Daily Devotions

Father, we know that the word repent means to turn in the other direction, to make a life-changing decision, to do a 180°. None of us can, in and of our own strength, declare our salvation. We are saved by Your grace and mercy and our faith in Jesus Christ as our Redeemer, Lord and Savior.

Jesus, You taught Your disciples of Your impending crucifixion and they, at first, did not understand. We now stand on the other side of that event. You likened the depth of Your pain to childbirth, in that while it seemed unfathomable, shortly thereafter the joy of birth turned the pain into rejoicing in a new life, a child created in Your image. [...]

Jesus, we acknowledge You as the Son of God, our personal Savior and our Advocate at the time of judgment. We have confidence that our love for You, by the grace given to us by God to be His chosen children, will result in our being with all believers in heaven, rejoicing forever.

We pray for more of You in our lives this day. Keep us from seeking revenge. It is such a natural reaction Father. We could never be as Jesus was when he prayed for those who killed him if it was not for the power of the Holy Spirit in us.

Father, we feel weak and ineffective in our witness and in the circumstances of our lives, too often. We know that if we have needs that have not been declared to You or if we set out to do something in our own strength that we are leaving out the one variable that changes everything and that is You.

Jesus, this straightforward instruction teaches us of Your expectations. It is by our love that we are known as Your disciples. When we love You and then disobey it is a contradiction that needs correcting. Help us “to trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in You but to trust and obey.” That old hymn restates John 14:15 in a perf [...]

Father, this oft quoted verse quotes a truth for all generations and all nations. We have had Your hand of grace and mercy extended to us and now we hear a pivotal word that enables or disables our relationship with you; “if”.

Father, when we stand before You, guilty of sin, we are truly blessed to have our sins forgiven. We know that in this life we have sinned against not only You but other people as well. We pray they are as generous in forgiving us as You have been. Father we too must forgive and forget the past sins of others. We must render to them the type of grac [...]

Father, when You tell us to "sing a new song", that implies that it is not a song we know. Is that what heaven is like Father, a place of new songs, new understandings? We can not, from this side, gain an appreciation of what heaven will be like. You have promised us that it will be beautiful, unlike anything our hearts and minds have imagined or [...]