Marie’s daily verse: Psalm 4:1: 

Answer me when I call to you, O God who declares me innocent.  Free me from my troubles. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

DAILY DEVOTION, May 14, 2024

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life (John 8:12).

What an audacious claim! Who would make such a claim? I certainly would not. You would have to be someone extraordinary – – – like the Son of God – – – to make such a claim. Jesus did make such a claim. Do you believe Him? We have eyes, and we can see the physical world, but that is not the meaning of Jesus’ words. Walking in darkness refers to walking in disobedience to the Father. We are persons who walk in spiritual darkness unless…

we are following Jesus. When we follow Him as His faithful disciples, we walk in the light. By faith, we can see the will of God and walk in it. We fail the minute we try to please God apart from following Jesus. And yes, we do fail. That is when we turn to Jesus again for His forgiveness and cleansing.

There is no spiritual light to be found apart from Jesus. Follow Him, and you will walk in the light.

Father, I thank You for the gift of Your Son. He has done everything for me. He provides for my forgiveness (which I desperately need!) and promises to light the way for me as I follow him. I want to walk in His light as a faithful disciple. In His name, I pray, Amen.

Marie’s daily verse: Proverbs 14:26: 

Those who fear the Lord are secure; He will be a refuge for their children.

DAILY DEVOTION, May 13, 2024

Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name (Psalm 103:1).

This verse presents a challenge to us when we worship. When we worship God, we are to do so with all that is within us. God is worthy of our highest praise. Often, when I attempt to worship God, I feel the need to repent! I am so easily distracted. My mind so quickly drifts to other matters. I have even been known to fall asleep during a worship service! (not during my own sermon!).

God is worthy of our full attention when we gather to worship. He is holy. His name is holy. He is our Creator and our Redeemer. I wonder how often I give it my all when I worship Him. Do I put my all into singing His praises? During the prayers, does God have my undivided attention? During the sermon, is my mind open to receive His Word eagerly? During the Lord’s Supper, is my heart rejoicing as I remember that I am forgiven once again?

The text from Psalm 103 presents us with the ideal. That is what we strive for when we worship God. I doubt that we ever live up to the words, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name.” We reach for the ideal and then graciously accept God’s pardon because we have not reached the ideal. That is why, in our church, we observe the Lord’s Supper every Sunday. Not only have we failed to live a perfect life in the previous week, but even our worship falls short of the divine standard. One thing that should be present in our hearts when we worship is thanksgiving. God accepts our inadequate worship because of what Jesus has done for us. Thankfully, His love and the sacrifice of His Son make it possible for us to draw near to Him despite our many imperfections.

Gracious Father, I do thank You for Your grace. You are worthy of my best – – – my full attention – – – but I know I fall short. Because of Jesus and what He has done for me, I can draw near to You with confidence, not because I am flawless, but because He is flawless. Glory and honor and praise be unto Him, Amen.

Marie’s daily verse: Psalm 31:3: 

For You are my rock and my fortress; therefor, for your name’s sake. lead me and guide me.

DAILY DEVOTION, May 12, 2024

For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17).

These are very sobering words. Judgment begins with God’s own people. Why? It can only mean that God will judge His people if they are unfaithful. Consider the Old Testament. Israel was God’s chosen people. Yet throughout the Old Testament, judgment falls upon them repeatedly for unfaithfulness. It ended in 70 AD with the utter destruction of Israel and the Temple by the Romans.

God established a New Covenant. Faith in Jesus brings forgiveness, but are we expected to be faithful? Of course! God does not forgive us and then say, “Live as you please.” He calls us to a life of faithfulness. If that faithfulness wanes, we need to be ready for judgment. God is always calling His people to be faithful. The verse then moves to those who reject the Gospel. If God brings judgment on His people, those outside the kingdom better brace themselves for an even greater judgment. The message of the verse is clear – – – be faithful or be prepared for judgment.

Father, Your word to us is clear. You have called us to be faithful. Thank You for the forgiveness we receive through trust in Jesus. Help us now to follow Him daily as our Lord. In His name, Amen.

Marie’s daily verse: 

 Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). 

DAILY DEVOTION, May 7, 2024

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13).  

Jeremiah tells us how we may come to know God. If I seek God with all my heart, I will find Him. I will have a relationship with my Creator. The condition mentioned by the prophet requires some interpretation. What does it mean to seek God with all your heart?

It clearly means to seek Him with sincerity. If we are half-hearted or indifferent about seeking God, we will never come to know Him. The question we must ask is this: do I really want to know God? Those who sincerely want to know Him will find Him.

Of course, we must remember that we are under the New Covenant. Jeremiah spoke under the Old Covenant. For us, to seek God sincerely means to seek Jesus Christ and submit to Him with faith. Once we have faith in Jesus that will never give up, we will know God. We will have a living relationship with our Creator.

It is not difficult to know God. He wants us to seek Him. He desires to have a relationship with us. What about me? Do I want what God wants?

Father, I thank You that You are not hiding from me.  I thank You that You have made clear what I must do to find You. I reaffirm my faith in Jesus, and I thank You that I have a relationship with You as I trust in Him.  May His Name be blessed forever, Amen.  

Marie’s daily verse: 

 Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). 

DAILY DEVOTION, May 7, 2024

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13).  

Jeremiah tells us how we may come to know God. If I seek God with all my heart, I will find Him. I will have a relationship with my Creator. The condition mentioned by the prophet requires some interpretation. What does it mean to seek God with all your heart?

It clearly means to seek Him with sincerity. If we are half-hearted or indifferent about seeking God, we will never come to know Him. The question we must ask is this: do I really want to know God? Those who sincerely want to know Him will find Him.

Of course, we must remember that we are under the New Covenant. Jeremiah spoke under the Old Covenant. For us, to seek God sincerely means to seek Jesus Christ and submit to Him with faith. Once we have faith in Jesus that will never give up, we will know God. We will have a living relationship with our Creator.

It is not difficult to know God. He wants us to seek Him. He desires to have a relationship with us. What about me? Do I want what God wants?

Father, I thank You that You are not hiding from me.  I thank You that You have made clear what I must do to find You. I reaffirm my faith in Jesus, and I thank You that I have a relationship with You as I trust in Him.  May His Name be blessed forever, Amen.