Yet for many years you had patience with them, and testified against them by Your spirit in Your prophets. Yet they did not listen; Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. Nevertheless in Your great mercy You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them; for You are God, gracious and merciful. Nehemiah 9: 30, 31, NKJV.  Dear LORD, we are so blessed to serve a God who is patient, gracious and merciful. As we study Your Word today, please teach us to be like You. In the blessed name of Jesus we pray. Amen....

There is a way that seems right to , but in the end it leads to death. Proverbs 16: 25, NIV. Oh gracious God, please help us not to be deceived. May the entrance of Your Word bring light to our lives, and to our souls. This is our prayer, in the blessed name of Jesus. Amen.  Have you ever taken a "short cut" that turned out to be, at least twice the distance, to where You were going? You were so sure that this was the right way, but you were wrong! Someone has said something to this effect...

Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. John 13: 17, NIV.  Dear God, please show us the many blessings that are to be found in obeying You. In the name of Jesus we humbly pray. Amen. I know that we could have a lot of reason to argue with the title of our devotional today. Many can say, and cite evidence, of instances when obedience did not bring them happiness; at least, not as a direct result of their obedience. Joseph was obedient to his principles of morality, and virtuous living; and what did...

When he (Jesus) had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you should also wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him....

He (Jesus) came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" Jesus replied, "You do not realize what I am doing, but later you will understand." "No" said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet ." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet, but my hands and my head as well! Jesus answered, 'A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; His whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.'...

He (Jesus) came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" Jesus replied, "You do not realize what I am doing, but later you will understand." "No" said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet ." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet, but my hands and my head as well!" John 13: 6-9, NIV. Gracious God, please speak to our hearts as we bow in Your holy presence to study Your Word. In the blessed name of Jesus we humbly...

He (Jesus) came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" Jesus replied, "You do not realize what I am doing, but later you will understand." "No" said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet ." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet, but my hands and my head as well!" John 13: 6-9, NIV.   Dear LORD, there are so many things that we do not understand, now. But by faith we believe, that someday, we will understand. In the name of...

Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know without a doubt that the LORD sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating." When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John also called Mark, where many people were gathered and were praying. Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door. When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, "Peter is at the door!" You're...

Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat fastened itself on his hand. When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live." But Paul shook the snake off into...

When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!" Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them. Acts 14: 11-13, NIV. Merciful God, You know just how easy it is for us to get caught up with the praise of people. As we study Your Word, please show...