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February
1
The One Minute Devotion
(Exodus 20:16 NNAS) "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
I spent twenty years in Christian broadcasting. During that time our station received hundreds of letters warning us about a bill before congress that would eliminate Christian radio. While there had been a bill introduced to congress years ago limiting the use of the non-commercial band for religious broadcasting,
there had never been a bill introduced to eliminate Christian radio and the infamous Madeline Murray O'Hara (America's famous atheist) had nothing to do with it. No matter how many times we told our listeners the warning was bogus, we continued to receive letters from concerned Christians year after year. What's my
point? Electronic mail has made this type of problem worse. Weekly I receive an email warning me about some company's anti-Christian stand or anti-military stand or supposed links to
Satanism. When I check out this warnings I find ninety-nine percent of them are bogus. As Christians shouldn't we be
interested in spreading the truth? Isn't distribution of such bogus information that defame others "bearing false witness against your neighbor". The Bible says zeal without wisdom is foolishness. While it is important for Christians to stand up for biblical principles, it brings reproach on Christ
and the Church when we bear false witness through the distribution of bogus and defaming information. So, the next time you get an email warning you about some company or group of people; check it out before sending it forward. Don't bear false witness against your neighbor.
May our prayer today be: "Father, help me to be a champion of the truth. Keep me from falling into deception and bearing false witness against anyone".
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| February
2
The One Minute Devotion
(1 Corinthians 11:1 NNAS) Be
imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.
I became a Christian
forty-seven years ago. I have spent those forty-seven years
battling sin, self, the flesh, the world and unbelief.
Unfortunately, most of the unbelief kept coming at me from The Church.
With statements like "nobody's perfect" and "we all
sin" my faith to believe that I could actually imitate Christ was
beaten down more than lifted up. Yet I would read verses that said
I could "do all things through Christ" and that those who
"named the name of Christ should also live as He lived".
What was the truth? Was my goal to simply believe in Jesus and try
to be a good person? Or was there the possibility I could actually
"walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the desires of my flesh"?
My personal walk with God kept going up and down and up and down.
Most Christians would tell me to "just settle for eternal life and
stop thinking you can really be spiritual". And though these
words discouraged my soul, my heart and spirit refused to stop seeking
God. Beloved, it is God's will for us to be imitators of Christ.
It is God's will for us to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the
desires of our flesh. It is God's will for us to be more than
conquerors. And how do we overcome this world with its evil
passions and desires? How do we overcome our flesh, sin and self?
It is faith that brings us the victory. Therefore, believe God and
do not doubt; for nothing is impossible for him who believes. Be
an imitator of Christ. Glorify God in your life.
May our prayer today be: "Father, make me an imitator of
Jesus".
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| February
3
The One Minute Devotion
(Mark 3:33-35 NLT) Jesus replied, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?"
Then he looked at those around him and said, "These are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does God's will is my brother and sister and mother." God is referred to as "Father" throughout Scripture. Jesus called God "Abba" a term which simply means "daddy".
And as believers the Holy Spirit cries out "Abba, Father" in our heart. My point? God is a father, the father of all creation and He has children. And who are the children of God? According to today's verse anyone who does God's will is a child of God. But someone might object and
say "we are made children of God by faith not by obedience". To which the Scriptures reply over and over "true faith leads to obedience". For if we truly believe in God and Jesus we would naturally following their commandments. Obedience may not produce salvation; but salvation does
produce obedience. Anyone who is truly born from above and filled with the Holy Spirit will seek to follow the teachings of Jesus and the commandments of God.
May our prayer today be: "Father, thank You for calling me unto Yourself through Your Son, Jesus. Thank You for adopting me as Your child. Give me the desire and ability to obey You so that I may please You and glorify You."
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| February
4
The One Minute Devotion
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| February
5
The One Minute Devotion
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| February
6
The One Minute Devotion
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| February
7
The One Minute Devotion
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| February 8
The One Minute Devotion
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| February 9
The One Minute Devotion
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| February 10
The One Minute Devotion
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| February 11
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| February 13
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| February 14
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| February 15
The One Minute Devotion
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| February 16
The One Minute Devotion
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| February 17
The One Minute Devotion
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| February 18
The One Minute Devotion
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| February 19
The One Minute Devotion
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| February 20
The One Minute Devotion
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| February 21
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| February 22
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| February 23
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| February 24
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| February 25
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| February 26
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| February 27
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| February 28
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| February 29
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