Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Offer His Gift (5/21/26)

We have nearly completed the book of Revelation! Do you remember how John began the book, declaring its recipients and sender? John noted that it was from God, to Jesus, to the angel, to John, to the churches, and ultimately to us and others. Jesus is described as “…the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood.” (Revelation 1:5) Now, as John concludes the book, he quotes Jesus, reaffirming that Jesus existed before David and will reign eternally after David, victorious over sin.

Revelation 22:16-17 ¹⁶ “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”

¹⁷ The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

In his conclusion, John extends an invitation to us. We are invited to come, hear Jesus’s words, drink in His promises, and receive His gracious gift of eternal life.

Are you thirsty for Jesus? If so, how do you daily come to Him for satisfaction?

As the bride of Christ, where are we proclaiming “Come!” to those around us, so they too can hear the invitation to receive His eternal gift? Unlike my kids, who don’t offer their birthday gifts to others, we can share our free gift with others without diminishing our own blessing.  

May we respond to Jesus' invitation and share His gift of eternal life with others, that they too may experience the joy and satisfaction of knowing Him.

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Reward the Righteous (5/14/26)

To encourage my children to run with me, I set up a reward system. For every 20 miles they run, I treat them to a junior frosty. For every 100 miles they run, we enjoy dinner at a restaurant of their choice. They are my children whether they run or not, but our shared times together are extra special.

Jesus promises even greater rewards for His children. In this final chapter of Revelation, I believe He’s offering the ultimate reward: Himself and eternal life.

Revelation 22:12-13  ¹² “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. ¹³ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

The reward of believing in Jesus, the great I AM, is Jesus Himself.

John 6:28-29 ²⁸ Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

²⁹ Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

The reward of Jesus Himself comes with the blessing of eternal life.

Revelation 22:14-15 ¹⁴ “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. ¹⁵ Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

It’s important to understand that “washing their robes” doesn’t imply earning a place in heaven. Rather, it means obeying God’s command to submit to His plan of salvation through faith in Jesus. As we read earlier in Revelation, those with clean white robes “washed” them in Jesus’s blood (Revelation 7:14 “they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”) This points out our inability to cleanse ourselves from the stain of sin. Only Jesus’s death and shed blood can forgive, cleanse, and make us righteous. Then, we can humbly stand before God’s throne in Jesus’s righteousness.

What would it look like for us to live in light of Jesus's promise? How might our lives change if we truly believed He's the ultimate reward?

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy of Our Fearless Faith (11/7/24)

How fearless are you and I? James, our oldest, is fearless when it comes to trying new things or meeting new people. I, on the other hand, use to be terrified to try something new or talk to someone I didn’t know. God (and James) have helped me be less fearful of both.

Well, what about our walk with Jesus? How fearless are you and I when it comes to living for Christ? The church in Smyrna was quite fearless for Jesus!

Revelation 2:8-11    ⁸ “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:

These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. ⁹ I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.¹⁰ Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.

¹¹ Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.

After reading about what the Smyrna church faced and what Jesus said they would face in the future, how fearless do you think you are now?

I wouldn’t like getting a letter telling me I was going to face even more persecution and suffering. However, it would be encouraging, knowing Jesus saw everything I already endured, knows what I’m about to face, and guarantees my eternal future.

Jesus reminded Smyrna (and us) that He was already victorious over earthly suffering and death. Therefore, He can promise life after death to His faithful followers. We do not have to be hurt by the second death, which is eternal separation from God in Hell.

What suffering do you and I find difficult to endure for Jesus? How can you and I be prepared to maintain joy and faithfulness through suffering? Do Jesus’s promised rewards help encourage you? The more we know God, love Him and understand what He’s done and will do for us, the easier it will be to live fearlessly for Him!

Thursday Devotional - Jesus is Truth – With full Control (2/1/24)

Control – many of us like to think we are in control of our life or want to be in control or want more control! However, God is the One who is really in control, not only for this life, but He’s in control of life after death!

After raising Lazarus and later entering Jerusalem on a donkey to a welcoming crowd, many people sought to get closer to Jesus. Many probably hoped he was going to overthrow Roman rule with his power. However, Jesus instead talked about death and not clinging to this life.  

John 12:20-26         ²⁰ Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. ²¹ They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” ²² Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

²³ Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴ Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. ²⁵ Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

The sooner we realize we aren’t in control and surrender our lives to God’s will and His control, the more peace we will have. As we follow Jesus’s example of humble surrender, it will become more and more natural to serve God rather than ourselves.

 

Where are you and I looking for honor for ourselves instead of for Jesus?

Thursday Devotional - Jesus is Truth – Attracting Truth Seekers (10/26/23)

How earnestly do you and I seek truth? When we hear an inspiring story, does it stop there? Or do you and I seek to put into practice the lessons learned?

Last week Jesus offered living water for eternal life to a Samaritan woman. She drank it up and ran to offer it to others in her town! Many responded to her inspiring story and dropped what they were doing to seek interactions with Jesus themselves.  

John 4:39-42       ³⁹Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." ⁴⁰So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. ⁴¹And because of his words many more became believers. ⁴²They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."

At first glance, the phrase “they urged him to stay with them” may seem insignificant. However, it is a HUGE deal!  It showed the true desire of the Samaritans to know and understand who Jesus was. They didn’t just believe the Samaritan woman and then go on with their life. They stopped everything! Unlike many of the Jews who followed Jesus around because of the healing miracles He performed, these Samaritans weren’t responding to something Jesus did to make their life better. They were responding to words of truth! In fact, the Samaritan woman told them Jesus knew everything she ever did. So, they could have been afraid Jesus would publicly point out all their sins. Apparently, though, spending time getting to know Jesus was more important than their own schedule, pride, or reputation. 

How about you and me? Do we hear a great sermon or read an encouraging devotional and stop there? Or, do you and I desire to spend time in God’s Word alone each day so we can get to know Jesus personally? Are you and I, like the Samaritans, willing to drop everything to hear from Him? If we do, Jesus will stay and spend time with us in answer to our sincere desire to know, understand, and love Him!!! What a personal God!!!

Thursday Devotional - Jesus is Truth – Offering Salvation to All Who Believe (10/12/23)

This week God helped me prepare a lecture on John 3. Nicodemus came to Jesus with questions about who Jesus was, but Jesus turned the conversation around to be about who Nicodemus was in the family of God. He needed to be born again to see, enter and enjoy the kingdom of God! Jesus also highlighted that anyone who believed could have eternal life.

John 3:1-7, 9-10, 14-15   ¹Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. ²He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." ³In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."  ⁴"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"  ⁵Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. ⁶Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. ⁷You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' ⁹"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.  ¹⁰"You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? …¹⁴Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, ¹⁵that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

In studying this passage, I was reminded of the day my son, James, was born again. It was a Monday night at dinner - Sarah looked outside at the darkness and said she was scared. I asked what she could do about being scared and she said “go to church.” James then interjected and told her she could talk to God and Jesus. I confirmed “Yes!”

 

Then, James stopped eating and said he wanted to ask Jesus into his heart. Unprompted, he said “Jesus, will you come into my heart?” [pause] “Jesus said yes!” We then talked through what having Jesus (through the Holy Spirit) in our hearts means - He forgives our sins and helps us love and obey Him. James was able to tell me what some of his recent sins were. At some point in the conversation I asked James what he wanted Jesus to do for him (to test the genuineness of his faith) and he said “forgive my sins!” So, I said he could also pray and ask Jesus to forgive his sins and help him love and obey God. He immediately and voluntarily prayed on his own in his own words about all that!!!

 

I hugged James and told him he was a child of God! After dinner was over, James got down and hopped to the bathroom to wash his hands, chanting “I’m a child of God! I’m a child of God!” Yes, he was born again and adopted into God’s family! 

Have you responded to Jesus’s offer of salvation? Have you believed in Him, His testimony, His words, His work and His authority? If so, are you and I enjoying abundant eternal life now? Who else might God be leading us to share these truths with today and this week? 

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Slavery

We are all slaves to something – whether it’s work, wealth, weight, status, security, service to God, pleasure, possessions, perfectionism, family, food, fashion, etc.

Is slavery always bad???

Romans 6:16-18, 22-23   Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. ¹⁸ You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness… ²² But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Paul says slavery to sin results in death, but slavery to God results in righteousness, holiness and eternal life!!! Where is your and my allegiance?

What sin of mine do I justify, ignoring the destruction it has or will cause? What sin of yours do you justify, ignoring its destruction? What negative consequences might we (& others) experience if we continue in that sin?

Let’s value righteousness, holiness and eternal life! There’s freedom in slavery, slavery to God! There’s freedom from sin, earthly consequences, and eternal death.

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Seeking Immortality

Are you going to make new year’s resolutions for 2018? Often new year’s resolutions focus on things that will make us feel or look better, gain skills or accomplishments and ultimately provide what we think is a better quality of life.

Did you know Paul tells us to seek immortality???

Romans 2:6-11       God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” ⁷ To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. ⁸ But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. ⁹ There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; ¹⁰ but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. ¹¹ For God does not show favoritism.

How will you and I seek glory, honor and immortality this coming year? Here are few ways:

Getting to know God better through reading the Bible

Joining a Bible study group

Doing a Bible study with our families

Praying for ourselves and others to know God better

Memorizing and meditating on Bible verses

Sacrificially serving others

Many of you already prioritize these things, knowing eternal life is the best reward!

Keep it up this coming year!

Alice 

Thursday Devotional - Final Passover

Jesus paid our debt in full when He died on the cross. In fact, the Greek for “it is finished” is “paid in full.” Last week we saw how Jesus persevered to the end, declaring “it is finished,” to fulfill God’s plan. Even the timing of when He died and what happened after His death continued to fulfill God’s plan.

John 19:31-37         ³¹ Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. ³² The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. ³³ But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. ³⁴ Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. ³⁵ The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. ³⁶ These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” ³⁷ and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”

The Jewish leaders were so concerned about being outwardly clean in order to celebrate the Passover. Crucified before them, though, was the only truly clean and perfect Righteous One. All their previous Passover celebrations pointed to this final Passover sacrifice.

As God had commanded Moses and the Israelites not to break the bones of the Passover lamb (Exodus 12:46), so God made sure His ultimate Passover Lamb’s bones weren’t broken.

As God had commanded Moses and the Israelites to spill the Passover lamb’s blood and take shelter under it (Exodus 12:6-7, & 13), so God made sure His ultimate Passover Lamb’s blood was spilt so you and I could take shelter under it.

Jesus was the perfect and final Passover Lamb. Have you accepted Him as your Passover Lamb who died in your place, taking the judgment you deserve? If so, you and I have shelter under His blood for forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and His robe of righteousness!  

Alice

Our Journey to Adoption, Part XV - Completion

After the final piece of adoption paperwork was approved, our adoption hearing was set for October 24! It had been over 16 months since we met the kids, 11 months since we started keeping them on weekends, and 4 months since we had kept them full time. It had also been just over 9 years since our miscarriage, 7 years since God laid it on our hearts to consider adoption, and 2 ½ years since we officially started the foster license process (when we didn’t get locked out of the building J).

The morning of our adoption, James asked to pray at breakfast and thanked God that we were adopting them. He then added “and thank you God that we get to adopt Mommy and Daddy.” I smiled. I guess in a sense we were all adopting each other! We didn’t make them call us Mommy and Daddy, but they chose to call us that over time. James called us Alice and Joe at first, then Mommy Alice and Daddy Joe and then finally just Mommy and Daddy.

Jesus has always been able to call God “Father,” but we only have that right because Jesus completed the work of atonement so we could be adopted as God’s children and receive eternal life.

John 17:1-5   After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. ² For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. ³ Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. ⁴ I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. ⁵ And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

Jesus finished all of the work for our adoption. Have you chosen to accept it and call God your Father? If so, how well are you and I getting to know our perfect Father? Our eternal life starts now, as we get to know the only true God! How are you and I living in such a way that brings glory to our Heavenly Father?   

Alice

Thurs Devo: The Dragon's War, Part II

Last week we talked about how we are to expect war from Satan (the dragon), but use the full armor God has provided to fight against him! From studying the book of Revelation this year, God seems to warn us that these difficulties and battles will intensify as the end of this world nears. The dragon, Satan, will have the power to wage war against God’s people, but he won’t deceive them. He will deceive the whole rest of the world, though.

Revelation 13:1-10    The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. ² The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. ³ One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. ⁴ People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?”

⁵ The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. ⁶ It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. ⁷ It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.⁸ All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.

⁹ Whoever has ears, let them hear.

¹⁰ “If anyone is to go into captivity,
    into captivity they will go.
If anyone is to be killed with the sword,
    with the sword they will be killed.”

This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.

What’s the difference between Satan, through the beast, conquering and waging war against God’ people versus deceiving them? I think it has to do with physical versus spiritual life and death. Satan is allowed to physically harm and even kill God’s people, but he can’t deceive them into worshiping him over worshiping God. If we truly belong to God, then we won’t be deceived by Satan and won’t give in to his deception. We will patiently endure and remain faithful to God, even to the point of death. We can do that through the strength of the Holy Spirit living in us, knowing we will gain eternal life!

How will you and I prepare now to patiently endure and remain faithful to God, even through the dragon’s war against us?

Alice

Thurs Devo: Servant Seal

Last week we saw how all kinds of people tried to hide from God to no avail. His final wrath and judgment will fall on all those that don’t belong to Him. God’s servants will be redeemed from the final judgment, though. God has a plan in place so that none of His children are lost.

Rev 7:1-3      After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. ² Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: ³ “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” 

Are you a child of God? Are you a servant of God? Do you have His seal?

Ephesians 1:13-14    ¹³ And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

For those of us with God’s seal, we have a guarantee of a far better life to come!

II Corinthians 5:1 & 5 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands… ⁵ Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Praise God for our seal, deposit and guarantee!!!

Alice

Thurs Devo: Miracle Key

Have you ever locked yourself out of your car or house or office? What did you do?

Joe locked himself out of his office a few weeks ago. I don’t think he realized he was the last counselor in the building and that the front door was locked. After going to his car to get a fork for his dinner, he realized he was locked out. He didn’t even have his phone on him. He prayed about what to do. He then went to the industrial trash bin area outside his office complex to look for anything he could use to pick the lock. He found a couple things to try, but made one more loop around the trash bin area and suddenly saw a key in the rocks nearby. You guessed it! The key miraculously fit his particular office door out of all the office doors in the complex!!! We praised God for “He Holds the Keys” as the Christian song title says!!!

The early Christian church in Philadelphia faced much bigger troubles than a locked door. However, Jesus reminded them that He holds the key and will reward their perseverance.

Revelation 3:7-10     ⁷ “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. ⁸ I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. ⁹ I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. ¹⁰ Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.

Jesus recognized the weakness of the Philadelphia church, worn down by continual persecution. He commended them for their patient endurance and promised to redeem their reputation. He also promised to spare them from a far worse trial.  

If you are a follower of Jesus, He has made the same promises to you. No matter what we suffer in this life, He will spare us from eternal death and bring eternal justice on evil. How are you and I comforted knowing this? What current situation is easier to endure knowing Jesus, as the miracle key, holds the door to Heaven open for us?

Alice

Thurs Devo: Fearless Life

How fearless are you and I? How fearless are you and I when it comes to living for Christ?

Revelation 2:8-11     ⁸ “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:

These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. ⁹ I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.¹⁰ Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.

¹¹ Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.

After reading about what the Smyrna church faced and what Jesus said they would face in the future, how fearless do you think you are now?

I wouldn’t like getting a letter telling me I was going to face even more persecution and suffering. However, it would be encouraging, knowing Jesus saw everything I already endured, knows what I’m about to face, and guarantees my eternal future.

Jesus reminded Smyrna (and us) that He was already victorious over earthly suffering and death. Therefore, He can promise life after death to His faithful followers. We do not have to be hurt by the second death, which is eternal separate from God in Hell.

How can you and I be prepared to maintain joy and faithfulness through suffering? The more we know God, love Him and understand what He’s done for us, the easier it will be to live fearlessly for Him!  

Alice