Christian Devotionals and Scripture Applied to Everyday Life

Who do you trust the most with the details of your life? Likely it is someone you know intimately who has proven himself or herself to be trustworthy. As we spend time developing relationships with people we quickly discover whom we can count on and whom we must hold at arms length. The greater the knowledge of the dependable friend the more likely we are to trust them.

I am always amazed how God uses His word to examine my heart. It never fails. When a particular Bible verse catches my attention, God allows circumstances to test my obedience. Am I a mere hearer of the word or a doer also? My heart attitude and choice to obey usually determine whether or not I have a good day.

Where do you go to find safety and security? Many of us turn to friends, parents, or counselors, for comfort and wisdom in times of distress. Others rely on their bank account or their connections with rich or important people to create a sense of confidence or procure help in time of need. God has given us all of these blessings for companionship, love, and support during difficult times, but sometimes we forget that our greatest source of help and protection comes from God Himself.

The end of 2019 has whipped around us like a strong wind blowing us into a season of monumental changes. Life is never static. Year after year new opportunities present themselves, deep losses bring sorrow, and new relationships spring forth. Some of these changes are scary, and some are exciting, but we all must develop flexibility. No matter how hard we try to keep things the same we will fail. There is only one thing – one Person – Who always remains the same. He is the stability we all long for and to Whom we must hold on.

What does the Christmas season bring to mind? For some it might be the perfect tree, lights, decorations, fancy cookies, caroling, and the giving and receiving of gifts. But of course, you must also mention the numerous Hallmark Christmas movies. Over the years these G-rated films have portrayed basically the same plot in abundant ways using different protagonists and various twists to shake things up. Usually in the end the hero and heroine choose to follow their dreams, finding true love and the “perfect” life as a reward. But what do these Christmas movies not tell you?

Christmas! It’s the time of year when kids try to be extra good. They know that Santa Claus is making a list and checking it twice to find out who has been naughty and nice. The nice children will receive good gifts on Christmas morning. But the naughty ones will be disappointed. They will only receive coal in their stockings. So during the month of December the disobedient try to make up for lost time with the hopes of getting back into Santa’s graces.