Divine Nature

How to combat feelings of loneliness Written by GodLife on 23/07/2019 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Loneliness, Truth, Test Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 As a child of God, you are on the road of life following Jesus. You are to walk out each section of the path chosen for you by the Lord. Sometimes your way can be so lonely, but I have noticed that I feel this way when I would not have chosen such experiences for myself. Did you know that God tests our faith? Take a look at the life of Joseph: “He sent a man before them even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.” (Psalm 105:17-19) Can loneliness be a test? Missing Out When we feel lonely, we feel we are “missing out.” We look at ot...

Doing the very thing that makes you afraid can be God’s way of helping you overcome that fear. Written by Gary Fleetwood on 16/07/2019 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Anxiety, Fear, Trust The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1 I remember the first time that I went to Zimbabwe to evangelize out in the rural areas of the country. That first day was a little scary (to say the least). The person driving me around dropped me off in the middle of nowhere! I was with a young teenage boy who had been in the area before, but there was nothing familiar in sight. We could not see any villages, there were no roads except the one we were on, and we were very near the Zambezi River where all the wild animals go for water during the day. I would be lying if I said that I was not a little bit anxious and fearful. I didn't even know where I would be at the end of the day or who was coming to...

Learn how to face your fears and live in peace. Written by June Hunt on 01/05/2018 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Faith, Fear, God, Trust Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 If I am walking down a path, and spot a rattlesnake at my feet, I should feel fear. But, reacting rashly could cause me to be bitten. If a bee were to land on me, I must not react to it to avoid being stung. The bee sting and the snakebite are defense mechanisms designed for their own self-protection. Fear is a God-given response to danger. Sometimes it’s clear where the fear is from, but other times, it is hidden—causing a deeper emotional impact. God created us to react to fear in a protective way with a fight, flight, or freeze response. While fear is a natural, God-given emotion, fearfulness is not. Fearfulness causes us to live as prisoners, in constant worry over a t...

I learned a long time ago that it was perfectly okay to be afraid of certain things. Written by Gary Fleetwood on 09/07/2019 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Anxiety, Fear, Peace Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27 I learned a long time ago that it was perfectly okay to be afraid of certain things.  In fact, fear can be a great motivator to help someone stay away from things that may be very harmful to their life.  Fear can help a person be much more careful when in a very dangerous situation.  There is a particular beach fairly near where we live that has a very strong undertow. Unfortunately, each year people become careless when swimming at that beach and they get caught in the undertow and drown.  When we go to that beach with our grandchildren, we stay right there with them and do not leave their side for fear that they could e...

How can you be sure you are saved? Series: Look to Jesus If you have had feelings of doubt following your decision to receive Christ, you are not alone. How can you be sure you are saved? How do Christians find confidence they will remain in their relationship with Jesus? What must I do to be saved? First, look to see what God says you must do to be saved. The Bible says salvation is simple. “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31) Salvation begins with “repentance” - turning from sin and depending only on Jesus, instead of yourself or someone else. When people asked Jesus what kind of human work God likes, He said, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” (John 6:29). Second, what did God promise? “And this is what He promised us—eternal life” (1 John 2:25). It cost Jesus His own blood, giving up His life, to give you eternal life. But it was a free gift to you (Ephesians 2:8-9). What the Bible says about being sa...

Salvation is what you need if you realize that you have sinned. Written by Hope on 11/01/2015 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Salvation “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 Look at the people around you: the people in your home, at your job and on television. Every single one of them is a sinner. Everyone has sinned against God. The Bible says it like this: “No-one is righteous — not even one” (Romans 3:10). So what can you do when you realize you have sinned? God Promised Salvation As humans, we are naturally sinful. We turn away from God, choosing sin rather than living the life God wants for us. But from the very beginning, God had a plan to save us. The plan is called Salvation. The Prophet Isaiah wrote in God’s Word about the Savior. “I will make You a light to the Gentiles, and You will bring My salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6). This promise was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. G...

Do you love yourself? Written by GodLife on 02/08/2016 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Faith, Growth, Identity, Self Esteem, Shame A second [commandment] is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:39 When Jesus quoted Leviticus 19:18, He was not teaching us to love ourselves. In stating that we already love ourselves, He was using the quality of that already-present love for ourselves to teach us how to love others. One who really loves is fully-invested in the loved one's best interests. Here are three ways that attitude towards self is supposed to be altered when God gives us a new heart (Psalm 51:10) with His love poured out (Romans 5:5) in it. 1. Practice repentance: Guilt brings shame and hopelessness. The whole time God is working through the things which happen to you to conform you to Christ's image (Romans 8:28-29), the world is also trying to force you to conform to its own. (Romans 12:2) One of the ways this is done is through su...

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 20/08/2018 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...

Jesus is the ultimate prize. Written by Jesse Bradley on 26/06/2018 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Service, Soccer, World Cup, Competition, Goal I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14 When you are watching the World Cup, do you shout, sing, or yell at the referees? Do you enjoy the adrenaline rush of competition? Do games and tournaments bring out the best in you? Are there some aspects of competing that can be negative? This Summer, the nations have their eyes and hearts focused on one particular soccer championship. There are many spiritual lessons to be gleaned as you consider specific elements of the World Cup.  A clear goal In the World Cup, each country wants to return home as national heroes and the best soccer team on earth. Teams train for four years with intense aspirations. What does success look like for you in life? Do you have goals you are trying to achieve? Many people do not recognize th...

Are your tears collected or wasted? Written by Ruth on 14/05/2019 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Joy, Prayer, Success, Suffering, Hannah [Suffering] may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. Psalm 30:5 The Bible says we are to rejoice at all times, but how can we do that when we are hurting greatly? The Need As we read in 1 Samuel 1, Hannah was a lady with a big heartache. She wanted a child and had done everything she knew God asked of her – she was married, faithful to her husband, and asked God to bless her with a child. (1 Samuel 1:11). Then the time of year came when she could travel to the Tabernacle with her husband, the place where she knew God would hear her prayer. She had not given up on God even though she had been asking for years. How long do you pray for something you would like God to give you? Do you keep asking even when it seems like he isn’t listening? The Prayer As we read in His teaching about prayer in Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus wa...

God speaks about fear and anxiety in plain terms in the Bible. Written by Gary Fleetwood on 01/01/2019 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Anxiety, Fear, God, Stress, Trust Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 In Matthew 14:22-32, the disciples found themselves in a very stressful situation. They were in a small boat in the middle of the sea when a great wind came up, making their boat toss back and forth. Many of these disciples were fishermen, so they knew the dangers of the storms on the sea very well. Under their circumstances, most likely they felt that they may not make it through the storm alive. However, what is often missed in this story is that in verse 22 it says that Jesus “…made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other...

You are not alone. Written by Emilia Alza on 02/07/2019 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Anxiety, Depression, Suffering The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18 I’m sure we’ve never met before, but I wish I could take you to my favorite coffee shop. As we drank a cup of coffee together and talked, you would know that I’m not here to shame you but to help you get out of the place of bondage that I’ve found myself in before. Depression and anxiety are complex issues, and we need to address them with the same love that Jesus embraces us with each and every day. (Psalm 34:18) You see, about four years ago, I was in a dark place. Depression and anxiety had taken up every space of my life, and it was destroying me from the inside and out. Even with professional help, the support from family and friends – and praying more than ever before – I still struggled. It felt that I was losing the battle. But I saw God’s grace and redemption (wh...

Worldly pleasures leave a bitter aftertaste Written by GodLife on 20/09/2016 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Comfort, Idol, Idolatry, Satisfaction, Trouble Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy. Proverbs 27:6 We all seek happiness in life, and we often look for the answer in worldly things like making lots of money, getting a great job, or even finding the perfect significant other. Can you relate? Though the world makes us believe these things will satisfy us, true comfort and happiness do not come from worldly things. Rather, happiness comes from God, and the Bible shows us this over and over again. Let’s be reminded of Esau, the firstborn and favorite son of Abraham’s son, Isaac. In Genesis 25 and 27, it tells how he lost his birthright and blessing. Esau ignored what was important to his father. His life shows what can happen to “those who look to this world for their reward.” (Ps. 17:14) Expect trouble from the world (John 16:33), even...

Five Reasons Not to Worry About Tomorrow Written by  Janet Perez Eckles  on 17/01/2017 Series:  Weekly Devotional Tags:  Worry ,  Control ,  God ,  Jesus Before I even speak a word, you know what I will say. Psalm 139:4 My husband and I took off for our routine evening walk the other day. And as we rounded the walking trail, he repeatedly had to duck to avoid smashing his head against the branches that hung low. He endured this annoyance for a while. However, that all changed when God showed him not to worry or be anxious... The next day, before we headed out, he grabbed the trimming clippers from the garage. Armed with this weapon that he carried rifle style, we set off for our walk. As we drew closer, he gave a gasp of surprise. The maintenance folks had taken care of the trimming. I couldn’t suppress my laughter as he carried the clippers back home. We all do that, don’t we? When the branches of life annoy us, we get fe...

There’s only one God -- and it’s not you! Written by Dan Lee on 27/09/2016 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Control, God, Sovereignty We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. Proverbs 16:9 We might not think of Control as an idol. Yet anything that we come to value more than God, is an idol. And as humans, we love to feel like we are in control of our own life, our destiny. We believe we have control over our health, our job, our finances, and our relationships. However, that’s not the case. There is only one Sovereign, one Master of the Universe, and it is God, not us. Here are just three important things that we cannot control ourselves, but God does: 1. How long we will live We can take care of our bodies with proper diet and exercise. We’re told that this will allow us a long, healthy and full life. But how long will we really live? That’s up to God. There are no guarantees no matter how hard we try. Psalm 139:16 puts it...

Surrendering our own power and becoming more like Jesus Written by Dan Lee on 04/10/2016 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: God, Humility, Power You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. Philippians 2:5-7a Power, like control, can become an idol in our lives. The world tells us to be powerful, to be fast, to be strong, and to be in control. Even just recently in the Olympics, we watched the worlds most physically powerful people come together to compete against each other and admired and envied the power they had. Though there is a time and a place for power in acts like sport, we so often desire power and lean on our own power which moves our focus away from God. One of the best ways to resist the unhealthy desire for power in our lives is to model our lives after the h...

God is able to humble those who walk in pride. Written by GodLife on 25/06/2019 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: God, Justice, Pride Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble. Daniel 4:37 A historian wrote, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” One of the Bible’s best examples is found in the book of Daniel. Nebuchadnezzar, the ruler of a worldwide empire, had a dream that foretold God’s judgment upon him. He nevertheless ignored the dream and did exactly what he was warned not to do, taking credit for the empire and everything achieved by it. God’s judgment fell, just as promised. How could a situation like this work out to his benefit? The dream that warned the king With all he had going for him, King Nebuchadnezzar was stubborn and prideful. In the second chapter of the book of Daniel, he dreamed about a great statue...