Truth and Love Never Fail

DECEMBER 25

MATTHEW 7:28_when Jesus had ended these sayings…

Truth and love never fail. This sermon ends, but its power never ends. It will continue throughout this life and into eternity. Its ability to free the heart and soul of man is unstoppable. There simply is no way freedom cannot prevail from this sermon. As always, there is a way to choose to escape truth.  

Everyone has something from which they need freedom – because everyone sins. Some sins have delicate holds, some firm holds, and some despairing holds of bondage. The words of Jesus are healing. Using the Bible as a key to open the spirit allows freedom to penetrate the soul. 

Time spent in prayer, baring the soul, is essential to freedom. The time will never come when quiet times are no longer needed. Time with Jesus in prayer and Bible is not something you out-grow. It will never come to pass that you have learned it all, and have ended your need for fellowship and worship of your Creator and Savior.

Hopefully, you will read through these devotionals again next year. Allow them to infiltrate deeper into your soul with more wisdom, understanding, and knowledge.    

 PRAYER

Heavenly Father, Praise You that love and truth never fail. I need them. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.          

Christ’s words are healing—they heal me!

A Dilapidated House

DECEMBER 21

MATTHEW 7:27_and great was the fall of it.

The longer life is lived on sandy soil the harder that life falls apart. There are people in their senior years who lived a lifetime of poor choices. Suddenly the day of reckoning appears and they have to face the music. It is heartbreaking. These people will tell you not to build your life on sandy soil.

They can still call on the name of the Lord. He will come and save them. This does not restore the years lost to foolishness. But there can be some restoration. Mercy is a welcomed guest in a dilapidated house.

Psalm 41:11(KJV), “By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.” God does not want your adversary, the devil, to have control over your life. God wants you to live as salty-lit-up disciples. A rock-solid life!

What kind of power does the devil have in your life?

Does he attack you with fear? Yes.

Does he accuse you of unworthiness? Absolutely!

Does he throw road blocks as you travel the narrow path? Yes.

Do these road blocks cause frustrations and delays in your kingdom projects? Yes.

Can he triumph over your life and control your future, current and eternal? Not a chance!!!!

 PRAYER

Everlasting Father, Help me not to live a life I will regret. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.          

Christ does not want me to grow old and regret my lifeI don’t want to!

If There Is No God

DECEMBER 17

MATTHEW 7:26_shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand.

Why do we make foolish decisions? Because we make them. For goodness sake, where do we come up with the idea we know what is best for ourselves? We’re sinful people born with a sinful nature. When left to ourselves we make foolish decisions.

Psalm 14:1(KJV) “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.” Someone made a foolish decision to make that statement!

If there is no God we are all doomed.

Destined to build life on sandy soil.

No hope.

No secure life built on the Rock.

No becoming salt and light in our dark world.

No hearts filled with genuine, unconditional, compassionate love.

No true wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. 

Most of all, no hope of eternal life.

The one true God gives us, Psalm 16:9 (KJV), “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.”

Psalm 31:24 (KJV), “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.”

Psalm 38:15 (KJV), “For in thee, O Lord, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.”

There is nothing sandy about soil filled with hope!

PRAYER

God of Hope, All my hope is in You! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.          

Christ is true and eternal—He gives me hope!

At the End of the Day

DECEMBER 4

MATTHEW 7:23_ye that work iniquity.

The word iniquity can be translated as lawlessness.

We could study all six hundred plus laws – they eventually would fit into one set.

 Matthew 22:36-40 (KJV), “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Galatians 5:13-14 (KJV) “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”  

When it’s all said and done … at the end of the day, life boils down to whether we loved God and His people. If we lived life contrary to that—we are workers of iniquity. Jesus not only will not know us but ask us to leave His presence.

When we stand before the Day of Judgment we want to rejoice in God’s incomparable mercy—we want to remain in His presence, to live in the kingdom of heaven and continue to love God and His people.

We want to praise our friend Jesus who made the way.

PRAYER

Good Shepherd, Praise You that I can live with You forever! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.             

Christ made the way to live forever in Heaven—I will!

Rulers in the Darkness

NOVEMBER 30

MATTHEW 7:22_and in Thy name cast out devils…

Ephesians 6:12 (KJV), “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

This verse says there are rulers in the darkness and they have powers. It is good to have a healthy fear of these powers. It helps you live in the reality that the devil is powerful and you are no match for him.

That’s as far as your fear needs to go. When you chose to accept Jesus as your Savior—you defeated the devil. He knows he no longer has power over your eternity. Beware that he will come after you in this life with his deception and lies about your unworthiness. 

Colossians 1:12-14 (KJV), “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet [worthy] to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.”

That’s why the devil is defeated.

Be knowledgeable about the spirits of darkness, but do not pursue experiencing first hand any kind of occult practices. Don’t go there, even if you think you are learning something for the good of helping a friend.

Grow strong in Jesus and know your Bible—that’s how you help friends!

PRAYER

Jesus Savior, Praise You for defeating the devil for me! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen. 

Christ has defeated the devil and his demons—For me!