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DAILY DEVOTION

5/14/2021

God Welcomes All Who Would Come

By Toni Smothers
Scripture Reading for the day: Acts 11: 1-18
Scripture Quote: “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.” Acts 10:34-35 (NASB)
God is so good, but Satan is definitely working against anyone who comes to God for eternal salvation. He tries to make us believe that we couldn’t possibly be good enough to approach a holy God, whispering in our ears how wicked and rebellious we have been.
The assurance of God’s saving grace is not the absence of turmoil and attacks by the enemy. The spiritual warfare around us is constant. Sometimes the feelings of peace that believers have are very fragile and vanish all too quickly by these spiritual attacks - They seem to bombard us on a fairly regular basis. Only through an intimate relationship with God can we have the strength to know true peace and find victory against the enemy.
But that’s the great part about being a child of God. He welcomes us with unconditional acceptance and offers us refuge in all the storms of life. He doesn’t make unpleasant circumstances leave us because we belong to Him. He holds us up, close to His heart as we experience what we must. There is no other fortress of strength we can rely on but the love and provision of our Heavenly Father. Come to Him and find everything you need to live a purposeful, adventuresome life.
Today’s meditation: Place your life in God’s hands and find peace.
Memory Verse: “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 (NASB)

DAILY DEVOTION

5/12/2021

God Is In Control

Scripture Reading for the day: Psalm 37

Scripture Quote: “A man’s steps are of the Lord: How then can a man understand his own way?” Proverbs 20:24 (NLT)

            We are often confused by the events around us. Some things we will never understand until years later when we look back and see how God was working. Other things we may never understand until we are with God in heaven. But God has a special plan and purpose for our lives. Trusting that God’s direction for us is far better than we would choose for ourselves, we can try to live a life that models Christ – Cultivate justice, wisdom and integrity. As believers we must learn to trust God with everything, which requires strong commitment, obedience and patience.

            God’s mercy and faithfulness are unsurpassed. His love endures forever. He will preserve and strengthen us as our trust in Him increases. We are safe to put our trust under the shadow of His wings. God is the fountain of life, giving us living water to drink so that we may know and understand His truth. God takes great pleasure in the prosperity of His children. Shout with joy and be glad and magnify the Lord.

Meditation for the day: Faith in Jesus is knowing Him personally and entrusting our eternal life into His hands.

Memory Verse: “the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.” Psalm 37:23 (NLT)

DAILY DEVOTION

5/11/2021

Free To Be Slaves

Scripture Reading for the day: Matthew 10:28-39

Scripture Quote: “You are not slaves; you are free. But your freedom is not an excuse to do evil. You are free to live as God’s slaves.” I Peter 2:16 (NLT)

Christ calls us to a higher mission than to find comfort and tranquility in this life. We are free, but we are mainly free to learn and grow in the Spirit so that we may serve others and share the precious truth of the Gospels with others who may not know Christ. We should give as freely as we have received.

It is impossible to be neutral. Every person has a master – Either God or sin. A Christian is not someone who is no longer a slave to sin. We belong to God. Give yourself fully to God, to love Him with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind, (Matthew 22:37) so that your sins will be forgiven. And yet we are so often half-hearted in our efforts to know and obey God. How is your heart’s obedience? God wants to give you the freedom to obey Him with all your heart. Be free and serve.

Meditation of the day: All people have a master and pattern themselves after Him. Without Jesus, we would have no choice; we would be enslaved to sin. Thanks be to God.

Memory Verse: For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.” Romans 6:4 (NLT)

DAILY DEVOTION

5/10/2021

Forgiveness

Scripture Reading for the day: Matthew 18:23-35
Scripture Quote: “Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” Matthew 18:21-22 (NASB)
There are Scripture verses like these that many of us would often like to overlook. We can be mean or dishonest and find a rationalization for our behavior, but let a brother act the same way and we become angry with him. Anger loves to get a foothold in the Christian’s heart because it is from the evil one and God does not like it. What better way to get a believer to become alienated to both his brother and his God?
God wants us to be forgiving and it is often very hard for us to truly forgive. We get so puffed up with ourselves and choke on words of apology or forgiveness. But forgiveness is mandatory in the Christian’s life, there is no denying that. God forgives us everything. How can we possibly think we have the right to hold a grudge against anyone after we have been forgiven for every sin in our life? We must change our selfish perspective and submit to God’s decree to forgive because he demands that we do.
Today’s meditation: Pray that God softens your hard heart and gives you the compassion you will need to forgive others their sins against you.
Memory Verse: “ If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you.” John 15:7 (NASB)

DAILY DEVOTION

5/7/2021

Forgiveness

Scripture Reading for the day: Matthew 18:23-35
Scripture Quote: “Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” Matthew 18:21-22 (NASB)
There are Scripture verses like these that many of us would often like to overlook. We can be mean or dishonest and find a rationalization for our behavior, but let a brother act the same way and we become angry with him. Anger loves to get a foothold in the Christian’s heart because it is from the evil one and God does not like it. What better way to get a believer to become alienated to both his brother and his God?
God wants us to be forgiving and it is often very hard for us to truly forgive. We get so puffed up with ourselves and choke on words of apology or forgiveness. But forgiveness is mandatory in the Christian’s life, there is no denying that. God forgives us everything. How can we possibly think we have the right to hold a grudge against anyone after we have been forgiven for every sin in our life? We must change our selfish perspective and submit to God’s decree to forgive because he demands that we do.
Today’s meditation: Pray that God softens your hard heart and gives you the compassion you will need to forgive others their sins against you.
Memory Verse: “ If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you.” John 15:7 (NASB)

DAILY DEVOTION

5/7/2021

DAILY DEVOTION

5/6/2021

Follow In His Steps

Scripture Reading for the day: Philippians 2:1-13

Scripture Quote: “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.” I Peter 2:21 (NASB)

            We can walk with Christ each day, following His example of obedience to the Father. The more we think about emulating Jesus, the more our new disposition develops. Our path is joyful, full of love, which is all born from obedience. We demonstrate all this as our actions are a witness to all around us.

            It is the attitudes of our mind that can change our behavior and thinking. Are we concerned for others and do we want to share the gospel as the gift of good news it really is? Can we help shine light into the darkness? We must have a heart that is willing to examine itself and make changes as the Holy Spirit leads us.

            We all struggle with sin and pride and many past mistakes that can often make us feel broken inside. All these things can be relieved by simply turning them over to God. Trust deeply and drink deeply of the Living Waters - Following more closely in Jesus steps will become a permanant goal.

Meditation for the day: “The gospel is like fish. It must be caught fresh every day.” John Hall

DAILY DEVOTION

5/5/2021

Deep and Eternal Peace

Scripture Reading for the day: John 15:18 – 16:15

Scripture Quote: “I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn’t like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away but I will come back to you again. If you really love me you will be really happy for me, because now I can go to the Father, who is greater than I am. I have told you these things before they happen so that you will believe when they do happen.” John 14:27-29

The peace of the Holy Spirit is not the absence of conflict but a deep and eternal peace that gives us confident assurance in all circumstances. We will face further persecution, Jesus said as much Himself. But the peace He has left us will make us able to press on.

We are to take courage in spite of the inevitable struggles we face as Christians because we are never truly alone anymore. Jesus will never abandon us. If we can keep an eternal perspective, we can claim the peace of the Holy Spirit in the very worst of times.

Meditation for the day: As Christians, we should expect continuous tension with an unbelieving, hostile world.

Memory Verse: “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

DAILY DEVOTION

5/4/2021

DAILY PRAYER

Scripture Reading for the day: James 5:1-15

Scripture Quote: “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” James 5:16 (NASB)
We can be thankful for the inclination and ability to pray that the Holy Spirit provides and for the awareness He gives us of our own fallen, yet redeemed, humanity. God gives us grace and mercy which he shows us in His forgiveness of our sins. His promises are everlasting and His presence is always within us in the form of the Holy Spirit. He enables us to have the right motives and content in our prayers. We can be especially grateful that His Spirit enables us to call God our Father and understand all that being His adopted child entails.
Prayer is our direct line of communication with our loving Father. Because we can pray, we are able to praise Him, thank Him and petition Him as He always invites us to do. We do not have to wait for an urgent need in our lives to talk to God. Prayer is a precious gift given to believers that can be compared to nothing else in our lives. Pray daily and often - Talk to your Father and remain close to Him. Your life will be abundantly enriched.
Today’s meditation: “The Holy Spirit desires to help believers develop their basic instinct for prayer into a disciplined means of grace that enables them to be God’s joyful and fruitful coworkers.” Archie Parrish
Memory Verse: “Pray without ceasing.” I Thessalonians 5:17 (NASB)

DAILY DEVOTION

5/3/2021

Covenant Truth

Scripture Reading for the day: Jeremiah 33:1-11

Scripture Quote: And He said to them, “This is my blood, poured out for many, sealing the covenant between God and His people.” Mark 14:24 (NLT)

            Trust doesn’t come easy. It isn’t easy for us to believe that God can fulfill all His impossible promises either, yet we must trust Him. The same God who worked in the lives of all the biblical prophets and heroes, will work in our lives too, if we will let Him.

            The Bible tells us about an old covenant and a new covenant which is a binding, the solemn agreement between two parties carrying obligations for both sides and enforced by an oath. In the bible covenants God makes with man, they are all initiated by Him. He sets the terms.

            The old covenant was not accompanied by spiritual transformation, so it was impossible for man to obey. The new covenant is very different than the old one. It was originated at Jesus’ suffering and death and left behind the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

Meditation for the day: Remember that though you know Christ, rules and rituals and good works have never cleansed people’s hearts - Only the hope and love we have in Him can accomplish that.

Memory Verse: “And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, promising not to stop doing good for them. I will put a desire in their hearts to worship me, and they will never leave me.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17New International Version (NIV) 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work

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Bio: Toni Smothers has written articles for “Total Health”, “Let’s Live”, “People In Action” and “The North American Mentor” magazines. She is a member of the Faithwriters.com writing community and was previously the editor for the teen section of their on-line magazine. She has written many programs, sermons, and skits and has edited several websites. Additionally, she has answered hundreds of questions for GotQuestions.org, a biblical resource site. Here is just one of their many testimonials: "Thank you for this insightful website! I was able to look up many questions I have asked over the years since becoming saved. The site is easy to navigate and gave me so much biblical background for answers that I feel my armor has been strengthened. You and your staff be encouraged to continue to speak the truth for God's glory." When Toni is not writing, she can usually be found cuddling with her 5 pound, furry, Chihuahua muse, “Princess Sweet Pea.” Toni Smothers studied homeopathy extensively and became a proficient layman. She wrote about homeopathy for “Total Health” and “Let’s Live” magazines. Smothers describes her experience befriending a refugee family from Laos in her article published in the travel magazine, “People in Action.” Additionally, “American Mentor” magazine has published some of her poetry. Smothers drew upon her fun experiences as a youth pastor to provide the needed insight to function as the editor of the teen section of “Faithwriters” magazine and she is a member of the Faithwriters.com writer’s community.

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