Nearer to God Daily Devotional
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Daily devotionalSeptember 27 – Let us consider how to stir one another up to love
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works… encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing…
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Daily devotionalSeptember 26 – The fruit of the Spirit is gentleness: the gentleness of God
But the fruit of the Spirit is…gentleness. – Galatians 5:22-23 Scripture reading: Isaiah 40 George Bethune once said, “Perhaps no grace is less prayed for,…
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Daily devotionalSeptember 25 – The fruit of the Spirit is faithfulness
But the fruit of the Spirit is…faithfulness. – Galatians 5:22 Scripture reading: Lamentations 3:22-23; Hebrews 6:13-20 We live in a world of broken promises. But…
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Daily devotionalSeptember 24 – The fruit of the Spirit is kindness and goodness
But the fruit of the Spirit is…kindness, goodness. – Galatians 5:22 Scripture reading: Ephesians 2:1-10; Titus 3:4-8 Kindness and goodness are often used interchangeably in…
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Daily devotionalSeptember 23 – The fruit of the Spirit is patience: long-tempered
Love is patient…it is not irritable… – 1 Corinthians 13:4,7 But the fruit of the Spirit is…patience. – Galatians 5:22 Scripture reading: Exodus 34:5-7; James…
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Daily devotionalSeptember 22 – The fruit of the Spirit is patience: long-suffering
Love is patient… Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things… – 1 Corinthians 13:4,7 But the fruit of the Spirit…
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Daily devotionalSeptember 21 – The fruit of the Spirit is peace: peace with others
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God…Romans 12:18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with…
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Daily devotionalSeptember 20 – Let us hold fast our hope
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. – Hebrews 10:23 Scripture reading: Hebrews 10:19-25 We live…
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Daily devotionalSeptember 19 – The fruit of the Spirit is peace: peace with God and peace within
Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ… – Romans 5:1 But the fruit of the Spirit…
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Daily devotionalSeptember 18 – The fruit of the Spirit is joy: the joy of glorification
But the fruit of the Spirit is…joy. – Galatians 5:22 Scripture reading: John 16:20-24; 1 Peter 1:3-9 As we saw yesterday, Christian joy is rooted…
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Daily devotionalSeptember 17 – The fruit of the Spirit is joy: the joy of justification
But the fruit of the Spirit is…joy. – Galatians 5:22 Scripture reading: Psalm 32; Philippians 4:4 Sadly, too often, Christians lack joy in their life….
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Daily devotionalSeptember 16 – The fruit of the Spirit is love: the test of love
But the fruit of the Spirit is love… – Galatians 5:22 Scripture reading: Ephesians 1:15-20; 3:14-21 Sometimes we have a counterfeit love. This is where…
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Daily devotionalSeptember 15 – The fruit of the Spirit is love: the pattern and power of love
But the fruit of the Spirit is love… – Galatians 5:22 Scripture reading: 1 John 3:16-18; 4:9-11, 19 What is love? God is the source…
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Daily devotionalSeptember 14 – The fruit of the Spirit is love: love for one another
But the fruit of the Spirit is love… – Galatians 5:22 Scripture reading: 1 John 4:7-11; 5:1-3 We’ve begun to see that love for God…
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Daily devotionalSeptember 13 – Let us draw near in full assurance of faith
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure…
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Daily devotionalSeptember 12 – The fruit of the Spirit is love: the necessity of love
But the fruit of the Spirit is love… – Galatians 5:22 Scripture reading: Matthew 22:34-40; 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 Love is central to the Christian life….
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Daily devotionalSeptember 11 – The fruit of the Spirit: general observations
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy…patience, kindness…1 Corinthians 13:4, 6 Love is patient and kind…rejoices. – Galatians 5:22 Scripture reading: Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians…
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Daily devotionalSeptember 10 – The fruit of the Spirit: produced in us
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me…
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Daily devotionalSeptember 9 – The fruit of the Spirit: Christ’s fruitfulness
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon…
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Daily devotionalSeptember 8 – The fruit of the Spirit: Israel’s unfruitfulness
My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill…and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes…Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of…
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Daily devotionalSeptember 7 – The works of the flesh
Now the works of the flesh are evident…I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of…
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Daily devotionalSeptember 6 – Confidence to enter the holy places
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus…and since we have a great priest over the house of God……
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Daily devotionalSeptember 5 – Walk by the Spirit: not under the law?
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. – Galatians 5:18 Scripture reading: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:25-27; Galatians 3:13-14 Are Christians really…
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Daily devotionalSeptember 4 – Walk by the Spirit: a daily fight
For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each…
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Daily devotionalSeptember 3 – Walk by the Spirit: led by God’s word
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. – Galatians 5:16 Scripture reading: 1 Peter 1:22-2:3; 2 Timothy…
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Daily devotionalSeptember 2 – Walk by the Spirit: led by the Spirit
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. – Galatians 5:16 Scripture reading: Isaiah 63:11-14; Nehemiah 9:19-20 Yesterday…
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Daily devotionalSeptember introduction: the Vine, and the fruits of the Spirit
The fruit of the Spirit is not a coconut, as one children’s Sunday school song puts it. I’m sure you all know that! But it’s…
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Daily devotionalAugust 31 – Trust the psalms of God
I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. – Psalm 52:8B Scripture reading: Psalm 52 We started with Psalm 1 and the…
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Daily devotionalAugust 30 – Worship of the fruitful tree
But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. I will…
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Daily devotionalAugust 29 – Sing the truth in love
See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!…
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Daily devotionalAugust 28 – Singing about the destruction of the wicked
But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the…
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Daily devotionalAugust 27 – Evil men and the love of God
You love evil more than good… – Psalm 52:3 Scripture reading: Psalm 52:1-4 Are you ever surprised by evil? In my earlier life counseling teenaged…
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Daily devotionalAugust 26 – Evil men and the love of God
Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The steadfast love of God endures all the day. – Psalm 52:1 Scripture reading: Psalm 52:1 How…
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Daily devotionalAugust 25 – Singing the truth about God
The righteous shall see and fear – Psalm 52:6 Scripture reading: Psalm 52 Have you walked through a forest after a strong wind has blown?…
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Daily devotionalAugust 24 – Singing about our restoration to worship
Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. – Psalm 51:8 Scripture reading: Psalm 51 What if God did not…
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Daily devotionalAugust 23 – Singing to bless the Church daily
May it please you to prosper Zion, to build up the walls of Jerusalem. – Psalm 51:18 Scripture reading: Psalm 51:18-19 Do you think that…
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Daily devotionalAugust 22 – Singing to declare God’s praise
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. – Psalm 51:17 Scripture reading: Psalm 51:16-17 We…
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Daily devotionalAugust 21 – Singing to declare God’s praise
Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise – Psalm 51:15 Scripture reading: Psalm 51:13-15 David leads the church in repentance. Knowing…
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Daily devotionalAugust 20 – Sing for restoration
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me – Psalm 51:10 Scripture reading: Psalm 51:10-12 How can I…
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Daily devotionalAugust 19 – Cleanse me with hyssop
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow – Psalm 51:7 Scripture reading: Psalm 51:7-9…
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Daily devotionalAugust 18 – Singing a confession about ourselves
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. – Psalm 51:3 Scripture reading: Psalm 51:3-6 It is perhaps the most challenging…
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Daily devotionalAugust 17 – A song begging for mercy
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. – Psalm 51:1 Scripture reading:…
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Daily devotionalAugust 16 – A personal lament for sin
Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so that you are right in your verdict and justified…
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Daily devotionalAugust 15 – Singing of the covenant blessings and curses
The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!” – Psalm…
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Daily devotionalAugust 14 – Singing of the covenant faithfulness of the Lord
Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver. – Psalm 50:22 Scripture reading: Psalm 50:22-23…
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Daily devotionalAugust 13 – Singing to love God and our neighbor
These things you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself. But now I rebuke you and lay…
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Daily devotionalAugust 12 – Singing about the judgement of God
But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips?” – Psalm 50:16 Scripture…
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Daily devotionalAugust 11 – Singing to call others repentance
Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I…
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Daily devotionalAugust 10 – Singing to call the Church to respect the Lord
If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine. – Psalm 50:12 Scripture reading: Psalm 50:12-13 The…
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Daily devotionalAugust 9 – Enter His gates with thanksgiving
I will not accept a bull from your house or goats from your folds. – Psalm 50:9 Scripture reading: Psalm 50:8-11 Yesterday we considered God….
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Daily devotionalAugust 8 – Singing the testimony of God
Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God. – Psalm 50:7 Scripture reading: Psalm…
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Daily devotionalAugust 7 – Singing a call to worship
Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice! – Psalm 50:5 Scripture reading: Psalm 50:5-6 Here is the Church…
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Daily devotionalAugust 6 – Singing our theology
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth – Psalm 50:2 Scripture reading: Psalm 50:1-4 The Psalms are not just songs to sing,…
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Daily devotionalAugust 5 – The Church sings of the Lord’s rights
The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting – Psalm 50:1: Scripture reading:…
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Daily devotionalAugust 4 – The Lord knows his people
…the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. – Psalm 1:6: Scripture reading: Psalm 1 Psalm 1…
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Daily devotionalAugust 3 – Curses for covenant breakers
The wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. – Psalm 1:5 Scripture reading: Psalm 1:4-6 The beatitude,…
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Daily devotionalAugust 2 – Blessings for covenant keepers
He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all…
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Daily devotionalIntroduction to August’s study of Psalm 1 and 50-52
Paul calls both the Ephesians and Colossians to: “Address/admonish one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs making melody in your heart to the Lord,…
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Daily devotionalJuly 31 – Glimpse of home
“I will plant them in their land, and no longer shall they be pulled up from the land I have given them,” says the LORD…
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Daily devotionalJuly 30 – Abundant life
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “When the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; the…
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Daily devotionalJuly 29 – God’s outreach
“That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name,” says the LORD who does this thing….
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Daily devotionalJuly 28 – Raise up the ruins
On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, and repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins,…
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Daily devotionalJuly 27 – A remnant spared
“Yet I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,” says the LORD. – Amos 9:8b Scripture reading: Amos 9:8-10 As the curtain closes on…
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Daily devotionalJuly 26 – Bring down the house
I saw the Lord standing by the altar, and He said, “Strike the doorposts, that the thresholds shake, and break them on the heads of…
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Daily devotionalJuly 25 – Spiritual famine
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord GOD, “that I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a…
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Daily devotionalJuly 24 – The day of the Lord
“And it shall come to pass in that day,” says the Lord GOD, “that I will make the sun go down at noon, and I…
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Daily devotionalJuly 23 – The least of these
When will the New Moon be past, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may trade wheat? – Amos 8:5a Scripture reading:…
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Daily devotionalJuly 22 – Ripe for judgment
The end has come upon My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore. – Amos 8:2b Scripture reading: Amos 8:1-3; 2 Kings 17:5-18…
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Daily devotionalJuly 21 – Sword of the Spirit
I was no prophet, nor was I a son of a prophet, but I was a herdsman and a tender of sycamore fruit. Then the…
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Daily devotionalJuly 20 – God’s plumb line
Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore. – Amos 7:8b Scripture…
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Daily devotionalJuly 19 – God’s mercy
“O Lord GOD, forgive, I pray! Oh, that Jacob may stand, for he is small!” – Amos 7:2b Scripture reading: Amos 7:1-6 Amos has been…
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Daily devotionalJuly 18 – Unshakeable
The LORD God has sworn by Himself, “I abhor the pride of Jacob, and hate his palaces; therefore I will deliver up the city and…
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Daily devotionalJuly 17 – Complacency
Woe to you who are at ease in Zion, and trust in Mount Samaria. – Amos 6:1 Scripture reading: Amos 6:1-7 Amos exposes Israel’s false…
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Daily devotionalJuly 16 – Formalism
Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! For what good is the day of the LORD to you? It will be darkness,…
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Daily devotionalJuly 15 – Trust and obey
Seek good and not evil, that you may live; so the LORD God of hosts will be with you. – Amos 5:14 Scripture reading: Amos…
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Daily devotionalJuly 14 – Seek the Lord
The virgin of Israel has fallen; she will rise no more. She lies forsaken on her land; there is no one to raise her up….
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Daily devotionalJuly 13 – Warning signs
“Yet you have not returned to Me,” says the LORD. – Amos 4:6b Scripture reading: Amos 4:6-13 All the warning signs were there, but they…
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Daily devotionalJuly 12 – Empty religion
Come to Bethel and transgress, at Gilgal multiply transgression; bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days. – Amos 4:4 Scripture reading: Amos…
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Daily devotionalJuly 11 – Spiritual poverty
I will destroy the winter house along with the summer house; the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end,”…
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Daily devotionalJuly 10 – Cause and effect
A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken! Who can but prophesy? – Amos 3:8 Scripture reading: Amos 3:3-8 Amos…
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Daily devotionalJuly 9 – You only
You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. – Amos 3:2 Scripture…
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Daily devotionalJuly 8 – Amazing grace
Behold, I am weighed down by you, as a cart is weighed down that is full of sheaves. – Amos 2:13 Scripture reading: Amos 2:9-16…
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Daily devotionalJuly 7 – The tyranny of sin
For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because they sell the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of…
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Daily devotionalJuly 6 – Pathway to apostasy
For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because they have despised the law of the Lord, and have not kept…
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Daily devotionalJuly 5 – One way of salvation
I will not turn away its punishment – Amos 1:11b Scripture reading: Amos 1:11-2:3 The prophecy of Amos won’t tolerate talk of “my truth” and…
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Daily devotionalJuly 4 – Patterns of sin
“For three transgressions…and for four” – Amos 1:3a Scripture reading: Amos 1:3-10 The LORD confronts deeply-rooted habits of sin in Israel and seven neighboring nations….
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Daily devotionalJuly 3 – Lord of life
The pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the top of Carmel withers. – Amos 1:2b Scripture reading: Amos 1:2; Deuteronomy 8:1-20 Amos could see Mt….
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Daily devotionalJuly 2 – The roar of the lion
And he said: “The LORD roars from Zion, and utters His voice from Jerusalem.” – Amos 1:2a Scripture reading: Amos 1:2; Rev. 5:1-10 The LORD…
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Daily devotionalIntroduction to July’s study of Amos
This month’s devotionals are a study of the book of Amos. The prophets can be difficult to understand and, at times, abrasive in tone. Amos…
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Daily devotionalJune 30 – The fruit of God’s wisdom in one’s life
“Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.” – Proverbs 31:30 Scripture reading: Proverbs 31:10-31…
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Daily devotionalJune 29 – Trusting in God’s provision
“Give me neither poverty nor riches – feed me with the food allotted to me… “ – Proverbs 30:7-9 Scripture reading: Matthew 6:10 and Matthew 6:25-34…
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Daily devotionalSunday, June 28 – Living in the joy of God’s forgiveness
“He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” – Proverbs 28:13 Scripture reading: Psalm 32 and…
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Daily devotionalJune 27 – The God who drives away all fear
“The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.” – Proverbs 29:25 Scripture reading: 1 Kings 19:1-18 As…
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Daily devotionalJune 26 – Keep fighting the good fight of the faith
“Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but such as keep the law contend with them.” – Proverbs 28:4 Scripture reading: Psalm 10, Ephesians…
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Daily devotionalJune 25 – Living by faith one day at a time
“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth. “ – Proverbs 27:1 Scripture reading: James 4:13-17 and Matthew…
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Daily devotionalJune 24 – Fainting in the day of adversity
“If you faint on the day of adversity, your strength is small.” – Proverbs 24:10 Scripture reading: Mark 4:35-41 and Philippians 4:10-13 As we know,…
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Daily devotionalJune 23 – Keeping the proper focus on life
“Do not let your heart envy sinners, but be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day; for surely there is a hereafter,…
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Daily devotionalJune 22 – The Folly of laboring to get worldly wealth
“Do not overwork to be rich…for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven.” – Proverbs 23:4-5 Scripture reading: Luke…
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Daily devotionalSunday, June 21 – Laying down a lasting foundation
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” – Proverbs 22:6 Scripture…
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Daily devotionalJune 20 – The great value of a good name
“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold.” – Proverbs 22:1 Scripture reading: Psalm 112…