-
Christian Devotional – December 6, 2022
Four of the Letters, Day 4 Not a slave, an heir. Read Galatians chapter 4. It’s all about relationship. When we read this chapter, we see that the rights if the slave and the rights of the heir are only different because of the relationship that the individuals have with the master. As an heir, we are his children and we are able to enjoy the inheritance. If we’re did not have ther relationship then we would have no right to enjoy anything of ther master’s. What is your relationship to God? How do you relate to all that he does? Are you following God as a slave follows his…
-
Christian Devotional – December 5, 2022
Four of the Letters, Day 3 Jesus Christ completed the work of salvation. Read Galatians chapter 3. Paul is explaining the importance of the gospel. Jesus Christ came and through his life, death, and resurrection, we can experience salvation. The people Paul was speaking to understood this, however they were also trying to make the law fit in with this as well. As a result, Paul calls them foolish. How can we start something through the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ that somehow we finish through our own efforts and works? The law was given for the sole purpose of helping us to understand just how sinful we truly…
-
Christian Devotional – December 4, 2022
Four of the Letters, Day 2 Do we seek the opinions of some more than others? Read Galatians chapter 2. Paul is continuing to explain his criteria and qualifications for being able to preach the gospel. As he explains, he came to Jerusalem to share with them what he had been preaching to the gentiles. He explains that he met with certain people who would have been considered celebrities in the church during that time. Still, even meeting with people that were of that high esteem, that didn’t change his message of truth. God had provided him truth through the scripture, and Paul wasn’t going to deviate for that, even…
-
Christian Devotional – December 3, 2022
Four of the Letters, Day 1 Paul wrote many letters, but somehow I always put Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians together. They are written to 4 different groups of people at 4 different times in Paul’s life, but the messages are still so consistent. We’re going to read through these 4 over the next several days. Read Galatians chapter 1. Paul is giving his testimony and explaining what God has done in his life. He finishes with this statement. The people were praising God because of Paul. Do you seek to have people praise God because of you or just have people praise you? As we read through these letters…
-
Christian Devotional – December 2, 2022
The Weeping Prophet, Day 57 Only God can restore us. Read Lamentations chapter 5. As Jeremiah is finishing out his words, we see that despite all the difficulties and trials, after all the judgment and punishment, Jeremiah is still seeking God and calling on him to restore them. When we are experiencing the trials, only God can restore us. Only God can being us back. However, the decision to seek after God is still something that each of us must make. Once we decide that, God is the one who will be able to restore us. Only God can make us right with Him. We cannot make ourselves right with…
-
Christian Devotional – December 1, 2022
The Weeping Prophet, Day 56 The Lord brought judgment on them. Read Lamentations chapter 4. As Jeremiah continues to share about the judgment, we see that it is truly the Lord that is judging the people. God has a standard that he has required of his people and they have fallen short. God brings the judgment on them. God loves them, but he judges them. When we look at the world around us, we see much discussion about the love of God. And truly, God is very loving. However, God is also holy and he will judge according to the standards that he has laid out. When we hold ourselves…
-
Christian Devotional – November 30, 2022
The Weeping Prophet, Day 55 Hope is a powerful word. Read Lamentations chapter 3. Jeremiah has been explaining all of the destruction and the sadness around the capture of Judah. He explained why he is called the weeping prophet. All of that saddness has gone into the beginning of this chapter along with the previous 2 chapters. Then there is this verse. Even in the midst of all of this, Jeremiah still has hope. Hope in Christ is not the same as “hope” the way many people use the word, like it’s somethinglike a wish. When I say that I hope in the Lord, I am completely confident in who…
-
Christian Devotional – November 29, 2022
The Weeping Prophet, Day 54 We need the truth. Read Lamentations chapter 2. As we continue through this book of the weeping of Jeremiah, we see this verse. We need to be told the truth. If we don’t know or understand where or how we are falling short, we won’t know how much we need Jesus. That is why God gave us the ten commandments. Because we have those, we now know that we do not measure up. For the people here, the prophets came, and instead of telling them the truth, they told them lies and made them seem like everything was fine. We need people in our lives…
-
Christian Devotional – November 28, 2022
The Weeping Prophet, Day 53 Why does the Weeping Prophet, weep? Read Lamentations chapter 1. As we finish the book of Jeremiah, we turn to the other book in the Bible that he authored, Lamentations. This small book is filled with the funeral type songs that explain the sadness around the fall of Jerusalem and the people’s refusal to repent. Here Jeremiah explains why he weeps. He sees that the enemy has prevailed and the people have given in to their sin. Jeremiah sees the judgment that they are experiencing and he weeps. Do we weep for the lost that are around us? Do we see the seemingly victories of…
-
Christian Devotional – November 27, 2022
The Weeping Prophet, Day 52 No more words; only actions. Read Jeremiah chapter 52. At the end of the last chapter, we see that the words of Jeremiah had ended. Now we start to see only the actions that are taken which fulfill the words of Jeremiah. He had done all that God wanted him to do, and still the people did not repent and turn back to God. God gives warnings and messages. God tries to get our attention and prevent us from going down the wrong path, but ultimately, there comes a time when there are no more words. All that is left is to see the fulfillment…