Taking the Scalpel to our Repetitive Sin

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Repetitive Sin

Is there a particular sin or temptation that you struggle with, and that sometimes makes you feel helpless? Do you feel weak in its presence, and each time you think that you have finally conquered it, it rises up to knock you down again? Well, as Christians we are not meant to ride a rollercoaster of sin, forgiveness, grace, and then sin again. No, In Christ we have received His complete dominance over all sin, if we will only claim it by faith. As Christians we know that sin is always waiting in the wings, but if we focus on Christ and the abundant grace He provides us, then our peripheral vision will narrow with each passing day until at last we will be free of temptation, and see our sin no more.

Why has God Chosen to Wrestle with Us?

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Wrestling with God

Do we wrestle with God when we are alone in our prayer closets? Do we realize that we are coming face to face spiritually with Him in that place, or do our prayers seem to be purely physical… a mental exercise of our body and mind? We, like Jacob, can wrestle with what we see and touch, only to realize when it is too late, and the sun has risen, that our match was with God Himself, and not with man… our mental perception of God. At that moment we humble ourselves, and He blesses us with a new name, and we honor that place by calling it “God strives”.

Praying through the Night

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Night Prayers

This morning I want to talk about praying in the night. We all experience those nights when we can’t sleep and all of our problems and fears come bubbling to the surface where our mind just can’t let them go and our spirit tosses and turns within us. Last night the Lord woke me from a deep sleep, and placed a burden on my heart for someone who will read this devotional; someone who is experiencing such a night… then He asked me to speak to them from my heart to theirs.

Facing our Fear, and Retrieving the Lost

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Fear and the Gospel

We are meant to deliver the gospel of Jesus to all those who have not heard, and in this way we are snatching them from the fire of damnation, but are we afraid of those who don’t know Him? Do the very clothes they wear, and the lives they lead, cause us to recoil, and fall short of God’s Will for us? We are told to be afraid as we show them mercy, but only in that we do not become stained by their iniquities; we are to remain secure in our faith. Our fear should not diminish our mission, or stop us from obeying the will of God in this… in delivering His mercy.

Choosing, and Being, Righteous Friends.

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Friends

As Christians there is a very critical question we should ask ourselves, and how we answer it can very well determine the future of our souls. We should ask: “How do I chose my friends?”. Of all those who surround us as we wander the earth, who are those that we find worthy to be called our friends? The Bible speaks a great deal about friends and friendship, and this is for good reason… whether in good or bad behavior, we begin to reflect them, and they to reflect us.

The Intricately Wonderful Marriage of Jesus to the Church

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Bride of Christ

Have we received our invitation to the wedding supper of Jesus Christ to His bride? Each day we are given an opportunity to know the bride and groom better so that we will be invited, but have we taken full advantage of our time, and come to know them intimately? Or, are we simply hoping to be guests at the wedding? I pray that we have given our hearts to Jesus and been adopted into the family of God… thus being seated with the family.

The Lord of the Sabbath, and Keeping it Holy by our Rest

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Sabbath

Today is Sunday, and to most of the Christian world it is considered the Sabbath, but to Jews, and some Christians, the Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday, and lasts until sundown on Saturday. Regardless of which way we honor it, this is a Holy day of rest, and sanctified as such by God. This is the only day of the week that God treats special, and that He has singled out in the commandments He gave Moses. So why then do so many of us routinely ignore this commandment, and how do we obey?

Gifts, Blessings, or Relationship, what is our Spiritual Goal?

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Following Jesus

As Christians we are called to follow Jesus, but is our gaze fixed upon the rewards we have been promised, and do we seek these rewards as if they were our ultimate goal? We speak openly about following Christ, but do we actually know what He is asking of us? Has He become a means to an end for us? It is easy to become so enamored with the good gifts we are offered for having believed, and obeyed, that we lose sight of the fact that Jesus is leading us into a relationship with God, and not simply to the gifts of His Spirit, and eternal life.

Our Weighty Prayers, and God’s Eternal Glory

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Weight of Prayer

When we pray, how do we envision our prayers? Do we see them as merely being sound waves going out in every direction? Perhaps we visualize them as vapor, or maybe as invisible words that are spoken, and that make tiny ripples like those of a pebble which we have thrown into a pond; insignificantly small. However, none of these imagined manifestations of prayer could be further from the truth because our prayers have substance, and are brought like treasure before God… highly valued, pleasing in their scent, and prepared as an offering for the weight of His glory.

Our Calm Walk into Peaceful Eternity

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Walking into Eternity

We accept Jesus Christ as our savior, and immediately find ourselves seeking knowledge of Him in ravenous fashion, but quite often the things in our lives that we approach in this way die out just as quickly as they flared up. Thus, we are instructed to walk in our faith, and to steadily make progress. Our goal in faithfulness should be to please Him in everything we do… not to simply WOW Him in a flash of righteous spirituality. Our Love should imitate the love of Jesus, and be life long, even to eternity.

Are we children, friends, and heirs of God?

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Answering God’s Call

Do we live as members of Christ’s Kingdom, and serve our God as priests? Do our lives, as well as our words, shout out “Glory to God!”, and do we understand that the love of Jesus has made us to be, and to serve, in this capacity forever? We are not alone, nor held prisoners of sin, but have been made a holy kingdom, and freed by the blood of Christ to assume our place before God’s throne.

Merciful Strength, Hope, and Healing

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Hope, Healing, Strength

Some of us are feeling weak and faint today, and in our sickness or suffering, we have lost hope, but there is one source of hope and strength for us that will never fail us; that is able to heal every ill. Our God, the God of Abraham, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, He is our unfailing hope, and the source of strength to the sick and suffering. He restores health and vigor to those who will trust in Him, and who come to Him in the name of Jesus… His love for us is unfathomable, and He walks with us through every valley.

The Wreath of Spiritual Victory, Ours for all Ages

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , For All Ages

The riches of grace that have been bestowed on us reach much further than the moment we first believe, or at the instant of our judgement when God pronounces us worthy in Christ. When we win an earthly race we receive a reward, but it is for that moment alone, and it fades over time, however, when we are victorious over sin through Christ, and presented with the grace of God, it is meant to bring us His unlimited gift of riches Forevermore.

Being Thrilled in the Daily Newness of God’s Mercy

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , New Every Day

Our God is dependable, He is faithful, and we know what His promises are, but these are the images we have of him from afar. We know that He will defend us, go to war for us, and win the day, but on the eve of every battle our God surprises us, and our enemy, with the new strategy He has prepared for the next day’s conflict. So why is it that we ourselves get so rooted in our faith, and never attempt to surprise our enemy, or thrill our friends, with how we implement our newness of faith, or the freshly forged sword of the Word He has given us?

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