Daily Devotional

In Search Of YOU!

March 18, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Proverbs 18:2
A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

    Many new books have been published over the years trying to help people find themselves. Self-esteem is a buzzword. The idea behind it all is that if you do not feel good about yourself, how can you even hope to survive?

    The sad thing is that when most people get to the end of the long road to find out the truth, they are often disappointed. If you do an honest self-examination, you will find you are just like everyone else. A different talent and a different way of life maybe, but other than material differences, we are all pretty much the same. We are no better and no worse than anyone else trudging around this big old mudball we call Earth.

    The search for oneself is often driven by self-pride. Can you imagine spending a lifetime searching, only to find that we are all just sinful creatures searching for the truth? Real truth will lead you to God. God’s Word tells us that man does not want to know the truth, what they want is to believe a lie. People want to hear that somehow; they are better or in some way different from the rest of the world. When the truth is, to find our real value in life, we must first have God in our lives. Once we make God the director of our life, He will show us just what He created us to be. Isn’t that what we really want? Not to know who we are, but to know what we may become?

    I heard it once said, “Life is a stage, and we are all actors there in.” The question then is, who is directing the continuing saga of your life?

  

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

    Giving our hearts to the Lord is a one-time thing. You only need to accept Christ as Saviour once to be eternally secure in that salvation. However, giving our lives over to God can be a daily struggle. Let’s just bow our hearts to the Lord today and tell Him, “I am here today to serve you, Lord. Make of me what you need me to be. Be the director of my life today. Amen.”

Will you allow and invite God to lead your life 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:  March 18, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
Numbers 25, 26 – Psalm 69:16-36
Proverbs 18 – John 16, 17

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Deuteronomy 1 – Mark 15:1-23

The Sun Is Always Shining Somewhere

March 11, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

John 8:12
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

 

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

 

    In the days of the writing of the New Testament, the Jewish Temple was designed in many sections and levels. In the innermost part was the Temple building itself, in which only priests could enter. Inside this Temple was the Holy of Holies, which only the High Priest could enter once a year. Around the Temple there were courts. Each one elevated a little higher than the one before, leading up to the Temple itself. Eight feet below the Temple was the Court of the Priests. Three feet below that was the Court of Israel, only the men of Israel came there to do sacrifices. Ten feet below that was the Court of Women, where Jewish families came to worship God. Eight feet below that was the Outer Court or Court of Gentiles, a place where anyone could come to the Temple to worship God. If any Gentile went beyond the outer court, he or she would be liable for death.

 

    In the Court of the Women, you would find trumpet-shaped boxes for offerings and a large golden lampstand that burned continually during the Feast of the Tabernacle. The bright radiant beam from the large candles would remind the Children of Israel how God was a Pillar of Light to lead them out of Egypt. Jesus often used everyday examples to make His point. Looking at this large Menorah, or Lamp Stand, the people heard Jesus once again refer to Himself as God, “the Light,” which can lead them from harm’s way. Jesus promised to lead them out of the darkness of sin, into the wonderful light of His love.

  

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

 

    As the sun shines somewhere twenty-four hours a day, so does the love of God. We may only see the sun for a few hours each day, but it never stops shining. If we are not in a place for the Love of God to shine on us, it does not mean He quit loving us. We are simply in the wrong place.

 

Are you walking in the Light 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:  March 11, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
Numbers 12, 13 – Psalm 64
Proverbs 11 – John 8

 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Numbers 23-25 – Mark 12:1- 27

 

You Are His SAVINGS PLAN

March 4, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Numbers 2:33
But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses.

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

   

    Some people are a lot better at saving things than others. Maybe some folks are just born with the idea of putting something away for later. Then there are the rest of us who struggle to save anything. We want to have it all and have it all NOW. I tell people all the time, “Eat your dessert first because you never know when the rapture of the church will take place, and you do not want to miss out on dessert.” Yet, there are those diligent souls who always set a little bit aside. They have a Savings Plan. If you ask them why, they will most often tell you, “It is for something special.” Maybe for a vacation, a house, new clothes, or whatever. However, they have a special reason for setting that amount aside.

    In our verse today we see that God did this with the Children of Israel. God told Moses to count all the people. That is all the people except the Levites. He had a special reason. God had set the Levites aside for a special purpose. They were different in His desire for them. They were the Priests of the day, set aside for a special work of God. 

 CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

    In Revelations 1:5-6 we read “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

    Did you see that? We, too, have been set aside, made priests for the work of the Lord. Not only are we allowed entry into the Holy Place to commune with God in prayer, but we also have a responsibility that goes with this title; to be separated from the sin of this world and separated unto God. God set you aside for something special… You are His SAVINGS PLAN! His plan to save the world.

Did you realize you were part of God’s Savings Plan?

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 4, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
Numbers 1, 2 – Psalm 57
Proverbs 4 – John 1

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Numbers 9-11 – Mark 8:22-38

Life Is In The Blood

February 25, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Leviticus 17:11
For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

 

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

   

    Science has been able to do many marvelous things. They have transplanted a human heart to extend a person’s life. They have even had some success with a man-made mechanical heart, again extending life for a while. Yet, as of today, science and scientists have never created real blood. Do you know why? Blood needs to continually recreate and be refreshed from the bones in your body. Now I am not a scientist, but I can imagine where the continual recreation of new blood cells, every moment of every day, would cause a problem in creating blood.

 

    In today’s verse, God said life was in the blood. Over time, many people have attempted, whether on purpose or inadvertently, to remove the blood from what they refer to as versions of the Bible and from many of our wonderful old Hymns. Yet God says life is in the blood. My friend, you can transplant all the organs you may want to, yet without blood, there is no life; they are useless.

 

    What God said then is still true today. The blood still brings life. Blood not only sustains physical life but gives us eternal life as well. In the Old Testament, the blood of animals was a temporary atonement for sin. However, the blood of Jesus on the cross of Calvary was a one-time, permanent, never having to be renewed payment for all sin. Just as a body must be alive to restore and recreate blood, Jesus Christ is alive today to stand behind the blood He shed. It is still working, still washing away sin, and still bringing life to those who will accept the blood of Christ to cleanse them from their sin.

  

  

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

 

    The blood of Jesus permanently pays the price of our sin debt. If you have been washed in His blood, it is forever. If you have never accepted the blood of Christ for payment of your sin, today is a great day to do so. Ask Him to forgive you, come into your heart, and wash away all your sins. He promised He would. Don’t keep working on a dead body. Get new life from the blood of Jesus Christ. 

 

Have you been washed in the Blood?

 

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:  February 25, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
Leviticus 17, 18 – Psalm 50
Proverbs 25 – Luke 18

 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Leviticus 25 – Mark 4:21 – 41

 

Yes, HE Can!

February 18, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Proverbs 18:10
The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

 

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

   

    Some time ago, I had the joy of going to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee with our teens, to a Christian Youth Retreat. While there, we saw many attractions, rides, and activities that were available.

 

    One of them was a ride, where you sat on a bench-type chair made for two people, the operator would harness you in, and then release a switch. Oh yes, I forgot to mention, this chair was hooked to two huge rubber band-like straps. The straps were hooked to two tall, towering poles on either side, and they were stretched to their fullest. When they would flip the switch to release the chair, these two rubber band-like straps shot you like a slingshot, straight up into the air. It seemed as though you might go all the way to the moon. Then, when the bands had reached their stretched limit in height up into the sky, they would shoot you back toward the ground at almost lightning speed. On the way down, GRAVITY WAS HELPING!

 

    I had watched several people do this with no problems. It was not the height I feared, nor the speed, or even getting sick. My question was, is it strong enough to hold ME? The difference between many of the others and me was this, I weighed around 280 lbs. at that time, and I had not seen anyone else my size on there. Nevertheless, I did it anyway, and it was a blast.

 

    I said that to say this. The love of the Lord is a strong tower. When I turned my life over to the LORD, it was because of His saving grace. I knew from seeing others who had given their life to Him, that He was strong enough to hold ME too. So, I put my faith in Him and sat completely in His loving care.

  

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

 

    I was right. After years of walking with Christ, through good and bad times in my life, He is strong enough to hold me. And friend, He is strong enough to hold you too. The Lord is a strong tower and in Him, you are safe.

 

When trials come, and they will, will you rest in 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:  February 18, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
Leviticus 4-5 – Psalm 44:1-8
Proverbs 18 – Luke 10

 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Leviticus 12-13 Matthew 28