15 Thursday May 2014
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I, like most people, will do almost anything to avoid suffering. But as a believer and follower of Christ we should be prepared to do God’s will no matter the consequences. 1 Peter 4:1 says, Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. Sin loses its power over us when we focus on Christ and His will for our lives.
14 Wednesday May 2014
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One of our greatest strengths as believers is the power we have in our lives with God’s presence. 1 Peter 3:15 says, But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. We must always believe in God’s total control of all events in our lives. We cannot be shaken when we allow Him to rule over our thoughts and emotions.
28 Monday Apr 2014
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The life of a believer is not meant to be easy. It is also not intended to be lived alone and by our own effort and desire. God works in us through the Holy Spirit who lives in us. We must learn to experience His presence and know we are never alone. In Philippians 2:13 Paul says, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. God wants to work in us and He chooses to use us for His purpose. We must train ourselves to feel the Holy Spirit and to think and act more like Christ so we can be used for God’s glory the way He intended. The secret to a changed life is to submit to God’s control and let Him work. It also helps when we ask God to work in us through prayer and time alone with Him. It’s all about the relationship.
27 Sunday Apr 2014
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One of the best movies I have seen recently is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. What I loved about this movies is best described by one line “Beautiful things don’t ask for attention.” What struck me about this line is the sufficiency of the beauty of God and all He has done and created for us. While God doesn’t ask for attention, when we are honest and accepting of Him we realize He is worthy of our attention.
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23 Wednesday Apr 2014
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Forgiveness is one of the hardest things for us to do. When we feel wronged or hurt, it is difficult to forgive. Ephesians 4:31-32 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. God forgave us of more than we could ever possibly need to forgive others. If we are to follow Christ’s example, then we are commanded to forgive for the wrong others have done in our lives. This does not mean trust is restored. Our trust should always be in God above all else. He is the only one who ever deserves our complete trust and He is the only one who is guaranteed to never let us down even when we don’t understand His will. His plan is perfect.
17 Thursday Apr 2014
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Today we finish up the book of Acts. While it is strange how the book ends abruptly, it is important to know this book is not the story of Paul, but the story of the spread of the Gospel. The book of Acts deals with the early history of the Christian church and it’s expansion beyond it’s beginnings in Jerusalem. It was not necessary to have an additional book or story written because at the end of Acts the gospel had finally reached the center of government and world trade. From there the Gospel would spread to the rest of the world. Because of these early beginnings, we are the beneficiaries of the sacrifices of these early believers. When things seem difficult or painful, it is important to remember God’s plan is perfect and He sees the bigger picture when we can’t.
16 Wednesday Apr 2014
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Today we read about Paul’s journey to Rome as a prisoner. The story is one of the most suspenseful and interesting in the book of Acts. The use of the pronoun “we” in the first verse of the chapter stood out to me. This indicates Luke, the author of Acts, accompanied Paul on this journey and had a firsthand account of the events described in this chapter. The main theme to me in this chapter was Paul’s leadership. Even though he was a prisoner, he was still a leader in many ways. For starters he was able to warn the centurion who was able to keep the sailors from escaping in the middle of the storm. He was also an encourager to the men on the boat and reassured each of them of their survival. Ultimately, Paul showed us that we can be leaders and influencers even if we are in a position of weakness. As a prisoner, Paul’s status was among the lowest on the ship, but he was still able to lead and influence the positive outcome for everyone on the ship. No matter what our circumstances may be, God can use us for His glory if we simply trust and obey Him in all we do.
11 Friday Apr 2014
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In today’s reading we see how much protection God provided to Paul. Even though there was a secret plot to kill him, God provided a way to spare Paul’s life. While we may not always understand God’s plan, as we’ve said many time before, His plan is perfect. Go was not yet finished with Paul’s ministry and He knew there was more to be done. We must always trust in God’s sovereign plan, because He wants us to be a part of it. We just need to trust and obey His leading.
10 Thursday Apr 2014
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In today’s reading Paul is given the opportunity to give his testimony to the people who want him dead. And while it is a beautiful recollection of how God transformed him from a persecutor of believers to a follower and preacher of Christ, in the end, the people still wanted him dead. The lesson for us is this: We are not here to be loved by people, but to be obedient and loved by God. It is not our job to be make ourselves pretty in the eyes of the world. It is our job to speak and live according to the truth of the gospel of Christ. God, the creator of the universe, is more than capable of changing hearts and mind about who He is and He will do so according to His timing and will.
04 Friday Apr 2014
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Many times when people talk about debt, they talk in terms of finances. But in Romans 13:7, it is talked about in much broader terms, Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. No matter how we may feel about someone personally, we should never owe anyone anything. Withholding what someone either deserves or is owed is wrong. Respect and honor, when withheld, is debt. And all debts must be paid.
Daily Devotion 