Doctrine & Covenants: Section 7

 Section 7

Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet and Oliver Cowdery, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, April 189, when they inquired through the Urim and Thummim as to whether John, the beloved disciple, tarried in the flesh or had died. The revelation is a translated version of the record made on parchment by John and hidden up by himself.

1-3, John the Beloved will live until the Lord comes; 4-8, Peter, James, and John hold gospel keys.

1 And the Lord said unto me: John, my beloved, what desirest thou? For if you shall ask what you will, it shall be granted unto you.

2 And I said unto him: Lord, give unto me power over death, that I may live and bring souls unto thee.

3 And the Lord said unto me: Verily, verily, I say unto thee, because thou desirest this thou shalt tarry until I come in my glory, and shalt prophesy before nations, kindreds, tongues, and people.

4 And for this cause the Lord said unto Peter: If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? For he desired of me that he might bring souls unto me, but thou desiredst that thou mightest speedily come unto me in my kingdom.

5 I say unto thee, Peter, this was a good desire; but my beloved has desired that he might do more, or a greater work yet among men than what he has before done.

6 Yea, he has undertaken a greater work; therefore I will make him as flaming fire and a ministering angel; he shall minister forth those who shall be heirs of salvation who dwell on the earth.

7 And I will make thee to minister for him and for thy brother James; and unto you three I will give this power and the keys of this ministry until I come.

8 Verily I say unto you, ye shall both have according to your desires, for ye both joy in that which ye have desired.

Pearl of Great Price: Moses-Chapter 8

 Chapter 8

(February 1831)

Methuselah prophesies—Noah and his sons preach the gospel—Great wickedness prevails—The call to repentance is unheeded—God decrees the destruction of ALL flesh by the Flood.

1 And all the days of Enoch were four hundred and thirty years.

2 And it came to pass that Methuselah, the son of Enoch, was not taken, that the covenants of the Lord might be fulfilled, which he made to Enoch; for he truly covenanted with Enoch that Noah should be of the fruit of his loins.

3 And it came to pass that Methuselah prophesied that from his loins should spring all the kingdoms of the earth (through Noah), and he took glory unto himself.

4 And there came forth a great famine into the land, and the Lord cursed the earth with a sore curse, and many of the inhabitants thereof died.

5 And it came to pass that Methuselah lived one hundred and eighty-seven years, and begat Lamech;

6 And Methuselah lived, after he begat Lamech, seven hundred and eighty-two years, and begat sons and daughters.

7 And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years, and he died.

8 And Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years, and begat a son.

9 And he called his name Noah, saying: This son shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed.

10 And Lamech lived, after he begat Noah, five hundred and ninety-five years, and he begat sons and daughters.

11 And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred and seventy-seven years, and he died.

12 And Noah was four hundred and fifty years old, and begat Japheth; and forty years afterward he begat Shem of her who was the mother of Japheth, and when he was five hundred years old he begat Ham.

13 And Noah and his son hearkened unto the Lord, and gave heed, and they were called the sons of God.

14 And when these men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, the sons of men saw that those daughters were fair, and they took them, wives, even as they chose.

15 And the Lord said unto Noah: The daughters of thy sons have sold themselves; for behold mine anger is kindled against the sons of men, for they will not hearken to my voice.

16 And it came to pass that Noah prophesied, and taught the things of God, even as it was in the beginning.

17 And the Lord said unto Noah: My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for he shall know that all flesh shall die; yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years; and if men do not repent, I will send in the floods upon them.

18 And in those days there were giants on the earth, and they sought Noah to take away his life; but the Lord was with Noah, and the power of the Lord was upon him.

19 And the Lord ordained Noah after his own order, and commanded him that he should go forth and declare his Gospel unto the children of men, even as it was given unto Enoch.

20 And it came to pass that Noah called upon the children of men that they should repent; but they hearkened not unto his words;

21 And also, after that they had heard him, they came up before him, saying: Behold, we are the sons of God; have we not taken unto ourselves the daughters of men? And are we not eating and drinking, and marrying and giving in marriage? And our wives bear unto us children, and the same are mighty men, which are like unto men of old, men of great renown. And they hearkened not unto the words of Noah.

22 And God saw that the wickedness of men had become great in the earth; and every man was lifted up in the imagination of the thoughts of his heart, being only evil continually.

23 And it came to pass that Noah continued his preaching unto the people, saying: Hearken, and give heed unto my words;

24 Believe and repent of your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, even as our fathers, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost, that ye may have all things made manifest; and if ye do not this, nevertheless they hearkened not.

25 And it repented Noah, and his heart was pained that the Lord had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at the heart.

26 And the Lord said: I will destroy man whom I have created, from the face of the earth, both man and beast, and the creeping things, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth Noah that I have created them, and that I have made them; and he hath called upon me; for they have sought his life.

27 And thus Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord; for Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generation; and he walked with God, as did also his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

28 The earth was corrupt before God, and it was filled with violence.

29 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt, for ALL flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth.

30 And God said unto Noah: The end of ALL flesh is come before me, for the one earth is filled with violence, and behold I will destroy ALL flesh from off the earth.

1 Nephi: Chapter 8

 Chapter 8

Lehi sees a vision of the tree of life—He partakes of its fruit and desires his family to do likewise—He sees a rod of iron, a strait and narrow path, and the mists of darkness that enshroud men—Sariah, Nephi, and Sam partake of the fruit, but Laman and Lemuel refuse. About 600-592 B.C.

1 And it came to pass that we had gathered together all manner of seeds of every kind, both of grain of every kind, and also of the seeds of fruit of every kind.

2 And it came to pass that while my father tarried in the wilderness he spake unto us, saying: Behold, I have dreamed a dream; or, in other words, I have seen a vision.

3 And behold, because of the thing which I have seen, I have reason to rejoice in the Lord because of Nephi and also of Sam; for I have reason to suppose that they, and also many of their seed, will be saved.

4 But behold, Laman and Lemuel I fear exceedingly because of you; for behold, methought I saw in my dream, a dark and dreary wilderness.

5 And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me.

6 And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.

7 And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.

8 And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have pray unto the Lord that he would mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.

9 And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord, I beheld a large and spacious field.

10 And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.

11 And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.

12 And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desireable above all other fruit.

13 And as I cast my eyes round about, that perhaps I might discover my family also, I beheld a river of water; and it ran along, and it was near the tree of which I was partaking the fruit.

14 And I looked to behold from whence it came; and I saw the head thereof a little way off; and at the head thereof I beheld your mother Sariah, and Sam, and Nephi; and they stood as if they knew not whither they should go.

15 And it came to pass that I beckoned unto them; and I also did say unto them with a loud voice that they should come unto me, and partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other fruit.

16 And it came to pass that they did come unto me and partake of the fruit also.

17 And it came to pass that I was desirous that Laman and Lemuel should come and partake of the fruit also; wherefore I cast mine eyes toward the head of the river, that perhaps I might see them.

18 And it came to pass that I saw them, but they would not come unto me and partake of the fruit.

19 And I beheld a rod of iron, and it extended along the bank of the river, and led to the tree by which I stood.

20 And I also behold a strait and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron, even to the tree by which I stood; and it also led by the head of the fountain, unto a large and spacious field, as if it had been a world.

21 And I saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree by which I stood.

22 And it came to pass that they did come forth, and commence in the path which led to the tree.

23 And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost.

24 And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree.

25 And after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed.

26 And I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the other side of the river of water, a great and spacious building; and it stood as it were in the air, high above the earth.

27 And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers towards those who had come and were partaking of the fruit.

28 And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.

29 And now, I, Nephi, do not speak all the words of my father.

30 But, to be short in writing, behold, he saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.

31 And he also saw other multitudes feeling their way towards that great and spacious building.

32 And it came to pass that many were drowned in the depths of the fountain; and many were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads.

33 And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building. And after they did enter into that building they did point the finger of scorn at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also; but we heeded them not.

34 These are the words of my father: For as many as heeded them, had fallen away.

35 And Laman and Lemuel partook not of the fruit, said my father.

36 And it came to pass after my father had spoken all the words of his dream or vision, which were many, he said unto us, because of these things which he saw in a vision, he exceedingly feared for Laman and Lemuel; yea, he feared lest they should be cast off from the presence of the Lord.

37 And he did exhort them then with all the feeling of a tender parent, that they would hearken to his words, that perhaps the Lord would be merciful to them, and not cast them off; yea, my father did preach unto them.

38 And after he had preached unto them, and also prophesied unto them of many things, he bade them to keep the commandments of the Lord; and he did cease speaking unto them.

Matthew: Chapter 8

 Chapter 8

Jesus heals a leper, cures the centurion's servant and others, stills the tempest, and casts out devils—The devils enter a herd of swine.

1 When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.

2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

5 And when Jesus entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,

6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me; and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

14 And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.

15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed ALL that were sick:

17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sickenesses.

18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.

19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not whereto lay his head.

21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.

24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.

26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

28 And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.

29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

30 And there was a good way off from them a herd of many swine feeding.

31 So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.

32 And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.

33 And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.

34 And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.

Genesis: Chapter 8

 Chapter 8

The Flood ceases—Noah sends forth a dove, which returns with an olive leaf—He releases all living things from the ark—He offers sacrifices—Seedtime, harvest, and seasons are ensured.

1 And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and ALL the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged;

2 The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained;

3 And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.

4 And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.

5 And the waters decreased continually until on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountain seen.

6 And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made:

7 And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.

8 Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground;

9 But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.

10 And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove of the ark;

11 And the dove came to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf plucked off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.

12 And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more.

13 And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.

14 And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried.

15 And God spake unto Noah, saying,

16 Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee.

17 Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.

18 And Noah went forth, and his son, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him:

19 Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark.

20 And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

Acts 3:19

 Acts 3: 19—Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Mark 16: 16—He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Acts 2: 38—Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Galatians 3: 26-27—For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Romans 10: 9-10—That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Romans 5: 1-2—Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Ephesians 5: 25-27—Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Romans 6: 3-10—Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall also be in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath now more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

Colossians 2: 9-13—For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead, And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses.

Ephesians 2: 6-9—And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Acts 22: 16—And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

John 3: 5—Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.

John 3: 16—For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 8: 24—I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

Titus 3: 5—Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.

Romans 10: 16-17—But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

Luke 24: 47—And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among ALL nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

1 Peter 3: 20-21—Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Mark 16:16

 Mark 16: 16--He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Acts 2: 22-42--Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know; Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be removed: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens; but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking up of bread, and in prayers.

2 Peter 3: 15-16--And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

John 14: 25-26--These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Colossians 4: 16—And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.

Matthew 28: 16-19—Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Genesis 1: 27—So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

2 Timothy 3: 15-17—And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which can make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Acts 2: 36-38—Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Devotion: Better Than Ever

 The Bible In One Year: Isaiah 23-25/Philippians 1

Today's Reading: Psalm 51:9-13

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. ~Psalm 51:12

Better Than Ever

The story is told of a group of salmon fishermen who gathered in a Scottish inn after a long day of fishing. As one was describing a catch to his friends, his arm swept across the table and knocked a glass of water against the wall, shattering it and leaving a stain on the white plaster surface. The man apologized to the innkeeper and offered to pay for the damage, but there was nothing he could do; the wall was ruined. A man seated nearby said, "Don't worry." Rising, he took a painting implement from his pocket and began to sketch around the ugly stain. Slowly there emerged the head of a magnificent stag. The man was Sir E. H. Lawrence, Scotland's foremost animal artist.

David, Israel's illustrious king who penned Psalm 51, disgraced himself and his nation by his sins. He committed adultery with the wife of one of his friends and engineered the death of that friend—both deeds worthy of death. It would seem his life was ruined. But he pled with God: "Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me" (v. 12).

Like David, we have shameful acts in our past and the memories that accompany them, recollections that taunt us in the middle of the night. There's so much we wish we could undo or redo.

There is a grace that not only forgives sin but also uses it to make us better. God wastes nothing. ~David H. Roper

Lord, I've failed You again. Please forgive me again. Change me. Turn me around. Teach me to follow Your ways.

God has an ALL-seeing eye and ALL-forgiving heart.

When You Feel No One Is On Your Side

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. ~John 15: 12

Devotion: Courageous Stand

 The Bible In One Year: Isaiah 20-22/Ephesians 6

Today's Reading: Ephesians 6:10-18

Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world. ~Ephesians 6:12

Courageous Stand

Teresa Prekorowa was just a teenager when the Nazis invaded her native Poland at the dawn of World War II. This was in the beginning of the Holocaust, when her Jewish neighbors began to disappear—arrested by the Nazis. So Teresa and other Polish countrymen risked their lives to rescue those neighbors from the Warsaw ghetto and the Nazi purge. Teresa would become one of the premier historians of the war and the Holocaust, but it was her courage to stand against the tide of evil that would list her with the Righteous Among the Nations at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem.

Courage is needed to stand against evil. Paul told the church at Ephesus, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and agaisnt opposition is more than any of us can face alone, so God has given us the necessary spiritual resources (the "full armor of God") to enable us to "stand against the devil's schemes" (v. 11).

What might that courageous stand involve? It may be working against injustice or intervening on behalf of someone you know who is vulnerable or victimized. Whatever form the conflict may take, we can have courage—our God has already provided what we need to stand for Him and against evil. ~Bill Crowder

Listen to the Discover the Word program "Brave Enough" at discovertheword.ord/series/brave-enough.

God enables us to stand for Him.

Have Faith And Stay In Prayer!!!!!!

When You Have Sinned

Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. ~Psalm 51:9

Daily Devotion: May We Live in the Lord

 God Is Going To Accelerate Your Dreams!!!!!

Daily Bible Verse

Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. ~John 20:19

Daily Inspiration

Jesus may be our comfort and calm within the storm, wishing us peace when we are in doubt or fear. After this passage, Jesus also showed His disciples His wounds. Despite the well-known "Doubting Thomas," we may note that the disciples were overcome with joy for their friend and Savior returned. One might wonder if a friend appeared to us from the dead, would our first reaction also be joy? More likely it might be fear, doubt, or confusion. But joy is what we might feel for a perfect friend, for someone as sacred as Christ and His miracles. In matters of the Christ, then, doubt not the Divine!

Daily Prayer

Dear God, my Heavenly Father, who sent His only Begotten Son to us, show us peace and mercy. Like the disciples reunited again with Christ, give me joy, Lord, in reconnecting with Your miracles and wonders. For joy is what my heart wants, and joy is what it shall receive, accepting Your blessings and Your everlasting embrace. Amen.

Jesus Is My Rock!!!!!

May We Live in the Lord!

By Frances Taylor

May We Live in the Lord!: We need to root out those bad habits that lead us to sin. ~ Romans 6:3-5

A few weeks ago, we were reflecting on this passage at my Monday night Bible Stud,y and one of the women was disturbed by it. She didn't like the image of being baptized into Christ's death and wondered what it meant. I can understand why she was upset by it, as one of her grandchildren, ren as well as her bro,ther had recently died. These words are often included in the funeral rite, so I told her that it was meant to be a reassurance of our resurrection as well as the reality of living as a Christian. If we are baptizedin  Christ's death, then we need to put to death all those parts of ourselves that are not according to God's will. Just asJesuss subjected his will to that of the Father's by accepting his death on the cross, we need to subject ourselves to his will. We need to root out those bad habits that lead us to sin. We need to put God and others before ourselves. We need to reach out to others who are in need, even if it means going out of our comfort zone. Dying toself, leads us to a life of love which brings us a happiness that is richer for its simplicity. When we die to self, we're not concerned with what we don't hav; we feel blessed for what we do have. And the reward is eternal life with Christ in the heavenly Kingdom.

Prayer

Thank You, Lord, for ALL You have done for us and for helping us to understand that the most important thing we can do in life is to follow Your example and die to self and to live for You. Amen!

With God ALL Things Are Possible!!!!!!!

When You Feel Nervous

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ~2 Corinthians 12:9

Nightly Devotion: We Know, We Believe, We Need to Change

 Nightly Prayer

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. ~Isaiah 1:18

Nightly Inspiration

Looking back, there may seem to be mistakes and sins we've committed we may never be forgiven for. Even if, somehow, one is absolved by others, the shame of having committed them may cause such intense guilt that it turns to self-hatred, of feeling unworthy in the eyes of others. Yet, in fornt of the eyes of our Heavenly Father, we were and always will be naked. Our nature is sin, whilst God's is forgiveness. We cannot hide our misdeeds from Him; we can only be in confessing them. Only if we dare to trust in the mercy of our Lord, in admitting to our darkest wrongs, can we be made pure again.

Nightly Prayer

Merciful Father, who sees all that dwells within the heart, please wash my body of its scarlet sins, so that I may become pure as snow. Take my hand, and lead it to the Riverbanks of Jordon, wherein I may cleanse all my trespassings within the Holiest of waters. Bathe me in your mercy, so that I may emerge pure as a lamb, forever thankful, and forever in your debt. Amen.

Prayer Is Powerful!!!!!

We Know, We Believe, Now We Need to Change

By Frances Taylor

We Know, We Believe, Now We Need to Change: The more we learn about Jesus and his promises, the more we want to know. ~Matthew 11:20-22

What would it tak for the people to recognize Jesus as the Messiah, the Christ? It turns out that it would take his resurrection. His miracles were not enough. His teachings were not enough. Despite everything he had done, they would allow themselves to call for his death. Only his resurrection made at least some of them see the error of their ways and repent. In many ways, the spread of Christianity is a miracle. Only because of the preaching of the apostles who were witnesses of the resurrection and believed in the teachings and the promises of Christ did the Good News of salvation reach into all areas of the known world. It is only because of the wisdom of those who realized that future generations needed to know about Jesus and wrote down his works of all that he did for us. But knowledge is not enough. Belief is not enough. What we need is repentance and a lifestyle change that goes along with that knowledge and belief. This is not always easy, and usually goes in stages. The more we learn about Jesus and his promises, the more we want to know. As our knowledge of Jesus' teachings grows, we realize the areas of our lives where repentance is necessary. As we grow in faith, we understand where we have failed. We see that gossip can harm. Our eyes are open to those who are suffering and need our help. No more can we ignore those bad habits that lead us into sin. Let's work on repenting so that we will be acceptable on the Day of Judgment.

Prayer

Lord, Jesus Christ, we believe in You even if we have not seen with our eyes but with the eyes of faith. Give us the wisdom we need to see the areas of our lives that need chainging to that our lives will reflect our belief in You. Amen.

Jesus, Thank You!!!!!

When You Feel Attacked

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. ~Ephesians 6:12

Galatians 3:13

 But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”

Galatians 3:13

Our Rescuer

Jesus is our rescuer. He became the curse meant for us. The penalty for sins is death, as it says in Romans 6:23: “the wages of sin is death.” We deserved that death. We deserved the curse. Jesus took it instead. He hung on the cross for us.

The catch is that we have to realize and understand our need for a rescuer. We have to admit that there is a problem first. We must acknowledge our need for him. Then he will rescue us. Someone who is drowning automatically knows they’re drowning. They do not have to think about it. If someone throws them a life preserver or tries to save them, they will go for it because they know their situation. What about you? What about those you know? Take some time to pray and ask God to help those around you realize their need for a Savior.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,

You are the only one who can rescue us from our sins. You are the Savior. Help me share that good news with the world. Amen.

Philippians 2:14-15

 Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.

Philippians 2:14-15

A Toxic Spark

One of the ways Christians can shine the light of Jesus Christ is to do everything without complaining and arguing. Complaining and arguing can be toxic and spread like wildfire. If you have seen what it can do in a workplace, then you know it can be just as dangerous in the church. It only takes one spark to start a fire. In the same way, it only takes one person to create a toxic environment. Complaining and arguing can ruin relationships, friendships, and bodies of believers.

Take some time today to examine your life. Do you tend to be more encouraging or discouraging? Do you lean toward positivity or negativity? Spend some time in prayer and fill your mind with the things of God so you will shine like him instead of distracting people from the Lord.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,

Thank you for who you are and how you love me. Help me be a light for you and fill me with your Word. Amen.

The Question That Has Teeth

 “In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

Psalm 56:4 (NIV)

Today’s Devotional

If you have ever rehearsed the brave thing you wanted to say, standing alone in your kitchen, mouthing the words to no one, you already know what it costs to have a conviction you cannot get past your own throat. The sentence is fully formed. The belief is real. And still your voice stays low, or stays silent, because somewhere along the way you learned that speaking up invites consequences you are not sure you can survive.

David wrote Psalm 56 while captured by the Philistines in Gath. He was surrounded by people who wanted him dead, and he asked a question that sounds rhetorical but was not: “What can mere mortals do to me?” He knew exactly what they could do. He had seen it. He asked the question anyway, because the answer he feared mattered less than the God whose word he praised. That sequence matters: praise first, then trust, then the fear losing its grip. He opened his mouth, and the bravery followed the sound.

Your conviction has a voice. It may be out of practice. It may crack when you finally use it. But the God who heard David in enemy territory hears you in whatever room has kept you quiet, and he is not asking for volume. He is asking for the first word.

Time to reflect

These questions will press on something you may have been protecting for a long time. Stay with each one before answering.

What specific conviction have you stopped saying out loud, and when did you stop?

Whose reaction are you most afraid of if you spoke honestly about what you believe?

When David asked “What can mere mortals do to me?” he was naming his fear in the form of a question. What fear would you need to name before your voice could return?

Is your silence protecting you, or is it protecting the people around you from having to respond to something true?

Prayer Of The Day

Lord, I have been quiet for longer than I want to admit. I know what I believe, and I know it matters, but the cost of saying it out loud has kept me still. I confess that I have let the fear of people silence the praise you deserve. I do not need you to make me fearless. I need you to meet me in the first syllable, the way you met David in a room full of enemies. Give me one word to start with. Steady my voice long enough to say it. I trust that you are closer to the sound of honest faith than to the comfort of safe silence. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Strengthening Faith

Boldness begins with small, specific acts of speech and presence. Here is where that starts today.

Read Psalm 56 in full, slowly, and circle every verb David uses to describe what God does versus what his enemies do. Notice the imbalance.

Identify one opinion or belief you have softened or hidden in the last month to avoid conflict. Write it down in its full, unedited form.

Say something true to one person today that you would normally keep to yourself. Not an argument, not a confrontation: a genuine conviction, spoken plainly.

Spend five minutes sitting in silence without your phone, and pay attention to what your mind reaches for first. That reaching tells you something about what you have been avoiding.

Pick one routine you follow purely out of habit and skip it deliberately today. Use the gap to notice what fills it.

Before lunch, read Isaiah 41:10. Compare the promise there to David’s question in Psalm 56:4 and notice how the same God shows up in both.

Today Wisdom

Praise is the word David reached for before trust, before courage, before the question that silenced his fear. Your voice is still holding the shape of every true thing you swallowed instead of speaking. The first word you say out loud loosens all the ones behind it.

More Than You Can Count

 “How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!”

Psalm 139:17 (NIV)

Today’s Devotional

When was the last time someone thought about you when you weren’t in the room? Not a passing thought, the kind that flickers and fades before a person finishes their coffee. A real one. The kind where someone pauses mid-step because something reminded them of you, and they stayed there for a moment, holding you in their mind like something worth holding.

Most of us will never know the answer to that question. We move through grocery stores and parking lots and conference calls, and we assume that when we leave a room, we leave the thoughts of the people in it. David knew something different. He had spent years in fields where no one could see him, tending sheep that couldn’t thank him, playing songs for an audience of grass and wind. If anyone had reason to feel forgotten, it was the youngest son left outside while his brothers stood before a prophet. And yet this is the man who wrote, “How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!” He said the sum is too vast to count, a number so large it overflows every container we have for measuring attention.

The word David uses for “precious” carries the weight of something rare, something you hold carefully because it matters too much to handle loosely. And he pairs it with “vast,” a word that breaks open every limit. God’s thoughts toward you are both: infinitely careful and infinitely many. You have never once left the room of his attention.

Time to reflect

Take a moment to sit with David’s discovery. Consider:

When you picture God thinking about you, what do you assume his thoughts contain? Disappointment, indifference, warmth, or something else entirely?

Where in your daily routine do you feel most invisible, and what would shift if you believed someone was thinking of you in that exact moment?

Is there a difference between knowing God sees you and believing God values what he sees?

What would you do differently today if the number of thoughts God has toward you were written on your bathroom mirror?

Prayer Of The Day

God, I confess that I have measured my worth by the attention of people who barely have enough attention for themselves. I have walked through days feeling unseen, and I let that feeling become a verdict. Teach me to receive what David received: the staggering realization that your thoughts toward me are not occasional or obligated, but precious and vast beyond anything I can count. When I feel invisible, remind me that I have never once been out of your mind. Let that truth settle somewhere deeper than my feelings can reach. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Strengthening Faith

Here are a few ways to let the vastness of God’s attention reshape your day:

Set three random alarms on your phone today. When each one goes off, pause for ten seconds and say silently: “God is thinking of me right now.”

Read Psalm 139:1-18 slowly, one verse at a time. Circle or underline every verb that describes what God does. Notice how active his attention is.

Write down the name of someone you know who seems to move through life feeling overlooked. Send them a short message today, nothing elaborate, just enough to say: “I was thinking of you.”

Sit with a pen and try to list every kind thought you can remember anyone having about you. When the list runs out, consider that God’s list for you never does.

At dinner tonight, ask someone at the table: “What is one thing about you that you wish more people noticed?” Listen without rushing to respond.

Today Wisdom

There is a kind of worth that has nothing to do with being noticed by the right people at the right time. It lives upstream of every room you have ever walked into and every room you have ever left. It was there before you arrived, and it will outlast every silence you mistake for absence.

Philippians 2:16

 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.

Philippians 2:16

Hold Firm

Hold firm. Have you ever had that feeling of holding onto something for dear life? When I was little, I remember attempting to climb across the monkey bars and getting halfway across before I fell. Right before I fell, I hung onto the bar as tightly as I could so I wouldn’t fall. No matter what I did, I still fell.

The beautiful thing about God is that when we cling to him, he grabs hold of us and never let’s go. We can hold firmly to him because his Word is a firm foundation and never fails. We can run the race because he runs with us, alongside us even.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the race. May I run the race well and pleasing in your sight. May I hold tight to you. Amen.

The Currency You Already Carry

 “Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.””

Matthew 19:14 (NIV)

Today’s Devotional

Adults build resumes; children build sandcastles. The gap between those two activities holds more theology than most sermons.

By the time the disciples stepped in front of those children, they were acting on a logic most of us understand perfectly. Important people have limited time. Access must be earned. You bring something to the table, or you wait outside. They were being efficient, filtering the crowd the way any reasonable gatekeeper would. And Jesus stopped them cold.

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” The word that stays with me here is “such.” Jesus could have said the kingdom belongs to children. He said it belongs to “such as these,” which means he was pointing at a quality, not an age group. He was naming a kind of approach: open hands, no credentials, the willingness to walk up to someone without rehearsing what you will say first. The children came to Jesus with nothing prepared. They had no argument for why they deserved his attention. They simply came. If you have spent years building your understanding of faith into something sophisticated, something layered and careful and theologically precise, this verse can feel like a demotion. You worked hard for those layers. And here is Jesus, saying the entrance fee is something you left behind in a schoolyard. Look closer: he is telling you that the door you have been trying to unlock with complexity was open the whole time to anyone willing to walk through it plainly.

Time to reflect

The space between knowing about God and coming to God is worth examining today.

When did your faith start requiring preparation before you could pray, read, or ask for help?

Is there a question you have been refining for years that you could simply bring to God unfinished, right now?

Who in your life approaches faith with a simplicity that makes you slightly uncomfortable, and what does that discomfort reveal?

What would it cost you to set down your expertise for five minutes and just be someone who needs something?

Prayer Of The Day

Lord, we have spent so long learning the right words that we forgot you responded before we had any words at all. We come to you today not with our best thinking but with the part of us that simply wants to be near you. Forgive us for the times we made faith into a performance and forgot it was an open door. Help us to stop rehearsing and start arriving. We do not need to earn your attention. We know this, and yet we keep trying. Teach us again what the children already knew: that showing up is enough. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Strengthening Faith

The simplest faith is often the most honest. Here is how to practice it today.

Read Luke 18:15-17, the parallel account of this same moment, and notice what detail Luke adds that Matthew leaves out.

Pick one prayer you have been postponing because you could not find the right words for it. Pray it today in the most ordinary language you have, as if you were talking to someone sitting across from you.

Find a child in your life, your own or someone else’s, and ask them what they think God is like. Listen without correcting.

Identify one area of your spiritual life where you have added complexity that the original instruction did not require. Strip it back to what it actually asks of you.

Sit somewhere for three minutes with your hands open on your lap. Bring nothing to that silence: no agenda, no request list, no confession. Just presence.

Tell someone today, in plain language, one thing you believe about God. Keep it to a single sentence.

Today Wisdom

“Such as these” is not a standard you failed to meet. It is a posture you forgot you knew. Every credential you earned stands behind you; the door ahead responds to something older than credentials, something your hands still remember if you stop clenching them long enough to find out.

1 Peter 2:5

 And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.

1 Peter 2:5

A Living Stone

As believers, you are the foundation of the Christian life. The word foundation means to establish. God builds or establishes his church on believers who have given their lives over to the Lord. Each one of us is a living stone that he is continuously building. When we show him how much we love him and worship him, we please him. We also please him when we selflessly put him above all else. These sacrifices are a beautiful aroma to him.

In order to become a firm foundation, we need to continuously work on our relationship with the Lord through devotion, prayer, and Bible Study. When we are all working on our own personal relationships with the Lord, we will build that foundation together.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,

Help us become a foundation for the Christian faith. May we all work together. Amen.

The Courage to Ask Again

“For your name’s sake, Lord, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.”

Psalm 143:11 (NIV)

Today’s Devotional

Shame has a specific weight. You feel it settle across your shoulders when you bow your head and realize you are asking God for the same kind of rescue you asked for last month, last year, five years ago. The words form slowly because part of you believes you should have outgrown the need by now.

David knew that weight. In Psalm 143, he is deep inside trouble, and he does something that changes the shape of his request entirely. He says, “For your name’s sake, Lord, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.” He does not build his case on his own track record. He does not list the ways he has improved since the last crisis. He anchors his plea to God’s character, to God’s righteousness, as if to say: I am not the reason you should answer. You are. David’s prayer works precisely because he stopped trying to earn the right to pray it.

That single pivot is worth more than a year of self-improvement. The person who feels embarrassed to come back to God with the same old struggle has been measuring with the wrong ruler. God’s willingness to respond was never indexed to your progress. It was indexed to his name, his faithfulness, his own reputation for showing up when called. You are allowed to ask again. The quality of the asking was never the point.

Time to reflect

Spend a few quiet minutes with the weight David carried into this psalm, and then turn it toward your own life.

What specific request have you been holding back from God because you feel you should have resolved it on your own by now?

When you pray, do you spend more time explaining why you deserve help or simply asking for it?

Where did you first learn that needing help repeatedly was something to be ashamed of?

Is there a difference between how you treat a friend who asks you for help again and how you expect God to treat you?

Prayer Of The Day

Lord, I come to you again. You know the number of times I have brought this same ache, this same weakness, this same unfinished place in my life. I have tried to clean it up before approaching you, as if you required a better version of me before you would listen. Forgive me for confusing your patience with my performance. I anchor this prayer where David anchored his: to your name, your righteousness, your character that does not shift when mine does. Preserve my life today, not because I have earned preservation, but because you are the kind of God who preserves. I stop measuring my worthiness. I start trusting yours. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Strengthening Faith

David’s prayer teaches us that approaching God is an action, not a credential. Here is how to practice that today.

Read Psalm 143 in full this morning. Notice how many times David names what God is before he names what he needs. Count them.

Identify the one request you have been too embarrassed to bring to God again. Write it on a piece of paper in plain, unpolished language, the way you would say it to someone who already knows.

Find someone in your life who has asked you for help more than once. Send them a message today that says you are glad they asked, and mean it.

For one hour this afternoon, stop trying to fix the thing you keep praying about. Sit with it unresolved. Let the discomfort of not solving it become a form of trust.

At some point during your commute or a walk, say out loud: “Your name, not my track record.” Say it once. Let it land.

Open Romans 8:26-27 and read how the Spirit intercedes when we cannot find the right words. Let that passage answer the fear that your prayers are not good enough.

Today Wisdom

“Preserve” is a word that belongs to things already worth keeping. David asked God to preserve his life, which means he trusted that God still saw value in what remained. Your asking is evidence that something in you still knows where to turn.

1 Peter 2:9

 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

1 Peter 2:9

A Chosen People

If you know the Lord, then you are a chosen people! You have been adopted into the family of God. You are a holy nation, part of God’s very own possession! You belong to him! Since you belong to him, you can show others the love, grace, and mercy of the Father. You can show his goodness. He has transferred you from the darkness and into the light. You have been saved and given a new name and identity!

Live as though you are in the light. Live as though you belong to the Lord.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Thank you for including me in the family of God. May I shine my light to others! Amen.

God Shows No Favortism

 “Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism””

Acts 10:34 (NIV)

Today’s Devotional

In Acts 10:34, the Apostle Peter makes a powerful declaration about the character of God, stating that He does not show favoritism. This realization comes as Peter witnesses the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on a group of Gentiles gathered in the house of Cornelius, a Roman centurion. The event demonstrates that God’s gift of salvation is for all people, regardless of their ethnicity, social status, or background.

Peter’s words remind us that God’s love and grace are extended to everyone, without discrimination or partiality. As followers of Christ, we are called to embrace this truth and to share the message of the gospel with people from all walks of life. This understanding of God’s impartiality should also shape our own attitudes and actions, prompting us to treat others with fairness, love, and respect, recognizing the inherent dignity and worth of every individual.

Time to reflect

Reflecting on Acts 10:34, we can apply the following principles to our lives:

Embrace the universality of God’s love: Acknowledge and celebrate the fact that God’s love and salvation are available to all people, regardless of their background, ethnicity, or social status.

Share the gospel with all: Be intentional in sharing the message of Jesus Christ with people from diverse backgrounds and walks of life, recognizing that the gospel is meant for everyone.

Treat others with fairness and respect: Let our actions be guided by the understanding that God shows no favoritism, treating all people with fairness, love, and respect, regardless of their differences.

Seek unity in the body of Christ: Strive for unity among believers, celebrating the diversity within the body of Christ and working together to further the kingdom of God.

Challenge prejudices and biases: Reflect on any personal prejudices or biases, and ask God to help you overcome these to better reflect His impartial love.

Prayer Of The Day

Heavenly Father, thank You for the powerful reminder that You do not show favoritism and that Your love and salvation are available to all people. Help us to embrace this truth and to share the gospel with people from all walks of life. Guide us in treating others with fairness, love, and respect, reflecting Your impartial love in our actions. Unite us as believers, celebrating the diversity within the body of Christ and working together to further Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Strengthening Faith

In light of Acts 10:34, consider these action steps to help you embrace and reflect God’s impartial love:

Pray for opportunities to share the gospel with people from diverse backgrounds and walks of life.

Engage in conversations about faith with people who are different from you, seeking to better understand their perspectives and experiences.

Actively challenge any personal prejudices or biases, asking God to help you overcome these and to reflect His impartial love more fully.

Participate in events or initiatives that promote unity and understanding among believers from diverse backgrounds.

Model fairness, love, and respect in your relationships, demonstrating the impartial love of God in your everyday interactions.

Today Wisdom

Acts 10:34 serves as a powerful reminder that God does not show favoritism and that His love and salvation are available to all people. As followers of Christ, let us embrace this truth, share the gospel with people from all walks of life, and strive to treat others with fairness, love, and respect. In doing so, we can reflect God’s impartial love and work together to build a more inclusive and unified body of Christ. Let our lives be marked by a commitment to sharing God’s love with everyone, regardless of their background, ethnicity, or social status. May we be agents of unity and understanding, working together to further the kingdom of God and to demonstrate the life-transforming power of His love and grace to the world around us.

The Deceitful Human Heart

 “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”

Jeremiah 17:9 (NIV)

Today’s Devotional

Jeremiah 17:9 reveals the true nature of the human heart: deceitful and desperately wicked. This verse reminds us that our natural inclination is to follow our own desires and pursue our own self-interests, often leading to sin and separation from God. Our hearts are prone to deception, and we can easily be misled by our own feelings and desires.

 

As fallen human beings, we are incapable of fully understanding the depth of our own deceitfulness. This is why we need the transforming power of God’s grace and the guidance of the Holy Spirit to bring about true change in our lives. We cannot rely on our own understanding or wisdom, as our hearts are fundamentally flawed and in need of redemption.

Time to reflect

With the understanding that our hearts are deceitful and beyond our own comprehension, consider these points as we seek to live a life led by the Spirit:

 

Acknowledge our inability to fully understand or change our own hearts and the need for God’s intervention.

Turn to God in repentance, asking Him to reveal and heal the hidden deceitfulness within our hearts.

Seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead and direct our thoughts, actions, and desires.

Immerse ourselves in God’s Word, allowing it to transform our hearts and minds as we grow in our relationship with Him.

Cultivate a lifestyle of prayer and dependence on God, recognizing that apart from Him, we are helpless to overcome the deceitfulness of our own hearts.

Prayer Of The Day

Lord, we confess that our hearts are deceitful and beyond our own understanding. We acknowledge our need for Your transforming power and grace in our lives. Please search our hearts, reveal any hidden sin, and lead us on the path of righteousness. Help us to rely on Your guidance and wisdom, rather than our own understanding. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, and empower us to live lives that honor and glorify You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Strengthening Faith

To confront and overcome the deceitfulness of our own hearts, we can:

Regularly examine our hearts through prayer and reflection, asking God to reveal any hidden sin or deception.

Confess our sins and turn to God for forgiveness and healing, trusting in His grace and mercy.

Prioritize spending time in God’s Word, allowing it to shape our thoughts, attitudes, and actions.

Seek accountability and support from fellow believers, encouraging one another in our walk with God.

Cultivate a heart of gratitude and worship, focusing on the goodness and faithfulness of God.

Today Wisdom

The deceitfulness of the human heart is a sobering reality, but it is not a cause for despair. As we acknowledge our need for God’s grace and guidance, we can experience the transforming power of His Spirit in our lives. By seeking His wisdom and submitting to His direction, we can overcome the deceitfulness of our own hearts and walk in the truth, love, and righteousness that He desires for us. Let us depend on God’s grace and the work of the Holy Spirit to lead us in the path of true and lasting transformation.

John 17:3

 And this is the way to have eternal life-to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.

John 17:3

The Life Within

True life is knowing Christ. There is nothing better in this world than knowing Him as personal Lord and Savior. Eternal life is knowing the salvation of God’s Son. Many people think other ways lead to Christ or that all ways lead to Him, but that is a lie the world tells so that they do not have to confront their sins or change.

However, Jesus is the only way, as John tells us in chapter 14, verse 6, He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him. You can try other ways, but they lead to death, not life. They lead to sorrow, not rejoicing. Most of all, they lead to hell, not life in Heaven with God the Father. He is the one true God. He loves His children so much that He made a way for them to be with Him through Jesus Christ. May you find true life in Him and lead others to the same joy you have found.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
You are the way, the truth, and the life. You are the one, true God. You have given me the hope of knowing you forever in eternity. May others know the same life you’ve given me. Amen.