Devotion – Be real
Jesus was rough on Pharisees: ‘Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness’ (Matthew 23:28 NLT). They
You’re almost there!
Devotion: Term 2, Week 6
‘I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.’ Philippians 3:14 NIV
Psychologists say the strongest influence on our present is often our past. But Paul said: ‘… But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 3:13-14 NLT). One counsellor writes: ‘I know you’re tired … overwhelmed … as though … this hard time will last forever. It won’t. You are almost there. You don’t just think it has been hard; it has been hard. You have been tested and retested on what you have learned. Your faith tried in fire. More problems occurred than you anticipated …You did not plan on this, yet it has been good. Part of you, [your spirit], has sensed this even when your head told you that things were out of whack … that there was no plan, that God had forgotten you. Each incident—the most painful, troubling, most surprising—has a connection.’ ‘And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose’ (Romans 8:28 NIV).
The counsellor continues, ‘Things were meant to happen this way. You didn’t believe it would take this long, but it did. You have learned patience. Many moments you thought you were forgotten. Now things are coming into place. You are almost at the end of this difficult portion of the journey. You have been climbing a mountain. It has not been easy, but mountain climbing is never easy. Now, you are near the top. A moment longer, and victory shall be yours. Steady your shoulders. Breathe deeply. Move forward in confidence. The time is coming to enjoy all which you have fought for … Your struggle has not been in vain. For every struggle on this journey, there is a climax, a resolution … There will be more mountains, but now you know how to climb them.’
SoulFood: Rev 5-9, Mark 10:23-34, Ps 121, Pro 12:23-24.
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright © 2025
Other Devotions
Devotion – You’re almost there!
Psychologists say the strongest influence on our present is often our past. But Paul said: ‘… But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind
Devotion – You can learn to love
You can learn to love by thinking loving thoughts. By focusing on the other person’s needs, pains, difficulties, goals, and desires, not just your own.
