Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 14:4-7
Ps 14:4-7
4 Will evildoers never learn--those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on the LORD? 5 There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous. 6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the LORD is their refuge. 7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
1 John 3:16-18
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
Indeed, salvation has come out of Zion and deliverance from Israel! Our King Jesus rules and reigns today over his spiritual Israel – the church of our Lord. He is the one who said all men would be able to know his people because they love one another. But how easy it is to say we love but that is as far as it goes. We are not to love only in word but we are to show our love in our deeds.
Without love and compassion there is no true Christianity. How can we claim to serve a God who is love and not be filled with his love? We are told to not take our own revenge but allow room for his vengeance. This means we love and forgive, showing his mercy and compassion and leave the punishment and “getting even” up to God. He knows the hearts of those who do evil (whether real or just in our minds) so his judgments will always be right.
James says our faith is shown in the same way John says our love is shown and that is by our actions. If we love God, we follow his will. If we have faith in God, we follow his will. Because we love him and trust him, we seek to live in a way that shows Jesus to the world in all we do. With complete assurance, we trust him to take care of us in our brightest moments and in our darkest hour.
O Lord God, increase my faith. Fill me with your love, your compassion, your mercy and your forgiveness toward those around me. Keep me from getting frustrated and anxious about things which are not in my control. Give me wisdom to do what I can and leave the results to you. I pray for those who govern this nation that you will give them your wisdom and lead them. Be with us in our upcoming elections that we might select the ones who respect you and your word and who seek your wisdom in their decisions. Help me always show respect for those whom you have put in office. I pray in the name of Jesus my King.
Robert
