Devotions

Please don’t panic, but in the coming days, the Christmas frenzy will be unleashed upon us. With Halloween over, retailers will do everything in their power to get you to buy your gifts early. As a parent, that can be stressful. Trying to determine the best gift for your child and if you can afford it, only heightens the stress. God fusses over us, too, but He knows the best gift to give us.

‭‭Luke‬ ‭11:13‬

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

Jesus uses the love of parents to show the love of God. Even evil people give gifts to their children. The darkest of heart can shower presents on those they love. If this is the case for those who are wicked, how much more will God give the Holy Spirit to those who ask? The Holy Spirit is the one who gives us gifts like prophecy and teaching. Romans 5:5 says the Spirit pours the love of God into our hearts.

Politicians like to trumpet what the polls say, but there is a problem, it has been found that most people aren’t honest. They tell the pollsters what they think they want to hear. The same can be said for Christians. They often don’t tell their true feelings but morph into the settings they are in. Jesus tells us to be ready to confess your faith.

‭‭Luke‬ ‭12:8

“And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God;”

The number of people confessing Jesus as their savior is dwindling. People are trying to equate “hate” with Christians because they oppose homosexuality and abortions. So to prevent any attack, people are claiming up and not saying anything. George Gallup surveyed people in the United States, and the number of people who would check the box that says “none” when it comes to religious affiliation has gone through the roof. People aren’t confessing their faith before men today.

Did you ever have to stay after school and write on a piece of paper a hundred times “I will not …” Fill in the blank for your misdeed. Your hand would be cramping by the end. A lot of Christians think they have to do something similar when they sin. God doesn’t work that way. He offers forgiveness free of charge because His Son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross.

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭9:14

“how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

In the Old Testament, the people of God had to sacrifice bulls, lambs, and goats for the forgiveness of sins. Christ’s death on the cross was the final sacrifice needed for sin to be removed. His unblemished life became the perfect substitute for our sin, which left a price tag of death upon us. With that forgiveness comes a conscience that is cleansed. You don’t need an animal to be your substitute; Jesus was the perfect sacrifice.

Each year I have to go to the eye doctor and get an exam. Without my glasses or contacts, I am pretty blind. What makes it difficult is having a stranger look into your eyes with all kinds of machinery. It serves a purpose, but the level of awkwardness goes through the roof. The reason for that is that your eye is a lamp to your soul.

‭‭Luke‬ ‭11:34‬

“The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness.”

The eye is discussed a lot in literature. Many authors write about how the eye is the window to the soul, and you can see into a person’s heart by gazing into their eyes. I’m not sure about that, but your eyes will often give you away when things aren’t right. Jesus backs this up when He tells you that your eyes offer a light into your life. If your life is clean, then you can see clearly, but if there aren’t good things happening, then darkness lingers in parts of your heart.

Have you ever signed a legal document like escrow papers to purchase a house? The stack of paper can be a couple of inches thick. You will have to sign and initial many of those pages as you are made aware of your legal responsibility. Once it is all done and notarized, you are legally bound to the contract. It is a covenant that you have entered into with another party, and if you break it, you could be taken to court. Did you know that God entered into a binding agreement with you when you accepted Jesus as your savior? It’s His New Covenant.

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭8:10‬

FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS, AND I WILL WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS. AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.”

The writer of Hebrews is quoting Jeremiah 31 and the promise that God had made to the Israelites when they returned from captivity. This was a new covenant. With the Old Covenant, everything was based on what the Israelites did in response to God’s law. The New Covenant was all based on what God was going to do. God says, “I Will.” This is all His doing, and nothing is dependent on what we do. Because it is a Covenant that He has made, it is unbreakable.

During planting season, there are few things more beautiful than perfect plows lines in the fields. The symmetry of row after row of dirt formed so vegetables can

When you take your car to the mechanic, you always brace for the moment when he calls you with the estimate of repairs. How much will it cost to fix it, and how long will you be without it? The Bible tells you the cost of following Jesus. It requires your whole life, but it is well worth it.

‭‭Luke‬ ‭9:23

“And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”

Jesus laid down the gauntlet for being a disciple. If you follow Me, you have to deny yourself, pick up the cross DAILY, and follow My leading. Most people have no clue about the weight or meaning behind those words. Denying yourself is much more than telling yourself, “no.” It’s trading your life, plans, and aspirations for what God’s plans are. It’s saying, “not my will, but Your will be done.”

There are some pretty funny videos on Youtube of athletes left hanging when trying to give a high five. Tom Brady and Josh Hart are two of the best ones to watch. They went to congratulate one of their teammates, but they didn’t see them, and it looks like they were ignored. Josh Hart would always end up high-fiving himself. We all know what it feels like to left out, but I want you to know that if you are faithfully serving the Lord and no one notices or appreciates you, you are not forgotten. Jesus sees you.

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭6:10

“For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.”

Ministering to people is tough. You have to love people who make it difficult and serve people who are all about themselves. Most of the time, it would be easier to quit, and many people do. The writer of Hebrews wants you to know that you are not forgotten. God sees the love and service that you freely give to the church and community, and He will remember that when you stand before Him.

Have you ever discovered something surprising about someone you admired, and it shocked you? It could’ve been a long-held secret or dark side that was exposed. Whatever it was, did it leave you shaking your head afterward? Jesus spoke to this when he said, “nothing is hidden.” There are no secrets. You might be able to conceal it for a while, but eventually, it will be exposed.

‭‭Luke‬ ‭8:17

“For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light.”

Jesus is talking about sin. He wants everyone to know that they can try to hide it but eventually, it be made known. At the same time, He is telling us God sees everything. I don’t think Jesus is trying to use scare tactics but is trying to save us from a lot of wasted effort. It takes a lot of work to keep up the lies and deception in an attempt to fool people. That’s why when people’s sins are finally exposed, they express some relief because they are exhausted.

There isn’t a day that goes by where my email box isn’t full of diets promising that if I follow it, I will lose 50 pounds in a month. All I have to do is buy their secret ingredient, and it will transform my waistline. None of these scams work. Only a steady, balanced diet over time will accomplish that. When it comes to spiritual maturity, some Christians are still living off of a diet of milk when they should’ve grown into eating the meat of the Word of God. For some, it’s time to change that diet.

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭5:13-14

“For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”

The church has a sickness, and the writer of Hebrews is addressing it. There are a ton of people who should be growing in their faith so that they could be teaching others, but they are still spiritual weaklings due to their lack of knowing God’s Word. This happens when we go to a church that teaches keeps their teachings shallow. When the pastor only pumps you with positivity or prosperity, you are not going to grow. If you need to be motivated and comforted and don’t like to be convicted by our sin, then you are starving yourselves. You need a steady diet of God’s Word.