Posts with the category “daily-devotion”
The Light of Christmas
by Curt Dodd on December 22nd, 2024
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” – Psalm 119:105Christmas is a season of light, and that light begins with God’s Word. The birth of Jesus fulfilled centuries of promises, illuminating God’s faithfulness and love. Just as Psalm 119:105 reminds us, Scripture is our guiding light. When we align our lives with its truth, we discover clarity and purpose. This Christmas, let the ... Read More
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A Hardened Heart
by Curt Dodd on December 21st, 2024
But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. (Romans 2:5) Scripture tells us that in the end times, many people’s hearts will be hardened toward the Lord. What does it mean to have a hardened heart? We will look at that today and identify the signs for those who might be on the path of a ... Read More
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The Center of God’s Will
by Curt Dodd on December 20th, 2024
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23) You have probably heard this verse many times before. Unfortunately, when we read this verse, we focus only on the phrase “the gift of God is eternal life,” and overlook the phrase “the wages of sin is death.” Because of sin, death comes. We live in a fallen world; we are fallen men a... Read More
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Jesus Is
by Curt Dodd on December 19th, 2024
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1) Jesus is a life changer! He has changed my life and the lives of countless millions over the centuries. People have said these things about Christ: Napoleon Bonaparte, on the island of St. Helena said this, “I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ is not a mere man. Superficial minds may see a resem... Read More
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Share Christ
by Curt Dodd on December 18th, 2024
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:7) It wasn’t just to the Romans that Paul wrote these words. To other followers of Christ, he used this same phrase. Why? Because it was very powerful. It set things in order and leveled the playing field. He was saying, in essence, “If you want grace and peace, they only come from the Lord Himself.” Paul took... Read More
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Celebrate God’s Provision
by Curt Dodd on December 17th, 2024
Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. (Psalm 150:1-2, 6) As this year is nearly over, many of us take the time to intentionally look back on the events of the past year. We think about all that has transpired over... Read More
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Praying In The Waiting
by Curt Dodd on December 16th, 2024
Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! – Psalm 27:14Sometimes, we don’t learn how to pray until we learn how to wait. Waiting has a way of stripping us of control and forcing us to depend fully on God. It’s not easy, and it often feels uncomfortable. But it’s in the waiting that God shapes our faith and prepares us for His perfect answer.Isaac knew this k... Read More
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Praying In The Waiting
by Curt Dodd on December 16th, 2024
Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! – Psalm 27:14Sometimes, we don’t learn how to pray until we learn how to wait. Waiting has a way of stripping us of control and forcing us to depend fully on God. It’s not easy, and it often feels uncomfortable. But it’s in the waiting that God shapes our faith and prepares us for His perfect answer.Isaac knew this k... Read More
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Wait On God’s Provision
by Curt Dodd on December 15th, 2024
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:19When life feels uncertain, and you’re not sure how God will come through, it’s natural to have questions. “God, how are You going to provide?” is a question that many of us have asked, often through tears or moments of desperation. The good news is that it’s okay to ask God questions. He inv... Read More
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Wait On God’s Provision
by Curt Dodd on December 15th, 2024
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:19When life feels uncertain, and you’re not sure how God will come through, it’s natural to have questions. “God, how are You going to provide?” is a question that many of us have asked, often through tears or moments of desperation. The good news is that it’s okay to ask God questions. He inv... Read More
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Praise God for Your Story
by Curt Dodd on December 14th, 2024
And they praised God because of me. (Galatians 1:24) Paul’s reputation definitely preceded him. His story of coming to faith in Christ circulated throughout the east long before he had made one of his “missionary journeys.” Before Christ, Paul was a stone-cold legalist. He even took it upon himself to organize the extermination of early believers. His efforts led to the stoning death of Stephen,... Read More
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Gifts from the Spirit
by Curt Dodd on December 13th, 2024
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13) When the Holy Spirit came, He brought gifts f... Read More
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The Cost of Following Christ
by Curt Dodd on December 12th, 2024
For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him. (Philippians 1:29) We certainly love the idea of believing in Christ, receiving eternal life and having our sins forgiven. We long to experience cleansing, both positionally and mentally. It is hard to comprehend forgiveness from God’s perspective. From our viewpoint, we see ourselves with... Read More
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Grace Has Appeared
by Curt Dodd on December 11th, 2024
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. (Titus 2:11) I am a sportsman. Since my early years, I have always enjoyed the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing. It might be a surprise to many, but the anticipation of seeing an animal move through the woods or waiting for a fish to take a lure, is exhilarating to many of us. Even though you were expecting and waitin... Read More
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Who Do You Follow?
by Curt Dodd on December 10th, 2024
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24) Who do you follow in your life? I am not talking about who you follow on Instagram or who you keep up with on Facebook. I’m asking, who do you follow, who do you serve, and who do you model yourself after? To determine the answer to these important quest... Read More
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Faith Isn’t Easy
by Curt Dodd on December 9th, 2024
Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. – Genesis 15:6Yesterday, we discussed the first three risks that are involved in living a life of faith. If you missed yesterday’s devotion, I strongly urge you to go back and read it. But for now, we’re going to talk about three additional risks. Let’s dive in.The fourth risk of faith involves giving what God says to give. We of... Read More
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Faith Involves Risk
by Curt Dodd on December 8th, 2024
Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. – Genesis 15:6Abraham's story is one that says there is hope for all of us. We can be men and women of real faith if we can follow Abraham’s example.Faith involves risk. If there is no risk, there is no faith. Faith is not a feeling. Faith involves standing on the Word of God, and sometimes that involves taking risks. Abraham's l... Read More
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It Is as You Will
by Curt Dodd on December 7th, 2024
“For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.” (Mark 8:35) Years ago, a little boy had captured a small, helpless bird. He went to an old wise man in his village and he put the bird behind his back. He looked at the man and said, “Old man, tell me, Is the bird I hold in my hand, is it alive, or is it dead?” The wise... Read More
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Don’t Abuse Your Free Will
by Curt Dodd on December 6th, 2024
“Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,” (Matthew 24:12) God has given human beings the gift of free will. Because He has granted you free will, God will never make you do something. He will not force you to do something, even if it is not what He desires. He will abide by your personal will. However, God allows you to experience the fruit of your decisions... Read More
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Say No to Temptation
by Curt Dodd on December 5th, 2024
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness... Read More
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Don’t Follow the World
by Curt Dodd on December 4th, 2024
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2) When I ... Read More
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The Holy Spirit Helps
by Curt Dodd on December 3rd, 2024
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (Romans 8:26) If we want to be effective for the Kingdom of God, we need the help of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit power that raised Jesus from the dead is the very same power we have available to us as His followers. As we ... Read More
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Learning To Resist
by Curt Dodd on December 2nd, 2024
Do not love the world or anything in the world. – 1 John 2:15I’ve been on many diets over the years. You don’t get a wonderful figure like mine without some effort. (Of course, that’s tongue in cheek.)I have done the Keto, the Mediterranean, the Scarsdale, and the Weight Watchers diets. You name it, and I’ve done it. I have tried all of those diets over the years to keep the fat off my innermost p... Read More
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Be Willing To Say Yes
by Curt Dodd on December 1st, 2024
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. – Hebrews 11:7When I was in seminary, we had something called Missionary Preparation Week. At the end of the week, students were given an opportunity to surrender their lives to full-time missiona... Read More
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Just Forgive
by Curt Dodd on November 30th, 2024
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” (Matthew 18:21-22) Let’s face it: Forgiveness is complicated! When Simon Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive his brother or sister, he already had a number in mind. In fact, ... Read More
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Before the Throne of God
by Curt Dodd on November 29th, 2024
Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God... Read More
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Why Are You Following?
by Curt Dodd on November 28th, 2024
When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. (Matthew 8:1) Why are you really following Jesus? After the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus amassed a huge crowd. This huge crowd was made up of individuals who were following Christ for different reasons: 1. Some followed out of interest and curiosity. They just showed up because everyone was headed that way, and they were inte... Read More
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Your Story Is Not Finished
by Curt Dodd on November 27th, 2024
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) What a powerful verse! Even though Jeremiah’s message often dealt with judgement and destruction, he also relayed a message of hope for his people from heaven. That is what we all need…HOPE. To know that our story is not yet finished is a “ga... Read More
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You Are an Evangelist
by Curt Dodd on November 26th, 2024
Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! (Psalm 96:3) God's plan is that people will come to faith in Christ. I know you are very concerned about your family members and friends who don't know Christ. Because you are burdened for them, you are asking yourself questions like: “How will they hear the Gospel? Will they watch religious broadcasting on televis... Read More
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Getting To The End Of Yourself
by Curt Dodd on November 25th, 2024
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. – Hebrews 11:1Manley Beasley was an evangelist who made an incredible impact for the kingdom of God. He had several health problems throughout his life, including kidney disease that required frequent dialysis and eventually took his life. But even in the midst of his suffering, Manley’s faith never wavered.I love M... Read More
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Faith Begins Where Striving Ends
by Curt Dodd on November 24th, 2024
Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! – Psalm 46:10In our fast-paced lives, we often find ourselves striving for control, wrestling with uncertainty, and pushing through situations on our own strength. But God invites us to a different approach. Faith begins at the end of ourselves, at the moment when we realize we cannot achieve sa... Read More
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Wait in Silence
by Curt Dodd on November 23rd, 2024
Be still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10) We don't like silence and we don't do very well with silence. Have you noticed that we try to fill silence with activity? It is important for us to realize that there are times when we need to be quiet. This happens to many of us. When there is silence and God doesn't move, we do something. When in doubt, do something. Like Simon Peter, when th... Read More
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God Can Defend Himself
by Curt Dodd on November 22nd, 2024
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9) When we don't understand what God is doing, we try to explain why God would allow something to happen. Many of us think we have to answer all of the “nay-sayers.” We hear people say, “If God is a God of love, w... Read More
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Blaming Others
by Curt Dodd on November 21st, 2024
And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “The woman you put here with me -- she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (Genesis 3:11-13) Being free of guilt comes from finding fr... Read More
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A Guilt-Free Life
by Curt Dodd on November 20th, 2024
Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. Your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down on me. Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin. My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. (Psalm 38:1-4) If you have ever felt guilty for something you have done, you know that this psalmi... Read More
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Stand Firmly in Freedom
by Curt Dodd on November 19th, 2024
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1) Our personal development into emotional and spiritual health takes time; it does not come overnight. Children develop emotionally over time and eventually learn to think in abstract concepts. Before that day arrives, they are literal thinkers; rules a... Read More
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Dependence Leads To Peace
by Curt Dodd on November 18th, 2024
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:7Scripture tells us that we are to be dependent on the God who gives peace. True peace is only found when we become God-dependent, not self-dependent. My mind can easily wander into dark places, and it doesn’t take much to trigger my anxiety, especially when I see situat... Read More
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Live Medium
by Curt Dodd on November 17th, 2024
So in Christ, we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. - Romans 12:5As members of the body of Christ, we are designed to be family to each other. Sometimes, the people we lean on the most aren’t our blood relatives but those from our church family—the ones who show up when we’re in need, who pray for us, who help us carry our burdens. In these moments, we experien... Read More
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Learning from Failure
by Curt Dodd on November 16th, 2024
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:26) We looked at how we set ourselves up for failure without realizing it. Today, we will continue our conversation on failure, and learn how we can handle failure in a positive way. 1. Own it. When you fail, own it and embrace it. Don't make excuses for it; just own it. Personal failure and s... Read More
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Setups for Failure
by Curt Dodd on November 15th, 2024
Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!” (John 13:36-38) As followers of Jesus, we are not excluded from experiencing failure... Read More
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January
Building Men Over MembershipsActions and WordsPraying in God’s WillA Call to God’s ChurchFalse ProphetsJesus Intercedes for YouAre You Encouraging Others?Strengthening BelieversSalvation Is SimpleCounterfeit TeachingBe Ready for the End Jesus Understands Your PainLooking ForwardCommitting Others To ChristSharing Your StoryTaking the Time To BlessPraying for UnbelieversA Word of BlessingJesus Cares about YouThe PavementAre You Confessed Up To Date?Fighting Self-Sufficiency With PrayerBe Responsible for Your ChildrenJesus Is Standing with You The Promise of the Holy SpiritBe Aligned in PrayerI Am InnocentAligned PrayersPraying with PowerDealing with ProblemsHandling Stress
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Come and SeeA Childlike FaithDon’t Miss OutWhy Support Israel?Praying For IsraelHow To Honor GodResisting EvilThe Lord Encourages UsJesus Is the AuthorityGod ProvidesLiving Out The Great CommissionMaking SureA Heart of RepentanceSharing Your FaithSubmitting to God’s WillSecure in Your IdentityHow Are You Filled?God Is All-SufficientJesus Is The Only WayPray, Just PrayNo Sin Is Too BigThe Purpose in PainFeed Your FaithStay in Love with JesusIt’s Only JesusRemember Who God IsGifts from the Holy SpiritThis World Is Not Your HomeBe Different
March
Admitting You Are WrongMoney Can’t Buy HappinessMy ConfidenceChanged by Christ Faith and UnderstandingDo Angels Exist?Falling at Jesus’ FeetBorn AgainThe Fullness of JesusExperiencing Christ’s FullnessThe Lord’s ProtectionPraying FriendsA Hand of BlessingBe StillYour Heavenly FatherBlessing Your ChildrenGod Is Our ProviderTime To StopSimply Follow ChristFathers Loving MothersEvery Knee Will BowWhen God Repeats HimselfThe Seven ChurchesTaking Up Your CrossMake Peace With GodGod Gives Free WillGod’s Healing PowerGo All in for ChristAbiding and RestingBelieving God’s WordWhat Hangs In The Balance Of Evangelism?