Where are the Modern Day Tables of the Money Changers set up?

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, The Church

Are we ready to live, and defend, our faith with zeal? If a group who calls themselves believers wants to come into our place of worship, set up a table, and use it for what we know to be a sinful activity, would we stand idly by as they did so? Jesus was a man who had a zeal for God and His house, and when He turned over the tables of the money changers in the Temple, His disciples witnessed this. But, where do we worship today, and where are the tables that should be offending us being set up?

Running, Walking, and our Quest for Faith

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Giving our Life, Seeking Faith

When we are running the race of faith how much effort and enthusiasm do we apply to it? Though we are faithful, some of us will sit like spectators and watch the gifted athletes run, some will strive only for pleasure and never expect to win the race, a few will be running so that others will call them faithful, and then there are those who run as though against themselves, only desiring to do a bit better than the last time they entered the field, but Paul tells us that anything other than running to win the prize of eternal life, and God’s pleasure, is not enough. So how are we running our race of faith, and what is our event?

Facing Temptation, and becoming perfect in the Hands of God

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Temptation, Faithfulness

Are there people who seek to undermine our faith in Jesus Christ, or who wish to destroy our belief in God? Do we feel less than competent when it comes to defending scripture in a scholarly setting, or standing up to ridicule? Well, whatever comes against us will be defeated, and God’s power within us will prevail because His hand is upon us. No matter our shortcomings, He has filled every crack and chink in our armor from within using the knowledge of His Holy Spirit, and has provided us a sword for our defense hammered out in the forge of His Word.

Prayer, Fishing, and Receiving the Peace of God

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Peace, Prayer, Quiet

Where do we turn to find comfort, rest, and peace of mind in our lives? To regain the peace that the world works so hard to rob from us we need to find the quiet places, and times, when we can take in a deep breath from God, and exhale the foul air of strife, and stress that the dark one tries so hard to blow into our lungs. Jesus teaches us much on this subject, and if we reorder our lives we can find that selfsame peace. 

Expectation, Confidence, Faith, and maintaining our Good Health

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Expectation, Confidence, Faith

Expecting a miracle, and being confident in our rescue; such behaviors have a profound impact on our psyche, wellbeing, and our spiritual health. When we lean on our God in full expectation that He will do the things He has promised, not doubting His presence, and relying confidently on His Word, then He will strengthen us, and neither our bodies, nor minds will fail, and He will heal our souls. 

Chaos, Uncertainty, and trusting in God to routinely provide Miracles

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Understanding God, Miracles

In the chaotic moments of life do we panic, or do we begin leaning on our faith for God‘s miraculous rescue and relief? In those times that are so dire, out of the ordinary, and perhaps cause us to experience great fear, do we attempt to save ourselves, run away, or do we call out for Jesus? The truth is... When we find ourselves in those dark times and we are struggling, or shaking in fear, we typically do one of three things, we either look inward for our own solution, give up, or lean on our faith, but sometimes the situation is more complicated than we realize, and we do all three!

We Begin as Babies in Faith, drinking Spiritual Milk as we grow

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Growth, Lifecycle of Faith

When we first come to know God through Jesus Christ we are like infants, and are yet unprepared to walk fully as grown men and women of faith in our Father’s house. Likewise, Jesus endured His childhood as He grew in body and mind from an infant into manhood. Yet, as a baby, a toddler, a child, and through all of the other phases of growing into adulthood, our father‘s love is complete, and perfect through them all.

Joy, and Happiness, in Worship, and in the face of Tribulation

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Joy, Happiness

Did you wake up happy today? Did you enter into your prayer closet with joy, or do you feel like you should be eternally solemn before God? On Sundays do we enter into the sanctuary with a stern disposition, and worship God with a pompous air? Do the circumstances in our lives seek to crush our spirit? God gives us many things but of them He most certainly wants us to receive His joy, and yes, happiness!

Knowing the Will of God

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Seeking God’s Will

Does God’s will for you seem like a total mystery to you that can’t be resolved, or understood? Do you pray for Him to reveal it to you, but hear only silence? Well, the will of God for you is not meant to remain a mystery, it is as certain as the blood of Christ, as complete as our forgiveness from sin, and we have no part in determining it... It is totally in support of God’s purpose and is made known to us through His grace which flows through Jesus Christ; facilitated by the Holy Spirit.

Family, Relationship, and Seeking God without simply wanting.

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Relationship, Everlasting

When we pray do we exert all of our effort, and dedicate every word, to asking for things we need, and for our desires to be met? If that is the case then we are missing the true treasure that resides within prayer. By praying in this way we are missing the full depth of relationship, such as Adam experienced during his walks with God in the Garden. When we love God, and are in relationship with Him, we should be discussing our lives, and asking questions about our heritage In Him, because He is our loving Father, and about His mysteries, because we are His adoring children who seek His wisdom. 

Thoughts on Mother’s Day, and finding God’s Peace

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Forgiveness, Restoration

Yesterday was Mother’s Day, and mothers were widely celebrated with phone calls, visits, and gifts, but in the year since the previous Mother’s Day many children had lost their mother, and men had lost their wives who had blessed them with children. In the midst of our joyous celebration we can find ourselves saddened, and sometimes feeling bitter towards God in the midst of our mourning. But in all things, even the loss of a mother, or wife, we should worship, and call out blessings to God. Job shows us this after losing all of his children to a tragic storm.

Doing, and not just hearing, the Word of God.

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Accepting, Following Jesus

We talk quite a bit about having new life, or being transformed, as if we have no active part in achieving these things, But both require effort from us. It is true that these are founded on, and sparked by Jesus Christ, but we have a role to play in making our new life happen. In other words, Jesus makes them possible, starts them in motion, and abides in us, but we must accept Him, and working with the Holy Spirit, bring them to life in ourselves. 

Sin; The pandemic of death, and Jesus our inoculation of life

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Facing Our Sin

Why is it that sin is so prevalent in man? How did one sin multiply to fill us so completely? Our obsessions begin with a single glance, and our sins in the same way; what starts out small, and seemingly innocent, grows into something monstrous. Don’t those little sins pick at us until we are covered with tiny sores that eventually join to become one large festering mess? 

Hearing God’s Voice before, during, and after, COVID-19

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, God’s Voice

Do we honor Jesus in all we say and do? Is everything in our life focused on bringing glory to God? What is it that draws us from slumber and makes us eager to face each day? In this time of COVID-19 it is hard to envision our life being as spiritually robust as it once was, but this virus is a bodily scourge, and doesn’t actually attack our spiritual health. When our body is ill, our minds wrought by fever, or our heart sinks in mourning and disillusionment, let the Holy Spirit encourage hope and expectation in our spirit so that we will bring honor to Jesus each day, and glorify God... in both life, and death alike.

What price is so high that we will not pay it?

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Eternal Life, Price

What is the value we place on spending an eternity at God’s table with Jesus; or for that matter, for the salvation of our very souls? What earthly price would we be willing to pay so that we could sing out “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty” with the heavenly host forever? Man has sought eternity in thought and word since Adam, and yet when it comes right down to paying the price of our admission, we falter, and chose worldly things over the eternal salvation of our souls. How much is too much for you to pay?

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