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Christian Devotional – September 12, 2024
New Beginnings, Day 7 The totality. Read Genesis chapter 7. In reading through this chapter, it’s hard to not be struck by the complete and utter totality by which the Earth is destroyed. Everything that breathed air died, except for what was placed carefully in the Ark by the Lord. When we think about new beginnings, we must understand that the old must die first. Sometimes that’s easy and we’re excited to get rid of the old and we don’t even have a second thought. Sometimes pieces of the old continue to try to live on and creep into the new beginning. God made it very clear for his new…
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Christian Devotional – September 11, 2024
New Beginnings, Day 6 God’s new beginning. Read Genesis chapter 6. Here we see God making a decision to start over. The creation that he made was not acting the way he created them to act. They weren’t doing what they were created to do. They were not fulfilling their purpose. So, God made the decision to issue judgment. God decided to make a new beginning. Even in the midst of all of the disappointment and judgment, there was one man that God saw doing what was right. Based on Noah’s individual actions, God chose to save him. We can understand that God is going to judge each of us…
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Christian Devotional – September 10, 2024
New Beginnings, Day 5 The likeness of God. Read Genesis chapter 5. This is an incredible list of the family line of Adam. We see his sons and their sons. We see how long they lived. We even see how God moved in the life of Enoch. Throughout, we remember this verse. God made us in his likeness. Our beginning starts with God. It doesn’t matter whether or not we agree or believe in him, we have to acknowledge that he is our beginning. View the video devotional here https://youtu.be/5RQD5TM-ygk
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Christian Devotional – September 9, 2024
New Beginnings, Day 4 New family. Read Genesis chapter 4. Adam and Eve suffered so much loss in the chapter from today and yesterday. They lose their close relationship with God. They lose their home. Now they lose their children, one is murdered and ther other is banished. While we don’t have insight into their exact feelings through all these events, I think it’s safe to say they were heartbroken. God allows them to start again. They have Seth. He becomes the child that carries on the relationship with God. I wonder what, if anything, Adam and Eve did differently as they raised Seth. How did they explain their relationship…
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Christian Devotional – September 8, 2024
New Beginnings, Day 3 Starting over. Read Genesis chapter 3. Sometimes a new beginning is as the result of messing up. We must start over. Adam and Eve had to start over. They had sinned and God addressed their sin, but that didn’t change the fact that they had to begin again. When we sin, we have to come to God for repentance and we have to start over. We must allow God to move in us and cleanse us, then allow him to set us upon the new pathway that he has for us. Sometimes, as a result of our sin, we must change paths. God always has a…
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Christian Devotional – September 7, 2024
New Beginnings, Day 2 New relationships. Read Genesis chapter 2. When we think about new beginnings, we need to take a look at the relationships in our lives. The people that we build relationships with matter. God saw that Adam was alone. God knew that Adam needed a new relationship. He worked with Adam and soon Adam recognized that need as well. New relationships can be challenging. It can be hard to get to know others. God brings about the relationships that we need to have. The people that are in our lives are there for purpose. Do we have a good relationship with Christ? Are we seeking out the…
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Christian Devotional – September 6, 2024
New Beginnings, Day 1 New Beginnings. Read Genesis chapter 1. God is a God of new beginnings. When we think about everything that God does for us, we must understand that he is a God that likes to start new and amazing things. We read in Genesis how God started absolutely everything. It began with him. He was before the beginning. When we think about new beginnings in our life, those happen because God has allowed them. God brings about the beginnings that we have the opportunity to move through. Will we take advantage of those situations when he brings them? What do we need to learn about beginning again…
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Christian Devotional – September 5, 2024
Hope, Day 10 Hope together with others. Read Ezra chapter 10. As we read through this concluding chapter in the book of Ezra, we see that even in the midst of sin and repentance, Ezra was not alone. The people came. They supported him. They rallied around him. They repented from their sin and they sought to be better than they were. Hope is better together. When we have other people who have the same faith in God that we do, we will find encouragement as we hope together. Who do we need to surround ourselves with so that we have that support? Who in our lives does not provide…
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Christian Devotional – September 4, 2024
Hope, Day 9 Hope in repentance. Read Ezra chapter 9. If you are ever confronted with your sin and need an example of a prayer of deep, heart-felt, profound repentance, Ezra chapter 9 is your go to. Here we see Ezra learning that the people have continued to commit sin, and he is broken by this. He falls down on his face before the Lord to plead and beg their repentance. Ezra had a high level hope and faith and trust in God, but he recognizes just how deeply the people have sinned against God. And, he sees just how profound God’s judgment could have been against them. Recognizing what…
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Christian Devotional – September 3, 2024
Hope, Day 8 Hope lived out. Read Ezra chapter 8. Many of us have heard the statement, you better put your money where your mouth is. That is exactly the situation that Ezra is facing in this chapter. He has told the king about how awesome and powerful God is, and the king believes him. Now Ezra is having to make a dangerous journey with a lot of money. He needs to rely solely on God for his protection because if he asks the king for protection, it will look like he doesn’t trust God. When it comes down to it, do we really believe and live what we say?…