How Much Do You Love the Word of God?

Text:

Psalm 119:97-104 (NLT) 

97  Oh, how I love your instructions! I think about them all day long. 

98  Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide. 

99  Yes, I have more insight than my teachers, for I am always thinking of your laws. 

100  I am even wiser than my elders, for I have kept your commandments. 

101  I have refused to walk on any evil path, so that I may remain obedient to your word. 

102  I haven't turned away from your regulations, for you have taught me well. 

103  How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey. 

104  Your commandments give me understanding; no wonder I hate every false way of life. 

Observation:

How much do you love the Word of God?  Are you like David; can you say what he said about the Word?

Psalm 119:97-98 (MSG) 

97  Oh, how I love all you've revealed; I reverently ponder it all the day long. 

98  Your commands give me an edge on my enemies; they never become obsolete. 

Are you willing to let God be your teacher, and not man? Learn all you can from the good resources of man, but don't neglect letting God be your teacher.

John 14:26 (NLT) 

26  But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. 

John 16:13-15 (NLT) 

13  When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 

14  He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. 

15  All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, 'The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.' 

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, thank You for being our teacher, and our guide through the Holy Spirit that You have poured out into our hearts. 

Father, help us to always remember that knowing is not enough, we must do the will of God.

James 1:22 (NLT) 

22  But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 

In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

--

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)
¹⁰  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Read all the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Listen to all of the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

 

Are You Building Your Life on A Solid Foundation?

Text:

Psalm 119:89-96 (NLT) 

89 Your eternal word, O LORD, stands firm in heaven. 

90  Your faithfulness extends to every generation, as enduring as the earth you created. 

91  Your regulations remain true to this day, for everything serves your plans. 

92  If your instructions hadn't sustained me with joy, I would have died in my misery. 

93  I will never forget your commandments, for by them you give me life. 

94  I am yours; rescue me! For I have worked hard at obeying your commandments. 

95  Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me, I will quietly keep my mind on your laws. 

96  Even perfection has its limits, but your commands have no limit. 

Observation:

There are not many things in our lives today that we can say are solid; that they will last for our lifetime.

However, the theme of our passage today is that the eternal word of God will stand firm forever.

If you are looking for a solid foundation to build your life upon, you need look no further than the eternal Word of God.

Matthew 24:35 (KJV) 

35  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name, and thank You for the eternal Word of God that lives, and thrives in the hearts of Your people who read it, and heed it. Father we join with David, and make His testimony our testimony.

Psalm 119:151-152 (HCSB) 

151  You are near, LORD, and all Your commands are true. 

152  Long ago I learned from Your decrees that You have established them forever. 

In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

--

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)
¹⁰  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Read all the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Listen to all of the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

 

How Are You Using Your Freedom?

Text:

Galatians 5:13 (NLT) 

13  For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 

Observation:

Are you using your God given freedom in Christ to serve one another in love?

Yesterday I heard a very soul penetrating sermon by my pastor that had these three points.

1. Look
2. Lift
3. Love

How can you love like this? God would not ask you to do it if He did not provide the means.

Galatians 5:17-18 (NLT) 

17  The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 

18  But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. 

Are you living daily by the power of the Holy Spirit of God who lives in you? Does the Holy Spirit of God, who is love, live in you?

Romans 5:5 (NLT) 

5  And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. 

Prayer:

Father God, we have so much to be grateful and thankful for as we celebrate the freedom we have in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:9 (NLT) 

9  But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) 

Father, You have provided the means for us to love others. Father, help us to appropriate the power of the Holy Spirit of God in our lives to love others. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

--

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)
¹⁰  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Read all the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

 

How Do You Prepare Your Heart?

Text:

Proverbs 16:1-3 (ESV) 

1  The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. 

2  All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit. 

3  Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established. 

Observation:

Have you found this verse to be true in your life?

Proverbs 16:1 (NLT) 

1  We can make our own plans, but the LORD gives the right answer. 

I have heard it phrased this way, "Man proposes, but God disposes".

The Bible speaks to the subject of the prepared heart. Notice what Jesus said to His first century followers, and to us today through the Word.

Matthew 10:19-20 (ESV) 

19  When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 

20  For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 

The key to being a follower of Christ is to keep your focus on Your Christ, and not on your circumstances. In this world you will have problems. Therefore, Jesus gives this admonition.

Matthew 10:16 (ESV) 

16  "Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 

The world will hate you because it hastes the Christ of whom you are a follower.

Matthew 10:24-25 (NLT) 

24  "Students are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master. 

25  Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, the members of my household will be called by even worse names! 

Prayer:

Father, we ask You to lead and guide us in preparing our hearts to be used by You for Your purposes, and Your plans for our life. Lord, we ask that when we open our mouths that Your words would flow from our hearts. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

"Speak to my heart oh speak to my heart

Speak to my heart I pray

Yielded and still seeking Thy will

Oh speak to my heart today".

Author: B.B. McKinney

--

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)
¹⁰  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Read all the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

 

What Is the Condition of Your Heart?

Text:

Proverbs 15:8 (ESV) 

8  The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him. 

Proverbs 15:29 (ESV) 

29  The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. 

Observation:

One of the wisest things we can do in life is to guard our hearts. I am reminded on this admonition from the Proverbs.

Proverbs 4:23 (ESV) 

23  Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. 

The things that come out of our mouth originate in our hearts. It pays to examine our hearts, and to keep our hearts with all vigilance.

Matthew 12:35 (ESV) 

35  The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 

Why not ask the Lord to help you in guarding your heart, and to help you in saying, and in doing the right things.

Let's follow the advice given in the Proverbs by Solomon, and pray the prayer of his father, King David in Psalm 141.

Prayer:

Father, I am so thankful for the difference that Jesus makes when He comes, and takes up permanent residence in the lives of Your children.

Father, help us to guard our hearts, and control out tongues so that rivers of living waters may flow out of the lives of Your children. We unite our hearts in praying the prayer of King David.

Psalm 141:3-4 (ESV) 

3  Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips! 

4  Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies! 

Father, this is the plea of our hearts, and we ask for these favors in the might name of Jesus, Amen.

Psalm 19:14 (ESV) 

14  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. 

--

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)
¹⁰  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Read all the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

 

What Does Your Walk Reveal About You?

Text:

Proverbs 14:2 (ESV) 

2  Whoever walks in uprightness fears the LORD, but he who is devious in his ways despises him. 

Observation:

The Proverbs provide nuggets of wisdom in bite size pieces. When we read these nuggets they remind us of people in the bible, people we know, and they remind us of our own life, and how we live day by day.

The wise person allows these words of wisdom to inform our talk and our walk before the Lord.

Today's Proverb reminds us of how our walk in the world reflects our relationship with the Lord.

It may be interesting or entertaining to examine the walk of others. However, it is more profitable to examine our own walk, and align it with the walk of our Lord.

Allow the Word of God to be your mirror, and the Holy Spirit of God to be your umpire; calling you in or out of the will of God.

Psalm 119:105 (ESV) 

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 

Galatians 5:16 (ESV) 

16  But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, I pray that as we examine our walk, and align our walk to Your word and will, that through obedience, our lives will be submitted to, and controlled by the Holy Spirit of God who lives in the hearts of Your children. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

--

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)
¹⁰  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Read all the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

 

Where Do You Turn During Life’s Storms?

Text:

Psalm 93:1-5 (ESV) 

1  The LORD reigns; he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. 

2  Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting. 

3  The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring. 

4  Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the LORD on high is mighty! 

5  Your decrees are very trustworthy; holiness befits your house, O LORD, forevermore. 

Observation:

The verse that leaps off the page, and into my heart today is this one from our focal passage.

Psalm 93:3 (ESV) 

3  The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring. 

It is impossible to avoid the storms of life while living in this fallen world. It's not a matter of if we will face a storm; it's a matter when. We have either been though a storm, we are currently in a storm, or there will be a storm in our future.

There are two promises in this Psalm that I want to draw your attention to; they will provide a shelter in the time of your storm; past, present or future. 

The first promise is God's throne. No matter what you face in life, you can know that the Lord reigns, and He is clothed  with majesty and strength.

Psalm 93:2 (ESV) 

2  Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting. 

The second promise is the testimonies of God are true, and He is forever faithful; God never fails to keep His promises.

Psalm 93:5 (ESV) 

5  Your decrees are very trustworthy; holiness befits your house, O LORD, forevermore. 

You can cling to the testimonies of the Word of God, and find safety and security in the midst of the storms of life.

Psalm 119:31 (HCSB) 

31  I cling to Your decrees; LORD, do not put me to shame. 

Prayer:

Father, I exalt You, and give You all the praise, honor, and glory that You alone deserve.

Father, I am so grateful that You are a shelter in the midst of our storm tossed lives, and that we have a sure foundation to build our lives upon.

Father, I am so grateful that with my eyes of faith, I can say that I am not ashamed to call upon Your name, and I know that You will never let Your children down. In the mighty arms of Jesus we rest in perfect peace, and in His name we pray, Amen.

--

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)
¹⁰  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Read all the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

 

How Close Are You to the Lord?

Text:

Psalm 91:1-4 (ESV) 

1  He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. 

2  I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." 

3  For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. 

4  He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. 

Observation:

What a difference a day makes! I'm speaking of the move from our look on Friday at Psalm 90, and our look today at Psalm 91. Its like moving from the shadows of darkness to the brightness of a sunny day.

We read words like dwells, abide, refuge, deliver, and cover. This Psalm is about security for those who trust in the Lord, abide in Him, and love Him. What is your relationship with the Lord?

Do you come to the Lord only when all other options have failed? The promises of this Psalm are for the people of God who live in the presence of the Lord everyday.

Psalm 91:1 (ESV) 

1  He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. 

Psalm 91:9-10 (ESV) 

9  Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge— 

10  no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. 

My prayer is that you are one who abides in the Lord, and that you have made Him the place in which you live your everyday life. O, how blessed are the people who live in the presence of the Lord.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for Your faithfulness, and the love and care that You provide for all who believe in, and live in You. Father, I pray that You would draw us to, and keep us close to Thee. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

--

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)
¹⁰  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Read all the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

 

The Door Is Still Open - Who Will Enter?

Written: December 21, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 31:10-12 (HCSB) 
¹⁰ Who can find a capable wife? She is far more precious than jewels. 
¹¹ The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will not lack anything good. 
¹² She rewards him with good, not evil, all the days of her life. 

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 141:1-3 (HCSB) 
¹ LORD, I call on You; hurry to [help] me. Listen to my voice when I call on You. 
² May my prayer be set before You as incense, the raising of my hands as the evening offering. 
³ LORD, set up a guard for my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips. 

The Word of God for encouragement:

Revelation 4:1-5 (HCSB) 
¹ After this I looked, and there in heaven was an open door. The first voice that I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." 
² Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was set there in heaven. One was seated on the throne, 
³ and the One seated looked like jasper and carnelian stone. A rainbow that looked like an emerald surrounded the throne. 
⁴ Around that throne were 24 thrones, and on the thrones sat 24 elders dressed in white clothes, with gold crowns on their heads. 
⁵ Flashes of lightning and rumblings of thunder came from the throne. Seven fiery torches were burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. 

My observation:

In our reading today the scene moves from earth to glory; O what a day that will be when God's people get to heaven.

John looked up and what he saw was an open door to heaven. Now, that it is an open door that would cause anyone to leap for joy and run to enter. Regretfully, anyone could, but not everyone will. Thankfully, the door is still open.

A key word in this chapter is "throne". What happened next is beyond the ability of John to describe with words. John did the best he could to describe what and who he saw.

Revelation 4:2-3 (HCSB) 
² Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was set there in heaven. One was seated on the throne, 
³ and the One seated looked like jasper and carnelian stone. A rainbow that looked like an emerald surrounded the throne.

There is no doubt who John saw, and there is no doubt who rules over the universe. The one who holds the whole world in his hands can surely hold you and me in his hands.

Psalm 103:19 (HCSB) 
¹⁹ The LORD has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all. 

The Savior is waiting to enter your heart. If you have not, why not open the door to your heart, and let Jesus come in.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I praise and thank you for the gift of salvation that gives your children the privilege of one day walking through that open door to our eternal home in heaven. O, what a wonderful day that will be; when we all get to heaven. Hallelujah, He shall reign forever! Amen.

--

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)
¹⁰  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Read all the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

 

Are You Walking In the Way of Wisdom?

Text:

Psalm 90:12 (ESV) 

12  So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. 

Observation:

Do you have a heart of wisdom? If you have Jesus in your heart, He is wisdom, and He has made you to have a heart of wisdom. Notice what the Bible says.

1 Corinthians 1:30-31 (ESV) 

30  And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 

31  so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." 

If you are in Christ you have wisdom, and you have hope because Christ in you is the hope of glory.

Our circumstances should not determine our outlook, or our attitude about life today, and our blessed hope for tomorrow. In Christ, we have hope, and in Christ we have the wisdom of God living is us. So, today why not walk in wisdom, and boast in the Lord; your redeemer, and provider.

Psalm 90:14-17 (ESV) 

14  Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 

15  Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. 

16  Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. 

17  Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands! 

Prayer:

Father, when the weight of the world, and the problems of the world, get burdensome, Lord help us to remember who we are, and whose we are. Father, we make this our prayer, and song of praise.

Psalm 90:17 (HCSB) 

17  Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us; establish for us the work of our hands— establish the work of our hands! 

In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

--

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)
¹⁰  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Read all the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

 

Why We Should Greatly Delight in God’s Commandments?

Text:

Psalm 112:1 (ESV) 

1   Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! 

Observation:

When we look at the commandments of God we see how far we fall short. Then, how can we delight in the commandments of God? I believe the reason lies in an understanding of the purpose of the law. This passage instructs, informs, and inspires me.

Galatians 3:24-26 (ESV) 

24  So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 

25  But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 

26  for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 

Think about this; the King James Version says it this way:

Galatians 3:24 (KJV) 

24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 

The law is like a mirror. We look into the mirror of God's commandments, and we see our sins, faults, and failures. However, we don't wash them away with the mirror.

Rather, our sins are washed away by the precious, and royal blood of Jesus when He died on the cross at Calvary.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) 

21  For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

 

When you fear the Lord, you don't have to fear anything else. Do you trust wholly in the Lord? Ask the Lord to give you a faith that never fears because it believes, and trust in a God who cannot, and will not fail.

 

Prayer:

Father, I am so grateful that I know You; that You are righteous, and good in all Your ways.

Romans 8:28 (ESV) 

28  And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 

Father, I am so glad to know You, and that I can depend upon You to lead, and guide me all of the days of my life, and when this life is over, to receive me in my eternal home in heaven. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

--

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)
¹⁰  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Read all the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/