Read the Word Daily

Would you like to read the Word daily, but don’t know how to begin? Reading our Daily Devotionals is a good way to develop the habit of studying the scriptures.

Daily Devotionals - December 2017
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31 Dec.

“Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:14, 15, NKJV).

Christ’s death and resurrection totally destroyed the power Satan held over mankind. We now have forgiveness of all our sins, as well as the same authority to defeat the enemy that Jesus has.

30 Dec.

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16).

Confessing our faults and shortcomings to another believer isn’t for them to condemn us over our mistakes, but for them to build us up and remind us of our righteousness in Christ. This is grace-based confession the way it should be.

29 Dec.

“Let them alone and disregard them; they are blind guides and teachers. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a ditch” (Matthew 15:14, AMPC).

Without a clear understanding of the Gospel of Grace, anyone who teaches biblical lessons will actually be preaching the law. It is impossible for someone without God’s wisdom and knowledge to teach it to others.

28 Dec.

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37, NKJV).

We have a supernatural ability to overcome the enemy. When he attacks, we can maintain the victory that Jesus Christ died to obtain for us.

27 Dec.

 “(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were” (Romans 4:17).

We live a life of faith by believing God’s Word. We enhance our faith by using it to take what grace has already made available.

26 Dec.

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Christ delivers us from situations we can’t handle on our own. When we’re backed against a wall, He makes an escape route when it seems like there’s no way out.

25 Dec.

“But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children” (Galatians 4:4, 5, NLT).

Before Jesus, mankind lived under the curse that resulted from Adam and Eve’s sin. The people were alienated from God, but Jesus restored our relationship with the Father.

24 Dec.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

Often, the true meaning of Christmas can be lost among commercialism and holiday shopping. God loves us so much, He came to earth as a child to bring us peace and re-establish the perfect relationship between mankind and Himself that was destroyed in the garden of Eden.

23 Dec.

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

When we understand the truth about the Word of God, the enemy is powerless against us. No matter what the situation may look like, the enemy has no authority over God’s children.

22 Dec.

“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:13, 14).

Under grace, we receive all the blessings of the law with none of the curses. These blessings are because of what Jesus did, not us.

21 Dec.

“If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it” (Isaiah 1:19, 20).

Under the old covenant of the Law of Moses, the “do good, get good” principle was in effect. Now that we’re under the new covenant of grace, God gives us good things even when we don’t deserve them.

20 Dec.

“Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man” (2 Corinthians 7:2).

Even after persecuting believers and putting many of them to death before he was saved, Paul was able to truthfully say this after his encounter with the resurrected Jesus. This is because, when we are born again, we become new creatures in Christ.

19 Dec.

“For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another” (Psalm 75:6, 7).

When we trust in God and not in our own efforts, He takes responsibility for lifting us up and exalting us before others. He is our way in, out, and even up.

18 Dec.

“For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body” (Ephesians 5:23).

Under the covenant of grace, men and women are equals. The “head” actually means the enabler    and source of nourishment, not the one who dominates another person.

17 Dec.

“Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20).

God’s grace toward us will always be greater that whatever sin we commit. Our sins can never undo what Jesus has already done.

16 Dec.

“For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Romans 5:19).

Because of Jesus’ obedience, we can truthfully say we are the righteousness of God. Bad behavior on our part doesn’t make us unrighteous.

15 Dec.

“Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron” (1 Timothy 4:2).

Constantly being aware of our sins results in a seared conscience. Having a dead, calloused conscience prevents us from responding to what Jesus’ blood has made available.

14 Dec.

“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22).

The Law of Moses increased people’s consciousness of their sins; sin-consciousness is actually an evil conscience. Our conscience is only perfected when we focus on grace.

13 Dec.

“If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?” (Hebrews 7:11).

The Law of Moses couldn’t make people perfect, because it was never intended to do so. Perfection comes through Jesus, our high priest and the intercessor between God and man.

12 Dec.

“For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring” (Acts 17:28).

Christ has given us every good thing we have, and without Him we are literally nothing. He removed the veil covering our minds and our spiritual eyes so that we can have the wisdom and discernment to see and acknowledge this.

11 Dec.

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).

We don’t need to be discouraged by problems that seem to pop up out of nowhere. God tells us in His Word this will happen. Persecution is inevitable when we’re living like we should.

10 Dec.

“If we are faithless [do not believe and are untrue to Him], He remains true (faithful to His Word and His righteous character), for He cannot deny Himself” (2 Timothy 2:13, AMPC).

Because of grace, we are now beneficiaries of Christ’s faithfulness. Even when we are unfaithful, His faithfulness to us continues.

9 Dec.

“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost” (John 19:30).

Under the law, the Jewish priests could never sit down, because they could never finish atoning for the people’s sins. Under grace, all atonement for sin is now finished, because Jesus became the perfect sacrifice forever.

8 Dec.

“When God speaks of a new [covenant or agreement], He makes the first one obsolete (out of use). And what is obsolete (out of use and annulled because of age) is ripe for disappearance and to be dispensed with altogether” (Hebrews 8:13, AMPC).

The law that God gave to Moses has been replaced by the law of grace. Most churches are unaware of this, and therefore they still preach the Law of Moses.

7 Dec.

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

Jesus gave the Great Commission to His apostles, but it is also meant for us all. When we experience a direct encounter with Him, we won’t be able to keep silent about how He changes lives.

6 Dec.

“Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17).

Christ’s love perfects us, and we become more and more like Him when we graft ourselves into Him. When we believe this, we become fruit-bearers of what He did.

5 Dec.

“Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace” (Romans 6:14, NLT).

As believers, we’re free to stop believing and living according to the Law of Moses, which focused on sin and self-effort, and required strict adherence to every commandment listed. The law made people spiritually blind, but grace replaced the law.

4 Dec.

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding” (Proverbs 4:7).

For a powerful and successful Christian life, we need the wisdom and knowledge of what Jesus has already made available to us. We receive this wisdom and knowledge when we enter into a relationship with Him

3 Dec.

“But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God” (Acts 20:24, NLT).

It is important to specifically include grace when we discuss the Gospel. The finished works of Jesus took us out from under the curse of the Law of Moses and put us under grace.

2 Dec.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

As Christians, we learn to entrust every area of our lives to God, and we discover that He handles every situation much better that we ever could. Apart from Him, our own efforts to make things happen in our lives will not give us the results we want.

1 Dec.

“And [God] Who provides seed for the sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your [resources for] sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness [which manifests itself in active goodness, kindness, and charity]” (2 Corinthians 9:10, AMPC).

Money that comes into a believer’s life should take on the form of bread to be consumed, as well as seed to be sown into others’ lives. There is nothing wrong with spending a portion of our income on ourselves, as long as we remember that it should also be used as a tool to help others.