Devos

All Creation Sings

   

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness” (Genesis 1:1–4).

The Bible tells us that God created the heavens and the earth. It’s something we read and reread from the time we are kids. As we grow up, we hear people talking about different ways in which the world and its inhabitants came into being. While some people teach evolution, many questions remain; for example, Did life come from another world?

As time has gone by, we have been learning that an increasing number of scientists are questioning their theories of evolution. The more they dig deep into the origins of the universe, the more they are becoming convinced that the universe and everything in it were not caused by an accident or by the work of human hands. There has to be a master planner behind all this.

If we go back to Genesis, that great old book of the Bible, we will see how clearly it defines how God made the heaves, the earth, light, darkness, the seas, the grass, the herbs, the fruits, the sun, the moon, the stars, and much, much more. All of creation shouts out one enormous, life-changing truth: there is a God! He is the creator behind the creation and the designer behind this beautiful place, our world.

Do you want to know something more awesome that that? This God, this Creator, this Wonderful Designer wants you to have a personal relationship with Him because He loves you unconditionally. After all, He created you as well, in His own image!

Many people in the world may say one thing, but creation speaks for itself. It tells of the existence of God, Who is none other than our God revealed to us in the Bible.

My response:

» What is my first thought for the day? Do I breathe the fresh air and thank God for the day?

» What do I think of when I look at a simple flower? Do the flower’s detail and beauty speak to my heart?

» What do I feel when I know I believe in the God Who created the heavens and the earth?

Truth in Real Life Moments

George Whitefield

   

"We are immortal until our work on earth is done.”

George Whitefield has been called the greatest evangelist of all time. His dedication to soul-winning helped turn two nations back to God during the Great Awakening!

Born on December 16, 1714, George Whitefield was the youngest of seven children, and he was only 2 years old when his father died. His mother remarried when he was 10, but the marriage was not a happy one, and young George was soon sent away to school.

At school, he quickly earned the reputation of being a good speaker, but at age 15, he convinced his mother that school would do him no good. He returned home to work. It was during this time that God began to work in his life. Every evening he read the Bible until well past his bedtime, and he felt himself willing to become a minister. Realizing more and more how important an education would be for a preacher, he returned to school and eventually finished.

At age 17, Whitefield entered college and joined the “Holy Club,” where he met the Wesley brothers, John and Charles. These men became dear friends and eventually helped Whitefield understand the Gospel more fully and to see his own need for genuine salvation.

God continued to grow Whitefield’s understanding of His Word. During his lifetime, he would preach over 18,000 sermons and would lead countless souls to Christ. It has been said that his voice was so loud and clear that he could be heard one mile away when he preached outside. Benjamin Franklin said he had a “voice like an organ.” Crowds of up to 80,000 people gathered to hear him preach.

Whitefield also gave much of his life and resources to helping orphans. He believed strongly in loving the vulnerable and less fortunate, just like Jesus did when He was on Earth. Whitefield gave to those who needed.

You may not understand everything there is to know about God’s Word, but God can save you and help you share His Gospel with others! Are you devoting all you have to serve Him however He wants to use you? Is there someone to whom you could be a blessing today?

1 Corinthians 13:1 – Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

Devos

God Gives Peace

   

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7).

Reid picked up the box of herbal tea sitting on the table. “‘One sip will whisk you away to a new world of peace,’” he read out loud. “Mom, did you know this peppermint tea was supposed to give you peace?”

Mom took a sip of her tea and smiled. “I don’t need tea to give me peace,” she said. “God is much better at doing that than any old cup of tea is.”

“Why does this box say the tea will give you peace?” Reid asked, sniffing the box. “How can a cup of brown flavored water do that?”

Mom set her cup back in the saucer. “I think many people in this world are willing to try anything to find a little peace,” she said. “Some think being with lots of fun people will help them forget their worries. Others think going out into nature and getting alone will help them find peace. People try partying, drugs, strange music, and exercises—anything to find peace. I suppose some people even think they might find it in a cup of tea.”

“But we can’t really get it from anyone but God, right?” asked Reid.

“That’s right,” said Mom. “Remember the verse in Philippians 4 that tells us not to be worried and anxious? What does it say to do instead?”

“Pray about everything,” said Reid.

“And then what happens?”

Reid thought for a minute, trying to remember the verses he’d memorized. “You get peace,” he said.

“Yes—God’s peace. Unexplainable peace. Even though your problems don’t go away, God puts His peace in your heart as a guard against worry and anxiety.”

“That sure sounds better than drinking tea,” said Reid. “It tastes terrible anyway.”

Mom laughed. “Well, that’s a matter of opinion,” she said. “But God’s Word is the absolute truth. I’d believe it over the tea box any day.”

God is the only One Who gives true peace.

My response:

» Am I taking my problems to God in prayer, or am I worried and anxious?

» Am I experiencing God’s unexplainable peace?

Devos

Forever Safe with Jesus

   

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24).

When we ask the Lord Jesus Christ to come into our hearts, He comes to live there. And when this happens, we become God’s beloved children, we belong to Jesus, and He will be forever with us, no matter what age we are.

Deuteronomy 33:12 tells us, “The beloved of the Lord shall dwell [live] in safety by him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long.” So, as the Lord’s beloved, we will live in safety and be covered by Him throughout each day.

Many children and adults, too, become afraid at night; they may be afraid of the dark, hear strange noises, or have scary dreams and nightmares. King David wrote in Psalm 4:8, “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell [live] in safety.”

As we live in safety, we are safe through the night too. First Peter 3:13 asks, “And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?” No one will harm us if we are followers of God and His Word, the Bible, and if we are doing good things and are involved in good happenings.

The Bible has thousands of wonderful promises for those who belong to God and are His beloved children. (We belong to God if we have believed on Jesus as our Savior. John 3:16, says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish [“die”; “be destroyed”], but have everlasting life.”)

The Bible promises not only that God’s beloved will live in safety, but also that they will live forever with His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

My response:

» How many promises did I find in the Bible today?

» >Can I sleep well at night, or am I afraid? Do I remind myself that I am safe because I belong to God?

» Even if I get hurt, the harm cannot hurt me forever. Do I get comfort from remembering that God is keeping me safe for eternity, because I will live in Heaven with Him forever?

Devos

God Is Trustworthy

   

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).

“Trust me,” is something people say when they want you to believe them, follow them, or do something you are not sure you should do. Sometimes they convince you to do something right. But at other times they may persuade you to do something wrong.

When I was five years old, I was afraid to go to the dentist. I did not understand that going was good for my health or that pulling teeth and filling cavities were necessary. Because I relied on my own understanding, I did not trust people that I should have trusted.

When I was in second grade, some classmates thought it would be funny if we played a trick on the teacher. I trusted them, and we all got into big trouble. Relying on my own understanding caused me to trust the wrong people.

Our understanding is not always correct. Sometimes we do not trust people that we should trust, and sometimes we do trust people that we should not. When I was five, my understanding of dental care led me to not trust something that was right. When I was a second grader, my understanding of what would be funny made me do something wrong. Our understanding is often incomplete or incorrect. That is why we are to trust God without depending on our own understanding.

Proverbs 3:5 says we are to trust God completely, personally, and exclusively.

We trust God completely when we trust Him with all of our being and do not put our confidence in our own mental or physical abilities. Part of you cannot trust God when another part trusts in yourself; it is either all or nothing.

We trust God personally when we trust Him with our hearts. No one can make you trust God, nor can anyone trust God for you. Trusting God is a personal decision made from the heart.

We trust God exclusively when we trust Him alone, without considering our own understanding. When we lean on our own understanding, we are trusting in what we know, how we feel, or what we think. God wants us to trust Him rather than our own intelligence, experiences, or explanations.

Trust God completely, personally, and exclusively. What God says in His Word, the Bible, is true. What God says He will do, He will do. God knows what is best for each of us, and He will give us what we need. God loves you and sent His Son, Jesus, to die and rise again so that those who believe and follow Him might live eternally with Him.

Trust God today and every day!

My response:

» Do I believe that God is trustworthy?

» Have I trusted myself or God today?

» How can I trust God completely, personally, and exclusively?