Mare’s daily verse: Philippians 4:7 NIV
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

DAILY DEVOTION, December 11, 2021

And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward (Matthew 10:42).

While our good deeds contribute nothing regarding our salvation, they do earn rewards in heaven. Salvation is a gift given to us by God to all who trust in Jesus, our Savior. However, the good deeds which follow do earn rewards. Even small deeds of kindness such as giving water to a thirsty child are noticed and rewarded by God. Remember the widow in Mark  12:41-44. She placed a penny in the offering plate. It was her last penny. It doesn’t seem like much, but Jesus praises her.  Rewards are mentioned frequently in Scripture. For example, “Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor” (1 Corinthians 3:8). Even our small acts of kindness are noticed by God. While we cannot earn our way into heaven, we can receive rewards in heaven for our good deeds.

Most of us are not doing great things in service to our Master. Someone has said, “God doesn’t reward us according to how much we can do for Him, but according to how willingly we do what we can.” So don’t fret if your service seems insignificant. God rewards even our small acts of kindness.

Father, I do want to be of use in Your church. So help me to look for ways I can serve You, no matter how small. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Marie’s daily verse: 

John 14:27:  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.

DAILY DEVOTION, December 10, 2021

Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen (2 Peter 3:18).

Okay, I trust Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and my sins are forgiven, and heaven is my destiny. Is that it? Peter says NO! Once we have come to faith in Jesus, our next business is to grow. Salvation is wonderful, but there is much more beyond being saved. As we become absorbed with the life and teachings of Jesus, we grow ever more effective in the Christian way of life.

The Apostle Paul had a wonderful conversion experience, but it did not end there. As He learned more and more about Jesus, he became increasingly effective in his ministry. He grew in the grace and knowledge of the Lord. As we follow this same pattern, we also become ever more effective in the service to which we are called. As a result, our usefulness as Christians grows.

All the credit for what we do as Christians belongs to Jesus, not to us. Without His help, we can do nothing. To Him be the glory both now and forever! Yes, I want to go to heaven, but I also want to be useful to Christ during my brief life on earth. Do you?

Father, again I thank You for the gift of eternal life. However, I do not want to be content to just go to heaven when I die. I want to be a useful servant in Your Kingdom here on earth. I want to grow in Your grace. I want to grow in the knowledge of Jesus. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.

DAILY DEVOTION, December 9, 2021

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men (Romans 12:18 NKJV).

Paul wants us to be persons who seek to live in peace with others. Notice how he phrases this principle. “If it is possible,” suggesting that some people are so obstinate that living at peace with them is impossible. “As much as it depends on you” implies that sometimes the other fellow has to cooperate if a peaceful relationship is to be established. In other words, “It takes two to tango!” There are times when our efforts to live at peace with others fail. It fails because sometimes there are those who do not want to be at peace with us. Nevertheless, we are to try to be in harmony with others. If it doesn’t work, we need to make sure we are not the problem.

Love should govern our relationships with others. Yes, sometimes, our toes are stepped on, or we are cheated in some business deal. However, our response should never be anger or revenge but an attempt at reconciliation. If we have honestly sought to live in harmony with others and all our efforts fail, we have done our part. We need to be sure we have done our part and have not aggravated the problem by our own unloving words and actions.

The very next verse (Romans 12:19) reminds us that if judgment is needed on another for his wicked ways, it is not our job to apply punishment. God will take care of it. So do what you can to live at peace with others, and if it fails, God will render the necessary judgment. Our attempts to “get even” never work. God’s judgment is infallible. Leave that part to Him.

Father, I do want to be a person of peace. Please help me to do everything possible to live in harmony with others. And if that fails because others are obstinate, help me to leave them in your hands. You loved me while I was a sinner resisting Your will. Help me to love others in that spirit. In Christ’s holy name, Amen. 

DAILY DEVOTION, December 8, 2021

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).

This is one of my favorite salvation verses. I have used it often at funerals. The word “grace” refers to God giving us what we do not deserve. We do not deserve God’s love and forgiveness. God could justly cast us away from His presence forever, and we would have no basis to complain. That is what we deserve. Paul writes, “the wages of sin is death,” and we have all earned our wages. Salvation is God’s gift to us, given to all who believe in His Son. When we confess our faith in Jesus, we are lifted out of spiritual darkness and into the light of God’s love. That is God’s gift to us.

If we boast about our Christian faith, we are confused. Our good works fall so far short of God’s standard that we should feel only shame. God does not save us because we are good but because He is good. Who can receive this gift? Anyone who trusts in Jesus. God does not want any of us to perish. Therefore,  all are invited to repent and believe (2 Peter 3:9). While Christians do good works, they add nothing to our salvation. That is God’s gift to us.

Gracious Father, I have no words to adequately express my gratitude to You for the gift of salvation. I do trust in Jesus. May His name be honored forever, Amen.

Psalms 34:14 NLT: Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.

DAILY DEVOTION, 12/7/21

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵ that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:14-15).

Jesus takes us back to a story in the Old Testament.  In Numbers. 21:4–9 we read the story of the rebellious Israelites, who murmured and complained that God was not taking good care of them. So God sent fiery serpents into their midst to remind them that it is unwise to criticize God!  Then God told Moses to put a bronze serpent on a pole, with the promise that whoever looked at it would live. How can looking at a bronze serpent on a pole cure snake bites? Because God decreed it! 

Like the bronze serpent, Jesus was lifted up on a cross. Those who gaze upon that cross with faith are forgiven of their sins and granted eternal life. How is that possible? Don’t we have to work hard to earn eternal life? Our efforts to win God’s favor by our good works will always fall short. Nevertheless, he has decreed that all who believe in His crucified Son receive the gift of eternal life. The message of Jesus is called “good news.” We are healed of the poisonous results of our sins by simply looking to Jesus lifted up and believing. That is good news indeed. Out of gratitude, we work at living as His faithful disciples, not to earn His favor but in response to His favor already granted.

Father, thank You for making the Gospel so simple that even we who have fallen into sin can understand and believe. Thank You, Jesus, for Your willingness to pay the price for our sins and then to welcome us into Your kingdom. Amen.