“And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, “Where is your faith?” ~ Luke 8:24&25 REFERENCE: Luke 8:22-25 In the last devotional, we understood that life would often throw us into circumstances where the only appropriate response would be faith, nothing else. When we get daunted and crushed by these challenges, Jesus asks us, as He did His disciples, “Where is your faith?” When Jesus asked His disciples...
“…Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, “Where is your faith?” ~ Luke 8:24-25 REFERENCE: Luke 8:22-25 Scripture tells us twice, “The just shall live by his faith.” It is because life will often put us in circumstances that require our faith response. There will be a likelihood of distressing news, sicknesses, financial obligation deadlines, battles against negative thoughts, etc. As He asked His disciples, Jesus will ask you at such times, “Where is your faith?” Life put the disciples of Jesus Christ...
“…If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.” – Luke 17:3 REFERENCE: Luke 17:1-4 Jesus said, “It is impossible that no offenses should come.” That is true. As long as we relate with other humans, we are bound to rub one another wrong or say things out of turn. We have been told what to do when a brother offends or sins against us – forgive him. Forgiveness is a rich concept that runs through the whole bible. It is at the root of Christianity. Romans 5:8 says, “…While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Without forgiveness,...
“Then David said to him, “To whom do you belong, and where are you from?” And he said, “I am a young man from Egypt, servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me behind because three days ago I fell sick.” ~ I Samuel 30:13 REFERENCE I Samuel 30:9-20 It is easy to ignore certain people: the poor, servants, cleaners, refuse collectors, or the gatemen in the office. Most often, these people are at the bottom of the ‘food chain’ in society or organizations; we tend to overlook their usefulness, but they are the 'important least'. David lost everything he had,...
“Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.” ~ Luke 4:20 REFERENCE: Luke 4:16-21 Amidst the culture of hero-worship that permeates today’s society, believers can get distracted and soon turn their attention to false gods. There are great orators, singers, actors, social media influencers, talk show hosts, entertainers, and musicians, many of whom have very many followers. However, a child of God must be careful to have his eyes fixed on Jesus all the time. What you keep looking at...
"God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that RIGHT EARLY." ~ Psalm 46:5 (KJV) REFERENCE: Psalm 46:1-5 (KJV) God intends to do a quick work in your life this year. I hear God say, “It will happen early; you will not have to wait for long or till much later in the year.” What you look expectantly to Him for this year will happen as the sun rises on the year like a new day. Looking at your plans, savings, or present position, it may take quite a while, but God wants to...
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” ~ I John 3:1 REFERENCE: I John 3:1-3 Everybody needs love. A loveless world will soon witness chaos and the vilest atrocities of man towards one another. Selfishness is on the rise; many are so self-absorbed that they do not notice those around them, and no one takes note of them. God offers His love as a remedy to this need. Love becomes weighty when we receive it from someone better and of a higher status than us, who does not...
“Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.” ~ John 5:8-9 REFERENCE: John 5:1-9 By an ordinance from the beginning of creation, God set aside the Sabbath to be a day of rest for man. With the death and resurrection of Jesus, Sabbath is no longer a day, but any time man’s faith reaches out to receive the mercy of God. Jesus said, “The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” It was made for...
“…On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, the opposite occurred, in that the Jews themselves overpowered those who hated them.” ~ Esther 9:1 REFERENCE: Esther 9:1-5 Movies often mimic life. The movie usually starts with the hero suffering and being hurt by the villain and his minions. He is on the receiving end until a point leading to the final showdown: a gang of villains gang up on the actor, with the odds stacked against him, but suddenly, things turn around, and the movie ends well. Rough patches often mark the...
“For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through this great wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.” ~ Deuteronomy 2:7 REFERENCE: Deuteronomy 2:2-7 A mind battle most believers fight is wondering if God is with them on their journeys. When we pass through difficult times or desires delay, we wonder if God still cares or remembers us. As we begin a new year, let the journey of Israel in the wilderness be an encouragement to you. As you...