OUR FREEDOM TO LIVE IS LIMITED BY OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO LOVE Our freedom in Christ does not relieve us of our responsibility to consider others, especially new believers. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he was concerned about those who felt free to eat meat offered to idols without consideration of those who would be… Read more »
One Year Bible Devotions
All One Year Bible devotions are based on the One Year Bible Online Reading Plan
“Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5 NLT).
PROSPERITY, POVERTY AND PATIENT PERSEVERANCE This proverb teaches a proposition of success including its corollary, which leads to failure. The proposition is that “good planning and hard work lead to prosperity.” Notice that planning and work are further defined as “good” and “hard.” For there is certainly a thing called “bad” planning and “lazy” work…. Read more »
“Haughty eyes, a proud heart, and evil actions are all sin” (Proverbs 21:4 NLT).
OUR NEED FOR ONE WHO SHEPHERD’S THE HEART This proverbs speaks to the reality that sin is more than an action, but is preceded by an attitude and heart condition. Jesus addressed this reality in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5) when he connected the outward prohibitions of the Decalogue with the attitudes of… Read more »
“People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart” (Proverbs 21:2 NLT).
HAVE YOU RECEIVED THE RESULTS FROM GOD’S HEART EXAM? We all love our own opinions, especially opinions of ourselves. We tend to judge others harshly, but we always have an excuse for our own shortcomings and sins. In our hypocrisy, we declare ourselves righteous in our own eyes. Yet the Lord knows us better… Read more »
“So don’t boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you” (1 Corinthians 3:21 NLT).
STOP BOASTING ABOUT YOUR CHURCH AND START BOASTING ABOUT CHRIST Have you been boasting about your pastor or church to someone? Is it a member of another local church? Stop. If both are gospel preaching, gospel believing churches, then both already belong to you. For both belong to Christ. Everything already belongs to you because… Read more »
“And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us” (1 Corinthians 2:12 NLT).
WHAT WE CAN KNOW Have you ever been asked how you can know that God has saved you? The question may come from someone who lacks assurance of salvation themselves, so they want to understand from where you get your confidence. Or the question may come from an agnostic who wishes to challenge the basis… Read more »
“For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2 NLT).
TALKING TO OTHERS ABOUT JESUS Why is it easier to invite someone to church than it is to invite them to follow Jesus? Talking about church is not the most comfortable thing in our modern culture. It signals a shift in our everyday generic conversation with neighbors and coworkers, for it moves from that which… Read more »
“Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:7 NLT).
DOES EVERY CHURCH HAVE EVERY SPIRITUAL GIFT IT NEEDS? Paul told the Corinthian church that it already had every spiritual gift that it needed. Is this true for every church? Does God give every local body of believers every spiritual gift that they need to stand faithful until Christ’s return? Perhaps it is an overstatement… Read more »
“Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them” (Romans 16:17 NLT).
RESPONDING TO THOSE WHO CAUSE DIVISIONS AND UPSET Paul gives two commands concerning those who cause divisions and upset people’s faith: 1) Watch out for them. Literally, keep an eye out for them. And 2) Stay away from them. Avoid such people. The prayer of Jesus in John 17 was that we would be… Read more »
“Also give my greetings to the church that meets in their home” (Romans 16:5 NLT).
THE CHURCH IS THE PEOPLE NOT THE STEEPLE In Paul’s letter to the Roman believers, he gave greetings to the church that met in the home of Aquila and Priscilla. In those days there were no church buildings, so the church met in homes or in public meeting facilities, such as the Hall of Tyrannus… Read more »