Daily Devotionals

Devotional - Your Gifts

2025-01-24T05:54:00Z

“so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach” – Romans 12:5-7

In 1880, there was a painter in America named Emmanuel Ninger. One day, Ninger went to a wholesale store to buy all the basic necessities for his family. Ninger brought lunch from home and $20.

All the items were already in Ninger's shopping basket, and then he approached the cashier to pay. The cashier accepted the $20 and gave change to Ninger.

What happened next was that the cashier's hands became sweaty. Then he noticed streaks and lines on his hands when he held the $20 given by Ninger.

He reported it to his manager, and the manager called a police officer who identified that the $20 bill was undoubtedly counterfeit. The police immediately went to Ninger's house and arrested the counterfeiter.

What's astonishing is that during the police investigation, they found that Ninger had forged the $20 bill by painting it with his own hands! The result was extraordinary, exactly the same!

Had it not been for the "bleeding" paint, he might never have been caught.

Interestingly, while searching his property, the police discovered three paintings in Ninger's workshop that, if sold, would have been worth no less than $5000!

Ninger needed only to invest the same amount of time and gift to paint his counterfeit $20 bills as to create paintings worth $5000 or more. Unfortunately, he was unable to see or tap into the value of his God given potential.

The Lord has given you gifts to build up others in Jesus Christ. Today in prayer, thank the Lord for the spiritual gifts you have received and seek to use them for His glory.

“God has said that every Christian has at least one spiritual gift for the benefit of the whole body of Christ. No one has all the gifts, all have at least one gift, and some have two or more. We are dependent on each other.” – Francis M. Cosgrove, Jr.

God’s Word: “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” – 1 Corinthians 12:4-7

DEVOTIONS IN ROMANS †

Devotional - Living Sacrifice

2025-01-23T05:53:00Z

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.” – Romans 12:1-2

An American businessman went to Oberammergau to witness the famous passion play, just before the outbreak of World War II. Enthralled by this great drama that depicts the story of the cross, he went backstage at the conclusion of the play to meet Anton Lang, who played the part of the Christus. Our American friend had equipped himself with an expensive camera which he was eager to use.

Abruptly he snapped the picture of Anton Lang, much to Mr. Lang’s discomfort. Then looking about the stage for something more to shoot with his camera, he saw over in the corner the great cross that Mr. Lang had carried up the hill to Calvary in the play. Quickly turning to his wife, he said, “Here, dear, you take my camera. I’m going over and lift up the cross. When I get it up on my shoulder, you snap my picture carrying the cross. Won’t that be a novel and exciting picture to send home to our friends in America?”

He saw that Mr. Lang was frowning severely at the brusque irreverence of the American tourist. “You don’t mind, do you, Mr. Lang?” he said. “This is very unusual,” protested Mr. Lang; but before he could say more, the man had hurried over beside the cross. He stooped down to lift it to his shoulder, but he could not budge it one inch off the floor—the cross was made of heavy iron oak beams.

Puffing with amazement, the man turned to Mr. Lang and said, “Why, I thought it would be light. I thought the cross was hollow. Why do you carry a cross that is so terribly heavy?” Mr. Lang drew himself up to his full height and replied with compelling dignity and rebuke, “Sir, if I did not feel the weight of his cross, I could not play his part.”

The Lord wants to do great things in your life, but you must be willing to sacrifice your goals for God’s glory. Today in prayer, praise Jesus that when we live for Him, we are blessed.

“Leadership is an act of submission to God. To be a leader means listening to all kinds of people and situations. Out of that listening, we are hoping to discern the mind of God as best we can. This is the price of leadership - it's an act of sacrifice. So leadership is part and parcel of the work of submission to God.” – Richard Foster

God’s Word: “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” – Ephesians 4:1

DEVOTIONS IN ROMANS †

Devotional - Experiencing Grace

2025-01-22T05:57:00Z

“And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.” – Romans 11:6

In his book “Preparing and Delivering Christ-Centered Sermons II”, Bryan Chapell writes: “A number of you may be aware of Jerry Bridges’ series of books on holiness, and the book that maybe put him on the map was Pursuit of Holiness. Jerry’s a friend, so he’s told me these stories, and I don’t remember the exact numbers, but Pursuit of Holiness was the book that really brought him to fame. People were strongly motivated to obey God, to seek to honor Him, by Jerry’s writing in Pursuit of Holiness.

But he says that as he went around the country preaching on Pursuit of Holiness, there was always another sermon he had to preach after the series of messages based on the book. And he said the message that he had to preach after Pursuit of Holiness was how grace transforms us so that we can pursue holiness.

I mean, after all, it was in some measure, early on, just kind of a Nike Christianity: “Just do it. You just hunker down and try harder and do what God says here.” People were inspired but found themselves incapable. And so Jerry had to say, “Well, you know, it’s by the grace of God that you’re enabled to do what He says.”

… Here’s what happened. And I don’t remember these figures precisely, but Jerry says the first book, Pursuit of Holiness, which was all about “you just do it,” sold some three million copies. The second book, Transforming Grace, which says it’s actually God’s grace that enables, sold 300,000 copies.

The more we talk about the grace of God rather than what we do to get God to respond to us, the less people seem to be interested. And, you know, what Jerry Bridges said was, it’s actually the grace of God that is the power of the ability to pursue holiness, and our disciplines, as we practice them, are not about somehow paying off God so that He will be good to us but, rather, are simply the means by which God gives us to open our hearts to receive the grace that helps us understand what He provides in our behalf…

That inversion—understanding that His grace precedes our performance, not [that] our performance buys His grace—that shift changes everything.”

Grace is the unmerited favor of God. We did not earn it. We don’t deserve it. We can just receive it as the loving gift from the God who will judge all mankind. Today in prayer, praise Christ for His gift of grace.

"Grace is what God gives us when we don't deserve and mercy is when God doesn't give us what we do deserve." - Reinhold Niebuhr

God’s Word: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.” – Ephesians 2:8-9

DEVOTIONS IN ROMANS †

Devotional - No Distinction

2025-01-21T05:57:00Z

NO DISTINCTION Tuesday - January 21, 2025

“For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him” – Romans 10:12

In his book “The Good and Beautiful Community”, author James Bryan Smith writes: “George Fox (1624-1691) was the founder of the Quakers, a Christian movement, in seventeenth-century century England.

Two of the great Quaker contributions are their teaching on pacifism (refusal to use violence) and equality (abolishing class distinction). William Penn (1644-1718) grew up in the upper class and had the best education available.

At the age of twenty-three, Penn became a Quaker, and soon after everything began to change. It was common in Penn’s day to wear a sword, which was not intended to harm anyone one but was a sign that the wearer belonged to the upper class. After becoming a Quaker, Penn struggled with whether he should wear the sword. After all, it was a symbol of war as well as class distinction-two two things Quakers stood squarely against.

So Penn went to Fox, his mentor, to seek guidance on the matter. “May I continue to wear the sword?” he asked Fox. I would have expected Fox to say, “No, you must get rid of it. Turn it into a plowshare and never wear anything like it again.” Instead, George Fox offered a response that is a touchstone for me in the area of Christian living. He said, “Wear it as long as you can, William, wear it as long as you can.”

Fox was laying out an important principle in the Christian life. When it comes to our practices and behavior, we need to avoid making rules and laws, and trust the leading of the Spirit. Fox did not say, “Don’t wear it,” nor did he say, “It’s all right to wear it.” He trusted that Penn would make the right decision in time. Had Fox given him a command, he would have robbed Penn of the opportunity to listen to the Holy Spirit, and he would have put in place a rigid standard, which almost always leads to later problems.”

There is no difference between men; Jesus Christ desires ALL to be saved. Today in prayer, thank the Lord that in His eyes, there are no differences between people.

“Prejudice is a learned trait. You're not born prejudiced; you're taught it.” – Charles R. Swindoll

God’s Word: “Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.” – Deuteronomy 16:19

DEVOTIONS IN ROMANS †

Devotional - Justifying Our Actions

2025-01-20T05:44:00Z

“Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness.” – Romans 10:3

On January 5, 2025, Jeffrey Brian Merrow, 60, was arrested for felony embezzlement and felony larceny. Merrow was a pastor at the Garden Creek Baptist Church, in Marion, North Carolina. The members of the congregation are accusing Merrow of allegedly using the church's funds for personal gain.

According to the McDowell County Sheriff's Office, an investigation carried out by Deputy Alicia Lund stated:

"During the meeting with church members, numerous receipts were presented to Lund for goods that were never purchased or services that were never rendered, all paid for using church funds," the statement reads. "One receipt was for a claim to a local insurance company for items that were never stolen."

Moreover, it was reported that many donations from church attendees meant for hurricane relief efforts were never used or delivered. Furthermore, many donated items such as chainsaws, generators, or heaters were reported stolen.

It is easy to justify sin when you establish your own righteousness. Today in prayer, thank the Lord that He is Righteous and with brokenness, humility and love we call Jesus Lord.

“There are only two kinds of men: the righteous who believe they are sinners, the sinners who believe they are righteous.” – Blaise Pascal

God’s Word: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21

DEVOTIONS IN ROMANS †

Devotional - The Stumbling Stone Of Faith

2025-01-17T05:58:00Z

“Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the ‘stumbling stone.’” – Romans 9:32

On Mother’s Day in 2019, Scott Amos of Reno, Nevada, was visiting his childhood home in Humboldt County, California, to finally get his stuff out of his mom’s attic. While he was going through the boxes, he stumbled upon a JCPenney shopping bag. Inside it was a Nintendo video game called Kid Icarus that Amos didn’t even remember owning. Judging by the December 1988 receipt, it was most likely a Christmas present that never got wrapped. Nor had it been opened, which makes this lucky find a huge deal. According to gaming expert Valarie McLeckie, Kid Icarus is a highly sought-after game classic, and there are fewer than 10 known unopened copies in existence: “To find a sealed copy ‘in the wild,’ so to speak, not to mention one in such a nice condition, is both an unusual and rather historic occurrence.” Amos put the video game—which originally cost $38.45—up for auction, and sold it for $9,000.

Jesus was clothed as an ordinary man, but He is the magnificent treasure we desire. Today in prayer, praise the Lord that when we pursue God by faith, we find all we ask in Christ.

“While I draw this fleeting breath, When mine eyes shall close in death, When I soar to worlds unknown, See Thee on Thy judgment throne, Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee.” – Augustus M. Toplady

God’s Word: “So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed.’” – Isaiah 28:16

DEVOTIONS IN ROMANS †

Devotional - His Providence

2025-01-16T05:57:00Z

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28

During the late 1800’s, Maltbie D. Babcock, author of “This Is My Father’s World” and a Presbyterian pastor in Brooklyn, introduced a free pew system in his church, upsetting a wealthy woman who found strangers in her usual seat. Angered, she vowed never to speak to him again.

In response, Dr. Babcock visited her home multiple times, but her maid consistently turned him away. On his fourth visit, he insisted on waiting in the parlor. The woman, upstairs with her family, sent one of her daughters to dismiss him. Instead, the pastor led the daughter to accept Christ. When the second daughter went to intervene, she too gave her life to Christ. Furious, the mother descended, determined to expel him.

To her surprise, Dr. Babcock introduced her daughters, glowing with newfound faith, and invited her to join them in prayer. Overcome with emotion, she repented, saying, “What do I care about my pew? You’ve brought my daughters to Christ!” By the end, the entire family knelt together in prayer, turning conflict into a moment of reconciliation and salvation.

Jesus is Lord of All, nothing escapes His divine purpose. Today in prayer, seek Jesus and His will and follow Him with your whole heart.”

“Providence has at all times been my only dependence, for all other resources seem to have failed us.” – George Washington

God’s Word: “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” – Jeremiah 29:11-13

DEVOTIONS IN ROMANS †

Devotional - Hope In Christ

2025-01-15T05:58:00Z

“The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope” – Romans 8:19-20

In her book “Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess”, Dr. Caroline Leaf writes about hopelessness: “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.”

Those who trust in Christ have a living Hope who does not disappoint. Today in prayer, praise the Lord that your hope in Him has given you eternal life.

“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: “However, as it is written: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him’” – 1 Corinthians 2:9

DEVOTIONS IN ROMANS †

Devotional - The Law Brings Knowledge Of Sin

2025-01-14T05:56:00Z

“What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, ‘Do not covet.’” – Romans 7:7

In his book “Subversive Sabbath”, author Dr. A. J. Swoboda writes the following: “I remember the first time I drove by myself. I had the ability to drive wherever I wanted, with whomever I wanted, however fast I wanted. With the steering wheel in my hands, I had freedom and power. However, to ensure that I did not abuse my newly found freedom and power, there were laws in place.

The government had established a speed limit and required drivers and passengers to wear seat belts. The laws clarify what safe driving looks like, for my benefit and everyone else’s. But the point of the laws is not to keep the laws. Rather, the point of those laws is to remind us what driving safely is all about. In the end, I think God hates law giving.”

Knowledge of the law brings recognition of our own sinful actions. Today in prayer, thank the Lord for His law that through it we can recognize our own sin. And then thank Jesus for His grace; for it is in His grace we have life in Him.

“In the maxims of the law, God is seen as the rewarder of perfect righteousness and the avenger of sin. But in Christ, his face shines out, full of grace and gentleness to poor, unworthy sinners.” – John Calvin

God’s Word: “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 15:56-57

DEVOTIONS IN ROMANS †

Devotional - Sin And Grace

2025-01-13T05:55:00Z

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23

In her book “Liturgy of the Ordinary”, author Tish Harrison Warren writes: “Confession reminds us that none of us gather for worship because we are “pretty good people.” But we are new people, people marked by grace in spite of ourselves because of the work of Christ. Our communal practice of confession reminds us that failure in the Christian life is the norm. We—each and all—take part in gathered worship as unworthy people who, left on our own, deserve God’s condemnation. But we are not left on our own… Once a close friend visited my church, and she was concerned by this part of our service. She didn’t like that the priest pronounced absolution. She asked, “Don’t we receive forgiveness from God, not a priest?” Why use a go-between? I told her that forgiveness is from God, and yet I still need to be told. I need to hear in a loud voice that I am forgiven and loved, a voice that is truer, louder, and more tangible than the accusing voices within and without that tell me I’m not.”

Our sinful actions would lead to death if it were not for the grace of Jesus Christ. Today in prayer, praise Jesus for His gift of grace and eternal life in Him.

“Grace is not sought nor bought nor wrought. It is a free gift of almighty God to needy mankind.” – Billy Graham

God’s Word: “he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” – Titus 3:5-7

DEVOTIONS IN ROMANS †

Devotional - Be Reconciled

2025-01-10T05:48:00Z

“For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” – Romans 5:10-11

In their 2008 book “Reconcile All Things”, authors Emmanuel Katongole and Chris Rice write: “Sometimes, the Christian faith can be confounding to the outside world. Enemies can become friends, even to the point of caring for and protecting each other. In this short story from the small African country of Burundi, one leader, a university professor, brings two tribes together in a practical way.

Our friend Emmanuel Ndikumana is a Hutu married to a Tutsi in Burundi. As a leader at the university in Bujumbura, he constantly finds himself caught between the Burundi military, dominated by Tutsi, and the predominantly Hutu rebel groups who are fighting the government. But he knows that small things make a difference in the everyday lives of people, so he has formed groups of Hutu and Tutsi students who travel together.

When they come to a military checkpoint, the Tutsi students talk with the soldiers. When they come to a rebel roadblock, Hutu student leaders do the talking while the rest of the students carry on with their own conversations. This way, they are able to confuse both the military and rebel fighters. The Christian vision of hope never disconnects the question of whether we can reconcile the nations from whether we can live in peace and forgiveness with those nearest to us—in our homes, at work, in worship and even on the road.”

Christ has healed the breach between God and man as well as the divide between men. Today in prayer, praise the Lord that He has reconciled the world through the Cross and seek to be reconciled to others.

“Why should the world believe in reconciliation when it doesn’t see the church reconciled? And the church is not going to be reconciled even if it gets all of the issues solved. It will be reconciled only through Jesus Christ. He is the Reconciler.” – Richard C. Halvorson

God’s Word: “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” – 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

DEVOTIONS IN ROMANS †

Devotional - He Died For Us

2025-01-09T05:53:00Z

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8

Pastor Lee Rhodes told the following story: “A young lady named Sally took a seminary class taught by Professor Smith, who was known for his elaborate object lessons. One day Sally walked into class to find a large target placed on the wall, with several darts resting on a nearby table. Professor Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone they disliked or someone who had made them angry—and he would allow them to throw darts at the person’s picture.

Sally’s friend (on her right), drew a picture of another woman who had stolen her boyfriend. Another friend (on her left), drew a picture of his younger brother. Sally drew a picture of Professor Smith, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing, even drawing pimples on his face! She was quite pleased at the overall effect she’d achieved.

The class lined up and began throwing darts amidst much laughter. Some of the students threw with such force that they ripped apart their targets. But Sally, looking forward to her turn, was filled with disappointment when Professor Smith asked the students to return to their seats so he could begin his lecture. As Sally fumed about missing her chance to throw the darts, the professor began removing the target from the wall.

Underneath the target was a picture of Jesus. A hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled image of their Savior—holes and jagged marks covered his face. His eyes were virtually pierced out.

Professor Smith said only these words, ‘Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.’”

We, who accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, are alive today because He died for us. Today in prayer, thank Christ for His death on the Cross.

“There are some sciences that may be learned by the head, but the science of Christ crucified can only be learned by the heart.” – Charles H. Spurgeon

“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit” – 1 Peter 3:18

DEVOTIONS IN ROMANS †

Devotional - Exercising Faith

2025-01-08T05:53:00Z

“What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." – Romans 4:3

Pastor Darren Pollock wrote: “Once when my daughter was six and my son was two, my mother-in-law noticed my daughter holding a favorite toy just out of my son’s standing reach, and she gently scolded her for teasing him that way. My daughter was quick to respond that she was simply doing what she had seen my son’s physical therapist do with him. My son had some developmental delays that kept him from being able to jump, and this was one of the exercises that the therapist did to develop the right muscles and to teach him to go up on his toes and, eventually, to jump. What looked like teasing to my mother-in-law was actually an exercise that would teach my son to be able to grasp what was now out of his reach.

Similarly, God sometimes holds things we are desperate for out of our reach to exercise our faith muscles and to teach us how to grasp these blessings through a deeper faith in him.”

The Lord rewards men and women who exercise their faith in Him. Today in prayer, give the battles you are facing to Jesus and when He has answered give the credit to the Lord.

“Faith is to believe what we do not see; and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe.” – Augustine

God’s Word: “Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” – Genesis 15:6

DEVOTIONS IN ROMANS †

Devotional - BECOME CONSCIOUS OF SIN

2025-01-07T05:58:00Z

“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.” – Romans 3:20

How do you clear a guilty conscious? For one American, it meant repaying his debts by returning $0.09 to the US Treasury. For another, it meant sending the government $155,502.

For more than 200 years, the Treasury has had a place for those with gnawing guilt to send cash and perhaps absolve them of their sins. It's known as the Conscious Fund.

People have donated because they've stolen supplies while in the military, withheld payments to the IRS, or just found cash lying on the street — all because the thought of keeping someone else's money burned a hole in their conscience.

It all began in 1811, when a donor sent $5 to the Treasury, then under the Madison Administration. The fund was authorized in 1950, and the Conscience Fund has served as the home for anonymous remittances since.

The fund doesn't usually pursue people for their crimes, but it does send thank-you notes.

People send donations anonymously by sending in a money order or a cashier's check; by sending money through relatives or attorneys; or by stuffing cash into an envelope.

Even when the largest donation was made, in 1990, in the amount of $155,502, the Treasury accepted the money without question.

Have you been unconscious to your own sin? Today in prayer, ask the Lord to make you conscious of sin and repent from it.

“The conscious mind determines the actions, the unconscious mind determines the reactions; and the reactions are just as important as the actions.” – E. Stanley Jones

God’s Word: “When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, ‘Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.’ This was Job’s regular custom.” – Job 1:5

DEVOTIONS IN ROMANS †

Devotional - He Is Faithful

2025-01-06T05:58:00Z

"What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness?” – Romans 3:3

In June 2020, a Nashua, New Hampshire woman and her dog were rescued from a manhole after becoming trapped in the sewer.

Neighbor Roberta Ingham was lying outside, taking a break from work, when she heard the woman’s screams.

A next-door neighbor confirmed she’d heard the same thing. The two determined the screams were coming from underground and called for help.

“She was at the manhole, and the culvert is in the back of my house. So she must have been yelling down the pipe and we could hear her, but she couldn’t hear us,” Ingham said. “We called 911, and we’re trying to explain there's a woman underground.”

Deputy Chief Kevin Kerrigan of Nashua Fire Rescue said the dog had escaped from its owner and ran into the unsecured culvert on the neighboring property. The dog’s owner had then followed it into the narrow underground pipe to rescue the animal before they became stuck about 150 feet into the pipe.

In many ways this incident sums up how our relationship to God can sometimes feel. We’re crying out to him for help, and He can hear us, but we can’t hear Him. We nust remember that God is faithful to His promises, and we can trust that He hears our cries for help.

God is faithful and we can depend on Him. Today in prayer, praise the Lord that He is truly faithful in all that He does.

“Cast all your care on God! That anchor holds.” – Alfred Lord Tennyson

God’s Word: “God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.” – 1 Corinthians 1:9

DEVOTIONS IN ROMANS †

Devotional - God Does Not Show Favoritism

2025-01-03T05:55:00Z

“For God does not show favoritism.” – Romans 2:11

Hilaire Belloc (1870–1953), an author, critic, and devout Roman Catholic, lived in a Britain where strong anti-Catholic sentiment prevailed. Known for his passion and unwavering conviction, Belloc decided to run for political office in 1906, fully aware of the challenges posed by the electorate’s prejudices.

At his first campaign speech in Salford, he was asked by a heckler if he was a "papist". He responded:

“Gentlemen, I am a Catholic. As far as possible, I go to Mass every day. This [taking a rosary out of his pocket] is a rosary. As far as possible, I kneel down and tell these beads every day. If you reject me on account of my religion, I shall thank God that He has spared me the indignity of being your representative.”

The crowd cheered and Belloc won the election, despite his Catholic faith.

The Lord alone shows no favoritism in His love. Today in prayer, thank the Lord for His impartiality and pray that you will not show favoritism to others.

“Prejudices are the chains forged by ignorance to keep men apart.” - Marguerite Gardiner

God’s Word: “My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism.” – James 2:1

DEVOTIONS IN ROMANS †

Devotional - Ungrateful To The Lord

2025-01-02T05:58:00Z

“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” – Romans 1:21

Author Chris Winfield writes: “I was in a constant state of “poor me.” This all started to change once I began writing a gratitude list every single day for the past 34+ months and it has changed my life profoundly. Here are the 4 most important things I’ve learned on my gratitude journey:

1. It’s Hard at First: My mentor told me to text him three things that I am grateful for every day. Sounds pretty easy right? Well, it wasn’t. When you’ve lived most of your life not focusing on gratitude, it’s not so simple to change that.

2. There Is Always Something to Be Grateful For: No matter what was going on in my life (business problems, I was sick, someone cut me off in traffic) there was always something that I could find to be grateful for (my health, my daughter’s smile, etc.).

3. Gratitude Grows the More You Use It: My gratitude lists started off very basic and I struggled to find things to be grateful for (especially on the really tough days). But once I consistently took action, it became easier and easier.

4. It Can Help Stop Negative Thought Patterns: According to the Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, the average person has about 70,000 thoughts each day! There’s one big problem with this — the vast majority of these thoughts are negative. Gratitude can work to stop these negative thought patterns by replacing it with something positive.”

As we begin this New Year, make every effort to be grateful for all of the Lord’s blessings. Today in prayer, thank Christ for the blessings He has bestowed on you and seek to be grateful to Him and to others throughout the day.

"The man who has forgotten to be thankful, has fallen asleep in life." – Robert Louis Stephenson

God’s Word: “People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good” 2 Timothy 3:2-3

DEVOTIONS IN ROMANS †

Devotional - Living A Righteous Life

2025-01-01T06:07:00Z

“For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” – Romans 1:16-17

Dr. William Rowley writes: “R. C. Sproul points out that diligence matters in sanctification. We may remember Archimedes’ “Eureka!” moment about specific gravity and Newton’s observation of the falling apple as point-in-time events, but they were really the result of diligent study after years of work. Edison’s discovery of a usable filament was not his first try at creating a light bulb. In Sproul’s words, he “did not have much luck, but much work.” We must diligently seek God in our sanctification:

We are to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness. We notice that Jesus said that we are to seek these things first. The word that is translated as “first” here is the Greek word protos, which does not mean simply first in a series of many things. Rather, the word carries the force of priority. A more accurate translation of Matthew 6:33 would be “Seek ye first, above all else, the kingdom of God and His righteousness.”

Our own Eureka! moment will not come without seeking first the Kingdom of God. This means work— not works-righteousness to save us, but out of our salvation, diligent, righteous work.”

Living a righteous life is living a life by faith in Jesus Christ. Today in prayer, thank Christ for this New Year and seek to please Him by living by faith.

“The righteousness of God is not acquired by acts frequently repeated, as Aristotle taught, but is imparted by faith.” – Martin Luther

God’s Word: “He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.” – Proverbs 21:21

DEVOTIONS IN ROMANS †

Devotional - He Has Risen

2024-12-31T05:55:00Z

“‘He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'’ Then they remembered his words.” – Luke 24:6-8

In his book “Sermon Illustrations for an Asian Audience”, Pastor Craig A. Smith writes: “It was Easter Sunday and the pastor gathered the children at the front of the church to ask them about the meaning of Easter. The pastor was disappointed as he listened to the first response: ‘Easter is the day the Easter Bunny comes and kids look for hidden eggs and eat chocolate.’

The second response was more encouraging as a young girl said, ‘Easter is the time we remember Jesus died and later rose from the dead.’

Trying to relate that event to the present, the pastor asked, ‘What happens when those who believe in Jesus die?’

The children thought for a moment before one cried out, “They go to heaven.”

Pressing further he asked, ‘What happens to those who don’t believe in Jesus when they die?’

After a long pause, one boy blurted out, ‘They have a bad day.’”

For those who know Christ, we have the assurance that we will have a new life because of Christ’s resurrection. Today in prayer, praise the Lord that we have eternal life in Him.

“The seed dies into a new life and so does man.” – George McDonald

God’s Word: “So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.” – 1 Corinthians 15:42-44

DEVOTIONS IN LUKE †

Devotional - Everlasting Life

2024-12-30T05:57:00Z

“Jesus answered him, ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.’” – Luke 23:43

Jon Tyson in his book “The Burden Is Light”, writes: “On a warm summer night, I drove my son to a local cemetery. It was a Moravian cemetery that sits nestled on a hill overlooking a flowing creek. My son, a typical teenager in many ways—Xbox, iPhone, hormones, and hungry—lives in the culture of the immediate. We don’t go to cemeteries regularly, but I had a growing desperation in my heart to impart to him a larger sense of the urgency and opportunities of life.

He would be heading off to college soon, and opportunities to indelibly mark his soul were growing increasingly rare. The sun was just setting, and an air of soberness seemed to wash over the place. As we got out of the car, I instructed him to walk around the plots in silence, then share with me what stood out to him.

After some time he came back and we sat on a large rock, overlooking the headstones, taking it all in. “What did you see?” I asked. “Some of these people died really young, younger than me,” he replied. “What else?” “Some husbands and wives were buried next to each other, but one died before the other. I wonder if they got lonely.” “What else?” I asked, pleased at his growing awareness. “Some of them were from the eighteen hundreds, which was an eternity ago. I wonder what life was like for them.”

I wasn’t working toward some sort of Dead Poets Society moment, and I wasn’t trying to get him to understand the fact that, in what seemed like an eternity for him but was a breath of air in light of true eternity, he would be dead. I was working for something simpler yet infinitely more challenging. “The thing you will notice about all these people,” I said, “is that their tombstones contain two dates.

There is the date of their birth, the date of their death, and a tiny dash between them. The whole of your life on earth is going to come down to that tiny little dash.” Then I pressed in a bit further. “Nate,” I said. “What will your dash be?” “I don’t know,” he said. “I guess I’m still trying to figure it out.” After a moment of reflection, he said, “What do you think makes a great dash, Dad?” “That, my son, is the greatest question a person can ask.”

In your short time on earth, let your “dash” be following Jesus. Today in prayer, praise the Lord that He freely gives eternal life to all that trust in Him.

“It is not darkness you are going to, for God is Light. It is not lonely, for Christ is with you. It is not unknown country, for Christ is there.” – Charles Kingsley

God’s Word: “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 15:56-57

DEVOTIONS IN LUKE †

Devotional - In Remembrance

2024-12-27T05:58:00Z

“And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’” – Luke 22:19

In his book “Truth We Can Touch”, Tim Chester writes: “Every meal—not just Communion, but including Communion—is a reminder that we are dependent on God as creatures. We are not self-sustaining. Much of our food is grown, processed, distributed, and possibly cooked by other people. We are part of a complex web of relationships upon which we rely day by day. And behind them all is our loving Creator, who generously provides for the needs of his creation.

This is why Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matt. 6:11). But the Communion meal is special. For Communion is also a recognition that we are dependent on God not just as creatures but also as sinners. We live through the death of his Son. Each mouthful is a reminder that we cannot save ourselves. Just as we rely on daily bread for physical life, so we rely on Jesus for spiritual life. For he is the bread of life. We come to Communion as sinners in desperate need of reassurance, and we hear the words, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt. 26:28).”

The Lord has given us a powerfully simple way to remember His broken body and shed blood. It is with bread and wine. It brings His peace to all who believe. Today in prayer, thank the Lord for the Lord’s Supper and remember His sacrifice for you.

“The link between the cross and the crown is the Table of the Lord. Do not forget, when you sit down at the Communion, that the bread and the cup point back to Christ’s accomplished work, and forward to your accomplished salvation.” – A.T. Pierson

God’s Word: “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take it; this is my body.’” – Mark 14:22

DEVOTIONS IN LUKE †

Devotional - Have The Joy Of Giving

2024-12-26T05:54:00Z

"As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. ‘I tell you the truth,’ he said, ‘this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.’” – Luke 21:1-4

In his book “Leadershift”, Pastor John C. Maxwell tells the following story: “My friend James Crocker, a successful entrepreneur, recently shared a story with me…James and a few of his friends went out on a boat trip to fish for lobsters and had succeeded in gathering a massive catch of 125 lobsters.

When he got home, he had a freezer full of lobsters—more than enough to last him an entire year. The day after James got home, his friend Jeff dropped by the house, and James offered him a lobster. Jeff was delighted. This interaction prompted James to ask himself, Who else do I know who might like to have a lobster? James got so excited by the idea of giving friends lobsters that by the end of the week, he had given away 122 lobsters, leaving only three for himself. He had such a great time giving, he didn’t even mind that his supply had dwindled from enough for a year to enough for a meal.

A few days later, James went into his garage and was assaulted by a terrible stench. He followed his nose to the freezer and opened it to find that the electricity had gone out, and his remaining three lobsters had spoiled. As he cleaned up the mess, he felt sorry for himself. But then he remembered all the lobsters he had given away, and it gave him great joy. If he hadn’t shared his bounty with others, all of it would have been wasted.”

Though Christmas Day has passed, it is never too late to give to those in need. Today in prayer, ask the Lord to give you wisdom and a generous heart to give to others in need.

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

God’s Word: “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.” – 2 Corinthians 8:1-2

DEVOTIONS IN LUKE †

Devotional - Remember This Day

2024-12-25T05:56:00Z

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord” - Luke 2:11

In her book “Christmas”, Dr. Emily Hunter McGowin shares: “As Christianity spread out from the Middle East, becoming the established religion of Europe, the observance of Christmastide slowly evolved into a twelve-day spree of merriment and mischief-making. How these celebrations developed through the ages is a long and fascinating tale. For our purposes, it helps to know that most of the population lived by agricultural rhythms. Since planting and harvesting were completed in spring, summer, and fall, wintertime coincided with the cessation of labor (including laying off seasonal workers) and slaughtering of livestock. Thus, winter was a natural time for relaxing, feasting, and, in the midst of widespread idleness, troublemaking. And it just happens that all of this was taking place during Christmastide.

In the medieval period, especially, Christmas developed into a carnivalesque time for turning hierarchies and social conventions on their heads. Peasants went about demanding gifts from lords, threatening violence and looting if they weren’t satisfied. (Remnants of this practice can still be heard in the lyrics to “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”: “O, bring us some figgy pudding, And bring it right here! I We won’t go until we get some, So bring it right here!”)

We need to remember that God sent His son to a war torn world, in desperate need of His love. Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died and was resurrected as a payment for our sins. Today in prayer, praise the Lord for His gift of salvation in Him.

"Love came down at Christmas, love all lovely, love divine;

love was born at Christmas-- Star and angels gave the sign.

Worship we the Godhead, love incarnate, love divine;

worship we our Jesus-- what should be our sacred sign?

Love shall be our token love be yours and love be mine;

love to God and neighbor love for prayer and gift and sign." - Christina Rossetti,

God's Word: "And all mankind will see God's salvation." - Luke 3:6

DEVOTIONS FOR CHRISTMAS †

Devotional - The Gift Of God

2024-12-24T05:57:00Z

“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” – Luke 2:6-7

From his book “On This Holy Night”, Pastor Rick Warren wrote: “What do you want for Christmas this year? If you were to ask a typical little boy, he’d probably give you two words: video games. There’s a little boy I know named Brian. For weeks he bugged his parents about getting a watch for Christmas. Finally his dad told him, “Brian, if you mention that watch again, you’re not going to get it. Quit bugging us!” One night Brian’s parents asked him to lead in prayer before dinner. Brian said, “I’d like to quote a Scripture verse before I pray. Mark 13:37: ‘I say unto you what I have already told you before—watch . . .’”

This Christmas, receive and adore the gift of God – Jesus Christ. Today in prayer, praise the Lord for coming as a man to die for our sins.

“Giving is a really big thing around Christmas, as well it should be. Christmas is about giving, and it all stems from the greatest gift the world has ever received - the gift of Jesus Christ.” – Monica Johnson

God's Word: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23

DEVOTIONS IN LUKE †

Devotional - Keep On Praying

2024-12-23T05:56:00Z

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” – Luke 18:1

David Brooks, in his book “The Social Animal” writes: “In 1997 Gary McPherson studied 157 randomly selected children as they picked out and learned a musical instrument. Some went on to become fine musicians and some faltered. McPherson searched for the traits that separated those who progressed from those who did not. IQ was not a good predictor. Neither were aural sensitivity, math skills, income, or a sense of rhythm. The best single predictor was a question McPherson had asked the students before they had even selected their instruments: How long do you think you will play?

The students who planned to play for a short time did not become very proficient. The children who planned to play for a few years had modest success. But there were some children who said, in effect: “I want to be a musician. I’m going to play my whole life.” Those children soared. The sense of identity that children brought to the first lesson was the spark that would set off all the improvement that would subsequently happen. It was a vision of their future self.”

The Lord desires that we have passion and persistence in our prayers to Him. Today in prayer, thank Christ that He is faithful to answer and seek to be persistent in seeking His will.

“The paradox of prayer is that it asks for a serious effort while it can only be received as a gift. We cannot plan, organize or manipulate God; but without a careful discipline, we cannot receive him either.” - Henri J.M. Nouwen

God’s Word: “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” – Romans 12:12

DEVOTIONS IN LUKE †