DEVOTIONAL BY BILLY GRAHAM – HOPE FOR EACH DAY

God’s Good Promise

Blessed be the LORD …. There has not failed one word of all His good promise. – 1 KINGS 8 : 56

When we purchase something of great value—a house, for example—we are usually required to put down a deposit to indicate our sincerity and to promise that our intentions are serious. That deposit is a form of insurance, a guarantee that adds substance to our word.

God has made some incredible promises to us—promises that stagger our imaginations. He has promised that we might have a relationship with Him through His Son. He has promised never to leave us or forsake us and to be with us always. He has promised to take us to Heaven when we die. The Bible is full of God’s promises.

Someone might ask, “What insurance do we have that God is serious? How do we know His promises can be trusted?” God’s deposit is the most precious investment anyone could make: His Son, who by His death and resurrection purchased our salvation—completely and fully. Not only is Jesus Christ a sufficient “down payment” on God’s promises, He is, in fact, payment in full!

DEVOTIONAL BY CHARLES STANLEY – ON HOLY GROUND

God Never Gives Up

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. – Colossians 1:13

When Christ told Peter of his coming denial, Peter stiffened and protested, “Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away” (Matthew 26:33 NASB).  But Jesus knew the truth.  Peter would deny Him, not once but three times.

Peter’s robust personality vowed never to leave Jesus’ side.  But within a matter of hours he was reduced to fear and hiding form Jewish and Roman officials.  The encouraging message of the Resurrection is that God never gives up on us.

Among Christ’s last words to Peter before His death were words of restoration: “But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.  And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32 NIV).  Jesus knew Peter would fall, and He loved him anyway.  He gave His zealous disciple hope of future service when He said, “Strengthen your brothers.”

God takes our weaknesses and turns them into points of strength and honor for Himself.  Jesus was totally committed to Peter.  He knew Peter would suffer a bitter defeat, but there was an event coming that would revolutionize his thinking – the Resurrection.

Imagine Peter’s amazement as Jesus stepped into the Upper Room the night of His resurrection.  The joy Peter experienced was there because of the love and acceptance Christ portrayed.  This same love is yours today.

DEVOTIONAL FROM POSTCARDS FROM HEAVEN – CLAIRE CLONINGER

I Am Drawing Good From Bad

Dearest Child,

Everything in your life can be used as a part of my plan for good.  Yes, even the bad things.  Even the very situation that you think is intolerable or hopeless or unredeemable.  Trust me.  This thing, too, will work together for your good and my glory.

How is that possible?  It is possible because you love me, because you have been called to walk in my ways, and you have answered yes to that call.  Even now I am in the process of drawing good from the bad.  I am committed to taking whatever evil comes into your life and bringing good out of it.

All things will work together for good.  Not just some, but all.  Even your own failures and faults are areas of sin are opportunities for me to work.  Commit them to me.  Confess them.  Put them under the blood of my Son.  Even these things will give you cause to praise me.

Trust me in this. – God.

Matthew 5:1-12

The Beatitudes

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, ² and he began to teach them, saying:

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Psalm 145:13-20

¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.

The Lord is faithful to all his promises
and loving toward all he has made.^[a]
14 The Lord upholds all those who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
¹⁵ The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
¹⁶ You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

¹⁷ The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and loving toward all he has made.
¹⁸ The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
¹⁹ He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
²⁰ The Lord watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.

DEVOTIONAL BY OSWALD CHAMBERS – MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST

The Overshadowing of God’s Personal Deliverance

. . . I am with you to deliver you,’ says the Lord —Jeremiah 1:8

God promised Jeremiah that He would deliver him personally— “. . . your life shall be as a prize to you . . .” (Jeremiah 39:18). That is all God promises His children. Wherever God sends us, He will guard our lives. Our personal property and possessions are to be a matter of indifference to us, and our hold on these things should be very loose. If this is not the case, we will have panic, heartache, and distress. Having the proper outlook is evidence of the deeply rooted belief in the overshadowing of God’s personal deliverance.

The Sermon on the Mount indicates that when we are on a mission for Jesus Christ, there is no time to stand up for ourselves. Jesus says, in effect, “Don’t worry about whether or not you are being treated justly.” Looking for justice is actually a sign that we have been diverted from our devotion to Him. Never look for justice in this world, but never cease to give it. If we look for justice, we will only begin to complain and to indulge ourselves in the discontent of self-pity, as if to say, “Why should I be treated like this?” If we are devoted to Jesus Christ, we have nothing to do with what we encounter, whether it is just or unjust. In essence, Jesus says, “Continue steadily on with what I have told you to do, and I will guard your life. If you try to guard it yourself, you remove yourself from My deliverance.” Even the most devout among us become atheistic in this regard— we do not believe Him. We put our common sense on the throne and then attach God’s name to it. We do lean to our own understanding, instead of trusting God with all our hearts (see Proverbs 3:5-6).