The Word of God, our Sustenance and our Lineage

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotional, Name

What is your name; what are you called? On physical earth we have a sir name, but what is our spiritual name, our name of faith? Are we called Godly, Christian, Catholic, Anglican, Protestant, Orthodox, Pastor, Reverend, Father, Bishop, Saint, or some other name of faith, or are we simply unknown? Let’s shorten this question... are you called by the name of God, or not? Names can indicate someone’s nationality, race, tribe, or family, but eventually they give an indication as to who our father is. So, who is your spiritual father?

The Impossible in Life, and the Lord who goes Before Us

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotional, All Things Possible

Do you believe that adhering to the commandments of God and Jesus Christ might be too difficult for you? When you read that Jesus said, “Go and sin no more.” did His words frighten you? Were they more than you felt you could accomplish? Well, my friend, if we were to attempt these things alone, then they surely would be too much for us, and we would be right to be frightened and concerned, but in God all of this and more are possible. 

The Mark of Faith, and Riding on the Wings of Joy

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotional, Joy

Are we filled with the joy that only Jesus and God can give us? Even in those times when we suffer or mourn is there an underlying joy that others will see in how we approach those things? When we have grasped the gospel of Jesus Christ, and brought God into our hearts as Lord and Master, joy bubbles up in us like a flood. This is the mark of our faith, and is easily seen by those around us. Have we received God’s seal of joy?

A Mustard Seed, and the One True God of All

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotional, God of All

We serve the one true God, the creator of the universe, and we wait on Him in prayer today, and the return of His Son Jesus Christ, just as Abraham and Moses waited on Him, and the first coming of the Messiah in their own lives? Do we pray and wait for Him, knowing that He will answer our prayers? Do we faithfully expect His presence to be known not only in our lifetimes, but in our daily lives? Can we hear Him calling to us, and knocking at our doors even now? Brothers, this is the moment of our faithfulness, and the promise which thrills us. This is the day that the Lord has made; of our Father to whom Jesus prayed, and the Great I Am to whom Jesus taught us to pray. He desires a relationship with us, all of us, right now.

Praying Amidst the Simple, Complex, or Horrific Moments in Life

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotional , Praying God’s Will

Do we know how to pray despite the circumstances we find ourselves in? No? Well, do you know how to talk with a parent? There is no secret to having a conversation with the Lord, and no secret to obtaining answered prayers, just one simple fact... if we pray to Him as if we were having a conversation with a parent, and ask for those things we know He can agree to during that interaction, then He will do those things for us. This is called praying within His will.

Sin, Forgiveness, Sanctification, and Holiness

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotional, Holiness

Are we living out our lives claiming to be Christians while continuing to allow our own wills to reign over us? How is it that we can be satisfied with this? How is it that we can savor a taste of God’s will, experience the touch of sanctity, holiness, and joy, and then retreat back into our own earthly humanity? This is the age-old struggle of faith... we struggle to place God’s will first in our lives and to deny our own flesh, nature, and will, that we might accept the sanctification of God and His perfect will.

The Rift of Sin, and Opening the Gift of God

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotional, God Forgives

The rift that was formed between God and man when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil has been closed for us. Jesus gave himself in sacrifice to make that happen. What an incredible gift of grace we have received, a gift of forgiveness, and yet we are like children who have been given a gift but refuse to play with it because we can’t believe it is really ours or that we might break it. Well, brothers and sisters, it is time that we opened the present which has been handed to us, and thrill at its contents.

Beauty, Creation, and the Breath of God

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotional, Divine Awe

When we look at a sunrise, or a sunset, we see its beauty. When we look across the mountains we see their grandeur and beauty as well. The night skies filled with stars, and all of God’s creation bring us wonder and awe, but it also impresses us with its beauty to the point of tears. Science argues the creation of the universe, but who can argue the beauty we feel and see in it, and the wonder at the divine hand that causes us to know beauty from nothingness.

On the Subject of Sin, and How to Eat the Elephant

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotional, Overcoming our nature

Are you a branch on the vine of Jesus Christ? Do you know what that means to you? Well, when we are grafted into the vine of Jesus, we become righteous as He is righteous, and free of sin as He is free of sin. Grafting doesn’t transform the branch’s nature, but it is from that moment on that the branch is supported and fed by the new vine to which it is attached. Are you fed and supported by Jesus? Is your fruit made more perfect and fuller by its new source of nourishment?

Have We Ever Told God, “You are not the Boss of Me!”?

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotional, Leaning on God

Have you ever faced a problem and prayed for God to reveal His will to you, and to guide you through it, but then, when He had brought you to that place where you felt comfortable once more, did you simply tell Him “thanks” as you went about your merry way alone? This happens all of the time to believers, but the Lord doesn’t want to be the taxi that you call in a pinch, He wants to be your personal automobile that you depend on day and night to take you everywhere you go.

Love, Joy, Answered Prayer, and the Bride of Christ

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotional, Marriage and One Flesh

Do we abide in Jesus Christ? This is an incredibly powerful question, and our answer to it determines so much. This is the condition that is placed on one of the most sought after promises in the Bible... answered prayer, and it is also linked to other promises such as the love of God, and joy. So how do we approach Jesus? Is Christ abiding in us, or is He just an occasional visitor?

Prayer, God’s Will, and Listening for His Voice

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotional, God’s Will

 Praying for those things that are within the will of God for us; do we really know how to do that? Seeking out the will of God as He has determined it to be, takes much prayer in which we ask no other question but “what is your will for me?”, and then listening for His reply. Can we hear God’s voice when he answers and makes His desire known to us? We will know how to pray as we should once we do, but until that time our prayers are best conducted by the Holy Spirit within us.

A Two-Week Experiment in Seeing Your Body

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotional, Living a Righteous Life

Do we think of our faith in God, and Jesus Christ to be entirely spiritual? Do we continue on in the sins of the flesh even after we have presented ourselves as believers in the Lord and Jesus? Resisting those earthly temptations is difficult, and this is why Satan attacks our physical frailties so often. He is very good at finding the small chinks in our armor and picking at them. When he finds a weakness he attacks us relentlessly like a swarm of hornets in an attempt to breach the walls of our spirituality.

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