Daily Devotion, Daily Wisdom

baddison

natural for good
April 6, 2016

Devotional:

I will praise the name of God with song And magnify Him with thanksgiving. And it will please the LORD better than an ox Ora young bull with horns and hoofs. The humble[fn]have seen it andare glad; You who seek God, let your heart [fn]revive. Psalm 69:30-32(NASB)

Our praise should not only please God, it should also produce joy and gladness in the streets among the poor! Why? Because praise invites us to not only applaud God for what he does, but to also join him in partnership as he does it. God's generosity, which evokes our praise, should stir our generosity, which in turn blesses others and leads them to praise God!

Prayer:
Holy God, Almighty and majestic King, you are worthy of all honor and praise. You have done wonderful and mighty things. You have poured out your blessings upon me. You have kept your promises and provided me with the way of salvation. Please empower and strengthen me as I commit myself to bless, serve, and encourage others for your glory. In Jesus' name. Amen.


Wisdom:
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, doall in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Colossians 3:17(NASB)
 

baddison

natural for good
April 7, 2016

Devotional:

Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto hisbrethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertainingto God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. Hebrews 2:17 (NASB)

There are not many things the Bible says Jesus "had" to do. This is a key one. Jesus had to be one of us. Notice that he did this so he could be like us, his brothers (and sisters) in every way. The reason? So he could be the perfect and faithful high priest who not only made atonement for our sins, but was also the atoning sacrifice for those sins. Incredible!

Prayer
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the incredible sacrifice you made so I could be adopted into our Father's family and become your younger sibling in our eternal family. Thank you for this grace that was motivated out of your love and carried out by your loving faithfulness. Through your name, Lord Jesus, I offer my praise and thanks to our Father. Amen.


Wisdom:
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16 (NASB)
 

baddison

natural for good
April 8, 2016

Devotional:

For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. Hebrews 2:18 (NASB)

Jesus was tempted like we are! He suffered like we do! God in his grace made sure that we have someone in heaven who knows what it is like to face suffering and mortality. This knowledge is not only omniscient wisdom. Jesus also guarantees that heaven's knowledge includes human experience. Aren't you thankful that Jesus knew suffering and mortality and that he now lives to redeem, to bless, and to ultimately help us mortals?

Prayer
Loving and Almighty God, I know you know me and what is best for me. But Father, I'm even more confident in your care and understanding because Jesus shared in our wrestling match with suffering and mortality. Thank you Jesus for pleading my cause at the Father's right hand. I ask for the Father's continued grace in your name, Lord Jesus. Amen.


Wisdom:
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. Psalm 34:19 (NASB)
 

baddison

natural for good
April 9, 2016

Devotional:

O God, it is You who knows my folly, And my wrongs are not hidden from You. May those who wait for You not be ashamed through me, O Lord [fn]GOD of hosts; May those who seek You not be dishonored through me, O God of Israel, Psalm 69:5-6 (NASB)


While we're all weak and sinful, and while we do have Jesus to atone for our sins and to intercede before the Father on our behalf, there are still a couple of big problems with our sin. This verse reminds us of one of them: we don't want our sin to be an embarrassment to God or his people. Let's avoid sin because that is what God wants us to do. Let's avoid sin so it won't reflect badly on God's people. But let's also pray for ourselves and our brothers and sisters in Christ that God will not allow our failures to bring shame on his Church, his Christ, and his cause.

Prayer:
Forgive me, loving Shepherd, for my sins. I am sorry for rebelling against your grace. I am fully confident that you have forgiven and cleansed me of my sins through Jesus' sacrifice. But please, dear God, use your divine power to prevent them from bringing shame or embarrassment on you and your people. In Jesus' mighty name I pray. Amen.



Wisdom:

Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. Galatians 6:9 (NASB)
 
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