Afternoon Devotion

January 7, 2022

Afternoon Bible Verse

Joshua 24:15

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Afternoon Bible Study

Families are important. Every person on the planet was born into the family God prepared for them—it wasn't accidental. Our upbringing shapes the person we become as an adult. By the age of ten, our fundamental core values have already been formed in our lives.

Some people grow up in godly families where their faith is at the forefront of everything they do. For others, faith in God is absent in their homes, and they are left going through life without an Anchor, never certain if they are doing the right thing.

God's Word gives us a foundation to build our lives upon. When we need to make decisions, we can seek God in prayer and study the Bible. Even though we have these guides, the best time to make decisions is before the pressure is on. We can decide on the things that matter before we are standing face to face with them.

Within our families, we can make the choice that Joshua made in the Old Testament—"as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Not everyone grows up in a Christian home, but how you raise your family and care for those around you is a choice that you make. You may not have children or a spouse, but God can use you to lead others at work or in your community.

Stand firm in God's strength to lead yourself and others to Him.

Afternoon Prayer

Lord, I make hundreds of decisions every day. My prayer is that I always make the right choices, but I know there will be times when my choices don't glorify you. In those moments, I'm grateful that you give me grace that I don't deserve. Remind me to search your Word and seek your heart for every decision I make. Thank you for always providing the answers I need. In Jesus' name, amen.

If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.

-C.S. Lewis

God will not look you over for medals, degrees or diplomas but for scars.

-Elbert Hubbard

The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.

-C.S. Lewis

If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to.

-Dorothy Parker

Yesterday's Devotional

January 6, 2022

Yesterday's Afternoon Bible Verse

James 1:2-3

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

Yesterday's Afternoon Bible Study

In some places of the world, dirt roads are common. They allow you to travel through remote and scenic areas, which gives you a beautiful drive.

However, these types of roads are very susceptible to potholes. Heavy rain washes away gravel that keeps the road stable. For the driver who is unaware of the changes in the road, a pothole can cause damage to a vehicle and turn a lovely drive into an unpleasant experience.

All of us hit potholes at different places in our journeys through life. Many times, they catch us off guard and can have a profound effect on us.

In the New Testament, James writes a letter to the Church. He encourages them to "count it all joy" when they face difficult circumstances because it will produce godly character in them.

Yet joy is typically the furthest thing from our minds when we go through tough or tempting situations.

There's a reason why James says that the trying of our faith will produce patience—because these situations try our patience. We might be gliding through life and suddenly hit a pothole that makes us feel stuck and discouraged. But James reminds us that God can use these troubles to make us more like Him.

So the next time you see a pothole in the road, think about the potholes of our lives and how God uses them to draw us closer to Him.

Yesterday's Afternoon Prayer

God, you are aware of every trial I'm currently facing. I know these difficulties provide an opportunity to know and trust you like never before. If it is your will, please remove the struggles I'm facing. But if it will help me grow closer to you, then give me the strength to endure until the end. Then, I will give you all the praise for providing everything I need to be in life. Thank you Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.