Christian Daily Devotionals

by Rick Warren

“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness”. 2 Corinthians 9:10

You must decide you will look to GOD ONLY as your source of supply. You need to tell God that you're going to look to Him alone to provide for your needs and that you won't look anywhere else.

We get ourselves in trouble when we confuse the channel with the source. God may use your paycheck from work as the channel to supply your needs, but your employer is just the channel for God's provision - and he can shift to another channel anytime he wants.

When you start to look to something or someone else to meet you needs, when you begin to confuse the channel with the source, there is a clear warning sign: Worry!

Say you've started looking to your job as the source, instead of the channel. You may start worrying, "What if I loose my job?" You know what - the channel may have closed, but the source of your every need is still active and providing for you. When God turns off one channel, He can turn on another one.

Once you know what you're lacking, you need to give God the right to choose whatever channel He chooses to fulfill the need. It may be a channel different than you choose; in fact, God may deliberately choose a different channel in order to teach you to keep looking to him for all your needs.

I have learned - as a Christian for nearly forty years - that it's exciting to just to let God be God.  It's exciting to watch God meet a need in a way that you never thought possible or could have never thought up on your own.

God alone is the source of your supply!

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/03/19/rw_god-supplies/

Originally written by Charles H. Spurgeon.. Updated to modern English by Darren Hewer, 2009.

“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.”
Psalm 34:8

Faith in scripture is described as being known through all the senses:

• Faith is sight: “Look unto me, and be ye saved.” (Isaiah 45:22, KJV)

• Faith is hearing: “Hear me, that your soul may live.” (Isaiah 55:3)

• Faith is smelling: “All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia” (Psalm 45:8); “your name is like perfume poured out.” (Song of Solomon 1:3)

• Faith is spiritual touch. By this faith the woman came behind and touched the edge of Christ’s cloak (Luke 8:43-48) and likewise we handle the things of the good word of life.

• Faith is equally the spirit’s taste. “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103) “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man,” says Jesus, “and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” (John 6:53) This “taste” is faith in one of its highest qualities.

One of the first experiences of faith is hearing. We hear the voice of God, not with the outward ear alone, but with the inward ear. We hear it as God’s Word, and we believe it to be so; that is the “hearing” of faith.

Then our mind looks on the truth as it is presented to us. We understand it and perceive its meaning; that is the “seeing” of faith.

Next we discover its preciousness. We begin to admire it, and find how fragrant it is; that is faith in its “smell.”

Then we embrace the mercies which are prepared for us in Christ; that is faith in its “touch.”

Therefore what follows from all of these enjoyments? Peace, delight, communion … which are faith in its “taste.”

Any one of these paths to faith is saving. To hear Christ’s voice as the sure voice of God in the soul will save us. But true enjoyment is the aspect of faith where Christ, by holy taste, is received into us, and made, by inward and spiritual understanding of His sweetness and preciousness, to be the food of our souls. It is then we sit “under His shadow with great delight,” (Song of Solomon 2:3, KJV) and find His fruit sweet to our taste.

“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” 1 Peter 2:2-3

Question: Which way of “perceiving faith” is most effective for you, and why?

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/03/18/cs_taste-see/

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by Max Lucado

“He lets me rest in green pastures.”  Psalm 23:2 (NLT)

For a field to bear fruit, it must occasionally lie fallow. And for you to be healthy, you must rest. Slow down, and God will heal you. He will bring rest to your mind, to your body, and most of all to your soul. He will lead you to green pastures.

Green pastures were not the natural terrain of Judea. The hills around Bethlehem where David kept his flock were not lush and green. Even today they are white and parched. Any green pasture in Judea is the work of some shepherd. He had cleared the rough, rocky land. Stumps have been torn out, and brush has been burned …

With his own pierced hands, Jesus created a pasture for the soul. He tore out the thorny underbrush of condemnation. He pried loose the huge boulders of sin. In their place he planted seeds of grace and dug ponds of mercy.

And he invites us to rest there.

Question: Do you need to slow down, and rest for awhile in God’s green pastures?

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/03/17/ml_for-the-soul/

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Max Lucado
Copyright [W Publishing 1998, 2001]
Used by permission

To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:
http://www.maxlucado.com/info/view/about_max_lucado/

by Max Lucado

If your God is Mighty enough to ignite the sun, could it be that He is mighty enough to light your path?

God is for you. Not “may be”,  not  “has been”,  not  “was”,  not  “would be”, but “God is”!
He is for you. Today. At this hour. At this minute. As you read this sentence. No need to wait in line or come back tomorrow. He is with you. He could not be closer than he is at this second. His loyalty won’t increase if you are better nor lessen if you are worse. He is for you.

God is for you. Turn to the sidelines; that’s God cheering your run. Look past the finish line; that’s God applauding your steps. Listen for him in the bleachers, shouting your name. Too tired to continue? He’ll carry you. Too discouraged to fight? He’s picking you up. God is for you.

God is for you. Had he a calendar, your birthday would be circled. If he drove a car, your name would be on his bumper. If there’s a tree in heaven, he’s carved your name in the bark.  We know he has a tattoo, and we know what it says.  “I have written your name on my hand”, he declares (Isaiah 49:16).

You can comment on this devotional online at:

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/03/16/ml_cheering/

Not to be reprinted without permission
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Max Lucado
From: Let the Journey Begin:
God’s Roadmap for New Beginnings
(J Countryman 2009)

To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:
http://www.maxlucado.com/about/

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