Today’s Devotional: “The Sinfulness of Sin” The commandments are not to blame for our sinfulness. The law is holy, righteous, and good. “So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.” (Romans 7:12) Consider the words of the Psalmist. “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the … Read more

Today’s Devotional: “Knowing the Difference” Knowing the difference makes all the difference. Information alone leads to legalism. Inspiration alone leads to fanaticism. But Christ-like character emerges when we incarnate these two, bring them to life in what we do, and put them into practice. This is essentially what the Apostle James is advocating. We need … Read more

Today’s Devotional: “God’s Presence for Us” God is personally present in the valleys. David said, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4) David could walk through the Valley of the … Read more

Today’s Devotional: “The Deceitfulness of Sin” Sin takes the law and deceives us with it. “For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.” (Romans 7:11) Sin’s deceit takes two forms. First, it deceives by making a person feel safe and secure in the law. The sin I’m referring to … Read more

Today’s Devotional: “Loving God” To love God is at the heart of what it means to be a believer in Jesus Christ. It is the greatest of all God’s commandments, and therefore the statement of faith for all Jews, known as the “Shema” or “hearing.” “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is … Read more

Today’s Devotional: “God’s Love is from and to Everlasting” God’s love will hold us and never let us go. This tenacious love God has for us is both eternal and changeless. These two concepts are beautifully linked in the New Revised Standard Bible. “But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting … Read more

Today’s 333 Devotional: “Love Hangs Tough” In the Apostle Paul’s description of love in 1 Corinthians 13, one of love’s attributes is “(love) bears all things.” The Greek word for “bear” is “stego,” which literally means to cover something, like a roof. It was used to cover something to protect it from the elements. Figuratively, … Read more

Today’s Devotional: “God Remembers” The word “remember” is powerful. As believers, we are commanded to remember the Lord and what He’s done for us. The Psalmist said, “I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old.” (Psalm 77:11) We also use the word remember when asking God to … Read more

Today’s Devotional: “God’s Love is Frightening” During the Welsh Revival, a Welshman was praying in English while still thinking in his native tongue. When he began quoting Psalm 130:4, “But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared,” he stumbled as he searched for the right words. Eventually, he offered this translation. “There … Read more

Why Church: The Gathering Factor We’ve all heard about our need to gather for church. The writer of Hebrews tells us why. “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and … Read more

Today’s Devotional: “Out with the Old — In with the New” This was the Apostle Paul’s view when he wrote, “For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. But now we have been delivered from the … Read more

Today’s Devotional: “The Two Aren’t Compatible” When we sin, we abuse God’s grace. When we believe that God’s grace gives us free rein and encourages sin, then we either do not understand God’s grace or we abuse God’s grace and mercy. When a person comes into the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, it doesn’t mean … Read more

Today’s 333 Devotional: “Love God’s Style” In our parable this Sunday, “Love God’s Style,” or what is called “The Good Samaritan,” we’ll be looking at the issue and Jesus’s answer to the question, “What is our reaction when confronted with people who are in need?” The main point of this parable is that God’s heart … Read more

Today’s Devotional: “How Are We To Love?” Love is not what we believe. In our society, love has many definitions. There’s passionate love, where our emotions run wild. There’s familial love, where we say that blood is thicker than water. There’s also love for others, sometimes described as “brotherly love.” But when it comes to … Read more

Today’s Devotional: “Just Because” Why “just because”? Because we are His special treasures and He desires to draw us into a deeper, loving relationship with Him. Therefore, He lures us away from things that are unhealthy or unhelpful and that compete for our affection. “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with … Read more

Today’s Devotional: “The Big Turn Off” Paul tackles the one thing that turns people off to the church and the gospel message of Jesus Christ more than anything else. It’s when we tell others how to live but fail to live up to those same standards ourselves. It is called “Hypocrisy.” Paul says to them, … Read more

Today’s 333 Devotional: “An Unbelievable Love” God proved His love for us by sending His Son, Jesus, to die for us while we were His enemies, so that we could be made right with Him. Now, we know the words, but do we realize just how unbelievable that love really is? As parents, we send … Read more

Today’s Devotional: “A Most Uncommon Love” The Apostle Paul declares the depth of God’s unbelievable love, and it’s probably the clearest definition we have of “agape,” or God’s unconditional love. “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet … Read more

Today’s Devotional: “Wait and Trust” Waiting and trusting are the two hardest words to put into practice. But until we learn to wait and trust, we won’t be victorious in the face of the attacks Satan launches against us. Consider Saul, a man chosen by God to be king over Israel. For a while, things … Read more

Today’s Devotional: “Have You Been Reckoned?” The Apostle Paul uses the word “reckon” several times in chapter four, speaking of Jesus’s righteousness being counted and imputed to us by faith (Romans 4:2-25). “Reckoned” is an accounting term meaning something is charged to someone’s account. In chapter six, Paul uses this word again, explaining that a … Read more