Daily Devotional

Scripture: John 5:44 How can you believe if you accept praise from one another yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?

Observation: I do try continually to get the praises of others. I want to be liked, and thought of highly by others. I can’t count the times I did that and compromised what God wanted of me.

Application: Everything I do and say should honor God in some way. I’m a child of the Father and I should act like it trying to get praise from Dad for doing His will. I need to come up with ways that are praiseworthy and plan out how to do them.

Prayer: Dear Father you are worthy of all my praise, obedience and worship. May I honor you this day in some way that will please you and be worthy of your praise.

Scripture: John 4:34 “My food”, said Jesus. “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.”

Observation: My food that sustains me, should be is doing God’s will. There is nothing more important then completing the work God has given me. I should have the satisfaction of eating a wonderful meal when I honor God with what I do.

Application: Make doing God’s will my top priority. Everything else is minor in comparison of doing what God has created me for. To put things in perspective each day, putting God’s desires always first.

Prayer: Dear Lord teach me your will, give me knowledge, wisdom, strength and discipline to do your will. Place in my heart and mind how to honor and glorify you. May I complete the task you set before me before coming home to you.

Scripture: John 3:30 He must become greater; I must become less.

Observation: God should be so great in my life that is what others see, not me. I don’t want others to see this sinful man, but the loving Son of God who took away my sins and has given me eternal life and a new life in this world.

Application: I need to become less, my desires, my words, my thoughts and actions need to come from God. I need to make sure all I do reflects the love of my God, that he becomes so great in my life that it’s all anyone can see. I need to humble myself to my God and master.

Prayer: Dear God take charge of your servant. Show me how to live this life in glory and honor to you, that people can see you in my eyes and life I lead from this point on.

Scripture: John 2:17 His disciples remembered that it is written, ”Zeal for your house will consume me.”

Observation: What is God’s house? Is it the church? Our body is called his temple or is it anywhere we worship him? I know the church is special, Jesus gave his life for her and He tells us to love our wives as He loves the church. The church needs to be Holy and sanctified to God’s work. When people visit a church they should feel the love of God surrounding them and to represent the goodness of God in his people.

Application: To represent the church in a way that is honoring to God, all the time. I need to act and speak in a way that others will know my love for Christ and our Father’s house. Treat the church body with the respect God’s house deserves.

Prayer: Dear Lord show me how to honor you with my body. May I help in bringing it up and making it holy in glory and honor to you, my Lord.

Scripture: John 1:16 From the fullness of his grace we have received one blessing after another.

Observation: I have surely received one blessing after another only because of the grace of God. I deserve nothing but pain and death, there was no good in me and even now the only good is what God has put in me. Yet God watches over me and blesses me with a wonderful wife, health, work, friends and he always meets my needs and desires.

Application: To make sure I give God all the glory and praise that he deserves. Not to take credit for anything, because whatever I accomplish is through the grace of God and not of my own abilities.

Prayer: Dear Lord I thank you for the many blessings you have given me and I ask for your guidance on how to fulfill the purpose you have created me for. May I honor and glorify your name and be drawn close to you.

Scripture: Luke 24:25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.”

Observation: That is me, foolish and slow to believe. Each day I continue to suffer what the day will bring, because of my lack of belief that God is with me and wants the best for me. Not that I won’t have trials, but that he will be with me through them. I don’t know why my heart is so slow to believe, God has proven himself true again and again in my life. I’m so much worse than Thomas.

Application: I know in my heart the love of God and that he is with me. I need to believe in all that happens to me He is with me. He has filled and blessed me and I need to honor him with my obedience and love.

Prayer: Dear Lord you are so worthy of all my love, praise and obedience. Increase my faith, open my eyes to glorify you.

Scripture: Luke 23:34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

Observation: Jesus forgives even at the point of torture to those that are killing him. I can harbor unforgiveness for the smallest of offenses. My purpose in life is to be more and more like Jesus, to have a kinder heart, a more forgiving nature, make wiser decisions, to be more caring and obedient to my Father. There is nothing anyone can do to me that is worse than what I have done to God and yet he forgives me.

Application: To be more like Jesus. To stop and think before I react, what would Jesus do? To forgive any offenses and to pray to God for strength to be this man God calls me to be.

Prayer: Dear Lord I am a sinner and need your power to become this man that will honor you. Help guide me this day to draw nearer to you. Give me a forgiving heart that may glorify you.