Daily Devotional

Southside Church of God - GA

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Daily Devotional

Alone

November 21, 2024

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Alone

“He went up on the mountain and summoned those whom He Himself wanted, and they came to Him.”

Mark 3:13 NASB

It was an important time in Jesus’ ministry. Multitudes followed Him. Many were healed. Others were delivered from unclean spirits.

In this busy time, Jesus was conscious of His need for solitude. After this, He selected a special group to be His primary disciples. These were matters that required discernment and clarity. Here, for the first time in Mark’s Gospel, we see Jesus going to a mountain, where He could make important decisions.

Jesus would return to the mountains on many occasions. We see how these mountains were special places where He could be alone with the Father. It was on a high mountain that Jesus was transfigured (Matthew 17:2). And it was on the Mount of Olives where Jesus delivered an important message just before His ascension.

Jesus also used mountains as analogies to convey spiritual truths. Illustrating the principle of faith, Jesus said that if you speak to a mountain, believing and without doubt that it will move, “It will be granted [you]” (Mark 11:23).

Mountains can be symbolic places for the followers of Jesus. These represent places of pilgrimage, places dedicated to prayer and study, and places where we can be more sensitive to God’s presence.

Look for opportunities to spend time with God, freed from distractions. Pray, study, seek His help for the decisions you must make, and spend time alone with Him.

Reflection Question: How can you make room in your schedule for time with your Father?

Daily Devotional

November 23, 2024

Continual Investment “Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether one or the other will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.” Ecclesiastes 11:6 NASB How does a person become a world-class musician? Natural abilities are important, but many with ability fail to live up to their potential. Over and over, great musicians testify to the impact of the investment of time to practice. Ignacy Jan Paderewski, the great Polish pianist and statesman, once declared that “the very essence of success is practice.” Investing time is not optional for those wanting to be great. Describing his opportunity to be music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Sir Georg Solti recalled how he was challenged by the professionalism demonstrated by this orchestra. The players set a standard that caused him to always be prepared, ready, and excellent. This commitment to excellence helps separate the extraordinary from the ordinary. This is expressed in the principle of seedtime and harvest (Genesis 8:22); God rewards those who faithfully invest the time and resources they have been given. Realize that blessings flow when we plant seeds we have been given and when we invest in His Kingdom and the lives of others. This is a commitment that is repeated continually by those who are not content with the ordinary and want to achieve excellence. Ask yourself what you are doing with the resources God has given you. Are you content with the ordinary or looking to receive the abundant harvest God has prepared? Commit to sowing. Always invest your time and resources. Reflection Question: How are you using the resources and talents that God has given you?

Daily Devotional

November 22, 2024

God Promises Protection “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” —Hebrews 13:5, NKJV Never doubt that you are in the midst of a battle—a spiritual battle with Satan, who will do everything he can to discourage and defeat you. Never underestimate his determination or misunderstand his intentions. God wants to teach us how to defend ourselves against sin and Satan. Satan, the ultimate bully, attacks us at our weakest points and wants to defeat us so that we will not be effective for God. God offers spiritual “training” to build us up inside in much the same way that physical exercise can build us up on the outside. He has also provided all the resources we need to defend ourselves and keep Satan at bay. These include the Bible, prayer, faith, righteous living, and the Holy Spirit within us. But, like physical training, we must be diligent in their application. God has not promised to shield us from trouble, but He has promised to protect us in the midst of trouble. Most of all, never forget that because of Christ’s death and resurrection, Satan is already a defeated foe—and someday the war will be over. Hope for Today Satan loves to be underestimated. He would love for believers to view him as a harmless cartoon character. Scripture paints a very different picture. We must be on guard for the enemy who seeks to devour.

Daily Devotional

November 20, 2024

Crucified With Christ “Be imitators of God as dear children.” —Ephesians 5:1, NKJV The story is told of a man who glanced at the obituary column in his local newspaper. To his surprise he saw his own name, indicating that he had just died. At first he laughed about it. But soon the telephone began to ring. Stunned friends and acquaintances called to inquire and to offer their sympathy. Finally, in irritation, he called the newspaper editor and angrily reported that even though he had been reported dead in the obituary column, he was very much alive. The editor was apologetic and embarrassed. Then in a flash of inspiration, he said, “Don’t worry, sir, I’ll make it all right; tomorrow I’ll put your name in the births column.” This may sound like merely a humorous incident, but it is also a spiritual parable. Not until we have allowed our old selves to be nailed to the Cross and to die can our new selves be born again and emerge to grow up into the likeness of Christ. The Bible is marvelously true: “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins. . . . Therefore be imitators of God as dear children” (Ephesians 2:1; 5:1). Hope for Today As children of God, we can both obey His commands and copy His behavior, knowing we have been raised to imitate our heavenly Father.