June 30, 2025
2 Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift”
When a business advertises for us to come by because they have a “gift” for us, we’re immediately skeptical because we’ve learned that in the business world, there’s no such thing as a “free gift”. It’s like the “free vacations” companies used to offer, but when you get there, you realize they’re trying to sell you a timeshare. And wow, if you’ve ever been through that high-pressure sales game, you know you end up paying for your “free vacation” with several hours of frustration, whether or not you opt for one of their timeshare packages. It’s different when people give us a gift. Sometimes we expect them because we’re participating in a gift swap with them at Christmas, or it’s someone we usually gift with on birthdays. But when someone gives you something and you don’t have anything to offer them in return, especially if they gift you with something valuable, it can be embarrassing or frustrating. We feel that we need to repay them, and if we can’t, it seems like we’ve been caught in the gift trap. With God’s gift of salvation by His Son Jesus Christ, it comes to us with no strings attached. He doesn’t want us to pay Him back or even attempt it. In fact, if we try to earn the gift, swap God something for it, or pay Him back, it’s an insult to His generosity: We have nothing to offer in return, nothing God needs, and we do not have or ever will have anything valuable enough to match the price of God’s gift. Our part in this gift-giving situation? We simply receive God’s gift and say, “Thank You God”. Some people think that surely it can’t be that good and simple, that there must be a catch. That God is expecting something in return, or that He has given us something, and while it’s ours in the moment, we need to make installment payments of something. Participate in sacraments, do a bunch of good deeds, follow a religious trail, or do things prescribed by a church or some spiritual leader. But today’s verse reminds us that it is a gift, albeit an “unspeakable” gift, meaning one that words cannot describe. Romans 5: 15, 16 & 18 call it the “free gift”. That’s a redundancy because God knows how we have a hard time accepting His gift freely. He is offering it to you right now, His arms outstretched, handing You the unspeakable gift. Reach out and receive it, declaring that You believe Jesus is the Son of God, that He died on the cross for your sins, was buried, and three days later, God raised Him from the dead. Trust His Word.
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June 29, 2025
James 1:19-20 “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God”
Proverbs 14:29 reads, “He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.” When we show ourselves in anger, we usually join the ranks of idiots. When my mother spoke about my dad’s side of the family, she would often remark that the Bradleys’ all had bad tempers. From the stories I heard growing up about my dad’s kin, my mom was spot on. It seems that when my dad and his five brothers were young, and they didn’t have anyone outside the family to fight with, they fought among themselves. But today, when I think about it, that’s a terrible way to be defined by others: That you are an angry person. When we hear that we are from a family that’s known for their anger, it seems to be an excuse for us to blow our tops and make morons of ourselves. Self-control, given here as being slow to wrath, means we are able to push down anger and not allow it to be our driving force. For believers, the end result is that when anger controls us, we do not do what is right in God’s eyes, as stated in today’s verse, “The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God”. God gives us peace, one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and leads us by the Spirit of His peace. Isaiah 55:12, “For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace”. A few minutes of the news nowadays shows that many people in America and around the world are driven by anger. They rage against things they don’t like and threaten and commit violence. It reminds us of Isaiah 57:20-21, “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked”. For Christians, the pattern given here is that we are swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. If we have old patterns of wanting to get in the last word or not really listening, the Holy Spirit can help us change the way we interact, becoming others-centered. Someone said that if we are swift to hear and slow to speak, it will go a long way in helping us control our tempers.
June 28, 2025
Mark 1:38 “And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth”
Jesus is the healer, the deliverer, and the miracle worker. The gospels record accounts of our Lord doing the impossible. He raised dead people to life, healed incurable, horrible sickness, straightened malformed limbs, restored sight, cast out demons, and many other astounding things. He showed His power over nature, read people’s minds, and foretold the future. Many of these things were actions taken to show God’s power and to reveal Christ as the Son of God. They were miracles in the here and now, and most of them dissipated in time just as the people who received them passed on. Lazarus was raised from the dead, but there came a time when he died again. People were healed, but they later died. Jesus’ primary purpose was not to do miracles concerning our mortal bodies but to preach the gospel. Today’s verse makes this clear because in previous verses in this chapter, the Lord did miracles in Capernaum but declared that He needed to move on to other towns and preach because that was the reason He came. We’re involved in our daily routines, and sometimes maybe we want Jesus at our beck and call to change our circumstances or relieve our discomfort as if that’s how He is needed the most. But remember that at one time He rebuked the people who were thronging Him because they we coming to get a free meal instead of wanting to hear His preaching. Above all, Jesus has the Words of life, and that’s not just for physical life down here, but it projects into eternity, the main goal of it all. When He said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”, He is rephrasing His promise of John 10:28, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand”. The Lord Jesus can and will deliver us, heal us, and make our lives a blessing. We should look to Him, trust the power of His death on the cross and His resurrection to not only redeem us but to give us power over all the power of the enemy. His atonement was God’s complete gift package of grace to us. But in Him was life everlasting, imparted to us in the new birth, the gift of God. He is alive forevermore, and we are alive forevermore. That is what He preached.
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June 27, 2025
Mark 10:16 “And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them”
The Bible says in verse 13, “And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them”. The disciples said they should take the children away. Our Lord saw it and the scriptures tell us: “But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God”. Today’s verse tells us He then picked them up in His arms, put His hands on them, and blessed them. This is a picture of God’s tender mercy manifested through Jesus Christ, and when He was greatly displeased at the disciples’ willingness to push children away, it speaks about the value of children in God’s eyes. In a world filled with evil, almost every day we hear of unspeakable violence towards children, and the most vulnerable among us suffer. Children need adults who will protect them, love them unconditionally, and be a Christ-like example. When churches make every effort to help children, it is pleasing to God, and when we show them the kindness and tenderness exemplified by our Lord, we can be sure that He takes notice. The Bible tells us that children are also our teachers. They are our examples of how to approach God, as the Lord said in verse 15, “Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein”. It is amplified in Matthew 18:3-5, “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me”. Being around children, learning from their innocent and trusting hearts, and showing them acceptance and love is a big part of finding favor with God. It helps us understand how to have a humble heart before God and how much God honors those who walk before Him as humble children. On our part, we can pray for our children and encourage them by showing them a good example of the tenderness and kindness that our Savior showed children while He was here.
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June 26, 2025
Psalms 136:1 “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever”
All 26 verses of this Psalm end with the words, “For his mercy endureth forever”. When the priests offered the morning and evening sacrifices, the Bible tells us in 1 Chronicles 16:41 that they would give thanks to the Lord and declare that His mercy endureth forever. It’s a call to remember the goodness of God and how merciful He is to us all. We live in stressful, uncertain times, and many people are afraid, lonely, and discouraged. Anxiety runs rampant, and the world’s solution is more alcohol and drugs. Even our children struggle with depression and worry. Let’s encourage each other to return to a place of thankfulness, a place where we acknowledge our blessings and praise the Lord because He is good and good to us. We can start by identifying all we have to be thankful for and shift our focus from what we don’t have or would like to see change to how blessed we are. It’s not just material things like shelter, food, and clothes, but it’s also the basics like the fact that we were created, we are alive, and then given the opportunity to live eternally with God in a heaven so wonderful that words cannot describe the glory. I just finished a Spicy Chicken sandwich, fries, and a sweet tea, and stopped to thank God that I live in an amazing country where we are so blessed that we tend to take it all for granted. God has been faithful to me, to supply all my needs and more. We here in East Tennessee are doubly blessed because we’re not only citizens of a free America, but we’re surrounded by so much stunning beauty in the Appalachian Mountains. It’s lush and green, and the greenness speaks of life, hope, and the awesomeness of God’s power to create. We can declare, “O give thanks unto the Lord”. Maybe you’re going through a season of trials, a time when your faith is being tested. Even in those times, God is with us, and He will bring us through. In our trials, His goodness doesn’t change, and His mercy remains. Maybe your children or people you love are living their lives without a strong relationship with God. Let’s agree together in faith and prayer that they will soon see the goodness of God, trust in His mercy, and begin to live in thankfulness for who He is and how He has blessed them even while they were not acknowledging Him. Again, “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever”.
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June 25, 2025
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed”
Some of you reading this have been believers for much of your lives. You have a history of going through hardships, standing up against opposition, and enduring seasons of suffering. Some of you may have lost loved ones, battled illnesses, and faced financial nightmares. Yet through it all, you are still standing firm in the faith today, still looking to the Lord, and still trusting His faithfulness. There is a power in us that the world can’t see, a power that can’t be explained because it’s supernatural. In verse 7, the Bible says, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us”. That’s the reason we’re still standing in faith because within us, referred to here as “in earthen vessels”, the power of God is always at work giving us the strength to face whatever life deals out. We’re not standing in our own strength; It’s the Almighty God who’s holding us. Today’s verses list some of our situations: We’re troubled, perplexed, persecuted, and cast down”. The word translated as cast down has a picture of having an opponent grab you and throw you to the ground like a Kung Fu fighter. Being a child of God doesn’t exempt us from troubles, keep us from being confused, shield us from persecution, or protect us from getting thrown for a loop. But it does mean that we will never be crushed, never be driven to hopelessness, never be abandoned by God, and we will never be annihilated. God’s people experience the realities of life just as those who do not trust Him. But it’s different for us. Unbelievers rely on their own strength, good luck, substances, or any number of things to help them. But we have the Holy Spirit in us who is our helper, our comforter, which means He always stands by our side in every situation. Others have no idea of His power and presence, as Jesus said in John 14:17, “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you”. He makes His presence known to us, and we learn to acknowledge Him, trust Him, and have confidence in His unlimited power and abilities. This is why we can declare and live out Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me”.
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June 24, 2025
1 John 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”
Are you absolutely sure you’re going to heaven? That’s one thing I want to know for certain, and as time passes, it’s more important to me than ever. Strangely, this is a question many people never ask themselves, avoiding the subject like it’s either not important or too troubling to think about. And if they do consider their eternal destination, they usually don’t think about it much. Many dismiss where they will go when this life ends by shrugging it off with the thought that if there is an afterlife, they’ll be ok because they are not as bad as really bad people. But the God who created us does not want us to wait until the moment our heart stops beating to see if all is well. Why would we want to be unclear about what happens to our souls when we don’t have to be? Why would we procrastinate choosing our future when we could die at any moment? Today’s verse says it was written to us so that we can know we have eternal life, meaning that the Lord wants us to know for certain we will be with Him when we die. God loves us, wants us to be with Him forever, and has made a way that anyone who wants eternal life can have it. The key is given in today’s verse: Faith in Jesus, the Son of God. Eternal life is promised to those who trust in Jesus Christ. God’s plan is clearly given in Romans 10:9-10, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation”. If you do not know for sure that you have eternal life, why put it off? If you believe Jesus is the Son of God, that He died on the cross to forgive us, and that three days later God raised Him from the dead, then you have the faith to be saved. If you ask God to forgive you and tell someone that you have chosen to follow Jesus Christ, God made it that simple. It’s not about religion, church membership, or living perfect lives. It’s about believing Jesus Christ is the way to heaven and placing trust in Him.
June 23, 2025
Hebrews 10:37 “For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry”
Bible Believers who love to think about Bible prophecy, discuss it, and make it a part of their Biblical worldview are seen by some as a bunch of nuts. They rant about us on social media as if we’re breaking some sort of philosophical rules or something and complain that we’re trying to bend history and current events to fit a schedule we’re trying to prove. Utter nonsense. Respectfully, the critics, if they don’t like what prophecy lovers are doing or thinking, need to forget we exist and find something for themselves to study that they enjoy. Prophecy lovers enjoy Eschatology, the study of prophetic events, and embrace it as one of the many mysteries of the scriptures. We love to debate the various interpretations, and points of view, and the search for clues. We enjoy watching Prophecy Conference videos, listening to discussions on current events and how they may or may not fit in the prophetic puzzle, and we enjoy looking back at prophecies that have already been fulfilled and marveling how the God of heaven and earth knew in advance what the future would be. Right now, many prophecy lovers are debating Ezekial 38, discussing if current events concerning Israel, Iran, Russia, and other nations are moving us closer to the great war mentioned in that chapter. Even though no one knows for sure, it’s a good conversation and profoundly interesting to discuss. Some Christians have no interest in prophetic themes and we get it. They are living their Christian life in the freedom God gave them and perhaps they have their own niches and interests concerning specific Bible studies. But no matter if you enjoy prophetic studies or not, today’s verse is not metaphorical, mysterious, or shrouded in prophetic language. It’s straight to the point: Jesus is coming again. We don’t know when and none of us should attempt to calculate a date but He will return. Why is it important to consider His return? Because the Bible tells us to use the promise of His appearing to encourage each other. In 1 Thessalonians 4, the scriptures give us details of Christ’s return and conclude in verse 18: “Wherefore comfort one another with these words”. Christians who ignore this directive are pushing aside one of the great messages of encouragement we can use to help each other in times of discouragement. It has been shown that the return of Jesus Christ is referenced over 1,800 times in the Bible; 1,500 in the Old Testament and 300 in the New. And some say there’s no reason to enjoy prophecy!
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June 22, 2025
2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works”
Do you believe the Bible is the Word of God? Today’s verses plainly declare that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God”. Faith that the Bible is the infallible, inerrant Word of God to mankind is the foundation of our knowledge of God, our understanding of His dealings with the human race, and our confidence in His plan to save us. If the enemy can weaken or destroy our faith in the eternal validity of the scriptures, he succeeds in shaking us off the only foundation we have access to that will not pass away. There are several times in the Bible where God declares the eternalness of His Word. Some examples are: Ps 119:89, “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven” and Isaiah 40:8, “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever”. Our Lord Jesus said in Mark 13:31, “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away”. But God warns us in Colossians 2:8, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ”. Many young men and women have enrolled in some Bible colleges believing they would get a solid Bible education, and an understanding of the scriptures to equip them in the ministry. But what they got was a counterfeit Christian education, one where their minds were twisted away by teachers, wolves in sheep’s clothing, from the truth of God’s Word. We have such in a small Bible college in our area, established years ago as a defender of the scriptures. But its former trustworthiness has long vanished and over the past decades, it has warped many minds with carnal teaching so that instead of building student’s faith in God’s Word, some, as stated in 1 Timothy 1:6, “Having swerved, turned aside unto vain jangling”. They, as the scripture says, “Concerning faith, have made shipwreck”. Sadly, they think they have followed a path of truth, one that has led them to a place of greater enlightenment. I’m thankful many people still believe the Bible is the Word of God, that it’s mysteriously alive, and is as sharp as a two-edged sword. When its Words go past our understanding and human reasoning and penetrate our hearts, they change us. I urge you to pick it up, hold it in your hands, and decide for yourself if it is the Word of God.
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June 21, 2025
2 Chronicles 1:7 “In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee”
If God would give you anything you want, what would you ask for? Take some time and think about that because an honest answer could reveal what’s inside us. That’s exactly what God said to Solomon paraphrased as, “Tell me what you want and I will give it to you”. The Bible doesn’t tell us how long Solomon thought about it but when he answered, he asked God for the wisdom and knowledge to be the best king he could be. His request pleased God so much that God not only gave him what he asked for but also many things he didn’t ask for. In verse 12, God said: “Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like”. We pray and ask the Lord for lots of things and much of our praying is bringing our list of what we want and want done before the Lord. Help for our many situations, healing for our many sicknesses, deliverance from our many trials, and guidance for our many choices. We pray for our children, and others we know who are in tough times, and if we’re feeling generous, we might even pray for our enemies. But if there was one thing we knew that if we asked God for that He would not hesitate to give us, one thing that might be the most important thing we could ask for, what would we ask? At this point in my journey, I find myself praying and asking for my family, that more than anything else, their relationship with God would be sure and strong. I believe that when that’s a reality for them, everything else will fall into place. I pray for them based on Matt 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”. For myself, I believe the one thing I would ask for is that I would always be completely surrendered body, soul, and spirit, to the Lord and His will. The end of that request, that desire, that prayer is the prayer of our Lord Jesus to His Father in Luke 22:42, “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done”. I’ve wanted a lot of things in my life, prayed for many things, and received only goodness at God’s hand. His ways are best. His ways are perfect. And, His will for me will always be for my good.
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June 20, 2025
Ephesians 5:15-16 “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil”
The same word for time here is translated as opportunity in Galatians 6:10, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith”. When I was a boy, the years, especially the long days of summer, seemed almost endless. But now here we are at the middle point of 2025 and I can’t understand the speed at which time is flying by. That’s the point in today’s verses: We have a limited amount of time to make our lives count for Jesus and a limited number of opportunities to do good and make a difference. One mistake we can make is to wait for something big to come along while ignoring the small, everyday opportunities. Our devotions often focus on the words we speak and the power they have to impact others for good. Most of us will not hold crusades, pastor big churches, blaze trails on a mission field, or even do enough magnificent deeds to have one sentence about us written in the history books. But all of us have the ability, the blessed opportunity to speak words of kindness, encouragement, hope, and faith to those God puts in our path. A good place to start is in our homes with the people God has placed closest to us. We can shift the atmosphere and tone of our homes and families by speaking blessings not cursing, being peaceful, not argumentative, and words of compliments and encouragement not those of blame and negativity. And, there are the little acts of kindness and respect that mean so much but are often overlooked in our hurried schedules. Look for the small things to be a help, a blessing to others even your enemies. A cup of tea or coffee fixed the way they like it, offering to do a chore they usually do, or anything that turns the time from self to service. Finally, we have the time and opportunities to show Christ, to encourage people who do not know Him as Savior to consider His reality and the open door of heaven to anyone who wants to go there. The verse above from Galatians always speaks to me and encourages me to do good to everyone, especially those who also follow Jesus Christ. We know how to do good and the Holy Spirit will open opportunities. All we have to do is redeem the time.
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June 19, 2025
Acts 7:59-60 “And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep”
“Lord, lay not this sin to their charge” were the last words of Stephen, the first martyr of the Christian church. He was stoned to death by a mob of people who hated the message of Jesus Christ, people who became so angry at his words of truth that they killed him in cold blood. Stephen’s words echo the words of Jesus as He was suffering on the cross and looking down on the people who hated Him so much, that they lied and schemed to have Him crucified. Our dying Savior said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do”. These words of mercy from Stephen and Jesus come from understanding the reality that people who do not know the God of the Bible have no vision of truth. They can’t see that this life is a place to prepare for eternity and all the things that made the crucifiers of Christ, the stoners of Stephen, and those who are angry today at the message of salvation are angry at the very thing that will determine their destiny. They can’t believe that being angry at the truth they reject is blocking them from the open door of mercy and grace. They don’t believe they need a Savior and they are deceived that the gospel is real. The poison of deception has intoxicated them until they are in complete denial of Jesus Christ as the way, the truth, and the life. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them”. Imagine hating someone and their message so much that you take delight in their destruction. But it was that way with Jesus and Stephen and that angry, murdering spirit is still with us today. True believers walk in the love of Christ, the same love that spoke from the cross and the mouth of Stephen. And, all who profess to be Christ’s but do not have that love, are not of God. 1 John 4:8, “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love”.
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June 18, 2025
Psalms 126:5-6 “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him”
Sometimes I lose sight of people as immortal souls. My eyes only see them in the here and now, their unique physical characteristics, their personalities, and the way they live. It’s only through the lens of God’s Word and the power of the Holy Spirit, walking in His light, that I see past their earthly humanness and glimpse them as made in the image of God, an immortal soul occupying a temporary human body. When I’m confronted with verses like the above, it changes the way I see everything and people become more precious, more important in the eternal view of all things. Babies, unborn and born, become more precious and remarkable because even in their infancy, they are eternal beings. Our youth are already showing the signs of their future adult selves and are at a critical point in their eternal journey. Adults are but a few steps away from their immortal destiny. If you have been exposed to fundamental expository preaching concerning today’s verses, you know that the core truth taught here is our need to have compassion and great concern for the salvation of the souls of people everywhere, especially those around us. Often seasons of great joy are preceded by times of weeping; Prayers and seasons of crying out to God. We know fully well that He is the only One who can turn us from darkness to the light. The seed we hold is indeed precious because it is the truth of God’s Word, the seed of acts of mercy and kindness, and the seed of unconditional love. When we sow that seed with a depth of compassion that causes us to feel the sorrow and pain of others, identify with the unsaved and blind state of their souls, and be drawn to effectual, fervent prayer for them, we have God’s promise of great victory; a season of joy and success. I write these words not to guilt us but to remind us to redirect our view or what’s most important concerning others. May we allow the Holy Spirit to change our way of thinking and look past people’s appearances, flaws, and anything else that can distract us from the eternal value of their souls. It is akin to our Lord’s Words in Matthew 5:4, “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted”. As Spurgeon said, “Shed a tear and drop a seed”.
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June 17, 2025
Luke 7:47 “Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little”
Some of the most moving, inspirational testimonies come from people whom God brought out of the most horrible sins. All sin is against God and the wages of sin is death but when people in the deepest pits of darkness and rebellion against the truth turn to the Lord and they are forgiven, rescued, and become followers of Jesus Christ they seem to have an intense, powerful devotion to God. That’s what today’s verse is teaching. Jesus was having dinner with a Pharisee, a wealthy, prominent ultra-religious man. While they were eating, a woman from the community came, weeping before Him and washing His feet. The Pharisee, who considered the woman a despicable sinner, was appalled that Jesus would allow her to touch Him. But Jesus our Lord declared something the Pharisee couldn’t see: The woman loved Him greatly and it was her great love for the Lord that was displayed. To all of us, I ask, how much and how horrid were the sins God forgave you? Somehow, we have lost the view of the terribleness of sins and the damage they do in not only separating us from God but ruining our lives and often, the lives of those close to us. But when we turn to Christ, He forgives all our sins even the ones that are so ugly they are unspeakable and shameful. When He forgives us, they are gone and people who have the greatest load and accumulation of sins sense the greatest relief. So, I ask again, how much sin has Christ forgiven you? Let’s look back and think about where we were and where we were headed when we turned to Jesus Christ. Let’s remember how powerfully He saved us in the light of Psalms 40:2-3, “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God”. Jesus rebuked the self-righteous Pharisee who showed no compassion for Him or the woman and said to the woman, “Thy sins are forgiven, “and “Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace”. The more we acknowledge the depths of our sins that Christ forgave, the more joy we have and the greater our love for our Savior.
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June 16, 2025
Psalms 40:1 “I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry”
I believe it is more urgent for God’s people to pray than ever before. We have His Word in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing” telling us to keep praying and Philippians 4:6, God tells us to pray about everything. Some people argue that God is going to do what He wants so why even pray? But there is a unique bond between the Lord and those who pray, those who call to the Creator of all things, the Lord God Almighty. We have been invited by His express Words to come into agreement with Him in all things and be a part of His eternal plan and purpose. After Adam’s fall and sin and violence erupted in the human race, Seth was born and started a family. The Bible tells us in Genesis 4:26, “And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD”. Some have called this the first revival. God’s people have been praying to Him ever since. Today’s verse teaches us that a part of praying is waiting patiently for God to move. It doesn’t mean we finally get His attention but rather that while we are praying, He is weaving our prayers into His will and timing. He’s listening even though it may not seem like He is going to answer. A lot of the devotions on our webpage, which we repost on Facebook, are encouragements to us all to pray. Not to make us feel guilty, but to remind us that God answers prayers. The theme for me is James 5:16, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much”. This verse along with our Lord’s Words in Luke 11:9-10, “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened”, is the foundation of God’s promise that when we pray, the Lord hears and answers. So, in these uncertain times when there aren’t many clear solutions, God still knows what to do and how to help us. I encourage us all to keep praying, keep believing, and wait patiently while God works things out. It’s a battle we fight on our knees but I pray the Holy Spirit will give us the will and fortitude to be faithful in our prayers.
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June 15, 2025
Revelation 19:16 “And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS”
I saw a bit of news that across America this weekend, some people were protesting, saying they do not want a king. They are posturing themselves against President Trump as if they believe he is setting himself up as the king of the United States. The blindness of those who do not walk in the light of God’s Word is dumbfounding especially when they follow, like a line of little ducklings, those who spew lies of hatred, violence, and anarchy and prophesy gloom and doom. If only they knew, saw, and believed that we already have a king: Jesus Christ, the Son of God. His hand has guided this nation and its people through almost 24 decades and 47 presidents; some good, some terrible, and some somewhere in between. They’ve made good decisions that blessed this nation and horrible ones that cost us suffering and sorrow but through it all, God has never turned His back on us. There’s not a Biden or a Trump that can destroy us or make us great on their own except that it all passes through God’s permissive and predetermined will for us. Laura and I are sitting on the porch, our American flag is blowing in the wind and we do not feel afraid, threatened, or worried about what’s happening now or what will happen in the future. We’re praising God that He is on the throne and while no one knows what part America will play in the culmination of all things, we know we belong to our Sovereign King of Kings. The Bible says in Malachi 3:6, “For I am the LORD, I change not” and in Revelation 22:12-13, “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last”. My duty as a believer is to pray for our leaders, obey the laws of the land, and bow to the only King worthy of all honor and praise: Jesus Christ. Today’s verse declares the moment when Christ returns and while many scoff and snicker at such a prospect, all who have eyes to see and ears to hear God’s truth rejoice at the promise. It’s not a matter of “if”, but simply “when” and we believe it is imminent.
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June 14, 2025
Ephesians 6:2 “Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)”
While we do not obey the Ten Commandments or the Old Testament law to be saved, the principles they teach should never be tossed aside as if they have no value. Today’s verse is part of New Testament teaching for families and looks back to the fourth commandment. It reminds us that it was given with a promise that when we honor our parents, we will be blessed. When the dispensation of salvation by grace through faith came, God didn’t change His mind about honoring our parents. Today is my dad’s birthday and he would have been 106. It’s also Father’s Day Weekend so I dedicate this devotion to the memory of my dad. I hope you were fortunate to have or have had, a dad like mine, a good man and a good provider for the family. I wish I’d seen and valued his qualities much more while he was living but I was caught up in the phases of my life and took much of what he was, and did for our family, for granted. It’s easy to do that when people are dependable, trustworthy, and consistent. Dad was always there, always making wise choices, and always ready to help when we needed him. Above all, he was full of faith and a lover of the Lord and the Bible. As I may have said in another devotion, I can still hear my dad’s voice in my mind, taking me back to when he would often be on his knees upstairs in the house we lived in on Hide-Away Street, praying aloud for our family. His voice, crying out to God, would drift down the stairs and as a teenager at the time, I had no clue what was really happening. Because it was so normal in our home, I took it for granted not realizing how special it was to have an unashamed, praying dad whose faith was rich and deep. I’ve asked the Lord to forgive me for not giving my dad the honor he deserved while he was alive. And, I’m determined to honor his memory with a thankful heart for his faithfulness and integrity until the day we meet again, in heaven’s reunion. Some people may have parents who are hard to honor because they lived in ways that harmed their families. Some ways we can show honor is to forgive them for their wrongs and pray for them. We can honor them for being how we came into this world and thank God that despite their failings, with the Lord there is mercy, pardon, and opportunity for a new start. But in memory of Edward Lee Bradley, my dad, I praise God for him.
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June 13, 2025
Song of Solomon 4:7 “Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee”
The poetry of this verse is the words of the bridegroom speaking to his bride. Imagine if husbands and wives would go back to the time when they first fell in love and remember how they didn’t focus on each other’s flaws but saw only the beauty. In the course of our daily lives and our interactions with others, it would be so wonderful if our love for people stopped us from scrutinizing their every imperfection and seeing them as made in the image of God, loved by Him, and possessing the opportunity for salvation through our Lord. In today’s world, many people shout for diversity and inclusion but usually, they are hypocrites because their brand of inclusion and diversity only allows what they deem is acceptable and they attack everything else unless it fits their view. But in the realm of God’s redemption plan, it humbles our hearts to know that when we are covered with the righteousness of Jesus Christ, this is how God sees us: spotless. When my self-observing eyes look at me, I know who I am, and deep to the bone, there is everything except goodness and perfection. I’m like Israel described by Hosea in Hosea 6:4, “O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away”. But all of that part of me has been covered completely and God’s eyes never see it. He has a purpose and plan that will completely take away all that is flawed, sinful, and fallen from the curse. In its place, we get a glorified body like Jesus’. God’s view of us now, as without spot or blemish, comes from His determination and foreknowledge that is not limited by linear time. I see myself in the here and now but God sees me as if I’m already with Him in heaven: clothed in pureness, holiness, and eternal glory. My prayer is for spiritual vision to see as God sees and to allow the Holy Spirit to cleanse me from fault-finding and focusing on the imperfections of those God loves. He sees His children all fair, with no spot in them.
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June 12, 2025
Psalms 103:1-5 “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s”
These verses remind us to collect our thoughts, pause what we’re involved in, and shift our attention to the One who matters most. When my dad pastored the little church we attended when I was young, now and then during the service, especially when the wind of the Holy Spirit was moving and people were rejoicing, testifying, and coming forward for prayers, Dad would call for us all to stand, lift our hands heavenward, and proclaim three times, “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name”. It’s a wonderful thing when we display outwardly, praising and honoring our Lord, expressing what’s burning like a fire within. Sometimes here at home, praying and looking to Jesus, I’m overwhelmed with desire for Him, and even though I can’t speak as I once could, I find myself reaching heavenward and mouthing these words of praise to God. If you ever drive by our house and see me on the back porch jumping up and down and waving my hands in the air, that’s what’s going on. For Bible believers and lovers of the Word of God, the scriptures often speak to our souls with a level of intensity and passion unlike anything else. When I was 19 years old and just having fully surrendered to Jesus Christ, I was a manager at Hardee’s in Johnson City. I remember working my shifts with my little New Testament open close by where I could read while I worked and God’s Word would move me so powerfully, I would weep as I worked, God’s Word working mightily within me. It was the beginning of a connection with God through His Word that’s still alive in me 50 years later. A portion of our praise is to glorify the Name of the Lord. Our feeble words can’t begin to express His majesty. But another part of our praise is because He said, “Forget not all His benefits”. The enemy would like for us to get so distracted, so caught up in life’s routines that we forget what God has done, is doing, and will forever do for us. He forgives all our sins, heals all our diseases, saves our lives from destruction, crowns us with loving kindness and tender mercy, and satisfies us with good things, renewing our strength! “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name”!
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June 11, 2025
1 Corinthians 15:24-26 “Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death”
These verses along with those that precede and those that follow, are some of the most fascinating in the Bible to me. They describe the culmination of all things as we know them; the wrapping up of all things earthly including nations, kingdoms, and the dominion of humankind on this planet. It’s also the end of the struggle between good and evil, angels and demons, and the destruction of Satan. And, it’s the moment that death is no longer a factor and is destroyed forever. Verse 28 of this section of scripture describes an event in the future that both gives me chills up my spine and an indescribable sense of peace (italics added are mine): “And when all things shall be subdued unto him (Jesus), then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him (God the Father) that put all things under him, that God may be all in all”. I can remember the first time I read these verses and the impact they had on me. It was a clear revelation to me that all things are headed for a definite conclusion. The created world will come to an appointed time when Jesus Christ finishes up God’s eternal plan and purpose. Knowing, understanding, and believing what God says here gives us a view of truth that affects how we perceive world history, all that’s happening in the world around us now, and even the story of our own lives. Material things don’t matter so much and all the things in the world that break our hearts will someday soon be brought under subjection and control by Jesus Christ. We look for the day when Revelation 11:15 will be fulfilled: “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever”. The final order of all things is given in the words of verse 28: “Then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all”. In the words of H.A. Ironside, “When the Lord Jesus has thus put all things under the feet of God the Father, He Himself voluntarily occupies the place of the Father’s beloved Son and the Servant of the redeemed”.
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June 10, 2025
John 13:10 “Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all”
My wife and I are deep-cleaning the house this week and we’re off to a good start. One of my chores was to pull out the refrigerator, remove a sheet metal cover, and clean the coils. No matter how clean you keep a house, dust always manages to find its way to those coils. Handymen know that keeping them clean is a big factor in a refrigerator’s longevity. I thought of this verse while I was doing that job and was reminded that even though my sins have been forgiven and I have been washed clean by the blood of Jesus Christ, as long as I am in this body of flesh and in contact with the world, I need spiritual maintenance. The picture in today’s verse is of someone in Bible times who took a bath in a bathhouse or a stream of water and was washed clean. But after they walked back home from the place where they were washed, their feet got dirty and they had to wash them again. Why only the feet? Because those are the parts of the body that are in contact with the dirt. After we are saved, the Lord tells us to be aware of things that contaminate us and steer clear of them. The Holy Spirit convicts us of lifestyles, habits, and addictions that hold us back from a walk of spiritual victory. The more we allow Him to set us apart for God’s glory, the more He blesses our obedience. The refrigerator will still run with dirty coils but it will work harder, fighting against the dirt that keeps the cooling gas from being its most efficient. Having some dirt on us won’t stop what the cross of Christ has done for us but it will block us from being our best for the Lord. So, why not yield to Christ and follow His ways including turning away from anything and everything that grieves the Holy Spirit? This is not legalism, striving for personal sanctification to win God’s approval or, hoping to earn salvation. It’s housekeeping chores, or rather temple cleaning allowing the Spirit to deep-clean us from habits, and ways of living that weigh us down and stunt our growth. The Bible says in 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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June 9, 2025
Isaiah 55:9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts”
In Old Testament times, this verse not only describes God’s omnipotence, His unlimited power and abilities, and also His omniscience, His unlimited knowledge of all things, but it also pictured the unspeakable gap between God and man. People could pray to Him, worship Him, and offer sacrifice to Him but they needed an intermediary, a priest to approach God on their behalf. Access to God’s presence was limited to only a few. They could look higher than themselves but there was a veil, a wall of separation between them and God. But because we could not reach up and touch heaven, God, in love, mercy, and grace, came down in Jesus Christ and touched us on earth. I love John 8:6, “This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not”. In this stooped position, our Lord was at eye level with all humanity that has been beaten and crushed by sin. And, even though His ways are higher than ours and His thoughts are beyond our wildest imagination, God, in Jesus Christ, has stooped to rescue us. That day recorded in John 8, Jesus stooped to save a woman who had been used as a pawn by the religious leaders in an attempt to discredit our Lord. They did not care for her soul but Jesus, stooping and writing on the ground, took up her case and defended her, giving her the opportunity to turn away from her sinful past and start a new life, clean and fresh. Yes, He is higher than the heavens but He came low to where we are, and not only did He reveal that the High and Lifted up God is concerned about us and loves us, but that He wants to lift us up to where He is. Ephesians 2:5-6, “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus”. How about this promise for us who were low, disgraced by sin, and unworthy of redemption: Revelation 3:21, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne”.
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June 8, 2025
Colossians 3:15 “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful”
The word “rule” here means to be in charge, to control. We could paraphrase this as, “Let God’s peace control you, let that peace be the boss”. A fair question to ask is: What controls us? There’s a big list of possible things: Anger, fear, greed, lust, selfishness, pride, addictions, and so on. All around us, the world churns in its daily routines and there is little or no peace. People curse, swear, fight, and blaspheme the name of God and our Lord Jesus Christ. There’s noise, racket, commotion, and stress and we’re forced to deal with it. Even in homes, a place that should be a family’s place of refuge from the world’s troubles, there is often no peace. But believers are called to take action, signified by the words, “Let the peace of God rule” showing us that peace doesn’t just rule by force, we must attend to the matter. The pattern is given in Romans 14:19, “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another”. Psalms 34:14 is a companion verse on the subject: “Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it”. I don’t want anger, fear, or anything else that’s against God’s peace to rule me. I don’t want to pursue this world and it’s failing, empty promises of peace and satisfaction. I want God’s peace to fill me, to rule over my emotions, my choices, and my attitude. I don’t want to be argumentative, harsh, and shallow in compassion and love. But it’s up to me because the Lord has given me the steps to peace: Follow after the things that are peaceful and pursue peace as a goal for the way I live. The peace is available in Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. And, it’s not just an inward, personal peace but when it rules in our hearts, it reaches outward to others. We can pursue any number of things in this life. But why not, while we’re pursuing a career, a ministry, or building a family, also pursue peace and let it rule us? Our Lord Jesus said in 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”.
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June 7, 2025
Philippians 2:21 “For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s”
Paul wrote these words to the church at Philippi when he said he was sending Timothy to them. He said he didn’t have anyone else like Timothy who genuinely cared for their welfare. Take a second to let that sink in. It’s a convicting thought for me as to how much we are so daily self-absorbed with so little time to dedicate ourselves to the things of Jesus Christ. I know there are pastors and other Christian workers who are deeply involved in the things of God but I can’t help but wonder if sometimes it’s because it’s their occupation, their career. I wonder if all the people who are getting paid for religious and church service suddenly stopped getting a paycheck how it would affect their fervor for the Lord. Nowadays, churches pay about everybody who appears on the stage and almost everyone who has some involvement in church ministries. You can’t watch a sermon or teaching on TV or the internet without it being constantly interrupted by an advertisement from the speaker about their latest and greatest book, available wherever books are sold. And we get it; all these things are a part of current Christianity but it still calls to me for a heart-check to stop and consider if the race I say I’m running for Christ is because I’m seeking the things of Jesus Christ or if I’m involved in the religious theatre. The spectacle of Christianity but not the personal reality of a loving, serving relationship with the Lord. Paul is saying that Timothy was different; He truly cared about people and God’s work. We get the idea that he, like Paul, would preach if there was no money involved and even if they were persecuted, beaten, and humiliated as Paul and many others were, they would remain faithful to Jesus Christ and the ministry. Let’s admit it: Seeking our own, and looking after our own interests occupies most of our time, and in the large picture, it can’t be helped. That’s not what the statement is about. It’s about the cause of Christ and whether or not we are willing to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Whether or not we will serve the Lord even if it costs personal suffering and sacrifice and do it willingly, unmotivated by expected compensation of some sort; Be it the praise of others or gifts and salaries. Praise God when we can see the Lord as our source, supplying all our needs and the fields of souls as our calling.
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June 6, 2025
2 Timothy 4:6-7 “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith”
2 Timothy is the last letter Paul wrote before he was executed. He was an old man, had preached for over 30 years, and penned these words from a dark prison cell where he had been locked for several months. Bible historians tell us his cell had no window, only an opening above where food was dropped to him and water lowered. It was a miserable, cold, dark, damp, and lonely place where he spent the last bit of his life. He asked Timothy to send a cloak he had left at Troas along with some books and parchments of Old Testament scriptures. We might expect him to be sad, discouraged, and even bitter that he had served the Lord faithfully only to come to the end of his days in such a place with execution by beheading looming. But it was the opposite. Some have called this chapter “Paul’s Song” because he revealed his heart and in no way appears to regret anything. In verse 8, he declares victory: “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”. When you read these words, can you say like Paul, “I am ready”? He is referencing the Old Testament Drink Offering that was poured out to the Lord and sees his life as a life of sacrifice for God’s glory. “I have fought a good fight” speaks of the Christian life and all we battle against. We might not feel like we have always fought a good fight but we can take comfort that we were on the Lord’s side of the battle. The course refers to the Christian life as a race that we run and just as we had a starting line at our new birth, we have a finish line ahead of us and by God’s Grace, we will finish what we started. Paul testified in Acts 20:24, “Neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy”. “I have kept the faith” speaks of the perseverance of the saints and that we will keep believing. Praise God, we fight a good fight, on the God side of the battle. We will finish the race the Lord laid before us and we will not stop believing!
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June 5, 2025
James 5:17-18 “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit”
The scripture here makes sure we understand that Elijah was a person like us. God tells us this to defeat the lies of the devil that the prophet’s power of prayer was because he was more than a man and was holier than we are. But the Holy Spirit inspired these words after verse 16, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” to give us the faith to believe that when we pray, God is at work. One thing about Elijah’s prayer to stop the rain was that it was a prayer in line with God’s Word. He had a scriptural basis for his prayer that looked back to Deuteronomy 11:16-17, “Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; And then the LORD’S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you”. This completely described the backslidden condition of Israel when Elijah prayed the prayer of faith and the rain stopped. When we know what the Bible says about a matter, then we know God’s will concerning it. Then when we pray with the scripture as a guarantee, our prayers have power, backed by the truth of God’s Word. Elijah didn’t just pull the idea of God shutting off rain out of his imagination or his desire to manipulate the situation. As he prayed, he could speak to the Lord about the promise He made in Deuteronomy, point out the sins of Israel, and ask the Lord to keep His promise. His faith in prayer rested on what God said and that God cannot lie. Are you praying for something right now, wanting or needing an answer from God? Then ask the Holy Spirit to direct you to what God has already said in the Bible concerning your situation and make those scriptures the foundation of your prayers. Use your concordance or cross-referencing resources and write down every passage you can find that concerns your request. Then, remember we are all just like Elijah and have God’s ear open to us. Pray, pray, and keep praying, resting your faith and hope on God’s faithfulness to keep His promises. Halleluiah!!
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June 4, 2025
Judges 7:7 “And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand”
The Midianite army numbered 135,000 and the Israelite army numbered 32,000. But God told Gideon 32,000 were too many because when they defeated Midian, they would boast about their strength and abilities and not give God the glory. So, Gideon told everyone who was afraid, to go home and 22,000 went home. God said that’s still too many and when He was finished testing them, only 300 men were left. God took those 300 and defeated the large Midianite army. Our lesson today is that the Lord often chooses the weak, the incapable, the lowly, and the outnumbered to do His work. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence”. We sometimes feel inadequate and unqualified to serve the Lord, to step up and put ourselves out there. But we know the Bible stories like how David, a youth with a sling and a small stone, by the power of God, killed a fierce, trained giant warrior. David’s victory came from his submission to the Lord and as he ran to face Goliath, he said, “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel”. Do you believe that nothing is impossible with God? Do you believe through Him you can do all things? The story of Gideon with his 300 soldiers, is the account of a battle that seemed impossible but God gave the victory. Let’s give ourselves completely to the Lord with all our weaknesses, flaws, and limitations. 1 Corinthians 1:31, “That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord”.
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June 3, 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”
This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. When we take it together with John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”, we have the plan and promise of God to save all who will believe. At first, it may seem the two verses are contradictory. One says when we hear the Word of Christ and believe on the Father, we receive eternal life. The other says when we put our trust in Jesus we receive eternal life. But they go together because the Father and the Son cannot be separated and we must look to them as a whole. The complete unity of the Father and Son is declared in John 10:30, “I and my Father are one” and in John 5:22-23, “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him”. Consider 1 John 2:22-23: “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also”. The Jews said they believed in God the Father but when they heard the Words of Jesus, they would not believe that He was the Son of God. But when we hear the truth of Jesus Christ and receive Him as our Savior, believing that He is the only begotten Son of God, we are believing 1 John 4:9, “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him”. Saving faith is not trusting the church, our confessions, baptism, religion, or anything else including our good deeds. It is trusting Jesus, the Son of God, and that He alone will save us. Don’t think that people in the average church pew believe this gospel and don’t believe because it’s been preached a time or two that everyone is settled in the matter. People need to hear it over and over because the enemy is always at work to discredit salvation by grace through faith alone. Even those who are saved can often get confused over the complete sufficiency of Christ Jesus to save all who trust in Him.
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June 2, 2025
Job 13:15 “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him”
What does it take to have the resolve, the fortitude that Job showed when he was at the lowest point in his life? He had lost everything and all that was left was his life but his steadfast faith in God was such that he declared that even if it came to losing his life, his trust in God would not waver. That’s the opposite stance of the seed that fell in rocky ground or among thorns in Luke 8. It’s more like the house that was built on the rock and when storms, wind, rains, and floods beat it, it was still standing firm. For us, that type of faith comes when we anchor our hope in Christ alone. There’s an old hymn that says, “His oath, his covenant, his blood, support me in the whelming flood; when all around my soul gives way, he then is all my hope and stay. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand: all other ground is sinking sand”. But Job lived long before Jesus was born and yet he had such faith in God that nothing could move him. It takes a God-view of all creation and the underlying determination that all things exist because God made them and, when it comes to choosing to follow anything created or the Creator, we choose the Creator. And, by anything created, we mean not only tangible things, but ideas, theories, systems, and anything else concocted by humans including religions. Unshakable faith means we don’t have to understand our circumstances; we trust God unconditionally. Job didn’t know why he had lost everything and was suffering pain but he determined to trust God even though he was looking for answers to explain his situation. That’s the idea of, “But I will maintain (Plead, reason, dispute) mine own ways before him (Offer my defense)”. Unshakable faith doesn’t mean we stop trying to understand why God works the way He does and it’s not wrong to ask Him. Have you come to that place in your faith in God that no matter what happens, you will declare steadfast trust in Him? He gives and sometimes He takes away but He promised that He will never leave or forsake us and that like Job, all that seems bad that comes our way He will turn it all for our good.
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June 1, 2025
Matthew 20:34 “So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him”
Jesus asked these blind men what they wanted and they said they wanted to see. Today’s verse says that the Lord touched their eyes and immediately they were healed. When we pray for God to help us, to do something we’re trusting Him for, we usually want Him to respond immediately as He did in this miracle. A lot of our Lord’s miracles took place this way. Jesus would speak or touch people and immediately they were healed or delivered. In Luke 4:39, Peter’s mother-in-law was sick and the Bible says that Jesus, “stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them”. Many times in the gospels the word “immediately” is used to tell us how quickly circumstances responded to the Lord’s words or touch. But notice the account of the healing in John 9:6-7: “When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing”. Here, Jesus gave the man a command, a duty to do, that was a part of his healing. Sometimes the answers to our prayers come with some responsibility on our part and God wants us to be involved and act in line with His instructions. He does not always want us to passively wait for Him to immediately show up when there are things we should do. The blind man acted on faith when the Lord told him to go specifically to the pool of Siloam and wash. Sometimes God wants us to forgive someone we’re holding a grudge against before He will answer our prayers. Sometimes He reveals a scripture to us He wants us to act on. Then there are times He wants us to ask someone to pray with us and partner with us in our petition to the Lord. A part of our prayers should be to ask God to show us if anything is blocking Him from acting, anything that’s grieving the Holy Spirit, or anything we should do in faithful obedience to His will. He told Moses to lift up his rod and stretch out his hand and the Red Sea parted. We can pray, “Lord I know that You can answer me immediately but if there’s any part You want me to have in this, show me clearly, reveal it to me, and give me the grace to obey”.
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