Marie’s daily verse: When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 CHRONICLES 7:13-14

DAILY DEVOTION, September 6, 2023

… He who has seen Me has seen the Father …” (John 14:9).

We wonder, what is God like? He is the almighty creator of heaven and earth. His power is unfathomable. When we think of the power of God, it may overwhelm us with fear. How can I relate to such an awesome God? The immense power of God may cause us to fear Him. Yet God wants us to know Him. That is why He sent Jesus. Jesus makes an amazing statement: “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” He is God in the flesh; God incarnate. When we see Jesus, we know what God is like. He is like Jesus.

We read the story of Jesus in the four Gospels. We know He ends up on a cross. There He suffered for us. He bore the punishment we deserve. That is what God is like. He loves us so much that He was willing to suffer for us. Never puzzle over the nature of God. Just look at Jesus, and you have seen God.

Father, I am thankful that you stooped to our level. Jesus is one of us. We can relate to Him without fear. Thank You for the salvation He brought to the world. 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, September 5, 2023

When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” (John 19:5).

As you read the 19^th chapter of John, Pilate is trying hard to set Jesus free. He finds no fault in Him. The enemies of Jesus continue to pressure Pilate, and he finally gives in to the pressure. He hands Jesus over to be crucified. In the above text, Jesus is wearing the crown of thorns and a purple robe. He is indeed the king of the Jews, but the Jewish leadership has rejected Him. They cry out, “We have no king but Caesar.”

The crown and robe of kingship are intended to mock Him.  Satan believes he has defeated Jesus. But in the greatest turn of events in history, the rejection and crucifixion of Jesus is used by God to bring salvation to us. Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. All who believe He is the King above all kings receive forgiveness for all their sins.

Lord Jesus, how awful it was the way You were treated. The suffering You experienced as the innocent Son of God is hard for me to imagine. Yet that very suffering is the means used by the Father to secure our pardon. I believe in You as the King of Kings and as my King. May Your name be honored and glorified. Amen. 

Marie’s daily verse:  When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, Lord, supported me.When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.Psalm 94:18-19

DAILY DEVOTION, September 3, 2023

Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them (Hebrews 7:25).

When I worked for the State of Illinois, people came to me for assistance. Sometimes I was able to help, sometimes not. I had three big red notebooks which spelled out whom we could help. Many were turned away empty-handed.

It is different with the Christian faith. Jesus does not evaluate those who come to Him to decide whom He will help.  When we come to Jesus with sincere faith, He saves us. He does not save us a little bit. He saves us completely. How does He do that? Our text says He is alive and prays for His people. Does the Father answer the prayers of the Son?  Yes, He does!  When you come to Jesus, you receive a powerful tool – – – the prayers of the Son of God. Therefore, you are saved completely. So, hold on to your faith and receive the benefits of the prayers of Jesus. The result will be a complete salvation.

Father, I come to Jesus, Son of God, with sincere faith. I thank you that all who come are received. What a blessing it is to know that He prays for me! In His holy and righteous name. I pray, Amen.                

Marie’s daily verse:Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.(2 Thessalonians 3:5).

DAILY DEVOTION, September 4, 2023

“And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.” Ephesians 3:18 NLT

We know the second part of the greatest commandment. We are to love others as we love ourselves. Yet there is One whose love surpasses our own. As much love as we have for others, Jesus loves them more. My love has failed too often. How about you? God’s love will never fail. As we seek to reflect the love of God in our lives, we hope God’s love seeps into the lives of others. We also hope they choose to love Him back. Since God is love, we know that we are to love others. Love is the essence of Christian morality.  The one who does not love does not know God. However, our love pales in comparison to God’s love.

In our verse, the love of God is beyond our comprehension. Its width never ends. Its length is infinite. Its height is eternal. It is so deep that you will never reach the end of it. Our human love is real but fallible. God’s love never fails. Pray that His love will overflow into your life.

Father, Your love for me is beyond my comprehension. May Your love fill my heart and overflow into the lives of others. In Christ’s name, I pray, Amen.

Marie’s daily verse: Let all that I am praise the Lord ; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord ; may I never forget the good things he does for me.

Psalms 103:1‭-‬2 NLT.

DAILY DEVOTION, August 24, 2023

But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life (John 6:68).

In John chapter 6, Jesus said things His hearers did not understand. As a result, many who had been following Jesus turned away. Have you ever felt this way? Those who encounter unusual difficulties in life may be tempted to turn their backs on Jesus. I have read books by unbelievers who argue that some of Jesus’ words make no sense, so they reject Him. I recall a woman in my hometown of Peoria, Illinois, who lost a beloved son-in-law to cancer and turned her back on Jesus and His church for a time. Yes, bad things happen to Christian people. We think, “If God loves me, why did He allow this to happen?”

Jesus turns to His twelve apostles as He watches followers leaving in droves and asks, “Will you go away also?” Peter asks. “To whom shall we go?” Good question. If you reject Jesus, where do you go from there? Is there a superior Savior somewhere? Jesus promises eternal life to those who follow Him. That is good enough for Peter, even though Jesus sometimes speaks and acts in bewildering ways. I hope it is good enough for you.

Father, I must confess that sometimes I do not understand You or Your Son. Some of His teachings leave me confused. But I agree with Peter. If I reject Jesus, where do I go? Father, help me trust Your Son even when I do not understand His words or ways. I believe He alone can grant eternal life. In His name, I pray, Amen.