For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
Scripture Reading: ISAIAH 1:18 “18 “Come now, and let us reason together,”Says the Lord,“Though your sins are like scarlet,They shall be as white as snow;Though they are red like crimson,They shall be as wool.”
COMMENTS: Those Who have not experienced a personal saving relationship with Christ view the Bible only as old book. Some may view it as a valuable book that gives valid wisdom and history and experience that is still applicable. Some view it as a book that had value in previous generations but modern times have rendered it obsolete. But some view the Bible as either a religious book equal to the Koran or scripture of other beliefs. Yet some even view the Bible as a false book of superstitions and lies.
Well, history has a much different view to report of the Bible. There have been some throughout history who have misquoted or misinterpreted it in order to justify their own selfish agenda, but the overwhelming majority of those who read and studied and followed the Bible and sought to be in fellowship with the God of the Bible, tell and show a much different story. The story of a personal letter of concern and love and discipline and instruction written by many people over 1600 years but inspired and guided by the personal relationship they had with God. The Bible even reports many instances of lives of those who both started out faithful and turned away from God, those who started out in rebellion and turned to God, and those who were faithful all their lives.
The Old Testament portion of the Bible shows many examples of transforming nature of a relationship with God and life-giving wisdom and council and help God provides to those who follow and obey Him along with consequences to those who don’t. The Old Testament also gives ample examples of God’s long suffering and eagerness to forgive and give those who repent a start over.
But the New Testament gives us much more. Recorded is the birth and life of the Messiah, Christ – God’s Son. Jesus’ life perfectly shows and teaches us what God is like and how He wants us to live. Jesus demonstrated great compassion and ability to forgive without compromising God’s standard of conduct and obedience to His law.
The Bible teaches a God given requirement of obedience but also a requirement of being in relationship with Him. Not a requirement to earn that relationship but a requirement to accept it as a free gift that was paid for by God Himself dying on the cross to pay the price, He demanded in order to be in relationship with Him. No other religion or faith teaches such a doctrine or concept. Works do not earn that relationship but are evidence of genuineness of that relationship. Motivation is then out of love and compassion instead of duty or obligation.
Have you ever known anyone or been in a job you hated or at least didn’t enjoy? Maybe it was because of the work or more likely because of conflicts or incompatibility with co-workers or a boss. Personality differences or emotional friction is all too common and negatively impacts work quality and efficiency and quantity. In such environment employees and supervisors most certainty feel tired and discouraged. Health symptoms and ripple affect on relationships with family and friends and co-workers is the life consequences millions or even billions endure in the world today and in generations past.
BUT THAT IS NOT THE LIFE GOD HAS SHOWED AND TAUGHT US ABOUT IN HIS WORD, THE BIBLE! The Bible shows us wonderful stories like Daniel and Joseph and Esther and Noah and Samuel and Mary & Joseph and … so many more. Stories of forgiveness and courage in the midst of terrible adversity and stories of God’s sure and true council and help when needed most.
But above all, the sure promise of an eternal bright future free from the pain and suffering endured in this world and with God, who loves and cares for us and is even now preparing our eternal home for us. A home where we won’t be alone but not only with Him but also with loved ones and with those of old whom we’ve heard and read of.
Take a few minutes and think about some couples we know well. Married couples who have been together so long they can finish each other’s sentences. They communicate often without words. I chucked because we are one of those couples. We used to think it romantic to see elderly couples hold hands but now realize we need to do so to keep each other from falling. Holding hands still is a want to motivation but added now is a “need to”. But now, we have a lifetime of memories to add to and strengthen our love for each other but even more strengthen our love for Christ and trust in Him.
God knows us intimately. But even more the Bible is a Living Book giving Life because of being the Word of God. God is obviously “living and powerful,” but so is His Word. God can discern the “thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12) and communicate and respond to us directly through His Word. This is one of the benefits of reading Scripture consistently—to show us who we really are on the inside. And when we encounter a verse that lets us know we have fallen short of God’s glory; we can immediately go to God in confessional prayer and be forgiven.
Let the Word be a mirror for your heart. And let God cleanse you of any thought or intent that is not pleasing to Him.
“We can’t really tell how crooked our thinking is until we line it up with the straight edge of Scripture. “ Elisabeth Elliot
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
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