August 15, 2020


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Today's Bible Verse
"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."
James 4:10 (KJV)



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Today's Bible Study
In this verse from James, we learn about the key to success in the Christian life: humility. We should not strive to get accolades or attention. Instead, we should trust that the Lord sees us and all of our efforts. Putting on humility is the key to allowing the Lord to truly work in our lives, and we can trust that He will be faithful to move on our behalf.

The Gospel states that we are not saved by grace alone, not by any of our good works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Nothing we could ever do would make us worthy of salvation. When we first sinned against the Lord, we lost every right to have a relationship with Him. The only way we could be right with the Lord would be through Jesus, who gave His life for us so our sins could be forgiven. Jesus did for us what we could never do; we are saved because of what He did.

The natural response to the gospel is humility. When we realize that our relationship began with the Lord showing us mercy, it helps us have a rightfully humble attitude of submission to the Lord. Instead of bragging about our salvation or taking pride in the fact that the Lord is good to us, we can focus on the mercy and love of the Lord. In turn, we begin to express mercy and love in response to Him … we put Him first, above ourselves and everything else.


When we have surrendered to the Lord, humble in His sight, He will lift us up if He chooses. We see this pattern throughout the Bible. Job was homeless, sick, and had lost most of his family before the Lord redeemed His suffering and blessed Him with twice what he ever had. Joseph was in prison for years before he became second in command of all of Egypt. Daniel was kidnapped and forced to work in an enemy country before he was promoted in Babylon. When the Lord saw fit to lift these men up, they knew the credit belonged to Him and only Him. Their humility was an essential factor in bringing glory to the Lord with their lives.

Today, if you feel like you are tired of always putting yourself last or wishing that the Lord would raise you up, rest in the truth of this verse. It is good to be humble and remember that your salvation--the best thing that could ever happen to you--is the result of God's great mercy. Trust that He will lift you up when the timing is right.
Today's Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you for Jesus. Thank you for saving me. Help me to never forget your great mercy and love for me. Help me to walk in humility, trusting that you know when to raise me up. I know that your timing is perfect. In Jesus's name, amen.
Yesterday's Devotional
August 14, 2020
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Yesterday's Bible Verse
"There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God."
1 Samuel 2:2 (KJV)



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Yesterday's Bible Study
In this morning's verse, Hannah, Samuel's mother, prays as she gives her son to the Lord. She says there is none like the Lord, who is holy. He is a rock, a firm foundation for her faith. Today, we will think about the holiness of the Lord and how His holiness creates a firm foundation for our faith.

Holiness means to be set apart. It is a state of being that is unlike anything else. And that is how the Lord is … He is completely set apart from His creation, totally unlike it.

Indeed, if we want to see what holiness actually looks like, we can think about Jesus's life. He never sinned against God; everything He did was motivated by His desire to serve God. He lived completely untouched by the imperfections that infiltrate our own lives. He was set apart from other people, holy in all that He did.


We can trust the Lord because He is the very definition of holiness; we know that He is not like us. While we might struggle to love someone after the person has hurt us, the Lord does not. We might get tired of being faithful, but the Lord does not. We might want to show justice without grace or mercy, but the Lord does not. The Lord's unchanging holiness is our saving grace.

Because the Lord is holy, He is our rock. We can trust Him today and forevermore because we know He will never change. Instead, we are the ones who change. As we get to know the Lord and walk with Him, we become like Him. He helps us overcome the sin in our lives and transforms our hearts and minds so that we desire the same things that He does. As we become like Him, we too become holy, setting ourselves apart from the sin of the world through the power of the Lord.

Today, if you are like Hannah, striving to serve the Lord and obey His commandments, remember that the Lord is holy and a firm foundation. He will not change, He will be faithful, and you will become more and more like Him as you grow deeper in your relationship with Him.
Yesterday's Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you for being holy. Thank you for being a perfect and firm foundation for my faith. There is none like you, and I love you deeply. Help me to be holy in my thoughts and actions, becoming more and more like you with each passing day. In Jesus's name, amen.
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