“The men did the work faithfully. Over them to direct them were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites descended from Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, descended from Kohath. The Levites--all who were skilled in playing musical instruments” – 2 Chronicles 34:12

The Latin phrase Semper Fidelis originated with the Roman Legionnaires who were always faithful to Rome. To them, Semper Fidelis meant “Always Faithful” even if it cost their lives.

The earliest definitively recorded use of semper fidelis is as the motto of the French town of Abbeville since 1369. It has also been used by other towns, and is recorded as the motto of various European families since the 16th century, and possibly since the 13th century or earlier. Records show many families in England, France and Ireland using this motto.

The United States Marine Corps adopted this phrase in 1883. Colonel Charles McCawley, 8th Commandant of the Marine Corps wanted to show that they were always faithful to the country and their fellow Marines, no matter what the situation may be.

The Lord desires us to be faithful in every task given to us. Today in prayer, give thanks to Jesus for the work He has given you and pray you can be a more faithful worker.

“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my little apple tree and pay my debts.” – Martin Luther

God’s Word: “A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.” – Proverbs 28:20

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DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS AND CHRONICLES †

“Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple” – 1 Chronicles 29:3

In their book “Contagious Generosity”, Chris Willard & Jim Sheppard state that Americans give out of “discretionary obligation” meaning they give generously to the kingdom, yet at the same time feel free to give at their discretion, giving only what they can, when they can, and never feeling burdened by a compulsion to give.

They write: “If “discretionary obligation” defines our understanding of generosity, we will never experience true abundance in our churches. Though many Americans have faced significant financial setbacks in recent years, we have observed that wealth in America has increased at a record pace over the last sixty years, even after taking into account the economic retraction of 2008. However, the percentage of income Americans give to churches has been decreasing over the same period of time. This just doesn’t make sense. We have more than ever, but we give less than ever. The American church can no longer turn its back on this issue. It is time to take a look at ways we can reverse this disturbing trend of more wealth and less giving to the church.”

Let your giving be out of your love for Jesus Christ. Today in prayer, praise the Lord that you can give so He may be glorified.

“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill

God’s Word: “One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.” – Proverbs 11:24

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS AND CHRONICLES †

“They divided them impartially by drawing lots, for there were officials of the sanctuary and officials of God among the descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar.” – 1 Chronicles 24:5

British writer George Orwell describes how his education included not just fields of study, but also biases against those of different social status:

“When I was fourteen or fifteen I was an odious little snob, but no worse than other boys of my own age and class. I suppose there is no place in the world where snobbery is quite so ever-present or where it is cultivated in such refined and subtle forms as in an English public school. Here at least one cannot say that English “education” fails to do its job. You forget your Latin and Greek within a few months of leaving school—I studied Greek for eight or ten years, and now, at thirty-three, I cannot even repeat the Greek alphabet—but your snobbishness, unless you persistently root it out like the bindweed it is, sticks by you till your grave.”

The Lord is impartial and desires us to also to be free of prejudice. Today in prayer, confess any sin of prejudice and thank the Lord that He is impartial to all people.

“Prejudice is a disease caused by hardening of the categories.” – William Arthur Ward

God’s Word: “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” – James 3:17

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“For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.” – 1 Chronicles 16:26

In September 2015, a giant statue of an elephant-headed Hindu god collapsed on a crowd of worshippers in India. It happened in Hyderabad - 1,500km south of the capital New Delhi - at a religious festival known as Immersion Day, during which the deity Ganesh is immersed in water. 

A video shows a large group of revelers gathering to see the giant elephant-headed idol. Moments later, people start to scream as the statue begins to tilt and then fall right smack into the crowd. The statue got entangled in electrical wires. When the festival organizers tried to untangle the wires, the statue crashed first into a building and then fell upon the worshippers.  

The Ganesh idol, the Hindu deity of success and good fortune, killed one and hurt three others.

There is only one God, the Maker of Heaven and earth. Today in prayer, confess any idolatry and any love of things. Seek to love and follow Jesus with your whole heart.

“That to which your heart clings is your god.” – Martin Luther

God’s Word: “Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.” – 1 Corinthians 10:14

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“The LORD warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: ‘Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your fathers to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.’” – 2 Kings 17:13

In June 2023, the Titan submersible dove off the coast of New England to explore the wreck of the Titanic. For days no one heard from the submarine. Then a week later its remains were found near the Titanic. The Titan had imploded because of extreme pressure.

Stockton Rush, the owner of the submarine and four others perished. He had ignored multiple warnings from others in the deep-sea community about why his commercial sub was not safe. David Lochridge, who worked for Rush and who saved the team in a 2016 dive, gave Rush multiple warnings about the strength of the hull. 

"With the carbon fiber, it's been shown to not be very happy when it's being immersed first of all and then being hollow on the inside or just one atmosphere on the inside and then having the tremendous pressure of the ocean trying to push in on it, it's not the right material," said Liz Taylor, president of DOER Marine Operations in 2016.

Then, in 2018, the manned submersible committee of the Marine Technology Society, backed her up, writing a letter also urging Rush not to proceed.

Ignoring all warnings, Rush moved forward using carbon fiber on his submersible doomed for disaster. He said: "You know, at some point, safety just is pure waste.” 

The Lord warns us multiple times in order to protect us and to provide for us. Today in prayer, heed God’s Word and do not be complacent in following Jesus.

“Warnings aren’t meant to condemn us—they are meant to help us grow up so that we can be effectively used in building God’s kingdom on earth.” - Crystal McDowell

God’s Word: “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.” – 1 Corinthians 10:11

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS AND CHRONICLES †

“In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a hundred, the Carites and the guards and had them brought to him at the temple of the LORD. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the temple of the LORD. Then he showed them the king's son.” – 2 Kings 11:4

In his book “The Bad Habits of Jesus: Showing us the Way to Live Right In a World Gone Wrong”, Leonard Sweet writes: “William F. Allen, who in 1883 “pulled off a miracle.” What he did was to get not just an entire coast to pull in sync, but an entire nation. In [New Jersey Governor Tom] Kean’s words,

Until high noon on October 18, 1883, every rail line ran on its own time. Every train station set its own clocks by the sun. So when it was noon in New York, it was 11:58 in Trenton and 11:56 in Camden, and so on. Pure chaos. Allen was chosen to sort out this mess, and after eight years he convinced the nation to adopt the time zones that we have today.

The task the church faces is a lot like Allen’s, except we are trying to get people to adopt the time zone of eternity. As my mother, Mabel Boggs Sweet, used to put it, “God’s clock keeps perfect time.”

God’s timing is perfect. Today in prayer, give thanks to Jesus that He is always on time.

“In God, time and eternity are one and the same thing.” – Henry Suso

God’s Word: “For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” - Habakkuk 2:3

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS AND CHRONICLES †

“And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” – 2 Kings 6:17

In his book “Beyond Disillusionment to Faith”, author James S. Stewart talks about a trip to Switzerland to observe Jungfrau Mountain. “I remember once near Interlaken waiting for days to see the Jungfrau which was hidden in mists. People told me it was there, and I should have been a fool to doubt their word, for those who told me lived there and they knew. Then one day the mists were gone, and the whole mountain stood revealed. Next day the mists were back, but now I had seen, and knew myself that It was true…Let us trust our own moments of vision: what matter if there are days when the mists come down and the face of God is hidden? We have seen, and we know for ever that this is real, so real that by it we can live and die”

There is a reality that is beyond our eyes that only faith can reveal. Today in prayer, praise Jesus that He is Lord of all the seen and the unseen.

“My knowledge of that life is small, The eye of faith is dim; But ‘tis enough that Christ knows all, And I shall be with him.” – Richard Baxter

God’s Word: “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” – Colossians 3:2

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS AND CHRONICLES †

“The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the LORD. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves." – 2 Kings 4:1

After losing her husband, Tinashe Butau of Zimbabwe was now a single mother with four children to feed, and she needed to find a way to provide. When a friend told her about a savings group through a local church, Tinashe saw an opportunity. "I was tired of living from hand to mouth," she says. "The group provided a means out of poverty and beyond living hand to mouth." Hope International shared more about her story on their blog:

Tinashe began putting aside $20 each month. In a group made up of mostly widows and single mothers, the group quickly became a source of deep community and growth for Tinashe.

With a loan from the group, Tinashe was able to grow her peanut butter business by purchasing a peanut processing machine, eliminating the cost of paying others to roast and grind her peanuts. As her business has grown, she's been able to employ one of her sons and his wife. Tinashe also used a group loan to purchase a welding machine from South Africa to start a welding and steel fabrication business in partnership with her other son, who was previously unemployed.

"The Lord has really taken care of us," she says. "He is our husband. And we have each other."

In all that we do, we need to remember and to be kind to orphans and widows. Today in prayer, praise the Lord for His loving-kindness and seek to be kind to others.

“The greatest thing a man can do for his heavenly Father is to be kind to some of his other children.” – Henry Drummond

God’s Word: “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” – Psalm 82:3-4

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS AND CHRONICLES †

“As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been.” – 1 Kings 11:4 (NIV)

Joseph Solomon has been making Christian viral videos for almost a decade. He started his YouTube channel chaseGodtv in June 2012, which had over 15 million views and almost 600,000 subscribers. The extraordinarily talented Solomon has shared the teachings of Jesus Christ through music, poetry, videography, and life experiences resulting in hundreds of videos that impacted millions of people around the world.

Solomon grew up in a Christian household. His father was an elder and his mother played piano in their Texas church.

But then in 2021, Solomon posted, "It took a lot of people by surprise when I posted something on Twitter and reposted a screenshot of it on my Instagram," he said. The tweet read: "I'm not a Christian. Maybe I'll explain that further at some point on a podcast or something, but I'm really in no rush. I figured I'd at least just set context for any inquiring minds..." 

Our hearts can grow cold and turn away from the Lord, if we are not careful. Today in prayer, ask the Lord to give you wisdom to follow Jesus in all that you do.

“However advanced a man may be in piety or age, he is still in danger of falling.” – Charles Simeon

God’s Word: “So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the LORD; he did not follow the LORD completely, as David his father had done.” – 1 Kings 11:6

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DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS AND CHRONICLES †

“Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses.” – 1 Kings 8:56

In his book “Awe”, author Paul David Tripp writes: “God’s promises are meant to move and motivate us. They are meant to instill hope. They are meant to give us courage. They are meant to defeat feelings of loneliness, inability, and fear. They are meant to give us peace when things around us are chaotic and confusing. God’s promises are meant to blow your mind and settle your heart. They are his gifts of grace to you.

In your heart of hearts, you know you could never have earned the riches that he pours down on you. His promises are meant to leave you in awe of him and in wonder at the glory of his grace. His promises are designed to be the way that you interpret and make sense of your life.

I am amazed at the numbers of believers I meet who are in some state of spiritual paralysis because they no longer believe the promises of God. Because they don’t believe the promises of God, they don’t have much reason to continue doing the radical things that God calls every one of his children to do. When doubt replaces awe, you will soon give up on all the gospel disciplines of the Christian life.

Your problem isn’t that life is hard. Your problem is that you’ve lost your awe of the God who made the promises that once motivated the way you dealt with life. Do you stand with hope and courage on the awesome promises of God? Or do you walk through the quicksand of questioning their reliability?”

The Bible is true and we can trust in God's Promises. Today in prayer, thank Jesus that He keeps His Word, and live by faith in the promises of God.

“The message of promise is the beginning and end of everything that is included in the Bible. It undergirds every word, sometimes openly, sometimes subtly, but it is always there. God’s promises are the common thread that unites the Old and New Testament, the core that makes sixty-six books into one.” – Mark Tabb

God’s Word: “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” – Numbers 23:19

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS AND CHRONICLES †

“Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” – 1 Kings 3:7-9

In her book “Invitation to Retreat”, Ruth Haley Barton writes: “The word increasing [speaking of discernment] indicates that we will never fully arrive when it comes to discernment, but we can grow more and more attuned to the presence and will of God through practice. Recognizing and responding are related but separate ideas.

To recognize is to see, to know, to cherish, and to allow the other to speak; then to respond truly and thoughtfully requires that we bring our best and most attentive selves. Of course, we will need to recognize the presence and activity of God before we can respond, but for a whole host of reasons it is possible to recognize what God is doing and yet refuse to participate.

So the idea is to recognize and respond, and if we don’t, we could be curious about why we are not responding and what’s holding us back. It is one thing to be aware that God is present with us all the time; it is quite another to recognize God’s activity in our lives and seek to join God in whatever God is up to.”

In everything we need to practice discernment and ask “Is it good?” Today in prayer, ask Christ to give you wisdom and discernment in all that you do.

“God never gives us discernment in order that we may criticize, but that we may intercede.” – Oswald Chambers

God’s Word: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” – James 1:5

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS AND CHRONICLES †

“Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the men of Israel.” – 2 Samuel 15:5-6

In his book “The Life You Have Always Wanted”, Pastor John Ortberg talks about guarding our hearts. “But there is a pursuit that is worthy of our devotion. There is a goal that is achievable even in the most desperate of situations. It will produce good far beyond our own little sphere of influence. It is something that our souls long for: the life we’ve always wanted. It is the quest for what might be called a well-ordered heart…When the heart is well-ordered, we are not only increasingly free from sin,

but also increasingly free from the desire to sin.

What does it mean to have a well-ordered heart? Augustine suggested that to have a well-ordered heart is to love the right thing to the right degree in the right way with the right kind of love.”

There are many charismatic people who want to lead you astray from Jesus Christ. Today in prayer, give thanks to the Lord and give Jesus alone your heart.

“Do your utmost to guard your heart, for out of it comes life.” – Walter Hilton

God’s Word: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” – Proverbs 4:23

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DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, CHRONICLES AND KINGS †

“‘Don't be afraid,’ David said to him, ‘for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.’” – 2 Samuel 9:7

In his book “Incarnate Leadership”, author Bill Robinson writes: “On Monday morning, February 2008, every sports page in the world heralded the New York Giants’ astonishing Super Bowl upset over the undefeated New England Patriots. And the big story within the story? Giants’ head coach Tom Coughlin pulled off the shocker with…nice. Entering the season with his boss grumbling, “He’s our coach this year; we’ll see what happens after that,” Coughlin decided he needed a leadership makeover. Jackie McMullen of the Boston Globe reported an incident that took place on media day, seventy-two hours before the big game:

A boy no more than eight or nine years old was handed a microphone…and he made a beeline toward Giants’ coach Tom Coughlin, who spotting the junior inquisitor leaned over in an almost grandfatherly fashion and tenderly attended to his question. “I hear yo’ve been a lot nicer this year,” said the child. “Who put you up to that?” Said the coach to gales of laughter.

After going 8-8 in the 2007 season, Tom Coughlin met with his veteran players. They told him he yelled too much, communicated too little, and listened barely at all. Veteran player Michael Strahan calls the change “a transformation, sometimes I barely recognize him.” (Boston Globe, January 30, 2008)

Tom Coughlin spent three years trying to change his players. It didn’t work. So he decided to change himself. And that’s what changed his players. Now they’re all sporting Super Bowl rings.”

One of the best testimonies of Jesus Christ is kindness we show to others. Today in prayer, praise Jesus for His kindness towards you and seek to be kind toothers.

“To ease another's heartache is to forget one's own.” – Abraham Lincoln

God’s Word: “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” - Colossians 3:12 

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, CHRONICLES AND KINGS †

"Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them. They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword." - 2 Samuel 1:11-12

In his book “Faith in the Shadows”, author Austin Fischer writes: “The first funeral I officiated was for an eighteen-year-old girl killed in a car accident. To this day I’ve never experienced a more difficult funeral. And as I spoke and looked out into a sea of grief, one face stood out—that of her boyfriend. I met with him shortly after the funeral and learned that days before the accident he had purchased an engagement ring and had been planning to propose.

Neither of us spoke much during that initial meeting; words felt treasonous. But in the meetings that followed, we gradually opened up to one another, and he asked me how to deal with all the anger and grief. He told me prayer had never come easily for him. He never knew how to talk to God, and at this particular moment he had nothing nice to say. So I gave him a Bible, put a small bookmark in Job 1, and suggested this was a good place to start. We met a few weeks later, and when I asked him how the reading was going he said, ‘I didn’t know we could talk to God like that. If I can talk to God like that, maybe I can talk to God.’”

Mourning is an inevitable loss on earth. Today in prayer, thank Jesus that in Him, we have overcome death, one day all mourning will come to an end, and we will see those who trust in Him again in Heaven.

"Death is nothing else but going home to God, the bond of love will be unbroken for all eternity." - Mother Teresa

God's Word: "Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him." - Acts 8:2

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail  

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“David said to Saul, ‘Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.’” – 1 Samuel 17:32

In her book “Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess”, Dr. Caroline Leaf writes: “Many people are broken and without hope. It’s not surprising that a Brooking’s report in October 2019 noted how “deaths of despair” were affecting many sectors of society, particularly in America’s heartland.

Carol Graham, Brooking Institution’s senior fellow, made this eye-opening observation: “The metric that really stands out is not sort of happy, or unhappy. Happy today doesn’t matter a whole lot. It’s hope for the future or lack thereof that’s really linked with premature mortality.” More and more research is showing how the absence of hope and the lack of resources to deal with our most basic emotional and physical needs are coming at a great cost.

Fear, isolation, pain, purposelessness, despair . . . these are the symptoms of a society that is broken and hurting, and they can lead to an early death not only from suicide but from very real damage to the heart, immune system, GI system, and brain—the entire body goes into states of low-grade inflammation that can increase our vulnerability to disease by up to 75–95 percent when we are in a constant state of turmoil.”

In our darkest moments, our Heavenly Father is near. Today in prayer, ask the Lord for courage as you face difficult situations.

“Courage: The lovely virtue – the rib of Himself that God sent down to His children.” – James M. Barrie

God’s Word: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

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“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’” – 1 Samuel 16:7 

Joseph M. Stowell III was born February 7, 1944 and retired as the president of Cornerstone University in May 2021. He is the author of over 20 Christian books. In his book “Fan the Flame”, Stowell writes: “The heart is used in Scripture as the most comprehensive term for the authentic person. It is the part of our being where we desire, deliberate, and decide. It has been described as “the place of conscious and decisive spiritual activity,” “the comprehensive term for a person as a whole; his feelings, desires, passions, thought, understanding and will,” and “the center of a person. The place to which God turns.”

The Lord continually is looking for men and women, boys and girls that have a heart for Him. Today in prayer, give Jesus your heart and fully serve Him.

“Let your heart soar as high as it will. Refuse to be average.” – A.W. Tozer

God’s Word: “then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of all men)” – 1 Kings 8:39

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“But Samuel replied: "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” – 1 Samuel 15:22

In his book “Mr. Jones, Meet the Master!” Peter Marshall writes: “I wonder what would happen if we all agreed to read one of the Gospels until we came to a place that told us to do something, then went out to do it, and only after we had done it, began reading again? There are aspects of the Gospel that are puzzling and difficult to understand. But our problems are not centered around the things we don’t understand, but rather in the things we do understand, the things we could not possibly misunderstand. Our problem is not so much that we don’t know what we should do. We know perfectly well, but we don’t want to do it.”

The joy of the Christian life is obtained by obeying Jesus. Today in prayer, confess any sin in your life and seek to follow Jesus with all of your heart.

“Obedience is a part of the honor we owe to God.” – Thomas Watson

God’s Word: “With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” – Micah 6:6-8

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

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“As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.” – 1 Samuel 12:23

In a speech entitled “What Really Ails America”, William J. Bennett said: “When the novelist Walker Percy was asked what concerned him most about America’s future, he answered, ‘Probably the fear of seeing America, with all its great strength and beauty and freedom...gradually subside into decay through default and be defeated, not by the communist movement, but from within, from weariness, boredom, cynicism, greed and in the end helplessness before its great problems.’

I realize this is a tough indictment. If my diagnosis is wrong, then why, amid our economic prosperity and military security, do almost 70% of the public say we are off track? I submit that only when we turn to the right things—enduring, noble, spiritual things—will life get better.

Most important, we must return religion to its proper place. Religion provides us with moral bearings, and the solution to our chief problem of spiritual impoverishment depends on spiritual renewal. The surrendering of strong beliefs, in our private and public lives, has demoralized society.

Today, much of society ridicules and mocks those who are serious about their faith. America’s only respectable form of bigotry is bigotry against religious people. And the only reason for hatred of religion is that it forces us to confront matters many would prefer to ignore.

Today we must carry on a new struggle for the country we love. We must push hard against an age that is pushing hard against us. If we have full employment and greater economic growth—if we have cities of gold and alabaster—but our children have not learned how to walk in goodness, justice and mercy, then the American experiment, no matter how gilded, will have failed.

Do not surrender. Get mad. Get in the fight.”

Following Jesus is good and right. Today in prayer, praise the Lord for His Word and the goodness of Jesus.

“Every word of the Bible rings with Christ.” - Martin Luther

God’s Word: “Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.” – Psalm 37:27

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

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“So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.' " So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."” – 1 Samuel 3:9-10

Dr Joe R. Brown of Rochester, Minnesota, was a pioneer in Neurology and was on the staff of the Mayo Clinic for more than 27 years. He told of the frustration he encountered while trying to take a physical history on a patient. The man’s wife kept answering every question. Finally, Dr Brown requested that she leave the room. But after she left, Dr. Brown discovered that her husband couldn’t speak. Calling the wife back, Dr Brown apologized for not realizing the man had aphasia (loss of speech) and he couldn’t speak a word. The wife was even more astonished because she didn’t know either! She couldn’t remember ever hearing him speak.

We need to learn to be quiet and to hear our Heavenly Father’s voice. Today in prayer, thank the Lord for His Word and seek to listen to Him and follow Him in all that you do.

“The closer you get to the Shepherd, the louder His voice will be.” – Nate Barbour

God’s Word: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” – John 10:27

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, CHRONICLES AND KINGS †

“Eli's sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the Lord.” – 1 Samuel 2:12

In his book “Life is Messy,” Pastor Matthew Keller writes: “The sad and tragic truth is that evil is never far away. Not far from where you sit right now, men, women, and children, are being forced into every type of slavery and prostitution, by people so feral they are more like wild beasts than like people. Not far from where you sit right now, domestic violence and child abuse in all their forms are raging. Not far from where you sit right now, someone just bought a gun to kill himself or others. Not far from where you sit right now, drugs are being sold to children and changing the direction of their lives forever. Not far from where you sit right now, someone is being tortured, taken advantage of, blackmailed, corrupted, intimidated. Not far from where you sit at this moment, there are too many people who have nothing to lose. Not far from where you sit right now, children are so hungry they cannot sleep. Evil is never far away. It is real and it is near.”

Because of his great love for sinners, Jesus conquered evil at the Cross. Today in prayer, confess any sin to Jesus and seek His will in all of your ways.

“At the heart of the story stands the cross of Christ where evil did its worst and met its match.” – John W. Wenham

God’s Word: “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.” – Romans 12:9

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, CHRONICLES AND KINGS †

“So in the course of time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, ‘Because I asked the Lord for him.’” – 1 Samuel 1:20

In his book “Spiritual Formation” , Henri Nouwen writes: “In the midst of a busy schedule of activities—healing suffering people, casting out devils, responding to impatient disciples, traveling from town to town, and preaching from synagogue to synagogue—we find these quiet words: “In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely place and prayed there.”

The more I read this nearly silent sentence locked in between the loud words of action, the more I have the sense that the secret of Jesus’ ministry is hidden in that lonely place where he went to pray, early in the morning, long before dawn. . . . In the lonely place Jesus finds the courage to follow God’s will and not his own; to speak God’s words and not his own; to do God’s work and not his own. It is in the lonely place, where Jesus enters into intimacy with the Father, that his ministry is born.”

Our Heavenly Father desires to hear the prayers of our hearts and to answer them. Today in prayer, praise the Lord that our God loves us and answers prayer.

“When I stop praying, the coincidences stop happening.” – William Temple

God’s Word: “Look on me and answer, O Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; my enemy will say, ‘I have overcome him,’ and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.” – Psalm 13:3-5

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, CHRONICLES AND KINGS †