Devotionals Archives - Page 10 of 12 - Focal Point Ministries

Time

The Bible makes a sweeping and comprehensive point when we are rhetorically asked, “What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). Consider the magnitude of that question. Scripture goes on to definitively clarify that the Source and Purpose of all the things we tend to feel

Motives

What an amazing experience to have been a follower of Christ during his earthly ministry. Imagine sitting in the crowd listening to him teach, counsel and correct the world in which you lived. Consider the enormous privilege of being able to ask your specific questions and having God’s perfect wisdom delivered to you by the mouth of Christ himself. But even with all of that, Judas proved to be a traitor

The Great Commission

When Christ’s redemptive work was complete he gathered his disciples and, with “all authority in heaven and on earth”, commissioned them (and every subsequent generation) to get serious about their job of propagating the gospel (Matthew 28:18-20). The central verb of this passage is straightforward and notably uncomplicated: “make disciples!” Between the two advents of Christ

Mindful of God

The Christian life is a life that is lived mindful of God. The crux and catalyst for sin is frequently described in the Bible as thoughtlessness or forgetfulness of God (Judges 8:34; 1 Samuel 12:9; Jeremiah 2:32; et al.). Godly living, on the other hand, is prompted and motivated by a chronic remembrance of the presence of God (Deuteronomy 8:18; Proverbs 5:21; Hebrews 4:13; 1 Peter 2:19; et al.). For us as Christians

God’s Calling

When we read of people in the Bible provoking God to anger we ought to take note – especially when the people making God mad are his own children. The last thing we should want is to follow in the erring footsteps of our elder brothers and sisters. One such cautionary incident took place on the day God called Moses to lead Israel’s exodus from Egypt.

God’s Goodness

When joy gives way to sadness and light of good days fades into a dark season of personal pain it is common to hear God’s people questioning the goodness of God. That may be a natural response to our discomfort, but it is not the right...

Conflicting Voices

One of the unpleasant things about being a Christian is the experience of being perpetually bombarded by conflicting “Christian” voices trying to convince us of what God would have us think and do. All these instructors will claim to be

Apologetic Discussions

In a culture where our cognitive attention span is sadly being reduced to a series of sound bites, and important arguments are perceived to be settled with witty one-liners, it is increasingly difficult to

Grace and Sanctification

Unfortunately, there are many these days who have come to believe that as it relates to our sanctification, God’s grace and personal effort are mutually exclusive. They unwittingly, and in some cases intentionally, conflate their understanding of justification with their practice in sanctification

Words

When reading through Proverbs one can’t help but perceive a handful of predominant and recurring themes. One of the most persistent sets of exhortations relates to our chronic tendency to say too much. Over one hundred seventy inspired proverbs seek to impress on our hearts that fools are “babblers” and the wicked are “rash” with their words, but the wise “restrain their tongues”. We are warned in dozens of ways that “When words are many, transgression is not lacking” (Proverbs 10:19).

Moses

When God called Moses to be his representative during a dark hour in Israel’s history, Moses’ response was less than compliant. We might sympathize with his reluctance to stand before Pharaoh and deliver what was sure to be an unpopular message, but God was not so sympathetic.

Defending Truth

First Peter 3:15 commands all Christians to stand up for the truth and defend the hope of the gospel. It also commands that this be done with “gentleness and respect.” Unfortunately, there is something about defending the truth that can

Empty Promises

While the world holds out the promise of happiness, fulfillment and satisfaction, the Bible warns us not to believe it. We live in a world’s system that tries desperately to convince us that if we just had a little more of what the world offers

Intelligence vs Wisdom

There is a big difference between intelligence and wisdom. There are many intelligent people who are utterly devoid of wisdom and many wise men and women who didn’t fare well on the SATs. Wisdom is described in the Bible as

God Hates Pride

While it may not be vogue to ponder the things God says he hates, it would do us well if we are to be people resolved to please him. It should not be hard for most of us to recall the repulsions at the top of God's list. For the Creator has repeatedly

Friendships

Many of us secretly hope that becoming a Christian won’t affect our preexisting friendships. But the natural and necessary division that Jesus promised is inescapable (Mt.10:34-37; Lk.12:51). Yes, we will still

Suffering

In the face of human suffering, pain and injustice, the psalmists and prophets repeatedly cry out with a heartfelt question for the Sovereign One – “How long O Lord?” They struggle...

Planning

he Bible has a lot to say about God’s “good purpose” (Phil.2:13, Heb.6:17). It seems that on every other page we read of another instance of God working out his predetermined plan...

Conduit

Most of us prefer to live on a cul-de-sac. We tend to like them because they allow us the tranquility of forgoing all the unnecessary traffic running through our lives. After all, the main streets allow way too much congestion coming our way that ultimately...