All in Daily Devotion

Fear, Plague, Pandemic, and Maintaining our Faith

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Living God’s Word, Living Faith

In times of plague, or Pandemic, we are  challenged, and this challenge is multiplied, as sickness races around the world. In such situations we have a tendency to fall into despair, fear, and panic. In times like this we are prone to lose our courage, and feel our strength of faith waning as it is attacked on all fronts by doubt, and the lies of Satan. He tells us such things as “God has forgotten you”, “God is angry with you and will strike you down with plague!”, or “This is too big for God to handle!”, but all of these lies are untrue for those who believe. God’s Word is certainly the hope of the faithful.

Do We Love, or Simply Obey?

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Faith, Love

We may serve the Lord, pray eloquent prayers, give to the poor, and do all of those other commandments and mercies that God’s Word speaks of, but does that make us righteous? Does that make us Holy? At the end of the day are we any closer to our Heavenly Father? The question in doing any of these things should be this: “Am I doing this thing lovingly, and because I love the Lord?”, and if we stutter in our response, or can’t honestly say “Yes!”, then it is time to stop doing them and look closer at our faith, our heart, and our relationship with God.

How to Answer God’s Call, and Build His Church

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, God’s Plan, God’s Presence

Are you proud of the faith you have? Is your nose held high as you look down on the faithfulness of others? Do you go to church thinking “What a great Christian I am!”, or that you have built such a wonderful church building for God... isn’t it beautiful, and He most certainly comes here because of my exquisite handiwork! If you entertain thoughts such as these then my friend, you are teetering on the precipice of hell. God works in us, and our work without His presence means nothing. Jesus prepares a place for us, and we have nothing to prepare for Him, or offer Him, except our humbled heart that longs to believe in Him, and love Him.

Calamity, Thorns, and Tornados... Trusting in the Lord

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, God’s Will, Goodness, Trusting God

When we are in the midst of some earthly challenge, or tragedy, and our prayers have been made, but the answer escapes us, or is not to our liking, do we begin to question God? Perhaps God intervenes, a miracle occurs, but it isn’t exactly what we have envisioned; do we approach Him with indignation and frustration because what He gave us wasn’t enough in our eyes? Well how do we, creatures of time, presume to think that our thoughts, or plans, are more perfect, good, or wise, than Gods will for us?

The Word of God vs. the Traditions of Man

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Faith, God’s Word, Change

People argue that our faith is evolving, and God is changing to accommodate mankind’s changing nature, but is that true? When we look at God, and view our history with Him, have we ever seen Him change, or evolve? Some use the coming of Jesus to argue their point, but if we look at the Bible we see that Messianic Prophecy begins from almost the moment of Adam’s fall, and invalidates this as an argument for change. We change, but God remains the same... truth is always truth, good always good, light is always light, and so forth.

Law or Grace; How do we choose our Faith?

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Choosing, Faith in Jesus

There are two ways in which we can approach faith, we can look at the law as they did in the Old Testament, or we can search all our days for the Lord, and do so with our whole heart through Jesus. Some find it more to their liking to have an absolute list of things they must do without fail, and trusting in themselves, gauge their victory or defeat by it. However, others, knowIng those same things, face their shortcomings, and seek after God each day... covered fresh by Christ’s blood. 

Of Sacrifice, and Being Healed by Love

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Love, Sacrifice, Redemption

Is there anything of yourself that out of love you have given to, or for, another? Is there anything you consider so valuable, or so dear to you, that you wouldn’t consider parting with? We often think that the most precious possession we have is our life, but is that true? Jesus gave up His life for us, and for the love He felt for God. He valued these two so completely that His life was considered less, and thus, at His Father’s request, He gave it in horrific fashion to redeem mankind... even for those who would wound Him. He loved, and He loved something He considered more precious than His own life. 

Fame, Fortune, and Temptation on the Mountain

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Temptation, Satan

Glory, honor, fame, fortune, power, these are all temptations valued highly by man’s carnal self, and their control over us can be spiritually devastating, and even bleed over into our physical wellbeing as well. How far would any of us be willing to go for them, or to resist them? Would we abandon our faith for them? Would we drop down on our knees to someone who could give them to us as if they were a god? How do we face such temptation?

Scripture used as a Weapon against us

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Debating Scripture

Satan is a wily sort, and on occasion he is known to use scripture, God’s own Word,  against us by taking it out of context, or misrepresenting its interpretation. When Jesus came out of the wilderness we saw Satan tempt Him in just this way, and in similar fashion we see this happening today. Scripture is powerful, and the adversaries of faith attempt to string convenient verses together to undermined the truth in God’s Word. Knowing the Word is our defense against such attack. 

Satan Whispers to us in our Safe Places

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Safety, Temple, Temptation

Sometimes we are tempted in places that should be safe. Jesus was tempted in His safe place, on the pinnacle of the temple, the house of God, and we can be tempted in our churches as well. Have you ever had a squabble on Sunday morning with someone at church, and found that you couldn’t sleep at all that night... or did you go home smug in the fact that you had really told that so and so a thing or two?

Resisting the Power of Subtle Temptation and Sin

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Subtle Sin, Temptation

As Christians, we believe that we can identify sin and avoid it, but we aren’t always tempted by obvious sin; many times we are confronted by things that we might be inclined to rationalize , and that are less obvious. There is a fine line between conversation and gossip, or stretching the truth and telling an outright lie. How well do we identify and resist such subtle sins?

Finding Relationship in our Seclusion, Focus in our Fasting

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Hungering, Relationship

Do you ever separate yourself spiritually from your physical life and become immersed in your faith? Fasting is one of those denials of self that when used properly will heighten our spiritual concentration by placing our body under subjugation to God in a very real way. By causing ourselves to suffer in this way we feel a constant reminder to pray and worship... it focuses us heart, soul, mind, and strength, on our God. This is one of the few acts we perform that brings all of these to bear at once.

Walking in the Wilderness with the Spirit

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Wilderness, Walking with God

Sometimes our spirit leads us into a vulnerable place; one in which we find ourselves alone, and being tempted, or tested. We often experience this when God is teaching us, or preparing us for something new; perhaps a calling. It can happen in those times when we are about to be lead into a new ministry... or God is preparing us to be stretched in some way. Have you ever found yourself experiencing a spiritual wilderness? Are you there now, and don’t really know why?

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