DEVOTIONS

How Busy Are You?
December 29, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Ester 6:1
On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.

 

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

 

     Have you ever found yourself awake in the middle of the night and unable to get to sleep? You have counted sheep until you hate the woolly little creatures for no reason. Maybe you have counted until you have just run out of numbers. You have tried to think of a peaceful place, and the quietness keeps you awake. It is too late in the night to take a sleeping pill, as you will be groggy all the next morning. It is too early to wake someone else in the house to talk with. TV has nothing but infomercials, reruns, and junk. What should you do? Do as the king did in Ester 6:1. Get out your Bible and begin to read it. It might very well be that God is trying to get your attention.

 

     We are so busy during the day with work, family, friends, and chores. Time to get alone with God may seem to have just slipped by before you knew it. Now things are quiet and peaceful, and God is saying… “Let’s talk a bit.” I have found some of my most intimate times with God are early in the morning. I read a bit and prayed a bit. I speak to Him and then read and let Him speak to me. You may wonder if I am tired for the rest of the day. Well, sometimes, however, it seems God gives me the energy and alertness to get through my day. Then guess what? The next night, I usually sleep well.

 

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

 

    Spend time with God regularly. As you are making those New Year’s Resolutions, resolve to set aside time every single day to be alone with God. I promise it will become one of your favorite times of the day. You will not be sorry.

 

So, how busy are you?

 

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself what MY THOUGHTS are concerning this Passage and today’s Devotion?

 

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

 

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

 

  

GOD TALKING TO ME: December 29, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(O.T.-1,   N.T. & PS.-2,   Prov. – Monthly)}
Ester 1-7 / Psalm 147-148
Proverbs 29 / Revelations 20

 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Zechariah 10-12  /  Revelation 20

 

A Truthful Friend
December 27 & 28, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Proverbs 27:5-6
Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

 

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

 

     There is nothing worse for a person’s emotions than to find out someone who they thought of as a friend, co-laborer, and helper has turned on them, and is telling others damaging things about them. God sometimes refers to them as gossips, backbiters, or slanderers.

 

     It is one thing to hear from your so-called friends that they believe you are making a mistake and to have them try to help you. It is quite another to have them say one thing to your face with a smile, then run off in the corner and badmouth you or your decisions to others.

 

     Open rebuke or faithful wounds given in love toward someone should be taken in love. If someone comes to help you by sharing an area they may see as harmful to your testimony or walk with God, and they do it in a loving manner, we ought to accept it and see what God’s Word says about the matter.

 

     On the other hand, if a person comes and tells you how much they love you, but will not tell you if they see trouble in your life, can they truly say they love you? The answer is NO! Even worse, if they tell you they love you and then gossip about your faults behind your back, can they say they love you, NO!

 

     God’s Word never hides the truth. It is there for us to read and understand. God never talks behind our backs or lets us think it is ok to sin. However, He always says so in the context of love. Always wanting the best for us, He tries to warn us of the cost of sin. Can He say He really loves us, YES!

 

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

 

    Avoid false love, as you do not need the aggravation in your life. Draw close to true love. God’s best love was displayed by sending His Son Jesus to live and die for us. The truth might hurt at times, but the truth wrapped in love will be the best thing you can find. Jesus is the Way, the TRUTH, and Life.

 

Can you find a truth in God’s Word that you will rely upon?

 

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself what MY THOUGHTS are concerning this Passage and today’s Devotion?

 

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

 

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

 

  

GOD TALKING TO ME: December 27, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1,/NT & PS-2,/Prov-Monthly)}
Nehemiah 11-13 / Psalm 146
Proverbs 27-28 / Revelations 18-19

 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Zechariah 7-9  /  Revelation 19

WHAT TO DO ON SUNDAY:

 

   There will not be a Daily Devotion sent out on Sundays. Instead, we encourage you to attend your church and listen intently to what God has prepared in the heart of your Pastor. Write down all the scriptures he uses in that message, then, when you get home, re-read those passages for today’s reading. God has given your Pastor exactly what He desires for you on that day.  

 

GOD TALKING TO ME: December  29, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1,/NT & PS-2,/Prov-Monthly)}
NO READINGS ON SUNDAY

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
NO READINGS ON SUNDAY

 

Some Things Never Change…
December 26, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Psalm 145:13-14
Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.

 

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

 

     Christmas is such a wonderful time of year for most. It brings with it a sense of joy and happiness. People who have not been around for a while stop by and spend time with you. Bosses who you thought never recognized you sent you a card or gave you a call. People exchange pleasant conversations and gifts. It is such a great time of the year.

 

     However, studies have shown that in the days to follow, there are more cases of depression and suicide than at any other time of year. You may wonder why. Many believe one cause may be the high of all the attention, which swells until Christmas and drops like a rock the next day. It is over. No more gifts. No more jolly pleasantries. It is back to the real world. People are thrust back into LIFE. The problem then is that people have begun to live in a world that does not exist. A world where nothing is wrong, and everyone is happy. The truth is, there is a lot wrong. Sin is everywhere, and the entire world is not happy. So, how do we keep these ups and downs to a minimum in our lives?

 

     The answer is to find something in life that will be constant. People need to have a staple in life that remains the same before and after Christmas and will be the same forever. There is only one thing in life that is never changing. It is not what, as much as it is who. GOD! His kingdom is never-ending, and you can be part of it. He rules over every generation and all nations. He can be your permanent, never-changing God if you allow Him to. He will hold you up when you begin to feel low and make something special out of you if you allow Him to. He loves you and wants the best for you, always.

 

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

 

   Do not let this season cause your emotions to bounce up and down like a ship in the open water. Anchor to the rock Christ Jesus. Let Him be your constant in life this year, next year, and for all eternity. Jesus never fails, and Jesus never changes. Oh yes, and He never quits loving you. Call on Him. He is as close as a prayer.

 

What will it mean to you to have someone stable in your life to come?

 

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage and today’s Devotion?

 

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

 

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

 

  

GOD TALKING TO ME:  December 26, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
Nehemiah 9, 10 / Psalm 145
Proverbs 26 / Revelations 16, 17

 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Zechariah 4-6  /  Revelation 18

 

He Is Holy
December 25, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Nehemiah 8:5-6
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

 

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

 

      At the reading of God’s Word, the people stood to their feet. They were not asked to rise or to stand. Just out of pure respect for what was contained in the words written in the book, they stood.

 

      In England, when the queen rides past, people stand. When the President of the United States enters a room, people stand. Why? It is done out of respect for the position they have obtained and their place in leadership over us.

 

      After the reading of God’s Word, when Ezra offered blessings and praise to the Lord, the people did three things.

• First, they lifted their hands with palms open, showing that they had no weapons, no hostility, holding onto nothing. The open hands also displayed an expectation of supply by their God.
  
  
• Next, they said, “Amen” with their voice, or more literally, “so be it.” Saying, “Let it be as our God has spoken.”
  
  
• Finally, they bowed their faces to the ground in a show of worship. They did not look at God as their equal but as superior.

 

      Today, people do not lift their hands very often because someone might see them. They do not shout AMEN anymore because people will complain. They often will not even close their eyes, much less bow their head to the ground in respect of God. Jesus came as a baby to this place called Earth, but He lives today as a King on high. He came to regular people, but He lives as God the Son. He came to die for the sins of many that He might save their soul. Many have accepted Him. Have you?

 

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

 

       On this Christmas Morning, can you find a time to get alone with God and lift your hands, bow your head, and say amen? Let it be as God has spoken. May you all have a Merry and “Christ-filled” Christmas.

 

What will a Christ-filled Christmas look like
with you and your family this year?

 

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage and today’s Devotion?

 

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

 

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

 

  

GOD TALKING TO ME: December 25, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
Nehemiah 7, 8 / Psalm 144
Proverbs 25 / Revelations 14, 15

 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Zechariah 1-3  /  Revelation 17