Must Receive Christ – John 1:12 (ESV). “But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God,” John 1:12
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“If you follow close to God, it is what others can gain from you that attracts them to you. You are the channel of blessing….Stay close to your Lord, not because you sense He wants you, but because with Him you find the blessing. And when you obtain the blessing, you are ready to give it to others that want it.” Walter A. Henrichsen (“Walt H”)
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A history of these Daily Devotions along with other valuable Resources can be found at: https://lylebrennan.com.
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Thoughts from the Diary of a Desperate Man
by Walter Henrichsen
Repentance
Day Three Hundred Fifty-eight
“Then He began to reproach the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent.” Matthew 11:20
You must repent of your sin, not to restore your relationship with the one offended, but in order for you to have a relationship with God. Repentance and forgiveness are two separate, unlinked transactions. Also, others need not repent of their sin against you for you to forgive them. There are at least three reasons for this: First, all sin is ultimately against God. Therefore you must repent before God prior to asking others to forgive you. Second, true repentance comes from the heart and only God knows the heart. Third, you forgive others, irrespective of their repentance, for you believe, “vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”455
All people naturally want to be forgiven, but don’t want to forgive. When we do wrong we desire forgiveness from both God and the person transgressed. But when we are afflicted with extremely hurtful acts from others, we tend to be more interested in justice than forgiveness. A friend’s wife, through negligence, accidentally killed a Christian girl. The family, although professing faith in Christ, refused to forgive the wife. Jesus links forgiveness with repentance; He will not forgive if we do not forgive.456
Although He tells us that we must forgive in order to be forgiven, we can easily conclude that if we forgive we will be forgiven. For example, a man said, “I know God doesn’t want me to perjure myself, but I know He will forgive me.” When asked about the link between forgiveness and repentance, he said, “I forgive others without their repenting, so also God will forgive me.” Nothing could be further from the truth; God will not forgive without repentance, and as already noted, He knows the heart.
455 Romans 12:19
456 cf. Matthew 18:21-35
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Habakkuk 1-3 Revelation 15 (New King James Version)
Habakkuk 1-3
The Prophet Questions God’s Judgments
1 The [a]burden which the prophet Habakkuk saw.
The Prophet’s Question
2
O Lord, how long shall I cry,
And You will not hear?
Even cry out to You, “Violence!”
And You will not save.
3
Why do You show me iniquity,
And cause me to see [b]trouble?
For plundering and violence are before me;
There is strife, and contention arises.
4
Therefore the law is powerless,
And justice never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.
The Lord’s Reply
5
“Look among the nations and watch—
Be utterly astounded!
For I will work a work in your days
Which you would not believe, though it were told you.
6
For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans,
A bitter and hasty nation
Which marches through the breadth of the earth,
To possess dwelling places that are not theirs.
7
They are terrible and dreadful;
Their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves.
8
Their horses also are swifter than leopards,
And more fierce than evening wolves.
Their [c]chargers [d]charge ahead;
Their cavalry comes from afar;
They fly as the eagle that hastens to eat.
9
“They all come for violence;
Their faces are set like the east wind.
They gather captives like sand.
10
They scoff at kings,
And princes are scorned by them.
They deride every stronghold,
For they heap up earthen mounds and seize it.
11
Then his [e]mind changes, and he transgresses;
He commits offense,
Ascribing this power to his god.”
The Prophet’s Second Question
12
Are You not from everlasting,
O Lord my God, my Holy One?
We shall not die.
O Lord, You have appointed them for judgment;
O Rock, You have marked them for correction.
13
You are of purer eyes than to behold evil,
And cannot look on wickedness.
Why do You look on those who deal treacherously,
And hold Your tongue when the wicked devours
A person more righteous than he?
14
Why do You make men like fish of the sea,
Like creeping things that have no ruler over them?
15
They take up all of them with a hook,
They catch them in their net,
And gather them in their dragnet.
Therefore they rejoice and are glad.
16
Therefore they sacrifice to their net,
And burn incense to their dragnet;
Because by them their share is [f]sumptuous
And their food plentiful.
17
Shall they therefore empty their net,
And continue to slay nations without pity?
The Just Shall Live by Faith
2
I will stand my watch
And set myself on the rampart,
And watch to see what He will say to me,
And what I will answer when I am corrected.
The Just Live by Faith
2 Then the Lord answered me and said:
“Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
3
For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.
4
“Behold the proud,
His soul is not upright in him;
But the just shall live by his faith.
Woe to the Wicked
5
“Indeed, because he transgresses by wine,
He is a proud man,
And he does not stay at home.
Because he enlarges his desire as [g]hell,
And he is like death, and cannot be satisfied,
He gathers to himself all nations
And heaps up for himself all peoples.
6
“Will not all these take up a proverb against him,
And a taunting riddle against him, and say,
‘Woe to him who increases
What is not his—how long?
And to him who loads himself with [h]many pledges’?
7
Will not [i]your creditors rise up suddenly?
Will they not awaken who oppress you?
And you will become their booty.
8
Because you have plundered many nations,
All the remnant of the people shall plunder you,
Because of men’s [j]blood
And the violence of the land and the city,
And of all who dwell in it.
9
“Woe to him who covets evil gain for his house,
That he may set his nest on high,
That he may be delivered from the [k]power of disaster!
10
You give shameful counsel to your house,
Cutting off many peoples,
And sin against your soul.
11
For the stone will cry out from the wall,
And the beam from the timbers will answer it.
12
“Woe to him who builds a town with bloodshed,
Who establishes a city by iniquity!
13
Behold, is it not of the Lord of hosts
That the peoples labor [l]to feed the fire,
And nations weary themselves in vain?
14
For the earth will be filled
With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord,
As the waters cover the sea.
15
“Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbor,
[m]Pressing him to your bottle,
Even to make him drunk,
That you may look on [n]his nakedness!
16
You are filled with shame instead of glory.
You also—drink!
And [o]be exposed as uncircumcised!
The cup of the Lord’s right hand will be turned against you,
And utter shame will be on your glory.
17
For the violence done to Lebanon will cover you,
And the plunder of beasts which made them afraid,
Because of men’s blood
And the violence of the land and the city,
And of all who dwell in it.
18
“What profit is the image, that its maker should carve it,
The molded image, a teacher of lies,
That the maker of its mold should trust in it,
To make mute idols?
19
Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Awake!’
To silent stone, ‘Arise! It shall teach!’
Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver,
Yet in it there is no breath at all.
20
“But the Lord is in His holy temple.
Let all the earth keep silence before Him.”
The Prophet’s Prayer
3 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, on [p]Shigionoth.
2
O Lord, I have heard Your speech and was afraid;
O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years!
In the midst of the years make it known;
In wrath remember mercy.
3
God came from Teman,
The Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah
His glory covered the heavens,
And the earth was full of His praise.
4
His brightness was like the light;
He had rays flashing from His hand,
And there His power was hidden.
5
Before Him went pestilence,
And fever followed at His feet.
6
He stood and measured the earth;
He looked and startled the nations.
And the everlasting mountains were scattered,
The perpetual hills bowed.
His ways are everlasting.
7
I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction;
The curtains of the land of Midian trembled.
8
O Lord, were You displeased with the rivers,
Was Your anger against the rivers,
Was Your wrath against the sea,
That You rode on Your horses,
Your chariots of salvation?
9
Your bow was made quite ready;
Oaths were sworn over Your [q]arrows. Selah
You divided the earth with rivers.
10
The mountains saw You and trembled;
The overflowing of the water passed by.
The deep uttered its voice,
And lifted its hands on high.
11
The sun and moon stood still in their habitation;
At the light of Your arrows they went,
At the shining of Your glittering spear.
12
You marched through the land in indignation;
You [r]trampled the nations in anger.
13
You went forth for the salvation of Your people,
For salvation with Your Anointed.
You struck the head from the house of the wicked,
By laying bare from foundation to neck. Selah
14
You thrust through with his own arrows
The head of his villages.
They came out like a whirlwind to scatter me;
Their rejoicing was like feasting on the poor in secret.
15
You walked through the sea with Your horses,
Through the heap of great waters.
16
When I heard, my body trembled;
My lips quivered at the voice;
Rottenness entered my bones;
And I trembled in myself,
That I might rest in the day of trouble.
When he comes up to the people,
He will invade them with his troops.
A Hymn of Faith
17
Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail,
And the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
And there be no herd in the stalls—
18
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
19
[s]The Lord God is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer’s feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills.
To the Chief Musician. With my stringed instruments.
Footnotes:
- Habakkuk 1:1 oracle, prophecy
- Habakkuk 1:3 Or toil
- Habakkuk 1:8 Lit. horsemen
- Habakkuk 1:8 Lit. spring about
- Habakkuk 1:11 Lit. spirit or wind
- Habakkuk 1:16 Lit. fat
- Habakkuk 2:5 Or Sheol
- Habakkuk 2:6 Syr., Vg. thick clay
- Habakkuk 2:7 Lit. those who bite you
- Habakkuk 2:8 Or bloodshed
- Habakkuk 2:9 Lit. hand of evil
- Habakkuk 2:13 Lit. for what satisfies fire, for what is of no lasting value
- Habakkuk 2:15 Lit. Attaching or Joining
- Habakkuk 2:15 Lit. their
- Habakkuk 2:16 DSS, LXX reel!; Syr., Vg. fall fast asleep!
- Habakkuk 3:1 Exact meaning unknown
- Habakkuk 3:9 Lit. tribes or rods, cf. v. 14
- Habakkuk 3:12 Or threshed
- Habakkuk 3:19 Heb. YHWH Adonai
Revelation 15
Prelude to the Bowl Judgments
15 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.
2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and [a]over his mark andover the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. 3 They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying:
“Great and marvelous are Your works,
Lord God Almighty!
Just and true are Your ways,
O King of the [b]saints!
4
Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
For You alone are holy.
For all nations shall come and worship before You,
For Your judgments have been manifested.”
5 After these things I looked, and [c]behold, the [d]temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. 6 And out of the [e]temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands. 7 Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever. 8 The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
Footnotes:
- Revelation 15:2 NU, M omit over his mark
- Revelation 15:3 NU, M nations
- Revelation 15:5 NU, M omit behold
- Revelation 15:5 sanctuary, the inner shrine
- Revelation 15:6 sanctuary, the inner shrine
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PRAYER REQUESTS
Please Pray for:
God to reveal any lukewarmness that may exist within us that we might repent and “be all-in with Him”.
Revelation 3:14-16 “…These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.””
Tyler Martin, Rod Martin’s son, who had a terrible freak accident … he went through a plate glass window and suffered multiple severe injuries.
Brother Walt’s granddaughter, Kale’a, and his prodigal son, Elijah.
Tavia’s family. Tavia received a call from her mom letting her know her uncle didnt survive a heart attack in Wisconsin. Please keep her family in your Prayers. Her uncle’s name was Tony Nelson, his wife is Kerri, and his kids are Tera, Kerissa and Alex.
Sister Kristen and her 2 young daughters.
God to wakeup Rodel who says he is a Christian, but has left his wife and 2 children to move in with another woman.
Miguel’s salvation, a confessed murderer and drug dealer, who lives in Mexico.
A Las Vegas woman that currently is working in an abortion clinic who is very discouraged with what she is doing and seeking counseling as to what to do. Pray God opens her eyes and saves her. Also, regarding the same abortion clinic, Pray God sends Godly women to that clinic daily to be available to minister to the women going in and out of that clinic daily.
The salvation of Brother David Frear’s parents.
Brad and Regena Mitton and their family. Regina has been diagnosed with cancer and Brad has put his landscape business on hold to be with his wife. Pray God will move in the Mittons lives and that He will be glorified.
Jeff from Oregon that has cirrhosis of the liver and has been given only five months to live. He is unsure of his faith and trying to fill in his remaining days traveling. Please Pray God awakens Jeff’s spirit to His Salvation. (Like Jeff, we are all terminal…“So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalms 90:12)
Larry who has leukemia. Pray God would bring Larry and his love ones closer to Him and His Blessed Hope of Glory.
Lisa Long and her family. Lisa has had for eye surgeries that have failed and she remains blind. Pray for God to direct her path for His glory.
Darrell Blalock who has Parkinson’s disease. Pray for Darrell to have a meaningful and closer walk with the Lord.
John LaPorte and other Brothers and Sisters who are doing ministry at UNLV.
A UNLV student named Tyler who is propaganda machine for the enemy. Pray God will radically save Tyler and that our God will use Tyler to bring many to Christ.
Remington, another UNLV student, says he is a new catholic… not a Believer, yet, but says he is a seeker. Pray God reveals His Truth, His Salvation to Remington.
That our families and Brothers and Sisters in Christ will gather together to Pray… Jesus says in Matthew 18:20 (NKJV) “… For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
Our unSaved family members and those around us that we have relationships with. Or, is that you? … Have questions &/or need Prayer?… If yes, please reply or call (702) 592-4098.
Family members and those relationships around you who say they are Saved, but their lives don’t show it. And, if that’s happens to be you, the Holy Spirit can change you into a New Creation, Christ in you… but, you must totally surrender everything to Him. (As long as you think you can do it on your own, He’ll let you; and, you will fail.) … Have questions &/or need Prayer?… If yes, please reply or call (702) 592-4098.
Our nation that God would open all our eyes to the sins that are drowning us. Lukewarmness, abortion, sex outside of marriage, homosexuality, hatred & divisiveness, greed, pride, rebellion, covetousness, etc. Please Pray and Fast for our nation to turn from this evil that is enveloping us.
II Chronicles 7:14 NKJV
“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
… AND YET, God is Sovereign and has called us to live in such a time as this and to be His Light in the darkness… to give Hope to some. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16
Sister Fabiola and her children in Mexico in our Prayers. This Sister and her family, in a short time period, have been hit with a more tragedies (persecutions) than most of us have in our entire life time… the murder of her husband, x-husband and one of her children. And, recently, her modest home (a shack by any American standard) was burnt to the ground. …Her neighbor’s house caught fire and due to the closeness of her home, it caught fire, too. Brothers & Sisters, please Pray for God’s Holy touch on Fabiola and her family.
Geo, a banker, who was deployed by the military to the Mideast. Pray God would keep him safe and that God would bring Geo closer to Him; and, that Geo would share God with all his company and those who come in contact with him.
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I’ve been told by one Geo’s co-workers, Lorraine Flores, who says she considers Geo a son, that the day Geo was deployed to the Mideast, his girlfriend delivered his new baby. Please Pray Geo would Walk in God’s Light and be a Godly husband and father. And, please Pray for Geo’s family. (Also, please Pray for both Lorraine Flores and her biological son that was deployed the same day as Geo, but to Africa.)
Brother Mark Pedder, a missionary in the Philippines. Please Pray for Mark, Mark’s wife for strength in their trials, tribulations and persecution.
Gemma that she be delivered from evil and receive Jesus as her Savior.
Pray for Brother John LaPorte’s roommate, Brother Freddy, whose commitment to Christ caused his wife to separate from him for 6 years. The couple have 2 daughters. Both parents has stayed single all this time of separation… Within the recent past, it appears his wife, Arlene, has been Saved and the couple are beginning their reconciliation process. They are planning to reunite the family again under one roof in the next few months. Please Pray for their total reconciliation with God at their helm.
Scott’s salvation and healing. Scott is a commercial real estate broker.
Our President and ALL our government leaders of both parties. Pray they would submit their authority to God’s Authority and ask for His Wisdom in directing the affairs of our nation. Please Pray that God would open their eyes and they would be obedient to His Will.
Brother Frank Sun, a Taiwanese, that owns several businesses in China and Taiwan. Please Pray Frank will be bold in his sharing Christ in his companies and that he will be faithful to disciple the new Believers.
AND, let each of us use Frank’s example and share the Love and Salvation of Jesus to our coworkers, employees, family, friends and acquaintances … Invest in the Eternal!
Women’s Pro-Life ministries in Las Vegas and throughout the world …that they would lead women to the Lord and continue to assist in saving babies’ lives.
Dave Ubank and his family. They are ministering and rescuing children and families in Syria directly affected by ISIS – Pray for their protection and their ministry. For a short 2 minute video about Ubanks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_htIgIvgDM[/embedyt
Brothers’ and Sisters’ struggling with various addictions. Pray that God would reveal Himself to them that all things are possible through Him… He can Cure any addiction … He is our Great Creator, He is our Savior, He is our Healer …He is our All and All!
Alejandro Corral, his son Alejandro Jr.
Brother Steve Venable dealing with ALS.
Persecuted Brothers and Sisters and their families that are suffering and giving their lives for our Faith.
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Please stand with your Brothers and Sisters in Prayer and Support. (See: The Voice of the Martyrs: https://www.persecution.com)
Biblical “headship” in families.
All the children.
That there would be a resurgence of Biblical “Fear of the Lord” in the church and in each of us… “to fear the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom.”
Brother Ron Brink’s son who had 3+ military tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and who is now suffering brain damage and PTSD. Pray for God’s Healing Power to fall upon Johnathon. (Ron is a 20 plus year missionary in Mexico and heads up Touch Baja.)
Touch Baja ministry. Touch Baja is a Christian ministry based in Mexico touching the saved and unsaved lives of the Mexican people focused on real discipleship; truly changing lives through Christ. From church planting discipleship ministries to half-way houses for the Mexican youth, Touch Baja needs our Prayers, support and physical involvement. One person can make a difference… whether an individual or a group, if you are interested in seeking an international missionary opportunity that’s not that far from home, here it is… you are needed and welcome. Please check out Touch Baja and consider becoming a real partner and getting involved: http://www.touchbaja.com. (I am personally available to share with you about the ministry… I have 20+ years of stories and history.)
Makers Way ministry feeds poor families in NLV. Check it out and if you are lead to help or give, contact Mike at (702) 596-9103 or give online at:
As it’s that time again when candidates for Congress and other government offices are making their rounds drumming up support to make a run to get elected. Please Pray for God to position Real Deal Christian men and women in those races that would honor Him above anyone or anything else. If those elected honor Him, they will honor us. (If you or someone you know is running for an office, please let us know so we can Pray for you or them. As the upcoming elections come closer, please Pray for the CANDIDATES:
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Please Pray for Dan Rodimer who is running for the US Congress in Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District. Dan is a conservative. He is married with 5 children. Dan says he is a catholic. Please Pray for his salvation and that God would would be made known in Dan’s life in such a way that those that encounter Dan would see Jesus in his life. (https://danrodimer.com)
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Please Pray for FL Congressman Ross Spano. Brother Ed Taney’s daughter Cameron is going to be interning for him starting in January. Pray for wisdom and clear direction from God for him and his staff, and for him to pursue and honor God.