Daily Devotions

Like It Or Not, We Need Trials

October 1, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

James 1:3
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

     One Sunday morning in our church service, I spoke on patience. I was saying we should all be more patient with one another and the burdens they bear. I spoke of how trials will help us work on our patience if we listen to God during the trial. I also mentioned how we should pray for one another. That is all Biblical, right?

     With the morning service over, I headed home to get some lunch and prepare for our afternoon baptismal service. At the time, we did not have a baptistery in our church, so we would go to another church during the cold months for baptismal services. When I got home, I found my finished basement had about 1 inch of standing water in most of it. Our sump pump had quit working. I quickly called a friend who knew about plumbing, and he and I got the water pretty much cleaned up and the pump temporarily working again. When I joined the church service that afternoon, I half-jokingly asked them, “Which one of you yahoos decided to pray for the Pastor to have more patience? Well, whoever you are, cut it out.” Everyone laughed.

     Since then, when I have heard people praying, “God, please give me patience,” I often wondered what might be coming their way to help them gain patience. I have long stopped praying for patience. My life has enough trials in it to help me learn patience daily. I now pray for peace.

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

    Today, as the burdens of life begin to bear upon you, think back on things you do now with ease that once were trials in your life. Walking was a trial when you were one year old, and driving when you were sixteen. Things that once seemed almost impossible, trials of the past, you now do with ease. The trials you face today may also be the very things that make you a much better Christian tomorrow.

What might you be dealing with today
that God can use to make you stronger in the days 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: October 1, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(O.T.-1,   N.T. & PS.-2,   Prov. – Monthly)}
Jeremiah 30, 31 / Psalm 79
Proverbs 1 / James 1, 2

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Song of So. 1-3  /  Gal. 5

Who Controls The Reins?

September 24, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Jeremiah 17:10
I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

     When God created man, He originally did so looking at us as a perfect creature. We were His perfect creation. To make us perfect, He gave us all characteristics such as He has. A mind to think with, the will to choose, and a heart full of emotions. In doing so, He also has given humanity the opportunity to mess up. And so it goes, we did and still do. Man’s heart, thoughts, and will have become corrupted by the sin which Satan introduced into this world.

     The verse just before Jeremiah 17:10 says our hearts are “desperately wicked: who can know it?” The answer is God. God knows our hearts even better than we do. He knows what we desire. Our verse today says, “I try the reins.” What do reins do when put on a horse? They are used to direct this large animal to stop and go or to turn left or right. What then would be the reins of a person? Well, they would be the mind or the heart of a person. Your mind tells you to stop doing something, or start doing something, or to go here or there. Remember, God knows the mind of a person.

     So, ask yourself, what is it that your mind and heart really want? You can see the answer to that question just as God does, by your ways or doings. Where do you go? What do you do? With whom do you hang out? How often does this include God? If you do not like the answers to these questions, maybe you had better get a firmer grip on the reins! Better yet, let God have control of them.

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

     

     As the day goes by, ask God to keep your mind on things that would be glorifying to Him. If you find your mind wandering, wander back over toward God.

When do you most often find your mind wandering?

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: September  24, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(O.T.-1,   N.T. & PS.-2,   Prov. – Monthly)}
Jeremiah 16, 17 / Psalm 75
Proverbs 24 / Acts 5

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Ecc. 1-2  /  2 Co. 12

Be A WONDER

September 17, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Psalm 71:7
I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

    Are you considered “a WONDER unto many?” You should be! People should wonder what in the world happened to you. All your friends and co-workers should wonder what happened to the language you used and the jokes you used to listen to and tell. They should wonder why you are not going out to bars or parties with them anymore after work. Your neighbors should wonder why it is that every Sunday morning and every Sunday night they see you and your family dressed up and leaving for church instead of having a Bar-B-Q or going to the beach. Your family should wonder why the things that would previously find their way onto your TV set just do not seem to be there anymore.

     If you are living a life for Christ, these wonders have taken place, and maybe you do not notice them. I guess the person who should be most amazed is you. Do you wonder why an almighty God would send His only Son to die for you? Do you wonder why, out of the millions of people around you, it was your eyes that were opened to the wonders of God’s grace, and now you are a child of God? Have you ever wondered how it is God, who knows everything, says He will remember your sins NO MORE? Oh, the WONDER of it all.

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

     God chose to send His Son to save your sins. God chose to reveal the truths of the gospel for salvation so you could live with Him eternally. God chooses to forgive and to forget your sins, which are washed in the blood. That is what your God has chosen to do for you. What have you chosen to do for God? Be a WONDER in this world!

What have you chosen to do for 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: September  17, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(O.T.-1,   N.T. & PS.-2,   Prov. – Monthly)}
Jeremiah 3 / Psalm 71:1-16
Proverbs 17 / John 18

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Pro. 20-21  /  2 Co. 5

No One Is Stronger Than God

September 10, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

John 9:3
Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

 

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

 

     If you spend any time watching so-called Christian TV today, you are sure to hear some Faith-healing Evangelists suggest that if you are sick, it is because there is some sort of demon in you that needs to be cast out. Then again, if it is not a demon, you have some terrible mortal sin you need to confess. Some go on to tell you where their next meeting is going to be, so you can come and be healed. (Hope you do not die in the meantime, because they also believe that if you sin, you lose your salvation.)

 

     However, this verse in the Bible tells us clearly that sometimes trials and personal afflictions are not a result of our sin, or the result of the sins of others. The illness is also not a demon possessing us or even tormenting us. Occasionally, we are made to go through these things because God knows our character and that we will give honor and glory to Him even during these struggles. He knows many others may come to see Jesus by seeing Him in the life that you live in the midst of your trouble. They may have never seen Him in any other way.

 

     Do not fall into the pit of lies that tell you just because you are in a bad situation, you have lost your faith or have been possessed by some demon. If you are possessed by the Holy Spirit, a demon cannot get in there. Jesus says you are kept by the power of God in 1 Peter 1:5. Friend, no one is stronger than God. NO ONE.

 

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

 

     Romans 8:38 & 39 really say it all. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 

What can you do today to strengthen the power
of the Holy Spirit in your life?

 

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: September  10, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(O.T.-1,   N.T. & PS.-2,   Prov. – Monthly)}
Isaiah 65 / Psalm 66
Proverbs 10 / John 9

 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Pro. 8-9  /  1 Co. 14

 

Toss In A Tip

September 3, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Proverbs 3:9-10
Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

 

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

   

     My wife and I like to go out to eat occasionally. No fancy places, mind you, nor dumps either; just a clean place to sit and be served a good meal. At lunch one day, the lady who waited on us was very courteous. The food was delivered promptly and was good. It came time to pay the bill, and I added the tip to the bill as I paid it. As we left, my wife asked, “How much did you leave her?” I said, “I left fifteen percent of the bill.” She looked at me with the, I cannot believe you look. (Guys, you know what look I mean.) Then she said, “That is not enough, you should be leaving about twenty percent with today’s prices the way they are.” Hey, I am sorry, but no one had told me about the etiquette change, and besides, did the price of the meal go up too? Anyway, to make a long story short, I now try to leave twenty percent or more.

 

     I said all that to say this. When was the last time you sat in church, the offering plate came by, and you tossed in your offering, then someone said, “You know we ought to be putting in more today with the way prices are.” I am sure that never happened. How about at least giving a tithe? Some people have such a hard time giving ten percent to God, who gave them everything they have, but have no problem giving a waiter or waitress a fifteen to twenty percent tip, even though all they did was bring them a burger. Maybe we ought to forget tithing and start tipping God. It seems we respect our servers more than the King of Kings.

  

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

 

    We should not be guided by a tithe. From a loving heart for God, we should be willing to give to the Lord through the local church to help tell others what He can do for them. The Bible says honor God with our firstfruits, and He, in turn, will have no problem blessing us. It is not the money He wants; it is the heart of gladness toward Him for His own. 

 

How does God stack up next yur waitress?

 

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: September  3, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(O.T.-1,   N.T. & PS.-2,   Prov. – Monthly)}
Isaiah 49, 50 / Psalm 59
Proverbs 3 / John 2

 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Psa. 130-137  /  1 Co. 8