Tag Archives: Devotionals

Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals

Trickle, Trickle…

Trickle, trickle

I bet Tickle, tickle or ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star’ popped into your head. Right?

How about Trickle-down economics?

Surely you’ve had water trickle down your neck in the shower.

Old Testament priests had holy oil trickle down their bodies.

Trickle, trickle!

“How good and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in harmony!

It is like fine oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down Aaron’s beard
onto his robes (Psalm 132:1-2 HCSB).”

Consider the power and impact of Trickle down truth. God’s word trickled down from Ezra, to the Levites and to the people. Open your Bible…

“Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was elevated above everyone. As he opened it, all the people stood up. Ezra praised the Lord, the great God, and with their hands uplifted all the people said, ‘Amen, Amen!’ Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah, who were Levites, explained the law to the people as they stood in their places. They read out of the book of the law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was read (Nehemiah 8:5-8 HCSB).”

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals, Grief

A Sorrowful Word

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Separation is a sorrowful word.

Many years ago, I called my mother because I wanted to wish her a happy Mother’s Day. She shared the unbelievable; she and Dad had filed for a legal separation. In God’s mercy and grace, their separation was shortened. Mom and Dad mended their broken relationship and repeated their marriage vows before a congregation of family & friends.

When death causes separation of loved ones…

“And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.

And Joseph fell upon his father’s face, and wept upon him, and kissed him.

And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel.

And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days.

And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,

My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again.

And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.

And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,

And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father’s house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen.

And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company.

 And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days.

And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abelmizraim, which is beyond Jordan.

 And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them:

 For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.

And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father (Genesis 49:33-50:14 KJV).”

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Bible Studies, Devotionals, Mercy

In Moses Shoes

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It’s beyond comprehension. Such actions are despicable.

 

 

A spouse of 45 years has an affair.

To secure money for drugs, a teenage son or daughter steals from your purse.

The bank president embezzles ½ a million dollars and flees the country.

Deacons discover their pastor is involved in pornography.

‘How could you?’

“Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, ‘Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’

And Aaron said to them, ‘Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.’ So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf.

Then they said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!’

So when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, ‘Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.’ Then they rose early on the next day, offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play (Exodus 32:1-6 NKJV).”

‘Aaron, how could you?’

Put yourself in Moses’ shoes…

He had to confront his own brother, Aaron.

“And Moses said to Aaron, ‘What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them (Exodus 32:21 NKJV)?”

Moses sought mercy.

“Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, ‘Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold! Yet now, if You will forgive their sin—but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written (Exodus 32:31-32 NKJV).”

 

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Christian Growth, Devotionals, Salvation

No Trespassing

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No Trespassing

Posted, Keep Out

 

 

Get the picture?

Someone posted signs at the boundaries to their property. They serve as clear warnings.

No Trespassing

“We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1:7 HCSB).”

I had been guilty of trespassing, I crossed the clear boundaries given by the Father. I am forgiven through the manifold riches of His grace.

“As far as the east is from the west,
so far has He removed
our transgressions from us (Psalm 103:12 HCSB).”

Heading toward heaven?

Look for the Welcome sign!

 

 

 

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

What’s Your Excuse?

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Today, we hear a good bit of talk about bucket lists. So, what is your desire? Not sure if any kick a bucket before taking a last breath.

While I’m on the subject of buckets, try this one on for size.

Ever used this for an excuse? ‘I can’t carry a tune in a bucket!’

Chuckle, chuckle…

Supposedly, if the tune was put in a bucket, some could not ‘carry’ it.

Is that a groan I hear?

So what if you can’t hit the right key or harmonize? God hears your heart.

“… speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,  giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:19-20 NKJV).”

Here is another comical quip. ‘I sing solo; so low, you can’t hear me.’

 Why not sing louder?

 “Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
 Sing to the Lord, bless His name;
Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day (Psalm 96:1-2 NKJV).”

 

 

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals, Prayer

Persevering Prayer

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 Paul was a man of persevering prayer.

“For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers (Romans 1:9 NKJV).”

I am humbled by his example…

 

“Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,  do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,  and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:15-23 NKJV).”  

 Amen and Amen.

 

 

 

 

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals, Relationships

Peer Pressure Temptation

We are wrong to think that peer pressure is something new. People emulate those they most admire. In turn, they want them to gain their approval. This is most noticeable in the adolescence and teenage years. Words wound; personal stories of the ‘fear of ridicule and rejection’ give credence to peer pressure scenarios. Adults can also be easily swayed.

Consider the case of Apostle Peter.

“ Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.  And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, ‘If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified (Galatians 2:11-16 NKJV).”  

I am free in Christ. His love reigns.

 

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals

Breaking the Bondage of Idolatry

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The bondage of idolatry is difficult to break.

“Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and called for the elders of Israel, for their heads, for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to all the people, ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River in old times; and they served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from the other side of the River, led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants and gave him Isaac (Joshua 24:1-3 NKJV).”

Abraham’s father, Terah, served false gods (with a little g).

Joshua did not mince his words.

“And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15 NKJV).”

Severing the chains of bondage to idolatry…

“And the people said to Joshua, ‘No, but we will serve the Lord!’

 So Joshua said to the people, ‘You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord for yourselves, to serve Him.’

And they said, ‘We are witnesses!’

‘Now therefore,’ he said, ‘put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord God of Israel (Joshua 24:21-23 NKJV).”

 

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals

Do Not Touch!

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Do not touch!

If the command paid financial dividends, parents would be wealthy.

I find no evidence of the heavenly Father voicing the command to Adam and Eve.

“Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, ‘Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?’

And the woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’

Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings (Genesis 3:1-7 NKJV).”

Seeds of doubt quickly bore fruit; both Eve and Adam ate the forbidden fruit.

What did God say?

“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die (Genesis 2:16-17 NKJV).”

Maybe, just maybe… Adam added the ‘Do not touch’ when instructing Eve.

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Bible Studies, Christmas, Devotionals, Salvation

Announcement & Affirmation

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“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them (Luke 2:8-20 KJV).”

 

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