Devotions for the Wounded Heart

Copyright © 2012 Dennis Cory

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WestBow Press rev. date: 11/15/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4497-1007-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-1006-4 (e)

I am solely responsible for the content of this Devotional. It is not the work of any other lay person, minister, ministerial group, individual church or religious denomination. The scriptural views and commentaries are not necessarily the doctrinal views of any specific church or religious denomination.

Contents

Preface:

About the Author

Theme Scripture

January 1 - How and Where Did It All Begin

January 2 - The Wonder of Father God in Creation

January 3 – Let Us Make Man in Our Image

January 4 – The Holy Trinity Created Us as a Human Trinity

January 5 - To Preach the Good News to the Poor- Part 1 - Poor in spirit

January 6 –To Preach the Good News to the Poor Part 2 - Poor in Soul

January 7 – Rest for Your Souls

January 8 To Preach the Good News to the Poor - Part 3; Poor in Body

January 9 – To Heal the Brokenhearted - Gratitude

January 10 To Proclaim Liberty to the Captives

January 11 – Recovery of Sight to the Blind

January 12 – To Set at Liberty Those Who are Oppressed

January 13 ...to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Luke 4:19 [KJV]

January 14–Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3 [KJV]

January 15 – Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

January 16 – Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

January 17 – Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6 (NKJV)

January 18 - Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

January 19 – Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

January 20 – Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Matthew 5:9 [KJV]

January 21 - "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake:

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:10 [KJV]

January 22 – Do not lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth…

January 23 - I charge you not to be over-anxious about your lives

January 24–"My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord, how long? [NIV]

January 25 – "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;

January 26 – Matthew 7:11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! [NASB]

January 27 – Let us lay aside every weight…Looking unto Jesus. (KJV)

January 28 - Matthew 7:24a "Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine,

January 29 – Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.

January 30 – "One person gives freely, yet gains more;

January 31 – Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven. Matthew 10:32 (NHEB)

February 1 – A natural person cannot understand God or His words.

February 2 – Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Gal. 6:2 (NHEB)

February 3 – A Warning Against Hypocrisy.

February 4 – The reverence of the LORD teaches wisdom. Before honor is humility. Proverbs 15:33 [NHEB]

February 5 – For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

February 6 - "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing,

February 7–Lord, he whom You love so well is sick. John 11:3 [AMP]

February 8 – To preach deliverance to the captives (Luke 4:18 KJV)

February 9 – We have received the Spirit who is from God.

February 10 – The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, Searching all the innermost parts of his being. Proverbs 20:27 [NASB]

February 11 – One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple. Psalm 27:4 [KJV]

February 12 – My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

February 13 – They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. Acts 2:42 [KJV]

February 14 – Psalm 120 A Song of Ascents

February 15 – Psalm 121 A song of ascents

February 16 – Psalm 122 A song of ascents

February 17 – Psalm 123 A song of ascents.

February 18 – Psalm 124:2-3 A song of ascents

February 19 – Psalm 125 A song of ascents

February 20 – Psalm 126 A song of ascents

February 21 – Psalm 127 A song of ascents of Solomon.

February 22 – Psalm 128 A song of ascents

February 23 – Psalm 129 A song of ascents

February 24 – Psalm 130 A song of ascents

February 25 – Psalm 131 A song of ascents, of David

February 26 – Psalm 132 A song of ascents

February 27 – Psalm 133 A song of ascents, of David

February 28 – Psalm 134 A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem;

March 1 – "After His suffering, He presented Himself to them and gave many convincing proofs

March 2 – Every man heard them speak in his own language. [KJV]

March 3 – Romans 1:16-17

March 4 – Peter, speaks out with boldness.

March 5 – "God says, I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind; [NASB]

March 6 – The Lord added to the church daily those being saved. [para]

March 7 – I don’t have any silver or gold for you, but I will give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!" [NLT]

March 8 – But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them [NCV]

March 9 – But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. [KJV]

March 10 – Lord, do not hold this sin against them.

March 11 – Then Simon himself believed also [KJV]

March 12 – You thought you could buy God’s gift with money.

March 13 – Divine Appointments

March 14 – Forgiveness and Obedience

March 15 – Isn’t this the man who was killing those who called Jesus name.

March 16 – I have set you to be a light of the Gentiles

March 17 – Saint Patrick’s Day

March 18 – We are also men of the same nature as you [NASB]

March 19 – "Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren,

March 20 – A slave girl having a (demon) spirit of divination met us

March 21 – They examined the Scriptures every day

March 22 – "This is what I am going to proclaim to you: The God who made the world

March 23 – All Jews and Greeks in Asia heard the word of the Lord

March 24 – I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.

March 25 – Resulting by you being established in your mutual faith.

March 26 – "Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God,

March 27 – 1 Corinthians 13 Love

March 28 –Yet I show to you a more excellent way. 1 Cor. 12:31b [RWV]

March 29 – Love endures long and is patient 1 Corinthians 13:4 [AMP]

March 30 – Love: is patient endurance and is kind. 1 Cor. 13:4 [para]

March 31 – Love is never envious or jealous. 1 Corin. 13:4 [AMP]

April 1 – The fool has said in his heart, there is no God’. Psalm 14:1 [NKJV]

April 2 – (God’s) Love does not brag.

1 Corinthians 13:4 [NASB]

April 3 – God’s Love: is not proud.

1 Corinthians 13:4 [NCV]

April 4 – God’s Love is not rude. 1 Corinthians 13:5 [AMP]

April 5 – God’s Love does not seek its own way: 1 Corinthians 13:5 [NHEB]

April 6 – God’s Love: Is not easily angered 1 Corinthians 13:5 [NIV]

April 7 – God’s Love: Keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13:5 [NIV]

April 8 – God’s Love Does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth.

April 9 – God’s Love Bears all things, Believes all things. 1 Cor. 13:7 NKJV

April 10 – God’s Love: Hopes all things 1 Corinthians 13:7 [NKJV]

April 11 – God’s Love: Endures all things. Love never fails

April 12 – I put away childish things.

April 13 –Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love 1 Cor. 13:13 HCSB

April 14 - Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love 1 Cor. 13:13 HCSB

April 15 – Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you

April 16 – The word of the cross is the power of God.

April 17 – "Of Him (God) you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, that, as it is written,

April 18 – But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit [NKJV]

April 19 – Only God who gives the growth. [HCSB]

April 20–No one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. [NIV]

April 21 – The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God

April 22 – It is required in stewards that a man be found faithful. [KJV]

April 23 – For it is not possible to keep away from such people

April 24 – Don’t you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit?

April 25 – I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. [NIV]

April 26 – Even so in Christ shall all be made alive. [KJV]

April 27 – 1 Corin. 15:33-34, 57-58 Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals."

April 28 –For we all stumble in many things James 3:2 [NKJV]

April 29 – A gracious woman attains honor Proverbs 11:16 [NASB]

April 30 – The Father of compassion and the God of all comfort

May 1 – Our sufficiency is of God

May 2 – As we have received mercy, we do not loose heart

May 3 – What we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord. [NIV]

May 4 – That the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body [HCSB]

May 5- Everything is for your benefit, Therefore we do not give up [HCSB]

May 6- For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. [NKJV]

May 7- You are withholding your affections from us. [paraphrased]

May 8- We have these promises from God, so we should make ourselves pure—free from anything that makes body or soul unclean. We should try to become holy in the way we live, because we respect God. (2 Cor. 7:1 NCV)

May 9- See to it this grace of liberal giving also flourishes in you. [WEY]

May 10- Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift. (2 Cor. 9:15 NASB]

May 11 – "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing

May 12 – The gospel we preached was by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

May 13 – Christ lives in me

May 14 – "There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither bond nor free,

May 15 –"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free,

May 16 – Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh

May 17 – Joy

May 18 – Peace

May 19 – Longsuffering

May 20 – Gentleness

May 21 – Goodness

May 22 –Faithfulness

May 23 – Meekness

May 24 – Self–control

May 25 – Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

May 26 – God has made known to us the mystery of His will and purpose.

May 27 – The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.

May 28 – That in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Eph 2:7 NASB)

May 29 - "By grace you have been saved through faith; not of yourselves,

May 30 – For we are His workmanship

May 31 – That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and partakers of His promise in Christ

June 1 – To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given" [NASB]

June 2 – "[That you may really come] to know

June 3 –With all humility, kindness and endurance, love one another.

June 4 – "Speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head —Christ. [HCSB]

June 5 – Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness

June 6 – "His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. [NASB]

June 7 – To be made new in the attitude of your minds [NIV]

June 8 – "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. [NKJV]

June 9 – Walk in love, as Christ also has loved us [NKJV]

June 10 – Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18 KJV)

June 11 –That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word (Eph 5:26 KJV)

June 12 – Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.

June 13 – As the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart

June 14 – Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. [KJV]

June 15 – "Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God -

June 16 – Be strong in the Lord: Put on the full armor of God,

June 17 "Be strong in the Lord: Put on the full armor of God,

June 18 "Be strong in the Lord: Put on the full armor of God,

June 19 "Be strong in the Lord:

June 20 – "Be strong in the Lord: Put on the full armor of God,

June 21 – "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.

June 22 – "(Pray) for me, that utterance may be given to me,

June 23 – "I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you,

June 24 – Having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.

June 25 – The Seven Steps Down: Who, being in the form of God,

June 26 – The Seven Steps Down: But made himself of no reputation

June 27 – Proverbs 3 [To my son on the date of his birth]

June 28 – The Seven Steps Down: Took upon Him the form of a servant

June 29 – The Seven Steps Down: And was made in the likeness of men

June 30 - The Seven Steps Down: Being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself

July 1 - The Seven Steps Down: And became obedient to death

July 2 - The Seven Steps Down: Even the death of the cross

July 3 – The Seven Steps Up: Philippians 2:9-11 "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him

July 4 - The Seven Steps Up: The Name which is above every name

July 5 - The Seven Steps Up: At the name of Jesus every knee should bow

July 6 – Philippians 2:12-13 [HCSB]

July 7 – Philippians 2:13 [NASB]

July 8 – Philippians 2:14-16a [NKJV]

July 9 – Whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. [NASB]

July 10 – Rejoice in the Lord always: The Lord is near.

July 11 – Philippians 4:8 [NKJV]

July 12 – I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. [NIV]

July 13 – Philippians 4:16-19 [KJV] "For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.

July 14 – The Hope of the Gospel

July 15 – Be encouraged in heart and united in love. [NIV]

July 16 – Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition. [HCSB]

July 17 – [ To my daughter on the date of her birth ]

July 18 – You have put off the old man … and have put on the new man

July 19 – Put on God’s love above all of His other character qualities.

July 20 – Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom [KJV]Read Colossians 3:15-17 - To prepare your soul for this devotion.

July 21 – Wives, Husbands, Children, Fathers. Colossians 3:18-21

July 22 – Servants, Employees, Employers

July 23 – Pray for us also that God may open a door for us for the Word (the Gospel), to proclaim the mystery concerning Christ. (v-3 Amplified)

July 24 – In spite of severe persecution, you welcomed the message with joy from the Holy Spirit. (HCSB)

July 25 – "When you heard the Gospel from us, you accepted it as the word of God, (not as from men) which effectively works in you who believe. [NCV]

July 26 – We will be with the Lord for ever; encourage all with these words.

July 27 – Scriptural exhortations to the Body of Christ. (From NASB)

July 28 – 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 [NKJV]

July 29 – Some among you are leading an undisciplined life; (not working)

July 30 – Nor to … promote useless speculations and questionings rather than acceptance in faith of God’s administration and the divine training that is in faith. (1 Timothy 1:4 Amplified)

July 31 – "I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me,

August 1 – God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (v-3-4 HCSB)

August 2 – Establish the word of God in your heart and memory

August 3 – Train yourself toward godliness (piety), keeping yourself spiritually fit. (v-7 AMP)

August 4 – In God’s presence do nothing out of prejudice or by partiality.

August 5 – Honor God’s name; and His doctrine of godliness.

August 6 – Godliness with contentment is great gain. [KJV]

August 7 – 2 Timothy 1:6-7 [NKJV]

August 8 – Jesus brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

August 9 –Study to show yourself approved to God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately interpreting the word of truth. [paraphrase]

August 10 – He will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

August 11 – But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves … [NKJV]

August 12 – You have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (v-15 NKJV)

August 13 – "I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,

August 14 – Reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction

August 15 – To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. (v-15 NIV)

August 16 –Teach only the things consistent with sound doctrine.

August 17 – The grace of God which brings salvation has appeared to all the people of the world.

August 18 – The grace of God teaches us that by denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we are to live righteously, and godly, in this present world.

August 19 – Speak these things, exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you. (Titus 2:15 NKJV)

August 20 – But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, (v-4 KJV)

August 21 – Read Hebrews 1 through 2:4

August 22– "You have made him for a little while lower than the angels;

August 23 – Jesus had to be made totally human in every way.

August 24 – Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion. (v-15 NKJV)

August 25 – Come into God’s Rest - Sing joyful praises to Him.

August 26 – Jesus was tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin

August 27– Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. (v-8 NASB)

August 28 – By this time you ought to be experienced teachers of the Word

August 29 – "How much more will the blood of Christ cleanse your conscience

August 30 –Jesus said I have come, to do Your will, O God.

August 31 – Exhort one another to bear the fruit of love and good works

September 1 – My righteous one shall live by faith

September 2 – Now Faith

September 3 – "By faith Abel made a better offering to God than Cain,

September 4 – Without faith it is impossible to please Him [KJV]

September 5 – "By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen,

September 6 – Through Faith … Abraham

September 7– God told Abraham that through Isaac the promised seed of his descendants would be traced. (Hebrews 11:18)

September 8 – By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph and worshipped. Hebrews 11:21 [KJV]

September 9 – "By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel,

September 10 – By faith Moses,

September 11 – By faith the walls of Jericho fell down [Heb 11:30 KJV]

September 12 – Faith: what more shall I say? - To tell of Gideon

September 13 – Faith: what more shall I say? - To tell of Barak

September 14 – Faith: what more shall I say? – To tell of Samson

September 15 – Faith: what more shall I say? – To tell of Jephthah

September 16 – Faith: what more shall I say? - to tell of David

September 17 – Faith: And what more shall I say? – to tell of Samuel

September 18 – God has given to every one a measure of faith.

September 19 – These were people of whom the world was not worthy.

September 20 - These were people of whom the world was not worthy.

September 21 - These were people of whom the world was not worthy.

September 22- "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,

September 23 -- Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that ensnares us; Run with endurance and do not grow weary in your heart. Read Heb 12:1-4

September 24 – My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines [NASB]

September 25 – "Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

September 26 – "Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy;

September 27 – Since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe. [NASB]

September 28 - Let brotherly love continue. [KJV]

September 29 – Don’t be led astray by various kinds of strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be established by grace (Heb. 13:9 HCSB)

September 30 –Through (Jesus) let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God

October 1 – Rejoice when you encounter various trials and temptations

October 2 – "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing,

October 3 – Let the brother of low position be glad that he is lifted up

October 4 – God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation

October 5 – Don’t be deceived, my dearly loved brothers. Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning. (HCSB)

October 6 – Faith without obedient works is dead: Just as a barren fruit tree

October 7 – Not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. (James 3:1 NLT)

October 8 – For we often stumble and fall all of us. (James 3:2 WEY)

October 9 – If anyone does not stumble in what they say, they are a mature Christian who is also able to control their whole body.

October 10 – The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

October 11 – He gives more grace … Humble yourself before the Lord

October 12 – God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

October 13 – If the Lord wills, we shall live, and do this, or that. [NKJV]

October 14 – So you also must be patient. Establish your hearts [strengthen and confirm them in the final certainty] [AMP]

October 15 – "But most of all, my brothers and sisters,

October 16 – Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. [NKJV]

October 17 – "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

October 18 – Elijah was a human being with a nature such as we have

October 19 – To God’s own chosen people; set apart by the Spirit.

October 20 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

October 21 – We are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation.

October 22 – Of this salvation the prophets of old searched diligently.

October 23 – So make your minds ready, and keep on the watch [BBE]

October 24 – Love one another earnestly from a pure heart. [HCSB]

October 25 – We are born again of incorruptible seed by the word of God, which lives and remains for ever.

October 26 – Coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood,[NASB]

October 27 – You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation

October 28 – For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls. [NASB]

October 29 – "Finally, all [of you] should be of one and the same mind (united in spirit) [Amplified]

October 30 – Honor Christ as Lord in your hearts,

October 31 – "Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not the removal of the filth of the flesh,

November 1 – That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. (v-2) [KJV]

November 2 – The end of all things is near [NASB]

November 3 – Based on the gift each one has received, use it to serve others, as good managers (stewards) of the varied grace of God. [HCSB]

November 4 – God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

November 5 – "The God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ,

November 6 – To you who have obtained the same precious faith as ours

November 7 – His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him [NKJV]

November 8 – "He has given us his very great and precious promises,

November 9 – Applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence Read 2 Peter 1:2-7 - To prepare your soul for this devotion. [vs. - NASB]

November 10 – Add to your faith, moral excellence, next add knowledge

November 11 – To knowledge (add) self-control [NIV]

November 12 –To self-control add perseverance (patience) [NKJV]

November 13 – "To patience, (add) godliness: [KJV]

November 14 – To godliness, (add) brotherly (loving) kindness [KJV]

November 15 – To brotherly kindness, (add) love. [NKJV]

November 16 – For if these things are in you and are growing toward maturity they make you to be neither empty, useless nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. [Paraphrased]

November 17 – "Grace and Forgiveness in sharing with God’s Children

November 18 – If you practice these things you will never stumble or fall

November 19 – I will always remind you about these things [HCSB]

November 20 – "We have the prophetic word confirmed,

November 21 – "False prophets also arose among the people,

November 22 – The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation

November 23 – If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.

November 24 – "I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,

November 25 – That which we have seen and heard we declare to you

November 26 – "God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness we lie and do not practice the truth.

November 27 – If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises)

November 28 –He who keeps His Word, truly in him has the love of and for God been perfected. (v-5 Amplified)

November 29 – 1 John 2:7-8 [NASB]

November 30 – I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. (v-12 KJV)

December 1 – I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. (v-13 NASB)

December 2 – "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! (vs 3:1 NKJV)

December 3 – Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies themselves, even as He is pure. [paraphrased]

December 4 – For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. (1 John 3:11 KJV)

December 5 – We know God’s love because Jesus laid down His life for us

December 6 – Little children, let us not love in word only, neither with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.

December 7 – Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for anyone he can devour(1 Pe 5:8 HCSB)

December 8 – We know that He remains in us, by the Spirit He gave us.

December 9 – Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world

December 10 – We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us.

December 11 – Everyone who loves (with God’s love) has been born of God and knows God.

December 12 – There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear

December 13 – We love, because He first loved us.

December 14 – Whoever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. (v-4 NKJV)

December 15 – God has testified about his Son. All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. (vs. 9-10 NLT)

December 16 – "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. (v-14 NIV)

December 17 – We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him

December 18 –We know the Son of God … has given us an understanding

December 19 – Little children keep yourselves from idols. [KJV]

December 20 – I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth as we received commandment from the Father. [NKJV]

December 21 –This is love that we walk according to His commandments

December 22 – Beloved, you do a faithful work in whatever you accomplish for those who are brothers and strangers. (v-5 NHEB)

December 23 – Keep yourselves in the love of God

December 24 – Twas the Night Before Christmas

December 25 – Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. [v23 KJV]

December 26 – The Word of God … is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart

December 27 – Resolutions from the Word.

December 28 - Resolutions from the Word.

December 29 – Resolutions from the Word.

December 30 – Resolutions from the Word.

December 31 – The Packaged Promises are Covered With Bows.

This daily devotional is designed as a Devotional Study.

A wounded heart needs more than a band-aide,

So please give a minimum 15 minutes of serious reading, meditation

and prayer to each day’s message and reference reading.

God wants to heal us and lift us up higher every day.

We will allow Him to do His part better

if we give Him more on our part.

Please have your Bible along side this Devotional and read the daily scriptures to understand more fully what God is saying to you personally.

It is always through His word and presence that we are set free and healed in soul and body.

You will notice that I ask you pray the Lord’s Prayer at the end of each devotional study. If you will please read the devotion for January 23rd now, you should understand why.

Business email: parableprophet@gmail.com

Bible Versions Used in this Devotional: Copyright and Usage Info.

New Kings James Version [NKJV]

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

New International Version [NIV]

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

New Century Version [NCV]

Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible [NASB]

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Holman Christian Standard Bible [HCSB]

Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

New Living Translation [NLT]

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

King James Version [KJV] – 1611 (in Public Domain)

King James Version 1769 Authorized Version [AV] (in Public Domain)

New Heart English Bible [NHEB] (never copyrighted) (Public Domain)

Revised Webster Version [RWV] 1833 (In Public Domain)

Weymouth New Testament [WEY] 1903 (In Public Domain)

Bible in Basic English [BBE] 1965 (In Public Domain)

Preface:

In preparation for this Daily Devotional, I am obligated to God to first share that I believe I was led of the Lord in my heart to assemble this work. I was driving through town on my way to a prison ministry and thinking about the children of Angel Tree, the children who have a parent in prison. I was also thinking about that parent and others in our world that have trouble with things they can’t seem to control. Things like drugs and alcohol; the lust of what we see, of what we hear and of what we feel.

Prisoners may have a ministry service provided for them once a month and their children have some ministries that reach out to them but only periodically. I began to wonder what could be done for them throughout the rest of the year. I was suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of the presence of God’s Spirit and it was given in my mind what could be done. I do not claim to be perfect but I know God has called me to write this work. Watchman Nee said he had hoped that someone more capable than he would write the book, The Spiritual Man, yet the Lord had chosen him to perform the work. God had asked me to find people in prison outreach ministries to write a daily devotional with the focus toward healing wounded hearts and damaged emotions but I could not get anyone to take the call to heart. I laid the idea aside for a year, but the Lord came again and again asking me to do the work and would give me no peace until I began it.

If I have quote from scripture then you know the words are inspired by God. I prayed daily from my heart that I deliver to you what God has inspired me to write. If the Bible has what the Lord wants said and I was inspired to quote scripture that is what I have done.

The idea I was given was to make a Daily Devotional to help and to heal the broken and wounded hearts and souls of God’s family and for those He wants to bring into His Kingdom by His love. This is for anyone who is, or has been, broken down, beaten down, failed or fallen. We must get it fixed in our minds that it does not matter to God if it was someone else who hurt us or if we failed and messed up our own lives. God still loves us and provides for us to be free in Him. I may not refer to your wounded state in each devotion, but always to the faith and trust we must have in God as the loving father we may have never known, but now have forever.

God has called this work to be written to let us know that we are not alone in this world;

We are not alone in our pain, in our grief;

In the middle of those who ridicule or persecute us;

We are not even alone in our failure.

We are not alone if we are Poor or Rich, Big or Small,

Beautiful or Homely, Athletic or Clumsy,

If we have musical talent, or can’t sing in tune, or even keep a beat.

We are not alone if we are sick or healthy or disabled.

God is here...He always has been and always will be.

God is love, unconditional love.

To the born again Christian, God promises in the Bible that He will never leave us nor forsake us. His love is unconditional, it is constant, always here, always available. God does not love us any more when we are good or any less when we are bad. I know as well as any of you that, sometimes, God doesn’t seem to be around; that we don’t feel His love or presence; that sometimes we don’t feel loved at all. And there seems to be nobody, absolutely nobody, who understands or even cares. We can know by faith that He is in our hearts.

Our God wants us to know there is no such person as a second class Christian in His family or His Kingdom. Remember, God does have a family, called the body of Christ. There is love and help in God’s family through His second commandment; to love your neighbor as yourself. The love and help of other Christians helps us feel better about ourselves and encourages us to live a better life by the power of the Holy Spirit.

But also remember that the help and love of other people is not perfect. You might hear someone say to you, I know how you feel...., and they are really trying to help you and be your friend, but, nobody actually knows how you feel but God. We must ultimately and totally rely on our loving God and Father.

I want you to know, as a born-again Christian, God will use you in His church. Many Christians don’t get involved in church work because they still have problems with their flesh, their human nature, and can’t seem to stop messing up so they feel unworthy. If God only used perfect people to work in His church then He would have no one to use. I believe this is where God wants to bring us in this Daily Devotional; to a place in our hearts and minds where, no matter what happens, our fault, someone else’s fault, or nobody’s fault, we are convinced that God is with us and that He still loves us.

Dennis D. Cory

About the Author

It is necessary that you have some understanding of my personal history so that in realizing I came from a broken life and wounded heart, you may be more receptive to the encouragement I offer in the Lord Jesus Christ. My hope for you is for your Hope in God our Father; The one true God; The God of Hope, Peace, Joy and unconditional, everlasting Love.

[There are three important things will I share that you must never forget]

I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, in Tacoma, WA, in a lower middle class family. I did not have a lot of self esteem or think of myself as being very talented. I was an average kid with average grades in school. I got good grades in some classes but only the ones I liked. I was only average in sports but never tried out for school teams only park leagues.

I excelled in the game of bowling locally; receiving many honors for a 300 game at age 18. But inside I still felt average with no sense of any real value.

There were issues with my parents and between my parents. They were both good people as individuals and took us to church regularly. I know that they both loved my older brother, younger sister and I. Yes I was a middle child and there statistics that show we had more personal and social issues for what that is worth. I honor my father and my mother for doing what they could but I still came out the home after high-school an unstable life in an increasingly unstable world.

After graduating high-school in 1965 I lived with more fear and apprehension than confidence. The Vietnam War was growing bigger and the west coast Hippie culture was about to hit the streets. My friends and I were just working and partying. I had no direction in my life. Then Uncle Sam gave me a direction (whether I liked it or not) when I received my Draft notice into the U.S. Military Service. I joined the National Guard and after five months training went back to Tacoma to work and live out on my own. But what I did most was party. I soon began drinking in excess to the point of a fifth of wine a day at age 19. I then turned to drugs and the Hippie culture of the late 1960’s. I worked only at temporary jobs and took unemployment wages in between. I failed in many personal areas; in family, in friends, in finances; I failed socially and professionally.

After years of sliding down hill I had gone past being depressed to the point of despondency. Then, at the point of considering suicide I heard God for the first time in my life. Oh, yes, I went to church as a child and into the younger teenage years. I had heard the Bible read, but this was the first time I had ever heard God’s voice in my heart, in my mind.

I was all alone, sitting on a beach on the coast of Oregon in March 1970 where I was working on a crab fishing boat at the time. I was thinking about filling up my pockets with rocks and just walking out into the ocean and right there, God came to me. I wasn’t even looking for Him. I thought that I didn’t deserve anything good to happen to me after the things I had done and the life I had been living.

Thoughts came to my mind of the Sunday school stories I heard as a kid which made me feel good and I decided to try God one more time. (It occur to me later that those thoughts were planted in my head by God). So, instead of killing myself, I went to a local church and borrowed an old used Bible.

I read the book of Matthew over the next three days, then got down on my knees in my rented house and called out to God. I said, If I haven’t been too bad or gone too far, then I ask you to save me God. I want what I just read. If You are real and this is true, I want it.

God did save me right there on my knees. I saw a bright golden light outside a window that came into the house and surround me; I heard symphony music and felt like somebody had stuck a vacuum cleaner hose down inside of me and sucked all the dirt out. I cried like a baby.

I said all this so you will understand some things you must never forget. There are three things I learned during the first year I was born again. The first two I learned the instant I was saved:

1. I knew that God was real.

2. I knew that the Bible was true.

[Even though I barely knew what it said, I knew the Bible had to be true

because of what it had done for me. I learned later on that this was due

to the measure of faith I had been given, which God has given to every

person in the world; Romans 12:3]

(I had to go through a valley to learn #3 so it comes with its own explanation)

3. After about a year as a new Christian, I was struggling with living a perfect Christian life – which was what I been led to believe was possible by legalistic, self-righteous pastors, teachers and others. More than just possible, it was absolutely necessary according to them.

I would do okay for a while and then mess up big time. Then I would beat myself up for a while and the Devil would jump in and beat on me too. He is good at that; this sounds like the words of a country song, He’s good at bein’ bad. The Devil will always kick you when you’re down.

It is still hard for me to share the following, but even after my experience with God in Oregon, I was having such a struggle with living as the self-righteous people had said I should, that the devil took that opportunity and used my shame to put thoughts in my mind that I had gone too far and sinned too much to go to heaven. So, I decided if I was going to hell I might as well go right then. I took 12 tranquilizers and drank a half gallon of wine thinking I would just go to sleep and never wake up again.

But I came to 12 hours later and realizing I was alive I opened the Bible and the first Words I saw said that God loved me and He had a purpose for my life. Right then I knew the devil had lied to me and all of those legalistic self-righteous people were wrong.

I went to see the Associate Pastor at my church, the First Lutheran Church, Tacoma, WA, Dr. Walter Hellmann. He was 82 years old, semi-retired and had a PHD in Theology. He was a grandfather figure to a lot of us who were in the younger set and he was very smart; but more importantly, he was very loving. I told him about my struggles with my human nature and how I had been led to feel like a second class Christian for not being able to live this new life as I had been told I should.

He sat up close to his desk, leaned toward me with the love of God shinning out from his eyes and said these words which I have never forgotten in over 40 years:

None Of Us Comes To GOD As We Should, Only As Best We Are Able.

A great weight was lifted off of me with those words.

If you read the Bible correctly, then you will see that everyone there messed up too. Everyone had a battle with their human nature, their flesh. The twelve disciples all kept on making human remarks and giving bad advice to Jesus. All of them had forsaken Jesus when He was arrested and they left Him alone to face His trial and scourging. Even Jesus Himself in the Garden of Gethsemane was momentarily tempted to not go to the cross. It was such a personal struggle He sweat blood in the agony of that ordeal.

But thank God, Jesus didn’t give in and said these all important words,

Father, Not my will but yours be done.

These are words we would do well to live by all day, every day.

____________________________________________________

Never Forget:

1. God is real.

2. The Bible is true

3. None of us comes to God as we should, only as best we are able.

____________________________________________________

Just so you know, I have never been to Bible College,

but in the words of a gospel blues song by the Rev. Dan Smith;

I’ve never been to seminary, but I’ve been to Calvary.

Hebrews 13:5b-6 For he has said, I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you." So that with good courage we say,

The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What will man do to me? (WEY)

The love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit are with us always.

Dennis D. Cory

______________________________________________

~An Anonymous Quotation~

Don’t be afraid that your life will end;

Be afraid that it will never begin.

Theme Scripture

Luke 4:18-19a (NKJV)

(Jesus reading in the temple from the book of Isaiah)

"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,

Because He has anointed Me

To preach the gospel to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set at liberty those who are *oppressed;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

*[who are down-trodden, bruised, crushed

and broken down by calamity] (The Amplified Bible)

January 1 - How and Where Did It All Begin

Read Genesis 1:1-2 - to prepare your soul for this devotion.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (NHEB)

This involves all we know, and all we don’t know. One thing I do know is that God is real, He is unconditional Love and the Bible is true. Faith, by the Word, says God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had perfect lives. They walked in the presence of God every day. They had open communication with Him and everlasting friendship. They did not know anything about trouble or fighting, guilt or shame, being misunderstood or unjustly criticized. They did not know what those things were because there had never been anything to compare them to. They only knew love and peace in fellowship with God.

There was no hate, no jealousy, no hunger or poverty, no war, no taxes, no fear, no loneliness and no monthly bills from God. They had never known what it meant to be unloved, unwanted or uncared for; to be betrayed, or abandoned, cheated or lied to; to feel discarded and forgotten by everyone.

In Luke 4:18-19 Jesus reads this devotional theme: The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. [NKJV]

This is God’s promise of His plan to bring peace, joy and love back to the world by redeeming us as His creation and restoring us to relationship and fellowship with Him. Jesus, as God with us, is restoring people back to Himself out of the damage caused by The Lie of Satan the enemy of life who said we could be equal with God knowing good and evil. (Gen. 3:1-4)

The same lie which Paul was inspired to write to us about in Romans 1.

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness …… 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (NKJV)

The Greek word for ‘save’ in Strong’s means, in part; to keep safe and sound, to rescue or to preserve, to restore to health. God has provided healing from everything that hurt us and keeps us afraid to trust again.

We will see in the days to come how things got messed up and how God’s everlasting, unconditional love came to us just as we are, right where we are. John 3:16 For God so loved the world,(KJV) Believe the love of Father God.

Reference Reading:

Ps 102:25; Is 40:21; John 1:1; John 1:2; Heb 1:10; 2 Cor 4:1-10; Phil 2:13

Pray The Lord’s Prayer, In Jesus Name, Amen

January 2 - The Wonder of Father God in Creation

26 God said, ’Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness: and let them have dominion … over all the earth." (NKJV)

Read Genesis 1:26-31 to prepare your soul for this devotion.

If you will read all of Genesis chapter 1 you will see that there are two expressions used through all of the description of God’s creation:

(1) God said something and then the Bible says, and it was so.

(2) When He finished speaking at the end of each day the Bible says,

And God saw that it was good.

At the end of the sixth day God sum up all He had done: Genesis 1:31 NKJV Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.

We should be impressed and encouraged by the fact that everything God says is true, everything that God says to be done happens just as He says, and everything God does is good. Jesus said in our theme verses that God had anointed Him to preach the good news to the poor. The word gospel means the good news. And the good news is that God is back with us in Jesus Christ, to give us the life that was lost in the garden; the life of love, and relationship, and fellowship that He had originally provided for all people to experience. It is ours no matter what has happened to us up until now. It is ours no matter what we have done that makes us feel like we don’t deserve it. Even for future failure because God knows we are human, made from dust. God by grace, picks us up and dusts us off. And just like loving parents He will also correct us for our own benefit. (Read Hebrews 12:1-13)

Just know that God’s full love and freedom are for us; for you! Now!

Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. [NKJV]

We shouldn’t need a revelation from God to realize how much He loves us.

If I was an orphan and someone’s son died saving my life, and then his father adopted me and took me into his home to live with him, I wouldn’t question whether he thought I was worth it or not. I wouldn’t question whether or not he had chosen to love me, because his own son thought I was worth sacrificing his own life to save mine. Even though I was an alcoholic, a drug addict and many other things, he still jumped in and pushed me out of the way of the death that was falling upon me.

However, God’s revelation in our born again spirit is His way of absolute assurance, ‘Blessed Assurance’, that we are now His beloved children.

Reference Reading: Genesis 1; Psalm 89:11; Psalm 90:2; Acts 17:24; Romans 1:20; Hebrews 11:3

Pray The Lord’s Prayer, In Jesus Name, Amen

January 3 – Let Us Make Man in Our Image

Read Genesis 1:26-28 to prepare your soul for this devotion.

You might ask yourself what all this has to do with my wounded heart and soul. If your car is broken down you may know something about it