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Christian Devotional – July 1, 2016
Read Zephaniah chapter 1 VERSE: Zephaniah 1:2–“I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord. TRUTH: As we turn to another book of prophecy, we see very quickly the totality of the power of God. He starts out by declaring that he is going to be bringing judgment on the entire earth. What I find so amazing here is that He is able to do that. We see the overwhelming power of the God of the universe. He’s not just some being that we worship that is “out there” somewhere. He is here and involved and knows what is going on in the world. Plus,…
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Christian Devotional – June 30, 2016
Read Habakkuk chapter 3 VERSE: Habakkuk 3:18–yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. TRUTH: Habakkuk has just indicated in the prior verses all the trials and struggles that they will be facing. But, in the midst of all that, still they praise God. When we are in the midst of difficulties and problems, we can choose how we will respond. We may know that God has a plan and a purpose, but do others know that based solely on how we are responding to the situation? When we are going through problems, do people see our hope in the Lord? When we…
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Christian Devotional – June 29, 2016
Read Habakkuk chapter 2 VERSE: Habakkuk 2:14–For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. TRUTH: Even as Habakkuk is describing the judgment and destruction that is coming, he still explains that this will display the glory of the Lord. No matter what happens or why it happens, God will continue to reveal His glory in all things. The Lord will work things out to make sure that all things ultimately point to Him and reveal His glory. No matter what we are going through and even in the deepest, darkest times, God will work to reveal His…
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Christian Devotional – June 28, 2016
Read Habakkuk chapter 1 VERSE: Habakkuk 1:3–Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. TRUTH: Habakkuk is sharing his frustrations with the Lord. Everywhere he looks, Habakkuk sees evil and strife and injustice. He doesn’t understand why that is or what the Lord is doing, so he asks the Lord. God is big enough for our questions and for our frustrations. He knows the things that we see and dislike. Habakkuk brought his frustrations to the Lord and as a result, later in the chapter, he g answers. Granted, these were probably not…
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Christian Devotional – June 27, 2016
Reach Nahum chapter 3 VERSE: Nahum 3:19–Nothing can heal you; your wound is fatal. All who hear the news about you clap their hands at your fall, for who has not felt your endless cruelty. TRUTH: This verse ends the book of Nahum and ends the prophecy that Nahum had regarding the city of Ninevah. Unlike several other books of prophecy regarding judgment of the children of Israel when there is some hope left at the end. This book finishes with the complete, total, lasting destruction of the evil city that rejected God. The people had not repented and didn’t seek to follow God. As a result, their destruction was…
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Christian Devotional – June 25, 2016
Read Nahum chapter 2 VERSE: Nahum 2:2–The Lord will restore the splendor of Jacob like the splendor of Israel, though destroyers have laid them waste and have ruined their vines. TRUTH: As Nahum continues to prophecy, we see that God plans to restore Jacob. The interesting thought about this is that Jacob had to have been laid waste and gone through trials in order to be restored. You can’t restore something that is already in perfect working order. For a multitude of reasons, Jacob had lost it’s splendor and the nation of people had turned away from God. Even in the dark times when it doesn’t seem that there’s a…
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Christian Devotional – June 24, 2016
Read Nahum chapter 1 VERSE: Nahum 1:7–The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him. TRUTH: In the midst of this chapter full of pronouncements of destruction and judgment for wrong, this statement is made. It contrasts so sharply with the idea that if we trust God, He will reveal His true nature to us, He will care for us, He will be a refuge for us, and he is good. On the other hand, it we don’t trust God or follow God, the He will reveal His trust nature to us. He is good and as a result, He must…
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Christian Devotional – June 23, 2016
Read Micah chapter 7 VERSE: Micah 7:7–But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. TRUTH: These two words are so difficult to do: watch and wait. We must be diligently watching for God. Our hope is in Him and no other. He is the One with the words of life and He is the hope of our salvation. Are we diligently watching for Him. Second, are we waiting for Him. This has never been easy, but even less so in this culture of need-it-now that we currently have. Are we willing to wait on Him simply…
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Christian Devotional – June 22, 2016
Read Micah chapter 6 VERSE: Micah 6:8–He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. TRUTH: God doesn’t want us to be ignorant of the good things in this world. He has taken the time to show us what is good. We are to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. We know what He requires of us. The question is, are we doing these things? Since this isn’t really a to-do list, we can easily get distracted from all that we should be doing and…
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Christian Devotional – June 21, 2016
Read Micah chapter 5 VERSE: Micah 5:13–I will destroy your idols and your sacred stones from among you; you will no longer bow down to the work of your hands. TRUTH: The fact that the Bible says “no longer bow down” implies that the people were actually bowing down to these man-made idols. They had created something and then were worshipping it like it was a creator instead. While we may not have set up a carved image that we bow down to, we often will bow down to the things that we have done or accomplished with our own hands. We see so many people who are bowing down…