WILL THE LORD FIND YOU FULLY COMMITTED TO HIM? King Asa started well but finished poorly. He trusted God early in his reign and overcame a million man army. Later, he trusted his accumulated wealth and bribed a foreign king to help him. God rebuked him for this, but he was unrepentant, ending his life… Read more »
One Year Bible Devotions
All One Year Bible devotions are based on the One Year Bible Online Reading Plan
“Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?” (Romans 8:32 NLT).
DOES GOD WITHHOLD GOOD FROM US? God already gave us His best. Therefore, let us not accuse Him of withholding any good thing from us. If we do not have it, it is because He has something better for us. Or it is because He is training us in righteousness through suffering. Our God has… Read more »
“And to this day the northern tribes of Israel have refused to be ruled by a descendant of David.” (2 Chronicles 10:19 NLT).
WHO WILL BOW THE KNEE TO THE SON OF DAVID? Thus began the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The writer of 2 Chronicles must have been living during the time of the two Jewish kingdoms, so his words had a historic meaning. Yet, they also have a prophetic meaning because Israel is still in… Read more »
“…those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God” (Romans 8:8 NLT).
WHO ARE YOU TRYING TO PLEASE? The apostle Paul wrote that only those under the control of the Holy Spirit are able to think about the things that please God. Without the Spirit, we are left to ourselves and to the control of the sin nature, which the Bible calls the “flesh.” The flesh is… Read more »
“…Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit” (Romans 7:6 NLT).
THE NEW WAY OF LIVING We don’t serve God by following a checklist, but by living under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Legalism does not please God as it only reveals our unrighteousness and prideful hearts. This “new way” of living is not about effort or earning, but believing and receiving. Those who have… Read more »
“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8 NLT).
LOVE SHOWN IS GREATER THAN LOVE SPOKEN Yes, love demonstrated is greater than love spoken. Yet, God has done both through Christ Jesus. He is the Logos, the greatest and fullest communication of God and God’s love to us. He is love in the flesh. He is Love come down from heaven to become one… Read more »
“Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin” (Romans 4:8 NLT).
IS YOUR RECORD CLEARED? Paul quoted David’s psalm (Psa. 32:1-2) to support his explanation about how being made right with God is not by works, but by faith alone. When we place our faith in Christ and receive forgiveness and salvation, His blood not only covers our sin, it washes it away. Our “record” is… Read more »
“Now the Levites will no longer need to carry the Tabernacle and its furnishings from place to place.” (1 Chronicles 23:26 NLT).
TRANSITIONING FROM PORTABLE TO PERMANENT David made preparations for the Temple to be built in Jerusalem. He gathered the materials for the building and gave his son, Solomon instructions for its construction. He instructed the Levites on how to transition from their former ministry of carrying and setting up the portable Tabernacle, to the new… Read more »
“And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people” (Romans 2:29 NLT).
SEEKING THE APPLAUSE OF THE ONE Paul explained that the sign of circumcision was not sufficient to please God without the accompanying evidence of a changed heart. And a heart changed by the Holy Spirit always seeks the approval of God rather than men. For the one who is born again wants what the Father… Read more »
‘Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?'” (1 Chronicles 17:16 NLT).
WHO ARE WE O LORD THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT US THIS FAR? When David told the prophet Nathan of his desire to build a house for the Lord, the word of the Lord came to Nathan during the night saying that He was instead going to build a house for David. The Lord spoke of… Read more »