Marie’s daily verse:  1 Kings 5:4 (NLT)But now the LORD my God has given me peace on every side; I have no enemies, and all is well.

DAILY DEVOTION, December 6, 2021

Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God (Acts 9:20).

The reference is to Paul and his conversion to Christ. He was opposed to Jesus and persecuted Christians. He was miraculously converted and notice that word “immediately.” He did not think about his conversion for a few days, weeks, or years while trying to figure out what to do next. Immediately he went to the synagogues proclaiming that Jesus is the Son of God. Conversion to faith in Jesus changes us radically and instantly. Those who come to faith know that their sins are forgiven, and heaven is their destiny, and they want to share that with others.

We want to do as Paul did once we cross that line from unbelief to faith. We want others to believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Our conversion is not likely to be as dramatic as Paul’s, and our success as evangelists will not compare to what Paul accomplished. However you came to faith, dramatically or otherwise, true faith wants to share Jesus with others.  Christian conversion is not like joining the Lion’s Club. Our life goals are radically changed.

Father, I thank You for calling me out of the darkness and into the light. I thank You for drawing me to faith in Jesus through the Gospel. Help me to see what I can do to encourage others to believe that Jesus is the Son of God. 

DAILY DEVOTION, Dec. 5, 2021

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps (1 Peter 2:21, NIV).

Part of me wishes this verse and others like it were not in the Bible! What does it mean to be called to the Christian faith? It means many things. The emphasis in our verse is to remind us that we are called to suffer for the sake of the Kingdom. We are disciples of Jesus. He suffered a miserable crucifixion for us, and we are called to follow His example.

I remember hearing the testimony of a young Moslem converted to Christ. His father was planning to execute his son by decapitation unless he renounced Jesus. His mother stepped in and saved his life, but the young man was willing to die rather than abandon his faith in Jesus.  What does faith in Jesus provide for us? On the positive side, our sins are forgiven, and heaven is our destiny. These are blessings that far surpass any suffering we endure here on earth. Jesus set the example. We are to follow in His steps whatever the cost. When we suffer for Jesus, He is there with us to help us get through it. He does not abandon us. Most of our suffering is minor compared to the young Moslem. How much suffering are we willing to endure for Jesus’ sake?

Father, I must confess that I do not like suffering! I pray that if and when suffering comes my way, I will remain steadfast in my trust in Jesus. In His name, I pray, Amen. 

DAILY DEVOTION, Dec. 4, 2021

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7).

We receive the Holy Spirit as a gift when we place our trust in Jesus. Paul reminds us of how the Holy Spirit works in us. He does not make us timed or fearful. He gives us the power (ability) to live the Christian with ever-increasing faithfulness. The Holy Spirit makes us new and different persons. And of course, since God is love the Holy Spirit fills us with divine love. We become more patient and kind with those who used to irritate us. We learn to love our enemies. Finally, we become more delf-disciplined. Sinful excesses no longer drive us. The Holy Spirit leads us into a disciplined life. These divine attributes do not appear instantaneously. We never manifest them to perfection. But as we walk by faith, we grow in these attributes.   

Father, help me to listen to the Holy Spirit as He leads me into a new life. I want to know more of His power, love, and discipline. I want to honor Jesus in my daily life. In His name, I pray, amen.

DAILY DEVOTION, Dec. 3, 2021

We read in Proverbs 3:7, “Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.” Wisdom demands that we turn from evil. We fear God because we know we have sinned against His holy will. We fear God because we know the eternal consequences of sin. Then we discover the forgiveness Jesus provides for us. We despise the fact that our sins have so offended God that drastic measures had to be taken to redeem us. What will be our attitude towards evil as redeemed sinners? We will want to depart from evil and devote our lives to that which is good.  A mature Christian who is indifferent to sin is a contradiction.

This gives us a means of testing the reality of our relationship with God. Unfortunately, some find their way into the church but fail to grasp the fullness of the Gospel. There are lost souls who attend church regularly.  One way to evaluate the reality of your own faith is to ask this question: what is my attitude toward sin and evil? Those who fear God and who have then entered into the love of God will “depart from evil,” according to our text.  A mature believer never says, “Everyone sins, so I don’t take my evil ways seriously.  I assume God will forgive me.” Yes, the very best Christian indeed sins, but he never takes it lightly.  He hates evil when he sees it rising in his heart. When a Christian knows he has fallen into evil, there is immediate repentance. He will quickly confess his sin and pray for forgiveness.  He will be at the Lord’s Table regularly to receive again the forgiveness contained in the sacrifice of Jesus.

Father, I am truly sorry for the many times I have offended You. With Your help, I am determined to depart from evil. I thank you for your mercy which Jesus provided to me at Calvary. I want to live to honor His name. Amen.

DAILY DEVOTION, Dec. 2, 2021

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me (John 10:27).

Here we see a picture of a Christian. We know there are hypocrites in the church who claim to be Christians, but their lives do not reflect the simple truths of our verse. The sheep of Jesus are His disciples. They hear His voice. They hear His voice in Scripture, a voice that resonates in the soul.  They drink deeply of His words. They want to know more and more, and so they listen to the voice of Jesus. Yes, there are other voices we hear, but Christians place the voice of Jesus at the top of the list.

Those who hear the voice of Jesus are distinguished from hypocrites. True disciples follow Jesus. That is the simple way in which we identify a true Christian. They follow Jesus. They seek to do His will. They look for ways to serve Him. He is at the very center of their hearts. So there are two questions this verse raises for us: do I hear the voice of Jesus? Am I following Him?

Father, open my ears that I may hear the Master’s voice. I pray for the courage to follow Him. I want to be one of His sheep. In His name, I pray, Amen.