Devotional Thoughts

Psalm 78:1-4  Maschil of Asaph.   "Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.  (2)  I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:  (3)  Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.  (4)  We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done." "Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth." God is saying to us, "Listen to me!"  Too often, God's Word is viewed as suggestions that we should follow if we want to get our way in life. "If you do this, God will do that." God's Word is not a suggestion; rather, it is the only way to find peace and joy through the righteousness of Jesus Christ. It is the word of assurance that is needed in a society that doesn't always mean what they say. There was a time when a man's word was hi...

1 Corinthians 1:14-17     “I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.” In our way of thinking today, Paul’s comment in verse 14 is almost shocking. We who have the privilege of administering baptism rejoice in seeing God’s children manifest the answer of a good conscience toward God (1Pe 3:21). Paul was making a point here that he was not keeping a tally of those he had baptized. This was important to Paul considering the division that existed in the church at Corinth at the time of Paul’s letter. Apparently there were some who were trying to give Paul and others credit for their conversion and being added to the church. He was making sure tha...

Psalm 77:20    "Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron." "We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture."  Like sheep, we are prone to wandering off the beaten path. We see this or that and our desires are sometimes drawn away from that which is most important. But still the "rod and staff" of our wonderful Shepherd protects us and brings us back to the fold.    How are we led in "the paths of righteousness"? Is it not by the light from the lamp that shines and directs our paths? Isn't it by the Word of God? It is of the utmost importance that we, as God's people, maintain two things in our lives. We must stay in God's Word. If we begin to neglect reading the Bible, our lives will soon grow cold and stale. It is to our benefit that we have a daily routine of Bible reading. I call it a routine, but soon it becomes a part of us that we look forward to. The second thing that we must maintain is church a...

1 Corinthians 1:10-13     “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and   that   there be no divisions among you; but   that   ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them   which are of the house   of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” Seeing that God has called us unto the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ (1Co 1:12), we should walk in  that  fellowship. This was apparently not the case with the Corinthians at the time of Paul’s writing, nor is it always the case with us today. Paul implored them by the authority and character (name) of Jesus Christ to be of...

Psalm 77:1-3  To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph.   "I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.  (2)  In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.  (3)  I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah." Psalm 77:9-12     "Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.  (10)  And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.  (11)  I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.  (12)  I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings." Do you ever have questions for God? We all do, don't we? Here's the tricky question: Have you ever questioned God?  My first response, and I'm sure your's also, is that I...

1 Corinthians 1:7-9     “So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end,   that ye may be   blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God   is   faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” The evidence of Christ having been confirmed in the saints at Corinth (1Co 1:6), they were not lacking in any gift. This statement is still true today for every one of us in whom the evidence of Jesus is confirmed. Our Heavenly Father has seen to it that we do not fall short of that with which He endows His believing children. We fully expect (wait for) the manifestation (coming) of our Lord Jesus Christ. We do fully expect to see Him plainly when we no longer have this veil of flesh because of the great price He has paid for us. However, that is not the only time we should look for His appearing. Every time we pick up God’s word to ...

Psalm 76:1-3   To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song of Asaph.  "In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel.  (2)  In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.  (3)  There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah." "In Judah is God known." Sometimes, we skip right over words without really stopping to think about the reason they are placed. For me, it is very important to have a good concordance. I use Strong's and Vine's concordances. There is much depth of understanding when we can stop to look at the original meaning of words. We know Judah is one of the tribes of Israel named according to one of the 12 sons of Jacob. Judah was the tribe from which our Lord was born; therefore we can find a great truth from this statement. The writer of Hebrews states, "For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda." (Hebrews 7:14) The definition of the word, Judah, is praise. ...

1 Corinthians 1:4-6     “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:” As servants of the living God, it is good for us to be grateful to Him at all times on account of His saints. This is not for their sakes alone. We are to be thankful because of the that which has been given them; the grace of God. This grace does not come by our merit. It does not come because of our deep knowledge of the things of God. Remember that God told Paul He had “much people” in Corinth (Act 18:10) as an encouragement to Paul to not fear to preach the gospel to them. God’s grace comes because He has elected and sanctified a people through His son Jesus. The grace of God through Jesus Christ richly furnishes us in everything. When things are well with us, the grace of God causes us to be thankful to Him. If w...

Psalm 75:1  To the chief Musician, Altaschith, A Psalm or Song of Asaph.   "Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare." "Thy wondrous works declare."  Have you ever heard someone say, "Well, where is God in all this?"  The thought of that question is saying, "God should not have allowed this (or that) to happen."  But who am I to say what God should, or should not, do? Yes, there are a lot of questions floating around this morning. This winter, we have been intrigued by the birds. Even when it was snowing, we could hear the birds even more loudly proclaiming the glorious works of God. Every Spring, the flowers and trees proclaim the glorious works of God when they begin to show the brilliant colors given to them.  My heart is filled with praise this morning as this verse of Scripture strikes and stirs my heart. Every Fall, the trees proclaim the wondrous works of God as ...

1 Corinthians 1:1-3     “Paul, called   to be   an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes   our   brother, Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called   to be   saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: Grace   be   unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and   from   the Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul first came to Corinth after preaching Jesus and His resurrection in Athens. Based on his meeting Aquila and Priscilla there, the time of this visit to Corinth is placed at around 50 AD. Aquila and Priscilla had fled Rome as the result of an edict issued by the Emperor Claudius that all Jews should depart Rome (Acts 18:2). Claudius’ proclamation was given around 49 AD. Scholars indicate that Paul was probably at Corinth for about two years, leaving in 52 AD. When he left Corinth, he c...

Psalm 73:24-26     "Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.  (25)  Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.  (26)  My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." "Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel." I admit to you there have been times in my travels that I would still be wandering around in the wilderness if my GPS had lost connection. I remember more than once being in an unfamiliar place and praying, "Lord, please don't let me lose connection." I have seen a lot of countryside through the years and I'm thankful to say that the Lord was with me every mile of the way. He has indeed guided me geographically in my travels. But there are so many other ways that He has guided me with His counsel. I'm so thankful as I look back that His wisdom guided me through decisions that had to be made. I wish I could tell you that I...

Romans 16:6-16    “Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us. Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord. Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved. Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus’   household.  Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the   household   of Narcissus, which are in the Lord. Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord. Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them. Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them. Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salu...

Psalm 73:1-3   A Psalm of Asaph.   "Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.  (2)  But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.  (3)  For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." Today's writing might be a little different from other days. This Psalm tells the entire story of how quickly you and I can be plunged into a state of discouragement and despair. I believe one of the most used tools in Satan's toolbox is that of discouragement. And quite honestly discouragement is the offspring of selfishness. I know that is a hard saying, but I believe it's true. Discouragement comes when we do not get our own way. Discouragement comes when we place our eyes on others and the things they possess and enjoy. Discouragement comes when we begin to compare ourselves against others. Do you see what caused discouragement in the life of the Psalmist? "... my steps had well nigh slipp...

Romans 16:1-5    “I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also. Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise   greet   the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.” As Paul closes out his letter to the church at Rome, he speaks to them of specific individuals that have proven their love for the church of God. While some would have us believe that Paul had no use for women, he is very diligent to mention several sisters here who were vital to the church in that day. There is much debate today about what women can and ...

Psalm 72:17-19    "His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and  men  shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed. (18)  Blessed  be  the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. (19)  And blessed  be  his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled  with  his glory; Amen, and Amen."   I believe stability is one of the greatest needs that we have from birth until death. Change can be a frightening and unnerving thing. In today's verses, we find the ultimate stability that will ever exist. "His name shall endure for ever." We serve the same God today who spoke this universe into existence and continues to sustain it every moment of every day. The Psalmist used words that described his thoughts about God when he said, "his name shall be continued as long as the sun." We often hear something described as, "sure as the sun will rise in t...

Romans 15:30-33    “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in   your   prayers to God for me; That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which   I have   for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints; That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed. Now the God of peace   be   with you all. Amen.” Paul has given admonishment to the saints at Rome and confessed his deep desire to come and see them. He has also related to them that he must first go to Jerusalem and minister to the needs of the saints there before he can come to Rome. He now makes a request of the saints at Rome. This should also be our desire today for one another. The word translated as beseech means to call near (see Strong’s). Paul needed to feel the spiritual closeness of his brethren, even when they we...

Psalm 71:7    "I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge." "I am as a wonder unto many."  David had heard all the songs that had been sung about him. After he slew Goliath, "... the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands." (1 Samuel 18:7) For a period of time, he had heard this sung more than once. In other places, people would say, "Isn't this the David that had this sung about him?"  Also, David had been blessed to write many many songs about his experience with the Lord. Those songs had been sung by the best singers and musicians. He had achieved great success in many areas of his life.  I've often said that one of the worst things a congregation can do for their pastor is to tell him how "good he is." He's human and he might just start believing it. So, how do we go about showing our appreciation for a pastor or anyone else who has b...

Romans 15:26-29     “For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain. And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.” In verse twenty-five, Paul told the saints at Rome that he was going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints there. We can be sure that Paul’s ministry in Jerusalem included preaching the gospel of Christ. However, he plainly shows here that to be an effective minister, we must truly be servants. There were material needs among the saints at Jerusalem that Paul was also going to minister to. The means to meet this mini...

Psalm 70:4-5    "Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.  (5)  But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O LORD, make no tarrying." We saw these same words in an earlier Psalm: "I am poor and needy."  In Psalm 40:17, these words are added, "I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God." Isn't it such a tremendous blessing to know that the Lord thinks about you. He carries you in His heart. You are in His thoughts constantly. The beautiful part is that while you are constantly in His thoughts; even so, I am also. I cannot think two thoughts at the same time, but I'm thankful that God is able to do just that. But even knowing that, sometimes we get a little impatient. Don't we? We want it to happen on our time schedule; which is definitely not ...

Romans 15:22-25     “For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you. But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you; Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your   company.  But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.” There are times when we may have a desire to go somewhere or do something particular. At times, we may have even forsaken some responsibility in order to accomplish what we wanted. Maybe we skipped school or called in sick to work. Perhaps we have been conscientious enough to put off that gratification until a more appropriate time. Paul has been expressing to the saints at Rome how that he was called to preach the gospel “from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum (see verse 19)”. He assures them that he ...

Psalm 69:1-3  To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, A Psalm of David. "Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.  (2)  I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.  (3)  I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God." Have you ever had a sinking feeling inside? Has it ever felt like the weight of the world was on your shoulders and getting heavier as the moment goes by? Have you ever felt like you were all alone in the conflict? Have you ever felt like God was not answering your prayer? These questions are the very reason why I love the Psalms. As you read through them, you know the writer was allowed by the Holy Spirit to express his own questions and sometimes doubts and fears. Today's Psalm is such a time as that. The writer is crying out, "Save me, O God." He was talking about eternal salvation there; rather, he needed saving (deliverance) from...