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Christian Devotional – October 5, 2023
Living for God’s Glory, Day 5 When God withdraws. Read Hosea chapter 5. When we see the people of Israel in this chapter, they have continued to reject God. As a result, God is withdrawing from them. Now the people are starting to realize what they have lost. If we reject God, he will often allow us to experience the consequences of that decision. When God withdraws, he is not protecting us any longer, but allowing us to experience the consequences of our actions. Are we seeking God today?
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Christian Devotional – October 4, 2023
Living for God’s Glory, Day 4 Adding more religion doesn’t mean adding more glory to God. Read Hosea chapter 4. As God continued to share his message with the people, we see that the people were in fact doing religious type things. They were making up their own religiousness, but more and more people were being considered religious. However, just adding more religious things does not mean God gets the glory. As we see here, the people were trading God’s glory for their religious practices. Yes, they were doing more religious things, but they were further than ever from the glory of God because of what they were doing. We…
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Christian Devotional – October 3, 2023
Living for God’s Glory, Day 3 Return to the Lord. Read Hosea chapter 3. As we read through this chapter, we see Hosea going after his wife. He is willing to seek her out and find her and bring her back and love her again. This is the example that God uses to explain how his love for us works. Even though we are sinful and we do terrible things, God seeks us out and finds us and brings us back and loves us. Are we allowing ourselves to be found by God? Are we returning to him and loving him?
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Christian Devotional – October 2, 2023
Living for God’s Glory, Day 2 God’s unfailing love. Read Hosea chapter 2. God continues to use Hosea and his family situation as a way to demonstrate and explain the relationship that Israel has with God right now. Even though Israel was running around and being adulterous with other gods, God explains that he did what he needed to do in order to make sure that she comes back to him. Israel was sinful, just like Hosea’s wife, but God restored her. God explain just how much he loves Israel and as a result, he did what he needed to in order to be able to show her that love.…
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Christian Devotional – October 1, 2023
Living for God’s Glory, Day 1 When God says no. Read Hosea chapter 1. The life of Hosea has always been a reminder that God is about His glory, not our comfort. Reading his story is always a fresh reminder that our focus must be solely on God and His purpose and glory, not on our comfort. Reading this first chapter, we see how God used Hosea’s life, marriage, and kids as a way to try and get the attention of those who have forsaken God. God uses these as examples to help the people return their focus to him. What does God use in our lives to help keep…
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Christian Devotional – September 30, 2023
The Savior Comes, Day 28 Some still doubted. Read Matthew chapter 28. As we finish the book of Matthew today, we see Jesus resurrected from the dead and his incredible authority over all things. Even with everything that had happened, there were some who believed and some others that doubted. That sounds similar to today. Some people believe and some doubt. God calls all people to the opportunity to believe in Him and receive the gift of salvation. But, not everyone will believe. We’ve been talking about the Savior coming. He came at this point to die and be resurrected. He’s going to come again and we need to be…
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Christian Devotional – September 29, 2023
The Savior Comes, Day 27 No more separation. Read Matthew chapter 27. Everything that Christ had gone through was to bring us to this point. God allowed his son to become the sacrifice for our sins. By doing this, we see this incredible miracle that is listed in verse 51. God tore the barrier between himself and us. Throughout time, God had kept a barrier between his holiness and our sinfulness. However, because of what Jesus’s death on the cross provided, God was able to remove the barrier and allow us the opportunity to have a path back to his holiness. If we are coming through Jesus Christ, we’ll be…
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Christian Devotional – September 28, 2023
The Savior Comes, 2023 Stay and keep watch. Read Matthew chapter 26. As we read through this chapter, we get a glimpse into some of the final moments of Jesus’s life here on Earth. Jesus spends time with his disciples and then he spends time with his father. Jesus goes to pray about what is coming up. He asks for support from his friends. He asks them to keep watch and pray with him. When we are going through difficult situations, do we reach out to those people around us? Do we seek to find those who will stand with us in prayer and support? When others reach out to…
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Christian Devotional – September 27, 2023
The Savior Comes, Day 25 Keep watch. Read Matthew chapter 25. This chapter is full of stories that we have heard many times. However, it’s interesting to remember that all of them are in the context of the second coming of Christ. They all are about that point when Jesus will return, how he will return, and what he will we will do when he returns. Interestingly, we are still reminded that we must watch and be ready for his return. When we are watching for it, there is a level of anticipation and excitement. It’s not just casually watching. It’s watching expectantly, waiting for it to happen. What do…
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Christian Devotional – September 26, 2023
The Savior Comes, Day 24 When will Christ return? Read Matthew chapter 24. Jesus is there standing in front of them, but now he is talking about the next time that he will return. When will Jesus return? People have been pondering that question ever since the disciples watched him ascend into heaven in Acts chapter 1. In this chapter, Jesus lists several signs that will precede his return. These are often things people are looking for and watching for as the world continues its declined into sin. The bottom line is, we will never know exactly when Jesus is coming back, and that’s OK. We are to continue to…