JACKS DAILY DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS



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Thursday, July 2, 2026 - July 2nd 2026 Walking In Love and Forgiveness


(Ephesians 5:2) "Walk in love, as Christ also has loved us"
 
When it comes to walking in love and forgiveness, it's very difficult on several fronts.
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First, it goes against the carnal nature of sin that we were all born with.
 
(Romans 3:23) ?”for all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God”
 
(Galatians 5:17)  "For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.
 
They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want."
 
Second... there’s a chance others may never know you forgave the offence and the hurt and mental anguish that you went thru… so we don’t want to let it go or forgive because of bitterness (Hebrews 12:15)
 
Third, your heart breaks as you watch the offender live their life in total ignorance of your pain… as if they’d never sinned against you in the first place.
 
John Calvin pointed out that praying for the ability to forgive others unconditionally "is exceedingly difficult"… and early church theologian John Chrysostom called it "the highest summit of self-control".
 
The Bible says in (Job 42:10) that Job’s suffering ended and his prosperity was restored… once he was able to pray for those who’d become a thorn in his side.
 
When you pray this way you put into practice the words of Jesus in His famous Sermon on the Mount… "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44-45)
 
That’s Christ’s standard of forgiveness, and yes it’s a high one.
 
Maybe you’re wondering how anybody could possibly live that way.
 
Unfortunately our world and our society live with an attitude of revenge.
 
If someone hurts me they must pay.
 
But God says, "vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord… I will repay" (Romans 12:19)
 
Look at the life and death of Stephen, the first Christian martyr of the early church.
 
Even while his enemies were stoning him he prayed, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:60).
 
Therein lay one of the secrets of Stephen’s great witness, influence and effectiveness in the early church.
 
True forgiveness is the medicine that heals the deepest of our emotional wounds. ?
 
It closes the door on the past, and gives you grace and motivation to move forward and enjoy the life God wants you to live.
 
Forgiveness doesn't just set your offender free, but it actually sets you free!
 
I believe that the differences we fall into, the conflicts we get into with our brothers and sisters, husbands and wives… its all a matter of pride.
 
Because of the human sinful nature we all possess… we are all faced with the temptation to demand that our rights be respected… that my thoughts be considered worthy… that I be given preference and that I be looked up to.
 
And when we are not given that kind of respect or latitude… we tend to go into a defensive mode of self preservation… lashing out at those whom have offended us or, are not treating us in a manner we think we deserve.
 
But friend let me tell you this.
 
It’s all a matter of pride.
 
Pride is what causes humanity to say “I don’t need God I can do it on my own”.
 
Pride says I’m not a sinner I am a good person… I go to church… I don’t cheat, steal or lie.
 
Pride wraps itself in so called “good works”… but never truly looks at the heart.
 
But the fact of the matter is, the Bible teaches that the human heart has a disease.
 
(Jeremiah 17:9) “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked… who can 
understand it?”
 
Jesus the Great Physician, lists the grim symptoms of this disease… “out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness and slander” (Matthew 15:9)
 
The truth is… if we are not on guard and aware of the “true nature” of our heart,
 
The devil will provoke us and stimulate our hearts with worldly or carnal thought processes… 
causing us to inadvertently be a tool of dissension within the family of God stirring up strife… and there by thwarting the peace of God that is there to help us walk in true forgiveness.
 
I challenge you today with this thought.
 
If you call your self “a child of God”, then you are “duty bound to forgive”!
 
You have a responsibility to pursue peace in the body of Christ at any cost.
 
If you consider your self a child of God, then it is your “responsibility” before God to pursue peace with your brother, yes even if he has hurt you and is in the wrong.
 
The bible says (Colossians 3:15) “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body”
 
How do you do that?
 
You forgive, forgive, and then forgive some more!
 
Lay your pride down!
 
Let it go, give it to God, and choose to walk in love!

And when I say “give it to God”, I don’t mean flippantly saying “ok God it’s your problem, deal with it”.
 
But with prayer and thanksgiving… yes even with tears and sorrow over the broken relationship…
 
Give the issue to God and ask Him to truly bring about His peace and give you the strength and the power to truly walk in forgiveness with the offender.
 
When you do, you will set yourself free from the chains of hurt, bitterness, unrest, anger, anxiety, and open the door for God to truly do a miraculous work of restoration and regeneration!
 
Good Day!
Wednesday, July 1, 2026 - July 1st 2026 O To Be Like Him


(Romans 12:2) “Do not be conformed to this world but be ye transformed”
 
There’s a question I find I am often asking myself in the face of conflict and stress.
 
In the face of challenges or decisions/choices that I have to make… that question is… “What would Jesus do”.
 
In order to answer that, we need to know the character of Christ.
 
It’s one of the reasons we need to study and hunger for an understanding of His Word, “The Bible”.
 
In that “book of the ages” we find these character traits of Christ.
 
:Humility (Matthew 20:26)
:Humble Service (John 13:1-5)
:Holiness (1st Peter 1:15-16)
:Righteousness (1st John 3:7)
:Purity (1st John 3:3)
:Love (Ephesians 5:1-2)
:Forgiveness (Colossians 3:13)
:Compassion (Ephesians 4:32)
:Endurance (Hebrews 12:2-4)
:Submission (1st Peter 2:21-4)
:Obedience (Philippians 2:5-8)
:Kindness (Luke 6:35)
:Generosity (2nd Corinthians 8:1-9)
 
All of these traits that I have listed here are qualities that we as His followers should have emanating from our inner most being to the world around us… that is if we truly want to be witnesses of Him.
 
But the truth is that we all fail in that… but it doesn’t mean we should stop trying.
 
I realize that we will never succeed in our own strength, to fully accomplish or see these traits fully manifested in our lives.
 
But if we don’t know what they are… then we won’t know what needs to be sought after.
 
For me I want to be known as a kind man, a loving man a “gentle” man… so I concentrate on these attributes and try to discipline myself to seek after them and let them become a part of me in my thoughts and actions.
 
Through prayer and daily reading of His Word, and thru daily soul searching at His feet, with these character traits on my mind... I find I don’t react to stresses like I once did.
 
It’s a continual journey.
 
Unfortunately I have to confess that I am not yet the man I want to be… but I can say “thank God I am not the man I was”.
 
And I thank God daily that He never gave up on me… nor will He give up on you for that matter!
 
So keep running the race, keep on practicing the traits of Christ in your life!
 
As you do you will find that little by little, line upon line, precept upon precept you have changed… and you no longer react to the challenges and the stresses of life as you once did.
 
 
Good Day!
 


Tuesday, June 30, 2026 - June 30th 2026 Orders Remain Unchanged


(Matthew 5:5) "God blesses those who are gentle."
 
(Philippians 4:19) we read "The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you".
 
Jesus said in (Acts 1:8) "Ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth".
 
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC, has a guard 24 hours a day.
 
Every hour on the hour, 365 days a year, a new soldier reports for duty.
 
When the new guard arrives, he receives his orders from the one who is leaving.
 
The words are always the same: "Orders Remain Unchanged."
 
The same could be said of the orders that Jesus gave to His disciples.
 
Just before He ascended to heaven, He told His followers, "Ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth".
 
One of the great aspects of Jesus life and ministry was that of "gentleness".?
 
Jesus said, (Matthew 5:5) "God blesses those who are [gentle]... for they will inherit the whole earth."
 
St. Francis de Sales said, "Nothing is so strong as gentleness, and nothing so gentle as real strength."
 
Just as you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, people respond more readily to gentleness than aggressiveness.

The famous football coach John Wooden told the following story: "My dad, Joshua Wooden, was a strong man in one sense, but a gentle man. ?
 
He could lift heavy things men half his age couldn't, but he would also read poetry to us each night after a day of working in the fields raising corn, hay, wheat, tomatoes, and watermelons. ?
 
We had a team of mules named Jack and Kate on our farm.
?
Kate would often get stubborn and lie down on me when I was plowing.
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I couldn't get her up no matter how roughly I treated her. ?
 
Dad would see my predicament and walk across the field until he got close enough to say, 'Kate'!?
 
Then she would get up and start working again.
 
He never touched her in anger. ?
 
Coach John Wooden said “It took me a long time to understand that even a stubborn mule responds to gentleness."
 
When the bible speaks of "meekness", it's not speaking of "weakness".
 
Meekness simply means "power under control."
 
An unbroken horse is useless; an overdose of medicine kills rather than cures; wind out of control destroys everything in its path.
 
Jesus was powerful but He was gentle.
 
And you and I are called to follow in His footsteps and be His example to the world around us.
 
"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats (1st Peter 2:21).
 
So my challenge today is this.
 
Are we walking in the gentleness of Christ?
 
Seeing, reaching out, and doing our utmost best to be a resource to others that haven’t seen or experienced His love, His gentleness and His mercy?

Our orders remain the same...
 
Are we truly a witness of Him to the world around us?
 
Good Day!
Monday, June 29, 2026 - June 29th 2026 Humility


(James 4:10) “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up”
 
I want to make a statement that I believe is one of the foundational evidences of anyone whom professes faith in God, and is a follower of Christ.
 
That statement is… “Humility is the evidence of genuine repentance”!
 
Humility and repentance are deeply intertwined foundations of the Christian faith… essential 
for spiritual growth and a genuine relationship with God.
 
(Proverbs 16:18) "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."
 
The verse emphasizes that when a person becomes overly self-confident… they are setting themselves up for failure or disaster.
 
Pride is the root cause of sin, producing entitlement, self-interest, conflict, and destruction in almost every aspect of life.
 
Humility however is the direct opposite… and the moral stance God requires for restoration and elevation by Him in His kingdom.

True repentance is not merely remorse.
 
It is an active, public submission to God’s authority… a turning away from sin, and a turning toward God that is demonstrated in visible behaviour and relationships.
 
(James 4:10) declares, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up”… 
stating a clear… “if–then” principle.
 
Humility precedes divine exaltation.
 
Humility is a deliberate decision to submit to God and His authority…

Humility functions as the root cause of divine blessing because it aligns the heart with God’s will… “you before me”…  “less of me and more of thee”.
 
Placing God and others ahead of ones self… opens the way for God to lift and bless those who genuinely humble themselves.
 
Memorizing and internalizing James statement (James 4:10) serves as a practical safeguard against the recurring temptations of pride.
 
“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up”

Humility must be evident in our relationships with one another…especially when facing conflict.
 
A humble person refuses to slander or speak evil of others, resists judgmental attitudes, and takes responsibility for their part in disputes, rather than shifting blame.
 
Public submission under God’s authority… transforms how conflicts are handled, disarming pride-driven responses… restoring right relationships

Humility is a mindset that produces concrete and positive actions of submission!
 
Genuine repentance and submission to God and His will… is proven by a life of obedience and by consistent choices that reflect submission to God’s will in everyday behaviour.
 
(2nd Corinthians 5:17) “If any man be in Christ he is a new creature… old things pass away and behold all things become new”
 
Knowing the right thing to do and failing to do it, is itself sin often fuelled by pride.
 
Obedience becomes the “measurable evidence” of true repentance and humility.

The phrase "I require obedience more than sacrifice" (1st Samuel 15:22) reflects a biblical principle in which states humble obedience… (that is)... “to obey” is better than sacrifice.
 
God values obedience to His voice, His Word, His commandments, more than He values sacrifice.
 
Obedience signifies a relationship with God... while sacrifice often reflects a desire for approval 
from others, rather than from God Himself.
 
In essence, true worship and obedience are more important than external rituals or offerings.

Humility is the active display or truth entailing trust in God’s sovereignty.
 
Instead of boasting about personal plans or arrogantly judging others,
 
Humility submits to God’s control over outcomes and leaves final judgment to Him… as in… “if the Lord wills”… surrendering ultimate judgment to God.
 
This surrender is integral to repentance, and is part of how a humble heart is positioned for God’s blessing

Obedience is the natural fruit of humility and the decisive proof of repentance.
 
When humility leads to doing what is right, God’s promise to “lift up the humble”… is fulfilled.
 
Humility and repentance are inseparable.
 
Repentance opens up the hearts door… and humility animates the life.
 
Living under God’s authority, trusting His sovereignty, and practicing obedience in relationships and daily choices… are the marks of a transformed life positioned to receive God’s blessing.
 
Good Day!


Sunday, June 28, 2026 - June 28th 2026 Thinking Theologically


(Hebrews 6:17–18) “Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear…”
 
Yesterday I talked about having a “Biblical Mentality” and trusting the Word of God and the promises of God because they are written down for a purpose…
 
When things hadn’t worked as I thought they would, when I received a no instead of a yes, or a yes instead of a no in answer to my prayers.
 
When I couldn’t unravel a situation and fit it into my natural humanistic wisdom and understanding… instead of doubting and losing faith… that’s when I lean on the biblical promises of God and ignite faith… build faith up!
 
That’s why it is so important for you and I as flawed human beings have a biblical mindset and theological thinking that reminds us of the immutable promises of God
 
There are times when I have to stop… and with humble obedience and surrender to the unchanging truth of Gods Word... simply believe!
 
When the bottom drops out of your life, when hope starts to wear thin, when human logic fails to make much sense… we must find a source that stabilizes our thinking and gives understanding to the inconsistencies of life.
 
A biblical mindset and theological thinking lift us up over the natural thinking and things of this world that demand our attention.
 
A Biblical mindset and theological thinking and will point us to the answer! 
 
(Hebrews 6:17–18)  gives us two theological facts:
 
(1) there is an unchangeable purpose with God,
 
(2) that purpose is guaranteed with an oath.
 
God said what He meant and He meant what He said!
 
(Romans 8:28) “All things work together for good for those that love the lord”
 
When we have a Biblical mindset and theological thinking… you begin to understand that the issue you struggle with, is part of His unchangeable purpose guaranteed with an oath, neither of which is a lie.
 
In (Malachi 3:6), God declares, “For I am the Lord, I change not”
 
This statement highlights God’s immutability, meaning His nature, purposes, and promises remain constant over time, regardless of human actions or circumstances.
 
The verse reassures us that despite our repeated disobedience and failure to walk uprightly above the temptations common to humanity… God’s mercy and faithfulness endure.
 
A Biblical mindset and theological thinking bring that truth of Gods promises to the for-front of your situation… and help you to begin to think positively about the promises that God has made concerning our trials and testing.
 
As Solomon states so well: “God has made everything appropriate in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
 
Let me give you some wisdom this morning from a simple truth and a matter of fact… “that’s the way it is”… whether you like it or not!
 
God is in control of the times and seasons.

Some times are hard, and some seasons are dry.
 
But the fact of the matter is that God is in control of it all… 
 
We are quick to give God praise when the blessings flow… when the checking account is full and running over… when the job is secure and a promotion is on the horizon… when the salary is good… when our health is fine…
 
But we have a tough time believing that… when those things aren’t happening like we think they should.
 
As the writer of (Hebrews 6:18) states… there are two “unchangeable things” that we must remember…
 
It is impossible for God to lie, and we who have taken refuge in His word… who have  established a biblical mindset… will find strong encouragement and confidence to take hold of the hope He has set before us… as He has promised.
 
“Strong encouragement” comes with a biblical mindset and theological thinking.
 
Logical thinking will discourage you… but theological thinking will encourage you, giving you a refuge of hope.
 
A place where you can hide during those dry and barren times of hopelessness and loneliness… when the cold winds of life whip away at your faith and trust in Him.
 
Encouragement is the opposite of discouragement.
 
Hope is the opposite of despair.
 
When you accept the fact that sometimes seasons are dry and times are hard… and that God is in control of both…
 
You can and will discover a sense of divine refuge… because the hope then is in God… and not in yourself.
 
In those seasons when it’s difficult to see God’s purpose and promise, remember where your hope and encouragement are found… that is in the person and purposes of the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
(Matthew 11:28-29) “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
 
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls”.
 
This is where a biblical mindset and theological thinking will help you over come and be more than a conqueror in this life of inconsistencies that we live in.
 
So as Paul taught in (Colossians 3:16) “let the Word of God dwell within you richly”
 
Develop a biblical mindset and theological thinking and you will be amazed at the peace and joy you begin to rest in.
 
Good Day!
Saturday, June 27, 2026 - June 27th 2026 A Biblical Mentality


(1st Thessalonians 2:2-4) “For we speak as messengers approved by God... to be entrusted with the Good News”.
 
“You know how badly we had been treated at Philippi just before we came to you and how much we suffered there.
 
Yet our God gave us the courage to declare His Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition.
 
So you can see we were not preaching with any deceit or impure motives or trickery.
 
For we speak as messengers approved by God… entrusted with the Good News.
 
Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts.”

When Paul spoke amidst the strong current of public opposition, it was “the gospel of God” he shared.
 
It was not His opinion, nor wisdom derived from living lifes experiences... it was the Word and the Word only.

The very foundation of his being was not “error” or “impurity” or “deceit”… but rather "the truth of the scriptures".
 
Furthermore, he considered the Word of God as something “entrusted” to him… and it gave him such security and confidence… that he didn’t feel the need to compromise and become a “people pleaser”.
 
Even though it may sound old-fashioned, the first and most significant priority we can cultivate in our lives is to make the Scriptures the final authority and an integral part of our lives.

In fact we need to become dependent upon the Word even to taking it literally, in every aspect of our lives.
 
Jesus said (Luke 4:4) “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God”
 
(Colossians 3:16) Paul encouraged the church to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly… let it become a part of you…”
 
A biblical mentality is the secret to surviving the aimlessness of our days.
 
I find it interesting that there is a new and fresh interest rising up concerning a biblical mentality in our world of human wisdom and philosophy!
 
Every where I go I meet people whom are surprisingly interested in what the Bible has to say concerning the things of God.
 
For most today in this humanistic promotion of mans wisdom… it’s a rare concept…
 
It also leads to a good deal of self-examination.
 
As we begin to soak up the truths of God’s Book… He goes to work on us!
 
(Hebrews 4:12–13) “The word of God is living and active.
 
Sharper than any double-edged sword and It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow.
 
It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
 
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.
 
Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”
 
Descriptive, isn’t it?
 
The principles and precepts of Scripture touch what no surgeon’s scalpel can touch… that is... the soul and spirit of a human being
 
The thoughts, the attitudes, the very essence of our being…
 
God uses His truth, His Word, the Scriptures… to help shape us and wash us…
 
(Ephesians 5:26) calls it “the washing of the water of the word”… cleaning us up and maturing us in our walk with Him.
 
We need to take this to heart.
 
Let’s determine that we are not going to allow the tyranny of the urgent, to steal from us those vitally important moments with our God in His Word.
 
First and foremost, let’s become people who are thoroughly committed to biblical thinking and action.
 
(Psalm 119:105) “Thy Word O Lord is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path”.

Today and every day forever, lets develop and walk thru this life with a "biblical mentality".
 
Good day!


Friday, June 26, 2026 - June 26 2026 Quiet Time With God #4


(Job 23:12) "I have treasured his words more than daily food".
 
A daily quiet time with God is more than just a good idea, it’s "vital" to your spiritual survival.
 
It’s also "essential" to your spiritual growth and maturity.
 
Whenever the subject is brought up, most will defend themselves saying, "But I go to church every week".
 
Can you imagine what would happen if you ate food only once a week?
 
The patriarch Job said, "I have treasured His words more than daily food". ?
 
The Apostle Peter described the scriptures as “nourishing milk” (1st Peter 2:2), and the writer to the Hebrews called the Word of God “solid food” (Hebrews 5:14).
 
Your quiet time is also like a “spiritual bath”.
 
Jesus said, "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you" (John 15:3) ?
 
You shower most every day to stay clean and avoid “body” odors. ?
 
It’s not easy to be around someone who smells badly, and you run the risk of offending them by telling them so.
 
But if you love them you’ll do it.
 
Jesus told Peter, "Thou art an offence [odorous] unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men". (Matthew 16:23)

With out a daily cleansing from the Word of God, we begin to smell like the world, act like the world, love the world and all its got to offer.
 
But the Apostle John wrote to the early church and He pleaded with them to “love not the world nor the things in the world (1st John 2:15)
 
Here’s the bottom line.
 
Do you love God more than this world?
 
Does your time spent with God reflect your love for God.
 
Unless you protect your quiet time with God: ?
 
1) you’ll be cut off from your source of strength, guidance, and wisdom; ?

2) your usefulness to God will be limited; ?
 
3) you’ll be inconsistent in your Christian life;

4) you'll be suffer from spiritual malnutrition.
 
Now I know this may seem a little judgmental, but friend listen to me this morning!
 
Jesus said it clearly (Luke 4:4) “man shall not live by bread alone”.
 
Please bear with me as I paraphrase this for you just a tad bit.
 
Man can not live with just this worlds “influence” alone.
 
Man cannot live by this worlds “standards” alone.
 
Man cannot live by this worlds “thoughts” alone.
 
Man cannot live with out the Holy Spirit in him, around him and guiding him.

We need the presence of God in our lives!
 
And that presence comes only by and through time spent with Him.
 
Now I know we all live busy lives with schedules that are so full we just can’t seem to catch up... 
and many times there are just not enough hours in a day to get the days work completed as it is.
 
But let me tell you from experience… you need to eat from Gods Word daily if you truly want to experience victory and be an overcomer in life!
 
"But I don’t have time"!
 
You have the same 24 hours per day that everybody else has!
 
And how you spend them is determined by what you think is most important.
 
So if you think being in fellowship with God is important, you'll begin to make time for it.
 
I don't mean to be rude or dogmatic.
 
But we are living in a day and age where we need to "know God", in order to deal with the confusion, perversion and deception that is permeating our society.
 
Spending time with God will bring it all into focus.
 
And besides… the peace and the joy you begin to experience as well is truly worth the effort!
 
Good Day!




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