Daily Devotional

Scripture: Revelations 18:14 “They will say, `The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your riches and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’

Observation: This verse is about what is going to happen to Babylon in the last days. However it describes everyone. There will come a time in everyone’s life that no matter what we have accumulated in wealth and what we planned to do with our lives , but didn’t get around to will not matter. Only what we do for the kingdom of God will last for all of eternity. People we help lead to our Lord will have a home in heaven, things we did to reach out to others may have turned a sinful heart towards God, but everything that we collected for ourselves will vanish, never to be recovered.

Application: Stop doing things that won’t last and get busy bearing fruit for my Lord and Master. I was at church yesterday for the Potter’s Field ministry and the Holy Spirit was pricking my heart when he said God created us for a purpose and only He knows the outcome. I need to be around God more so I can follow His leading in my life. He didn’t create me for me, but for His glory.

Prayer: My Lord I’m here because you desire it so. Take this selfish man away and fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I may bear fruit in glory and honor to you. I’m here to be used by you, so please use me the way you have created me. May I be pliable clay so that you can form me into the image you desire of me and may I become a noble vessel, that I may be used by you.

Scripture: Revelations 17: [14] They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings–and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”

Observation: So many times I forget how powerful Jesus is because I think of Him with such a great love. Jesus is also the conqueror of Satan and all powerful and I belong to Him. When I think of Him as the lamb I think of a mild creature, not realizing the reason for the reference is that He was the atoning sacrifice for my salvation. How could a mild and gentle man take the punishment and torture He took for me. He conquered death and rose again to save the likes of a sinner like me.

Application: Jesus is God and all powerful and has my future in His hands. When I get afraid and overwhelmed I need to realize the strength my Lord and Savior has and He can defeat anything and that He loves me. I will never understand His love and sacrifice fully on this earth, but I need to trust it to live a life in glory and honor to Him.

Prayer: My Lord you sacrificed yourself for me and I don’t understand why, but Lord help me trust in you fully and understand how I might bear fruit in glory and honor to you. You are my Lord and King and I’m a lowly servant in your service. Command me to do your will in this life. I will honor and love you always.

Scripture: Revelations 16:15 “Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.”

Observation: My mind is not always on God it wonders constantly about things here on earth and my fleshly desires. I have hateful and selfish thoughts all of the time and I judge others instead of loving them. If Jesus comes back at that time will I be dressed to go or naked sitting in a corner in shame?

Application: I need to be dressed at all times with my thoughts and heart on God and not me. When I meet others this is an opportunity for me to treat them with the love and respect God calls me to. I need to be busy doing the will of the Father and not my own selfish desires. I’m here to serve and be obedient at all times and be ready to go home when Jesus calls me home.

Prayer: My Lord I need you always. I’m a sinner as Paul said today in my reading I’m constantly doing the things I don’t want to do and not doing what I should be doing. I need your strength and guidance to make it through each day and to be ready at any time for your return.

Scripture: Revelations 15:4 Who will not fear you, O Lord,
and bring glory to your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

Observation: To see all nations come before God and worship Him would be so glorious. Today we blaspheme God’s name, set up idols, worship other Gods and break every commandment our Lord as set for us to follow. What a terrible place this earth as become and yet God hasn’t judged it yet. It breaks my heart how far away we have gotten from God in this country, the country He blessed because we followed Him. How much farther away are we going to get and how much more is God going to take before enough is enough?

Application: God has put me here for a purpose and I need to being about the Father’s business and start telling others about the gospel. I have no idea how much longer we have, but my only concern is to do what God has called me to do, bear fruit in His name and concentrate on the person I am for God. I shouldn’t get diverted by the news and things that happen around me, but be focused on God’s calling on my life.

Prayer: Dear Lord you are worthy of all of my praise, obedience and worship. I’m a sinner and I need your guidance to bear fruit in your name and to glorify you with this life you have given me. Help guide me today to do what you desire of me. I love you Lord help me show that love to others.

Scripture: Revelations 14:[7] He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

Observation: Those are the words we should be shouting. That is my commission to preach the gospel and to warn others about what will happen if they don’t receive Jesus as their Lord and savior. My life should be shouting that message in the way I live this life. I should have a greater concern for others than myself so I need to overcome fear, embarrassment and laziness to get the message out.

Application: I need to show love to others by doing whatever it takes to get the message out about Jesus. I should be using all the gifts God has given me to tell and show others the message God has put on my heart.

Prayer: My Lord I know I can’t do anything good on my own and I will always need you. Please use me to fulfill the purpose you created me for that I may preach boldly your gospel and to turn others from a fate of eternal separation from you.

Scripture: Revelations 13:10 If anyone is to go into captivity,
into captivity he will go.
If anyone is to be killed with the sword,
with the sword he will be killed.

This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.

Observation: Patient Endurance and faithfulness are two things I lack. We are called to have these when things are very tough and yet I lack them when things are good. My Lord was patient when He waited for me to come to Him, if He wasn’t I would have been burning in Hell a long time ago.

Application: I need to practice patient endurance and faithfulness with the people God surrounds me with. I need to stop and depend on God. The CIA ministry is putting on a Christmas party for military families and each day I get a little nervous about making it happen. I know God has called us to do it and when it is His idea I need to let Him work it out for His glory. This is a good time to build up my faithfulness to my God.

Prayer: Dear Lord guide your servant today and each day that I will have patience in my life and that I will have the faith to endure through all that comes before me. I do want this life to glorify you and use it to help open the eyes of those who don’t know you yet. I give you this life as a living sacrifice, may it be holy and pleasing to you.

Scripture: Revelations 12:7 And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.

Observation: This seems to be each day of my life fighting against Satan, my evil thoughts and sinful nature. What a battle it is just when I feel as if I’m going to honor God thoughts arise in my mind and selfish desires take hold and I’m off track again. It’s so comforting to know when Satan goes to battle with God that He losses and I won’t have to fight anymore.

Application: Until God destroys Satan once and for all I need to put on the full armor of God and polish my sword by reading and studying His word so that I will be prepared to battle each day of my life against the schemes of the devil., I also need to know I can’t defeat Satan without Jesus I am no match for my enemy and I need to leave the battle to God, but be prepared to do what God calls me to do.

Prayer: Dear Lord give me the strength, courage and skills to battle my enemy. That you will always be beside me and that I don’t take matters into my own hands but always seek you counsel on what you desire me to do.