Category: Devotionals

Romans 12:2 – “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. “

This verse is a continuance of Romans 12:1 where Paul writes about becoming a living sacrifice. Verse 2 gives a deeper explanation of what that entails. As a Christian, I should be different from the world around me, that is, the world of those needing Jesus. Transformation means to make a thorough or dramatic change in form, appearance, or character. As follower of Christ, I should be changed both outwardly and inwardly. Outwardly doesn’t just mean how I look, but it also refers to my behaviors. My outward appearance begins with how I look, but there is so much more. There is an old adage that states, “You only get one opportunity to make a first impression.” While we would hope we are not judged by our clothing, hair- style or make-up, the truth is that first impressions impact the opening of doors of opportunity to witness for Christ. Outward behaviors include my language, the music to which I listen, the company I keep, the way I dress… this list could go on and on, but basically, it involves anything that people can observe in my life. I don’t want anything in my actions to be detrimental to the cause of Christ, so I try to make godly choices. Am I always successful? Sadly no, but I keep trying, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, I get better at it every day.

The inward me is even more difficult to transform. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit is hard at work here. To make a change in my heart, I must constantly be studying the Bible, and God’s Spirit gives me understanding as I read God’s Word. It is the Scriptures that make the inward change. The Bible is rich with what I need to make me more conformed to His image.

Romans 8:29 states “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” As I become Christ-like in my heart, mind, and soul, I am being conformed to His image. This is how transformation takes place. While this is a work in progress for Christians (Philippians 1:6), Jesus Himself is our example of what will eventually happen to us. He was the first to be resurrected to God the Father, and we will follow one day in Jesus’ resurrected footsteps. Thus, the key to a transformed inner being is through the Word of God. Without the Scriptures embedded in my heart, I am merely an outer shell without substance, but when I have the Word of God hidden in my heart, I become more like God’s Son… more conformed to His image… more transformed… more of a living sacrifice. The more I am like Jesus, the more able I can provide evidence to the world of God’s love. As the inner me learns God’s good (desirable), acceptable (suitable), and perfect (faultless) will, I am better able to reflect it to the world in my outer appearance and behavior. When others see the outward difference in me… appearance and behavior… hopefully, they can then see a reason for coming to know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. That is my reasonable service!

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” – Romans 12:1

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What does the world see in you that points them to Christ?

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

I have doing quite a bit of research for a novel I am writing, and as I read about the physical effects of crucifixion, I really wanted to understand it. This is how the Holy Spirit helped me get a better grasp of my Saviour’s crucifixion and the cost of my salvation. (Warning: the next paragraph is quite graphic in its descriptions.)

I have two children that I love beyond words. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for either one of them. But there are some things, I couldn’t even dream of doing. I can’t imagine offering my child as a sacrifice to a group of people who would hate and despise that child with the same intensity with which I love him or her. I can’t imagine my child being beaten again and again with thick ropes embedded with rocks and bits of metal ripping and tearing into the muscles of the back I once patted so tenderly. I can’t imagine my child being mocked mercilessly and beaten repeatedly with strong fists hammering into the face I once kissed so lovingly. I can’t imagine huge iron spikes being driven into a wooden cross through the wrists and ankles of my child, creating excruciating pain as nerves and tissues are shredded by the heavy nails. I can’t imagine my child struggling to breathe, trying vainly to force his or her body up just a fraction to allow a tiny bit of air to flow into anguished lungs as blood runs freely down the broken and battered torso from the jagged wounds that are now being scraped against the splintered wood of the cross. I can’t imagine that the only way to save a lost and dying world would be to have my child tortured and killed like this, but God can.

If fact, God so loved the world that He did the unimaginable.

He sacrificed His Son, Jesus, so that I could have the forgiveness of sins and eternal life in heaven with Him. I can’t even begin to imagine the cost of my salvation.

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”        – Romans 5:8

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What does God’s sacrifice mean to you?

Psalm 95:6 – “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.”

Today, I took a few moments and thought about God. Not about what He’s done for me, or what He can do for me, but I thought about who He actually is. I find I often “humanize” God, and forget that He is the Creator, holy, divine, perfect, all-knowing and all-powerful. He is the One who put the stars in the sky, set the planets in their orbits, and placed the sun and moon in the heavens. He established the laws of all the sciences.

God alone draws the rainbow across the sky, shimmering with the colors that He has created. He is the One who writes the songs of the birds. He knows the origin of the whispers of the wind. He knows what’s at the end of the universe, and He knows all the intricacies of the tiny little atom.

He is also always aware of my thoughts; He sees my actions, and He knows my heart.

So how do I worship Him? In addition to bringing my needs and concerns before God, my prayers often include thanking Him for saving my soul, praising Him for things He’s done for me, glorifying Him in song, and adoring Him for the love He has shown me. These are all wonderful things for which to pray, but if there ever there was a reason for me to worship God, it is simply because of who He is.

So today I am reflecting upon the magnitude of my God. I am worshiping Him because He is God. That’s it. The reality of who God is compels me to fall to my knees and worship Him. He is the Creator, who loved me (and you!) so much that He chose to redeem me (and you!) through the sacrificial death of His beloved Son, Jesus, and then, in the person of His Holy Spirit, God chooses to dwell within all those who accept His gift of salvation.

To me, it seems like that is more than enough to worship God. So I will.

“O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed!”   (from “How Great Thou Art” by Carl Boberg)

“Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.” Psalm 145:3

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For what will you worship God today?

Psalm 34:19 “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.”

Christians are not spared hard times in their lives. In fact, we are guaranteed more than our “fair share” of troubles. Why? If we are on track for God, Satan will do all he can to thwart us in our efforts to live for Christ. Satan does not want us to succeed in our daily Christian walk. He wants to destroy our testimonies because his desire is for us to fail in every aspect of our Christian life and to bring dishonor to the Lord.

But there is good news! God promises to deliver us from every situation that threatens our faith and our walk with Him. The Bible tells us in 1 John 4:14 “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.” Such glorious assurance that with God, there is victory in all circumstances!

For myself, when everything has been “coming up roses” for an extended period of time in my life, I need to do a little self-examination. I have to ask myself, ‘What have I not been doing for God that has Satan content to leave me alone?’ Don’t get me wrong! I don’t wish for hard times, and I don’t yearn for difficult situations to overcome me, but I know that when I am in God’s will, serving Him as the living sacrifice in Romans 12:1, Satan is very unhappy, and will do whatever he can to weaken my faith in God. It is in these untroubled times that I must pray, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24). If the Holy Spirit reveals sin in my life, I must repent and seek God’s forgiveness to get back to where I need to be in my Christian walk. Does this mean that if everything is going well that I am out of God’s will? Of course not! But it should urge me to take inventory of my life, just in case!

So, what have I learned from my devotional reading today? I’ve learned to look at my struggles from a different perspective… a more godly perspective. When I am going through tough times, instead of lamenting my situation, I need to take a good look at my life. Maybe I’m doing something right, something that is part of God’s will for me, and I am involved in a spiritual battle! The enemy is attacking because he wants to destroy my work for the Lord! Time for me to make sure that I have the armor of God securely in place (Ephesians 6:13-17). My battle is not against flesh and blood, and I must be properly fitted to fight. I know the battle belongs to the Lord (1 Samuel 17), and in Him there is victory, but I cannot be a passive warrior for Christ. I must be fully equipped to fight and win!

Hmm… suddenly, the troubles I’ve had lately don’t seem quite so overwhelming. Instead, they seem more like an affirmation that I am on the right track. All I need to do is stand firm on the foundation of God’s Word, fight the good fight, and endure! Victory is assured for God has promised it to each of us who belong to Him!

“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” – 1 Peter 1:6-7

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How has your walk with God been strengthened through hard times?

James 1:25 “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

When I was first introduced to Jesus, I believe that I looked into the “perfect law of liberty.” When I accepted Him as my Saviour, my life then was directed to “continueth therein.” My responsibility was to grow in my faith, to study the Word of God, and live according to its precepts, thus “continuing therein.”

The verse goes on to say that I should not be a forgetful hearer. I need to remember what I read in God’s Word, but to do that, I need some help because frankly, the Bible is a very big book, and full of more than I could ever hope to memorize. God knows that, so, in John 14:26, He promised me a helper – the Holy Ghost, who “brings all things to your remembrance.” What things? The things God teaches me through His Word. However, if I never read His Word, how does the Spirit of God teach me about them? How can He bring Scriptures to my remembrance? I must do my part! I cannot be a passive Christian. I must be actively involved in my learning process.

Years ago, I remember in school that someone had said it would be nice to just put our textbooks under our pillows and absorb the information while we slept with our heads resting comfortably on top of the books. That’s an example of passive learning, which by the way, doesn’t work! To really learn something, I have to be an active learner. If a teacher is to teach me anything, I must do the required preparation.

Likewise, if the Holy Spirit is to teach me, I must do my homework, which is to read the Word of God myself, go to church and listen to good solid Biblical preaching, and then the Spirit of God will give me understanding. Later when I need it, the Holy Spirit will bring the things He has taught me to my remembrance. When I remember, then I can act, and I can act according to the will of God. This is what enables me to be a doer of God’s work, and not a “forgetful hearer.”

I liken the “doing” part to an exam. Academically, I do better on tests when I study because I am able to apply the learned concepts to specific problems. Spiritually, when I am able to apply God’s Word to a particular situation, the result is that God blesses the work! I am able to bear fruit for the cause of Christ. Maybe it is to lead someone to Jesus; maybe it’s to encourage another Christian; maybe it’s to work in a particular church ministry… there is so much that can be done for the Lord!

In elementary school, I really wanted to do well and secure my teacher’s approval. Now, my eyes are set more on things above, and securing God’s favor. I hope one day to hear my Saviour say to me, “Well done!”

“That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.”                                                                                                                                                  – 1 Thessalonians 2:12                         

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The 15th of March is famously known as the “Ides of March.” The word “ides” refers to the middle of the month, so every month has an ides, but the ides of March is known for being the day that Julius Caesar was assassinated by Brutus, a friend in whom the Roman emperor believed was loyal to him.

I have a loyal friend, but I will never have to fear His betrayal. Why? Because my friend is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and He will never forsake me. The Bible tells me that God’s faithfulness, or loyalty, became mine when I accepted Jesus as my Saviour. 1 Corinthians 1:9 states, “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Here are a few verses that remind me of God’s loyalty.

L – Jeremiah 31:3 “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”

“Love” – God’s love for me is from everlasting to everlasting!

O – Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”

“Omnipresence” – I am never without God; He has promised to always be with me!

Y – Ezekiel 34:31 “And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD.”

“Your God” – The Creator of the universe is my heavenly Father; His Son is my Saviour, and His Spirit is my Comforter!

A – Isaiah 65:24 “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.”

“Answer” – I have the assurance that God hears my prayers and answers!

L – Psalm 86:15 “But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.”

“Longsuffering” – God is patient with me; His mercies are new every morning!

T – John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

“Truth” – The loyalty of God is woven throughout the Bible, the true Word of God!

Y – Matthew 11:29 “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

“Yoke” – A yoke links two oxen together. They cannot be separated while in the yoke. I am yoked to Jesus forever!

The loyalty of God is without question. He is faithful to all who call upon His name for salvation and trust in His Word. I never need to fear the ides of March or any other time when I might lose God’s loyalty. It will never happen! Jesus is faithful, trustworthy, and immutable! He is my God and my Redeemer, now and forever!

“But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.”  – 2 Thessalonians 3:3

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How has God’s loyalty brought you comfort in difficult times?

Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Ever wonder why church is so vital? Couldn’t I just stay home and watch the service on live stream or television? Sure, I could do that, and it is a wonderful option when I cannot attend church, but when I do not actually go to church, I miss something really important. I miss the presence of Christ Himself in my “midst.”

I know Christians have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at all times, but the presence of the Son of God comes to us when we bond with another believer and come together in His name! When we don’t meet solely for coffee and casual conversation, but we meet purposefully to worship Christ together, Jesus joins us! Think of it… Jesus who sits at the right hand of God comes to be in the midst of two or more believers! He is an active participant in our fellowship! How awesome is that? I need fellowship with other Christians because I need fellowship with Jesus up close and personal!!

Don’t get me wrong. I love my alone time with God. I love my devotional time when I delve into His Word and allow His Spirit to speak to my heart. I love my personal prayer time when I commune with the Lord, but equally important is my corporate worship of my Saviour. I need the people of God with me for encouragement, comfort, and support. These people can be as many as a full household of God or as few as one other person. I love having morning devotions with my husband; I love singing praises with the church choir; I love explaining the application of Bible verses to my granddaughters; I love gathering with the ladies from my church for fellowship. In these activities and more, Jesus is with us, in our midst!

Some people question the necessity of church nowadays, but I see its value increasing more and more as ungodliness becomes more rampant in our society via its politics, lifestyle, education, and morality. It is through assembling with others who are like-minded in the same faith in God and His Word and knowing that my Saviour meets with us as we gather together that impresses upon me the necessity of attending church as often as its doors are open.

I need my church; I need my brothers and sisters in Christ, and I need Jesus!

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”      – Hebrews 10:25

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How has being a part of the family of God made a difference in your life?

Daniel 10:12 “Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.”

For years, I had prayed for my mother’s salvation. She had been raised in a Shintoist culture and had never really been exposed to Christianity. I remember when I accepted Christ as my Saviour. I was a young girl, and I began fervently sharing the gospel with my mother. All through my teen years I would witness, and she would patiently listen, smile, and tell me that was nice, but never did she receive Christ as her personal Saviour. As my faith grew along with my years, the ramification of not receiving Christ was foremost in my mind when it came to my mother, so I prayed even more for her salvation. I could not understand why God was not answering my prayer! Was it not according to His will? (Of course it was! The Bible states in 2 Peter 3:9 that “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”) What about my mother? I did not understand at all.

The prophet Daniel also had times of seemingly unanswered prayer in his own life. It’s recorded in the Biblical book that bears his name of a time when an angel of God came to him and explained the delay of his prayer’s answer. Daniel was told that he had indeed been heard by God the very moment he prayed, and that an angel had been sent from heaven as a result of that prayer. However, the answer was slow in its arrival due to a spiritual battle in which this angel was involved. At the completion of that battle, the angel continued on to Daniel with God’s response to the prayer.

Based on the truth and consistency of Scripture, I can be assured that God hears my prayers today, and that He heard my prayer for my mother the moment I first asked Him to open her eyes to the truth of the gospel. I don’t know why He didn’t answer that prayer in my time frame. The detainments in receiving answers to prayer are not always known to us, but the fact that God does answer prayer is guaranteed in the Bible. There are a plethora of verses regarding that very issue (John 15:7, Mark 11:24, Matthew 7:7-8, John 14:14, etc.). I must be patient and trust in God’s Word. Like Daniel, I must seek to understand the ways of God, and pray with a humble heart. And then, as Jesus said in Matthew 21:21, I must have faith that God will answer my prayer.

1 John 5:14-15 says “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” God promises that He will answer anything we ask of Him if it is according to His will. Sometimes I ask amiss, and God withholds it for my own good. While I may struggle with this, it occurs to me that if I pray for something that is contrary to God’s will, do I really want Him to answer that? I only want what is best for my life and the lives of those around me, so when God withholds an answer to a prayer, I must remember that it may be because it is not according to His will, and therefore it is not best for me.

Regarding my prayer for my mother, God did answer it… but He waited more than twenty years to do so. The year before my mother died, He gave me the wonderful privilege of being at my mother’s side as she prayed for Jesus’ forgiveness of sins and accepted Him as her Saviour. I may never know why God waited so long to answer my prayer, but when He did, it was the best time ever for her and me!

“Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” – Psalm 37:4-5

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How has waiting for God’s answers helped you to grow in your faith?

2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

I vividly remember the Vietnam years. Images of protests and riots were splashed across the front pages of newspapers. Television news broadcasts reported the atrocities of war, and Americans were divided regarding our involvement in this overseas “conflict.” The outcry in the United States was unprecedented, and I thought we would not survive as a nation, but we did. I believed surely this type of revolt could not happen again. Unfortunately, I was wrong. It is much worse today than in the 60s and 70s because it is our own leaders who are the instigators of a political anarchy that has once again ignited the flames of rebellion, which burn so intensely that it threatens to destroy the very fabric of our country’s foundation.

Solomon faced similar problems in his reign as the third king of Israel. His people went through periods of unrest and rebellion, turning from the God who had chosen them as His very own. Their rejection of God brought severe judgments to the people, so after Solomon completed the temple’s construction, he prayed to God on behalf of Israel (2 Chronicles 6). God’s response was this recipe for healing and peace. Read more

1 Thessalonians 5:16 “Rejoice evermore.”

It’s so easy for me to read verses like this one and keep on going. After all, there doesn’t seem to b a whole lot to glean from these two little words, and it certainly doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand their meaning. “Rejoice evermore.” Simple. At least, that’s what I thought. And then my mind’s eye imagined God simply shaking His head at me with the smallest hint of a smile as He prepared to open my eyes to a deeper and richer understanding of His Word once again.

May my prayer always be, “Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths” (Psalm 25:4).

The word “rejoice” means to feel or show great joy or delight, while the word “evermore” means forever, eternally, for all time. So the verse tells me that I should be exceedingly joyful always. Hmm… how do I do that? One thing I have discovered in my devotional studies is that the Bible always explains itself. Nothing is left to my speculations! As I continued to read, I found the recipe for rejoicing evermore!

1. Pray without ceasing (v. 17) – There are times when I am worried, angry, sad, fearful… This list can go on, and it is a list that does not support rejoicing. However, when I bring these concerns to my Father in heaven, He promises to handle them all. When I remember that I have Someone who can take all my cares upon Himself and guide me to brighter outcomes, I find myself able to rejoice!
2. In everything, give thanks (v. 18) – This verse doesn’t tell me that I am to give thanks for everything, but in everything! There is a big difference in those two prepositions. Many years ago, when I was told that I had cancer, I did not give thanks for the diagnosis, but I did give thanks in the understanding that I did not walk the path of this trial alone. Jesus was with me every step of the way. He accompanied me to every doctor’s visit and every surgery. He held me in His arms during every radiation and chemotherapy session. My spirit was able to rejoice in the knowledge that God was always with me!
3. Quench not the Spirit (v. 19) – God’s Holy Spirit dwells within me and influences me continually (Titus 3:5). His has given me certain abilities with which I can use to serve Him. When I heed the Spirit’s prompting and act accordingly, I am blessed beyond measure. That certainly is a reason to rejoice!
4. Despise not prophesyings (v. 20) – The Bible is full of prophesies, some of which have been fulfilled, and others still awaiting their time. When I understand God’s fulfillment of prophecy-past guarantees his fulfillment of prophesy-future, which includes Jesus coming back for me, I rejoice!
5. Prove all things, hold fast that which is good (v. 21) – The Bible is our guidebook for those things which are godly, righteous, and good in the sight of God. We have all that we need with which to determine right from wrong. We do not need to rely on our own definition of truth, for it is flawed. Instead, we have God’s truth in our hands, which is without error. That is worth rejoicing over!
6. Abstain from all appearance of evil (v. 22) – Notice this verse tells me to abstain from all appearance of evil. I am not only to abstain from doing evil, but I must refrain from having the appearance of evil in my life. Big difference. My life must reflect a godly lifestyle in appearance as well as actuality; it should mirror the goodness and righteousness of Jesus and His teachings in Scripture.When I choose to follow God’s ways, I am encouraged, enlightened, and blessed beyond measure! How can I not rejoice over this?

I have learned that when I follow in Jesus’ footsteps, I can face even the most difficult of times. The joy of the Lord truly is my strength (Nehemiah 8:10). However, rejoicing in all things does not come easy to me. I am still a work in progress, but I have found that when I do remember the importance of rejoicing in the Lord, I am content and at peace because God has “sanctified me wholly,” and continues to work all things “together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.” – Philippians 4:4

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How has God enabled you to rejoice in difficult times?