| My online devotional today Testimony of SteadfastnessJuly 21 2025, Written By Marilyn Adams |
| Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.Ephesians 6:10 |
| I love the story of the three young Hebrew men. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego stood their ground. The face of the enraged king that they served loomed before them. He demanded that they bow down to the image he had erected.Daniel 3:17-18 reports their reply when the king ordered them to be burned alive: “…our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace…But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”Those three young men stood fast in the testimony of God’s power to deliver them. They made it clear that their true master was the one true God.Our lives are challenged by unseen forces of evil. Yet we who serve that same one true God, have his almighty resurrection power within us. We do not fight with man-made weapons. Our strategic weapon is the written word of God.Let’s follow Jesus’ example. He withstood the devil through the scripture, God’s written word (Matthew 4:1-11). That is our mighty weapon as well. God’s word that is hidden in our heart, is like an arrow in a hunter’s quiver. When the enemy of our soul comes against us, we will stand through our testimony of steadfastness. Then reaching for our arrow of truth, we destroy and negate his attack. Father God, I am so thankful that you have given me your word to hide in my heart. Thank you for this secret weapon that quenches the lies of the devil’s fiery darts. Thank you for the assurance that no weapon formed against me will prosper. |
faith
God’s Word Is Pure
Psalm 12:6 says, “The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.”
Yesterday I listened to a message on how prayer is to be our priority
He said, “Prayer is the breath of dependence.”
He talked about the Welch revival. A group of folks were praying. A young deacon read Psalm 24
Then asked the Lord. “Are my hands clean? Are my thoughts pure?”
Our thought life is purified when we bring God’s pure word into our hearts
David wrote Psalm 26. Verse 2 is a prayer of dependence we can use. There is only One who knows the source of our thoughts
It says, “Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my mind and my heart.”
Prove means to test. Try means to refine. Our trials are designed to expose the hidden dross that will weaken our faith. 1 Peter 1:7
What Is Godliness? Part Three
What has been withheld from you because you have acted independent of the Lord? We are called to exemplify Him in every aspect of our lives. Sin always leads us into ungodliness because we are acting without the Lord.
What do you lack? Psalm 34:9-10 says, “Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.”
The Hebrew word for lack means one who is impoverishing himself. How do you sabotage your relationship with the Lord? One way is to not set Him first. David wrote Psalm 16. Verse 8 says, “I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.”
Godliness is acknowledging the Lord every moment of our lives. That means to include Him through our thoughts first, which will translate into our actions.
What Is Godliness? Part One
1 Timothy 6:6 says, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain.” Our church’s small group is going through “Respectable Sins” by Jerry Bridges. His definition of godliness is like one I never heard before. It is living with the constant awareness of our need for the Lord.
It reminds me of John 15:5 that says, “…for without Me you can do nothing.” Yet how many times we live on auto pilot. We often make plans without consulting the Lord.
I love David’s example. Here is a passage I frequently visit in my mind. He was faced with a desperate situation. 2 Samuel 5:19 says, “So David inquired of the Lord…” and the Lord gave him specific directions.
Then the same scene was repeated. David did not go out on his own. Verse 23 says, “Therefore David inquired of the Lord…” and this time the Lord gave him a totally different direction. Both the same situations, but the Lord’s way was not the same.
Harvest Seed
We are to plant with the harvest seed in mind. Though this was written about finances, think of your words as seeds. 2 Corinthians 9:10 in the Amplified says, “And (God) Who provides seed for the sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your (resources for) sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness…”
Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Are your words producing life-giving seeds, or life-destroying weed seeds? Do folks shrink from the tone of your voiced words, or do they expectantly lean into taking the succulent fruit?
Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech always be with grace…” Ecclesiastes 10:12 says, “The words of the wise man’s mouth are gracious…”
God’s Ways Are Unsearchable ~ Part One
Isaiah 40 is a great chapter. I visit it when I need perspective. The words are so picturesque. Verse 12 says, “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, measured heaven with a span and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountain in scales and the hills in a balance?”
Verse 25 says, “To whom then will you liken Me, or to whom shall I be equal? says the Holy One.” Verse 28 says, “…The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.”
Romans 11:33 says, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!”
Here is one I love. Job 26:14 says, “Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, and how small a whisper we hear of Him!…”
God’s Counsel Is Immutable ~ Part One
Hebrews 6:17 says, “Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it with an oath.” Immutability means unchangeableness.
I love this about the Lord. Ephesians 1:11 says, “In Him we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.”
What is God’s will? 2 Peter 3:9 says that He is longsuffering, “…not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Jesus died on the cross for all. Everyone without exception has the opportunity to accept Him as their personal Lord and Savior.
Job questioned God, and God answered. Job 38:2 says, “Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?” If you haven’t read this chapter in a while, I encourage you to do so. The marvelous power of God is displayed before Job.
God’s Purpose Revealed ~ Part One
2 Timothy 1:9 says that God’s plan for salvation was determined before time began. Verse 10 says, “But has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”
The One Who spoke ‘Let there be light’ is Light. John 1:3-4 says, “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”
Verse 9 says, “That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.” 2 Corinthians 4:6 says, “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” The mystery remained in God’s heart until it was time for Jesus to be revealed.
God’s Purpose ~ Part One
2 Timothy 1:9 says, “Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.”
As I was memorizing this verse, I stopped to savor this point. God’s own purpose and grace. I encourage you to say this: I am saved according to God’s own purpose and grace. Roll it around in your mind, savor every word, and let it permeate your heart.
Then take your thoughts to the truth that this was all set in place before time began. Genesis 1:4-5 says, “…God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.”
We live by time. God orchestrates our lives through His purpose for each of us that will never be thwarted. Job 42:2.
Made Without Hands ~ Part One
Colossians 2:11-12 says, “In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”
As I started to memorize verse 11 I thought back to accounts that required no hands. Remember the king’s dream? Daniel 2:45 says, “Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands…”
Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Verse 3 says, “Then God said, Let there be light; and there was light.” No hands involved in all of creation except when He created man.
Genesis 2:7 says, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”
M's Creations 