Have we Found the Fountain of Youth, and the Tree of Life in Jesus?

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Eternal Life

We fell from grace in the Garden of Eden, and yet God didn’t give up on us. He was merciful towards us, and continued to lead us, and teach us of the way to righteousness, and Himself; He showed us His love. Then, He sent His Son Jesus Christ to redeem us, and to defeat the sin that had found its home in us. Through Jesus, God returned to us the fruit of the tree of life which we lost long ago when driven from Eden. This tree is Jesus; It’s fruit is His body and the blood which we consume, and they restore to us the eternal life we once lost… we are given life through our faith, His grace, and the love of God.

Jesus Take the Wheel, and Calm the Storms

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Storms , Faith

There will be storms in our lives, and some of them will be quite fierce, but none rage so violently that Jesus can’t still them for us. Sometimes we think it is impossible for calm to return, and we cry out to Him in our distress just hoping that He will join us in its midst, and comfort us as we tremble, never dreaming that our predicament can be resolved, but in such times the miracles come. In the darkest hours, and when we are leaning into the strongest gales, this is when Jesus speaks, our troubles abate, and God is glorified. Have you ever screamed out His name “JESUS!” at the height of your fear, or from the depths of despair?

Eternity in the Rain, and the Dew

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Spiritual Dew

When I was making a garden with my father-in-law, there were days when we would pray for rain, because we knew that if our plants went without it for any period of time they would wither and die. The ground needed a good drink to replenish itself, but our plants could sustain themselves between the rains if they received a heavy dew. This is true of our spiritual growth as well. We need regular rains to replenish the spiritual soil in which our souls grow strong, and thrive, but if we gather nightly dew we can sustain ourselves until the rains fall on us again... until the Holy Spirit falls full upon us and glorifies the Lord.

An Unmovable River that Flows with Living Water

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , God’s Unmoveable River

In Jesus Christ we find that morning has dawned and a new day has come. God the Father is in His midst, and the living water that flows from Him will never be withdrawn, nor will it change course. Our God, and Jesus, His Son, are the same today, tomorrow, and forever. The question we need to ask ourselves is this… “Am I unwavering in my faith as He is? Have I turned to the left or the right, and stepped out of His unmovable flow?”

Straying from faith, and returning to Righteousness

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Faith

As Christians, and members of the larger Church, we have been metaphorically prepared to become the bride of Christ. We have fallen into an agape love with the Son of God. However, our betrothal is a long one, and much can happen as we wait for our wedding day; especially if we don’t guard our faith carefully. Paul uses this analogy when speaking to the Corinthians, and it would be wise for us to heed his words today.

It is Natural to Suffer, but only for a little While

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Suffering

We are not going to escape suffering in this world. As we go through life we will face sickness, death, all forms of persecution, and various trials by the bushel full, one thing is certain however, and this is that our God has promised we will not face any of this alone, because He is with us. In this place we will weep, cry out in pain, and mourn, but in every valley the Lord will be with us to comfort us. Now we are meant to both laugh and cry, to be young and old, and to walk from day to night, and back, but one day, when we reach our final destination, all of this will be behind us; our small joys will become eternal, and all of our tears will be dried forever.

Walking Immersed in Faith, and Miracles

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Immersed in Faith

We pray for something and then wait, but do we do what we have been told while we are waiting? Sometimes the answer to our prayer doesn’t come to us, but requires us to go to it. Much can be lost when we don’t listen for God’s voice in our prayer closets, and then obey Him. We behave as if we are frozen in place, and wait there for an answer before taking another step, when in fact if we are to be healed, or receive the provision we need, then we must begin a spiritual journey, by going the way the Lord has directed us to go.

Dwelling, and meditating, in God’s Word

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Meditating on Scripture

We decide to read the book of Psalms, but are we so anxious to complete it in the time we have allotted that we read right past the opening two verses without pausing to drill into all they contain? Modern education is partially at fault for this by assigning students more work and reading than they can actually absorb. So we learn to scan, or speed read. As we blast through each night’s assignment we only pause when something catches our attention. Is it any wonder that we read scripture in much the same way? However, the Bible isn’t just a story, a text book, or a simple rhyming poem, it is the voice of God, and requires our full attention, and dedication, if we are to absorb it.

Freedom from Our Old Sinful Selves

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , New Creatures

When we say that we have been renewed in Christ, and speak of having put off our old selves have we really done this, or just stored that self away where it can’t be readily seen, but remains available to us? Does our old self embarrass us when we allow it to come out of hiding, but even so, we still find something about that life which tempts us, or thrills us? In keeping who we once were, who are we lying to most; God, Jesus, our fellow believers, or to ourselves?

The Window from which God Sees our Trouble

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Troubles

We Christians are not immune to the trouble that is in the world, and we experience the hatred of men, just as Jesus did. Jesus told us this would happen, and that not only would we be hated, but killed as well. Yet our hope remains in the Lord, and although we are perplexed by His allowing suffering to continue in our lives, we do praise Him in its midst, and see the good lessons that come from each one. David understood that earthly trouble would come, and he asked the Lord the same question that many of us continue to ask Him today… “Why do you stand far away?”

The Power of the “Rest”; Musical, and Spiritual

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Rest

As we serve the Lord we occasionally need to take a moment to be still, and collect our thoughts. We need to withdraw to a quiet place and wait patiently for Him to refresh us. From the silence of a mountain cave, we need to listen for our Father to speak. Sometimes we walk away to this place, but more often than not He drives us into the quiet of evening like a shepherd moving reluctant sheep to a safe pasture for the night… this is where the shepherd sings, talks, and plays His lyre for his flock. This is where God speaks quietly to us.

We are imprisoned by sin, not by faith

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Freedom in Faith

We read scripture which speaks of giving our lives to Jesus, and as Christian’s we thrill at the prospect, we count this thought as pure joy, and our doing so as the greatest accomplishment in life, but to the unbeliever this sounds a lot like imprisonment, bondage, and pure torture. However, forfeiting one’s life for another isn’t giving away our most precious possession, no, it is actually acquiring it because it isn’t sacrifice, but an act of love.

Mourning, and a time to Dance

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Mourning

Mourning - at some point in our lives, sadness and sorrow visit us all, but we find it to be like a winter field that is burnt off; from its ashes our capacity to praise God springs up anew, and in the spring we bear a bountiful crop. Like pruning increases the yield of a vine, and fertilizer nourishes the soil, so does our pain and suffering enrich the yield of our souls. In season our gladness returns, and we sing again, for although every man is meant once to die, in Christ he rises again, and our joy returns with eternal vigor.

What is written on our hearts; how about in the sand?

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Epistles of Jesus

When we carry the gospel to those around us do they see us as imposters? Do they recognize us as legitimate men and women of God, or just charlatans who want to take advantage of them? Even foreign dignitaries carry papers with them that bear the seal of the government they represent to prove their authenticity, so what identifies us as true emissaries of Christ? Surprisingly, we don’t need a letter with its wax seal, because we ourselves are the proof, and the letter. Jesus has written the evidence of our legitimacy on our hearts, and we bear His watermark; engrained within us by our baptism. We are walking, and talking, letters from Christ Jesus.

Sharing in an Eternal Victory that Glorifies God

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Victory in Jesus

Born in a stable, wrapped in swaddling cloth, and then laid in a manger. How unlikely was it that this child would be a King, and conquer sin and death in the world? What makes His victory especially sweet? It isn’t that He won because that is true of every victory. What makes this victory triumphant, exceptionally joyous, and timeless, is that Jesus, the victor, was incredibly unlikely, and the chance of His victory seemed impossible by any measure. Yet despite all appearances He snatched victory from what seemed to be the jaws of certain defeat. This humble man, who rode astride a donkey’s colt, proved to be God incarnate, and He is more than our savior, He transforms us.

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