Holy Saturday - Precious in our Gentle and Quiet Spirit

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Holy Saturday

Today is Holy Saturday, the day after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. This is a day when the world, during the time of our Lord, either took a breath and sighed amidst its weeping and tears, or exhaled in relief, believing the man Jesus was dead. This is the aftermath of a day that had been a whirlwind mixture of violence, sin, and God’s love. Yes, on this day long ago, many pious Jews were celebrating the death of Christ, but Christian Jews were either mourning His loss, anxious as they struggled to understand what had happened, or feared that all they once believed about this man had been lost. Then there were those who simply dispersed, and went home to resume their earthly lives. But given the historic perspective of what we know occurred during Holy Week, how do we choose to see this day?

Good Friday - Greater Love has no one than this!

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Sacrifice , Love , Good Friday

Today is Good Friday, a day that God chose to bring His love for man to a crescendo through the sacrifice of His beloved Son. For His part, Jesus begins this day as a captive of religious men who claim to worship God, and yet whose eyes are covered, and sins are brought to the forefront through the bitter and self-serving treatment of God’s Son; their Messiah. Do we begin our day as Christians contemplating the horrors and humiliation of our Lord Jesus Christ, or the amazing love of God that His suffering reveals to us? Today the time is right, and has reached its fullness; God, after centuries of preparation, reveals His plan for our redemption to us.

Easter, God with us, and the Restoration of His Image to Man

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Restoring God’s Image

Do you believe that there is any way in which you could possibly be like God? If I told you that it was more than just possible, but God’s will, and plan, for mankind from the moment of creation would you argue that we are just human beings, and would never be capable of such a thing? Then Let me ask you another question... what about Jesus, and do you believe He was, and is, like you?

Respecting, and Honoring, Jesus for who He Is

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Respecting Jesus Christ

When we speak with Jesus Christ, and pray to our Heavenly Father in His name, do we keep in mind who Jesus truly is? As the years of our faith go by, and we come to know Him as friend through thousands upon thousands of prayers, it is easy to lose sight of the magnificence, and dominion of Christ; replacing His kingship with an air of proforma, and familiarity. This can lead us to approach Him as if we were His equal, and thus, we should be able to make demands of Him. When treating Him in this way we are attempting to increase who we are, and diminish who He is, but lest we forget our place in this relationship we need to remind ourselves often of the respect and glory He deserves from us, and all that He is, and has done for us.

Anointing Jesus in our lives, and for all eternity

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Anointing Jesus

Is Jesus the most sanctified one, and the anointed one in our lives? Have we anointed Him to be our teacher, our savior, our king, the most holy one, and so much more? Today is the third day of Holy Week, and after teaching all day, Jesus was reclining at dinner when a woman approached, and anointed Him with expensive oil. This was more than a nice gesture, she was sanctifying Him, blessing Him, and awarding Him the highest honor in her life. Although we have acknowledged Jesus for who He is, and call Him our Lord, have we actually anointed Him as such? Have we bound ourselves to Him before God?

Picking up our Cross, and Saving the Lost Souls of the World

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , The Cross

We hear the words of Jesus as He tells us to pick up our cross and follow Him, but what is He is really asking us to do? Is Jesus telling us we are to suffer and die for God, or for Him? I don’t think so, and His life, death and resurrection give us the answer. Jesus came because God loved us, and to redeem us from sin and death. He suffered and went to the cross in obedience to God’s will, but that will was for our redemption. The cross of Christ on Calvary was an unrivaled display of love for you and me; so our crosses should be a continuation of God’s love for man through us... just as it was through Christ.

Resisting Temptation, and Magnifying the Lord in a Sinful World

Richard Forbes
Forever, Christian , Daily Devotional , Magnifying the Lord

Are we perfect in a sin free world, or do we suffer as we rebuff the sin swirling about us? It would be easy to do good if surrounded by nothing but goodness, and in such an environment what would be the value of the glory we assign to God in the midst of our faith? However, when sin is buffeting us from every side, we are suffering mightily, and making great efforts to resist temptation as we struggle to remain free of sin? If so, then the glory we give God is great indeed.

Before we experience Easter there must be Good Friday

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Good Friday

Good Friday, and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. We like to focus our eyes on the resurrection story of Easter morning, and sing of the blood that has washed away our sin, but what of the body that was scourged, and hung outside the walls of Jerusalem just days prior? What of the corpse that laid in a dark tomb far from the temple mound? Do we relate to the true suffering, and understand what was required of Christ as He became our sin offering? When Jesus tells us to pick up our cross and follow Him it isn’t to the whipping post where His blood was shed... it is to Calvary, a place of ridicule, shame, and suffering unto death; a desolate place, separated from the gold candlesticks, and far from the altars of the temple.

The Crucifixion, and the torn Temple Veil

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Easter

Do you fear God when you enter your prayer closet to speak with Him, or when you feel His presence as you worship? When Jesus was a boy there was a veil in the temple that separated all men from the Holy of Holies except the high priest, and this man was only allowed to enter into this sacred place once each year. The fear of God was so great that they would tie a rope around his waist so that if he were to die while behind the curtain, they could drag his body out. Yet, today we enter in and out of God’s presence without fearing death because Jesus paid the price of our admission with His life. At the moment when He breathed His last the veil was ripped asunder, our bodies became the temple, and the divine presence of God was made available to every believer.

Is our Faith the vessel of love that holds the blood of Jesus?

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Sacrifice of Love

Before coming to know Christ, acknowledging Him as the Son of God, and accepting His sacrifice for our sins, our consciences convict us, and to ease it we seek to be moral, and do good things. We do this in an effort to please, and appease, God. Some of us want to earn His acceptance like a man gains another’s friendship... as an equal. But, our God is above all things, and only our faith in the blood of His Son Jesus Christ can redeem us, make us righteous, and bring us into a true relationship with Him.

Suffering our Cross now, so others might find Hope

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Suffering in Life

When Christians are afflicted in this life the unbelievers say “Look, there can be no Jesus or God in them because they suffer the same as we do!”, but they say this because they don’t understand why Jesus suffered and died for them, and that we are his disciples who have picked up our crosses and now follow after Him... even unto death. What we should show the world is not a glorious life of ease, but a life in which we might suffer, yet still love them, even as our Lord loves us all.

Earning Trophies in the World, or Preparing for Eternity

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Training in Faith

How hard do we train ourselves in preparation for our life’s spiritual journey, that is in righteousness, abiding with Jesus, and a focus on eternity with God? When we go to the altar for the first time to accept Jesus we most likely aren’t in the best spiritual condition, but our goal should be to train in the ways of Christ, and to listen to the Holy Spirit, as we strengthen our faith and belief, so that we will continue to become pure, righteous, and deserving to be called children of God. Is this how we speak of ourselves... “I am training hard in faith each day!”?

Christ’s Cross on Calvary - our “Thermos Paradox”, and the Battery of our Faith

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , The Cross

As Easter draws closer day by day does the power of God rise up in us as we contemplate Calvary, and the cross on which Jesus was nailed for us? How is it that these two pieces of rough wood, and three Roman nails, can become the battery that electrifies one’s faith, and saves those who believe, yet means nothing to others who are dying in their disbelief?

Where does my help come from?

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , God’s Help

Are you troubled right now? Maybe you were unable to sleep last night because of worry? We all find ourselves experiencing hardship or uncertainty at some point in our lives, but as Christians we have a source of help that gives us amazing peace, and returns joy to our days. When Jesus abides in us He brings with Him the presence of our Heavenly Father, because God abides in Jesus, and Jesus in Him. In this way God is with us in our sorrows, troubles, mourning, and every aspect of our lives... and He is our help; our comfort and cheer.

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