All in Christian

Our Lost Hope and the Arrival of Jesus

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, Abiding in Christ

When we look at the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and all it means to us, do we feel that we are worthy of it? Do we feel that we are owed the forgiveness we were given or that in some small way we deserved the love of God that sent His Son into this world? If so then we are not prepared for His second coming nor the filling of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist knew what it felt like to be unworthy, even as he served and baptized the masses. He spoke of this in Matthew 3 verse 11. My friends, it is only by the grace of God and the blood of Christ that we are redeemed.

Is There Strength in Your Accent?

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, Poor In Spirit

The strongest people of faith that I know are those who are poor in spirit. This life was not chosen for them, but they chose it for themselves. Do you know such people? Are you one of them? Perhaps you are wondering what it actually means to be poor in spirit. Well, the very first blessing that Jesus taught us in the Beatitudes was about those who are "poor in spirit" and He does this for a reason. These are the people who yield all they are to the Spirit of God. They have laid down their own strength for the strength of God Himself. Is this who we believe ourselves to be? Are we poor in spirit?

Jesus; Is He Simply a Suit of Clothes?

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, Superficial Faith

We say we are Christians but continue to live our lives of faith like suits of clothes; we treat our belief in Jesus Christ lightly by wearing them superficially and only letting Him brush lightly against our skin when we should actually be taking Jesus into our very being, our hearts, and consuming our faith in Him like the communion meal demonstrates. We should be making Him the ingredient that every other part of us feeds on, is nourished by, and is completed by. When we take the body and blood of Jesus into us, we become as one, and our faith is made whole in Him. In this way we have without a doubt become believers… and Christian. Do we do this?

Arguments, Problems, and Things; Is This Our Life?

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, Unsettled Faith

Are there things in our lives that distract us from focusing on Jesus Christ? You know the ones... an unresolved argument that worries and distracts us during prayer, a problem with our home or automobile that nags at us when we sit to read and study scripture, or perhaps too many planned activities in our day that tempt us to place them before the important things of life… like worship. Do these symptoms of an overly busy life sound familiar? Well, this problem is quite common in most people’s everyday life but today let’s look at this phenomenon with our focus specifically on our spiritual lives.

Sadness and our Wealth of Poverty

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, Wealth and Poverty

Are any of us sad today? I am referring to the sadness that occurs when we realize that Jesus is asking us to let go of something that we believe we are unable to abandon, something that seems impossible for us to live without. Perhaps it is our monetary wealth, but maybe it is a form of poverty that we are being asked to let go of. Wealth can be something different for each of us. Let’s look at this today.

Do We Recognize God and Jesus in our Lives?

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, Knowing The Voice of Divinity

Would you recognize the voice of Jesus if you heard it? If He called your name, would you know from the sound of His voice that it was Him who was calling you? Probably not, but if, in an instant He were to reveal every moment in which He had spoken to you and come to you in your life, perhaps then you would know His voice… don’t you think? Wouldn’t you? Maybe?

The Real Touch of God

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, Knowing God Intimately

We all need to have a deep and personal relationship with God, not just a casual friendship with Him but to know Him intimately. Is our faith the product of going to church once a week and listening to stories about the amazing relationships that others have with the Lord and Jesus or do we have such a personal experience with them ourselves? Let’s pray and think about the depth of our relationship with the Lord today.

Are We in the Woodshed with God?

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, Chastised

Have you ever stopped to consider that not every misfortune that you face in life is put upon you by Satan? Some are just natural occurrences of living, through which we exercise the lessons of faith we have been taught, but others are the corrections of our Heavenly Father as he chastises us. In this modern era, we have been conditioned to believe that we should reason with our children and are never meant to discipline them beyond that, but is this biblical?

Marriage - Flaming Desire, or Ash?

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, Becoming One

Two individuals enter a wedding ceremony, but upon the marriage’s consummation only one flesh emerges to form a life together. This is a beautiful mystery, and over the years it is fraught with hardships and challenges. Are we ready for the flame that purifies a marriage? Are we prepared to endure the fire and become one ash in the palm of God? Are we determined to live out the years together?

Of Mentors and the Banks of the Jordan

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, Mentors

Are we ready to step forward in our faith and enter into a new role of servitude? Our inclination as new Christians is to go only so far and then fall dutifully behind a spiritual mentor, allowing them to teach and lead us on from there. However, God would have use step through that spiritual season, move beyond being mentored, and cross into a larger life with Him. This is an inevitable event.

Serving, Suffering, and God’s Feast

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, Properly Serving God

Are you suffering in or through something that God has called you to do? If so, how are you approaching your hardship? Does it cause you to question the Lord’s presence in what you are doing, or to experience personal pride in your suffering? Neither of these is a proper way to deal with our hardships and suffering because they make His call less about Him and more about ourselves. Only by leaning on Him and maintaining a humble trust in His will are we properly responding as we go about obeying our calling and walking in His will.

Am I Talking to Hear Myself Talk?

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional, Power of the Word

Living our lives with Jesus is more than attaching a series of disjointed moments that are separated by periods of time in which He has been absent from us into something we would like  to call faith. God is never here and then gone but is with us always and in all things. Our Lord Jesus doesn't abandon us to our own devices only to return once we have royally screwed things up. God is with us always, and Jesus said that He would be with us until the end of the age. Are we with them too?

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