Devotional:
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say. (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)

This chapter starts with a grave warning of the lawlessness and rebellion that is to come before Christ’s return. It can be scary to know that things will get worse before they get better, but we have a God who provides comfort and hope even in the worst of times. Take courage! Take heart! The God who loves us anchors our hearts to the hope of Christ’s return! Even when the world seems to be falling apart, we can cling to the faithful promise of Jesus’s triumphant return.

Pray it:
Father, remind me of the comfort and hope that I have in all circumstances because of your love for me in Christ. Strengthen my words this day to reflect the truth of your promises and the limitlessness of your power.

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Devotional:
We proudly tell God’s other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering. (2 Thessalonians 1:4)

Life can be difficult at times, and it might be tempting to seek comfort from the world instead of from God. But when our faith stands strong and steadfast through trials, it is a reason for boasting. Not boasting to bring attention to ourselves but to point to a God who can sustain even through the most damaging storms. Jesus is enough no matter what we may face in this life. Tell someone about what God has done in your life today!

Pray it:
Father, I confess that I am tempted to boast about my own strength and achievements. Help me to instead boast about your grace and power at work in my life that is made clear in the moments of my weakness and how it shows the truth of your Word and your presence in this world. Amen.

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Devotional:
Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful. Dear brothers and sisters, pray for us. (I Thessalonians 5:23-25) 

We serve an awesome, powerful God! He does what we cannot. He completes our sanctification (making us holy), and He can keep us blameless as sin incessantly tugs at our hearts. He is faithful and keeps His promises. Paul reminds the Thessalonians of this and then immediately asks for prayer. Jesus can save and will save, but he gave us each other to encourage one another along the way. Do you need prayer? Ask for it. Do you know someone who needs encouragement? Talk to them today! We are the body and bride of Christ, and we’re better together!

Pray it:
Father, continue and complete your work of making me more and more like you as I await the return of Jesus. May your faithfulness to your promises empower me to become more faithful in my promises to pray and care for those around me. Amen.

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Devotional:
But we don’t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another. Indeed, you already show your love for all the believers throughout Macedonia. Even so, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you to love them even more. (I Thessalonians 4:9-10)

Yes, we’ve been taught by God to love one another, but how are we doing at living it out? We live in strange and stressful times. It’s easy to find disagreement and see the flaws in others, yet we are not called to judge but to love. Do we walk properly before outsiders, or expect them to walk properly before us? Loving one another isn’t always easy. It takes work. Let’s put in the work of loving one another more each day.

Pray it:
Father, thank you for your great love for me shown in Christ. Help me to remember this love and to have it transform the way I interact with others, loving them more and more as I have been taught and shown by you. Amen.

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Devotional:
and we sent Timothy to visit you. He is our brother and God’s co-worker in proclaiming the Good News of Christ. We sent him to strengthen you, to encourage you in your faith, and to keep you from being shaken by the troubles you were going through. But you know that we are destined for such troubles. (I Thessalonians 3:2-3)

Trials and afflictions should not surprise us. Jesus warned us that following him would not be easy (see John 16:33), just as Paul warned the Thessalonians (and Timothy – see 2 Timothy 3:2). Hard times can strengthen our faith, or they can damage it. The key is to be prepared. Don’t wait to cling to Jesus until times get tough – cling to him now! When we deepen our faith in the love and knowledge of our Savior, we establish a foundation that will weather the storms. Cling to Jesus. He will carry you through the good times and the bad!

Pray it:
Father, help me not to be shaken by hard or difficult times. Sustain and strengthen me by your Spirit and through your people so that you may be glorified and I may become more like you. Amen.

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Devotional:
For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts. (I Thessalonians 2:4) 

Sometimes it may seem difficult to share the gospel. We wonder what people will think or if we will have the right words to say, but if you know Jesus, you know the Truth. And God chose you to be entrusted with the gospel! Sharing the good news of Jesus not only changes others, it grows us as well. Paul shared the gospel and his life with the Thessalonians (see 2:8), and they all grew to deeper faith in Christ. Who are you sharing the gospel and your life with? Share the gospel that’s been entrusted to you and see what God has in store!

Pray it:
Father, thank you for entrusting me with your message. Help me to share it faithfully with others, not in an effort to please them but rather please you with my words and actions. Amen.

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Devotional:
So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord. As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece—throughout both Macedonia and Achaia. (I Thessalonians 1:6-7) 

Doing what’s right isn’t always easy, and following Christ can be hard. Becoming a Christian doesn’t mean that life will suddenly go our way…at least that seemed to be the case with the new Christians in Thessalonica as it says they experienced much affliction. It wasn’t easy for them to become Christ followers, but they had the joy of the Holy Spirit to carry them through, which in turn, inspired others. Life isn’t always easy. When life gets you down, ask the Holy Spirit for joy. It won’t just be good for you it will be an example and inspiration to others as well. 

Pray it:
Father, thank you for the examples of Christians who have and are living joyfully and faithfully for you in the midst of persecution and affliction. Help me to live faithfully and joyfully for you in all circumstances and to inspire those around me to follow you as well. Amen.

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Devotional:
I took my troubles to the Lord; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer. Rescue me, O Lord, from liars and from all deceitful people. (Psalm 120:1-2)

I praise and thank God because He answers me and delivers me from people who lie. Lies are insidious and dangerous. They wound like arrows that have hit their mark. How is it possible to defend yourself? Many times, it is one person’s claim against the other, and the battle seems futile. The Psalmist calls on the Lord rather than thrash around in self-defense. God hears and answers; He knows the truth. Calmly allow God to intervene. Trust Him to deliver you in a way that will bring glory to His name.  

Pray it:
Father, I thank you that your Word is always truthful and right. Deliver me from my own tendency to lie and protect me from the lies of the evil one that circulate in this fallen world. Amen.

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Devotional:
Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees! (Psalm 119:105).

I praise and thank God because He guides my feet and my eyes with the light of His Word. When it is dark and you cannot find your way, look into the darkest area you can find for about one minute. This helps your pupils to enlarge to let in more light. Then focus on where you want to walk, and you will be able to see much easier. God’s Word is like that. Look into His Word regularly so that when times are dark and you cannot see the way, the time you have spent in His Word will open your eyes to the right path.

Pray it:
Father, thank you for giving us your Word to guide us out of darkness and into the light of life that comes from you. Help me to be not just a hearer of your Word but also a doer of it each day. Amen.

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Devotional:
The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. (Psalm 118:14)

I praise and thank the Lord because He is my strength, my song and my salvation. The Lord is my strength. He is my song. He is my salvation. God has given us Himself! Our curiosity to know the One who gave His life for us should drive us to pursue a relationship with Him. Our strength grows and our song unfolds as we get to know Him. Actively taking refuge in God and trusting Him will yield a strength that does not arise from ourselves. It is from God Himself. Have you despaired because you felt like all is lost? You are not alone. God is ever-present and right beside you. As we experience His love and intervention, He becomes our song to sing. Can you understand why so many sing His praises?

Pray it:
Father, thank you for saving me from my sin through Jesus. Help me to find my strength in you more and more each day and to sing your praises with my lips and also with my life. Amen.

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Devotional:
For his unfailing love for us is powerful; the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 117:2)

I praise and thank the Lord because He loves us greatly. How often do you think about the greatness of God’s love for you? Yes, you know He loves you, but this Psalm encourages us to think about how much God loves us – how deep and how wide. Take time to do that today. Can you think of several biblical examples? Once you have, praise and thank God specifically for each of those things.

Pray it:
Father, I confess that I often think too little of your love. Help me to remember that your love is beyond measure and the power to understand more and more of your love that surpasses knowledge. Amen.

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Devotional:
I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! (Psalm 116:1-2) 

I praise and thank the Lord because He hears our calls for help. Imagine worshiping something or someone that cannot hear you! Many people do just that. Our living God assures us that He hears us, and He responds. Whether in life or death, distress, anguish or affliction, He is ready, willing and able to care for us. The Psalmist pledges to call on God for the rest of his life. Who do you call upon?

Pray it:
Father, thank you for always hearing my cries and my prayers. Help me to remember that you are hearing me even when I might doubt it, and help me not to be afraid or forget to cry out to you in my time of need. Amen.

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Devotional:
O Israel, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield. (Psalm 115:9)

I praise and thank the Lord for He is our help and our shield. Trusting God is paramount in the Christian faith. Knowing who God is, is not enough. Even Satan knows who God is. The difference is trust – Satan does not trust God. We can fall into the trap of believing that we take care of ourselves. Satan tempted Jesus to provide for himself in the desert. He said, “You are hungry. Provide for yourself some bread.” Jesus was able to do that, but he chose to trust God instead. We will benefit by following His example. A shield deflects danger that is coming our way. God is our help and shield. Trust in Him alone.

Pray it:
Father, I confess I put my trust in things, people and even in myself. Forgive me for placing what only belongs to you in others, and give me the grace this day to see my need to trust you – and then to place my trust in you and you alone. Amen.

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Devotional:
Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob. (Psalm 114:7)

I will praise and thank the Lord because He is awesome! We may be fearful when natural elements of earth exhibit their strength; floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes remind us that we are no match for their tremendous power. We also experience storms in our lives that have nothing to do with weather. God has power to help us deal with those storms, as well. Our God is so mighty that He commanded the Jordan River to turn back so the people of Israel would have safe passage to the Promised Land. Have you considered how God uses creation in amazing ways to care for you?

Pray it:
Father, I praise you for your creation and for the way you provide for all parts of your creation. As I see your handiwork in this world, help me to remember how you care and provide even more for your people – and for me. Amen.

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Devotional:
For the Lord is high above the nations; his glory is higher than the heavens. Who can be compared with the Lord our God, who is enthroned on high? (Psalm 113:4-5)

I praise and thank the Lord because there is no one like Him. It may seem as if these verses are telling us that God is distant and far away, but this Psalm is really praising Him for His majesty. Even though He is seated in heaven, He delights in being remarkably close to us. In fact, one of His names is Emmanuel which means “God with us.” This majestic God loves to assist people with their needs. What about your relationship with God? Are you distant, or is your heart open to His love for you?

Pray it:
Father, I praise you for both being high in the heavens – greater than I can even imagine – yet also present with your people here on earth. Help me to live my life today in light of your nearness and your greatness. Amen.

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Devotional:
They themselves will be wealthy, and their good deeds will last forever. Light shines in the darkness for the godly. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous. Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly. (Psalm 112:3-5)

I praise and thank the Lord because His righteousness is eternal. What a wonderful promise God has given to those who follow His commands! This list of blessings is one that most people want for themselves and those they love. When the people of God are blessed with wealth, they are responsible to use it to bless others, not just family and friends. Helping people who need assistance, encouraging fairness, and positively influencing the community can be wonderful expressions of God’s love for the world. God gives us blessings to enjoy and to share. Generosity helps everyone.

Pray it:
Father, I praise you for you are a generous God, seen above all in the fact that Jesus has given his life for us. Help me to be generous with the riches of time, talent and treasure that you have given me to bless others and reflect your generosity and grace. Amen.

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Devotional:
Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever! (Psalm 111:10)

I praise and thank the Lord because His works are great. There are people who have great knowledge but lack wisdom in using it because they do not know the Lord. Wisdom and knowledge are not the same thing. Wisdom is the good use of knowledge. The Lord encourages us to study His Word so that we have a foundation for wisdom. He gives us the Holy Spirit to teach us and to help us understand. Having a proper understanding of the character of God is what it means to “have fear” of the Lord and the beginning of wisdom.

Pray it:
Father, I confess I often live as a fool, not putting to use the knowledge you have given me and instead going along with my own ideas. Teach this fool how to fear you more each day and to walk in the wisdom of your Word. Amen.

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Devotional:
The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.” (Psalm 110:1)

I praise and thank the Lord because He has sworn an oath to protect. Are you weary from fighting your own battles? Who are your enemies? Listen! God is telling you to rest. Step aside and trust God to take care of the situation. Sin is the greatest enemy that we face, and it is the root of all our struggles. Although they are temporary, our struggles are very real and often perplex us. Christ is our deliverer – not only for eternity, but also for everyday events. He beckons us to step back with humility and allow Him to take care of our enemies. Imagine our society if Christians did that more often.

Pray it:
Jesus, I praise you as the one who sits on your heavenly throne right now and promises to turn. Help me to remember and reflect on your reign even now as I also pray for your kingdom to come and your return to come soon. Amen.

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Devotional:
But deal well with me, O Sovereign Lord, for the sake of your own reputation! Rescue me because you are so faithful and good. (Psalm 109:21)  

I praise and thank the Lord because He cares for the needy ones. God is our champion! Remember when the Philistines sent Goliath to fight the champion of Israel? The army of Israel watched as the boy, David, approached Goliath with a slingshot, five stones, and no armor. His stone hit the head of Goliath and killed him. But the stone was not the lethal weapon. It was the fact that God worked through a boy with faith and a stone that “cried out” that the battle belongs to the Lord. When people deal roughly with you and accuse you unjustly, give the battle to God. Then thank God in public worship so that others may be encouraged.

Pray it:
Father, thank you for saving me according to your faithful love. Help me to remember your promises and to praise you in the midst of whatever battles or challenges I may face today. Amen.

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Devotional:
But Moab, my washbasin, will become my servant, and I will wipe my feet on Edom and shout in triumph over Philistia.” (Psalm 108:9) 

I praise and thank the Lord because He is faithful. What is the significance of God throwing His shoe? In the Middle East, throwing your shoe at someone is considered a sign of disrespect. Edom was the enemy of God and His people. They came with a mighty army to take the land. God (figuratively) calmly sat down to wash His feet and then threw His shoe at Edom. In a way, God was saying to Israel, “Relax, I’ve got this.” Events that frighten us do not cause God to wring His hands. He knows when He will act and He will triumph! We are secure because God is faithful, and He cannot be moved from His own purposes.

Pray it:
Father, I confess how I have often disrespected you both in my actions but also through my lack of trust in your plan and your power. Forgive me for these sins, and empower me to honor you through trusting you this day. Amen.

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Devotional:
Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies. (Psalm 107:2) 

I praise and thank the Lord because He enjoys hearing the voices of the redeemed. Why is it important that the redeemed give praise and thanks to the Lord? The Psalmist lists quite a few reasons. Look for the repeated pattern of distress, deliverance and thanksgiving. Sometimes people must be brought low before they will turn to God. Yet, when people cry to the Lord from any direction, He delivers them. Only the redeemed have experienced His saving grace and can praise the Lord for it. Even the holy angels cannot thank God for personal salvation. They have not experienced it because they do not need it! The Lord delights in hearing the voices of the ones He has redeemed, so let us praise Him!

Pray it:
Father, I praise you for delivering me from the distress and despair that comes from sin through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Help me to remember to celebrate your saving work in my life and sing the song of the redeemed each day of my life. Amen.

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Devotional:
Remember me, Lord, when you show favor to your people; come near and rescue me. (Psalm 106:4)

Today’s chapter goes through example after example of how God’s people have messed up. They experienced God’s discipline, but every time God ended up blessing them and pouring out His favor on them just because they were His children. We sin and mess up, too, but it is comforting to know that we don’t have to earn God’s favor because we never could. It’s unconditionally given to us, as through faith in Christ Jesus has taken our punishment and we receive his reward. You are blessed and highly favored, Child of God! Praise God for that today!

Pray it:
Father, thank you for your faithful love to me and to your people, of how you forgive us for when we go astray and restore and renew us time and time again. Help me not take your forgiveness for granted but to give thanks to you and invite others to join in the “Hallelujah” that comes from my lips. Amen.

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Devotional:
They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar. Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character. (Psalm 105:18-19)

Joseph was sold as a slave by his own brothers, and as if that wasn’t bad enough, he was accused of a crime that he didn’t commit and was thrown into prison. He waited and waited for years to receive God’s help while in prison. Eventually, God gave Joseph the interpretations to Pharaoh’s dreams, which led to his release and rise in Egypt but also the saving of God’s people. They were then enslaved in Egypt but eventually delivered and brought to the land God promised. Maybe you feel like Joseph in prison or Israel in Egypt right now, wondering if God is hearing you. Remember His faithfulness to His people and how those difficult moments play a role in the ultimate unfolding of His plans for your life and your salvation.

Pray it:
Father, thank you for your faithfulness to your promises and to your people that I read about in Scripture and am reminded of in this Psalm and the songs I sing. Help me to remember that you continue to be faithful and that your faithfulness is not just to them but also to me. Amen.

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Devotional:
O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures. (Psalm 104:24)

The birds have migrated back, the trees are budding, the flowers are blooming, and our grass is growing a little too quickly. When was the last time you made time to experience God through His creation? When was the last time you paused and just praised God for all the things that He made and for the things that He maintains? Take some time today just to be still and notice how creative and amazing our God is.

Pray it:
Father, your power is beyond my comprehension as the maker of heaven and earth. I praise you for all the things that you have made and for your meticulous, fatherly care for all of creation and for me. Amen.

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Devotional:
For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. (Psalm 103:11)

Did you know the sun is 93 million miles from earth? And we can see it. We can actually see it to the point where we shouldn’t look at it because it would damage our eyes. That’s amazing. How much farther are the heavens away from earth where we can’t see? The fact that we cannot even fathom the distance is the point – that’s how much love our Heavenly Father has for each of us, an incomprehensible amount. But it’s not just His love that is greater than we can imagine, it is also our forgiveness that is as far as the east is from the west (v.12). As we remember and ponder those truths, may we bless the Lord with our innermost being!

Pray it:
Father, help me not to forget the greatness of your love and your grace towards me, one who is like grass and blossoms only for a time, so that I might join with the angels and all of creation in praising you. Amen.

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