The entrance of Your words gives light. Psalm 119:130
Recommended Reading: PSALM 119:124-130 “Deal with your servant according to your love
and teach me your decrees.125 I am your servant; give me discernment
that I may understand your statutes.126 It is time for you to act, Lord;
your law is being broken.127 Because I love your commands
more than gold, more than pure gold,128 and because I consider all your precepts right,
I hate every wrong path.129 Your statutes are wonderful;
therefore I obey them130 The unfolding of your words gives light;
it gives understanding to the simple.131 I open my mouth and pant,”
COMMENTS: The Bible is available in many English translations and paraphrases to make it more readable and understandable, but many still prefer King James Version because it is the version they grew up with and were first introduced to and also because it has a style of rhythm that makes it a bit easier to memorize. I use King James when copy scripture into these devotional because King James is old enough to be in public domain so is not restricted by copyright or other legal restrictions imposed on newer translations. The reasons I include scripture in these devotions instead of just identifying the scripture reference is both to make devotion complete for reader and to provide scripture quote for reader who does not have access to a Bible. That is all too common in underdeveloped countries and especially in countries prohibiting Bibles due to oppressive leadership in those countries.
Our Bible was written by many men all inspired by God Himself over a 1600-year period. Many years and exhaustive work of many devoted men also discerned in selecting books and letters which would become scripture and standard for selection. The Bible has been debated and method of selection of it’s contents debated as well, but it has withstood all critics and debates over the centuries and still does. The New Testament books and letters was added to the already established books of the Old Testament in 3rd century and King James was first to authorize the translation into English in 1619 so all could have access to it. The printing press enabled it to be mass copied so it would be available to every household desiring it and over recent centuries has consistently become the most acquired book. Voltaire was a famous atheist who once said his books would last forever and the Bible would be forgotten. Yet 50 years later Voltaire was long dead and his very home had become a place Bibles were printed. No other book has impacted and transformed the lives of so many over so long a period of time, but no other book has survived and maintained the reputation of being God’s Word. NOT OTHER BOOK HAS BEEN CALLED GOD’S LOVE LETTER TO HUMAN BEINGS. No other book even calls itself the LIVING WORD. Also, no other book has persuaded atheists to accept Christ and become Christian simply by reading it without outside persuasion. Thousands if not millions had done just that over the centuries. Thousands still are.
There are many valid ways to read and study scripture. The reading through the Bible in 90 days is a more recent method, requiring reading 12 pages per day. This method can be valuable in gaining an overall perspective and discovering how well it moves through history and how God interacts and responds to people throughout history. But a slower and more detailed study of each book opens hidden treasures and truths the reader discovers to be just as true and applicable today to each of us individually as it was when written. The wisdom of Proverbs and the worship and praise of Psalms reveals words and truths and methods that draw the reader closer to God and also to a much deeper and wiser discernment when making critical life choices. The stories given in scripture shows mistakes and consequences as well as wise choices and blessed results. They also showed God’s influence and impact as well as His mercy on those who repent and judgment on those who refuse to repent. Scripture also reveals who our real enemy is. Scripture also reveals how powerful and good God is and assurance He always prevails and always will. Many may not like or agree with God’s commands and truth and instruction, but we are told one day “every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Romans 14:11, Philippians 2:10, Revelation 5:13)
Studying the Bible is not like studying a textbook or reading a novel. Only when we read it in an attitude of prayer seeking God’s instruction and council can it become alive and we can feel and hear the Holy Spirit speaking to our soul and revealing Himself to us.
That is my experience often while reading each day’s scripture and as write these comments. My prayer also is that you also experience God’s presence and council as you read and reflect on His Word as well.
The patriarchs and matriarchs of the Old Testament, and many others who were in close fellowship with God, enjoyed a close relationship with God but did not have the New Testament and a complete Old Testament to read and council them. They did not have the Holy Spirit or the revelation of Christ’s redemption in the cross and resurrection to inspire and guide them, but they still lived amazing lives and left a legacy that not only transformed their lives but continue to impact and transform ours because of being recorded in scripture. We have the benefit of a complete Bible available to us and the revelation and abiding presence of the Holy Spirit available to each of us, so we have an advantage they did not. That means we are also more accountable. Maybe we don’t have talents or gifts like some, but God has shown many times throughout history that He enjoyed and prefers using unlikely people from modest places and modest means and with modest gifts and talents to do His great work and accomplish things of eternal worth and eternal impact. We just need to get close to Him with open ears and an open heart to receive and to obey. That is how we need to approach scripture, how we need to approach prayer. How we need to approach Him. AMEN? AMEN!
“I have carried one Bible with me a great many years. It is worth a good deal to me, and I will tell you why: I have so many passages marked in it.” D. L. Moody
If you wish, you can access my blog at “https://donsdevotions.wordpress.com“. There you will find 158 blog posts I have made plus a link to my devotional journal material archives from 2013 to present.
You may also access my facebook page and request to be my friend and automatically receive my daily journal publications daily. My facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/Don1951
My hope and prayer is, they will become a source of encouragement and tools in ministry for you.
Published by donsdevotions
Don McDaniel - Who am I?
Hello everyone and welcome to my devotional journal blog. In order to get acquainted and help you get to know me a bit better before considering following my blog, let me give you some background. I am a 74-year-old male and a retired engineer. I worked for a major supplier of underground mining equipment for nearly 40 years before retiring in 2012. Arlene and I have been happily married since April 1978 and have two grown – married children, one granddaughter and 2 step grandsons. I joined the local United Methodist church at age 12 after accepting Christ as my Savior at age 10 during revival services in that same church in 1961, so I have been a “Born Again” Christian all my teen years and adult life. Christ has helped and guided me all that time. He guided me in choosing my wife and life’s career. My life journey has included regrets and failures, but God has picked me up and protected and spared me from life threatening consequences and dangers more times than I can recall or count. But many I do recall and encourage and motivate me to trust and follow Christ with more passion than ever.
Christmas 2011 our daughter gave Arlene and I each a devotional journal. Journals were books with devotion for each day and space to give personal impressions and thoughts related to each devotion. Her desire was to have a lasting legacy she could refer back to and share with her children and grandchildren especially after we are gone. I was touched by that gesture. My parents and Arlene’s were devout Christians, so we would have greatly treasured having that from them, so we felt a sense of urgency to honor her request. I finished my journal first and returned it to our daughter the following Christmas. I’m glad I did it then because Parkinson’s has caused my hand writing to deteriorate since then. The exercise was such a blessing for me. Discipline of keeping journal helped me gain a deeper walk with Christ and greater discipline in honoring my time of prayer and devotion with Him each day. So, I decided to continue the practice but since I could not find a paper journal I liked, I decided to create my own. I had already been receiving electronic devotions by email every day from several sources, my favorite being “Turning Point” from Dr. David Jeremiah. What I decided to do was to include devotional scripture but add my own thoughts and comments only so there would be no issue of copyright infringement. Creating and maintaining journal by computer also addressed my deteriorating handwriting ability. I started an electronic devotion journal January 1, 2013 and have been faithful to that practice every day since. I prayed about method and level of distribution. My initial intent was to only share it with my two children by email, but quickly discovered others in my family, my church, and friends from work (both retired and still working) who knew me and wanted to be included in distribution when they learned what I was doing. I now distribute by email my daily journal at the beginning of each month to over 150 friends and relatives. God has richly blessed and encouraged me.
I am concerned with the state of our church and nation, and world for that matter, believing we are living in the end times the prophets of old and Christ have talked about in scripture, so time is short. I desire to be true to my Savior and a witness to help others come to a saving knowledge of Him and equipped to share His Good News too. If my journal can encourage and help others, I believe God wants me to share it. I struggled, for a time at first, because I know many others keep similar journals but only for their own edification and do not want to share them because they are private.
However, Christ has stirred my heart to share it as a witness tool.
Our son and daughter have a long-time friend who grew up with them who we also befriended nearly 25 years ago. He had a lot of family problems, so would gravitate to our family as a refuge and eventually thought of us as his adopted parents and he as our adopted son. We lost contact with him for some time when he grew up and left home. He traveled around the U.S. and eventually ended up in Ukraine where he resided for next 10 years. He had to return to the US to renew his visa and took opportunity to recommend I begin a blog of my devotions and helped me set it up. He is also an active blogger and has been an email subscriber to my journal for several months, so he has been suggesting I expand my distribution by starting a blog to get broader exposure. After reflection and prayer, I concluded God was in this, so he is helping me set up my blog site. This brief autobiography is my first entry.
He returned to Ukraine, then resided there until circumstanced made him decide to move back to US with his young son. This biography was my first post February 29, 2016 .
I have published 600 posts from 2016-2023 automatically sent to all my Facebook friends, published on WordPress to be accessible to anyone curious or seeking a deeper walk with God. I decided to take a sebatical to prepare for a new chapter. In 2014 I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease which affects patient ability to walk, drive, do physical work, and eventually talk. By mid 2023 it became evident our home for last 42 years (previously owned by my parents for previous 44 years and by my mother's grandparents for 39 years before that) would eventually not meet my needs so we decided to sell it and move into 1st floor of a duplex we also owned that was the town school from 1855-1913. Likewise, the property was requiring more maintenance that I was no longer able to keep up with. 2023 involved selling our home and moving into apartment next door and then in early 2025 an opportunity to move closer to our daughter and granddaughter in Kentucky which was completed in May 2025. For a number of months I have been seeking direction seeking God's direction and timing to return to blogging as my journey with Parkinson's continues to unfold with God's guiding hand in mine.
I hope and pray my devotions will continue to be a blessing for you. God certainly has become closer and more real to me since started this blog in 2016. I have spent time with Him studying scripture and praying and listening and writing this journal. I will continue seeking God’s help and will welcome your input to make this site as meaningful as I can and true to God, who is motivating me to create and maintain it. I will also welcome input in order to make format more meaningful going forward.
Don & Arlene McDaniel
In His Service,
Email: mcdanieldonald769@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Don1951
If you wish, you can access my blog at “https://donsdevotions.wordpress.com“. There you will find 600+ blog posts I have made plus a link to my devotional journal material archives from 2013 to present (https://donsdevotions.wordpress.com/2016/03/02/link-to-dons-devotional-journal-entries-2013/ )
You may also access my Facebook page and request to be my friend and automatically receive my daily journal publications daily. My Facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/Dondevotionals/ Many thanks to a pastor and dear brother in Christ in Nepal who set up the above Facebook page to help and encourage and give opportunity for more to explore and use my devotional blog materials. View all posts by donsdevotions
donsdevotions 