August 31, 2025
Titus 2:7 “In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works”
A couple of weeks ago, we started a Sunday School series from the Book of Titus, focusing specifically on “Doing Good”. That might seem like a lackluster topic, but when we profess faith in Jesus Christ, there must be evidence that our faith is alive and working. James 2:17 says that faith without works is dead, so the evidence of faith that’s alive comes when we do good. Not to be saved or to try to win God’s favor, but because when we receive the grace of God in salvation, that grace teaches us to live careful lives for God’s glory and to turn away from compromise. Doing good is doing the right thing in every area of our lives and in every choice we make. And, when we fail or make a mistake, we don’t stop doing good, but we repent and start back doing what’s right. We don’t do good because we’re good people, but we do good because God is good and the Holy Spirit leads us to be like Him. One of the points in our study is that God calls us to be people of integrity. Someone defined integrity as “Doing the right thing even when you’re alone and no one is watching”. Some people do good because they want other people to notice and think highly of them. Believers do good because they follow Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”. The book of Titus teaches that doing good starts in our homes. The way husbands and wives treat each other and the way we do what’s right and teach our children to do what’s right form the foundation for our churches and every other place we represent Christ. Today’s verse calls it “a pattern of good works”, and it’s seen in our relationship with the Lord, our attitudes, and the language we use. It’s the depth of our generosity, the way we handle our emotions, and the kindness and respect we show others. None of us does it all perfectly, but doing good is the fundamental thing that defines people who know God’s grace and are filled with the Holy Spirit. We can always expect evil from the world because they have rejected the goodness and knowledge of God. But with the people of God, there should always be an expectation of an abundance of good.
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August 30, 2025
2 Thessalonians 2:7-8 “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming”
This section of 2 Thessalonians concerns the coming of the day of the Lord and makes it clear that a part of that event will be the appearing of the antichrist. The spirit of antichrist and the lawlessness that it spawns are already at work. But there is something that’s restraining all the evil and the rise of the satanic one. The phrase “letteth and will let” means to hold back, to restrain, and to hinder the course or progress. There is something strong, a power that’s holding back these wicked forces, and that power will be taken out of the way. The man of sin will appear and begin the work of Satan. A clue to what’s restraining is seen in the phrase, “he who now letteth (holds back)” and the “he” can refer to none other than the Holy Spirit. Some have said the church is the restrainer, but it’s not the power of the church, it’s because the Holy Spirit is present in the people of God. Also, notice that the “W” in Wicked is capitalized, and is a personal name referring to the antichrist, called the lawlessness one in the Greek. He is more than a man because he will be the devil personified. His evil is like a raging torrent ready to cover the earth. The unspeakable destruction by the man of sin, along with the wrath of God that will be unleashed, are not taken seriously by either the world or the church. Much of the church world has made end-time prophecies all allegorical and denies they’re real future events. The world, which completely rejects the Word of God, thinks the peril ahead for humanity is linked to climate change, an asteroid collision, or some other catastrophic event. But the Holy Spirit is like a mighty dam, holding back the flood of destruction. When He is removed, Jesus said in Matthew 24:21, “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be”. Notice the phrase “until he be taken out of the way”. Bible believers who rightly divide the Word of Truth are looking for the blessed hope of Titus 2:13. We are looking to Jesus, the Author and finisher of our faith. We receive His promise given in 1 Thessalonians 1:10, “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come”.
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August 29, 2025
1 Timothy 4:8-9 “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation”
In Paul’s time, the Greeks and Romans placed a lot of value on strength, physique, and fitness. It was an age of gladiators, warriors, and the philosophy of the beauty of human form. Today’s verses do not say that there is no value in having a physically fit and well-trained body. It’s a good thing to eat healthy, nutritional foods, have an exercise routine, and keep an eye on our blood pressure and weight. But the scriptures are telling us that while exercising and physical fitness have a little value, practicing godliness is far better. No matter how fit we are, our bodies are temporary, and as we age, all the hours we spend toning, strengthening, and increasing our endurance will not stop us from the inevitable season when we transition from this earthly life into our eternal home. Godliness, making choices, and living by the power of the Holy Spirit and the plan of the Holy Scriptures, is of great value. It makes a better life here on earth and lays up treasure in heaven. The words “bodily exercise” have the meaning of training the body to be its best, and it’s a metaphor for training our spiritual selves to be our best for the Lord. People who train for a sport or just to be stronger or more flexible have goals in mind and follow a regimen or plan to achieve their goals. Paul is telling Timothy first, and then all of us who read this, to pursue godliness like an athlete trains for physical excellence. We know the workout plan: Study the scriptures, pray, do what is right in God’s eyes, fellowship with other believers, and live each day for the glory of God. We’re not called to just get saved and then live our lives for temporary things. We’re called to godliness. It’s so important that today’s verses say it’s a statement that can be trusted and deserves complete acceptance. Throughout the New Testament, we’re pictured as running a race, fighting a war, constructing a building, farming a field, and wrestling an opponent. Let’s strive for excellence, being our best every day for our God. In the runner’s language of Hebrews 12:1-2, “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith”.
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August 28, 2025
Romans 8:22 “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now”
Adam’s sin not only plunged the whole human race into sin, but when Adam fell, all of creation fell. That may not seem fair at first glance, but God placed Adam as the head of all creation and set all creation in subjection to him. The curse of sin was death to Adam and his descendants, and God pronounced a curse in Genesis 3:17-19, “Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return”. In all of creation, death, destruction, and entropy rule. But verse 21 says, “Because the creature (creation) itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God”. When the dispensation of the grace of God is culminated and Jesus Christ reigns, we will be completely set free from the curse and its effects, a time called here, “the glorious liberty of the children of God”. And with our freedom, all of creation will be delivered from “The bondage of corruption”. We may not be aware of it, but all of creation is groaning as it were with the pains of childbirth (the meaning of travaileth in pain), awaiting with anticipation the return of our Lord. Verse 23 says that we, too, by the Holy Spirit, are groaning within ourselves, longing for the day when we will drop this body of flesh and receive our glorified body. Humankind and creation are not winding down to an end, but looking up and preparing for a resurrection of life. A resurrection that will destroy the curse and replace death with life. Hear the words of Isaiah 55:12-13, “For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree”. Trees clapping their hands, and hills and mountains singing. What a day that will be!!
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August 27, 2025
2 Timothy 2:19 “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity”
The three verses preceding this one warn us of false teachers, and Paul mentions two of them from his day by name: Hymenaeus and Philetus. He says their words were profane and vain babblings and that their false teachings had overturned the faith of some people. It’s no different today, and if you look at YouTube and other internet sources to find good Bible teaching, you have to be careful because of all the false teachers. But despite all those who misrepresent the gospel, today’s verse heralds a solid promise that God’s foundation of truth stands firm and that foundation has a seal of certainty. The seal bears two absolutes: The Lord knows everyone that belongs to Him, and everyone who speaks in Christ’s name must stop doing wrong. No matter what’s being taught in the world in God’s name, the Lord knows who belongs to Him. There may be confusion and trouble in the church, but the Lord knows who belongs to Him. We may not always know who belongs to the Lord, and we may not be sure of the messenger, but the Lord knows who belongs to Him. Jesus said in John 10:14, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine”. When we follow the instructions of 2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”, we learn to distinguish between truth and error. When false teachers come, we run to Jesus, our Shepherd, because we do not know the voice of a stranger. The second part of the seal is that the God who knows us calls us to Himself in fellowship, and away from the sin and wickedness of this world. The Hymenaeus’s and Philetus’s, along with a world system of unbelief, pull on us and our families every day. But we’re on a solid, sure foundation where the Lord knows us by name. We are His children and, in the name of Jesus, we resist the temptations and lure of this age. In the words of Philippians 3:13-14, “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”.
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August 26, 2025
Hebrews 2:5-8 “For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak”
This section of Hebrews is an amazing declaration for our future, starting with today’s verse. As great and mighty as angels are, God has not put them as rulers over His creation. The Bible says of angels in Hebrews 1:14, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” Angels serve God’s creation, and it’s from that view that we know Lucifer, determined to rule, fell from his place. But God set man, His crowning creation, as head over all that He created. The uncertainty of whom the scriptures are referring in this section of Hebrews, whether it is mankind or Jesus, can be resolved by understanding it as both. Adam was first given dominion over creation as declared in Genesis 1:26,28. This is the reference Hebrews 2:7-8, a paraphrase of Psalms 8: “Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet”. But we know Adam failed as the head of creation, and the human race, along with all creation, was cursed. No longer an obedient lord over God’s creation, Adam and Eve were driven from the garden, and sin ruled over them and all their descendants. But God’s plan was just getting started, and He brought Jesus, sometimes referred to as the second Adam, into creation in a human body like ours. He stepped in where Adam failed and picked up the mantle as Lord over creation. The mystery of this section in Hebrews is that now, as believers, we are united in Christ and with Christ, and together with Him, mankind united with the God-man can fulfill what Adam failed. The world to come will be under subjection to Christ and His church. This is declared in Revelation 20:6, “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years”. Again, in Revelation 5:9-10, “For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth”.
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August 25, 2025
Mark 5:15 “And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid”
If we go back to the beginning of this story, here’s what the Bible says about the wild man of Gadara: “Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones”. This man lived in the cemetery, naked, cutting himself with stones, and screaming. And yet, after Jesus healed him, cast out the demons, and the fellow was finally normal, the Bible says the people were afraid. I would think the time to be afraid was when he was running naked and wild in the graveyard, not when he was clothed and sitting calmly with the Savior. Apparently, they feared the power that Jesus had to cast out demons and deliver him more than they feared his wild insanity. In the next verse, we’re told they begged Jesus to go away: “And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts”. Again, you’d think they would have been ecstatically happy that Christ was there and making their community better and safer. The crazy man who once plagued them was now a normal member of the community. But the rejection of Jesus Christ and the power of God was not a rational decision: It was a willful spiritual rejection of the very things that could save them, bless them, and bring them peace. Whenever Jesus saves people, He changes them. Not everyone is changed instantly like the maniac of Gadara. Every person is different, personalities are different, and we are unique in so many different ways. Even after the new birth, we are not the same in our demeanors, abilities to resist temptations, the strength of determination to persevere through trials, and we are always at different levels of faith and maturity. But when we belong to Christ, He is always at work in us and through us, and we are new creations by the same power that delivered the fellow in today’s devotion.
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August 24, 2025
1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape”
Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote these words to the Thessalonian church only about 20 years after Jesus had ascended to heaven. But already, the doctrine of the return of Christ was being taught. When Jesus was ministering, preaching the gospel, He gave parables and warnings that He would return to this world unexpectedly. Today’s verses emphasize this truth, reminding us that this world will never expect Christ to return, just as people do not expect a thief to break in and steal. Our Lord taught in Luke 12:39-40, “And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not”. I ask you this: Who’s getting ready for the coming of Christ today? Clearly not the unbelieving world and unbelieving churches because neither of them even references the Lord’s return. They’re all wrapped up in their worldliness and sin, or their religious, church stuff, and are just like the people before the flood. The Bible says that before the flood, people were eating, drinking, and living unaware that the flood of judgment was upon them. But believers are stirred at the thought that the coming of Jesus is imminent, meaning it could happen at any moment. The big push for worldwide peace could well be the indicator that today’s verses speak of. The words, “when they shall say, Peace and safety”, literally translate as “Now we have peace and security”. We know that the antichrist will play a big part in bringing about a false peace, but the movement is already in motion. Believers are not being deceived or lulled to sleep. We are spoken of in verses 4-5, “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness”. We may not know the day or the hour of His return, but we are completely convinced of His return, called in Titus 2:13, our “Blessed hope”!
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August 23, 2025
John 15:23 “He that hateth me hateth my Father also”
The Mounce Greek-English Dictionary says the word “hate” here means “to regard with less affection, love less, esteem less, hate, regard with ill-will, detest, and abhor”. You can take your pick from the definitions, but they all speak of those who will not acknowledge Jesus Christ as the only door to the Father. Those who reject Jesus Christ and still think they can approach God can not because Christ manifests God. It’s amplified in 1 John 2:23, “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also”. Faith in the Lord’s suffering and death is the rock of our salvation declared in 1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit”. Whenever God is declared without declaring the Son of God as the only Savior of the world, it is just as false as declaring there is no God. Even the Jews, who rejected Jesus and demanded His death, thought they had an open door to heaven without Christ. When Pilate declared that he found no fault in the Lord, they said, “His blood be on us, and on our children”. They crucified their King. When our Lord was ministering, He took His disciples to Caesarea Philippi, a city in Northern Israel known for pagan worship. There, among the idols and shrines to false gods, He asked them that famous question in Mark 8:27: “Whom do men say that I am?” They answered that people thought He was Elijah, John the Baptist, or one of the prophets. Then our Lord asked, “But whom say ye that I am?”. Peter answered, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God”. This is the only answer that honors both God the Father and His Son. The Bible says in 1 John 2:22, “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son”. There is no workaround for salvation: Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except by Him (John 14:6). Some cults, claiming to be Christian, teach that Jesus is an angel. Another, that He is a spirit brother to Lucifer. Some false religions teach that Jesus was a prophet. What do you believe about Jesus Christ? If you, like Peter, believe that He is the Christ, the Son of God, then you are believing the truth that the gates of hell can’t overcome.
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August 22, 2025
John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”
Jesus spoke these words to His disciples before He was arrested and crucified. They are spoken to us as the living Word of God, recorded for all who believe in the Son of God. Isaiah prophesied 700 years before the Lord’s birth that His name would be, “The Prince of Peace”. When the angels appeared to the shepherds the night our Savior was born, they praised God and said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men”. Amid all the wars and violence in our world, there is a cry for peace and peacemakers. The problem is that, like the lyrics John Lennon cooed to the world in 1971 with “Imagine”, that stirs a false hope of peace without God. There will never be lasting peace until the Prince of Peace rules depraved mankind with a rod of iron. The cry for peace is, in reality, always a cry for a temporary ceasefire. That’s not saying we shouldn’t want peace and strive for it, just saying that we can’t put our hopes in a peace without the Lord. The opening words to the song “Imagine” say: “Imagine there’s no heaven. It’s easy if you try. No hell below us; Above us, only sky”. Its opening lines want us to pursue peace without God. Those who know, trust in, and follow the words of Jesus Christ already know peace. We have peace with God, and if we are walking in His ways, we are peacemakers. Some claim they know Him, but their actions are strifeful and they are described in Romans 3:16-17, “Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known”. We pray there will soon be an end to the Russian and Ukraine war. We pray that the Middle East, with Israel and its neighbors, will have peace. But one day, the Prince of Peace will return, and mankind will study war no more. That’s why we can live in the light of His words in this verse: “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”. The world’s peace is a temporary pause to fully rearm and wait until more young men reach fighting age: More young bodies for the slaughter. That’s all this world has ever known, and every page of every country’s history has been written in the war-mangled blood of its people. Soon, one Man will fix that.
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August 21, 2025
Mark 4:8 “And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred”
The seed that fell in good ground yielded varying amounts of harvest. All produced increase, but some 30, some 60, and some 100 times as much as was planted. I’ve read that in ancient times, a 10-fold harvest was considered exceptional, so all the crops spoken of here were extraordinary. The parable speaks of the fruitfulness of those who receive the seed of God’s Word into hearts of faith. Two questions can be asked: What is the fruit, and why do some people bear more fruit than others? I believe the fruit is the things we do in the name of our Lord, including ministering in His name, acts of goodness and kindness, and all our obedience to His will and Word. It is also the fruit of the Holy Spirit, manifested in us, and the consequences of our service to our Lord. Some people bear more fruit than others because of several reasons. Some people live more obedient lives, carefully following God’s Word, and they make better choices based on the Word. They respond to the Word of God by honoring it and purposing to follow its light. Staying connected to Christ through prayer, hearing the Word, and growing in faith and grace means we are connected to the source of His power, and our lives bear fruit from this connection. John 15:4-5, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing”. The “Much fruit” promise, when we are fully connected to Christ, is the step towards the exceptional harvest. No matter where the Lord places us in His service, we all have the potential to grow in our fruitfulness and become all that God has purposed for us. Our prayer can be that of Colossians 1:10-11, “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness”.
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August 20, 2025
1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God”
When the Bible says for us to let our light shine, it’s not talking about our goodness or our abilities. It’s talking about the light of Jesus Christ, the light that’s a result of our faith in Him. When people questioned how Jesus came to have so much wisdom and knowledge even when He had never been trained by the religious leaders, our Lord responded in John 7:18, “He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him”. Whatever He did and whatever He said, He always pointed people to His Father, giving all glory to Him. When we speak about giving glory to God or doing everything to the glory of God, what do we mean? It means in everything, we give the credit, the honor, and the praise to God alone. If we are living in ways that we can not give honor to God in the things we do and say, then we should change the direction and pattern of our lives. Notice the connection in two verses: Colossians 3:17, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him”, and in today’s verse, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God”. Living in the name of Jesus isn’t declaring, “In the name of Jesus”, over the things we do, but it’s living in and under the authority of our Lord. Ambassadors who represent our country do so by the authority of our government, and they operate under the rules and commissions of our nation. We represent Christ to this world, and we bear His great name and act on His behalf. And, when we carry out His will, we give all honor and glory to Him. Any light of hope, any glimpse of goodness, and any evidence of love that people may see in us is Christ reflected in us. Our world is self-centered, and people seek their own glory. The Bible says in 1 Peter 1:24, “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away”. But, for believers, all that’s done in Jesus’ Name and for the glory of God will never pass away.
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August 19, 2025
2 Corinthians 4:11-12 “For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you”
A few sentences of this devotion can’t begin to open the door of understanding to these two verses. The holy Spirit, by the pen of Paul, writes to the church at Corinth first, and then to all of us, that spiritual victory and power with God can only happen when suffering breaks our human will. We can look at the Apostle Paul and marvel at how God used him, how God worked miracles by him, and how every place he ministered was blessed and profited by his presence. When we read the New Testament, knowing that it was by Paul that God gave us such a gift, he having written at least 13 out of the 27 books, we can ask: How could God entrust one man with such power, authority, and responsibility? Verse 12 is the answer: “So then death worketh in us, but life in you”. He wrote in verse 10, that he was, “Always bearing about in the (his) body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body”. As long as our human will is strong and controlling, the power of the Holy Spirit cannot manifest God’s will through us. But suffering helps us put our human will to death, and with its death, the living will of Christ is seen. The wonderful spiritual gifts and the power of life that the Corinthians experienced through the ministry of Paul came to them by Paul’s death to self. And, his death to self, came through much adversity as he lists in verses 8-10. His Christian life was one of intense suffering and hardships. I fear that believers are not being taught this truth. Much of current teaching is that because of Christ, we are entitled to great victories and great power without any trials, persecution, or any other suffering on our part. And, I wish we could manifest the glory of God without the sometimes painful experiences that break our stubborn will. But it is only when we (our selfish ambitions) become weak that we can become strong (2 Corinthians 12:10). In the agony of the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus showed us the picture of a man completely surrendered to God’s will. He prayed, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done”. By His suffering, the Son of God, the Captain of our Salvation, brought us all into His glory.
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August 18, 2025
1 Timothy 2:3-4 “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth”
You don’t have to read between the lines of this verse or try to interpret it from the Greek to understand what it means. God our Savior wants all people to be saved and understand the truth. It is true that one day He will judge this world, and even though that day might seem like a long time coming, it will happen just as surely as the day when God created the heavens and the earth. But for right now, the door of salvation is wide open to anyone and everyone who will believe the gospel and trust in Jesus Christ. Concerning the fact that God has not already wrapped up His plan, the Bible says in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance”. There again, He tells us that He does not want anyone to perish, but all people should repent and be saved. Here is the question: Are all people welcome to go to heaven, and can anyone go who will choose to do so, provided they enter through Jesus, the door? You might be surprised to know that there are some who do not believe this. They believe and teach that God has limited the entrance to heaven, and that He has chosen in advance who will go and who will perish. While it’s true that no one can understand the depth of God’s purpose, and no one can fully comprehend the revelation of who He is, and of His eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing existence, the message of His mercy and grace is clear. We’d better preach the words of Revelation 22:17, “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely”. The gospel of “Whosoever will” is the message of a God who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. It’s a gospel of hope, one where the goodness of God leads us to repentance.
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August 17, 2025
John 5:24 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life”
These words of our Lord are the simple plan of salvation. Hear Christ’s words, believe that God the Father sent Him, and receive everlasting life. The verb tense of receiving everlasting life is not future as in will receive, but present tense as in has, right now, eternal life. It’s the same thought as 1 John 3:2, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God,” and carries the wonderful truth that salvation is not a hope so, a guess so, or a possibly so, but an absolute certainty that we can know here and now. My dad was a wonderful man, a devoted Christian who served the Lord faithfully for many years. He was a minister, a pastor, and lived a life of obedience to God’s Word. But when he died, a family member who was bound by the uncertainty of legalism, remarked, “Well, I hope he’s in heaven”. Our Heavenly Father does not want us living with the uncertainty as to where we will spend eternity! The Bible says in 1John 5:13, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God”. Imagine a parent always telling their child, “I’m not sure if you’re my child or not; we’ll have to wait and see”. When we give our hearts to Jesus Christ, that moment, that second, we become a child of God, and that never changes. He promised us in John 6:37, “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out”. Again, in John 10:28-29, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand”. Jesus went on to say in today’s verse that we will not “come into condemnation”, meaning that we are no longer under the judgment of God. Salvation has reversed the normal order. Usually, we think of life’s journey as moving from life to death. But in Christ, we have passed from death to life. Again, not will pass, but has passed. Right now, we are eternally saved, eternally delivered from judgment, and eternally alive!
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August 16, 2025
John 20:25 “But he (Thomas) said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe”
Thomas has been known by the moniker “Doubting Thomas” because of this verse. After Christ’s resurrection, the other disciples had already seen the risen Savior, but Thomas was not with them. When they met up with Thomas, they told him Jesus had resurrected and they had seen Him. But Thomas replied with today’s verse. He not only didn’t believe, but he wanted physical proof. God doesn’t always give physical proof, but that day, Jesus did it for Thomas. When He and Thomas met, the Bible says in verses 27-28, “Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God”. We don’t know if Thomas actually touched Christ’s scars, but we know all his doubts disappeared. We might think that if we had visible, tangible proof, it would change our faith, help us believe so strongly that we could move mountains. I’ve been in trials when I wanted God to do something, just anything, that would prove that He was with me. I had His Word that He was always there, but like Thomas, I wanted to feel His presence or see a sign. And, there have been times when we’ve all been at a crossroad, and when it was over, we knew it was God’s hand that directed our steps. But as we grow in grace, the Lord teaches us to simply trust His Word. Thomas had been with Jesus for three years. He had seen the Lord do miracles that only God could do. He had listened to Him preach many sermons and had been right by His side as He taught the disciples privately. But none of us is perfect in our faith, and we all sometimes stumble in times of crisis. Maybe it’s time to take our stand on the Word of God and say that, whether we see proof or not, we will stand by faith! The naysayers can doubt God, sneer at His Word, and laugh at those of us who follow Christ. But none of that will move us! We purpose to be strong in faith and give God the glory!
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August 15, 2025
Hebrews 13:3 “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body”
Several years ago, I wrote a devotion using this verse, and I am led by the Lord to consider it again. While I type this, and while you are reading it, there are Christians around the world being persecuted for their faith. Some are suffering more than persecution: They are being tortured, killed, and many are in prison with no hope except for the faith they have in Jesus Christ. Families are being humiliated, their property and possessions taken, and all because they follow the Lord. There is a harsh crackdown right now against believers in China, and hundreds are being killed weekly, assassination style, in Muslim nations. Today’s verse tells us to remember them, meaning to open our minds to the fact of what’s happening to them as if we ourselves are suffering alongside them. It can be difficult to reconcile the grace of God with such suffering, but it is a pattern carried out by the devil and those aligned with him since time began. It’s his hatred of the Son of God that puts it all in perspective. Our Lord told us in John 15:18-19, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you”. The national news media here in the US is not covering this persecution of believers, and we have to look elsewhere, like CBN or other Christian-supportive news services, to hear the truth. The news stories of this persecution are overwhelming, but we can join in prayer for these suffering believers and ask God, in the Holy Spirit, to pray through us and unite us as a family in support of our fellow Christians. It hasn’t been that long ago in the scope of history that persecution brought many of our ancestors here to America to find the freedom to worship God. Most of us here have never been severely persecuted for our faith. But in our freedom in this great country, we can pray for those who worship in peril of their lives. May we begin considering them in our thoughts and prayers, looking forward to the day when Jesus returns and the people of God will suffer no more.
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August 14, 2025
James 4:5 “Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?”
This is one of the verses of scripture that we’re tempted to skip over because it’s difficult to grasp, no matter what paraphrase or translation you use. The question is whether the spirit mentioned here is the Holy Spirit or our spirit, which God placed in us as part of our human trinity of body, soul, and spirit. The AV, ESV, and some others do not capitalize spirit to refer to the Holy Spirit, while many others do. I believe David Guzik summarizes the two possibilities well: “Is it God jealously yearning for the devotion of our spirit which He put within us, or is it the Holy Spirit within us jealously yearning for the full devotion of our heart? Either way, the sense is much the same”. God wants us all to Himself. Consider Exodus 34:14, “For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God”. Of all the names of God in the Bible that He uses to reveal Himself, this is one that makes us pause. His name is Jealous. It’s the point of “Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain”. While there are no scriptures that specifically state today’s verse, it’s the meaning that’s repeated many times: God is jealous over us and wants our complete allegiance. When we aim to follow the Lord with a steadfast, pure heart and give our allegiance only to Him, we fight a battle of faith. Will our faith in God and our devotion to Him be supreme over all else? It’s serious business, as the verse that precedes today’s verse says, “whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God”. The Lord will not share in a divided heart. In Genesis 22, Abraham’s final test of faith is recorded when God told him to take his son, Isaac, to a mountain and sacrifice him. Would Abraham obey the Lord and honor Him above all? We know he passed the test proving that His faith in God was greater than his own desires. He is called “the father of faith” because he showed he would follow and obey the Lord no matter the cost. God loves us so intensely, so passionately, that He wants our complete devotion. He jealously, earnestly desires it. It’s astounding to be loved that much and that way.
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August 13, 2025
Jeremiah 32:17 “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee”
These words are part of a prayer by Jeremiah, and he declares the greatness of God. Their truth is the bedrock of our faith that not only is the God we serve the creator of our universe, but there is nothing too hard for Him. Since the beginning, the enemy has waged a war of lies to shake our faith in God the Creator. To ancient people, he concocted mythologies, and those lies are, still to this day, the core beliefs of many false religions. For us who believe God is the creator, the enemy attacks the truth that nothing is too hard for Him. Whenever we start to pray bold prayers and trust God for what seems impossible, the devil plants seeds of doubt that God will not answer our prayers. He tells us we are not holy or spiritual enough, that what we’re praying for is of no concern to God, or that we’re foolish to think we can expect the favor of God in the matter we’re asking. But we are the children of God and we are the point of our Lord’s words in Matthew 7:9-11, “Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”. The word evil here means that we are flawed, imperfect, and refers to our essential character compared to God’s perfection. Even as flawed, imperfect people, we want the best for our children and delight in giving them the good things they want. God, our perfect Father, is ready and willing to answer our prayers and do great and wonderful things for us. If it seems like this is a recurrent theme in our devotion, it’s to encourage us all to pray bold prayers and believe God is listening and that nothing is too hard for Him. You might say, “I’ve been praying, but I haven’t gotten an answer yet”. I encourage you to keep asking, keep seeking God, and keep knocking on His door. He’s not yelling, “Go away and stop pestering me”. He’s already at work, carrying out a plan, in His way, to answer. And He will answer. Keep asking.
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August 12, 2025
1 Samuel 17:17 “And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren”
Young David’s day started out as another ordinary day of tending his family’s flock of sheep. His three older brothers, Eliab, Abinadab, and Shammah, had joined the army and were about 12 miles or so away, where the army of Israel was facing off with the army of the Philistines. The battle was at a standstill with the Philistine’s champion warrior, Goliath, taunting and terrifying the Israelites with a fight-to-the-death challenge. Jesse, David’s father, gave him some bread and corn that morning and told him to run to the Israelite’s camp and give the food to his brothers, asking them how they were doing. It was that day, on a food delivery trip, that David stepped into his God-appointed destiny. We never know when the small, ordinary things we do are actually steps towards God’s greater purpose. When Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, for the next 13 years, his life looked like a downward spiral of failure. He ended up being arrested for a crime he didn’t commit and was locked away in an Egyptian prison. At that point, we might have thought God had abandoned him. His future looked bleak. But just like David, God had a purpose for him even in the prison. The years of hardships it took for Joseph to journey from when he was forcefully separated from his family to ascend to the throne of a prince in Egypt, was all God’s plan. God never abandons us, and He has calculated every step of our life’s journey into His purpose for us. Even the times we willfully went in a disobedient direction, God foresaw them and wove them into His plan. Job said in 23:10, “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold”. My encouragement to us all is to keep doing the right things and remain faithful in the small stuff. Pray for God’s will in everything and trust in Him, even when we can’t understand why we’re in the particular place we’re in. Joseph may have looked around in his prison cell many times and wondered, “Why am I here? And, does the God who gave me great dreams of honor when I was a child know where I am?”. We can take comfort that God knows, He understands, and our lives are firmly in the palm of His hand. One day, David was delivering lunch. The next day, he was a famous Giant Killer.
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August 11, 2025
Jonah 2:1-2 “Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly, And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice”
When God called Jonah to go preach to the city of Ninevah, the scriptures do not tell us that Jonah prayed about it. They don’t tell us that Jonah even as much as acknowledged God’s call, but that he ran away in another direction. When he bought a ticket, boarded a boat, and tried to get away from God’s plan, he wasn’t praying or evangelizing. He was in full-scale AWOL. But when he was thrown overboard in the middle of the sea, swallowed by a whale, and remained alive, then he began to pray. And not only pray, but the Bible says he was crying to God, a word meaning to shout for help. Jonah said that because of the trouble he was in, he shouted aloud to God. Trouble and afflictions motivate us to pray urgently, to take talking to God seriously. When we’re just living our days in our normal routines, we pray, but there isn’t that driving need to get close to God, to stay on our knees, and to plead for an answer. For that reason, I’m thankful for trials and times of affliction because they do for me that which I can’t do on my own: They become a motivation to powerfully seek the Lord. Strange, isn’t it? When Israel was in times of great blessings, you’d think they would have been humble and thankful. You’d think they would have been so grateful that they would have greatly honored God because He was their provider. But the opposite was true. The more they were blessed, the more they took God for granted, and then, they would turn away from Him. Our nature is the same. Blessings often cause us to become complacent and proud. It’s the mystery of Psalms 119:67, “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word”. When the Lord allows adversity, it’s not because He’s angry with us or being mean. He’s allowing the one thing that can turn us fully back to Him. Our depravity is complex and is buried deep within our bones. But God knows how to help us do what we can’t do on our own: Seek His face with our full heart. We can pray Psalms 119:68, “Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes”.
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August 10, 2025
Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven”
After several weeks of intense summer heat, we finally had a few days of reprieve. It felt wonderful and even a bit chilly in the early morning, reminding us that the summer season will end, days will get cooler and shorter, and we will start the countdown to Thanksgiving and Christmas. Here in the upper corner of East Tennessee, we enjoy four true seasons every year, marked by distinct patterns of nature. The change from one to the next reminds us of today’s famous verse and how it speaks about our lives: Everything changes except God and His love for us. In both seasons of trials and times of great blessings, we remember that we will not stay there. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 7:14, “In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him”. This might seem like a depressing view, but it’s a truth that says believers live reality just like the unsaved, with the exception that no matter our season, the Lord is with us. Sometimes we see life’s journey as mountain tops followed by valleys and know that we have to experience both. We sing songs like “God on the Mountain” that says: For the God on the mountain, is still God in the valley. When things go wrong, He’ll make them right. And the God of the good times, is still God in the bad times. The God of the day is still God in the night”. Seasons of trials always come to an end, followed by seasons of refreshing and joy. What season are you in right now? Laura and I have been going through what seems like a never-ending season of testing. We’ve been in the middle of several storms, and we’re believing God for Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end”. We like the promise of “An expected end,” meaning a future of hope. Whatever season you’re in, the Lord has a purpose for it, and He has not forgotten about you. May God give us the patience to wait on Him and trust His purpose no matter the season.
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August 9, 2025
2 Timothy 4:16 “At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge”
Paul wrote this book of 2 Timothy while he was imprisoned in Rome. His words, “At my first answer”, are about his first trial or court hearing. All the people who you think would have come to his defense deserted him. The only One to stand with him is given in the next verse, “Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me”. It’s shocking to think about all the people Paul had won to the Lord, all the ministers he’d trained and encouraged, and all the churches he’d established and promoted, and in the time when his life was on the line, everyone walked away. Even Demas, a fellow minister who had been a close friend to Paul and Luke, Paul says in verse 10, “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world”. When I meditate on this scene and picture Paul, all alone in a cold, dark, and damp prison cell, something moves inside me with compassion towards all people who have been abandoned and left all alone. I think about how selfish and fickle we humans can be. But in these words of the Apostle, we do not get even a hint of regret, fear, or discouragement. His focus is fastened on Jesus Christ and the burden of ministry as he says, “That by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear”. Concerning those who deserted him, Paul says, “I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge””. There is no bitterness and no hopes for revenge, but rather the opposite. He sounds like our Savior, who prayed for His crucifiers that God would forgive them. Stephen also prayed for those stoning him to death that God would have mercy on them. But the story speaks to us that there may be times when we are called to stand up for Christ, and when we look around, we’re the only one standing. It’s important for us to know that no matter who is, or is not, with us, Jesus will never walk away. Paul looked beyond his prison cell, declaring in verse 8, “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing”.
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August 8, 2025
Galatians 6:17 “From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus”
The marks Paul refers to here are the scars on his body from the many times he had been whipped, beaten, and injured for the cause of Christ. He speaks of his sufferings in 2 Corinthians 11: “In stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness”. Satan’s hatred for the message of the gospel of hope and for the messengers who testify of the goodness and mercy of God is sometimes manifested in violence. Even nowadays, the media is silent about all the Christians around the world who are suffering great violence for their faith. According to “Open Doors”, a ministry that raises awareness for the global persecution of Christians, there are currently at least 4,700 believers detained and in prison for their faith. When we hear their stories and the accounts of the martyrs of Christ through the ages, it makes us pause in humility at the great freedom we have in America to worship our Lord openly and unafraid. But not all scars are physical, and many people we know and see daily carry wounds and scars that speak of their trials and the attacks of the wicked one. When Paul says, “Let no man trouble me”, he’s saying he doesn’t want to be dragged into the little doctrinal fights and messes described in the first part of this chapter. Because his very body was living, scarred proof that the warfare of the saints is not a piddly game but a battle against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places. Maybe one takeaway is that we have our hands full doing what’s right, following the ways of God, and taking our stand for Jesus. Good advice from Paul is to stay out of church squabbles, doctrine disputes, and denominational sectarianism. It’s a good thing to carry some scars for doing what’s right in the name of our Lord Jesus, and not scars from fighting among ourselves.
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August 7, 2025
1 John 5:4 “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith”
We sing about having the victory, and we declare we live in victory. But what does that mean, and are we really victorious? If so, over what? To have the victory over something, we must be in opposition to something or be at war with it. It implies a struggle, a battle, and a winning or losing situation. Today’s verse speaks about us overcoming the world, having victory over it. The world doesn’t mean the physical globe we live on, but rather the world system. Thayer’s Greek Definitions gives us this: “World affairs, the aggregate of things earthly. The whole circle of earthly goods, endowments, riches, advantages, pleasures, and such. Although hollow, frail, and fleeting, they stir desire, seduce from God, and are obstacles to the cause of Christ”. The good news is that although we live our lives surrounded by a system that does not follow the ways of God, we can have the victory over it. Sometimes, it pulls at us from every direction, but God has given us a way to overcome: Our faith. We know what God’s Word says, we have the power of the Holy Spirit within us, and we can dig in and stand firm against anything that tries to move us off the rock of Christ. Some might say, “Well, that just being stubborn”, and we agree that there’s a bit of tenacity that rises up in our will when we live a repented life of purpose. But it’s more than that, because as in yesterday’s devotion, we live this life by faith in the Son of God. And that faith, even as small as a mustard seed, can move mountains. So, when the world demands that we dance to its tune, we say, “No way. The Bible says, ‘Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world’, and I’m following Christ”. When the world paints us a picture to lure us away from God’s ways, we say, “No way. The Bible says, ‘I will set no evil thing before my eyes’, and I’m not falling for your temptation”. When we know how to activate and act on faith, our faith is stronger than anything this world offers. We are not victims, caving in to the demands and whims of the age; we are victorious. We are children of Almighty God, joint heirs with Christ, and because Jesus has won the battle over sin, death, and the world, we win with Him!
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August 6, 2025
Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”
The word flesh used here does not refer to our Adamic nature of sin, but rather to our earthly existence. It’s the life we live as moms, dads, grandparents, employees, and all other aspects of our daily lives. When we become Christians, we no longer live in step with this world, but we approach life from a faith perspective. Specifically, faith in Jesus Christ. The phrase, “Which I now live”, implies there was a previous way of living. And here in Galatians, it’s referring to those Jews who, before their conversion to Christ, lived by the commands of the Law of Moses. They would have said something like, “The life I live, I live according to the commandments of the law”. We Gentiles had no connection to the Law, but we lived our lives by other standards and believed that by our good deeds, we would go to heaven. But the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ changed everything for both Jews and Gentiles. Jesus became the door to peace with God and eternal life. Faith in Him begins by believing that He is the way of salvation, and then that faith directs every part of our lives. Christ’s crucifixion was not for His personal benefit but ours. He died a vicarious death, meaning that He took our place and, in God’s view and plan, we were the ones hanging on the cross. When Jesus was resurrected, He was the first human to have died and then resurrected with a glorified body, becoming what the Bible calls in 1 Corinthians 15:20, “the firstfruits”. We now live every day believing in Jesus, believing the Word of God, and trusting Him for our very lives. When we say that we live by faith, we’re saying that we consider ourselves dead to sin, and alive because our Lord has given us life. Our life-choices, the way we conduct ourselves, and the way we view the world around us are through the eyes of faith. The scriptures say that we walk by faith, and not by sight. We are people of faith because even while we walk on this earth, like the saints catalogued in Hebrews 11, we consider ourselves citizens of heaven and strangers on this earth.
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August 5, 2025
Colossians 4:6 “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man”
This verse follows the thought in verse 5, “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time”. It’s speaking of our interaction with those who are not Christians and tells us to behave wisely and to be careful how we use our time of opportunity with them. The main thought concerns our influence and how we represent Christ to those who have not trusted Him. But as a principle, the teaching applies to how we live our faith everywhere. Speaking with grace and seasoned with salt means to speak in kindness and take time to think about what we say. It is a companion truth with James 3:2, “For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body”. We have a lot of adages that once were taught as part of good manners, such as “Think carefully before you speak”. We can use THINK as an acronym: T – Am I speaking the Truth? H – Am I being Helpful? I – Are my words Inspiring? N – Are my words Necessary? K – Am I being Kind? The kindness part fits well with speaking with grace or graciously and should be the driving force behind all the things we say. Even in things like disciplining our children. Screaming and ranting are emotion-driven, and it’s hard to stop for a moment in the heat of frustration, think about what you’re going to say, and switch to a kinder tone. One that uses wisdom of kindness and well-thought-out words, rather than the implied threat of, “I’m gonna half kill you”. These principles hold true even in our age, where tweets and texts are much of our communication. Maybe most of us have pressed the send button, and within a few seconds, wished we could take it back. The “Think before you speak” becomes “Think before you post”. We can all guilt each other with the Book of James, but God isn’t berating us. He knows our tongues are set on fire from hell, and He is drawing our attention to what we say and helping us to be aware of the battle, to purposely begin to slow down, and to frame what we’re going to say before we blurt it out. We can start to practice these principles by rehearsing some sample responses over and over until slowly our speech habits start to shift.
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August 4, 2025
Mark 6:3 “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him”
We might think that if God came down from heaven and talked to people that they would listen to Him and receive His Words. But God has already come down to earth in Jesus Christ, and people wrote Him off. This verse tells us that they would not believe in His deity and trust His teaching because they could not see past His humanness. They saw Christ just as a carpenter and a member of a family in their community. In the spiritual, supernatural realm, demons and angels sure knew who he was. Demons obeyed His commands, and angels worshipped Him. Looking a step further, we read in John 7:5, “For neither did his brethren believe in him”. Amazingly, Jesus’ brothers, who had grown up with Him, seen his goodness firsthand, and no doubt were well aware that He was unlike any other man, rejected His Words and His ministry. It is important to note that after the resurrection, they became believers. It all speaks to us about the depth of our unbelief and how sometimes our own families, including our children, do not believe the truth. Even though we want them so much to believe in Jesus and follow the ways of God, we have to remember that although we have some influence and witness to them, salvation is a personal thing, and they must be drawn by the Holy Spirit just as we were drawn. They must choose for themselves to believe Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior of those who will call on His name. Today’s verse gives us the sense that people were thinking, “How dare He try to pass Himself off as a prophet and the Son of God! We know who He is, and He’s just the son of Mary and an ordinary carpenter!”. They were offended at Him. It can be discouraging when people dismiss the words about Christ that we speak as if we have no right to proclaim them. Sometimes people will try to use our failures and weaknesses to excuse themselves from believing the gospel. But we can trust that the same power of the Holy Spirit that gave us sight to see past all the flaws of the church world and church people and trust in Christ, will do the same for others.
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August 3, 2025
Psalms 3:2 “Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God”
David spoke these words when his son Absalom recruited some warriors and staged a revolt against David, his father. It looked like David would be overthrown and his throne seized, with Absalom becoming the king. It’s startling to read because we’re talking about King David, and we know what kind of man he was: Smart, strong, courageous, and a man after God’s heart. But sometimes, people are such a mess or they make such terrible choices that their lives look like unfixable wrecks. Some of them are even believers that seemed solid and sure in their faith. It reminds us of the Lord’s warnings to stay vigilant in 1 Corinthians 10:12, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall”. When we look at people who are struggling in their faith, following a misguided path, or battling an addiction, we’re tempted to say what’s said in today’s verse, “There is no help for them and they may be too far gone for God”. Maybe we’ve seen them try again and again to break free, maybe we’ve prayed many prayers for them, and maybe they’ve gone down a dark path for so long that everyone has about given up hope for their deliverance. That’s what the word “help” means here: deliverance, victory, or salvation. For believers, we all stumble in our faith, and sometimes the depth of our murky situation can’t be seen by others because it’s hidden. We might keep going to church, keep up a good public front, and act like all is well. But all the while, silently and secretly fighting a severe battle. In the middle of his troubles, David declared the verses following today’s, “But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill”. People may say there’s no help, but with God, there’s always mercy and grace. Many of us are walking testimonies of those God never gave up on. When it seemed all hope was gone, when we’d blundered so badly we appeared anything but Christian, the Lord blasted us with grace. As Wayne Watson said in his song, “The Long Arm of the Lord”: “’Cause you can never outrun, or go beyond the reaches of the long arm of the Lord”.
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August 2, 2025
Exodus 16:2-3 “And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger”
One month. The Israelites had seen God do mighty miracles in Egypt with their very eyes. They experienced the joy and thrill of excitement when they were delivered from Egyptian slavery. They were loaded down with gold, silver, and all kinds of wealth, which the Egyptians had given them when they departed. They watched the waters of the Red Sea roll back, and their feet had walked across the dry sea-bed path through the mighty waters, piled up high on either side. Then, they stood on the shore of the other side and witnessed the fearsome Egyptian army drown, never to threaten them again. But within one month, they were fussing and complaining like a bunch of ignorant ingrates, all wailing that they wished they were dead. In Hebrews 3:19, the New Testament tells us the root of their complaining was unbelief. Even after seeing God do astounding miracles, they would not trust Him to take care of them. They would not trust His power, provisions, and providential guidance. It’s easy to look at them and call them out. Say that we are not like them. But that’s false because we are just as apt to forget all God has done for us, forget all that He has promised, and forget all we have declared in the past about His faithfulness and blessings, and open our mouths, not in praise, but in complaints. The word murmur here means to grumble, fuss, and to complain and cry out against. Here’s the truth: God is good and He is good to us. We have all been blessed infinitely more than we deserve, and even the gift of eternal life through Jesus is of inestimable value. The Lord is with us, for us, and working all things for our good. Even our worst of times cannot compare to the glory we will share with our Lord. And, no matter what we may be tempted to complain about, we have the power of the Holy Spirit within us, and by God’s grace, we will overcome! Complaining is from our flesh, speaking against the sufficiency of God and refusing to trust the path He has purposed for us to walk. Let’s turn it around and proclaim God’s goodness and love for us. Let’s declare every day a gift from God and rejoice and be glad in it!
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August 1, 2025
2 Timothy 2:1 “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus”
We know that faith is the thing that moves God on our behalf. And without faith, the Bible says in Hebrews 11:6, that it’s impossible to please God. It’s the link to God in our salvation shown in Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace are ye saved through faith”. But as given in this verse, faith and grace are inseparable. So, when the Bible tells us to be strong in grace, the way we grow strong in grace is to believe what God tells us in His Word. After we are saved, it’s important that we grow in grace until we become convinced that the Lord is faithful to His Word and that He will never fail us. We need to trust Him even though we can’t see the solutions or understand His ways. We must learn to walk in faith even though we have no idea how He will get us to where we need to be. And then we have to learn to be patient, trusting that He will reveal what He is doing in His own timing. With God, He usually shows us the path ahead in a “need to know” fashion, wanting us to have faith in Him when the way is obscured. Much of our anxiety in our journey is from our lack of confidence in His promises. Or, maybe not knowing His promises well enough to lay hold on them. When we know we are not living in deliberate disobedience, that we are not willfully harboring unbelief, then we can be certain we are not in a season of correction. Faith tells us that we can have the assurance that whatever is happening, whatever is being allowed in our life, is God’s purpose for us, or else, He would be moving us in another direction. Our fervent praying as we go through our situations is not us helping God chart our course, but us learning to yield to the hand of the potter. It’s us trusting His providence and grace that He is working all things for our good. We believe that He will complete in us what He started. Abraham made his blunders and missteps, but none of those kicked him out of God’s plan for him. In the closing chapters of his life, he was where he was supposed to be because of God’s grace. He had his miraculous son Isaac, whom God had promised him, and He was living fully blessed and contented. When we are strong in the grace of God, we can be “confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
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