Beware the Wolves of Faith among us

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Discernment

Are there those among us who seek a place of power and leadership in the Church as a means of acquiring glory? They may be the wealthy who donate their money, or the poor their time, each meant to achieve personal recognition and honor for themselves, or the scholars who teach outside the Word to elevate themselves. How do we discern those who step between God, and His children? Can we identify the wolves who falsely claim His calling, or those who were once rightfully called but have now been spoiled by their association with the world?

God is with us always, and we will not be afraid, or ashamed, in our nakedness.

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , God Is With Us

We can’t see the wind, and yet we feel it all around us, and see the sand it carries when it is strengthened. We see the mountains moved, and the trees uprooted when storm winds are angered, and we feel the cool evening breeze as our skin rises to meet it after a long hot day is forgotten. The breath of our God is like this, and though we don’t see Him with our eyes, we feel Him with our heart, and our soul. Our spirit is refreshed by His constant presence. He is always with us, always surrounding us, and never are we without Him. Even when He is perfectly still, and we can’t feel Him... we breathe Him in, and He sustains us.

Are we Complacent in Pursuing our Faith?

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Seeking Faith

His disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray as He did, and David sang in prayer that God would teach him His paths. Are we satisfied with the speed at which we are progressing spiritually? Are we inclined to sit patiently waiting for instruction without expressing our desire for more? There is a difference between trusting that the Lord will lead us in understanding, and being indifferent about it. Both David and the disciples wanted more, and they asked for as much... we should ask as well.

The Hardest Lessons bring our greatest Change

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Difficult Lessons

Our hardest, and most painful lessons in life are generally the ones that change us most completely, and can remake us at a very basic level. It is easy to teach someone how to do a certain thing, like to make up their bed when they get out of it, or brush their teeth each day, but to teach them to be a different person... not be afraid of heights, or to love God more intensely, requires a much deeper experience, and that often involves suffering, and affliction.

God’s Word; do we let it Fade?

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Living God’s Word

Do we keep the Word of the Lord fresh in our minds? Do we remember what He has commanded us to do so that we will not fall into sin? It is so easy to walk rather innocently into a sinful situation if we follow after our own whims, or lean on our own understanding. In order that we remain on the path of righteousness we must have A roadmap, or directions for our journey, and remember which way to turn when we encounter various crossroads. Do we diligently study the map of faith?

Seeking Eternity, or Loving Jesus?

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Obedience, True Faith

How secure is the foundation of our faith? Did we profess Jesus Christ to be our Lord in order to gain eternal life? Did we become acquainted with Him in our quest for a miracle, or life while neglectIng to establish a true relationship with Him? Do we recognize His face without knowing His heart, or dining at His table? Do we want to become His bride without knowing Him as the groom?

Freedom, Faith, and Servitude

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Freedom , Faith

We long for freedom, and to be our own men and women, but what does freedom really mean? So many feel that freedom means that they are not to be subservient to anyone, when what it really means is that we are free to serve whomever we choose. As patriots we serve our country, as husbands and wives we serve our families, but as Christians we find the greatest of all service... we find that our freedom is founded in serving the Lord, and making Him the focus of our lives.

Hallowed be His Name

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Hallowed

We listened as Jesus taught His disciples to pray, and then we memorized that prayer, and now recite it. We call it the Lord’s Prayer, and it has become the greatest gem in our treasure of all prayers, but do we concentrate on the words we pray, or are they simply the words that children commit to memory, and adults chant and sing routinely in worship? We say “Father in Heaven”, but do we dwell on what it means when we say hallowed be your name?

By Miracle, or Faith, which way did we come to believe?

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Faith and Miracles

As Christians, which do we find easiest to believe, is it that Jesus will forgive us our sins, or that He will miraculously heal us? This is an interesting question because when our sin is forgiven no one can effectively argue against what they can’t see, but, with a healing miracle all can see and touch the outcome... and arguments against them can ensue. So here is the question today; do you lean most on the spiritual or the physical aspects of your faith, and which brought you to believe?

Relieving stress, and finding Peace through joint prayers of Love

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Prayer , God’s Love

Are we feeling anxious today? Do we fret over the challenges which this particular day will bring as it unfolds before us? If so, what is the solution that we will employ, and feel inclined to pursue? Our God is mighty indeed, but he has no greater might, nor presents us with any more profound mercy, than that of His love, because all else is made real, perfected, and witnessed through its application. Are we simply applying our own taste of love to the personal pilgrim’s journey of faith that we find ourselves on? Have we chosen to apply God’s love as a random mortar between the stones of our belief.. and sometimes disbelief?

God’s Will, and the Power of Praying within It

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Will of God, Prayer

Do we pray simply to receive those things that an omnipotent God can give to us, or do we pray that we receive those things that are part and parcel of His will? How did Jesus pray in the Garden of Gethsemane? He prayed that If it were God’s will that this cup be removed from Him, but more than that, He prayed that not His will but God’s will be done. How do we pray? Do we pray that whatever we desire be given to us, or whatever calamity we are facing will be lifted from us? Do we ask these things without concern for the will of God, or do we pray that God’s will be done?

Where is your Heart, your Treasure, and your Home?

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Treasure

The rich, the famous, and the wealthy, do they tempt you with their lifestyles, and make you yearn to be as they are? The arrogant, the wicked, and the dominant, does their ability to succeed every day without consequence bring you envy? These are the champions that the world has to offer, and they look, for all the world to see, as if they are the pinnacles of success, and what we should strive towards, but they are not. When the book of their life is closed, and the scroll of their possessions is rolled up, they will be thrown in the fire, but the righteous shall be just beginning to walk in glory with God through Jesus Christ. Thus we ask; where is my heart, my treasure, and my home?

Jesus Christ, the Treasure in our Field... and our Life

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Our Treasure, Christ

Is Jesus Christ like a treasure that you have discovered in your life, and did you give up everything else you once valued so that in overwhelming joy you could abide with Him? No? Well, once you have uncovered Jesus, and witnessed the value of His righteousness, holiness, and grace, there is nothing you own that you wouldn’t be willing to sacrifice for Him. Perhaps you have merely discovered the locked chest, but have never opened it to see the actual treasure inside, and then covered it back up. Are you afraid of what opening that chest will awaken in you, or of what it will require of you?

Load More