DEVOTIONAL BY BILLY GRAHAM – HOPE FOR EACH DAY

The Glory of God

In My Father’s house are many mansions…. I go to prepare a place for you.  – JOHN 14:2

There was once a little boy who was riding alone on a train, and the scenery was not too interesting. A woman sitting beside him asked, “Are you tired of the long ride?”

The boy smiled and said, “I’m a little tired, but I don’t mind it much. You see, my father is going to meet me when I get there.”

Sometimes we get tired of the burdens of life, but we know that Jesus Christ will meet us at the end of our life’s journey—and that makes all the difference. Paul wrote, “Therefore we do not lose heart…. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:16, 18). Knowing we will be with Christ forever far outweighs our burdens today! Keep your eyes on eternity!

DEVOTIONAL BY CHARLES STANLEY – ON HOLY GROUND

The Transforming Grace of God

You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin. – Psalm 85:2

The store manager listened as the little girl explained how her mom had told her she could have only one toy car.  However, not being able to choose between two, she stole the second one.

At home she tried to act surprised when two cars popped out of the same box, but her mom saw through her folly.  Once her dad was home from work, the truth came out, and they returned to the store.

Looking up at the manager with tears in her eyes, the little girl told him she was sorry.  Her dad paid for the item and placed it in his pocket.  On their way home, she touched her father’s hand and said, “Daddy, I’m sorry.  I don’t ever want to do that again,”

He held her tiny hand in his and said, “Honey, that was a hard lesson for you to learn.  But I hope you realize what happens when you do soothing wrong.  I also want you to know your mom and I love you very much and so does God.”

Once they were back home, he reached inside his pocket and tossed the toy in the trash.  The little girl blinked in confusion. “Dad, why did you do that?”

“Because you’re forgiven.  Once you tell God you are sorry and receive his forgiveness, He’ll never bring that sin up again and neither will I.”

DEVOTIONAL FROM POSTCARDS FROM HEAVEN – CLAIRE CLONINGER

I Am The One You Need

Dear Child,

Haven’t you learned by now where your comfort comes from?  Haven’t you discovered the wellspring of your joy and the source of your strength?  I am the God who comforts you.  I am the Friend who brings joy.

Why do you continue to look to the people in your life for things that can only come from me?  I have given you special people to enjoy and care about.  I have given you people to learn form and people to nurture.  But these are human beings like yourself.  Though they may never intend to, there will come a time when they will let you down.  If you continue to go to them for the fulfillment that can only be found in me, a time will come when you are left empty and alone.  A time will come when the people you relied on will reveal that they are only human.

My love is a higher love.  It is a love you can trust.  I will not leave you nor forget you.

Total fulfillment will not come form others.  Being totally “full-filled” means being filled full of my Spirit.  Come and be fulfilled in me.

Your Father and your Friend – God

MATTHEW 28:1-10

The Resurrection

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

² There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. ⁴ The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

PSALM 51

¹ Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
² Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

³ For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
⁴ Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.
⁵ Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
⁶ Surely you desire truth in the inner parts^[a];
you teach^[b] me wisdom in the inmost place.

⁷ Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
⁹ Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.

¹⁰ Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

DEVOTIONAL BY OSWALD CHAMBERS – MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST

His Resurrection Destiny

Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory? —Luke 24:26

Our Lord’s Cross is the gateway into His life. His resurrection means that He has the power to convey His life to me. When I was born again, I received the very life of the risen Lord from Jesus Himself.

Christ’s resurrection destiny— His foreordained purpose— was to bring “many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10). The fulfilling of His destiny gives Him the right to make us sons and daughters of God. We never have exactly the same relationship to God that the Son of God has, but we are brought by the Son into the relation of sonship. When our Lord rose from the dead, He rose to an absolutely new life— a life He had never lived before He was God Incarnate. He rose to a life that had never been before. And what His resurrection means for us is that we are raised to His risen life, not to our old life. One day we will have a body like His glorious body, but we can know here and now the power and effectiveness of His resurrection and can “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). Paul’s determined purpose was to “know Him and the power of His resurrection” (Philippians 3:10).

Jesus prayed, “. . . as You have given Him authority over all flesh that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him” (John 17:2 . The term Holy Spirit is actually another name for the experience of eternal life working in human beings here and now. The Holy Spirit is the deity of God who continues to apply the power of the atonement by the Cross of Christ to our lives. Thank God for the glorious and majestic truth that His Spirit can work the very nature of Jesus into us, if we will only obey Him.