Devotionals

Enjoy our daily devotionals written by Pastor Randy Dubois. These devotionals can be used as another way to grow in your walk with Jesus and to grow in your understanding of God and His Word.

The Resurrection Body (Day 24)

Posted on Apr 29, 2018 in 1 & 2 Corinthians: A Walk of Immaturity Into Maturity |

Read 1 Corinthians 15:35-58

Paul compares the resurrection with the growth of a seed in a garden. Seeds placed in the ground don’t grow unless they die first. The plant that grows looks very different from the seed because God gives it a new body. There are different kinds of bodies: people, animals, fish, birds. Even the angels in heaven have bodies that are different in beauty and glory. Our resurrected body will be very different from our earthly body. It will be a spiritual body full of glory.

Christ Took Our Punishment (Day 8)

Posted on Feb 12, 2018 in Romans: A Walk From Condemnation To Grace |

Read Romans 3:21-31

Some sins seem bigger than others because their obvious consequences are much more serious. Murder, for example, seems to us to be worse than hatred, and adultery seems worse than pride. But this does not mean that because we only commit “little” sins we deserve eternal life. All sins makes us sinners, and all sins cut us off from our holy God. All sins, therefore, lead to death because they disqualify us from living with God, regardless of how great or small they seem. Don’t minimize “little” sins or overrate “big” sins. They all separate us from God, but they all can be forgiven.

Mark: A Walk With Our Savior (Day 44)

Posted on Jan 9, 2018 in Mark: A Walk With The Savior |

Read Mark 10:35-45

JESUS TEACHES ABOUT SERVING OTHERS

The disciples, like most Jews of that day, had the wrong idea of the Messiah’s kingdom as predicted by the Old Testament prophets. They thought Jesus would establish an earthly kingdom that would free Israel from Rome’s oppression, and James and John wanted honored places in it. But Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world; it is not centered in palaces and thrones but in the hearts and lives of His followers. The disciples did not understand this until after Jesus’ resurrection.

James and John said they were willing to face any trial for Christ. Both did suffer: James died as a martyr (Acts 12), and John was forced to live in exile (Revelation 1). It is easy to say we will endure anything for Christ, and yet most of us complain about the most minor problems. We may say we are willing to suffer for Christ, but are we willing to suffer the minor irritations that sometimes com with serving others?
Jesus didn’t ridicule James and John for asking, but He denied their request. We can feel free to ask God for anything, but our request may be denied. God wants to give us what is best for us, not merely what we want. He denies some requests for our own good.

Verse 45 reveals not only the motive for Jesus’ ministry but also the basis for our salvation. A ransom was the price paid to release a slave. Jesus paid a ransom for us because we could not pay it ourselves. His death released all of us from our slavery to sin. The disciples thought Jesus’ life and power would save them from Rome; Jesus said His death would save them from sin, an even greater slavery than Rome’s (1 Peter 1).

James and John wanted the highest positions in Jesus’ kingdom. But Jesus told them that true greatness comes in serving others. Peter, one of the disciples who had heard this message, expands this thought in 1 Peter 5:1-4.
Businesses, organizations, and institutions measure greatness by personal achievement. In Christ’s Kingdom, however, service is the way to get ahead. The desire to be on top will hinder, not help. Rather than seeking to have your needs met, look for ways that you can minister to the needs of others.