DAILY DEVOTION, June 4, 2021

“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’”So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God (Romans 14:11-12).

There is a day coming when every human being will be on his or her knees, and every tongue will confess to God. Believers and unbelievers alike will bow before Him and acknowledge that God is God, creator of heaven and earth, redeemer of all who trust in Jesus. Each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. Wow, that sounds kind of scary!

What will I say when God waits for me to give Him an account of my life? I cannot say, “I was always faithful to You.” That is not true. I think I will say something like this. “Father, I violated Your holy will more times than I can recount. I know I have nothing to commend myself. I trusted in Your Son as my Savior and Lord. I have no hope of heaven apart from Your forgiveness.”

Yes, as Christians, we strive to obey God but always fall short of perfection. We are constantly in need of divine grace and mercy. Unbelievers will be asked why they did not receive God’s merciful forgiveness. Believers’ works will be judged in terms of what we have done to promote the will of God and the Gospel of Jesus. If we all must give an account to God, should we not prepare for that day?

Father, help me to live my life with an eye on the final judgment. I know I cannot escape that day. Help me to live my life trusting in Jesus and doing my best to serve Him. I want His name to be honored. Amen

DAILY DEVOTION, June 3, 2021

Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

We sing, “What a friend we have in Jesus.” How true it is! It is so wonderful to have a good friend by our side when we are in need. Human friends can often provide much support and encouragement. Even better, Jesus promises to be with His people “always,” to the very end of the age. We need to live each day, reminding ourselves of this truth. We are not alone. We do not face trials and tribulations by ourselves. When we feel lonely or afraid, we remember Jesus is by our side. 

We place our trust in Jesus by faith, and He comes to dwell in our hearts (Ephesian 3:17). He is always with us to guide us, encourage us, and help us in times of need. How can He be with me and also with millions of other Christians at the same time? Because He is God and has the attribute of omnipresence. Yes, it is a mystery, but it is biblical truth. Jesus is with us. His presence dramatically blesses those who believe in the promise of Matthew 28:20. Those who disbelieve in His presence are deprived of one of God’s most incredible promises to His people.

What a friend we have in Jesus!  Believe it. Walk in His presence. Receive of His blessings. He is the best friend you will ever have.

Father, I am so grateful to know that Jesus is with me always. I need His presence every day. When I forget about His presence, please remind me that He is always with me.  He is a friend who will never disappoint me. Thank You, Jesus! In Your name, I pray, Amen.

DAILY DEVOTION, June, 1, 2021

As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God (Psalm 42:1).

We have switched Priscilla’s dog food to a fresh variety. She loves it. When I begin to prepare it for her, she dances all over the kitchen. She becomes very excited. She is like the deer in the above text who pants for water. The Psalmist says that the redeemed soul has a similar attitude about God.

When you think of God, does your soul get excited? Are you like David in Psalm 122:1 when he said, “I was glad when they said unto me, let us go to the house of the Lord.” Are you glad when you attend church? In Luke 12:1 there were so many excited to hear Jesus speak that they trampled on one another! Never fear, that will not happen in our church!

These verses give us a sense of the excitement felt by the early Christians to hear Jesus. While we may not demonstrate outward excitement, I hope we feel blessed when we have the opportunity to draw near to Jesus, whether in church or elsewhere. Giving expression to our faith should never be simply a duty, one we carry out joylessly. Drawing near to Jesus should give us some sense of excitement.

Father, please help me to understand how great You are, and how wonderful it is to know Your Son. May I never treat our relationship as casual. May I feel something of what the Psalmist felt in Psalm 41:1 when I draw near to You in church or in private prayer. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

DAILY DEVOTION, May 31, 2021

Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. 

We are accustomed to instant gratification. Patience is not a word in our vocabulary! I am as guilty as the next person. I am not always a patient individual. In our relationship with God, patience is required. The Psalmist reminds us of that truth. He prays, and then he waits patiently! The problem is that our wisdom is limited. God’s wisdom is infinite. He knows what is best for us. He is always working for our good but on His timetable. Patience is faith extended out in time.

As we wait patiently for God to respond to our prayers, He draws near and assures us that He hears us. If we pray and then give up after a few days, demonstrating our lack of patience, we also show our lack of faith. God’s Word tells us to pray and then wait patiently. In His time, He will respond to those whose faith is demonstrated by their patience.

Father, I confess that sometimes impatience gets a firm hold on me. Forgive me, and teach me the virtue of patience. Help me to wait patiently for You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

DAILY DEVOTION, May 29, 2021

And they overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death  (Revelation 12:11).

Our verse reminds us that we are up against a powerful enemy. We are given three ways that we can defeat Satan. First and foremost, by the blood of the Lamb. Satan is referred to as our accuser. His accusations have merit. When he whispers in my heart, saying, “You are not worthy of God’s love. You have violated His commandments repeatedly. You deserve to go to hell.” I can hardly disagree. That is when I say, “Yes, Devil, you are correct. I am a sinner. But Jesus shed His blood to secure my forgiveness. He took my judgment, and I am forgiven.” We gain victory over the devil by the blood of the Lamb.

Our testimony is directed to honor Jesus, the Lamb of God who took away our sins. As we testify to others that we are redeemed through the sacrifice of Jesus, we overcome the assaults of Satan. There is something far more significant than our sins, and that is the blood of Jesus shed for us. We never want to say, “I can gain the victory because I am such a great Christian.” Rather we testify, “I gain the victory because I have a great Savior.”

Over the centuries, many Christians have given up their lives rather than deny Jesus. So far, we have escaped that option. However, deep down in our hearts, there is a love for Jesus stronger than death itself. Yes, I hope I never have to make that choice, but if I do, I pray God will give me the strength to stand up for Jesus whatever the cost.

Gracious Father, I thank You for giving me the tools I need to defeat the enemy. Keep my heart centered on Jesus, and I know all will be well.  In His name, I pray. Amen.