+DEV+ Who Can Clean Up Our Lives?

Date: December 30, 2015 at 9:58 PM
Topic: +DEV+  Who Can Clean Up Our Lives?

Who Can Clean Up Our Lives?

"Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame." Luke 14:21

Scripture Focus: Luke 14:15-24

Who is good enough to become a Christian? Must people clean up their life before they become a follower of Christ? Is anyone good enough?

The religious leaders of Jesus' day believed that only a select few were worthy to be worshippers of the one, true God. Those who did not follow their rules were unworthy to worship their God. But Jesus used this parable to show that the very people the leaders deemed not good enough were the ones to whom God offered salvation.

When a person becomes a Christian, his or her life will reflect a new relationship with the Savior. They will want to live differently. But living differently comes as a result of the new relationship; it does not come beforehand. If we had the power to clean up our lives before we come to Christ, we would not need a Savior at all. But we can't, and that is why Jesus died for us - to pay for our sin and to conquer the power that sin has over us. Who is good enough?

None of us, really. But who gives us His goodness and righteousness? Jesus!

Insight: Have you tried to change your life before becoming a christian? Come just as you are. Jesus will give you the power to change.





Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
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+DEV+ Our Words And Our Actions

Date: December 29, 2015 at 10:56 PM
Topic: +DEV+  Our Words And Our Actions

Our Words And Our Actions

"For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did." Matthew 21:32

Scripture Focus: Matthew 21:28-32

Do as I say, not as I do. Many a parent has said this to a child! When there is a gap between what people say and how they behave, we usually think of them as hypocrites.

God is less interested in what we say than in what we do. Claims of Christianity mean little if our lives do not reflect our words. Some people grow up in families or live in communities where it is assumed they are Christians and it is expected they will go to church every week. But their Christianity is a social activity, without a change of heart. Their Sunday morning worship does not impact their behavior Monday through Saturday.

It must grieve God's heart to know Jesus died for people who claim His name but fail to receive Him. Sometimes the most religious people are the ones who are farthest away from the Lord. Mahatma Gandhi, the well-known prophet from India, is said to have observed, "I like your Christ; I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." God and the world are both watching. What do they see?

Insight: Are you claiming to be a Christian without a change of heart? Allow the Holy Spirit to change you from the inside out!





Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm
 

+DEV+ Pride Is Behind All Sin

Date: December 29, 2015 at 2:23 AM
Topic: +DEV+  Pride Is Behind All Sin

Pride Is Behind All Sin

"Take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, Friend, move up to a better place. ... For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 14:10-11

Scripture Focus: Luke 14:7-11

What was the first sin? Many think it was Adam and Eve's disobedience in the Garden of Eden. While this was the first time humans sinned, the very first sin in the universe was the pride that led to Satan's downfall. Ultimately, pride is behind all other sin. Whenever we disobey God, we put our will above His - in effect saying we know better than He does.

Pride shows up in every area of life. It destroys our relationship with the Lord and with each other. It also leads to humiliating experiences when we set ourselves up for honors that are given to someone else. Over and over in Scripture, we see God's ways are not our ways. True leaders are servants; when we are weak, then we are strong; and finally, "everyone who exalts himself will be humbled."

Our way or God's way - it's our choice. We can in pride seek honor and glory for ourselves that will not last, or we can live in a way that gives all honor and glory to Jesus Christ, the One who died for us so we might live eternally. What will you choose?

Insight: How has pride crept into your relationship with God or others? Humble yourself and wait for God to exalt you in his perfect timing.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
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http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm 

Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

 Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

+DEV+ Love the Sinner Not The Sin

Date: December 28, 2015 at 12:45 AM
Topic: +DEV+  Love the Sinner Not The Sin

Love the Sinner Not The Sin

"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?' The expert in the law replied, The one who had mercy on him. Jesus told him, Go and do likewise." Luke 10:36-37

Scripture Focus: Luke 10:25-37

"Hate the sin, love the sinner" is a phrase often used to describe how Christians are to respond to unbelievers. But most of us find it difficult to separate the person from the behavior. For example, how many can say they love Hitler, but hate his sin?

Religious people in Jesus' day did not try to separate the sin from the sinner, and in their opinion, Samaritans were the worst of sinners. They despised them. Seven hundred years prior, Assyria conquered northern Israel, exiled many residents and resettled the land with foreigners. Intermarriage led to a hybrid religion. "Pure" Jews shunned Samaria and traveled out of their way to avoid the area.

Yet Jesus used a story about a Samaritan to shame His listeners. This man gave of his time and his money to help someone who saw him as an object of contempt. The "sinner" was the only one to show real love. What might happen if you and I stopped labeling people and started loving them, despite their sin? Love the sinner - it's what God did through His Son for us.

Insight: What unlovable person in your life is God calling you to love? Allow god to love that person through you.





Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm
 

+DEV+ The Generosity Of God

Date: December 24, 2015 at 1:59 AM
Topic: +DEV+  The Generosity Of God

The Generosity Of God

"Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. ... Or are you envious because I am generous?" Matthew 20:14-15

 Scripture Focus: Matthew 20:1-16

The federal minimum wage was first established in the United States in 1938 to help ensure that employees earned livable wages. But wage laws do not prevent employers from paying more than the minimum.

Jesus told a parable in which workers negotiated a fair wage for a day's labor in the vineyard. Later in the day, the owner hired additional laborers to also work in the vineyard. At the end of the day, all the workers received the same payment, despite the fact that some worked longer hours than others.

But this story is really not about fair wages. It's about a heavenly Father who gives us more than we deserve. Since we cannot earn our salvation, we are dependent on the grace and generosity of God to give what only He can provide. The thief on the cross received the same salvation as Jesus' disciples. Does that seem fair? No. But then, it wasn't fair when Jesus died a torturous death to pay for our sins. God's graciousness may not be "fair," but in this case, fairness is highly overrated!

Insight: Do you want God to be fair or gracious? Receive His gracious gift of salvation and thank Him that there's nothing fair about it!




Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
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A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm
 

+DEV+ Forgiveness Sets Us Free

Date: December 22, 2015 at 10:58 PM
Topic: +DEV+  Forgiveness Sets Us Free

Forgiveness Sets Us Free

"The master called the servant in. You wicked servant, he said, I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?" Matthew 18:32-33

Scripture Focus: Matthew 18:21-35

C. S. Lewis once wrote, "Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive." For many of us, this statement hits closer to home than we want to admit.

It's easy to urge others to forgive. We may even use quotes such as, "Not forgiving is like eating poison and expecting the other person to die," or "Forgiveness is setting a prisoner free and discovering the prisoner was you." It's always the right thing for others to do. But our own situations are different. You don't understand. He said he was a Christian, then betrayed me. He molested my daughter. Surely God doesn't expect me to forgive that!

Yes, He does expect us to forgive that...and more. How can we say the offenses done against us are unforgivable when it was for our sin Jesus was nailed to the cross? We are to forgive much because we have been forgiven much. Still, in His mercy,
God has worked it out so that when we forgive, it's not just something we do for others; forgiveness brings blessings to us, too.

Insight: What offense are you unable to forgive? View it in the light of God's forgiveness of you and give the gift of forgiveness.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
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+DEV+ A Golden Lesson

Date: December 21, 2015 at 11:55 PM
Topic: +DEV+  A Golden Lesson

A Golden Lesson

"Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods." Daniel 3:25

Scripture Focus: Daniel 3:1-25

Nebuchadnezzar, the most powerful king in the world, made a huge golden idol to be worshiped by all. It was an object lesson for the whole world: loyalty to Nebuchadnezzar comes first.

But three Hebrew officials refused to obey, knowing that proper allegiance is always to God first. The king was furious! He ordered them thrown into a blazing furnace stoked so hot that it killed the soldiers who threw them in. Yet the Hebrew men were unharmed. The king leaped to his feet in awe at the three and the additional supernatural fourth man with them.

Why was a furnace this big sitting there so handy? It was probably the same one used to make the king's idol. Using the king's own resources, God showed His power over idols, a furnace, the laws of nature, and men. Sending His messenger to walk with the men is a picture of how Jesus would come years later and walk alongside of us. The prophet Isaiah would tell of it: "When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze" (43:2).

Insight: God can use anything to teach the unlimited scope of His power. Even the hard heart of the Babylonian king was moved eventually






Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
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+DEV+ Jesus The Good Shepherd

Date: December 17, 2015 12:59 AM

Topic: +DEV+  Jesus The Good Shepherd

Jesus The Good Shepherd

"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me-just as the Father knows me and I know the Father-and I lay down my life for the sheep." John 10:14-15

Scripture Focus: John 10:11-18

If you attended Sunday school as a child, you may remember those rustic pieces of artwork depicting Jesus as a shepherd with His sheep. The peaceful images usually included a lamb in His arms. 

But the job of a shepherd was rarely peaceful. Shepherds had to be continually alert to danger. Sheep could wander into a patch of poisonous plants. Ferocious wolves, dog packs, or other wild animals could threaten the flock at any time. The shepherd needed to guide his sheep along difficult paths and rescue them when they fell. 

When Jesus said He is the good shepherd, He was telling us He is more than able to protect those who belong to Him. We may wander where we don't belong or come under attack by vicious enemies bent on our destruction. But Jesus already proved Himself as our shepherd by giving His life for us. He is the one who unites believers from every tongue and nation. If we are part of His flock, He knows us, cares for us, and protects us. There's no safer place to be than with our Shepherd.

Insight: Have you wandered from your shepherd or defied his authority in your life? Follow the Shepherd and listen to His voice.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,

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+DEV+ I Am The Gate

Date: December 16, 2015 1:13 AM

Topic: +DEV+  I Am The Gate

I Am The Gate

"I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. ...I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:9-10

Scripture Focus: John 10:1-10

A popular television game show offers contestants the choice of a prize behind one of three doors. One door offers a valuable award, one presents a mundane gift, and the third door delivers a "zonk"- something nobody wants. 

People have long searched for the right "door" to salvation. Religious activity, good deeds, and self-sacrifice are just a few ways people try to reach heaven. But these doors or gates lead to a dead end. Jesus said He is the gate, not a gate. He is the door through which we receive eternal life. All other doors only lead to judgment. 

So why do so many people still chase dead ends? Perhaps it is because we like to think we are in control, even of our salvation. Coming to God through Jesus Christ alone means we have to admit our weakness and that we are helpless to restore our relationship with the Lord on our own. No matter how many sacrifices we make, no sacrifice apart from Jesus' death on the cross is acceptable to our holy God. Don't get zonked. Jesus is the only door to salvation!

Insight: What doors have you tried to get to heaven? Believe in Jesus christ as the gate and accept His sacrifice for you.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,

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+DEV+ Share What We Have

Date: December 14, 2015 11:41 PM

Topic: +DEV+  Share What We Have

Share What We Have

"The kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore." Matthew 13:47-49

Scripture Focus: Matthew 13:47-50

Have you ever decided someone was beyond redemption? Perhaps you've concluded that sharing the Gospel with a person who "didn't deserve to hear it" would be a waste of time. 

Jesus compared the kingdom of heaven to a dragnet. His disciples would have understood His analogy, since many of them were fishermen. They used dragnets to catch large numbers of fish in short periods of time. But catching fish so indiscriminately meant that unclean ones would be found together with edible ones in the nets. The fish would need to be sorted before they could be eaten or sold. 

When we share the Gospel, our job is not to determine in advance which "fish" we think are worthy to be "caught," regardless of how evil or hardened they appear to be. By the Holy Spirit's leading, we are to share the message of salvation whenever we have the opportunity, to whoever will listen. How they choose to respond to what they hear is up to them. Our job is to share what we have, and then God will do the sorting and the judging.

Insight: Has God brought someone into your life who seems beyond redemption? Share the gospel as He gives opportunity and leave the judgment to Him.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,

If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.

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+DEV+ Jesus The Greatest Treasure

Date: December 14, 2015 12:36 AM

Topic: +DEV+  Jesus The Greatest Treasure

Jesus The Greatest Treasure

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field." Matthew 13:44

Scripture Focus: Matthew 13:44-46

In 1715 a Spanish treasure fleet sunk in a hurricane off the East coast of Florida. Salvagers began recovering the precious cargo in 1961, and the area soon became known as the Treasure Coast. Despite great danger, commercial divers still seek plunder from this fleet as well as from other ships lost through the centuries. To them, the value is worth the risk. 

When we think of valuable objects, our thoughts may turn to precious metals, gems, and other items prized by our culture. But Jesus compared a restored relationship with God to a prized treasure. Those who realize the value of this relationship are willing to give up all else to obtain it. 

This does not mean we purchase our salvation. It has already been bought for us and is freely offered. But it did not come cheap. It cost God the life of His Son to reconcile us to Him. If we recognize the worth of this treasure, we will eagerly give up anything that may interfere with our relationship with Him. No other prize could be of greater value.

Insight: What is impeding your relationship with the Lord? Release it today and enjoy a greater intimacy with your Heavenly Father.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,

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+DEV+ God Judgment Is Just

Date: December 10, 2015 11:17 PM

Topic: +DEV+  God Judgment Is Just

Gods Judgment Is Just

"The servants asked him, Do you want us to go and pull them up? No, he answered, because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest." Matthew 13:28-30

Scripture Focus: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Pulling weeds out of a garden is often a tiring but rewarding task. The result is a neat garden and healthy plants that do not have to compete with weeds for nutrients and water. 

It's satisfying to uproot weeds and banish them from the garden. But it is also vexing when they have wrapped themselves around the bases of the vegetables and flowers, their intertwining roots damaging the plants in removal. These images, familiar to Jesus' first hearers as well as to us, are speaking of more than just the garden. 

Both Christians and unbelievers live side by side. In government, schools, even churches, "weeds" have set their roots deep, causing us to be discouraged at the extent of wickedness around us. We may wonder why God doesn't stop the spread of evil, but He has already told us the answer. Christ will return, and He will bring judgment with Him. Evil will not always be free to work its insidious ways. Until then, let's be salt and light in our society, trusting His timing and serving Jesus until He comes.

Insight: Are you discouraged at the growth of evil? Rest in the assurance that God is just and will judge sin wherever he finds it.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,

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+DEV+ Stay Alert

Date: December 9, 2015 10:35 PM

Topic: +DEV+  Stay Alert

Stay Alert

"Who then is the faithful and wise manager...? The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of." Luke 12:42, 46

Scripture Focus: Luke 12:42-48

Early warning systems have been devised for everything from tornado detection to gas gauges on automobile dashboards. The goal is to alert people to trouble before it happens. 

But trouble still comes... and in all shapes and sizes. For some, the worst trouble of all will occur when Jesus Christ returns. Unbelievers will face His wrath. Even believers will have to answer for how they lived and how they used what God had given them. Despite the many Bible verses about Jesus' second coming, there is no actual early warning system for His return. 

Jesus said, "The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him." When Christ returns, will He find us serving Him with joy, or will we be focused on our own plans and comfort? The world is filled with hurting people who have grave physical needs and even more severe spiritual needs. They need us to show our love and share the good news of Jesus. He can return at any time. Let's be sure our Master will find His servants alert and ready for Him!

Insight: Have you become complacent about the Lord's return? Stay alert and serve with joy so that you might hear him say, "well done!"

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,

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+DEV+ Holy Spirit In Salvation

Date: December 9, 2015 12:28 AM

Topic: +DEV+  Holy Spirit In Salvation

Holy Spirit In Salvation

"The farmer sows the word....Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop - thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown." Mark 4:14, 20

Scripture Focus: Mark 4:1-20

Seed germination is a secretive process. We plant a seed in soil, cover it, add water, and wait. Over a period of weeks, the seed may sprout... or it may not. We are left to wonder why some seeds grow and others don't. 

Unlike many of the other parables Jesus told, the parable of the sower includes a detailed explanation. Yet understanding the meaning has not prevented some people from being living examples of the seeds "along the path" or "sown in rocky or thorny places." A restored relationship with God is the highest priority anyone can have. But the things of this world tend to get in the way. The devil, trouble, worry, and materialism interfere with the Gospel message. 

Only the Spirit of Christ can cut through the influences that block the message of salvation. Sharing the Gospel is not just a human action. Without the work of the Holy Spirit, no one can receive the things of God. As we share the Gospel, let's ask the Author of salvation to open hearts to receive and bear fruit for His glory.

Insight: Are others resistant when you share the Gospel? Pray the Holy Spirit will move in their lives, and trust Him to change their hearts.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,

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A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm

  

+DEV+ How Much Stuff Is Enough

Date: December 7, 2015 10:48 PM

Topic: +DEV+  How Much Stuff Is Enough

How Much Stuff Is Enough

"Then he said to them, Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Luke 12:15

Scripture Focus: Luke 12:13-21

Someone once asked John D. Rockefeller, "How much money is enough?" He replied, "Just a little bit more." If this multimillionaire didn't think he had enough, what about us today? 

Life is often gauged in terms of possessions. Money in the bank offers security. We work hard so we can retire and play hard. But Jesus had a different message. He warned against using our resources solely for our own comfort. Instead, we are to have an eternal perspective. God is the one who enables us to earn money, and He expects us to be generous and glorify Him in how we handle our finances. 

Some people go through life wondering why God blesses others financially, but does not seem to bless them. Perhaps we should examine what we do with the resources we've already been given. When God grants us material possessions, do we hoard them or use them to bless others? Randy Alcorn, author of The Treasure Principle wrote, "You can't take it with you, but you can send it on ahead." Let's make sure the buck doesn't stop with us!

Insight: Are you generous with your resources for the sake of God's kingdom? Honor God in your finances and allow him to multiply your investment.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,

If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.

A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm

+DEV+ Everyone Who Asks Receives

Date: December 6, 2015 11:43 PM

Topic: +DEV+  Everyone Who Asks Receives

Everyone Who Asks Receives

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Luke 11:9-10

Scripture Focus: Luke 11:5-13

The story of Aladdin and his magic lamp has delighted children for generations. Aladdin and the genie have been memorialized in books, movies, and song. But the idea of a genie granting wishes has also influenced the way Christians think of God. 

When Aladdin made his wishes, the genie was bound to grant each request. By taking Luke 11:9 and other verses out of context, some people view the God of creation as little more than a genie. They quote, "Ask and it will be given to you" to say that if we don't receive what we want, we must not have enough faith, because God promised to give us whatever we request. 

But God is not a genie. He's not a cosmic Santa Clause. He is our loving, heavenly Father. 

He wants our desires to match His. He wants us to yearn for the highest and best that He has planned for us. Most of all, He wants our first desire to be that He has first place in our lives. When that happens, He will give us whatever we ask for. And that's no fairy tale!

Insight: Are your requests consistent with God's desires for you? His best for you will never disappoint!

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,

If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.

A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm

  

+DEV+ People Love Rankings

Date: December 3, 2015 11:24 PM

Topic: +DEV+  People Love Rankings

People Love Rankings

"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender...Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he cancelled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?" Luke 7:41-42

Scripture Focus: Luke 7:36-50

People love rankings. Ten best movies. Twenty most common spelling errors. Top five tennis players. Ranked lists can be useful. But they can also have a darker side. 

In Jesus' day, the religious leaders were proud of their righteous lifestyles. They did not see themselves as sinful - or at least, not as sinful as everyone else. As a result, they dismissed their own need for forgiveness. Other people needed to repent before God, but not them. The problem is, they compared themselves to the wrong standard. 

They missed the point in two ways. First, whether by a little or a lot, we all fall short of God's standard of holiness and deserve His judgment. Second, the more we realize our need for God's forgiveness, the more grateful we are to receive it. Still, we must first recognize the depth of our own debt to God. When we do, the gift of forgiveness in Christ is a joy to accept. But it doesn't stop there. We are then free to forgive others because we know - like the man whose debt was great - how much we've been forgiven.

Insight: Have you been comparing yourself to the wrong standard? Measure yourself against God's holiness, receive the gift of forgiveness, and give it to others!

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,

If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.

A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm

  

+DEV+ Patching Holes

Date: December 2, 2015 1:25 AM

Topic: +DEV+  Patching Holes

Patching Holes

"No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins." Matthew 9:16-17A

Scripture Focus: Matthew 9:16-17

Patching holes in clothes is a time-honored way to save money. With a needle and a little thread, we can extend the life of clothing that would otherwise be doomed to the trash heap. But while patches are helpful for clothing, they can't fix everything in life. 

Some people spend their entire lives trying to patch up their damaged areas. However, failed resolutions, broken promises, and unconquered habits prove we need more than repairs. We need to be made new. When we give our lives to Christ, that is exactly what He does for us. He doesn't just patch up the rips and tears. Through His indwelling Spirit, He brings new life to our dead spirits. Then, as we submit to the Holy Spirit minute by minute and day by day, He uses the rest of our lives to transform us into the image of Jesus Christ. 

We can waste our time trying to patch up our old lives - trying harder, but getting nowhere. Or we can receive the gift of salvation that only Christ can bring...and be made brand new.

Insight: Are you still trying to patch up your life? Once you receive new life, allow the lord to transform you by his holy spirit.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,

If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.

A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm

  

+DEV+ Jesus, The Solid Rock

Date: December 1, 2015 12:37 AM

Topic: +DEV+  Jesus, The Solid Rock

Jesus, The Solid Rock

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." Matthew 7:24

Scripture Focus: Matthew 7:21-27

When Hurricane Sandy tore through the Northeast United States, it devastated entire cities. Homes thought to have been built on solid foundations were destroyed by a pounding combination of wind and flooding. More than 100 people died, many due to their false sense of security. 

We can also have a false sense of security in our spiritual life. Jesus made it clear that religious words and deeds provide a perilous basis for salvation. Religion is not a substitute for a relationship with the Father through His Son, Jesus Christ. No matter how many good works we do, even in His name, they will fall short of God's perfect holiness. The only sure foundation is one of faith in what Christ did for us by His atoning work on the cross. 

Just as we are careful to build our physical homes on solid foundations, let's build our spiritual life on the solid rock God provides. Jesus is worthy of our trust no matter what storms we face, and He will bring us safely home, even through the final storm of death.

Insight: How might you be relying on religious activity to win God's approval? Instead, receive the salvation he freely gives, and serve him with gratitude!

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,

If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.

A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm