The Reading Plan Daily Devotions

Love is the highest, most important thing to have in life. 1 Corinthians says it is "the greatest thing" ... even above faith, and hope. When Paul lists the first of the fruits of the Spirit, the first thing mentioned is love. When Christ was asked what was the greatest commandment, without hesitation He said it is to love God and your neighbor. So, how do I get this kind of love? John tells us. "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. (1 John 4:7-8) Look at this very logical progression regarding God's love to us and through us. Truth #1: God is love.   John does not say that He has love; He IS love. Love is a word we use to describe this amazing, supreme quality of God that always responds in self-sacrifice, in giving to others. Truth #2: Love is from God. Therefore, if you want love, you must get it from God. He is the only source. Trut...

What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete. (1 John 1:3-4) There is no other religion on the face of the earth (nor has there been, nor can there be) that offers what authentic Christianity provides. The heart of our spiritual life is about fellowship with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.   This word is strong. “Fellowship” (koinonia) means "close personal association" or the "sharing of the common life." It means that we are connected to a living God. Ours is not a religion that bows down before a stone or is the mere keeping of rules and regulations. We are connected and filled with the living God of the universe. This is realized by the mercy of God, through our introduction into His presence through the sacrifice of the Son, and through the daily, personal filling of H...

Jesus was (and is) always answering the big questions. The questions that are driving us but are so deep in our souls that we don’t even know they are there. Some people in Peter’s day (and ours) were saying, “This whole thing of Christianity is a hoax. Christ is not real. His promises are not true. He’s not coming back. There will not be a day in the future when the heavens and earth will be burned with fire and a new heaven and new earth will come forever.” All of us, if we are honest, have had some doubts at times. But these thoughts and proclamations are not doubts to the unbelieving. They are “facts” in their mind. Jesus answers these questions in 2 Peter, Chapter 3. He reminds us that mockers with their accusations against God will come. But it “escapes their notice” that the Word of God spoke the heavens into existence, and the Word of God is always true, and the Word of God gives us promises about all of this (2 Peter 3:5-9). And then he reminds us of what we are to do with the...

"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world." (1 Peter 5:8-9) Years ago, I went on many mission trips with a former fighter pilot who was a Vietnam veteran. He told me many stories, most of them true! But one of the things I will never forget is his description of the environments in which they worked in Vietnam. The most debilitating thing was that you never knew who was an enemy or friend, Don said. The man beside you could be one who was thrilled you were there or a sworn enemy who would knife you in the back if you turned. You had to always be on the alert. This became evident to me one night in Chile. We were rooming together when an earthquake hit our hotel. He was out the door in two seconds because he had learned to sleep lightly and always put ...

The greatest commandment Christ gave was to love the Lord with everything and your neighbor as yourself. In marriage (and in your whole family), your mate is your nearest neighbor. How should you love them? Peter sums this up in 1 Peter 3:8-12. To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. For, “The one who desires life, to love and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. He must turn away from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”    THE RESPONSIBILITY IN OUR HOME   The single greatest problem in the home is that we don’t take personal responsibility. We constantly blame ot...