Devotionals

11 Mar Devotional Thought – The Old Life And The New Birth

"Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God." 1 John 3:9 At first glance this is a very disturbing and discouraging statement.  Is the Beloved Disciple saying that the person who is "born of God" won't have anything bad in him and if there is something bad in him then that is an evidence that he is not born again?  No, that's not what John is saying.  Taken in context this verse simply teaches that the new life will not be held responsible for the leftovers of the old.  It is not that there are not remnants of the old life that will not seek to hang around, but that they are no longer imputed to the Believer.

05 Mar Devotional Thought – A Most Unlikely Environment

"However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction." Mark 1:45 Do we even dare enter into the personal experience of the Son of Man? Yes, for the fact that He is the Son of Man means we can, without irreverence, see something of our human experience in His. That's why I believe that this is surely one of the saddest experiences in the earthly life of Jesus. The saddest hours in any human life are those which are spent, "in deserted places" for those hours spent in the deserted places are always spent "outside."

26 Feb Devotional Thought – One Wall, Twelve Gates

"Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates... three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west." Revelation 21:12,13 It's an awesome picture - "A great and high wall with twelve gates." Here, John, the Revelator presents a rather strange picture of the Heavenly City, one which both repels and invites, all at the same time. First we're told that there is a great, high wall that separates the city from those on the outside. Then we're told that there are twelve gates in that wall that allow entrance into the city. It's almost as if the city really had no desire to repel anyone.

18 Feb Devotional Thought – The Audacity of Christianity

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14  Christianity is no doubt an audacious faith! In fact, the mind of man with all of its machinations could never have dreamed of the heights of its aspirations. The religions of this world constantly seek their glory by looking to the past, but the faith of Christ forgets those things which are behind. In fact, in Christianity there is no past. It looks forward to the future, desires the coming day and presses forward for the prize.

11 Feb Devotional Thought – Strength For Today

"...As your days, so shall your strength be." Deut. 33:25 Do you ever fret about the future? Are you troubled about tomorrow? Do you see storms on the horizon that you don't have the strength to face today? Well, understand, God hasn't given you strength to meet tomorrow - He has given you strength for today. However, when tomorrow becomes today you will discover that you have strength enough for that day too.