Daily Devotional

[Prayer_Warrior]

October 22, 2024 Tuesday

Esther 7:1-10 (KJV)
So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.
And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom.
Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:
For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king’s damage.
Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?
And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.
And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.
Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.
And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon.
So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.

Do not anger the king’s queen

David Jacobs

It may sound chauvinistic, but I am extremely protective of the women that I care about the most in my life. If anyone tries to harm my mother, sister, or wife, they will certainly have to deal with me as well. I try to be a good Christian and control my temper, but it is easy to lose my temper even thinking about something bad happening to them because of someone else. Unfortunately for the genocidal prince to King Xerxes, Haman, he messed with the wrong woman.

Esther was a Jewish woman and wife of King Xerxes. When Haman was promoted to the highest aid of the king, a Jewish man, Mordecai, refused to bow to him. Infuriated by Mordecai’s lack of respect, Haman approached the king with a plan to kill all of the Jews in the kingdom. When Esther learnt of this, she hatched her own plan to kill Haman. She organized two feasts with Haman and the king, hoping to get them a bit drunk and let their guards down. On the second day and after winning the favor of her husband, Esther asked him to kill Haman. When the king left in a fury, he came back to see that Haman had collapsed, perhaps hiding from the king, in the same bed as Esther. Further enraged, Xerxes ordered Haman to be killed on the exact gallows that Haman had constructed for Mordecai. Ah, sweet revenge!

Although this passage is devoid of much Godly action, it does paint a good picture of what the Jews have faced throughout much of their existence: persecution, slavery, and genocide. Brother and sisters of Christ! We must be better than the wicked Haman!

Prayer
Although there are certainly differences between people, we know that we should treat others as we would like them to treat us (Matthew 7:12). Not as Haman, Xerxes, or Esther, but like Christ. Let us give thanks to God for allowing us the choice. Amen.

[saon]

Thank you lord reading completed

[The_EnlightenedOne]

Reading done Amen

[Prayer_Warrior]

October 23, 2024 Wednesday

Revelation 21:1-7 (KJV)
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

Starting over

David Jacobs

There are many times we wish we could start over. Sometimes we make careless mistakes or regret our decisions; however, we must live with them. This can be hard to accept, but it is in Revelation 21:1-7 where we find God’s creation of the new Jerusalem. " And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" (Revelation 21:4). God can provide us with a new start when we find ourselves trapped in the old.

One of the greatest gifts God can provide us is the opportunity to start fresh. If we are not satisfied with the way our current life is going, it is our faith in Him that provides us the courage and strength to start over. Much like the creation of the new Jerusalem, opportunities are provided to us by God. “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son” (Revelation 21:7). This passage should provide us with the guidance we need whenever we are scared to abandon our former situation to search for a better one. We should be reminded that our faith in Christ will allow us to overcome any difficulties we face.

[saon]

Reading completed 23th Oct/2024.

[Prayer_Warrior]

October 24, 2024 Thursday

Isaiah 1:17-20 (KJV)
Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Wasting no time

David Jacobs

In university, I had 4 roommates. I got along very well with 2 of them, but none of us got along very well with the fourth. He was dirty, loud, obnoxious, and generally didn’t consider the feelings of others. However, his family was very powerful and well-known, so we felt that we were not really able to say anything. It made all of us feel helpless, because if we had not known who his family was, we would have certainly dealt with him differently. Alas, we did know his family, so we acted meek, scared, and oppressed, letting him bully and dirty the apartment.

It is not easy for the oppressed to stand up for themselves. If you have ever seen a wild dog roaming the streets, you may have seen some of them that have been kicked one too many times. They are unable to think about humans the same way as before. They associate humans with the negative actions that have occurred to them so many times.

Think about the downtrodden and unfortunate in history: the slaves in Egypt and the Americas, the Holocaust, or the plight of women in some parts of the world. It is difficult to hear their voices because they have no power. Nobody is listening. It is our duty, according to Isaiah, to listen. Do not contribute to the problem, be a part of the solution.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, fill me and each and every one of your followers with the desire to help give the voiceless a voice, to alleviate the suffering of mankind wherever they may be. Without your help and ours, they will continue to suffer, as your son, Jesus Christ, was forced to suffer for our sins. In his name I pray, Amen.

[saon]

Amen reading completed

[Prayer_Warrior]

October 25, 2024 Friday

Isaiah 2:12-19 (KJV)
For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:
And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan,
And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up,
And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall,
And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures.
And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.
And the idols he shall utterly abolish.
And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

From every mountain sing

David Jacobs

Mount Everest is the tallest mountain on earth. It is also one of the most dangerous. Many people have gone to Everest, seeking to climb the tallest peak and claim to have conquered it. Many have not lived to reach the top or the bottom again. Some of the bodies of those that did not make were left on the peak as a warning and also because getting the bodies down in their frozen state is far too difficult. The higher that you venture up, the more difficult and deadly your journey has become.

God will live forever, but the time that man can spend on earth is limited. No matter how high your achievements, how important you think you are, you will die. For those of us that can claim to be true believers of Christ, there is a way to live like God; follow His ways, love each other as Christ has loved us, and we can be redeemed. For those of us that choose to refuse God’s welcoming embrace: the world is filled with their wasted bodies, a warning for any others that choose to go that path.

Prayer
Lord of life, creator of heaven and earth, hallowed be your name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Help us all to remember those words, so that we can work
together to build a kingdom on earth that is in the image of your heavenly kingdom. Our time on earth is fleeting, but you have given us a chance of life eternal. I am so grateful, O Lord, and shall waste no breath on doing anything but praising your name. Amen.

[saon]

Amen reading completed

[Prayer_Warrior]

October 26, 2024 Saturday

Isaiah 51:5-8 (KJV)
My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.
Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.
For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

Standing in heaven, looking at earth

David Jacobs

I often wondered what I would do if I had a time machine. Perhaps go back and give me some useful advice. Maybe use the knowledge that I had gained and show it to my younger self. Probably use my knowledge to amass a great fortune considering I know what the future holds. Now, what if I was able to view my life on earth from heaven, similar to what Isaiah says in these verses? How would I change my life then? I would already be in heaven, so that is a promising sign. What would you do differently?

I would do all that I could to help others reach heaven. I had reached it, so I would know that my ways were righteous. Isaiah too did all that he could to prophesize and help the people around him to follow in the ways of the Lord. Isaiah knew that God was supreme, ever-present, and all-powerful. God keeps his promises by punishing the wicked, flooding the world, and leading his children to the holy lands of Israel. If you were able to view earth from heaven, all you could do is try to help everyone on earth to join you. Is it any different being on earth? It is our responsibility, just like Isaiah, to help others to reach God’s eternal kingdom. Go forth and do it.

Prayer
Dearest God, maker of heaven and earth, the world is filled with your glories. Glory to all people that walk with you, working to fulfill your prophecies, and saving others that need to be saved. I wish that I can be like Isaiah, the wondrous prophet, and help more people to know of your might and love. Please give me the faith to go from this place and do your bidding. To you I pray, Almighty Father, Amen.

[saon]

Amen reading completed.

[Prayer_Warrior]

October 27, 2024 Sunday

Isaiah 40:28-31 (KJV)
Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Lift you up

David Jacobs
I can still remember one day when I made a huge lapse in judgment. I said something that I should never have said to my girlfriend at the time, making her incredibly upset. It seemed as if I said the thing solely to make her upset and sad, and it made me questions what I was doing with my life and with her. To make matters worse, I didn’t want to admit fault, didn’t want to admit my mistake to her, because it made me rehash the pathetic behaviors that I had displayed. Our relationship ended soon after, but it took me 2 years to apologize to her for the remarks that I made. At least it was better late than never, or that’s what I told myself.

Everybody falls down. Everybody makes mistakes. It is not about falling down, it is about how you get up. With a strong faith in God, when we fall, He will strengthen us through His divine word. We will have the power that we do not even know exists, fortified by our rock, redeemer, and strength. As Isaiah says, we will be lifted up on eagles wings, and when even the young fall after growing faint and weary, the Lord will lift them up, and they will be strengthened.

Think of a time where you stumbled mightily. How did you respond? Were you cowardly like I was? Or did your faith in God strengthen you, lifting you up faster than you fell?

• AMEN

[Prayer_Warrior]

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[Prayer_Warrior]

October 28, 2024 Monday

Isaiah 11:3-6 (KJV)
And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

Lions and lambs

David Jacobs

There is a popular video online of a lion named Christian. Christian was raised by two men when he was a cub after they found him when he was injured as a baby. They took care of the cub as they would with any pet or child, until the lion was too big for them to care for. It was time for Christian to be released into the wild.

A few years later, Christian had been living in the wild and was a fully grown adult lion. Perhaps foolishly, the two men that raised him went to see how he was doing. In the shocking video, Christian the lion runs at his two parents and starts to play with them and lick them, like he was a cub again. It is a heartwarming scene, one that I am reminded of when reading these verses.

Isaiah speaks about God’s judgment of humanity. He says that humanity will not be judged based on the sight of humanity, but on righteousness. The poor and meek who did not try to take too much will inherit the earth. They will inherit God’s kingdom. This message provided hope to all the people that would have heard it, and is almost mimicked by Christ when he lives amongst us.

Prayer
Holy Lord, God of power and might, you shall judge the quick of the dead. We are so fortunate, O Lord, that you judge not based on our worldly achievements but on the quality of our spirit. Strengthen my spirit, O Lord, so that I may, in turn, strengthen those around me, as did Isaiah. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

• AMEN

[Prayer_Warrior]

October 29, 2024 Tuesday

Mark 16:14-16 (KJV)
Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Go preach the gospel!

David Jacobs

The book of Mark was written the shortest length of time from Jesus’ death out of all the Gospels. The other Gospels are written with more style and flair, perhaps because they had heard the same stories as Mark but several decades later. The gospel of John, in particular, is filled with tales of the supernatural that are not written about at all in Mark. The gospel of Mark is perhaps the least cited and considered the least important of the gospels by many, but the no-frills attached writing style and seemingly more accurate depiction of Christ makes it my favorite.

In these verses, Christ commands the disciples to do two things: first, go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature. As we know based on the book of Acts and most of the books following the gospels, the disciples took this commandment to heart. Second, everyone that is baptized will be saved, and those that are not shall be damned. Christ may have meant that any person that is not literally baptized is damned, but I think that a more progressive interpretation is more appropriate.

All that know of the gospels, and almost all should because the disciples went forth and spread the good news to all creatures, have a choice: to believe or not to believe. If they have heard the
news and chose not to believe, they are refusing the baptism by the Holy Spirit. There is no
supernatural element, no poetic prose, just the straight facts of the gospel of Mark. We should all appreciate his work. Thanks be to God.

• AMEN

[Prayer_Warrior]

October 30, 2024 Wednesday

Mark 1:9-15 (KJV)
And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.
And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:
And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.
And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

You are my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased

David Jacobs

I spent a lot of my adult life trying to please my father. He is not the easiest man to please, or at least he says that he is not pleased much of the time. There have been moments when I really drove with all of the energy to please my father, only to receive little to no recognition for what I had done. Unfortunately, I lost my temper on one of these occasions, asking my father why he never could admit to being happy with what I had done. Fortunately, my father is a kind and patient person, giving me exactly what I needed. He told me that he thought that I knew he was pleased with him so much so that he didn’t even need to say it. With that, my spirit was lifted, and I never felt this insecurity again.

Any son that has had a relationship with their father knows how much it means to be acceptable in good in the mind of your father. As a child, we look up to our parents so much, and although it may sound ridiculous considering Christ is God and God is Christ, I still believe that the human part of Christ looked up to his father the same way that I looked up to mine. He wanted His blessing; he wanted to be affirmed in his goodness; he wanted God to tell him that He loved him. That is exactly what God does.

God doesn’t just say it to Jesus; He says it so that the people that witnessed the baptism with John could hear it too. They would go from that place to tell the people about it, and the good news of Christ would begin to spread like a wildfire.

• AMEN

[Prayer_Warrior]

October 31, 2024 Thursday

Mark 16:19-20 (KJV)
So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

At the right hand of God

David Jacobs

Have you ever played the game ‘telephone’? The game basically goes like this: I tell the person next to me a sentence that only they can hear. They then have to tell the person next to them so only they can hear. It goes on and on until it comes back to me, and then I relay what the final sentence sounds like. By the time it reaches the original person, what you end up with is usually completely inaccurate, with perhaps a lot of the same phonetic sounds but the meaning completely changed.

The reason I bring up this game is because of the gospels themselves: each gospel was written at different times and by different people. The style of each gospel is unique; Mark is more simple, John more fantastic and supernatural, Matthew more poetic, and Luke more detailed. Like the game of telephone, the more people that are playing, the farther that the message has to go, the more distorted it will become.

This is why Mark, in my opinion, is the most accurate depiction of the life of Christ. Christ is still the son of God; he performs miracles, healing the sick and preaching about love for all mankind; and finally, in these verses, he dies and rejoins his Father, and ours, sitting beside God.

If you read the final chapter of each gospel, you will get a more clear idea of the style of each writer. The more fantastic the story, perhaps the more likely it was embellished due to the distance that the story had to travel. Mark’s gospel lacks a lot of the flair and poetic beauty of the other gospels. That is why I feel it is the most accurate.

• AMEN

[Prayer_Warrior]

November 01, 2024 Friday

Proverbs 14:21-26 (KJV)
He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.
Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.
In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.
The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of fools is folly.
A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.
In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

Love your neighbor as yourself

David Jacobs

Many of the people who live near my apartment are incredibly wealthy. The parking lots are filled with fancy cars, perhaps not ever remembered by their owners, that are covered in dust. It can foster a bit of ill will to the other people around them, especially those with less money. We are taught to love our neighbors as ourselves, but it is much easier said than done.

This message of loving your neighbor and not holding a grudge is so important because it is so difficult! This is why it is mentioned so many times in the Bible. Holding a grudge is a pestilence to all true believers. There is a famous quote that is a good summation of a grudge: “grudges are like swallowing poison and hoping your enemy dies from it”. This negative feeling that we carry towards another person is mostly reflected on our own disposition. The Proverbs mention that here: holding a grudge is a way to devise evil. Mercy and truth are how to devise good.

It may be difficult to reflect and understand the importance of these messages because we hear them so often, but they are said so often because of their importance!

Prayer
Lord God, please hear my prayer. Help me to not begrudge or despise my neighbors for any wrongs they may have committed. As you have forgiven me, let me forgive them. As you say in the Proverbs, good is devised from truth and mercy. Help me to forgive those that have trespassed against me, as you have forgiven me for my trespasses. I pray this in your name, Amen.

• AMEN

[Prayer_Warrior]

November 02, 2024 Saturday

Proverbs 15:1-7 (KJV)
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.
In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble.
The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so.

What does it mean to be wise?

David Jacobs

You may know the phrase said by former president Theodore Roosevelt: “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” Roosevelt knew the power of words, and perhaps learned it from the first verse in this proverb. Speaking softly may be considered a sign of weakness by many, but I think it is more likely a sign of wisdom. People that speak loudly or argue too much are hard for me to take seriously. If I accuse you of doing something and you fight me tooth and nail, does that not make me think that you care too much? If anything, the vigor with which you defend yourself makes you seem more guilty. A good example is from the Shakespeare play Hamlet: “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” If you had not done the thing, it would probably not merit much of a response on your end.

As Christians, we must be careful what words we say, how we say them, and when we say them. This proverb focuses on the tremendous power of words: they can heal, hurt, promise, and deceive. The wise speak softly (and arguably carries a big stick) while the foolish spew nonsense incessantly, trying to hear themselves speak. Which are you?

How do you think people interpret the way you speak: wisely or foolishly? What can you change to improve?
(Optional) You can answer these questions if you like.

• AMEN

[Prayer_Warrior]

@Prayer_Warrior

How do you think people interpret the way you speak: wisely or foolishly? What can you change to improve?

I think people interpret that I speak wisely.
The things I can change to improve is be more careful at what I say.