Christian religion Archives - Tabetha’s Devotions

August 16, 2019August 17, 2019

Devoting my heart to God does come with some nice perks!

Job 11:13-19

“Yet if you devote your heart to him
and stretch out your hands to him,
if you put away the sin that is in your hand
and allow no evil to dwell in your tent,
then, free of fault, you will lift up your face;
you will stand firm and without fear.
You will surely forget your trouble,
recalling it only as waters gone by.
Life will be brighter than noonday,
and darkness will become like morning.
You will be secure, because there is hope;
you will look about you and take your rest in safety.
You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,
and many will court your favor.

Word Study

Devote – H3922 כּוּן1 kûn1, to be established, be steadfast, be firm, be prepared; to establish, set in place, make secure; to be made firm, be prepared; to establish, make preparations, provide; to be made ready, be established, be attached

I want you to read those verses again and then when you are done read them again! If you devote (to be established, be steadfast, be firm, be prepared; to establish, set in place, make secure; to be made firm, be prepared; to establish, make preparations, provide; to be made ready, be established, be attached) your heart to God. Then put away the sin. In other words, ask God for forgiveness and work towards not doing it again. Will you be perfect all the time? No. Will you never sin again? No! BUT…if you stay devoted to him you will work on it. You will have a desire to try. You will put effort. You will have remorse when you slip and you will admit it and ask for forgiveness.

You do that and all those promises will follow naturally.

I cannot earn grace. I cannot earn my salvation. However, devoting my heart to God does come with some nice perks!

August 12, 2019August 12, 2019

He Is Always There!

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Romans 8:35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? (NIV)

Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture: (MSG)

Word Study

Who – G5515 τίς tis who?, what?, which?, why?

Separate – G6004 χωρίζω chōrizō, to divide, separate, leave; (pass.) to be separated from, set apart

Thoughts…

Notice ”The apostle says not (remarks CALVIN nobly) “What,” but “Who,” just as if all creatures and all afflictions were so many gladiators taking arms against the Christians” (Jamieson, Fausser, and Brown Commentary).

I find it fascinating that this verse starts with who. Have you been in situations where people tried to tear you apart to other people? Some have believed their lies and they walked out of your life. Let me assure you right now…GOD WILL NOT WALKOUT! I don’t care if the nasty little rumors are true. He will not leave you. He is always there waiting for you right by your side. There is nowhere you can go that He is not there (Psalm 139:7). They is no sin that you can do that will make God turn his back on you. Like the prodigal son’s father, he is standing in the driveway with open arms waiting for you to run into them.

No one, not even you, can separate you from God’s love. He is there waiting for you to call on Him, so he can wrap His love and grace around you and bring you home.

August 9, 2019August 9, 2019

Take My Hand and Stand

Philippians 1:27

Life Worthy of the Gospel
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel (NIV)

Word Study

Together – G5254 συναθλέω synathleō, to contend at one’s side, together

Firm – G5112 στήκω stēkō, to stand, stand firm, be steadfast

Thoughts…

In this very significant section of the letter, Paul urged the church members to dismiss their pride and to live and serve together in unity. Anything less falls short of the gospel’s standards. True unity will be realized by authentic meekness and selflessness, ultimately exemplified in the earthly life of Jesus. The attitude the church should exhibit was the one Jesus maintained (HCB Commentary).

Do you want to be a rock in this world of swirling storms? Then join fellow believers instead of tearing each other down. We aren’t each other’s enemy! We need to stand united against the real enemy. Pray for one another. Reach out to one another. I don’t care what religious title you hold. Baptist, Luthern, Methodist, Catholic, Pentecostal, whatever name is on the building where you choose to worship does not matter. We are one in Christ!

Let’s rise up together, look Satan square in the eye and remind him, ”No! WE are Legion and WE are a force to be reckoned with!”

August 7, 2019August 7, 2019

Remember the Thief

Ephesians 4:14

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. (NIV)

Word Study

Cunning – G3235 κυβεία kybeia, cunning, craftiness, trickery

Craftiness – G4111 πανουργία panourgia, cunning, craftiness, deception, duplicity

Deceitful – G4415 πλάνη planē, error, delusion, deception

Scheming – G3497 μεθοδεία methodeia, scheming, craftiness, strategy

Thoughts…

In his New Testament epistles, Paul frequently warned his readers to be on guard against false teaching (e.g., 2 Cor 11:3–4). These cautions reveal that from an early point Christianity was open to distortions and heresies that took many forms through overemphasis on some and denial of other central Christian teachings (Archeological Study Notes Bible).

Believe on the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved (Acts 16:31). the Lord with all your heart and love others as yourself (Mark 12:30-31). I don’t read in these verses anything about wearing or not certain clothing. I don’t see hairstyles, piercings, or tattoos. I don’t see any must-have rituals. So why do people get so hung up on things like that when judging others and their walk with God?

Don’t let anyone other than God dictate your walk with Him. Remember the thief on the cross died right after believing in Christ and went to heaven with him that very day.

August 6, 2019August 6, 2019

Now Straighten That Crown

Corinthians 15:56-57
It was sin that made death so frightening and law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage, its destructive power. But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three—sin, guilt, death—are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God! (MSG)

Word Study

Sting- G3034 κέντρον kentron, sting, goad

Power – G1539 δύναμις dynamis, power, ability; miracle; ruler, an extended meaning of a person or supernatural being who has administrative power

Thoughts…

Thanks to the victory of Christ, death will be finally abolished. This is great encouragement for all believers to persevere faithfully in the Lord’s service, knowing that “labor in the Lord is not in vain” (HCB Commentary).

We are so blessed. We have always had the privilege of Jesus destroying death for us. We don’t have to worry every second about what happens when we die. We don’t have to carry around huge heavy loads of guilt and perform long rituals.

When Jesus died he took away Satans power. There is no more guilt-filled legal system to hold us down.

“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:55

August 5, 2019August 5, 2019

But It Is Just A Little

Galatians 5:9
A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough. (NIV)

Word Study

Yeast – G2434 ζύμη zymē, yeast, leaven

Thoughts…

Yeast is generally a symbol of evil or corruption in the New Testament. The metaphor includes the idea of a tiny amount of yeast being able to ferment a large amount of dough (Archeological Study Bible Notes). *see Mark 8:15

A pastor once gave a sermon on sin. He held up a glass of water and asked, ”Who would like a drink of water?” One man raised his hand. The pastor then said, ”Come on up. It only has a little arsenic in it.”

I also recently saw a commercial where people were going into what looked like a restaurant where they were giving out water. The gentlemen explained it only contained the legal amounts of lead in it based on what area of the country it came from. Needless to say in either situation no one wanted to drink the water.

Sin is like the arsenic or lead or even the yeast. It doesn’t take much to destroy everything good around it. We need to watch every step. Even the white little lie is still a lie.

July 25, 2019July 25, 2019

Build Your Offense Before You Go on the Defense

Jude 1:20-21
But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. (NIV)

Word Study

Building – G2224 ἐποικοδομέω epoikodomeō, to build up, build on

Keep – G5498 τηρέω tēreō, to keep, guard, obey, observe

Thoughts…

Jude reminded his readers that the apostles had warned against the divisiveness and spiritual emptiness of the coming false teachers. The recipients were to build themselves up with prayer and obedience. They also were to offer help to wandering believers who need both an experience of divine mercy and the wisdom to avoid corruption (HCB Commentay).

Athletes never just walk out onto the court, field, ice, or diamond and start playing. No one would ever just get up one day and run a marathon. To do these things require practice. You must eat the right food and stretch. You build your body up and keep it in shape. Our spiritual life can benefit from this as well. Build your faith by reading the bible, praying and spending time with God.

Do you want to win the game of life? Build your offense with God before you have to go on the defense.

July 24, 2019July 24, 2019

No Never Alone

1 Peter 5:9

Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (NIV)

Word Study

Undergoing – G2200 ἐπιτελέω epiteleō, to finish, complete, end; to perfect, attain a goal

Sufferings – G4077 πάθημα pathēma, suffering, misfortune

Thoughts…

The consideration of what others suffer is proper to encourage us to bear our share in any affliction; and in whatever form Satan assaults us, or by whatever means, we may know that our brethren experience the same (Matthew Henery’s Concise Commentary).

We are all going to go through trials, tribulations, and sufferings. Take heart that you are never alone. Someone somewhere has been there and done that. This is why it is so important to open our mouths. We need to both reach out for help AND tell our stories to help others.

Life is not filled with rainbows and unicorns. Be a believer throughout the world so no one ever has to feel alone.

July 22, 2019July 22, 2019

There is an End to this Chapter

2 Corinthians 4:18

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (NIV)

Word Study

Temporary – G4672 πρόσκαιρος proskairos, lasting only for a short time, temporary

Thoughts…

18. look not at–as our aim. things … seen–“earthly things” (Php 3:19). We mind not the things seen, whether affliction or refreshment come, so as to be seduced by the latter, or deterred by the former [CHRYSOSTOM]. things … not seen–not “the invisible things” of Ro 1:20, but the things which, though not seen now, shall be so hereafter.

temporal–rather, “for a time”; in contrast to eternal. English Version uses “temporal” for temporary. The Greek is rightly translated in the similar passage, “the pleasures of sin for a season” (Jameson, Fausett, and Brown Commentary).

Whatever life throws at me it will not last forever. It doesn’t say it will not be hard, it will not hurt, there will not be damage or scars. No, it says it will end.

Do not keep your eyes on the storm. Keep your eyes on the one who controls it and will bring it to an end!

July 19, 2019July 19, 2019

Hope Brings Sunshine

1 Thessalonians 4:13

Believers Who Have Died
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. (NIV)

Word Study

Sleep – G3121 κοιμάω koimaō, to fall asleep, sleep; die

Hope – G1828 ἐλπίς elpis, hope, expectation

Thoughts…

For the Christian, sleep is a particularly apt metaphor for death, since death’s finality and horror are removed by the assurance of resurrection. Inscriptions on tombs and references in literature show that first-century pagans viewed death with horror, as the end of everything (Archaeological Study Bible Notes).

Even death has nothing on my hope. God destroyed death when Jesus died in our place. We have a future beyond death. We have hope in a better life beyond this one. If our hope is powerful enough to give us peace over death, how powerful is it to get us through whatever it is we are going through today? Our hope can bring us that much-needed ray of sunshine as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. It can also walk us through the darkest of days we find ourselves in along the way.

Hope means our future’s so bright, we gotta wear shades!

Tag: Christian religion

Devoting my heart to God does come with some nice perks!

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He Is Always There!

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Take My Hand and Stand

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Remember the Thief

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Now Straighten That Crown

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But It Is Just A Little

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Build Your Offense Before You Go on the Defense

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No Never Alone

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There is an End to this Chapter

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Hope Brings Sunshine

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