Daily Devotionals

Ephesians 4:24 reads, "Put on the new self."   When you entertain wrong thoughts in the privacy of your mind, you may be tempted to excuse yourself by saying, "What harm will it do?" More harm than you know! You become what you dwell on. The Bible says, "Put off your...

Psalm 119:165 reads, "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them."   Are you easily upset? Even over little things? Spend more time praying and reading your Bible. The following article turned up in a newspaper:   "A lady took my seat in...

Hebrews 4:12 reads, "His Word can cut through our spirits."   As you read the Bible, God will give you strength and guidance for your life that you simply can't get any other way. Eliphaz said to Job the patriarch: "He bruises, but he binds up; he wounds, but his...

Philippians 4:8 reads, "Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."   In order to change your life, you must first change your thinking. And that's not easy when you've spent your life thinking a certain way. Minister and columnist Dr. Frank Crane...

2 Timothy 1:7 reads, "God did not give us a spirit of timidity."   The Bible says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6). So don't get involved in anything that doesn't require you to use your faith. The key to momentum is always having...

Proverbs 27:6 reads, "You can trust a friend who corrects you."   Here are two "superglue" qualities that can permanently cement any friendship: honesty and loyalty. The Bible says, "You can trust a friend who corrects you, but kisses from an enemy are nothing but...

Proverbs 13:20 reads, He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm."   The story's told of a farmer who was being pestered every day by a flock of crows in his cornfield. Deciding he'd had enough, he loaded his shotgun and crawled...

Proverbs 18:24 reads, "A man who has friends must himself be friendly."   In order to have a good friend, you must first try to be a good friend. An unknown poet wrote, "I went out to find a friend, but could not find one there; I went out to be a friend, and friends...

Proverbs 18:24 reads, "A man of too many friends comes to ruin."   With few exceptions, your success in life depends on your ability to establish and maintain relationships with the right people.   According to a report by the American Management Association the...

Psalm 40:1 reads, "I waited patiently for the Lord; he...heard my cry."   Anything that's built well is put together slowly and carefully. Impatience is a sign of immaturity; children can't wait for anything. Try to understand this: Your impatience won't move God...

Zephaniah 3:17 reads, "He celebrates and sings because of you."   Some of us think so little of ourselves that we'd rather be in a bad relationship than none at all. Being around people doesn't guarantee you won't feel lonely. Actually, being with the wrong people...

1 Peter 5:7 reads, "Let him have all your worries and cares."   Author John Mason writes: "I couldn't feel at peace. Unless I had everything figured out, I became anxious, restless, nervous, worried, and grouchy...similar to a drug addict who needs a fix. The severity...

Proverbs 25:22 reads, You will heap coals of fire on his head."   It's not enough to simply leave your enemies alone; you must demonstrate God's love toward them. "If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give nim water to drink; for so...

Ezekiel 40:4 reads, "Look with your eyes...hear with your ears, and fix your mind on everything I show you."   If you train yourself to listen carefully to what someone is saying, they will generally tell you who and what they are before you get into a relationship...

John 15:2 reads, "So [you] will produce even more."   Jesus said the vine dresser "cuts off every branch...that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes [cuts back] the branches that do bear fruit so they...produce even more." Notice two things:   1) God cuts some things...

Psalm 27:1 reads, "The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear?"   What hope or help does the atheist or agnostic have? None! Writer and editorialist W.O. Saunders said in American Magazine: "I'd like to introduce you to one of the loneliest and...

Isaiah 64:8 reads, "We are the clay, and you are the potter."   Ever watch a lump of clay being transformed into something beautiful? The clay can't change itself; the power to do that lies in the hands of the potter. Isaiah says, "We are the clay, and you are the...

James 1:22 reads, "Do not merely listen to the Word. Do what it says."   When Nehemiah first saw the ruins of Jerusalem, he wept. Then he rolled up his sleeves and went to work. In the face of overwhelming odds and relentless opposition, he rebuilt the walls in just...

Isaiah 26:3 reads, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace."   Here is a prayer for peace: "Lord, Your Word says, 'Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee.' Your Word says, 'The Lord gives strength to his people; the...

Philippians 4:11 reads, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances."   Discontentment is a trap that can ensnare you and rob you of joy and fulfillment. That's why the Bible says you must learn to be content "whatever the circumstances." The notion that...

Luke 22:31 reads, "Satan has demanded the right to test each one of you."   Luke writes: "Jesus said, 'Simon, listen to me! Satan has demanded the right to test each one of you, as a farmer does when he separates wheat from the husks. But Simon, I have prayed that...

1 Corinthians 5:5 reads, "Hand that man over to Satan."   Satan's attack can be a wake-up call. Do you know that when you refuse to acknowledge your sin and repent of it, the wall of protection around you is breached and Satan is free to come in and attack you? Paul...

Job 42:11 reads, "The trouble the Lord has brought on him."   Satan's attack can strengthen your faith. The Devil dared to question the stability of Job's faith, so God gave him permission to test Job. "The Lord said to Satan, All right then. Everything Job has is in...

2 Corinthians 12:7 reads, "A messenger of Satan, to torment me."   Satan's attack can drive you closer to God. That was true in Paul's life. Think of Paul's resume: a personal audience with the resurrected Christ, a participant in heavenly visions, an apostle chosen...

1 John 4:4 reads, "God's Spirit, who is in you, is greater than the devil, who is in the world."   Satan is a fallen angel who wasn't satisfied to worship God; he wanted to occupy His throne. Angels, like humans, were made to serve and worship God. And they were given...

Isaiah 43:1 reads, "You are mine."   We hear about people being released from prison after serving time for a crime they didn't commit. It was a case of mistaken identity. Identifying someone means having the ability to recognize and say exactly who they are. Satan...

1 Thessalonians 2:4 reads, "We are not trying to please men but God."   There's a world of difference between performing for people's approval, and being free to minister to their needs because you know you already have God's approval. Striving for approval is like...

Mark 11:25 reads, "If you have anything against anyone, forgive him."   No matter how much two people love each other, conflicts are sure to arise that call for extending grace and showing forgiveness. Do you know that couples who are happy and stay married have the...

1 Corinthians 9:25 reads, "All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize."   When you're being stretched spiritually, your faith in God grows. When you're being stretched mentally, your old ideas are challenged and replaced with new ones....

Proverbs 23:7 reads, "As he thinketh in his heart, so is he."   With practice, you can become a good thinker. Observe two things:   1) Good thinkers have foresight.   "The plans of the diligent lead to profit" (Proverbs 21:5). The word "diligent" means "to work,...