Category: Daily Devotional

Scripture: Matthew 24: [14] And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Observation: Jesus tells us to preach the gospel to the whole world, that is our job as Christians. We all have the same purpose, but different gifts and talents so each have our own way and God puts different people in our path. So the sooner we do our job as Christ directs us the sooner we get to go home.

Application: Look for opportunities to tell someone about my Lord and Savior. Plan out how to do my job to the best of my ability. Put myself in situations where I would be able to talk to others that might not know Jesus. Be bold and ask God to have the Holy Spirit talk through me to touch the hearts of others.

Prayer: Dear Lord give me wisdom to talk to others about your love and saving grace. Show me how to be bold in your name that I will fulfill the purpose that you have created me for.

Scripture: Matthew 23: [12] For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Observation: Most of my life I exalted myself because I felt no one else would. There is nothing in me to be proud of and anything good was given to me by God. People can only see God in my life if I humble myself and become less and He becomes greater in my life.

Application: I need to continue each day to be humble, to put others above myself as my Lord instructs me. Only then will others see my God instead of me. I’m here to direct others to Christ. I need to realize my only worth comes from God and not from me.

Prayer: My God I humble myself before you and men. Speak to me Lord and direct me in the direction to go, may I serve you and others in your name and please you today.

Scripture: Matthew 22: 37 Jesus replied: ” `Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

Observation: God deserves all of my love and obedience. Yet I fall short of what I actually give him. My decisions should be based on my love for God because you wouldn’t want to hurt the one you love, which is something I seem to do. If you love someone that much you would tell others about your love and why you love that person that much. Someone you love is on you heart and mind all the time.

Application: Love God more and show him my love in what I do. I tell Teri all the time how much I love and I need to be doing the same with my Lord. In my actions and thoughts I should be showing God how much I love him. There should be nothing that comes close to the love I have for God and I need to show him through my obedience.

Prayer: Dear Father I do love you and you know my heart. Help me fall more in love with you by hearing your voice. Take any distractions away and draw me nearer to you. Speak and I will obey.

Scripture: Matthew 21: [22] If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Observation: That’s the hard part for me if I believe. I’m not sure why it’s so hard for me to believe when God proves himself over and over again. He is always faithful and always there for me yet my lack of faith at times is unbelievable. My prayers will always be empty until I believe first that they will be answered.

Application: I need to trust God completely or I’ll never be able to fulfill the purpose He has created me for. Believe first that what I ask for is already done, according to his will and not doubt.

Prayer: Dear Lord help my unbelief. Open my eyes to your love and give me the strength to live this life the way you desire it to be lived. Increase my faith and draw me nearer to you.

Scripture: Matthew 20:[28] just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Observation: Jesus sets the example why we are here , we’re here to serve. We are to dedicate our life as Jesus gave his to service. We are created for a purpose and that purpose is to serve God and as time goes by we will learn to serve others in his name. We will find our blessings and joy at the time we serve, because there is where we will be closest to God.

Application: Find ways to serve don’t wait until the opportunity comes to me, but search out ways. Make my priority to serve others in God’s name giving him all the credit for my servant’s heart. May my headstone say Mark Buckley, Servant.

Prayer: Dear Lord you are worthy of all my praise, love and obedience. May I serve you and others in a way that is pleasing to you and brings Joy to your heart.

Scripture: Matthew 19: 26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Observation: I spend so much time worrying about if I can do some of the things that are set before me. I worry about my job, a home, finances, my family and even serving at the church. I’m more consumed by worry than I am in planning most of the time. It has to get to the point where I have to give it to God instead of giving it to God in the planning stages and allow him to guide me to make it work.

Application: Before I start anything give it to God and ask how he wants it done and ask him to come along beside me to make sure it gets done. If unexpected things happen give them to God and ask for direction on what he desires of me. This life is too difficult to handle by yourself, just the way God planned, we need him to make the impossible, possible.

Prayer: Dear Father work the impossible in my life. May I lay down all my own self interests and ask what it is you desire of this servant.

Scripture: Matthew 18: [4] Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Observation: That is a problem I’ve had for most of my life, humbling myself. I was too busy trying to raise myself up at the expense of others to make myself feel better. One of my best moments after I was saved was with a customer when I asked if I could get her anything, as I left she told my associate what a humble man I was.

Application: To remember who I am, a creation of God created for him not me. Realize we are all created by the same God and that I am a servant made to serve others in my Lord’s name. To receive my joy from the Lord and not what other people think of me.

Prayer: Dear Lord your servant is here to serve you and others in your name. Show me how to humble myself as a small child that I may please you and be with you in heaven.