Five Good Things
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Posted:Apr 7, 2024 5:17 am
Last Updated:Apr 17, 2024 6:36 pm 414 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Psalm 107:1-9
Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 7-9; Luke 9:18-36
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 107:1
According to research, people who are intentionally grateful for what they have report better sleep, fewer symptoms of illness, and more happiness. Those are impressive benefits. Psychologists even suggest keeping a “gratitude journal” to improve our well-being, writing down five things we’re grateful for each week.
Scripture has long promoted the practice of gratitude. From meals and marriage (1 Timothy 4:3-5) to the beauties of creation (Psalm 104), the Bible has called us to see such things as gifts and to thank the Giver for them. Psalm 107 lists five things Israel could be especially grateful for: their rescue from the desert (vv. 4-9), their release from captivity (vv. 10-16), healing from disease (vv. 18-22), safety at sea
(vv. 23-32), and their flourishing in a barren land (vv. 33-42). “Give thanks to the Lord,” the psalm repeats, for these are all signs of God’s “unfailing love” (vv. 8, 15, 21, 31).
Do you have a notepad handy? Why not write down five good things you’re grateful for now? It might be the meal you just enjoyed, your marriage or, like Israel, God’s rescue points in your life to date. Give thanks for the birds singing outside, the smells from your kitchen, the comfort of your chair, the murmurs of loved ones. Each is a gift and a sign of God’s unfailing love.
Why do you think Scripture so often calls us to be thankful? What five good things are you grateful for today?
Father God, I’m grateful for every good thing You’ve brought into my life. And most of all, I’m grateful for You.
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Our New Nature In Christ
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Posted:Apr 6, 2024 5:25 am
Last Updated:Apr 6, 2024 5:26 am 445 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Ephesians 4:17-28
Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 4-6; Luke 9:1-17
Put on your new nature, created to be like God. Ephesians 4:24
Our blue spruce was dropping pinecones and needles. The tree doctor took one look at it and explained the problem. “It’s just being a spruce,” he said. I’d hoped for a better explanation. Or a remedy. But the tree man shrugged, saying again, “It’s just being a spruce.” By nature, the tree sheds needles. It can’t change.
Thankfully, our spiritual lives aren’t limited by unchangeable actions or attitudes. Paul stressed this liberating truth to the new believers at Ephesus. The gentiles were “darkened in their understanding,” he said, their minds closed to God. They possessed hardened hearts containing “every kind of impurity,” and sought only after pleasures and greed (Ephesians 4:18-19).
But “since you have heard about Jesus” and His truth, the apostle wrote, “throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life
” (v. 22 ). Paul noted how our old nature “is corrupted by lust and deception.” He said, “Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy” (vv. 22-24 ).
Then he listed new ways to live. Stop lying. Resist anger. Stop cursing. Quit stealing. “Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need” (v. 28 ). Our new self in Christ allows us to live a life worthy of our calling, yielded to our Savior’s way.
What does it mean to put on your “new self”? How can you seek to walk the Savior’s way?
Renew my nature today, dear Jesus, as I yield to become more like You.
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God’s Presence
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Posted:Apr 5, 2024 3:18 am
Last Updated:Apr 5, 2024 3:20 am 510 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Ecclesiastes 3:1-11
Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 1-3; Luke 8:26-56
[God] has . . . set eternity in the human heart. Ecclesiastes 3:11
Monique was struggling. She had friends who were believers in Jesus, and she respected how they handled life’s struggles. She was even a bit jealous of them. But Monique didn’t think she could live the way they did; she thought having faith in Christ was about following rules. Finally, a fellow college student helped her see that God wasn’t out to spoil her life; instead, He wanted the best for her amidst her ups and downs. Once she understood this, Monique was ready to trust Jesus as her Savior and embrace the magnificent truth about God’s love for her.
King Solomon could have given Monique similar advice. He acknowledged that this world does have its sorrows. Indeed, there’s a “time for everything” (
Ecclesiastes 3:1)—“a time to mourn and a time to dance” (v. 4). But there’s more. God “has also set eternity in the human heart” (v. 11). An eternity meant to be lived in His presence.
Monique gained life “to the full,” as Jesus said (John 10:10), when she trusted Him. But she gained so much more! Through faith, the “eternity in [her] heart” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) became the promise of a future when life’s struggles will be forgotten (Isaiah 65:17) and God’s glorious presence will be an eternal reality.
How have you experienced the fulfilling life Jesus offers? What are some things about your life in Him that you’re thankful for?
Dear Jesus, Solomon was right. Life is a rollercoaster. Thank You for making this life valuable and worth the effort. And thank You for the eternal joys that await.
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In Gods Arms
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Posted:Apr 4, 2024 4:37 am
Last Updated:Apr 17, 2024 6:36 pm 534 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Psalm 91:1-2, 14-16
Bible in a Year: Ruth 1-4; Luke 8:1-25
I will be with him in trouble. Psalm 91:15
The sound of the drill terrified five-year-old Sarah. She leaped out of the dentist’s chair and refused to get back in. Nodding understandingly, the dentist told her father, “Daddy, get into the chair.” Jason thought he was meant to show his how easy it was. But then the dentist turned to the little girl and said, “Now, climb up and sit in Daddy’s lap.” With her father now cradling her in his reassuring arms, Sarah relaxed completely, and the dentist was able to continue.
That day, Jason learned a great lesson about the comfort of the presence of his heavenly Father. “Sometimes, God [chooses not to] take over what we have to go through,” he said. “But God was showing me, ‘I will be there with you.’ ”
Psalm 91 speaks of the comforting presence and power of God that gives us the strength to face our trials. Knowing that we can rest in His powerful arms gives us great assurance, as does His promise to those who love Him: “He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble” (v. 15).
There are many unavoidable challenges and trials in life, and we will inevitably have to go through pain and suffering. But with God’s reassuring arms wrapped around us, we’ll be able to bear our crises and circumstances, and let Him strengthen our faith as we grow through them.
What trials are you going through now? How can you remind yourself that God is always with you?
Gracious Father, thank You for Your reassuring presence in my circumstances. Please help me through them, knowing that You’re always with me.
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I Hear You, God!
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Posted:Apr 3, 2024 5:13 am
Last Updated:Apr 17, 2024 6:36 pm 550 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: John 10:1-11, 16
Bible in a Year: Judges 19-21; Luke 7:31-50
The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. John 10:3
Baby Graham fussed and wiggled as his mother held him in her lap while the doctors inserted his first hearing aid. Moments after the doctor turned on the device, Graham stopped crying. His eyes widened. He grinned. He could hear his mother’s voice comforting him, encouraging him, and calling his name.
Baby Graham heard his mother speaking, but he needed help learning how to recognize her voice and understand the meaning of her words. Jesus invites people into a similar learning process. Once we accept Christ as our Savior, we become the sheep He knows intimately and guides personally (John 10:3). We can grow to trust and obey Him as we practice hearing and heeding His voice (v. 4).
In the Old Testament, God spoke through the prophets. In the New Testament, Jesus—God in the flesh—spoke directly to people. Today, believers in Jesus have access to the power of the Holy Spirit, who helps us understand and obey God’s words which He inspired and preserved in the Bible. We can communicate directly with Jesus through our prayers as He speaks to us through Scripture and through His people. As we come to recognize God’s voice, which is always in alignment with His words in the Bible, we can cry out with grateful praise, “I hear You, God!”
How has God used the Scriptures to reveal Himself to you this week? How can you speak His wisdom to others who need comfort or encouragement today?
I hear You, God! Please help me receive and share the truth and love You reveal to me as I read the Bible.
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Psalm 72 Leaders
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Posted:Apr 2, 2024 5:11 am
Last Updated:Apr 2, 2024 5:12 am 665 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Psalm 72:1-7
Bible in a Year: Judges 16-18; Luke 7:1-30
May he be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth.
Psalm 72:6
In July 2022, Britain’s prime minister was forced to step down after what many felt were lapses in integrity (the newly appointed prime minister stepped down just months later!). The event was triggered when the country’s health minister attended an annual parliamentary prayer breakfast, felt convicted about the need for integrity in public life, and resigned. When other ministers resigned too, the prime minister realized he had to leave. It was a remarkable moment, originating from a peaceful prayer meeting.
Believers in Jesus are called to pray for their political leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-2), and Psalm 72 is a good guide for doing so, being both a ruler’s job description and a prayer to help them achieve it. It describes the ideal leader as a person of justice and integrity (vv. 1-2), who defends the vulnerable (v. 4), serves the needy (vv. 12-13), and stands against oppression (v. 14). Their time in office is so refreshing, it’s like “showers watering the earth” (v. 6), bringing prosperity to the land (vv. 3, 7, 16). While only the Messiah can perfectly fulfill such a role (v. 11), what better standard of leadership could be aimed for?
The health of a country is governed by the integrity of its office-bearers. Let’s seek “Psalm 72 leaders” for our nations and help them to embody the qualities found in this psalm by praying it for them.
What qualities do you look for in a leader? How can you pray more often for your local and national leaders?
Father, please empower our leaders to be people of justice, integrity, and goodness.
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Meeting Together in Jesus
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Posted:Apr 1, 2024 4:09 am
Last Updated:Apr 17, 2024 6:36 pm 684 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Hebrews 10:19-25
Bible in a Year: Judges 13-15; Luke 6:27-49
[Don’t give] up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but [encourage] one another. Hebrews 10:25
When I went through an extended period of emotional and spiritual pain and struggle due to difficult circumstances in my life, it would have been easy for me to withdraw from church. (And sometimes I did wonder, Why bother?) But I felt compelled to keep attending each Sunday.
Although my situation remained the same for many long years, worshiping and gathering with other believers in services, prayer meetings, and Bible study supplied the encouragement I needed to persevere and remain hopeful. And often I’d not only hear an uplifting message or teaching, but I’d receive comfort, a listening ear, or a hug I needed from others.
The author of Hebrews wrote, “[Don’t give] up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but [encourage] one another” (Hebrews 10:25). This author knew that when we face hardships and difficulties, we’ll need the reassurance of others—and that others would need ours. So this Scripture writer reminded readers to “hold unswervingly to the hope we profess” and to consider how to “spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (vv. 23-24). That’s a big part of what encouragement is. That’s why God leads us to keep meeting together. Someone may need your loving encouragement, and you may be surprised by what you receive in return.
When have you felt encouraged after leaving a worship service? Why? Who needs your support and reassurance?
Loving God, please help me not to give up meeting together with other believers, but to experience together Your peace and love.
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Jesus Christ Is Risen Today!
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Posted:Mar 31, 2024 6:57 am
Last Updated:Apr 17, 2024 6:36 pm 705 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Matthew 28:1–10
Bible in a Year: Judges 11–12; Luke 6:1–26
He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Matthew 28:6
Before Charles Simeon attended university in Cambridge, England, he loved horses and clothes, spending a huge sum on his attire yearly. But because his college required him to attend regular Communion services, he started to explore what he believed. After reading books written by believers in Jesus, he experienced a dramatic conversion on Easter Sunday. Awaking early on April 4, 1779, he cried out, “Jesus Christ is risen today! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!” As he grew in his faith in God, he devoted himself to Bible study, prayer, and attending chapel services.
On the first Easter, life changed for the two women who arrived at Jesus’ tomb. There they witnessed a violent earthquake as an angel rolled back the stone. He said to them, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said” (Matthew 28:5–6). Overjoyed, the women worshiped Jesus and ran back to tell their friends the good news.
Encountering the risen Christ isn’t something reserved for ancient times—He promises to meet us here and now. We might experience a dramatic encounter, such as the women at the tomb or as Charles Simeon did, but we might not. In whatever way Jesus reveals Himself to us, we can trust that He loves us.
How has God shown Himself to you? How have you changed because of your encounter with Him?
Risen Jesus, thank You for coming and dying on the cross that I might have life eternal. I worship You.
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The Passion of Christ
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Posted:Mar 30, 2024 5:50 am
Last Updated:Apr 17, 2024 6:36 pm 717 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Isaiah 53:4–7, 10–12
Bible in a Year: Judges 9–10; Luke 5:17–39
The punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5
Before Jim Caviezel played Jesus in the film The Passion of the Christ, director Mel Gibson warned that the role would be extremely difficult and could negatively impact his career in Hollywood. Caviezel took on the role anyway, saying, “I think we have to make it, even if it is difficult.”
During the filming, Caviezel was struck by lightning, lost forty-five pounds, and was accidentally whipped during the flogging scene. Afterwards, he stated, “I didn’t want people to see me. I just wanted them to see Jesus. Conversions will happen through that.” The film deeply affected Caviezel and others on the set, and only God knows how many of the millions who watched it experienced changed lives.
The passion of Christ refers to the time of Jesus’ greatest suffering, from His triumphal entry on Palm Sunday and including His betrayal, mocking, flogging, and crucifixion. Accounts are found in all four gospels.
In Isaiah 53, His suffering and its outcome are foretold: “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” (v. 5). All of us, “like sheep, have gone astray” (v. 6). But because of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, we can have peace with God. His suffering opened the way for us to be with Him.
What aspect of Christ’s life most impacts you? How does His suffering affect you?
Precious Savior, it’s hard to express how grateful I am that You suffered, died, and rose again for me. Thank You.
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Jesus, Our Substitute
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Posted:Mar 29, 2024 7:00 am
Last Updated:Mar 29, 2024 7:00 am 707 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: 1 Peter 3:13–18
Bible in a Year: Judges 7–8; Luke 5:1–16
Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 1 Peter 3:18
A wealthy twenty-year-old was drag-racing with his friends when he struck and killed a pedestrian. Although the young man received a three-year prison sentence, some believe that the man who appeared in court (and who subsequently served a prison sentence) was a hired surrogate for the driver who committed the crime. This type of thing has been known to occur in some countries where people hire body doubles to avoid paying for their crimes.
This may sound scandalous and outrageous, but more than two thousand years ago, Jesus became our substitute and “suffered once for [our] sins, the righteous for the unrighteous” (1 Peter 3:18. As God’s sinless sacrifice, Christ suffered and died once and for all (Hebrews 10:10), for all who believe in Him. He took the penalty for all our sins in His own body on the cross. Unlike a person today who chooses to be a substitute for a criminal to get some cash, Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross provided “hope” for us as He freely, willingly gave His life for us (1 Peter 3:15, 18; John 10:15). He did so to bridge the chasm between us and God.
May we rejoice and find comfort and confidence in this profound truth: Only by the substitutionary death of Jesus can we—sinners in need—have a relationship with and complete spiritual access to our loving God.
How has Christ’s substitutionary death changed your life? What does it mean for you to have access to God and eternal life because of Jesus’ death on the cross?
Dear Jesus, thank You for dying in my place so that I might have access to God.
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