Daily Devotionals

1 Corinthians 6:20 reads, "Honor God with your body."   Unless you get into better shape physically, you may go to Heaven sooner than you planned. The Bible says, "Honor God with your body." How do you do that?   1) Change your diet. Many of us eat for the wrong...

Proverbs 18:8 reads, "The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles."   The doodlebug lives at the bottom of a little cone-shaped hole that he burrows in the sand. He gets down as low as possible so he's always looking up at everything else. When the ant comes...

Galatians 5:16 reads, "Let the Spirit direct your lives."   Depend on Christ's power to help you. "Let the Spirit direct your lives, and you will not satisfy the desires of the human nature." The sequence in this Scripture is very important. "Let the Spirit direct...

Ephesians 4:27 reads, "Don't give the devil a chance."   Avoid the things that tempt you. Stay away from situations that weaken your self-control. If you do not want to be stung, stay away from bees. Plan in advance to avoid situations that you know are going to cause...

Galatians 6:2 reads, "Share each other's burdens."   Make yourself accountable to someone. Alcoholics Anonymous has a "buddy system" in which you are encouraged to call someone whenever you feel the pressure building to return to an old, destructive pattern. And it's...

Philippians 4:13 reads, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."   Start believing you can change. Your beliefs control your behavior. The way you think determines the way you feel. And when your feelings become strong enough, they determine the way...

Titus 2:11-12 reads, "The grace of God...teaches us to say 'No.'"   Talk back to your feelings. We put far too much emphasis on our feelings. We think everything has to feel good or it's not worthwhile. We say things like, "I don't feel like studying...I don't feel...

Romans 14:4 reads, "With the Lord's help, [you] will stand."   Put your past behind you. "[This] one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining forward toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal" (Philippians 3:13). This Scripture exposes a...

James 1:14 reads, "A man's temptation is due to the pull of his own inward desires."   For the next few days let's look at how to develop self-control. Here's the first step: accept responsibility for your lack of self-control.   Admit your problem. "A man's...

Romans 14:10 reads, "Remember, each of us will stand personally before the Judgment Seat of God."   Judgment day will be characterized by two things: rewards and regrets! Jesus highlights this in the story of 3 servants who were given talents to invest on behalf of...

Deuteronomy 31:6 reads, "Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid...[of] them!"   Incredible though it may seem, when Israel encountered difficulties in the wilderness they wanted to return to their old life of slavery in Egypt. The security of the known was less...

Isaiah 41:10 reads, "Don't be afraid, for I am with you."   Two of our biggest fears are failure and criticism. And they never completely go away. You can overcome them, but they'll show up when you face your next challenge. It's in accepting fear as a part of life's...

Philippians 3:13 reads, "Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching froward to those things which are ahead."   Be honest: How many of last year's resolutions did you keep? They say, "Procrastination is the thief of time." We keep promising ourselves we'll...

Proverbs 15:1 reads, "A gentle response defuses anger."   Even in the best of marriages, arguments will arise from time to time. With two people of differing temperaments, tastes and ways of thinking, how could it be otherwise? So here are a few rules of engagement:  ...

Philippians 4:6 reads, "Don't worry about anything, but pray about everything."   One Bible teacher writes: "The pressure of our times have many of us caught in a web of the most acceptable, yet energy-draining sin in the Christian family: worry. Chances are good you...

Psalm 56:3 reads, "Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You."   Faith is like a muscle; trouble may strain it. but in the end it grows stronger. David understood this truth. He was continually hounded by his enemies. Even as he was being anointed to sit on the throne...

2 Chronicles 20:17 reads, "Position yourselves, stand still and see the deliverance of the Lord, who is with you."   When you doubt God you disappoint Him, because He deserves better. So you must seek to strengthen your faith, because faith honors God and God honors...

Hebrews 11:2 reads, "The act of faith...set them above the crowd."   The Bible says: "The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see....

John 1:29 reads, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."   Scholars disagree as to the exact date of Christ's birth. Nor do they know if the Church of the Nativity that's visited every day by pilgrims in Bethlehem, is the exact location of...

Romans 8:39 reads, "Nothing...can separate us from God's love."   That first Christmas, God did something extraordinary. Max Lucado puts it this way: "Stepping from the throne, He removed His robe of light and wrapped Himself in skin: pigmented human skin. The light...

Philippians 4:16 reads, "You sent help more than once."   Charles Swindoll tells the story of the giving tree: "When the boy was young he swung from the tree's branches, ate her apples, and slept in her shade...But as he grew up he spent less and less time with the...

Ephesians 3:20-21 reads, "To Him who is able to exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think...be glory...forever."   Israel's journey from Egypt to the Promised Land illustrates 3 different places you can choose to live:   1) The place of "not enough." As...

Proverbs 3:25 reads, "Do not be afraid of sudden fear."   In the Bible panic attacks are referred to as "sudden fear." You can't breathe, your palms sweat, your chest gets tight, and you feel weak. If you've ever experienced a panic attack, you'll recognize these...

John 10:11 reads, "I am the good shepherd."   You never get a second chance to make a good first impression. Your message may be wonderful and much needed by the hearer, but the look on your face can turn people off before you open your mouth. Ever notice how many...

James 3:13 says, "Who is wise...among you? Let him show it by...wisdom."   In the first 7 seconds people often decide if they do or do not want to hear what you have to say. It may not be fair - but it's a fact. In How to Talk So People Listen, communication expert...

Matthew 5:16 reads, "Let your light...shine before men."   Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." When you're in darkness, you see the light before you see the carrier of the light, right?...

Jeremiah 15:16 reads, "Your words...were my joy and my heart's delight."   People in Bible times dealt with depression too. Elijah said, "I have had enough, Lord...Take my life" (1 Kings 19:4). Job said, "I loathe my very life" (Job 10:1). David wrote, "My soul is...

Philippians 1:10 reads, "Learn to sense what is vital...and of real value."   To achieve greater self-discipline, you should:   1) Start your day by doing the hard things first. And when you get sidetracked, make yourself go back and complete them. For example, make...

Romans 12:6 reads, "God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well."   Paul writes: "Just as our bodies have many parts and each...has a special function...We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other...God has given us different...

Proverbs 21:26 reads, "The godly love to give!"   The level of financial blessing of God will entrust to you depends on 3 questions:   1) Are you mature enough to handle it? 2) Are you hoping to reap but unwilling to sow? 3) Are you a hoarder or a giver?   God knows...