Marie’s daily verse: And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son (1 John 5:11).

DAILY DEVOTION, June 5, 2024

^“And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ¹² He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. ¹³ These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:11-13).

John is writing to Christians, and he wants us to know something. He desires us to know we have eternal life. It is given to us. It is a gift. We have eternal life when we have a relationship with Jesus. Apart from Jesus, eternal life cannot be found. He who has the Son has life. And how do we enter into a relationship with Jesus? By believing in Him. Our relationship with Him is real as long as faith in Jesus is alive. If we do not trust in Jesus, we are cut off from eternal life.

Those who trust in Jesus don’t hope they have eternal life. They do not have to wait until death to learn if they have everlasting life. They KNOW they have eternal life. John wants us to be confident about such an important issue. We know that death awaits all of us. Then what? If you believe the Bible is the Word of God, you have God’s promise that faith in Jesus infallibly leads to eternal life. But what if the Bible is not true? Well, good luck in finding a better guide to spiritual truth.

Our best option is to believe what God says in His inspired Book. When I take a trip, I want to know where I am going and how to get there. My goal is eternal life. I am assured that the way to arrive there is through faith in Jesus. That is God’s promise.

Father in heaven, I want to be in your Kingdom forever. You have shown me the way. May my faith in Jesus be solid and permanent so I may know I possess eternal life. Thank You so much for Your glorious promises, which point the pathway to heaven. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Marie’s daily verse: Cast your cares on the  Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken (Psalm 55:22).

DAILY DEVOTION, June 4, 2024

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with My eye” (Psalm 32:8). 

In this Psalm, God gives us a triple promise: He will instruct us, teach us, and guide us. The three words are synonyms. They all speak of God guiding us. He is speaking here to Israel, His people under the Old Covenant, but the words also apply to Christians under the New Covenant. God’s people today are those who trust in Jesus. We have the assurance of God’s direction in life.

But how do I know that God is guiding my life? I have read of people lost in the woods who find their way out by using a compass. Our compass, of course, is the Bible. As we live by the principles in God’s Word, we have His promise that He will guide us. We may not experience His guiding hand. We may not hear a voice from heaven saying, “This is the way.” We believe He guides us based on His promise. Twice in our text, God says, “I will.” When God says, “I will,” He will! Therefore, if I trust Jesus, I have God’s promise that He will direct my path.

God’s direction is of two types. When we stray from His will, His direction takes the form of chastisement. When we live in Harmony with His will, He directs us to service paths in His kingdom and showers us abundant blessings. The path of obedience is the better path. If you believe in Jesus, you have God’s promise that He will guide your path. So, relax; God is in the driver’s seat.

Father in heaven, thank You so much for Your promise to guide my life. Sometimes, I find myself in situations where I don’t know what to do. You always know what to do, and I believe in Your promise to pilot the ship of my life. Help me to relax and trust in Your guidance. In Jesus name, Amen.

Marie’s daily verse: Colossians 3:17 NLT: And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

DAILY DEVOTION, June 2, 2024

He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy (Proverbs 28:13, NKJV).

I have said this before. I did some things in my childhood that I did not want my parents to discover. I snitched a few candy bars from the local grocery store. I said some things I shouldn’t have said. I once threw a rock through a window (accidentally), and the house owner came running to where several of us boys were congregating. My Dad came out to check on the commotion. He learned what had happened, and each boy was asked,” Did you throw the rock?” We all answered, “No, sir.” My Dad said, “If my son says he did not throw the rock, I believe him.” It isn’t very comfortable even now to remember that episode. We like to hide our bad behavior from others.

Our verse reminds us that we sometimes try the same thing spiritually. We attempt to hide our sins from God. Guess what? It never works. Yes, we can hide our sins from people, but not from God. The effort to cover up our lousy behavior means we will not prosper in our relationship with God. When we know we have sinned against our holy God, the only wise course is confessing and forsaking our sinful ways. Then, we will learn that God is merciful.

Jesus died on the cross to absorb the punishment we deserve for our sins. He did not die so we could keep on disobeying God with impunity. I think sometimes Christians believe they can disobey God because when they do, nothing happens immediately. We must remember that we never get away with anything before the eyes of our heavenly Father. Confess, forsake: confess, forsake. That is the path of wisdom leading to spiritual prosperity.

Dearest Father in Heaven, I can remember things in my past that I tried to hide from my parents. I now know that as a Christian, I can hide nothing from You. Thank You for Your promise of mercy when I confess my sins unto You, along with the prayer that the Holy Spirit will help me to forsake them. I want to live my life in a manner that honors You; in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Marie’s daily verse: Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you,I will uphold you with My righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).

DAILY DEVOTION, May 31, 2024

Our church is Christ-centered and Bible-based. We are firmly rooted in the two “3:16’s. “The first is from Paul’s letter to Timothy: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

While many today question the inspiration and authority of the Bible, this is one of many verses affirming the divine authority of Scripture. The word “inspiration” is a unique Greek word meaning “God-breathed.” God breathed into the authors of Scripture, and they wrote the Word of God. The result is a book reflecting the mind and will of God infallibly. Others have pointed out the parallels between 2 Tim. 3:16 and John 3:16. The two verses have more in common than the same address. Note these parallels.

Both refer to “the Word.” Jesus is the living Word who became flesh and lived among us, and the Bible is the written Word pointing us to Jesus. Jesus is fully human and fully divine. The Bible has human authors but is the sacred truth of God. Jesus was without sin. The Bible is without error. Jesus came to save us. The Scriptures tell us how to appropriate His salvation. These two “3:16s” have much in common. We need Jesus to be our Savior. We require the Bible to tell us that salvation is by faith in Jesus.

2 Timothy 3:15 tells us that the Scriptures can make us wise unto salvation. Why? Because they lead us to place our faith in Jesus. God has given us two beautiful gifts to lead us to eternal life. Jesus came to save us. The Bible is the only book that directs us infallibly to Jesus. If you wish to grow in faith, read and study the Bible. If you want to be a Christian dwarf, let the Bible remain unopened on the coffee table!

Yes, some churches have drifted to the left theologically. I aim not to criticize other churches with different views of Jesus and the Bible but to clarify where we stand as a church.

Father, we thank you for the written word, the Bible, and the living Word, Jesus. May our little church be ever faithful to the 3:16’s of the Bible! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Marie’s daily verse: I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? (Psalm 56:4, NLT).

DAILY DEVOTION, May 30, 2024

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16, NKJV).

When should we approach God? Certainly, when we are in need. With all the changes swirling about my life, I feel needy! Lord, help! We need Your wisdom. OK, I meet the needy part of this verse. What next?

How should we perceive God when we seek His help? Our verse guides us to approach God’s throne of grace. The term “grace” Is a beacon of reassurance. It signifies God’s unmerited favor, a gift He bestows upon His people. We are not drawing near an angry God but to a God of grace, a God who is always ready to extend His mercy and help.

Do we approach God’s help with timidity? No! Our verse encourages us to come to God boldly. The Greek word used here is akin to our word: “boldness,” or confidence. We can confidently draw near to Him because we believe God loves us and has redeemed us through His Son. He will hear us, answer our prayers, and guide us in a way that will meet our prayer needs. This boldness in approaching God empowers our faith. 

What happens when we pray this way? Does God criticize us and say, “That is a dumb prayer?” No, we find a gracious and merciful God eager to help us in our time of need. So, do you have a need today? Are you filled with worry and fear? Read Hebrews 4:16 slowly several times, and then pray.

Father in heaven, I humbly ask for forgiveness for the many times I have let worry and fear overwhelm me. I am Grateful for Your gracious promise that I may come to You boldly. When I come before You in prayer, I will find mercy and grace and Your promise to help me in my time of need. It is a profound realization that You care about me, that You are always there for me. May I never forget it. In Jesus’ name, Amen!