Divine Nature

There are over 300 prophecies in the Old Testament that talk about Jesus. Series: Jesus Booklet Before Jesus even came to earth, it was prophesied that He would come. Prophecy is God revealing events that will happen in advance. The Old Testament tells the story of a number of great prophets -- Moses, Elijah, Samuel, and many others -- who prophesied about a Savior who was to come to earth. There are over 300 prophecies in the Old Testament that talk about this Savior. Here are just a few of the prophecies that Jesus fulfilled: He was to be born of a virgin. The prophet Isaiah prophesied, "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel (God with us)." (Isaiah 7:14) He would be born in Bethlehem. The prophet Micah foretold, "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for Me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origi...

Long before Jesus was born, the Bible predicted his life and death. Written by GodLife on 17/12/2019 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Jesus, Prophecy, Salvation, Old Testament And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. Mark 15:24 The Old Testament was completed in 450 B.C., hundreds of years before Jesus was born. Many prophecies were made in astonishing detail by many people throughout these books. In fact, fulfilled prophecy is one of the distinguishing marks of the Bible, helping to prove it is the inspired word of God. Examples of prophecies For instance, the Old Testament foresaw Jesus’ betrayal by someone he trusted: "Even my close friend whom I trusted, he who has shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me." (Psalm 41:9) The New Testament, which records Jesus' life and resurrection, reveals that one of the 12 people Jesus chose to be part of his inner circle betrayed him: "Then Judas Iscario...

What would you do if someone told you today that something bad would happen to you tomorrow? Written by Ruth on 14/01/2020 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Future, Judgment, Prophecy, End Times, Last Days Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world. Hebrews 1:1-2 Why is prophecy important today? Jesus told us many things that would happen in the last days before His return to earth. In Matthew 24, He answered His disciples’ questions about when the great Kingdom of God would come. He told them what to watch for. His first statement was, “You see all these [buildings of the temple] … truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” (Matthew 24:2) The Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D. just as Jesus said! Jesus also announced things that would ha...

Do you fear the future? Written by Ruth on 24/07/2018 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Fear, Future, Hope waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, Titus 2:13 The greatest message Jesus has for us in the Bible is that we do not need to be afraid. He has made a way of safety for us! Do not be afraid God tells us we never need to be afraid! It does not matter what happens around us – we could lose our job and not find a new one, or a storm could destroy all we have. God said, “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). Jesus told us the reason we don’t need to fear in John 16:33 – He has already conquered all trouble and tribulation. We may not be able to see this victory in our circumstances yet, but we can experience His presence in our lives no matter what happens (see Philippians 4:7). U...

What would you do if someone told you today that something bad would happen to you tomorrow? Written by Ruth on 14/01/2020 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Future, Judgment, Prophecy, End Times, Last Days Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world. Hebrews 1:1-2 Why is prophecy important today? Jesus told us many things that would happen in the last days before His return to earth. In Matthew 24, He answered His disciples’ questions about when the great Kingdom of God would come. He told them what to watch for. His first statement was, “You see all these [buildings of the temple] … truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” (Matthew 24:2) The Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D. just as Jesus said! Jesus also announced things that would ha...

A Devotional Look At The Trinity Written by GodLife on 31/01/2016 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Holy Spirit For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all. Ephesians 4:4-6 Our Christmas devotion quoted Isaiah 44:6. God says, “besides me, there is no God.” The New Testament agrees, “there is only one God.” (1 Corinthians 8:4) Christians call the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, “God.” When Christians use the word "Trinity," what do we really mean? Is God One Person Appearing in Three Different Forms? At Godlife, we like to keep things simple, but making things too simple can be very dangerous. Without understanding, bridges and buildings collapse. Unexpected expenses, even injury and death, result. Likewise, we dare not reduce what the Bible teaches about God. Some say that God shows Himself...

When Jesus left Earth, he didn't leave us without help. Written by Hope on 04/01/2015 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Personal Transformation Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to people far in the future — all who have been called by the Lord our God.” Acts 2:38-39 After His resurrection, Jesus promised to send His Holy Spirit to teach and guide His followers. We who follow Him today have inherited this promise: the Holy Spirit lives within us, guiding us in God’s new life each day. Who or What Is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is one of the three persons of God: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. God sent the Holy Spirit to Christians to teach us and to remind of Jesus’ instructions. The Holy Spirit guides, comforts, and nurtures us...

What does it mean to receive the Holy Spirit? Written by Gary Fleetwood on 15/05/2018 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Holy Spirit, Life Change, Conversion Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 What does it mean to have a life-changing experience? When I first became a Christian many years ago, my life was filled with many dirty things that I knew were displeasing to God. My problem was that I did not have the power to change – even when I wanted to change. I tried to change things in my life a lot of different times and a lot of different ways, but nothing ever lasted. I kept going back to living the way I had always lived. However, the night that I was saved and Christ became real to me, my heart radically changed. I immediately learned that God was willing to give to me both the desire and the power to change my life. The things that I used to hate, I now loved, and the things that ...

Find deliverance from the tyranny of self. Written by GodLife on 07/01/2020 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Change, Holy Spirit, Life Change, New Year, Legalism …forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14 I heard someone call a New Year’s resolution a “to-do list for the first week of January.” A sense of relief passed over me when I read this and realized that I’m not the only one who finds it’s hard to stick to resolutions. Why are resolutions tough to stick to? No one ever makes resolutions to do more wrong, to be lazier or less responsible. We all want to be better versions of ourselves, but there are so many of us who find it very difficult to change. You see, resolutions for the new year are like laws or promises to ourselves, and like laws, they are made to restrain evil. (1 Timothy 1:8-9) Even though the law gives us greater knowledg...

In many cases sickness has nothing to do with punishment for sin. In fact, God often uses suffering for His glory and our own good. Written by Hope on 03/10/2015 Series: Weekly Devotional “[The Lord] said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” II Corinthians 12:9a What is your health like? Do you know that God loves you and can work in your life, even if you are suffering physically? What You Might Have Heard Many Christians have heard that sickness or illness is caused by your sin or weak faith. Under Old Testament Law, God promised the nation of Israel: “If you listen to [God’s] regulations and faithfully obey them,... the Lord will protect you from all sickness” (Deuteronomy 7:12, 15). But “if you refuse to listen to the Lord your God, all these curses will come and overwhelm you (Deuteronomy 28:15), including being afflicted “with diseases” (Deuteronomy 28:21). Does that still apply today? Sickness Itself Is Not Evidence of A Curse In many plac...

We cannot mature spiritually unless we regularly study God’s Word. Written by Luis Palau Tags: Bible, Spiritual Discipline Christians sometimes neglect studying the Bible because they lack a simple, practical method that makes Bible study come alive for them. But we cannot mature spiritually unless we regularly study God’s Word. Here are three simple steps to successful Bible study: 1. Observation. Bible study begins with observation. We observe the Bible by carefully reading it daily. Noted Bible teacher Dr. James M. Gray said, “There is only one law of Bible study, and that is to read the Book, and when you have read it, to read it again, and then sit down and read it again, and then sit down and read it once more, and by and by you will come to know the Book.” Luke is a good book to study at first. Read the entire book in one sitting in order to get a clear impression of the book as a whole. Disregard chapter and verse divisions. Read it again and again, occasionally u...

Most of us will not fall for an obvious lie, but we can be fooled by a slight twist of the truth. Written by Joy on 12/10/2014 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Jesus, Truth “The people of Berea were more open-minded and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures daily to see if Paul’s teaching was true.” Acts 17:11 The best way to recognize a counterfeit is to know the REAL thing! Most of us will not fall for an obvious lie, but we can be fooled by a slight twist of the truth. Know the Enemy’s Strategy In Genesis 3:1, Satan only changed a few words from God’s original commandment to confuse Eve. When Satan tempted Jesus in Matthew 4, he quoted scripture to lure Jesus into sin. Jesus quickly saw the verses had been taken out of context and used for wrong motives. People can be easily led astray by the use of scripture that gives the appearance of following God, but actually promotes selfishness and pleasure-seeking. Know the Whole Truth “All scr...

Discover the only path to real freedom Written by Ray Stedman on 31/12/2019 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Disciple, Fear, Freedom, Guilt, Truth So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ John 8:31-32 What a wonderful word! It constitutes a short course in discipleship. But it is more than that. It is a declaration that discipleship is the only true path to freedom, to be all that you were meant to be. If you want that, then Jesus says the way is to become his disciple. This is the path to freedom. It is the only way to be all that you want to be. Freedom begins with faith In John 8:31-32, Jesus tells us in precise detail how to be free. It begins with a belief: Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him. They had not yet trusted him, but they had believed him. They had been intellectually grasped by his arguments and his words, but they had not y...

No one in this life is exempt from struggles, heartaches, and difficulties. Tags: Cancer, Difficulty, Healing, Hope, Sickness Nearly 20 years after Patricia and I were married, we faced the biggest challenge of our lives when she discovered a lump in one breast. We were just finishing a six-city speaking tour in Scotland— and rushed back home to Portland, Oregon. Yes, there was a problem. A biopsy was necessary. Then came the doctor’s verdict. For a moment we sat in stunned silence, trying to block out his awful words. “The tumor is malignant and radical surgery must be performed immediately. We can’t delay.” Surgery was scheduled for the following Monday. Pat had cancer. When we got back to the house, I headed to my office in the basement. Somehow I had to come to grips with this terrible blow, I told myself. But a hundred emotions welled up inside me, and I began to weep. This was the sort of thing that happens to other people, but not to my wife. Not to Pat. My thought...

You are never ready to live until you are ready to die. Written by Dr. John Barnett on 24/12/2019 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Holy Spirit, Hope, Praise And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord... Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles...