Chosen Vessels of God

Ever merciful God, chooses vessels for His glory, honor and praise. We, His children, were sinners saved by grace; we did not choose ourselves, but rather, were chosen of God, according to His will and purpose.  

O, the joy and peace of dwelling in His holy presence, worshipping and serving Him in spirit and in truth; growing in the grace and the knowledge of our Maker, Savior, Redeemer, King of kings and Lord of lords. The more we yield to the Lord, the more His glory fills our lives and is reflected in the world.  

As with Christ, not everyone will be receptive to His gospel. Being a follower of Christ requires much endurance, and there is no lack thereof, for God calls, equips, strengthens and sustains His church, by the power of the Holy Spirit. (See Matthew Chapter 10 about discipleship and its cost.)

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:3-6; see also Ephesians Chapter 2)

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. (John 15:16)

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." (John 8:12; see also Matthew 5:14-16)

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God alone who is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:15-17; see also Acts 9:1-31)

But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14)

He also chose David His servant, and took him from the sheepfolds; from following the ewes that had young He brought him, to shepherd Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance. (Psalm 78:70-71; see also 1 Samuel 16:1-13)

I was no prophet, nor was I a son of a prophet, but I was a sheepbreeder and a tender of sycamore fruit. Then the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said to me, "Go, prophesy to My people Israel." (Amos 7:14-15)

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5; see also Jeremiah 18:1-6)

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions

A Bible Reading For Today

Proverbs 11:30  
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise. 

Hope and Joy

 

A Prayer For Today

Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth;

Unite my heart to fear Your name. 

I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,

and I will glorify Your name forevermore.

(Psalm 86:11 & 12)

The River of God is Life

Loving, faithful God our salvation, merciful and true, is He who purges sin and iniquity, and fills our lives with His beauty and the bounty of His goodness. He causes to flow out of the belly, rivers of living water. He waters and prunes His fruitful trees of righteousness, His planting, so that they may bear more fruit, to the glory and praise of His name. 

He cares for His earth; He waters it and causes things to grow.

Isaiah 61:1-3
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

Genesis 2:8-10
The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads.

Genesis 2:15-17
Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and to keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.

Psalm 65:9-13
You visit the earth, and water it, you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; You provide their grain, for so You have prepared it. You water its ridges abundantly, you settle its furrows; You make it soft with showers, You bless its growth. You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance. They drop on the pastures of the wilderness, and the little hills rejoice on every side. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered with grain; they shout for joy, they also sing.

Revelation 22:1-2
And He showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (See also Revelation 21:6)

Isaiah 55:1-2
Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.

John 7:37-39
In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that believeth on Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified. (See also John 4:10-14)

Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. (See also Matthew 6:25-34)

1 Thessalonians 5:19
Quench not the Spirit

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions

More Bible Readings: Psalm 1; Psalm 36:5-9; Psalm 63:1-5; Proverbs 14:34; 2 Samuel 23:2-4; Isaiah 41:17-20; Isaiah 43:2; Isaiah 43:18-19; Isaiah 45:8; Isaiah 48:17-18; Isaiah 61:11; Jeremiah 17:5-10; Jeremiah 17:12-13; Jeremiah 31:10-14; Ezekiel Chapter 47; John 6:35-40; John Chapter 15; Romans 14:17; Galatians 5:22-23; Philippians 1:9-11; Colossians 1:1-6

Good Tidings of Great Joy

Related Bible Readings: John 3:16-21; Luke 2:7-14; 1 John 4:14; Colossians 1:12-29

The joy of the Lord be yours,
this Christmas and forever!

- A Walk  In The Garden Devotions

The Humility of Our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus

A Declaration of Thanks, Praise and Worship

Thank You Lord, for the blessing of Your salvation, Your love, Your light and truth. 

You are the Lord God Almighty! There is none like You or ever shall be. Thank You for Your mighty hand and outstretched arm—mighty to save, mighty to deliver, God who loves and cares for our souls. Thank You for Your goodness.

All power belongs to God, all authority. Blessed be God, who sits on His throne, ruling over all—Holy, righteous, just and true, longsuffering, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in mercy. 

Be magnified, be glorified, be exalted, Lord of hosts. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost! 

Amen and Amen.

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions

Related Devotion

Heartstrings: Glorious Praise to the God of Heaven and Earth

Thursday Blessings: Trust in the Lord With All Your Heart

A Prayer

Lord God, all-wise, incline our hearts to trust You completely, 

acknowledging You in all our ways. You have no pleasure
in the stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears.

Thank You for Your correction, instruction and guidance; 

Your ways are perfect. Thank You for filling us
with Your Holy Spirit, with joy and peace,
as we trust in You. Amen and Amen.

Related Bible Readings:

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is in the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit." (Jeremiah 17:7-8; See contrast to God's blessing in Jeremiah 17:5-6; See Also Psalm 1)

Seasons of Transformation

Read Devotion

Daily Growing in the Lord Our God

He who made us and redeemed us with His precious blood, desires to be formed in us, and have us grow in the knowledge of Him, in whom we live, and move and have our being, the Creator of all things visible and invisible, the Lord God Almighty. He wants us to bud, blossom and fill the whole earth with His fruits, bringing glory and honor to His name. The Lord be glorified, the Lord be magnified, the Lord be exalted!

"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." (Luke 2:52)

"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love." (Ephesians 4:11-16)

"As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving." (Colossians 2:6-7)

"Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious." (1 Peter 2:1-3)

"Everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." (Hebrews 5:13-14)

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase."
(1 Corinthians 3:6-7)

"And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." (Philippians 1:9-11)

"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:18) 

"Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen." (2 Peter 3:18)

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions

God's Word Sown on the Soil of Fertile Hearts, Brings Forth Much Fruit

Jesus explains the parable of the sower and his seed:

Luke 8:11-18
"The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they shall believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience. No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."

Related Bible Readings: Luke 8:4-10; John 15:1-16; Matthew 7:15-20; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 3:17-21; Philippians 1:9-11; Psalm 119:11

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions

Daily Meditation: Cup of Salvation

Related Devotions: 

Come and Drink, Live in the Fullness of God's Grace

Eat of the Bread of Life and Live Forever!

In The Prayer Garden

Inspiration For Our Daily Christian Walk

Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. (Psalm 141:2)

God's People are His Holy Temple, a Dwelling Place of God in the Spirit, For His Glory and His Praise

From the beginning, mankind was created in the image of God, according to His likeness. It is evident, God's glorious nature was on full display in man; until mankind chose to disobey and fell short of the glory of God. 

"And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden." (Genesis 3:8)

All thanks and praise to the LORD God Almighty, who has redeemed us through the precious blood of Jesus Christ, out of every tribe and tongue and people. The sacrifice of animals for sins was a shadow of Christ's work on the cross. The LORD has called and filled His church with the Holy Ghost, empowering us to bear much fruit and glorify His name.

God's people are His holy dwelling place, His peculiar treasure. He is near to those who call upon Him in truth; to those whose hearts are upright before Him; He makes His presence known to those who seek His face and walk humbly in His ways. He takes away the stony heart and gives us a heart of flesh, to obey His voice and do that which is pleasing in His sight.

In His holy temple, there is hope, joy unspeakable and full of glory, peace like a river, grace, and every good and perfect gift. To Him alone, belongs all glory, honor, praise and worship, perpetually.

"Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; See also Chapter 3, and John 2:19-22)

"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth." (John 4:23-24)

"Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."(Ephesians 2:19-22)

"Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:4-5)

"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9)

In the days of Solomon, when the construction of the temple, he determined to build for God, was completed, and the ark brought into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the Most Holy Place: "It came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD saying: "For He is good, for His mercy endures forever," that the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God." 

Similarly, when Solomon had finished praying at the temple dedication, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. 

(See 2 Chronicles Chapter 5 and 2 Chronicles Chapter 7)

God had said to Solomon: "Concerning this temple which you are building, if you walk in My statutes, execute My judgments, keep all My commandments, and walk in them, then I will perform My word with you, which I spoke to your father David. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel." (1 Kings 6:12-13 )

For the building of the tabernacle, in the days of Moses, God called and filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of artistic workmanship and ability to teach; in him and Aholiab and gifted artisans, to do all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, in the building of the tabernacle, according to the pattern God gave to Moses. At its completion, with all things set in place, as God commanded Moses, the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 

(See Exodus Chapters 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40) 

Christ in us, the hope of glory. Fill us LORD with Your glory! Amen.

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions

Sing Songs of Praise to Our God

Psalm 145:1-3

I will extol You, my God, O King;
and I will bless Your name forever and ever.

Every day I will bless You, and I will praise
Your name forever and ever.

Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; 

and His greatness is unsearchable.

Psalm 92:1-2

It is good to give thanks to the LORD, 
and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
and Your faithfulness every night.

Psalm 33:1-3

REJOICE in the LORD, O you righteous!

For praise from the upright is beautiful. 

Praise the LORD with the harp; make melody to Him
with an instrument of ten strings. Sing to Him
a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy. 

Psalm 104:33-34

I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; 

I will sing praise to my God while I have
my being. May my meditation be sweet to Him; 
I will be glad in the LORD.

The Great Shepherd and His Sheep

Jesus, our Great Shepherd, is leading us through our days and our nights. He is the One who truly cares for us and is watching over us for good. He loves us and desires that we stay close to Him. Apart from His guiding presence, we become the prey of evil that lurks on every side.

We cannot make it through life in our own strength; it is way too small. Our Great Shepherd is our Savior and Lord, who has called us to His perfect rest.

Psalm 23

The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters. He restores
my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness
for His name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow
of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your
rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my
enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of
my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

See Also John 10:1-18 and 1 Peter 2:25

Hebrews 13:20-21

Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions

Inspiration For Our Daily Christian Walk

Easter Sunday Greetings: Glorious Resurrection

The Father sent His Son in the flesh, and the Son finished the work which the Father gave Him to do. He suffered and died for us but was raised to life again. It was not possible for death to hold Him; He is the resurrection and the life. Rejoice! 

Because Christ lives, we too shall live. What blessed hope!

1 Corinthians 15:20-26

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and authority. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.

Romans 6:4-11

Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(See also Romans Chapters 5, 7, 8, 6 in its entirety and Luke Chapter 24.)

1 Corinthians 15:51-57

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."

"O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?"

The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:21

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.  

____________________________

The Comforter who abides with us forever, the Spirit of truth has come, convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and of judgment; filling the body of Christ, His church, with power to accomplish His purposes; empowering us to crucify the deeds of our sinful flesh, as we submit to God who redeemed us with the precious blood of Christ. 

Yielding to the Holy Spirit produces fruit in us, transforming our lives and bringing glory to God.

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions

Jesus Christ, Our Great High Priest, Redeemer, Savior and Lord

Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest, has atoned for our sins, once for all, and has reconciled us to God our Maker. 

God's perfect sacrificial Lamb without blemish, offered Himself for our redemption, and is the only Mediator between God and men.

John 3:16-17
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Ephesians 1:7
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Hebrews 10:1-7
For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.

For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, 'Behold, I have come—In the volume of the book it is written of Me—To do Your will, O God.' "

Isaiah 53:4-6
Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Hebrews 10:14
For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

Hebrews 10:19-23
Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

(See also Hebrews Chapters 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 in its entirety.)

Matthew 27:50-53
And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

Ephesians 2:13-18
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

(See Ephesians Chapter 2 in its entirety.)

The good news of God's salvation is to be proclaimed in all the earth. Whosoever will may come, both Jew and Gentile; receive God's pardon and walk in newness of life.

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions

All God's Judgments are Righteous, Just and True

Holy, loving, faithful, gracious, compassionate, merciful, longsuffering God, is righteous, just and true, and so are all His judgments, in all the earth.

Thus says the Lord God: "I will take also one of the highest branches of the high cedar and set it out. I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and will plant it on a high and prominent mountain. On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it; and it will bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a majestic cedar. Under it will dwell birds of every sort; in the shadow of its branches they will dwell."

"And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the LORD, have brought down the high tree and exalted the low tree, dried up the green tree and made the dry tree flourish; I, the LORD, have spoken and have done it." (Ezekiel 17:22-24)

"Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, for Your judgments have been manifested." (Revelation 15:3-4)

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions

Related Bible Readings: Deuteronomy 32:1-4; 1 Samuel 16:6-7; Psalm 19; Psalm 23; Psalm 75; Psalm 89; Psalm 105; Psalm 145; Proverbs 14:34-35; Ezekiel 31; Isaiah 46:12-13; Isaiah 61:8-11; John 7:24; Acts 10:34-48; Revelation 19 and further study Revelation in its entirety.

View Related Devotion

Let It Rain!

"Ask the LORD for rain in the time of the latter rain. The LORD will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, grass in the field for everyone." (Zechariah 10:1)

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved." (Acts 2:17-21)

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions

God's Word Shall Not Return to Him Void

The Spirit of The LORD is Life and Power

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light." 

"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." 

(Genesis 1:1-3; Genesis 2:7; See Chapters 1 and 2 in their entirety for the creation story, and Ezekiel 37:1-14 about the valley of dry bones.)

"You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; and You renew the face of the earth." (Psalm 104:30)

"There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD." (Isaiah 11:1-2)

"This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts. 'Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of "Grace, grace to it!" ' "

"The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands shall also finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you." (Zechariah 4:6 & 9)

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." (John 6:63)

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8; see also Acts Chapter 2, Isaiah 61:1-3; and Romans Chapter 8)

"When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you." (John 16:13-14; see also John 14:15-21)

"That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:16-21)

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions

Inspiration For Our Daily Christian Walk

Keep your eyes on Jesus, lest you sink. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith, the anchor of our souls, our safe haven.

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions

Related Bible Readings: Matthew 14:22-33; James 1:2-6; Hebrews 6:17-20; Hebrews 12:1-3; Proverbs 3:5-6; Isaiah 43:2; Psalm 46

Related Devotion: Walk on Water

The captain of our salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ, has wrought a great work in the earth, in bringing many sons to glory. O, praise His holy name!

He who was made perfect through sufferings, is perfecting a glorious church. His joy has become ours; let the redeemed declare His high praises!

By Him all things were created, both visible and invisible. The Lord, He is God; from age to age the same. His kingdom is forever. 

Rejoice in the LORD, our eternal hope and stay.

Psalm 100
"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations." 

Hebrews 1:8-12
But to the Son He says: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions."

And: 

"You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain; and they will all grow old like a garment; like a cloak You will fold them up, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not fail."

Hebrews 2:1
"Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.

Colossians 1:3-4
"We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints."

(See Colossians Chapter 1 in its entirety: about walking worthy of the Lord, bringing forth fruit, increasing in the knowledge of God, continuing in the faith, grounded and steadfast, not moved away from the hope of the gospel.)

Hebrews 2:9-13
"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: "I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will sing praises to You."

And again: "I will put My trust in Him." 

And again: "Here am I and the children whom God has given Me."

Hebrews 12:2-3
"Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls." 

Hebrews 13:8
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." 

Philippians 4:4
"Rejoice in the LORD always. Again I will say, rejoice!"

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions

Christmas Blessings: A Savior Who Is Christ The Lord

All glory, honor, praise and thanks to God, for the gift of His Son Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and King! That which was promised, has been fulfilled.

Christ was conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary, the betrothed wife of Joseph of the house and lineage of David. 

"And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (Luke 2:7-14)

Rejoice in His unfailing love; proclaim the good news of His salvation, from day to day. "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace." (Ephesians 1:7)

The Lord who ascended on high, to the right hand of God, is transforming our lives from glory to glory, by His Spirit. He shall come again, to receive His church to Himself, and we shall see Him face to face.

The Lord be magnified, the Lord be glorified, the Lord be exalted, in heaven above and the earth beneath. Amen.

A Merry Christmas to you and yours;
abide in His love!

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions

The King of Glory Wants to Come In

The King of glory is standing and knocking at the doors of our hearts, and wants to come in. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." (Revelation 3:20)

Jesus, the Son of God, born in a manger, died for our sins, and resurrected for our justification, is our light and our salvation—Manifested to destroy the works of the devil and reconcile us to God. 

In Jesus our LORD, we walk in newness of life. Once blind, now we can see. Bless His holy name!

The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned. (Matthew 4:16)

Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. (Psalm 24:9-10)

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions

Season Greetings: Everlasting Joy and Peace

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

A Bible Reading For Today

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Wednesday Blessings: Circumcision

A Prayer

Thank You Lord God, for removing
the stony heart and for a new heart of flesh.
For putting Your Spirit within us; for inclining
our hearts to You, to walk in Your statues, to keep Your
commandments, and Your judgments, and do them.

In Your holy name, I pray. 

Amen and Amen. 

See Also:

 Sanctification

Trust in The LORD with all your heart.

The Lord God Almighty Is The Only God

The Lord God Almighty, who made the heavens and the earth, is the only God. There is none beside Him or ever shall be. Praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded and they were created. He owns the breath of every living creature and all mankind. 

"Who gave Him charge over the earth? Or who appointed Him over the whole world? If He should set His heart on it, if He should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath, all flesh would perish together, and man would return to the dust." (Job 34:13-15)

Idols are worthless. They are a poor substitute and cannot deliver any. In God alone, we must trust and rely on. No one or anything is His equal. The Lord of hosts is His name; worship Him in the beauty of His holiness.

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions

Related Bible Readings:

Exodus Chapter 20; 1 Samuel Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7 and Isaiah Chapter 2

Inspiration For Our Daily Christian Walk

Related Bible Devotion:

Keeper and Preserver of Our Souls