatedly fall back into sin. We’ll find ourselves confessing the same old failures time after time. But, if we surrender to God, the Spirit will show us how to have victory. We must ask the Holy Spirit to live through us, guiding us to make wise decisions and teaching us to love. Surrender is a constant decision. Every new choice brings a fresh opportunity to submit to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, rather than the temptation of our old human nature. Each time we choose to walk with Him, our faith is strengthened.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, through Your indwelling Holy Spirit we have victory over sin.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Thank You, Holy Spirit, every new choice brings a fresh opportunity to submit to Your guidance, rather than the temptation of our old human nature. As we choose to walk with You, our faith is strengthened. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Matthew 13:1-23

 

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