Category: Daily Inspirational Devotional

From the beginning of His ministry, Jesus always indicated the source of His teaching wasn’t original to Him but to His Father. A little farther in John, Jesus again reiterated this, “These words you hear aren’t My own; they belong to the Father Who sent Me.” (John 14:24) The Good News of the Gospel Message was perfectly taught by Jesus as He listened & obeyed His Heavenly Father. And it tells us here that if we choose to obey & follow God’s Will, He will make known to us holy mysteries…He’ll disclose the divine, and will allow us to gain godly perception through personal experience with Him. Psalm 25:14 tells us that, “The Lord confides in those who fear Him; He makes His covenant known to them.” Just like a trusted friend, Jesus wants to entrust us with the same relationship He has with His Father…a deeply personal & intimate relationship with the One true God.

At the start of this new year we are all a lot like Abraham…we don’t know where the Lord will lead us. He may call some into Full-Time Ministry, some into new positions at work, and some into serving opportunities they’d never imagine. When called, we have two options, refuse or step out in faith. But when we refuse the Holy Spirit’s promptings we run the risk of rebellious attitudes & actions. Yet when we humbly accept & yield we’ll see that,” Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not yet seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) For only faith can see into the future – by making real in the present what we already have through Christ Jesus. So walk boldly into this new year…trusting & obeying with full assurance of God’s plan for your life.

What a way to start the new year! Our Church held baptisms this glorious morning. What’s a more wonderful way to bring the new year in than to publicly proclaim that Jesus Christ is your personal Lord & Savior? Each testimony was heartfelt & filled with tears of gratitude to a Lord that loved them unconditionally. II Corinthians 5:17 proclaims that if we are in Christ we are a new creation, the old self is gone, the new self has come. And the entire Church erupted with thunderous applause and shouts of praise as each person came up out of that water…new & renewed in Him.

As we come to the very last day of 2022, I’d like for you to look back for a moment…not with regret but with gratitude. Now you may say there’s nothing to be grateful about, but in this Scripture we are told to be thankful for everything…and that means every thing you’ve gone through this past year. Colossians 3:16 chides us to have gratitude in our hearts… not bitterness, strife, or anger. I know you can find many things to be appreciative of as you think back over the year…and as you do, your heart will be filled with thankfulness & praise.

Oswald Chambers once penned, “Faith never knows where it’s being led, but it loves and knows the One Who is leading.” We all don’t know what the new year will bring us, but we can all be certain of one thing…God already knows & has prepared the way. Our responsibility is to trust and obey. In other words, to fear the Lord. Now the fear of the Lord isn’t distrustful terror of Him, but rather reverent awe & worshipful response of confidence, dependence, and assurance that He desires only the very best for us. Look around, what else can you place your trust in today? Nothing else can offer the rock solid reliance of God…not wealth & riches, power & authority, not even your own discernment & intellect can be trusted like Him. God wants to lead you in the way of righteousness today…will you allow Him to guide you?

There’s only a few more days left in 2022, and your mind may be filled with regrets of all the unfulfilled promises you made to yourself this time last year. Promises of losing weight, eating healthier, or exercising more…or it might have been to stop smoking, or drinking alcohol, or seeking treatment for substance abuse. You might have promised yourself that you were not going allow that certain family member to push your buttons, or that you’d forgive others more. Then again, your pledge might have been to God Himself…vows for getting back into the Word daily & praying more. But regrets can’t change the past, and all our remorse for not accomplishing what we set out to do only makes us feel sorry for ourselves. So instead, we need to have a conversation…with ourselves & God…a poignant heart-to-heart, filled with truth, accountability, repentance, & a change in attitude. This wonderful Scripture in Lamentations shows us God’s unending compassion towards us that will never be consumed by His wrath. Or as Psalm 30:5 says, “For His anger is but for a moment, and His favor is for a lifetime.” Regrets don’t change anything…only repentance can.

I call them the “What ifs”. Those thoughts that invade your mind and won’t let you sleep at night. So as we wind down this year & look ahead to the next, let’s look at some of these thoughts and the Scripture to counteract them. Fear & confusion are a huge mind set to battle…but I John 4:18 tells us that there is no fear in love, and God’s perfected love casts out fear as we continually walk with Him. Abandonment issues, either real or perceived, can cause us to feel alone and forsaken…but Jesus (whose name means God with us) tells us in Matthew 28:20 that He is always with us. Maybe it’s shame & guilt that keeps you awake at night. Romans 8:1 reminds us that there’s no condemnation for those who trust in Jesus. He loves you just as you are…no judgment. Helplessness, powerlessness, or emotions of no control over our life can make us feel like there’s no way out…no escape except to die. I then urge you to reach out to the Body of Believers. Philippians 4:3 calls on fellow Believers to gather together to help & reconcile…but you need to be brave enough to tell someone. Finally it could be invalidation & worthlessness that torments you. II Corinthians 5:21 shows us that as Christians we have been made righteous through Christ, and in God’s eyes we are valuable, cherished & worthy. So no matter the “What if”, there’s always the Word to cling to, for as Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…”, we can rest assured that the overwhelming power of God will always carry out His gracious, all-wise plan in our lives.

As we soon end the year of 2022 and look forward, for many it is with uncertainty. You may not have confidence about your job continuing into the new year. There may be instability in your current living situation. A long-term relationship may have become fickle & volatile. But there is one certainty you can be assured of…one person of whom will never change. I Samuel 15:29 tells us, “He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change His mind; for He isn’t a man that He should change His mind.” Or as James 1:17 says, God doesn’t change…” Therefore, even if this coming new year is filled with doubt, we can have confidence that God is always there…dependable, reliable, & unfailing in His love for us. And so I pray that as you move into 2023, you may stand firm, mature, and fully assured in all the Will of God. (Colossians 4:12)

Walking in the light is walking in God’s ways. It’s fellowshipping not only with Jesus Christ, but with other Believers in true joy and love. Isaiah 2:5 tells us to, “Walk in the light of the Lord.” For when we obediently walk in His light, we receive the true revelation about who Jesus is and His work within us. For the past year I’ve been walking outside for a hour everyday, but now that Winter is here it’s too cold & snowy to walk safely. And so committed daily walks have become hard, and I’m really good at making excuses why I shouldn’t walk on the treadmill. But in reality, I’m only allowing my selfish comfort to overrule the discipline I know I need in order to maintain good health. It’s the same with my walk with God, it takes obedience, discipline, focus, and consistency as I walk in the light of His truth.

On this early Christmas morn, before the hub-bub starts…think of this. Jesus came to earth to save you. He took on flesh…fully man, but fully God. Infinite but yet a tiny infant. Eternal, yet born of an ordinary woman. The Lord Almighty, yet utterly dependent on His mother. Bearing the weight of the entire universe on His shoulders, yet needing to be carried in His mother’s arms. Heir of all things, both on earth & in heaven, yet a lowly carpenter’s son. Jesus Christ willingly gave up His glory in order that you may be saved from your sins. The greatest Christmas present you’ll ever receive was born today in Bethlehem, and Jesus was His Name.