Afternoon Devotion

March 24, 2021

Afternoon Bible Verse

Mark 12:30

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Afternoon Bible Study

Eternal love is the very nature of God. It permeates everything He has ever done and is demonstrated by the love He has for His creation.

This afternoon's verse tells us that the "first commandment" is to love God all the way to the core of who we are. When the center of our being is rooted in love, then everything we do flows from that place.

This Scripture instructs us to love God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength—everything. It's not merely an emotion; it's an action.

As the "first" or "greatest" commandment, we are reminded that our motivation should be solely to serve the Lord. We have to surrender ourselves daily: our emotions, thoughts, feelings, and desires. This will never be a one-time act. It is something we will always have to do in order to submit to God with all we have.

When we are satisfied in Him alone, we are content in every other area of life. Our love for God is cultivated through prayer, worship, and fellowship with God. Then, not only can we love God above all things, but more than things and with everything. The bottom line is and always will be ... love God.

Afternoon Prayer

Lord, I love you. Today I give you my heart, mind, and soul. I choose to depend on your strength as you guide and direct my life. Please help me not to be led by my own desires, but to seek your ways in everything I do. In Jesus's 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

March 23, 2021

Yesterday's Afternoon Bible Verse

1 Corinthians 6:19

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

Yesterday's Afternoon Bible Study

According to scientists, only 4 percent of the population has no health problems. As a society, we are not very good at taking care of ourselves. We work too hard and rest too little. We overindulge when we should be cutting back. Many people have vices that they allow to affect their health even though they are aware of the consequences.

In this afternoon's verse, Paul reminds people in the Corinthian church that their bodies are not their own. Our Creator God crafted our human form in His likeness. He has given us the know-how and ability to treat our bodies as something special.

This Scripture says that we are a "temple of the Holy Ghost." Rather than just living for ourselves and our own purposes, we should live for the knowledge that the Holy Spirit dwells in us.

When we are tempted to sin, we should be mindful that our bodies are meant to bring glory to God, not to fulfill our sinful desires. Our inner self is a sacred, holy place where God lives.

God has made us stewards of everything we possess that He has given to us. It's our responsibility to give everything back to God. He is the owner, and we are the caretakers.

We were purchased for a very high price through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. It's a privilege to honor Him in how we live and welcome His Spirit in our lives.

Yesterday's Afternoon Prayer

Dear God, it is an honor to serve you with my life. I want to be effective in spreading the Gospel and telling others about you. Make me a pure and holy vessel for your Spirit to dwell within. Remind me that I am your creation, and everything I have comes from you. In Jesus' name, amen.