Divine Nature

The purpose of your life is to bring God glory in everything you do: in your worship, your relationships, and your work. Series: New Believers Guide Have you ever wondered why you were born? Augustine, one of the early church fathers, said “Our hearts are restless until we find God.” You cannot truly experience peace and joy in your life without an open relationship with God. Romans 5:1-2 tells us, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.” "But, indeed, for this reason I have allowed you to remain, in order to show you My power and in order to proclaim My name through all the earth." Exodus 9:16 "I cry out to God Most High, To God who accomplishes all things for me." Psalm 57:2 Your Purpose: Relationship with God The purpose of your life is to b

Why did God create us? Written by Gary Fleetwood on 06/02/2018 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Creation, Life, Love, Purpose, God who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began. 2 Timothy 1:9 Have you ever wondered, “Why am I even here? What is my purpose in life?” One of the most important discoveries that a person can make is when they realize they were made for God. In fact, the Scriptures tell us that man was the very pinnacle of God’s creation. Obviously, God did not need to create man. It was not like God was lonely and needed someone with whom He could talk and share His feelings about things. God didn’t need to create someone so they could give Him some advice or some help later on -- not at all. So, if God did not really need man, then why did He create him? The reason that God created man was so that man could bring glory to God. That is imp

How can we know the purpose for our lives? Written by GodLife on 09/04/2019 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Meaning, Love, Significance, Purpose, Destiny …everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made. Isaiah 43:7 You've met them or heard of them — men and women of vision and passion. Driven by purpose and a life pursuit. They discover things. They build things. They do important things. Streets, colleges, battleships, cities and awards are named after them. They're fascinating! What makes them tick, and why aren't more people like them? One reason more people aren't like this may be that the single-minded pursuit of a mission tends to be hard on people. We sometimes call high achievers "workaholics." That makes it sound like an addiction. Addictions are destructive, unlike the diligence we associate with dedicated workers. How can your diligent attention be singularly significant, yet not hurt your

You can tell your family and friends about God, but until they see Jesus making a difference in your life, they may not listen. Written by Dan Lee on 10/08/2014 Series: Weekly Devotional "Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct.” 1 Peter 3:1-2 The phrase “actions speak louder than words” is not in the Bible, but it’s true! You can tell your family and friends about God, but until they see Jesus making a difference in your life, they may not listen. Today’s passage is addressed to women with non-Christian husbands, but it also applies to each one of us. We can show God’s love to our family, friends and coworkers who reject Jesus. Here’s how: Live by the Spirit As followers of Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit living in us. This gives us power to live righteous lives. “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you w

How deeply have you been hurt, my friend? Have you become bitter or unforgiving in your attitude? Written by Luis Palau Tags: Forgiveness My father died when I was only 10 years old. He left us quite a bit of property and some money. But several family members squandered everything we had. In three years my family was living in poverty and debt. When I was older and really understood what our relatives had done, I urged my mother to take revenge on them, to get a lawyer to take them to court and let them have it. The older I got, the more bitter I became. But the Bible says, "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ’It is mine to avenge, I will repay,’ says the Lord" (Romans 12:19). He is the One who measures out justice. He wants to handle such judgment for us—perhaps now, certainly ultimately. Forgiving Others My mother always quoted verses like Romans 12:19. She completely forgave our relatives for what they did. It

What emotions accompany forgiveness? Written by Hope on 26/09/2015 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Anger, Forgiveness, Freedom, Grace, Sin “Because you belong to Him [Christ Jesus], the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.” Romans 8:2 Forgiveness is freeing. Through Jesus Christ, you have freedom from the power of sin and death in your life! This feeling of freedom can also be felt when you forgive others. God’s Forgiveness Freedom from sin is freedom from its guilt; this freedom is brought to us by God’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ. God “...is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins” (Ephesians 1:7). You can be confident God’s grace is working in your life: “if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9). When you are forgiven, you might experience joy and the feeling

A follower is made for God’s calling. Written by GodLife on 09/08/2016 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Evangelism, Growth, Identity, Leadership, Self Esteem I answered, 'Why should someone like me have to run and hide in the temple to save my life? I won’t go!' Nehemiah 6:11 Nehemiah was a leader who did not let pressure, apathy, ridicule or opposition stop him. He knew what to do and how to do it. Most of all, he knew his identity: a chosen and beloved servant of the most High God. Here are three ways God can give you the same identity: 1. God makes sure you can relate to sinners Sometimes new believers are surprised to find that their old nature is not gone. You’ll always need God’s grace. Without Christ as your center, you can do nothing. (John 15:1-5) Colossians 2:6 says "As you have put your trust in Christ Jesus the Lord to save you from the punishment of sin, now let Him lead you in every step." If you have nothing you did not receive, (1 Corint

As we learn in the book of Hebrews, Jesus offers us better hope, better promises and more. Written by GodLife on 20/08/2019 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Bible, Jesus, Better, Hebrews Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. Hebrews 6:9 What was the point of Jesus coming to our sinful world? And how did He accomplish everything we needed in order to be reconciled to God? We get answers to these questions in the book of Hebrews. And it starts in Hebrews 6:9 — “Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation.” What are these better things, though? Better hope – “For the law made nothing perfect; but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.” (Hebrews 7:19) Jesus is first introduced as a better hope in Hebrews 7:19. He is compared to the law, which ‘made nothing perfect,’ but he, the

Who has God linked me with? Series: 30 Day Next Steps …not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. Hebrews 10:25 Next to nurturing a close personal relationship with the Lord, make it an ongoing priority to join with other followers of Jesus. Groups of believers, or “churches,” come in many packages. They range from small clusters who gather secretly in regions where such practices are forbidden, to “mega-churches” of tens of thousands of Christians. Vital churches that are healthy, vibrant and strategic are central to God’s purposes for these days. Look for a church that reflects patterns and practices followed by New Testament gatherings as described in Acts 2:42. Four components fueled their rapid growth and stunning impact: Teaching kept them rooted in “sound doctrine.” Fellowship kindled friendship, worship, mutual encouragement and boldness. Breaking bread meant having meals together in homes. Prayers reflected their dependence on God for wisdom, guidan

What makes for healthy fellowship? Written by Ray Stedman on 13/08/2019 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Church, Fellowship, Love, Power, Forgive And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Acts 2:42 The early church learned to love each other in Christ.  People who had once been strangers to each other now had a sense of community and of Christ’s life flowing through them.  Do you feel more grief than life in your local fellowship?  Find out how life can begin to flow through your local fellowship. Devoted to fellowship One of the things the young church devoted themselves to was fellowship. Fellowship means holding all things in common — in other words, sharing together. They began to know and to love one another. Here were 3,000 people suddenly added to a little band of 20. Most of them probably were strangers before. Many of them had come from other parts of the world into Jerusalem for that o

God's answer to our prayers isn't always 'yes.' Find joy in whatever answer He gives. Written by Colin Millar on 06/08/2019 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Testimony, Prayer, Wait, No, God Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! Psalm 27:14 A well-known pastor once said, “If a request is wrong, God says ‘No.’ If the timing is wrong, God says ‘Slow.’ If you are wrong, God says, ‘Grow.’ But if the request is right, the timing is right and you are right, God says, ‘Go!’ Is there a chance you are expecting an immediate “yes” when what is better for you is one of these other answers? Read on for two examples of how God’s best was not a “yes!” The right request, made too early: God says ‘slow’ Several years into my deeply blessed marriage to my sweetie Nancy, we began to pray as a family with our two sons for my Mum, Nang’s, salvation. After 17 years of prayer, I was reading Revelation 21 when I came across my Mum’s

God always answers prayer - just maybe not with an answer you were expecting! Over the years, I’ve discovered from Scripture and experience that God loves to answer our prayers. Here are five of his most frequent answers: 1. “No, I love you too much." The Lord of the universe isn’t under obligation to say "yes" to every prayer. That’s a good thing considering some of the things we request! But sometimes God says "no" to our most heartfelt requests.  Have you discovered this to be true in your own life? I certainly have. When my friend Diane started losing her hearing. When my mother-in-law came down with polio. When my nephew contracted AIDS. I would be known as Luis Palau Jr. if it weren’t for the fact that God said "no" to my most earnest childhood prayers. Shortly after my tenth birthday, my father, Luis Palau Sr., contracted bronchial pneumonia and died ten days later. Death became, to me, the most undeniable reality under heav

The Bible tells us that God answers prayer, and yet we don't always get what we pray for. Why not? Written by Hope on 08/11/2016 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: God, Prayer Even when you ask [God for what you want], you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong. James 4:3 "Why Aren't My Prayers Answered?" The Bible tells us that God answers prayer, and yet we don't always get what we pray for. God answers in many ways, and this series will discuss some of those ways. Check Your Heart Today’s passage from James 4 tells us that God knows when our motives are right or wrong, even when we don’t. Psalm 66:18 says, “If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” When figuring out why a computer or other device does not work, the first question should always be, “Is it plugged in?” In the same way, in our prayer life, the first thing we must do is make sure we are “plugged in” -- intimately connected with God, a

God's answer to our prayers isn't always 'yes.' Find joy in whatever answer He gives. Written by Colin Millar on 06/08/2019 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Testimony, Prayer, Wait, No, God Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! Psalm 27:14 A well-known pastor once said, “If a request is wrong, God says ‘No.’ If the timing is wrong, God says ‘Slow.’ If you are wrong, God says, ‘Grow.’ But if the request is right, the timing is right and you are right, God says, ‘Go!’ Is there a chance you are expecting an immediate “yes” when what is better for you is one of these other answers? Read on for two examples of how God’s best was not a “yes!” The right request, made too early: God says ‘slow’ Several years into my deeply blessed marriage to my sweetie Nancy, we began to pray as a family with our two sons for my Mum, Nang’s, salvation. After 17 years of prayer, I was reading Revelation 21 when I came across my Mum’s

How do you read the Bible? Is there one right way? Series: New Believers Guide How do you read the Bible? Is there one right way? Sometimes it can be a bit difficult to start reading the Bible on your own since the names of the books, people, and places are not familiar to us. Here are a few facts to help get you started: The Bible is divided into two parts—the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament covers the history of Israel’s relationship with God and looks forward to God sending Jesus as Savior. The New Testament begins with the coming of Jesus in the first four books (called The Gospels), followed by the letters which tell us how to now live as Christians. Since Christ is the focus of both the Old and the New Testament, a great place to start your reading is with one of the four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. "When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty." Jeremiah 15

Here are some important things to remember as you read Written by Joy on 03/01/2016 Series: Weekly Devotional “All scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16 The Bible is the most read book in history. God has preserved it for thousands of years. Though it was written by many authors over hundreds of years, it tells one continuous story. Many people struggle to read and understand the Bible. Here are some key things to remember when reading the Bible. It is a Collection of Books, all of which are God-breathed and: “…profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training…” Moses. David. John. Paul -- all of them were writing to people of their own day about issues of their own time. It helps to know if a part of the Bible is reporting a story the way it took place, or if it is written for godly instruction. A

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The Bible is what God uses to reveal exactly how He thinks. Written by Gary Fleetwood on 22/05/2018 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Bible, God, Holy Spirit, Spiritual Discipline Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 Salvation changes a person from the inside out, and changes how they see life.  Previously, they saw life as living for themselves, and now they see life as living for God. “…he (Jesus) died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” (2 Corinthians 5:15) These are two totally different views with two totally different results. Think of it as simply being able to see life the way that God sees life. The Bible is what God uses to reveal exactly how He thinks, and so the more time we spend in God’s Word, the more we begin to understand

Begin a practice that nourishes your spiritual life and makes you useful to God. Written by GodLife on 07/03/2017 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Bible, Reading, Peace, Faith, Wisdom Be like newborn babies who are thirsty for the pure spiritual milk that will help you grow and be saved. 1 Peter 2:2 When Peter compared the Bible to the milk which feeds a newborn baby, it was a picture we can all understand. Have you ever seen a baby hungry for food? Every attitude and action comes from intense desire. This is how God wants us to approach His Word. But the Bible is a big book! It can’t be read in one sitting. How is a new follower of Jesus supposed to get the nourishment he or she needs for growth? Read on for practical encouragement to get you started on a lifetime of growth. To Fuel Your Desire for God’s Word: Think of the many benefits the Bible promises the reader. Within its pages, you can read the confirming stories from those who read and treasured it while it was