Daily Devotions
day 1
Time with the LORD--Almighty God, who was and is and is to come, the maker of heaven and earth, the seas and all that is in them. That very same God wants to fellowship with us! What an amazing concept! For so many years private devotions were a struggle for me but something that I knew a "good" Christian should do. Now I long for time with my Savior like a wife in a good marriage longs for time alone with her husband. Private devotions are when I can cozy up to my Father, so to speak, and learn of Him. Psalm 16:11 and 21:6 speak of the fullness of joy that comes in the presence of God, and we can have that through the shed blood of Christ anytime we will just pull away from the business of life and spend time with Jehovah. Hurrying has no place in such a time, nor do the distractions of phones and email. If you've never regularly experienced the blessings of private time with the Lord, join me through one of the guides below to worship the LORD through song, Psalms, reading and meditating on His Word, and prayer. You too can begin to experience the blessings of focused time with your Redeemer and Friend. The Father awaits his child...
These devotions follow the pattern that I developed and have found helpful in my own personal time with the LORD. They are meant to be a suggested guide or format that can be tailored as needed. They aren't meant to be a devotional book that directs your thinking but instead encourages you to listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit in private worship and the understanding of God's Word. I am only including enough of them to give multiple examples so that you can then move forward on your own, applying the format as you see fit.
Opening Prayer from Psalm 25:1, 4-5
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in you I trust, O my God. Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
​
Song: O Sacred Head Now Wounded
​​​​by Bernard of Clairvaux
​
​
​
O sacred Head, now wounded,
with grief and shame weighed down,
now scornfully surrounded
with thorns, thine only crown:
how pale thou art with anguish,
with sore abuse and scorn!
How does that visage languish
which once was bright as morn!
2. What thou, my Lord, has suffered
was all for sinners' gain;
mine, mine was the transgression,
but thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior!
'Tis I deserve thy place;
look on me with thy favor,
vouchsafe to me thy grace.
3. What language shall I borrow
to thank thee, dearest friend,
for this thy dying sorrow,
thy pity without end?
O make me thine forever;
and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never
outlive my love for thee.
​​
Psalm 148 (NIV)
1 Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights above.
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
3 Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.
4 Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for at his command they were created,
6 and he established them for ever and ever—
he issued a decree that will never pass away.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,
8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
stormy winds that do his bidding,
9 you mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals and all cattle,
small creatures and flying birds,
11 kings of the earth and all nations,
you princes and all rulers on earth,
12 young men and women,
old men and children.
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.
14 And he has raised up for his people a horn,[b]
the praise of all his faithful servants,
of Israel, the people close to his heart.
Praise the Lord.
Interact with the LORD and His Word:
​
I do praise you my LORD who created the heavens, the earth, the seas and all that is in them. Your power is demonstrated all around me when the sun rises in the east and sets in the west every day or when a storm crosses the sky. I see your hand of love in the amazing variety of color and shape in the plants and animals just outside my door. Help me to praise you throughout the day today when I witness your handiwork all around me. Amen.
Main Bible Text: 1 John
​
​
(Read slowly from your own copy of the Word, intent not on how much you read but on hearing what the LORD wants to say to you through His Word. If you find that your mind is wandering, just reread the same section again and again until your mind is truly contemplating the truth of God's Word. When the LORD opens your eyes to some truth, write it down--perhaps even on a notecard that you can meditate on throughout the day. BibleGateway is also a great resource. Look under "STUDY THIS" and then "COMMENTARIES.")
Concluding Prayer time
Spend time in prayer.
-
Confess sin & if none comes to mind ask the LORD to call to mind any sin that you need to deal with.
-
Thanksgiving: Thank the LORD for His blessings in your life, for His Word & His salvation.
-
Petition: Recognize who He is and His power to handle the things that concern you today. Then tell the LORD what is on your heart. If you're troubled about something, tell Him and then ask for His help. Pray for the needs that you're aware of, whatever they might be.
-
Conclude with a recognition that your desire is for His will to be done in all of your requests--"In Jesus' name. Amen.