Pastor Tom's Daily Devotional

Pastor Diane  Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. The world we live in is full of anxiety, stress, and pressure.  God has the answer for us.  He tells us what we can do to have peace in the midst of the storm, to rest while others are anxious, and to be calm while others are stressed.  This is something we are going to have to make a decision to do.  We need to make a decision not to be anxious. Another translation puts it like this: “Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything...” How can we do that?  The rest of the verse tells us how: “…but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” I am so glad we have a God that not only hears our prayers, but is also faith...

Romans 2:4 (NKJV) Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? This verse is so powerful!  It says that God’s goodness is what leads us to repentance.  It is not banging people over the head, or telling them what a terrible sinner they are, that leads them to God.  It is sharing God’s goodness with them, and letting them know that God loves them and is out for their good. I know in my life I have seen God’s goodness again and again, and it has brought me to the place of opening my heart and getting rid of junk.  I have not seen God whacking me and telling me that I am a no-good sinner and that I am a waste in the Kingdom of God.  No!  He is always there to love me and help me get back on track. I remember as a child I had a figure-eight racetrack, and to keep a car on track there was a little pin on the bottom of the car that fit into a groove on th...

1 John 3:13 (NKJV) Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. Here we have a short verse, yet it says so much.  We are living in a time when this world is not going for godliness and righteousness, but for darkness and sin.  But the Scripture says that we are the light of the world, and to let our light shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. Remember that where sin abounds, grace abounds much more!  If we are to be light and salt, then we need to be the brightest light we can be, and the saltiest salt that we can be.  I heard one person say it like this: “Be so salty for Jesus that people will thirst for Him.”  That is what we need to do with light also.  As people see the Lord shining brightly, they will come to Him. The wise men saw a light in the night.  It was a star shining brighter than any other light, and they followed that star.  So it is with us.  If we love God an...

Micah 7:7 (NASB) But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me. Our God hears us, and we hear Him.  Each day, as we hunger for Him, His Word declares that we will be filled.  I have found that there is living for God, and then there is watching expectantly for the Lord.  When we show God a hunger and a thirst for Him, it changes everything. James said in James 5:16, ”The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”  Prayer is good, but effective, fervent prayer is a whole lot better.  David was a man hungry for God.  He said throughout the Psalms that He thirsted for God like a deer; that He desired God more than His food, and more than silver or gold.  It is when we get hungry like this that we see how our relationship with God changes.  Remember, God does not change, WE DO! The woman with the issue of blood said, “I am going to touch Him, no mat...

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. We are new creations in Christ.  We are not going to be, in the sweet by and by.  We are today!  When Jesus died on the cross of Calvary, He opened the door for everyone in the human race to become, as one translation puts it, “a new species of being that never existed before.” Think about that for a moment.  Before Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, there was no one who was a new creation, but once He did, it became available to every person that would believe on His work, and receive Him as their personal Lord and Savior. The Scripture goes on to say in Galatians 6:15, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.” To God, all He requires of us is to receive the gift of His Son and become new in His sight.  This puts you in the fami...

Romans 4:5-8 (NKJV) 5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 7 "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; 8 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin." What amazing verses these are, that God would justify us by faith!  The word justify has the meaning of “just as if I never sinned.”  Can you comprehend that?  That God would make us right with Himself, not by how good we are, or all the works that we do, but by faith. David, who was an Old Testament saint, was floored by this when he said: "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin." God does not hold our sins against us.  He already dealt with our sins at the c...

Pastor Diane  Hebrews 13:20-21 (AMP) Now may the God of peace [Who is the Author and the Giver of peace], Who brought again from among the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood [that sealed, ratified] the everlasting agreement (covenant, testament), 21 Strengthen (complete, perfect) and make you what you ought to be and equip you with everything good that you may carry out His will; [while He Himself] works in you and accomplishes that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ (the Messiah); to Whom be the glory forever and ever (to the ages of the ages). Amen (so be it). Today, I would like to encourage you with a scripture.  Hebrews 13:20-21 says that it is because of our Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ, and His amazing sacrifice on the cross (His broken body, shed blood, and resurrection from the dead) that we now have peace with the God of Peace. And then verse 21 says that He is also the One Who equips us for every...

Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV) Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. What comfort to know that God, our Heavenly Father, tells us not to fear or to be dismayed.  Why is that?  Because He is with us, and He will strengthen us.  No matter what life may throw at us, and it does throw a lot at times, He has promised us that He will hold us with His right hand. Our Father looks for one thing from us, and that is trust.  He wants us to trust that He will do what He has promised us in His Word.  The Bible is a book filled with promises from our God, and as we find them and put them deep within our heart, God promises us that He will do His part. So we see so much in this one verse.  He tells us to fear not and not to be shocked or baffled.  Why?  Because He is our God!  He will strengthen us, He will help us, and He will hold u...

2 Timothy 2:19-21 (NKJV) 19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity." 20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. 21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Today, I would like to look at verses 20 and 21.  God is looking for a people that want to move from the ordinary to the extraordinary; from the life of wood and clay to a life of gold and silver.  Many people believe that what God wants you to be, you will be, but that is not what this verse is saying.  In verse 21, it states that we make the decision of what we will be. You might be asking, “What do you mean?”  Well here it says, “Therefore if anyone cleanses himself f...