Daily Devotional

God Loves To Hear You Sing

April 22, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Psalm 95:1
O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

     Music is a wonderful gift from God. It seems everyone likes some form of music. It can also be used for so many different things. It can calm a person with its soft melodies. It is used in battle, loudly blaring 24 hours a day to keep people from sleep and drive them crazy. A trumpet will sound a tune to call people to battle or to wake them from sleep. In church, it is used to sing praises to God. Music is truly a gift from God. How, then, can we use it for His good? The Bible tells us to “make a joyful noise to the rock of our Salvation.” It says we are to “sing unto the Lord.” God loves to hear us sing. Even if we do not have the voice of an angel, God loves to hear us when praises to Him come floating off our lips and from our hearts. I believe it does at least three things.

1. I believe God loves the sound of our voice. Could you imagine hearing your child in the backyard singing for everyone to hear, “O how wonderful is my mom, she loves me like no other, O how special is my dad, God could not make another.” Wouldn’t that melt your heart? Would it matter to you if they were singing on key or not? No way! I believe God loves to hear us sing His praises in the same way.

2. It lifts your spirits to sing the praise of your God. It will make your day so much brighter as you sing of our Wonderful Redeemer. As you sing the Wondrous Love of Jesus, the joy of the Lord will overshadow you.

3. I like this one. I believe it drives Satan MAD!!!

  

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

     Find a place all to yourself today and sing, What a Mighty God We Serve, or Amazing Grace, or Jesus Loves Me. Whatever comes to your heart, Just Sing.

What Song will you sing today?

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:  April 22, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
Judges 1, 2 – Psalm 95
Proverbs 22 – 1 Corinthians 9, 10

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Judges 21-Ruth  –   2 Luke 15

Hide And Seek With God 

April 15, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Proverbs 15:3
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

 

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

   

    When you were younger (or maybe now), did you ever play hide-and-go-seek? I am sure you have, one time or another. I remember as a child how I hated to play with some people because I just knew they were cheating. I had some really good hiding places, and they would say 99, 100…Ready or not, here I come, they would walk right to where I was. I knew they had to be looking, peeking, and not playing fair.

 

    I am not implying that God does not play fair, but he is always peeking. No matter how good you think your hiding place is, He can see you. By the way, He never said He would close His eyes in the first place. In fact, He has warned us all along, I Am Watching You…  

  

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

   

    Why would we want to play hide and seek with God anyway? If real trouble comes, we want Him to be able to see and help, right? Yes, we do. Take a moment and thank Him today for being vigilant over your life.

 

Does it make you happy or concerned
knowing that God is always watching you?

 

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:  April 15, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
Joshua 10, 11 – Psalm 89:38-52
Proverbs 15 – 1 Thessalonians 4, 5 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Judges 6-7 – Luke 11:29-54

 

Do We Really Have Time To Serve?

April 8, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Galatians 3:3
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

   

    Work, work, work. That seems like all we ever do. Always so busy. Our place of employment wants more of our time than ever before. They want us to be dedicated to them first and anything else second. Our spouse wants and deserves our time as well. However, we seem to have very little left after all that work. Then there is the church. It tells us we need to be serving God by serving in His church. We know that is true, but how can all this be true when there are only so many hours in the day?

    We somehow get the idea that to please God we must always be busy. The truth is all the things we do with our lives may glorify God if done for Him. Our place of employment is our mission field where we share with our friends our life in Christ. Our home is our place of encouragement and love. God gave us this for our benefit. Working for the Lord is not something you do only in church. It is a life you live and bring with you to church. Sometimes it seems as though we forget that all we have in salvation is free. We cannot earn it or repay God for it. The gifts and talents given to you by God are to be used as one of the forms of your expression of worship in the Lord’s House.  

  

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

    Thank God today for allowing you to serve Him with ALL your life in ALL you do. We were saved by faith in Him. Let us also live by faith in Him.

How do you see your life as serving God?

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:  April 8, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
Deuteronomy 29, 30 – Psalm 84
Proverbs 8 – Galatians 3, 4

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Joshua 15-17 – Luke 8:41-56

Just Like Dirty Children

April 2, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Psalm 78:72
So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

 

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

 

    It is a beautiful day out, the birds are singing, the sun is shining, and what a great time to take the children to the park. When arriving you tell them all the rules like, do not talk to strangers, do not run off where I cannot see you, try not to get too dirty, etc. After a moment, you find yourself sort of lost in the freshness of spring and the beauty of it all. When it dawns on you, where are the children? You get up and look around, but you cannot see them. You walk around a bit and, oh thank heavens, there they are. To whom are they talking? As you get closer, you can see that they are all filthy dirty, and carrying on a conversation with a kindly older gentleman. When you excuse yourself and walk away with the children, you realize, they have broken every single rule you gave them on that day.

 

    What should you do? I know, just leave them there to starve and never teach them another thing. They have disobeyed and so you no longer want them around ever. Right? Of course not. Why, because you had a part in bringing them into this world and you love them. Even when they have not obeyed exactly what you asked, you still love them. Therefore, you take them home, clean them up, make them dinner, and try to explain one more time why it is important to obey the things you have told them. There may be a punishment; however, your real goal in life is to try to guide them skillfully away from dangers and into a life of peace and safety.

 

    You have just read a story that explains the heart of God toward us. We do not always obey, even though we know we should. We do not always stay clean, although we know He has asked us to. We cannot get out of His sight, but we can get out of His will. Still, if you are His child, He loves you. He will guide and help you and do it with His integrity and skillfulness.

  

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

 

    In Hebrews 13:5, it is said of God; “…I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”  What a great promise to his wayward children. He says to you and me today, come home. Let’s get cleaned up. I love you.

 

Does the overwhelming love of God comfort your heart today?

 

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:  April 2, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
Deuteronomy 17-19 – Psalm 78:56-72
Proverbs 2 – Acts 13

 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Joshua 1-3 – Luke 6:1-19

 

Are We There Yet?

March 25, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Psalm 74:10
O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

   

    In a world of constant change, some things never change. Most of us can picture our family vacations with parents and children. It begins by traveling down the road with the family, heading for a place you have all been thinking about and planning toward for the last few months. The family has talked about what you will do when you get there and the things you will see together in this wonderful place. Then about 20 minutes into the trip you hear those famous words, “How much longer before we get there?” Then, for the remainder of the trip, “Are we there yet?” “Are we there yet?” “Are we there yet?”

    One thing this does do, (besides drive you crazy) is to make you so glad when you can finally say; “YES…WE ARE HERE!” What a blessed relief it is to know you will not have to hear, “Are we there yet” again. (That is, not until it is time to go back home.)

    As we wait for the return of God’s Son Jesus to take us home, to the place we have talked about, to the place where we will see some wonderful things together, we must sound like those children on the trip, “How much longer God?” “Is it time yet?” Oh, what a blessing it will be for us when God turns to Jesus and says, “Go get them, Son, it is time now.” Then He may add, “Yes children, you are here now.”

  

  

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

    Oh, the anticipation is swelling in our hearts for that day. With heightened expectations, we wonder how soon it will be approaching. It just cannot be too long until the skies will part, and we shall see Him just as He left this earth, returning for us in the clouds. In our prayers today we should all say, “Thank you, Father, for this promise in your word.” AMEN.

What will you do with the time we have until He comes?

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:  March 25, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
Deuteronomy 2, 3 – Psalm 74:1-11
Proverbs 25 – Acts 4

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Deuteronomy 15-17 – Luke 2:1-24