Devotionals

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HIS NAME IS JESUS:
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If I were to tell you about Jesus, where would I ever find all the words needed to describe such a One Who is holy and majestic? How could I describe His awesome magnificence? All the books in the world couldn't contain enough words to tell of the wonder of this One, Jesus. God’s only Son. Therefore, I can only use the words available to me and try to tell you of Jesus, Who is so great that He uses the earth as His footstool (Isaiah 66:1). Can you imagine?

Yes, His name is Jesus. It was a rather common name when He was born 2000 years ago in Bethlehem. But Father God gave His Son this name of Jesus (Matt.1:21). And by His mighty power, He exalted His name above every name that’s named in the earth and in heaven. Every time I whisper the name, “Jesus,” I’ve spoken a most holy name. When I close my eyes in worship and softly breathe the name Jesus, He answers me in that still small voice and says, “I’m here.” Oh, what a wonderful comfort and joy that is, to feel His presence so near.

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MY BEST FRIEND:
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Jesus---not only is He my Lord and Savior. Not only is He my deliverer out of all trouble. Not only is He my healer from sickness and disease, but He’s also my Friend and Confidant (John 15:14-15). He has taught me through the years to come to Him in humility and just be honest with Him about everything. He assures me there’s nothing that I cannot tell Him about. And oh, this Precious Friend has proven over and over again how faithful and true He is to His Word given to me.

Jesus has never once broken a confidence that I’ve put in Him by revealing our conversations to someone else. He’s been trustworthy to understand just what I’m going through at the moment because He’s already been there for me. He is surely the best Friend I’ve ever had in my whole life. And I truly have found out that He does indeed stick closer to you than a brother---just as He said He would. He’s never gone back on His Word to me in all the years since I committed my life to Him. He honor’s His Word when He gives it because He’s promised never to leave me or forsake me. And, He hasn’t. Not once.

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HE CARES:
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Jesus? Yes, He’s so wonderful, and He takes such great care of me. Though, I have to admit that sometimes, I get in the way of His care because of trying to follow what I think (Prov.3:3-6). But you know what? I found out that He loves me anyway. Even when He has to correct me, He loves me (Prov.3:12). He tells me, “Cast your care upon Me. I didn’t create you to be a beast of burden. I created you to be a carrier of My glory (1 Peter 5:7).” Can you imagine?

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HE SAYS, FOLLOW ME:
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I just love Jesus so much, and one of the things I so love about Him is that He allows me to go wherever He goes. Believe Me, we’ve been in some kind of places before. I’ll bet you have too on your journeys with Jesus. He likes boats and being around the water a lot. Some of the boat trips we’ve been on have been enough to make your hair stand on end. What adventure!

Jesus pilot’s the boat and He allows me to stand by His shoulder so I can see where we’re going. I like that. And as we’re going along, with such wisdom, He’s alway points out many of the sights to me. Explaining what the significance of it is for His people.

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HIS LOVING HAND OF GRACE:
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He teaches me about many things and a great portion of that is about myself. Sometimes, that’s not very pleasant but He says, His will for me is good and He wants me to mature in righteousness. I must become holy, as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16). He says, how much He loves me and that He is working in my heart to mold me more into His image. Oh, and I do so want to be more like Jesus, because He’s so very holy.

Many times when I attempt to do the things He teaches me, I end up falling on my face instead of succeeding. Jesus doesn’t get mad at me or lose patience. He doesn’t take off and leave me because I mess up so much. He just extends His loving hand of grace to help me get up and try again. He is so long-suffering and wise. He continues to teach me that even though I fall, each time I decide to take His hand and get up to try again, His grace is strengthening me. He says, I’m getting stronger each time until finally, I’ll begin to get the lessons more right than wrong. This requires me to use my faith, and I can tell this pleases Him (Heb.11:6). Can you imagine?

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GIVING HIM PRAISE AND HONOR:
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Jesus is so kind and gentle, but don’t let that fool you. When He needs to, He can roar like a Lion. He is the Lion of Judah (Rev.5:5). He can have fire in His eyes when He has to bring judgment. His eyes can also be full of compassion when one of His children cries out to Him in distress. I just love Him so much; that I want to hang on to His coat-tail wherever He goes.

I don’t want to let Jesus get out of my sight. I might miss something important. But like I said, I do get to see Him quite often as I follow Him through doors, where the rooms inside are all glory filled. He’s taken me to ancient cities to watch Him answer a cry for help. Or, He’s allowed me to stand beside Him on mountain cliff’s, while looking and being taught about what lay in the valley below.

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JESUS IS EVERYTHING:
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He’s my Shepherd, Who watches over me (Psalm 23). He leads me to flowered meadows, and to splendid waterfalls that nearly takes my breath away at their beauty. He guides me and comforts me in the midst of pain in my soul. And when I turn my full attention to Him, I can hear Him say, “I love you, and I believe in you.” Jesus. He most assuredly is the Master of my heart, and with those few words, He brings healing to the pain in my soul and I am made whole.

He is the Lily of the Valley (SoS 2:1), so fair in His loveliness. He makes my heart to rejoice with gladness as I behold His beauty. He is so beautiful. I praise Him for His goodness to me every single day. I thank Him for pouring out His precious blood to cleanse me from sin. I thank Him for writing my name down in the Lamb’s Book of Life---for signing it in red.

I give Jesus praise and honor that I’m a citizen of heaven, and my name is recorded there. Heaven was my home before I was sent here to earth to fulfill my destiny. I was the breath of God (a little soul). When at last, my work on this earth is completed, I’ll return to home where I’ll never be without the tangible presence of Jesus ever again. Can you imagine?

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HOLY, HOLY, IS THE LORD:
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Oh, when I consider the wondrous works of those nail-scarred hands. When I think of how the whole creation gives Him praise, I am humbled that such a One as Jesus would come to this earth to take on a body of flesh (John 1:14). He did so for you, and for me. Yes, the tree’s even praise Him with their limbs out-stretched in surrender. And the little birds, they sing their melodious and joyful songs of praise to the Creator. Oh, and what about the elegant rose? Have you noticed how they lift their regal faces toward the light of His glorious sun (Son) to give Him glory and praise? How wonderful to see and know that our praise of God blends together in a harmony we think little about.

The tapestry of His vast works is too marvelous to name each one and do them justice. So, like David, I will lift my voice to say, ‘Oh, magnify the Lord and rejoice all you people of the earth (Psalm 34:3). For great and mighty is our Lord Who sits upon His Holy Mountain. Let us all lift up our hands, our hearts and our voices to give praise unto God. To give honor and glory to Jesus, our Lord of Lord’s and King of King’s. Such honor and praise is due Him.

I bow my knee to the Lord Jesus Christ, because He’s worthy of so much praise and worship. I give Him reverence for He is a holy God. I cannot irreverently stand in His glorious presence without bowing my knees in worship of Him. Then after a time, He will tell me to, “Arise.” Yes, arise and listen. How glorious the cry is heard ringing out in heaven around the Throne of God, “holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almigthy, which was, and is, and is to come (Rev.4:8).” Oh, He is such an awesome God. So gentle in His mercy and grace to one and all.

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REFLECTIONS OF THE HEART:
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Jesus, He’s never selfish with me, the way I am toward Him with my attention. When I’m selfish, it hurts Jesus. Can you imagine? He has said to me, “I’ve given you the same emotions as I have, and because of it, your selfishness and disobedience can grieve Me.” Of course, His emotions are pure, whereas, mine have not been perfected yet.

I was sorely grieved myself when Jesus shared with me the things I could do that would break His heart. For this is the last thing I want to do. As I pondered on this, He gently said, “My grief is much more extensive. You couldn’t bear it.” But even so, my own grief was such that I cried and cried, remembering times when I’d been too busy to spend time with Jesus. He wanted to spend time with me because He loves me.

I recalled the times when I promised to meet Jesus for fellowship. Instead of honoring my word to Him, I would keep Him waiting for me all day long because I got caught up in “busy stuff.” Stuff that I thought was more important than keeping my word to Jesus and spending quality time with him. To reflect on the truth of this was like a sharp knife being driven into my heart (Heb.4:12). To think, I had caused Jesus such grief over my uncaring negligence.

All the while, He waited patiently for me, but I didn’t come to meet Him in that intimate place---the holy of holies. But despite all of this, Jesus let me know that He still loved me, and stood ready to forgive me. And do you know? That’s just what He did. I wept profusely and repented of the times when I drew back from Him and isolated myself because of some sin that stood between us.

With His gentle fingers, Jesus would reach out to wipe away my tears. He captured each one and put them in a bottle because my tears are precious to Him. And in the place of tears. He gives me peace, and His joy strengthens me. Oh, and the smiles and the laughter we share together, as the joy becomes unspeakable and full of glory.

I could go on and on and on and on, talking about how wonderful Jesus is. What a wonderful Savior He is. Telling you of how He saved me, cleansed me with His blood and made me whole in Him. And the glorious way He fills me with His love. His joy, His peace and with His Spirit. I still can’t find enough words to express adequately the amazing grace that He touched my heart and life with and changed me forever (Eph.2:8).

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A PART OF THE CHURCH:
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Not only did Jesus save me, but I also became a part of His body--His Church and that does thrill my heart. Think of it, I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. I’m family, connected with other’s through His blood and His Spirit. I’m part of the Church of the redeemed who’s being made into a glorious Church for Jesus to come back for. He see’s me (part of the Church) as His Bride.

Oh, just think of it, His Bride will be adorned in dazzling white. She will be pure and righteous and will be waiting anxiously for her Bridegroom. The Bride, her face is bright with His glory and her eyes are set on Him with pure adoration. What a wedding feast there is going to be. Can you imagine?

I get so excited when I think about Jesus splitting apart the Eastern sky to make His entrance into this earth realm again. He is and will be a combination of the Great Shepherd and the Lion of Judah, standing in all of His majestic beauty upon the Mount of Olives. All the earth will tremble in reverential fear at His presence. They will know without doubt that He is King of King’s and Lord of Lord’s!

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CAN YOU IMAGINE?
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He is a consuming fire, full of glory and splendor and yet, He’s a tenderhearted Father and best Friend to me. I just love Him so much because He first loved me. And can I tell you that He loves you the very same way? God is no respecter of persons (Romans 2:11). He’s a God of integrity and you can always trust Him to do you good. He can’t help Himself. He’s just that way. He’d rather bring blessing than judgment. He enjoys blessing His children.

If you’re one of God’s blood-washed, born again children, then He desires to spend fellowship time with you because He loves you. He enjoys that and it pleases Him when we make Him a part of every aspect of our day and of our lives. You know, Jesus is probably waiting on you now to come and meet Him in that intimate place---the holy of holies. It’s simply because He loves you and wants to spend time hanging out with you. Can you imagine?

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BECOMING ONE OF HIS OWN (salvation prayer):
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If you’re not one of God’s blood-washed, had your sins forgiven, born again children, and you want to be, let me share with you how you can become one of His own. It’s just so simple. Together, we will pray a prayer to God. Don’t be afraid, just pray this prayer with me, and afterwards, you’re going to be so glad you did.

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PRAYER:
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Dear Jesus, I come to you just as I am. I admit to you that I’m a sinner, and I can’t save myself. I am in need of a Savior. I believe that you are the Son of God. I believe that you bled and died for me on the cross. I believe that you were buried in a tomb and that you arose alive on the third day, and you‘re alive now. I believe that if I ask, you can save me now.

Jesus, I invite you to come into my heart now and wash me clean of sin with your blood and make me brand new. I ask you to fill me with your Holy Spirit and empower me to live the rest of my days giving glory to you. I turn my back on the past. I turn my back on Satan and everything connected with him. I say that Satan is no longer My lord, but that Jesus Christ is now my Lord and my Savior. Thank you Jesus, for saving me, amen.

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CONFESS THE LORD JESUS:
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If you prayed that prayer with me and you meant it with all your heart, then you are saved this second. II Corinthians 5:17 says, “Any man (person) who is in Christ Jesus is a new creature (creation), old things have passed away and behold, all thing are become new.” That’s talking about you. And because you’re this new creation in Christ Jesus, you need to do a few other things. You must confess Jesus before others. Romans 10:10, “For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Tell somebody that Jesus just saved you and give Him praise and thanksgiving for it. Read your Bible everyday to build your faith in God (2 Timothy 2:15), and pray to Him
(1 Thessalonians 5:18). Spend time with Him, talking to Him and learning to hear Him speak to you through His Word, and His Spirit. And find you a Bible-believing, Bible-preaching, Spirit-filled church and assemble yourself with other believers for support and encouragement in your walk with Jesus. What an awesome journey you‘re just beginning. Can you imagine?

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RESPONSE:
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And lastly, if you prayed this prayer of salvation with me, would you take a moment to write and let me know? I need to hear from you in order that I may know that God has touched your life at your point of need. Plus, you need to testify of His goodness and love that He’s shown to you.

Plain As Day Ministries

Shirley Williams
[email protected]
8-26-02

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