Ephesians 2:8-10, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk … Continue reading A Brief Devotion: Growing by Grace, pt1
Category: Devotions
Psalm 34:19, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all." Usually when affliction strikes, our first instinct is to question God! But then we’re taking our eyes off of Him and placing them on ourselves. However, Christ shares in our sufferings and empathizes with us. He knows … Continue reading A Brief Devotion: Molded by Suffering, pt4
Romans 8:18, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." This past Sunday, we were reminded that our purpose even in the midst of suffering; is to live for Christ. However, even on a good day, living for Christ … Continue reading A Brief Devotion: Molded by Suffering, pt3
Philippians 1:29 "For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake..." Suffering can come like a storm, overwhelming us with the darkness of despair and the sinking feeling of a journey traveled alone. While the world looks for … Continue reading A Brief Devotion: Molded by Suffering, pt2
John 3:16-17, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." We have learned that … Continue reading A Brief Devotion: God’s Beauty, pt6
2 Corinthians 5:21, "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." This verse refers to God’s work of redemption through Christ on the cross, which displays the beautiful nature of His work. Friends, God in Christ reconciled us to … Continue reading A Brief Devotion: God’s Beauty, pt5
John 1:14, "...the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." God's beauty is revealed in Christ's incarnation, in fact there are three ways that come to mind: 1) Christ is the exact image of God … Continue reading A Brief Devotion: God’s Beauty, pt4
Genesis 1:31, ''And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.'' One cannot assume that everyone is aware of the Creation account in Genesis 1. In this chapter we have the introduction to beauty, God's beauty. And at the … Continue reading A Brief Devotion: God’s Beauty, pt3
Psalm 50:1-2 “The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.” These verses debunks the claim that “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” See, one person claims a tree is beautiful but … Continue reading A Brief Devotion: God’s Beauty, pt2
Psalm 27:4, "One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple." The Psalmist tells us that God is beautiful. Therefore, I … Continue reading A Brief Devotion: God’s Beauty, pt1
Psalm 95:6 "Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!" As we have seen over the last few weeks, true worship is about much more than music. When we have seen God’s mercy and grace, we will be radically transformed to do what we were created for … Continue reading A Brief Devotion: Let Us Worship, pt4
Psalm 97:9, "For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods." Worship is about us exalting God. As God is always the greater and we are always the lesser. If this is how worship truly is defined, then worship is about far more than singing on … Continue reading A Brief Devotion: Let Us Worship, pt3
John 4:23-24, "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” John Calvin has stated, 'the greatest goal … Continue reading A Brief Devotion: Let Us Worship, pt2
John 4:23-24, "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." Here we see that God commands His … Continue reading A Brief Devotion: Let Us Worship, pt1
