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Christian Devotional – December 28, 2014
Read 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 VERSE: 1 Thessalonians 5:12–Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and admonish you. TRUTH: What have we done to recognize and thank those people in our lives who have encouraged us an built us up? Paul asks these people to be sure and acknowledge these people in their lives. We are to also show our gratitude and acknowledgement of all that others have done for us, for often, we have many unsung heroes in our life who have helped us become who we are. RESPONSE: Father, thank You for placing…
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Christian Devotional – December 27, 2014
Read 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 VERSE: 1 Thessalonians 4:4–that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable. TRUTH: The context of this verse is dealing specifically with the area of sex. We are to be in control of our bodies, not the other way around. Our desires and urges are not to be given free reign to lead us into anything and everything we think we want. Can we truly say that every aspect of our sexual life is characterized by the words “holy” and “honorable?” It should be. God desires that we enjoy sex in a way that is…
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Christian Devotional – December 26, 2014
Read 1 Thessalonians chapter 3 VERSE: 1 Thessalonians 3:12–May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as our does for you. TRUTH: When we pray for others, do we pray that God will increase our love for them? God is love and He desires to love people through us, so our prayers for people and our actions and thoughts toward them will be displaying an ever-increasing love that is given from God. Do we desire to show others the love of God? RESPONSE: Father, give me more love today. I want to display more of Your heard for everyone to see…
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Christian Devotional – December 25, 2014
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! May you remember God’s gift of His Son today as you celebrate with your friends and family!! Read 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 VERSE: 1 Thessalonians 2:3–For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. TRUTH: Sharing the truth about Christ is not to be done like some shady salesman. There is no bait and switch. We don’t share, “Come to Jesus and have a perfect life.” It’s not even, “Come to Jesus and have an easy life, or make lots of money, or have all your dreams come true.” Jesus promises us none of those things. In…
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Christian Devotional – December 24, 2014
Read 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 VERSE: 1 Thessalonians 1:3–We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. TRUTH: As we look at what we do throughout the day, do these three traits characterize them? Are they produced by faith, prompted by love, and inspired by hope? Each day that we live we are to be showing and sharing about Jesus Christ. We do that through our words and our actions. As we go through our day today, we must as ourselves, is this work we’re doing produced by faith in our…
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Christian Devotional – December 23, 2014
Read Judges chapter 21 VERSE: Judges 21:15–The people grieved for Benjamin, because the Lord had made a gap in the tribes of Israel. TRUTH: The tribe of Benjamin had been disobedient and as a result, God had brought judgment upon them. However, the rest of the tribes, instead of rejoicing in their destruction, began to grieve and cry out to the Lord because of their fallen brothers. When we have brothers and sisters in Christ who have fallen and are experiencing difficulties because of their sin, do we rejoice in seeing them experience “what they deserve,” or do we cry out to God and pray for their repentance and restoration.…
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Christian Devotional – December 22, 2014
Read Judges chapter 20 VERSE: Judges 20:13–Now turn those wicked men of Gibeah over to us so that we may put them to death and purge the evil from Israel. But then Benjamites would not listen to their fellow Israelites. TRUTH: The men of Israel were giving the tribe of Benjamin an opportunity to clean house. Yet, the refused to give up their evil. they wanted to hang on to the evil that they were doing. God asks us to do the same thing. Are we willing to give Him the sin in our life so that he may clean us and purge the evil from us? God desires that…
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Christian Devotional – December 21, 2014
Read Judges chapter 19 VERSE: Judges 19:12–His master replied, “No. We won’t go into any city whose people are not Israelites. We will go on to Gibeah.” TRUTH: They thought they would be safer if they stayed with the things that they knew. However, the Israelite town that they ended up in was horrible to them. Sometimes the people who hurt us the most are the people we’d never expect it from. We must remember that only God keeps all His promises to us. The other people we are around will at some point let us down or betray us. Only God is able to go before us in every…
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Christian Devotional – December 20, 2014
Read Judges chapter 18 VERSE: Judges 18:24–He replied, “You took the gods I made, and my priest, and went away. What else do I have? How can you say, ‘What’s the matter with you?'” TRUTH: Micah had made his own gods, but he had nothing else besides that. Then at the end, the gods didn’t protect him; he had to try and protect them. He failed. When we set up gods in our life that we have made, we will spend all our time trying to protect them and trying to hold on to them, instead of the other way around. The one true God is over all things and…
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Christian Devotional – December 19, 2014
Read Judges chapter 17 VERSE: Judges 17:6–In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit. TRUTH: They had no leadership. The people didn’t have someone standing over them pointing them in the direction of God. Instead, they did have God who was still over them. The people, however, weren’t interested in remembering God and following God. Instead, they did whatever seemed right and they blended their worship of God with worship of other pagan idols. We must not compromise. Whether we have a specific leader figure in our life who is pointing us the correct way or if we’re at a place where it is just…