Category: Daily Devotional

Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good; & what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, & to walk humbly with your God? Prov 21:3 To do righteousness & justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. Hosea 6:6 For I desire steadfast love & not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. Matt 9:13 Go & learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, & not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” — what does it mean to show mercy? It means to have a heart of kindness toward our God & each other! —Psalm 51:1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Matt 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Prov 11:25 A generous soul will prosper, & he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. — Showing mercy refreshes the soul & our God loves a refreshed soul! Love Mel

Read carefully: Psalm 82:1-7 “God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; He judgeth “among the gods”. How long will ye judge unjustly, & accept the persons of the wicked? Selah. Defend the poor & fatherless: do justice to the afflicted & needy. Deliver the poor & needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course. I have said, Ye are gods; & all of you are children of the most High. But ye shall die like men, & fall like one of the princes.” At the Tower of Babel after the Lord confused the nations we see: Deut 32:8-9(ESV) “When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when He divided mankind, He fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. But the Lord’s portion is His people, Jacob his allotted heritage.” –So we see here that God apportioned the nations (except Israel) to some of His created beings. These are the powers & principalities that rule over nations that Paul refers to. These are the ones wreaking havoc on the world today just as they did in the past. Do you see how history repeats itself in Afghanistan, Australia, & Russia to name a few. Too much to unpack in one message, but remember we fight not against flesh & blood but against demons & those they influence. Always PRAY. Love Mel

Gal 1:10 (all ESV) For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. Matt 6:24 No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one & love the other, or he will be devoted to the one & despise the other. You cannot serve God & money. 1 Thes2:4 Just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts! — We are told in Proverbs what He hates & what he likes! —Prov 6:16-19 There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, & hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, & one who sows discord among brothers. — Again we see Love is the key! What are you sowing! Remember this is our harvest! Love Mel

David asked: Psalm 51:10 (KJV) Create in me a clean heart, O God; & renew a right spirit within me. Paul tells us: Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Jesus makes it clear: Matt 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 1 Cor 13:12 (ESV) For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. John 14:21 Whoever has my commandments & keeps them, he it is who loves me & he who loves me will be loved by my Father, & I will love him & manifest myself to him.— Paul tells us that we only see Him now thru a dim mirror! In Exodus 33, Moses asked God to let him see Him, & God placed Moses between some rocks to protect him as He went by so Moses only saw His back. God went on to let Moses know that man can’t see Him & live! When Jesus returns every eye shall see Him as He comes on the clouds to take His church. And one day we will even see God the Father. Can you imagine seeing God one day! Did you know that our God dwells in an unapproachable light & we can only see Him after we are purified thru the death and resurrection of Jesus, after we place our trust in Him. When we meet our creator face to face – What a day of rejoicing that will be! Love Mel

Matt 5:13-16 (ESV)You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out & trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp & put it under a basket, but on a stand, & it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works & give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matt 26:13-16 Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests & said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” & they paid him thirty pieces of silver. & from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. — Let your light shine, do good for the glory of God! Don’t shrink back or be distracted in these challenging times. Otherwise we too may fall for 30 pieces of silver! Let’s choose not to betray Him! Love Mel