Daily Devotional Free

  The H1N1 pandemic focused the world's attention on viruses. Viruses are living organisms that need a host to survive and wreak their havoc. In some cases, a virus can be present for many years before the host is even aware of it. During that time, the virus can inflict widespread and untold damage. Take it away from the host, and it remains dormant or dies. In a similar way, sin needs a host to stay alive. By themselves, sins such as pride, greed, anger and selfishness are mere words. But when sin overpowers a human host, it works to destroy it for as long as the host is alive. Thankfully, because of Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross, Christians have been positionally "set free from sin (Rom. 6:18).  Even though we still sin, the Holy Spirit who lives in us helps us to resist that "sin virus", the lust of the flesh (Gal. 5:16). The apostle John tells us: "Those who have been born into God's family do not make a practice of sinning, because God'

  Dear God, how excellent is Your loving kindness. Therefore, do the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. Satisfy me, and all who pray with me, with the goodness of Your House throughout this day. In Your light make us to see light. May Your Holy Spirit be with us in prayer and praise, in speaking and hearing from Your holy Word. I ask that today You be with me at every moment, and fill me with the capacity for love that only Your Spirit can bring to me. I dedicate this day to You, mighty God. I pray that Your Spirit will lift me up this day, and that Your face may shine upon me all the day long, that I might do Your will and lead a new life in Christ, reborn in the Spirit. And bless us with all spiritual blessings in Jesus Christ, for His name’s sake. Amen

  A friend who is a commercial pilot told me about a flight in which he encountered a serious mechanical issue - a problem with dangerous implications. When the situation occurred, the warning lights in the cockpit informed him of the problem and he monitored it all the way to the destination, ultimately landing safely. Once on the ground, the pilot immediately went to the maintenance staff and reported it. To his surprise, the mechanics responded, "We already know about the problem and are ready to fix it. When you got the cockpit warning, we automatically got an electronic warning as well". As he shared that incident, I couldn't help but compare it to Jesus' words about our heavenly Father: "Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him" (Matt. 6:8). He said this in contrast to people who believe that they must "use vain repetitions. . . For they think that they will be heard for their many words" (v. 7). Jesus presupposes God&

  Dear Lord, I bring myself into your presence. My soul longs for your presence. May I always take time to notice and enjoy the beauty You have created for my pleasure. Thank You Lord for always being there for me. I know with certainty there were times when you carried me, Lord. When it was through, Your strength I got through the dark times in my life. Let Your forgiveness find me. Hold me in Your strong arms and give me Your new life. Live in me and with me day by day, that my heart may be made anew within me, and that together we may show the world a new and better path. Amen

  On the day of His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and showed them His hands and feet. We are told that at first, they could not believe for joy - it appeared too wonderful to be true (Luke 24:40-41), Thomas was not with the disciples, but he also had trouble believing until he saw for himself. When Jesus appeared to Thomas and told him to put his fingers in the nail holes and his hand in His side, Thomas cried, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). Later, as Paul told the Philippians of his own suffering, he also declared Jesus as Lord. He testified that he had come to the place where he considered all his experiences as loss "for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord" (Phil. 3:8). You and I have never seen Jesus calm a storm or raise someone from the dead. We haven't sat at His feet on a Galilean hillside and heard Him teach. But through eyes of faith, we have been spiritually healed by His death on our behalf. Thus, we can join

Dear Lord, as I come to you today, fill my heart and my whole being with the wonder of Your presence. So that, I may gain wisdom of the heart. Help me do today the things that matter, not to waste the time I have. The moments I have are precious, Lord, see that I count them dear. Teach me to number my days aright. Fill me this day with your kindness, that I may be glad and rejoice all the days of my life. Teach me to live in the knowledge that You who care for me today. And, will care for me tomorrow and all the days of my life. Through Christ, I pray. Amen

  Dear God, You are ushering in another day, untouched and freshly new, so here I come to ask You God for renewal. Forgive the many errors, that I made yesterday, and let me try again dear God, to walk closer in Thy way. But Father, I am well aware, I can't make it on my own, so take my hand and hold it tight, for I can't walk alone. I was born a weak, defenseless child, but Your angel spread his wings over my cradle to defend me. From birth until now, Your love has illumined my path and has wondrously guided me towards the light of eternity; from birth until now the generous gifts of Your providence have been marvelously showered upon me. I give You thanks for every step of my life's journey, together with all who have come to know you, who call upon your name. Support me all the day long of this troublous life, until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes. And, the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over and my work is done. Then of Thy mercy, grant me a s

  I have learned much about the conscious remembrance of God from Brother Lawrence, a cook in a 17th-century monastery. In his book "The Practice of the Presence of God", Brother Lawrence mentioned practical ways to "offer God your heart from time to time in the course of the day", even in the midst of chores such as cooking or repairing shoes. One's depth of spirituality, said Lawrence, does not depend on changing things you do but rather changing your motive - doing for God what you ordinarily do for yourself. One of his eulogies said, "The good Brother found God everywhere, as much while he was repairing shoes as while he was praying . . . It was God, not the task, he had in view. He knew that the more the task was against his natural inclinations, the greater was his love in offering it to God". As we tackle some of the least desirable duties, let us be reminded to keep God and His glory in view. With effort, even the most difficult tasks can be pe

  I was excited about going to the baseball park to watch the Detroit Tigers play the Chicago White Sox. I proudly put on my Tigers T-shirt that morning before going to the opposing team's stadium. But I had to wear a sweatshirt over my team's shirt because it was cool outside. So I was disappointed that no one at U.S. Cellular Field could see which team I was there to cheer for. No one knew I was a Tiger's fan. After a 3-hour rain delay, the game finally started and I could cheer for my team and get my loyalty out in the open. The apostle Paul had a loyalty that was most definitely out in the open - a loyalty to Jesus Christ. He wrote to the believers in Rome, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ" (Rom. 1:16). He knew that the gospel was "the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" because Jesus had dramatically changed his life and its direction. In his preaching and witnessing, he proclaimed Jesus, the One to whom he had given his wh

  Dear Lord, let my heart rejoice and be glad in this time of prayer. Remind me often of the great blessings You have bestowed on me. Defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies that we, surely trusting in thy defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries. Grant me this day that You may never be completely out of my thoughts. Let me carry You as a voice to guide my every step as I slip down the path of this precious day, that I might always remember Your will, and lighten the world around me. Help me to make every moment of my day, every word from my mouth, a prayer, that I might live in Your presence. Oh God who has made me, oh God who keeps me, oh God who will be my Lord through all eternity, shine down Your blessings and wisdom upon me like the sun upon a field. And may I keep You in the forefront of my every thought and deed, throughout this day, and evermore. Amen

  If you've ever tried to fix something and failed, you'll appreciate the sign I saw outside an automotive repair shop: "We Will Fix What Your Husband Fixed". Whether the problem is the car, the plumbing, or an appliance, it's usually better off in the hands of someone who is skilled and trustworthy. So it is with the sin and the struggles within us that resist our efforts to mend them. Jeremiah denounced the greedy prophets and priests of his day who "healed the hurt of [God's] people slightly saying, 'Peace, peace!' when there is no peace" (Jer. 6:14). They could neither change themselves nor lead the people to spiritual transformation. So the Lord called the people to follow His way: "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls" (v. 16).  Centuries later, Jesus, the Son of God, said: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and

  Dear Lord, lead, guide, and tend me this day without Your restraining rod I err and stray. Hedge up my path lest I wander into unwholesome pleasure. Direct my feet that I be not entangled in Satan's secret snares, nor fall into his hidden traps. I pray to be able to read the Bible and learn Your truth. Give me the spirit of understanding and wisdom, for You know how difficult it can be sometimes. Let me understand and absorb the words in Your Bible, dear God, and let me see beyond the words on the page and know Your true and full Word, Jesus Christ. Oh Heavenly Father, in whom I live and move and have my being, I humbly pray You so to guide and govern me by your Holy Spirit, that in all the joys, occupations, and cares of this day I may never forget you, but remember that I am ever walking in your sight. In Christ's name, I pray. Amen

  When young Kofi came home after Sunday school, his mother asked him what he had learned that morning. His quickly reply spoke volumes: "Obedience. . . again!" Although I'm many years older than Kofi, I agree that obedience to God is a lesson that we must, sometimes reluctantly, learn over and over again. Oswald Chambers wrote: "The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear. If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says. . . . If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself". When we are obedient, we show God that we love Him and have more faith in Him than we do in ourselves. Arthur W. Pink said that love is "a principle of action, and it expresses itself. . . by deeds which please the object loved". To obey God means to relinquish what we want and to choose to do what He asks. God requires the obedience of His followers, and Jesus placed great importance on

  Dear Lord, You are compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. You have not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. All glory, all thanks be to You, wonderful God, who has by Your Son put away our sin, and cleansed us, that we might dwell with You forever. Come to me, Holy Spirit, and drive away my apathy. Forgive me for the smallness and selfishness of my mind. Take away this sense of tedium with Your Word, Your love, the wondrous gift of eternal life. I bind myself to You this day, oh Christ, in Your truth and in Your sacrifice. I give to You my anxiety and my fear, my depression and my doubt, for You have promised to take them if we only ask; and I take upon myself Your burden, for it is light and Your way is gentle. May I keep this in my heart and mind all this day. Amen

  Erin's life was so different from that of most 8-year-olds. While other kids were running and playing and eating ice cream, Erin was lying in a bed being fed through a tube - able to see only the brightest lights and hear only the loudest sounds. Her life consisted of needles and nurses and hospital visits as she battled ongoing illnesses and profound disabilities. Surrounded by a remarkable family who cared for her with compassion and filled her life with love, Erin died before reaching her ninth birthday. What can be learned from a precious child like Erin - one who never spoke a word or colored a picture or sang a song? A friend of Erin's family put it best: "We are all better for having had Erin in our lives. She taught us compassion, unconditional love, and appreciation for the little things". Children such as Erin also remind us that this world is not reserved for the perfect, the wealthy, or the athletic.  Each person, no matter their physical, mental, or emo

  Dear God, I thank You and love You for seeing who I really am. You know things about me that I don't even know myself, for You see with the clear eye of God. I most especially thank You, I fall upon my knees in gratitude, that You love me despite all of the sin and ugliness You see in me. I thank You for teaching me how to live in the present moment. In this way I enjoy each simple task as I do it without thinking that I must hurry on to the next thing. I do what I am doing with all my ability and all my concentration. I pray to be filled with Your Holy Spirit for the rest of this day. Let me go forth, walking with Your Spirit in my heart, that I may be filled with the joy and energy and praise for Your entire creation, thankful in the many gifts You have given me, and showing forth Your light in my every word and deed. This I pray in Christ's name. Amen

  Over and over again, my driver's education instructor said these two words: "Drive ahead". This was his way of telling me to focus on the horizon, not just on my immediate surroundings. Drivers who continually look to the right or to the left may well go into the ditch.  Satan is good at causing "roadside distractions" that tempt us to look at him rather than at Jesus. If he can get our attention, he may be able to get us off track and delay our spiritual progress. He even tried this with Jesus Himself! After Jesus was baptized, Satan tried to deter Him by suggesting "better" ways to accomplish His work. Satan told Jesus that He could prove He was the Son of God by throwing Himself from the temple (Luke 4:9-11). But Jesus knew that proving He was God's Son would come by submitting Himself to the cross, not by flinging Himself from a high building. He responded, "You shall not tempt the Lord your God" (v. 12). Jesus had His eyes on our r