Amid this worldwide pandemic, please know that God’s promises given to you in Scripture are true and everlasting. Trusting His Word will get us through every day. You can count on it!
Please allow me to share a short devotion with you that I have written and feel led to share with you:
HOW TO RECEIVE ENDURANCE, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND HOPE
We live at a time when many exist in a seemingly endless state of hopelessness. The news is filled with stories of wars and rumors of wars, terrorism, anarchy, famine, drought, unemployment, economic recession, depression, disease, sickness, and an epidemic of both financial and spiritual bankruptcy. Uncertainty abounds.
In over the thirty years I have served in the ministry, I have noticed a rapid decline in the hunger for Scripture. Many go to church, but few read, study, and memorize the Bible. Some only receive bless-me-and-make-me-feel-good sermons on Sundays that may encourage them for a brief season, but such light teaching does not build endurance. When a crisis hits, they lose hope.
Endurance, encouragement, and hope are all needed to make it in the days that we live in. We should not be shocked at how bad things have gotten, and it will get a lot worse before it gets any better. Jesus warned us of the times we are living in.
Where does one find endurance, encouragement, and hope in these difficult times? The same place we have always found it: in Scripture—God’s Word—the Bible. The Bible is our source. If we do not read it, study it, and hide it in our heart, we will lose hope, and we will not endure until the end. Church attendance is not enough. We need a daily feeding of the Word of God.
Beloved, feast on God’s Word and receive endurance, encouragement, and hope. It is one thing we can get fat on without becoming unhealthy.
Scripture: “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4).
Prayer: Our Most Holy God, I thank you for your written Word. Not only is it your love story to us, but it also brings us the endurance, encouragement, and hope that we need every day we read it. Increase my hunger for your Word, Lord. Increase my desire to read Scripture every day, seeking everything that you have for me in it. Help me understand the Scripture I read and apply it to my life through your Holy Spirit. Help me hide your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you. I receive your endurance, encouragement, and hope today through your Word. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Beloved, I pray that God gives you a mighty baptism of his presence.
Know that you are loved,
gaj
HOW TO RECEIVE ENDURANCE, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND HOPE is excerpted from the book, Be Encouraged: A Daily Devotional, Volume 1, by Gregory A. Johnson. Copyright © by Gregory A. Johnson. All rights reserved. Click here for a complete list of Johnson's books.