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To Serve or Be Served

One Year Bible Reading Plan and Devotional

Today’s Bible Reading: March 5

Download the full one-year Bible reading plan here:

[Download not found]

Numbers 34-36

Mark 10:32-52

To Serve or Be Served

Jesus can’t stand the thought of any one of going to hell. So he came to earth to serve us by being our ransom. As He ministered to others throughout His life and then paid the price for our sins, He became the greatest example of being a servant leader.

A pastor was preaching to his congregation concerning heaven and hell. To emphasize the difference between the two, he asked that all who wanted to go to heaven stand up with him. All the congregation rose. He then asked that all who wanted to to go hell stand up with him. No one rose. For the full dramatic impact he waited for several seconds before continuing. The silence was broken by a small boy who slowly rose to his feet. The astonished priest spoke to the boy, “Surely son, a fine young man like yourself does not want to go to hell.”

The boy answered, “Maybe not sir, but I just couldn’t stand the sight of you standing there all alone.”

The foundation of servanthood

The foundation and basis of servanthood is giving – and Jesus gave His life as a ransom for all who believe in Him. No one “took” His life – He willingly gave it up. Jesus, with all of His power and might did not come to be served as He deserves, but by His love and grace, came down to serve us.  He served us by giving us a way to spend eternal life with Him even though we do not deserve it, nor can we earn it on our own merit.  He gave His life freely so that we might have eternal life.  And He served us by being the payment for our sins. Romans tells us that the wages of sin is death, but Jesus paid the price for us. He was our “ransom.”

What it means to serve Jesus

The word “ransom” refers to the price one paid in Jesus’ day to release a slave. We are slaves to sin, but Jesus’ life became our ransom that set us free from the bonds of sin. To be a servant of Jesus, means we must be willing to give up all rights to our life and to do anything God wants us to do.

Examples of how Jesus served others

When we look at Jesus’ ministry, we can see how Jesus served others, just as the disciples had seen Him do: they saw Him touch those that were unclean. They saw him heal the sick, deaf, blind, and mute. As he raised people from the dead, they watched. They saw him feed thousands with just a small amount of bread and fish. They saw Him wash their feet. When He was beaten and nailed to a cross, they were there. They saw Him die – for them.

Christ’s greatest sacrifice to serve us

Over and over again Jesus – the only Son of God – placed Himself in humble service to others. Jesus. He had ten thousand angels at His disposal. He was the creator of the world. And He shared in the glory of the Father and the Holy Spirit. Yet He gave up all of Heaven to come to earth, born to a poor virgin girl in a stable with only an animal feeding trough for a bed. He gave up his own majesty for the humility of needing his diaper changed.  And He willingly accepted the humiliation and torture of the cross.

Why would He do that for you and me? His only reason for doing so, was to minister and serve all of humanity throughout all the ages through His willing sacrificial death in our place so that we could one day spend eternity in Heaven with Him. The greatest servant of all gave us the greatest gift of all because of His love for us.

Jesus still wants to serve us today

We often talk today about our desire to “serve” God. And certainly we should be obedient to do what He asks us to do. But we also need to remember that Jesus did not come to earth to be ministered to. He came so that he could minister to us. He still wants to minister to us today. We don’t have to do life on our own. He is ready to help us.

When we are exhausted or anxious or fearful, He tells us to cast all our care on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). When we need wisdom, He tells us to ask Him for it and He will give it to us generously (James 1:5). Or when life gets busy and overwhelming, Jesus says, “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10). Whatever it is we face in life, Jesus stands ready to minister to us. If He loves us enough to die for us, you can bet He stands ready to help us through every moment of life. How humbling it is to think that the Son of God longs to serve one like me.

Jesus, thank you for you dying in my place so that my sins could be forgiven. Help me to live my life so that it bring honor and glory to you. May I learn from your example of servanthood to serve others that you have placed in my life so that your love shines through every act of service and every spoken word. Help me to remember that you stand ready to serve and minister to me in every situation I face in life. 

#ReadYourBible #Leviticus #Mark #serve #servant #sacrifice

Click here to listen to our devotions on Spotify be sure to follow us.

Now you can enhance your Bible Reading with the Verse Mapping Template

Our Verse Mapping download is FREE and includes 6 pages: 3 pages of instructions for using the template and the 2 page template, plus the cover page. If you’re looking to go deeper into God’s Word, learn more about God and develop a stronger spiritual life, Verse Mapping will help you dig into the scriptures. As you apply God’s Word to your life, you will develop a more intimate knowledge and relationship with God.

Buy now for $3.99 and get unlimited downloads

Visit our three retail experiences:

Bible study and Self Care Resources
Christian Tees, Bags, Mugs & More
We are an affiliate of CBD. We earn a commission on any purchase you make when you enter the store through this link. However, your CBD price is the same. Visit CBD for Bibles, Bible studies, gifts & more

Tee of the week: Jeremiah 29:13

For America to see revival, 2 Chronicles 7:14 says we are to seek God’s face. Jeremiah tells us that we will find Him when we search for Him with all our hearts.

Get the “Jeremiah 29:13” shirts and products here

Visit our YouTube Channels for Christian playlists and our short animated devotionals.

Animated Devotionals

Go to the Channel

Contemporary Christian Music Playlist

Visit our Contemporary Christian Music Playlist here

Southern Gospel Playlist

Go to the Channel

Just Hymns

Go to the Channel

God, Love, and Marshmallow Wars

by Julia M. Bruce

What’s Inside God, Love, and Marshmallow Wars?

This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:

  • Scripture to memorize and meditate on
  • Conversation Starters
    • Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages
    • Romance Builders
    • Relationship Builders
    • Personal reflections
    • Date ideas
    • Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples

Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.

Westbow logo
Christian book logo
amazon logo
Barnes and Nobel logo
walmart logo


 Join the community of couples on Facebook who are committed to intentionally growing their marriage and learning how to have a marriage that honors God. Here you can post photos of the different activities as you do them, ask questions of other couples, share how God is using this book to strengthen your marriage, and grow with other Christian couples. We’ll see you in the community.

Bible Studies, Bibles, Books & More

Christianbook Distributors logo
Everything Christian for less!

Looking for a Bible Study, Bible, book or Christian gift? We are an affiliate with Christianbook Distributors and receive an 8% commission on any item purchased through one of our links. However, the commission never increases your cost of any item. View some of our favorite items by clicking on the logo and thank you for supporting our ministry.

Christianbook Distributors Search:
Christianbook.com

Wellspring Christian Ministries receives an 8% commission on any purchased made from Christian Book Distributors through any affiliate link on this site. Your price for any item is the same as purchasing from CBD directly.

See our other recent posts:

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Did you remember to read your Bible?

One Year Bible Reading Plan and Devotional

Today’s Bible Reading: March 4

Download the full one-year Bible reading plan here:

[Download not found]

Numbers 32-33

Mark 10:1-31

When No One Sees Your Sin

One day a school principal received a phone call. The voice said, “Thomas won’t be in school today.” The principal was a bit suspicious of the voice. He asked, “Who is speaking?” The voice came back,  “My father.” I can just imagine that principal had a conversation with the boy’s father and his sin of deceit had been discovered.

Sir Walter Scott penned the lines in his poem entitled Marmion, “Oh! What A Tangled Web We Weave When First We Practice To Deceive.” No matter what our sin is, we can be sure that at some time or another it will “find us out.” As a result we live constantly looking over our shoulder or worrying about who is going to find out about our secret sin.

The web of sin

Sin often becomes a web that we get caught in. Each sin lays down another sticky string of web until the web becomes so tangled we become entrapped in the web that we created. Then we are left with the guilt that sticks and clings to us and weighs us down until we experience depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, or feel like failures. Whether the sin is a lie or any other sin, we can be sure we will be found out…one way or another. Even if we were to get away with it here on earth, God is an omnipotent God. He sees everything and He knows everything – even the thoughts that are never expressed through word or action.

God’s Perfect Knowledge of Mankind

King David tells us in Psalm 139:1-12, that there is nothing God doesn’t know and there is no place we can hid from God. Read the verses:

1O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.
3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
5 You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.

7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me;
12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

Sin will always come home to roost

An Eastern proverb says: “Curses, like chickens, always come home to roost.” Sin also will “come home to roost.” It might mean that we got caught in the sin. Or maybe we didn’t get caught, but we still live with guilt, regret, and the consequences of our actions. It might mean that relationships are hurt or destroyed. It might mean getting fired from a job. Or it might mean the end of a marriage. Even if the sin brought no consequences now, God always knows. Psalm 139:7 says, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?” The answer is – nowhere.

Consider the following examples from the Bible:

  • Adam and Eve tried to hide from God when they committed the first sin. God asked Eve, “What have you done?”
  • When Cain killed his brother, God asks, “Where is your brother?” Cain denies any knowledge of his whereabouts. God’s reply: “What have you done?”
  • Moses killed an Egyptian who was mistreating a Hebrew slave. He thought now one saw him. The Bible tells us that Moses looked around before killing the Egyptian. Then he buried the body in the sand. But then the next day, he attempts to break up and argument between two of the Hebrews and they said “Will you now kill us like the Egyptian?” Moses learned the hard way that our sins will find us out. Moses’ sin sent him fleeing from Pharaoh to another country.

Over and over again throughout the Bible we can find where someone thought they had gotten away with sin, only to realize that they could not hide it from God.

Achan’s “Hidden” Sin

In Joshua 7, Achan took “accursed” things from among the spoils of battle that God had given instructions not to take. He didn’t even get to enjoy those things because he had to bury it so no one knew. But God knew and the result was the nation losing the next battle. Achan’s sin found him out and came home to roost.

David’s “Hidden” Sin

David thought his sin of sleeping with Bathsheba was not known, but his sin results in the conception of a child. Now he has to cover that up so he brings Bathsheba’s husband home from the battle (where David should have been!) so that everyone will think the baby is her husband’s child instead of his. However, the husband is too noble for this plan to work and so David then sends him to the front lines knowing it will result in the husband’s death. Bathsheba then becomes part of David Harem. But God knew exactly all the sins that was tangled up in this web and the son conceived in sin became ill and died. David’s sin found him out and came home to roost.

Ananias and Sapphira’s “Hidden” Sin

In Acts 5, people were selling their possessions and giving to those who had need. Ananias and Sapphira sold some land and told the apostles they had sold for a certain amount but in fact they had sold it for more and kept the rest for themselves. Their sin was not keeping some of the profit from the sell, but that they were deceitful in telling the apostles they sold it for less than they had. Peter asks Ananias, “Why have you lied, not to men – but to God?” Ananias and Sapphira’s sin found them out and came home to roost.

The “Hidden” Sin of Joseph’s brothers

Joseph’s brothers were filled with jealousy – so much so that they sold Joseph off to slave traders. They then had to cover up that sin with another and they took his coat of many colors and dipped it in the blood of an animal, ripped it up and brought it to their father who assumed Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. But seventeen years later when a famine is in the land, the brothers go to Egypt to buy grain only to learn that the second in command of all of Egypt was the brother they had sold into slavery. Their sin found them out and came home to roost.

God always knows our secret sins

In Psalm 90:8, the psalmist wrote, “You have set our iniquities before You, Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance.” No matter how much we think we get away with something, God always knows. If it is not revealed in this life, you can bet it will be revealed when you stand before the judgement seat of Christ.

Hebrews 4:13 tells us, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things [are] naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”

Psalm 44:21 tells us that God knows the secrets of the heart.

Luke 12:2-3 tells us that nothing is covered up but all things are revealed, nothing is hid that shall not be made known, that what is spoken in darkness will be heard in the light and proclaimed upon the housetops.  

We can have forgiveness of sin rather than living in the guilt of sin

Every word and action of our lives are stored in God’s books and we will have to answer for each and every word and deed. However, through Christ’s shed blood on the cross and his resurrection, we can accept Him by faith as our Savior and receive forgiveness of sin so that the ledge books in heaven are wiped clean! The Bible tells us that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.    

So you can be sure that no matter the sin, our sins will indeed find us out. I would rather have my sins forgiven and washed away then to have to explain them to God.

God, forgive us of our sins and help us live in obedience to your Word. 

#ReadYourBible #Leviticus #Mark #whennooneseesyoursin #sin #webofsin #Achan #besureyoursinswillfindyouout

Click here to listen to our devotions on Spotify be sure to follow us.

Now you can enhance your Bible Reading with the Verse Mapping Template

Our Verse Mapping download is FREE and includes 6 pages: 3 pages of instructions for using the template and the 2 page template, plus the cover page. If you’re looking to go deeper into God’s Word, learn more about God and develop a stronger spiritual life, Verse Mapping will help you dig into the scriptures. As you apply God’s Word to your life, you will develop a more intimate knowledge and relationship with God.

Buy now for $3.99 and get unlimited downloads

Visit our three retail experiences:

Bible study and Self Care Resources
Christian Tees, Bags, Mugs & More
We are an affiliate of CBD. We earn a commission on any purchase you make when you enter the store through this link. However, your CBD price is the same. Visit CBD for Bibles, Bible studies, gifts & more

Tee of the week: Jeremiah 29:13

For America to see revival, 2 Chronicles 7:14 says we are to seek God’s face. Jeremiah tells us that we will find Him when we search for Him with all our hearts.

Get the “Jeremiah 29:13” shirts and products here

Visit our YouTube Channels for Christian playlists and our short animated devotionals.

Animated Devotionals

Go to the Channel

Contemporary Christian Music Playlist

Visit our Contemporary Christian Music Playlist here

Southern Gospel Playlist

Go to the Channel

Just Hymns

Go to the Channel

God, Love, and Marshmallow Wars

by Julia M. Bruce

What’s Inside God, Love, and Marshmallow Wars?

This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:

  • Scripture to memorize and meditate on
  • Conversation Starters
    • Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages
    • Romance Builders
    • Relationship Builders
    • Personal reflections
    • Date ideas
    • Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples

Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.

Westbow logo
Christian book logo
amazon logo
Barnes and Nobel logo
walmart logo


 Join the community of couples on Facebook who are committed to intentionally growing their marriage and learning how to have a marriage that honors God. Here you can post photos of the different activities as you do them, ask questions of other couples, share how God is using this book to strengthen your marriage, and grow with other Christian couples. We’ll see you in the community.

Bible Studies, Bibles, Books & More

Christianbook Distributors logo
Everything Christian for less!

Looking for a Bible Study, Bible, book or Christian gift? We are an affiliate with Christianbook Distributors and receive an 8% commission on any item purchased through one of our links. However, the commission never increases your cost of any item. View some of our favorite items by clicking on the logo and thank you for supporting our ministry.

Christianbook Distributors Search:
Christianbook.com

Wellspring Christian Ministries receives an 8% commission on any purchased made from Christian Book Distributors through any affiliate link on this site. Your price for any item is the same as purchasing from CBD directly.

See our other recent posts:

904.239.8937
A non-profit ministry located in Jacksonville, FL 
Follow us on:

facebook logo link on Bible reading post
LinkedIn logo link on Bible reading post
Twitter logo link on Bible reading post
Instagram logo link on Bible reading post
YouTub logo link on Bible reading post
Pintrest logo link on Bible reading post

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When No One Sees Your Sin

One Year Bible Reading Plan and Devotional

Today’s Bible Reading: March 4

Download the full one-year Bible reading plan here:

[Download not found]

Numbers 32-33

Mark 10:1-31

When No One Sees Your Sin

One day a school principal received a phone call. The voice said, “Thomas won’t be in school today.” The principal was a bit suspicious of the voice. He asked, “Who is speaking?” The voice came back,  “My father.” I can just imagine that principal had a conversation with the boy’s father and his sin of deceit had been discovered.

Sir Walter Scott penned the lines in his poem entitled Marmion, “Oh! What A Tangled Web We Weave When First We Practice To Deceive.” No matter what our sin is, we can be sure that at some time or another it will “find us out.” As a result we live constantly looking over our shoulder or worrying about who is going to find out about our secret sin.

The web of sin

Sin often becomes a web that we get caught in. Each sin lays down another sticky string of web until the web becomes so tangled we become entrapped in the web that we created. Then we are left with the guilt that sticks and clings to us and weighs us down until we experience depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, or feel like failures. Whether the sin is a lie or any other sin, we can be sure we will be found out…one way or another. Even if we were to get away with it here on earth, God is an omnipotent God. He sees everything and He knows everything – even the thoughts that are never expressed through word or action.

God’s Perfect Knowledge of Mankind

King David tells us in Psalm 139:1-12, that there is nothing God doesn’t know and there is no place we can hid from God. Read the verses:

1O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.
3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
5 You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.

7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me;
12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

Sin will always come home to roost

An Eastern proverb says: “Curses, like chickens, always come home to roost.” Sin also will “come home to roost.” It might mean that we got caught in the sin. Or maybe we didn’t get caught, but we still live with guilt, regret, and the consequences of our actions. It might mean that relationships are hurt or destroyed. It might mean getting fired from a job. Or it might mean the end of a marriage. Even if the sin brought no consequences now, God always knows. Psalm 139:7 says, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?” The answer is – nowhere.

Consider the following examples from the Bible:

  • Adam and Eve tried to hide from God when they committed the first sin. God asked Eve, “What have you done?”
  • When Cain killed his brother, God asks, “Where is your brother?” Cain denies any knowledge of his whereabouts. God’s reply: “What have you done?”
  • Moses killed an Egyptian who was mistreating a Hebrew slave. He thought now one saw him. The Bible tells us that Moses looked around before killing the Egyptian. Then he buried the body in the sand. But then the next day, he attempts to break up and argument between two of the Hebrews and they said “Will you now kill us like the Egyptian?” Moses learned the hard way that our sins will find us out. Moses’ sin sent him fleeing from Pharaoh to another country.

Over and over again throughout the Bible we can find where someone thought they had gotten away with sin, only to realize that they could not hide it from God.

Achan’s “Hidden” Sin

In Joshua 7, Achan took “accursed” things from among the spoils of battle that God had given instructions not to take. He didn’t even get to enjoy those things because he had to bury it so no one knew. But God knew and the result was the nation losing the next battle. Achan’s sin found him out and came home to roost.

David’s “Hidden” Sin

David thought his sin of sleeping with Bathsheba was not known, but his sin results in the conception of a child. Now he has to cover that up so he brings Bathsheba’s husband home from the battle (where David should have been!) so that everyone will think the baby is her husband’s child instead of his. However, the husband is too noble for this plan to work and so David then sends him to the front lines knowing it will result in the husband’s death. Bathsheba then becomes part of David Harem. But God knew exactly all the sins that was tangled up in this web and the son conceived in sin became ill and died. David’s sin found him out and came home to roost.

Ananias and Sapphira’s “Hidden” Sin

In Acts 5, people were selling their possessions and giving to those who had need. Ananias and Sapphira sold some land and told the apostles they had sold for a certain amount but in fact they had sold it for more and kept the rest for themselves. Their sin was not keeping some of the profit from the sell, but that they were deceitful in telling the apostles they sold it for less than they had. Peter asks Ananias, “Why have you lied, not to men – but to God?” Ananias and Sapphira’s sin found them out and came home to roost.

The “Hidden” Sin of Joseph’s brothers

Joseph’s brothers were filled with jealousy – so much so that they sold Joseph off to slave traders. They then had to cover up that sin with another and they took his coat of many colors and dipped it in the blood of an animal, ripped it up and brought it to their father who assumed Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. But seventeen years later when a famine is in the land, the brothers go to Egypt to buy grain only to learn that the second in command of all of Egypt was the brother they had sold into slavery. Their sin found them out and came home to roost.

God always knows our secret sins

In Psalm 90:8, the psalmist wrote, “You have set our iniquities before You, Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance.” No matter how much we think we get away with something, God always knows. If it is not revealed in this life, you can bet it will be revealed when you stand before the judgement seat of Christ.

Hebrews 4:13 tells us, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things [are] naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”

Psalm 44:21 tells us that God knows the secrets of the heart.

Luke 12:2-3 tells us that nothing is covered up but all things are revealed, nothing is hid that shall not be made known, that what is spoken in darkness will be heard in the light and proclaimed upon the housetops.  

We can have forgiveness of sin rather than living in the guilt of sin

Every word and action of our lives are stored in God’s books and we will have to answer for each and every word and deed. However, through Christ’s shed blood on the cross and his resurrection, we can accept Him by faith as our Savior and receive forgiveness of sin so that the ledge books in heaven are wiped clean! The Bible tells us that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.    

So you can be sure that no matter the sin, our sins will indeed find us out. I would rather have my sins forgiven and washed away then to have to explain them to God.

God, forgive us of our sins and help us live in obedience to your Word. 

#ReadYourBible #Leviticus #Mark #whennooneseesyoursin #sin #webofsin #Achan #besureyoursinswillfindyouout

Click here to listen to our devotions on Spotify be sure to follow us.

Now you can enhance your Bible Reading with the Verse Mapping Template

Our Verse Mapping download is FREE and includes 6 pages: 3 pages of instructions for using the template and the 2 page template, plus the cover page. If you’re looking to go deeper into God’s Word, learn more about God and develop a stronger spiritual life, Verse Mapping will help you dig into the scriptures. As you apply God’s Word to your life, you will develop a more intimate knowledge and relationship with God.

Buy now for $3.99 and get unlimited downloads

Visit our three retail experiences:

Bible study and Self Care Resources
Christian Tees, Bags, Mugs & More
We are an affiliate of CBD. We earn a commission on any purchase you make when you enter the store through this link. However, your CBD price is the same. Visit CBD for Bibles, Bible studies, gifts & more

Tee of the week: Jeremiah 29:13

For America to see revival, 2 Chronicles 7:14 says we are to seek God’s face. Jeremiah tells us that we will find Him when we search for Him with all our hearts.

Get the “Jeremiah 29:13” shirts and products here

Visit our YouTube Channels for Christian playlists and our short animated devotionals.

Animated Devotionals

Go to the Channel

Contemporary Christian Music Playlist

Visit our Contemporary Christian Music Playlist here

Southern Gospel Playlist

Go to the Channel

Just Hymns

Go to the Channel

God, Love, and Marshmallow Wars

by Julia M. Bruce

What’s Inside God, Love, and Marshmallow Wars?

This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:

  • Scripture to memorize and meditate on
  • Conversation Starters
    • Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages
    • Romance Builders
    • Relationship Builders
    • Personal reflections
    • Date ideas
    • Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples

Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.

Westbow logo
Christian book logo
amazon logo
Barnes and Nobel logo
walmart logo


 Join the community of couples on Facebook who are committed to intentionally growing their marriage and learning how to have a marriage that honors God. Here you can post photos of the different activities as you do them, ask questions of other couples, share how God is using this book to strengthen your marriage, and grow with other Christian couples. We’ll see you in the community.

Bible Studies, Bibles, Books & More

Christianbook Distributors logo
Everything Christian for less!

Looking for a Bible Study, Bible, book or Christian gift? We are an affiliate with Christianbook Distributors and receive an 8% commission on any item purchased through one of our links. However, the commission never increases your cost of any item. View some of our favorite items by clicking on the logo and thank you for supporting our ministry.

Christianbook Distributors Search:
Christianbook.com

Wellspring Christian Ministries receives an 8% commission on any purchased made from Christian Book Distributors through any affiliate link on this site. Your price for any item is the same as purchasing from CBD directly.

See our other recent posts:

904.239.8937
A non-profit ministry located in Jacksonville, FL 
Follow us on:

facebook logo link on Bible reading post
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Did you remember to read your Bible?

One Year Bible Reading Plan and Devotional

Today’s Bible Reading: March 3

Download the full one-year Bible reading plan here:

[Download not found]

Numbers 30-31

Mark 9:30-50

All Thanks are Possible

Think for a moment about who you consider to be the greatest person in the following categories:

  • The greatest singer
  • The greatest musician
  • Who is the greatest teacher?
  • The greatest football player
  • The greatest actor/actress
  • Who is the greatest pastor?
  • The greatest boss/leader

Being the greatest is a matter of opinion

Most of us can easily identify a person in each of these categories. My opinion about the greatest one in each of them could be very different from yours. It would all be based on the qualifiers you have in your mind that would make someone the “greatest.” For example, if I said that the greatest singer is Josh Groban but you do not like his style of music then you would greatly disagree. Or if I said the greatest musician is Kenny G, but you prefer piano music, then you’d might list someone else as the greatest musician, even if you thought Kenny G was the best soprano saxophone player. Since you probably had different teachers than I did, it is very likely we would not agree on the greatest teacher. So if we are going to answer the question, “Who is the greatest?” then we need to have some qualifiers upon which we will identify who is the greatest. Jesus gives us those qualifiers in Mark 9:35 and the list is very short – just 2.

Qualifiers from the world for being the greatest

Jesus said in Mark 9:35 that the greatest is the last of all and servant of all. In our world today, these are probably not the qualifiers most of us would assign to the greatest person. Instead we identify them based off appearances, accomplishments, successes, possessions, abilities, personality, etc. In the world’s point of view, a great person is easily identified because that person doesn’t stop pointing out his own greatness. The two biggest words in his/her vocabulary is “I” and “me.” Most of the people the world would identify as the greatest are full of pride. He is egotistical and self-made. He’s the person sung about in Frank Sinatra’s “I Did It My Way.” He doesn’t need anyone else’s help or guidance. He’s a self-made man.

Jesus’ 2 Qualifiers for being the greatest

But Jesus identifies the greatest in a very different way and pride has no room at all in the life of a person that Jesus considers to be the greatest. Instead, Jesus says the person that is greatest is last – or in other words, it is the man or woman who is humble. C.S. Lewis said, “True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” So what does the humble man or woman look like? Here are 11 traits of a humble person.

A humble person is not boastful

Even if he or she earned “boasting rights”, you won’t find the humble person bragging. When he does speak about his accomplishments, he will point out the people that helped him get there so that the spotlight is on them rather than himself. He will also give God the glory and credit.

A humble person is a good listener

It has been said that God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth so that we could listen twice as much as we speak. The humble man or woman is an active listener with a genuine concern for what the other person is saying and/or feeling. He or she is not more concerned with getting their point of view across, but truly wants to know what the other person is thinking and feeling.

A humble person Follows God’s lead

The humble person isn’t leading God along in her own personal plans for her life, rather she allows herself to be led by God and obediently follows His plan for her life. He looks for where God is at work around him and then joins God in His activities as God reveals them to him.

A humble person Doesn’t Give Up

Humble people are able to keep trying no matter how many times they fall down. Prideful people fall and they will get up but then give up out our fear of falling again and people witnessing it. Humble people understand that everyone makes mistakes but they acknowledge it, learn from it and then get up and try again. When inventing the light bulb, Thomas Edison had many failures before finding success. He said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” He was also quoted as saying, “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”

A humble person has Self-Control

It takes much more effort and control to live humbly than with egotistical pride. Living humbly takes a consistent effort to choose humility over pride. People who “fly off” in a fit of rage are not humble people. Instead, those people allow their pride to control them and when pride is in control, the person has no control. But when humility wins the battle, the person has control of his words and actions.

A humble person is a leader

Vince Lombardi said, “Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.” But there is a difference between a humble leader and a prideful one. Prideful leaders are, in fact, not leaders at all – they are bosses. They boss people around, telling them what to do and enforcing their will on others. Most often what they makes others do, they refuse to do themselves. The humble leader, however, works in the trenches alongside of those whom he leads – whether the task is dirty and hard or fun and exciting. When the hard, difficult task needs to be done, you’ll find the humble leader doing it himself rather than getting others to do it while he goes out for a round of golf.

A humble person willingly serves others

Not only did Jesus say the greatest person is humble, but that they also servant of all. Jesus demonstrated this by washing the disciples feet. If you know anything at all about Jewish customs, then you know that foot washing was the task of the lowest of the low ranking servants. Yet the Son of God, King of kings humbly knelt down and wash the feet of His disciples. In Jesus’ qualifiers for the title of “Greatest”, we should follow His example and be willing to serve others in whatever capacity is needed. The humble person doesn’t care if serving others receives recognition. They aren’t doing it for what they can get out of it, but for what they can give to someone else. It brings him joy to serve others so there is no grumbling or complaining. He sees serving others and an opportunity rather than duty or obligation.

A humble person loves others

Let’s face it – not everyone is easy to love. But Jesus said the 2nd greatest commandment was to love others as we love ourselves. The humble person loves others regardless of who they are, where they come from, what color of skin they have, what they smell like, what their mental capacity is, what their annual income is, what their employment position is – they simple love others. Prideful people love people who fit into their criteria as loveable. Humble people recognize that because of sin, none of us a loveable, but God chose to love us even while we were yet sinners and sent Jesus to die for us as the payment for our sin. They then share the love of Christ with others – even with the most “unlovable.”

A humble person is tenderhearted and forgiving

Tenderhearted is the capacity to be kind and gentle. It doesn’t mean he allows others to “walk over” him or take advantage of him, but that even when he needs to be firm it is done with kindness and gentleness. The humble person is also willing to forgive others because she knows that she has made her own share of mistakes and is grateful of Christ’s forgiveness towards her so she is then able to extend forgiveness towards others.

A humble person is correctable

People who are full of pride do not accept correction from others. They will pass the blame elsewhere or have a million excuses but they won’t accept their own fault. They are defensive and argumentative as they try to convince others they are right. The humble person is teachable. When he recognizes a mistake or someone points out a mistake, his response is, “teach me.” He has a genuine desire to learn from his mistakes and knows that as he learns, he’s another step closer to success.

A humble person is a Christ follower

Christ follower. Humility is impossible if we are not following Christ because it is only then that we recognize God’s greatness and realize just how “fallen” and “broken” we are. The more we know about God, the more we are able to realize just how sinful we are. As a follower of Christ, we strive to be like Him so that all we do and say points people to Him – not to our self.

Jesus’ definition of the Greatest Reverses the World’s definition

Jesus’ teaching about who is the greatest reverses the world’s concept of being the greatest. He taught that being “first” did not come through aggressiveness and privilege, but through a humble heart and a willingness to love and serve others. But He didn’t just teach it with words, he modeled it in his life. Based on Jesus’ value system, would He say you are one of the greatest?

#ReadYourBible #Leviticus #Mark #beingthegreatest #humble #servant #last

Click here to listen to our devotions on Spotify be sure to follow us.

Now you can enhance your Bible Reading with the Verse Mapping Template

Our Verse Mapping download is FREE and includes 6 pages: 3 pages of instructions for using the template and the 2 page template, plus the cover page. If you’re looking to go deeper into God’s Word, learn more about God and develop a stronger spiritual life, Verse Mapping will help you dig into the scriptures. As you apply God’s Word to your life, you will develop a more intimate knowledge and relationship with God.

Buy now for $3.99 and get unlimited downloads

Visit our three retail experiences:

Bible study and Self Care Resources
Christian Tees, Bags, Mugs & More
We are an affiliate of CBD. We earn a commission on any purchase you make when you enter the store through this link. However, your CBD price is the same. Visit CBD for Bibles, Bible studies, gifts & more

Tee of the week: Jeremiah 29:13

For America to see revival, 2 Chronicles 7:14 says we are to seek God’s face. Jeremiah tells us that we will find Him when we search for Him with all our hearts.

Get the “Jeremiah 29:13” shirts and products here

Visit our YouTube Channels for Christian playlists and our short animated devotionals.

Animated Devotionals

Go to the Channel

Contemporary Christian Music Playlist

Visit our Contemporary Christian Music Playlist here

Southern Gospel Playlist

Go to the Channel

Just Hymns

Go to the Channel

God, Love, and Marshmallow Wars

by Julia M. Bruce

What’s Inside God, Love, and Marshmallow Wars?

This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:

  • Scripture to memorize and meditate on
  • Conversation Starters
    • Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages
    • Romance Builders
    • Relationship Builders
    • Personal reflections
    • Date ideas
    • Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples

Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.

Westbow logo
Christian book logo
amazon logo
Barnes and Nobel logo
walmart logo


 Join the community of couples on Facebook who are committed to intentionally growing their marriage and learning how to have a marriage that honors God. Here you can post photos of the different activities as you do them, ask questions of other couples, share how God is using this book to strengthen your marriage, and grow with other Christian couples. We’ll see you in the community.

Bible Studies, Bibles, Books & More

Christianbook Distributors logo
Everything Christian for less!

Looking for a Bible Study, Bible, book or Christian gift? We are an affiliate with Christianbook Distributors and receive an 8% commission on any item purchased through one of our links. However, the commission never increases your cost of any item. View some of our favorite items by clicking on the logo and thank you for supporting our ministry.

Christianbook Distributors Search:
Christianbook.com

Wellspring Christian Ministries receives an 8% commission on any purchased made from Christian Book Distributors through any affiliate link on this site. Your price for any item is the same as purchasing from CBD directly.

See our other recent posts:

904.239.8937
A non-profit ministry located in Jacksonville, FL 
Follow us on:

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Posted on by — Leave a comment

Two Qualifiers for being the Greatest

One Year Bible Reading Plan and Devotional

Today’s Bible Reading: March 3

Download the full one-year Bible reading plan here:

[Download not found]

Numbers 30-31

Mark 9:30-50

All Thanks are Possible

Think for a moment about who you consider to be the greatest person in the following categories:

  • The greatest singer
  • The greatest musician
  • Who is the greatest teacher?
  • The greatest football player
  • The greatest actor/actress
  • Who is the greatest pastor?
  • The greatest boss/leader

Being the greatest is a matter of opinion

Most of us can easily identify a person in each of these categories. My opinion about the greatest one in each of them could be very different from yours. It would all be based on the qualifiers you have in your mind that would make someone the “greatest.” For example, if I said that the greatest singer is Josh Groban but you do not like his style of music then you would greatly disagree. Or if I said the greatest musician is Kenny G, but you prefer piano music, then you’d might list someone else as the greatest musician, even if you thought Kenny G was the best soprano saxophone player. Since you probably had different teachers than I did, it is very likely we would not agree on the greatest teacher. So if we are going to answer the question, “Who is the greatest?” then we need to have some qualifiers upon which we will identify who is the greatest. Jesus gives us those qualifiers in Mark 9:35 and the list is very short – just 2.

Qualifiers from the world for being the greatest

Jesus said in Mark 9:35 that the greatest is the last of all and servant of all. In our world today, these are probably not the qualifiers most of us would assign to the greatest person. Instead we identify them based off appearances, accomplishments, successes, possessions, abilities, personality, etc. In the world’s point of view, a great person is easily identified because that person doesn’t stop pointing out his own greatness. The two biggest words in his/her vocabulary is “I” and “me.” Most of the people the world would identify as the greatest are full of pride. He is egotistical and self-made. He’s the person sung about in Frank Sinatra’s “I Did It My Way.” He doesn’t need anyone else’s help or guidance. He’s a self-made man.

Jesus’ 2 Qualifiers for being the greatest

But Jesus identifies the greatest in a very different way and pride has no room at all in the life of a person that Jesus considers to be the greatest. Instead, Jesus says the person that is greatest is last – or in other words, it is the man or woman who is humble. C.S. Lewis said, “True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” So what does the humble man or woman look like? Here are 11 traits of a humble person.

A humble person is not boastful

Even if he or she earned “boasting rights”, you won’t find the humble person bragging. When he does speak about his accomplishments, he will point out the people that helped him get there so that the spotlight is on them rather than himself. He will also give God the glory and credit.

A humble person is a good listener

It has been said that God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth so that we could listen twice as much as we speak. The humble man or woman is an active listener with a genuine concern for what the other person is saying and/or feeling. He or she is not more concerned with getting their point of view across, but truly wants to know what the other person is thinking and feeling.

A humble person Follows God’s lead

The humble person isn’t leading God along in her own personal plans for her life, rather she allows herself to be led by God and obediently follows His plan for her life. He looks for where God is at work around him and then joins God in His activities as God reveals them to him.

A humble person Doesn’t Give Up

Humble people are able to keep trying no matter how many times they fall down. Prideful people fall and they will get up but then give up out our fear of falling again and people witnessing it. Humble people understand that everyone makes mistakes but they acknowledge it, learn from it and then get up and try again. When inventing the light bulb, Thomas Edison had many failures before finding success. He said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” He was also quoted as saying, “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”

A humble person has Self-Control

It takes much more effort and control to live humbly than with egotistical pride. Living humbly takes a consistent effort to choose humility over pride. People who “fly off” in a fit of rage are not humble people. Instead, those people allow their pride to control them and when pride is in control, the person has no control. But when humility wins the battle, the person has control of his words and actions.

A humble person is a leader

Vince Lombardi said, “Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.” But there is a difference between a humble leader and a prideful one. Prideful leaders are, in fact, not leaders at all – they are bosses. They boss people around, telling them what to do and enforcing their will on others. Most often what they makes others do, they refuse to do themselves. The humble leader, however, works in the trenches alongside of those whom he leads – whether the task is dirty and hard or fun and exciting. When the hard, difficult task needs to be done, you’ll find the humble leader doing it himself rather than getting others to do it while he goes out for a round of golf.

A humble person willingly serves others

Not only did Jesus say the greatest person is humble, but that they also servant of all. Jesus demonstrated this by washing the disciples feet. If you know anything at all about Jewish customs, then you know that foot washing was the task of the lowest of the low ranking servants. Yet the Son of God, King of kings humbly knelt down and wash the feet of His disciples. In Jesus’ qualifiers for the title of “Greatest”, we should follow His example and be willing to serve others in whatever capacity is needed. The humble person doesn’t care if serving others receives recognition. They aren’t doing it for what they can get out of it, but for what they can give to someone else. It brings him joy to serve others so there is no grumbling or complaining. He sees serving others and an opportunity rather than duty or obligation.

A humble person loves others

Let’s face it – not everyone is easy to love. But Jesus said the 2nd greatest commandment was to love others as we love ourselves. The humble person loves others regardless of who they are, where they come from, what color of skin they have, what they smell like, what their mental capacity is, what their annual income is, what their employment position is – they simple love others. Prideful people love people who fit into their criteria as loveable. Humble people recognize that because of sin, none of us a loveable, but God chose to love us even while we were yet sinners and sent Jesus to die for us as the payment for our sin. They then share the love of Christ with others – even with the most “unlovable.”

A humble person is tenderhearted and forgiving

Tenderhearted is the capacity to be kind and gentle. It doesn’t mean he allows others to “walk over” him or take advantage of him, but that even when he needs to be firm it is done with kindness and gentleness. The humble person is also willing to forgive others because she knows that she has made her own share of mistakes and is grateful of Christ’s forgiveness towards her so she is then able to extend forgiveness towards others.

A humble person is correctable

People who are full of pride do not accept correction from others. They will pass the blame elsewhere or have a million excuses but they won’t accept their own fault. They are defensive and argumentative as they try to convince others they are right. The humble person is teachable. When he recognizes a mistake or someone points out a mistake, his response is, “teach me.” He has a genuine desire to learn from his mistakes and knows that as he learns, he’s another step closer to success.

A humble person is a Christ follower

Christ follower. Humility is impossible if we are not following Christ because it is only then that we recognize God’s greatness and realize just how “fallen” and “broken” we are. The more we know about God, the more we are able to realize just how sinful we are. As a follower of Christ, we strive to be like Him so that all we do and say points people to Him – not to our self.

Jesus’ definition of the Greatest Reverses the World’s definition

Jesus’ teaching about who is the greatest reverses the world’s concept of being the greatest. He taught that being “first” did not come through aggressiveness and privilege, but through a humble heart and a willingness to love and serve others. But He didn’t just teach it with words, he modeled it in his life. Based on Jesus’ value system, would He say you are one of the greatest?

#ReadYourBible #Leviticus #Mark #beingthegreatest #humble #servant #last

Click here to listen to our devotions on Spotify be sure to follow us.

Now you can enhance your Bible Reading with the Verse Mapping Template

Our Verse Mapping download is FREE and includes 6 pages: 3 pages of instructions for using the template and the 2 page template, plus the cover page. If you’re looking to go deeper into God’s Word, learn more about God and develop a stronger spiritual life, Verse Mapping will help you dig into the scriptures. As you apply God’s Word to your life, you will develop a more intimate knowledge and relationship with God.

Buy now for $3.99 and get unlimited downloads

Visit our three retail experiences:

Bible study and Self Care Resources
Christian Tees, Bags, Mugs & More
We are an affiliate of CBD. We earn a commission on any purchase you make when you enter the store through this link. However, your CBD price is the same. Visit CBD for Bibles, Bible studies, gifts & more

Tee of the week: Jeremiah 29:13

For America to see revival, 2 Chronicles 7:14 says we are to seek God’s face. Jeremiah tells us that we will find Him when we search for Him with all our hearts.

Get the “Jeremiah 29:13” shirts and products here

Visit our YouTube Channels for Christian playlists and our short animated devotionals.

Animated Devotionals

Go to the Channel

Contemporary Christian Music Playlist

Visit our Contemporary Christian Music Playlist here

Southern Gospel Playlist

Go to the Channel

Just Hymns

Go to the Channel

God, Love, and Marshmallow Wars

by Julia M. Bruce

What’s Inside God, Love, and Marshmallow Wars?

This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:

  • Scripture to memorize and meditate on
  • Conversation Starters
    • Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages
    • Romance Builders
    • Relationship Builders
    • Personal reflections
    • Date ideas
    • Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples

Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.

Westbow logo
Christian book logo
amazon logo
Barnes and Nobel logo
walmart logo


 Join the community of couples on Facebook who are committed to intentionally growing their marriage and learning how to have a marriage that honors God. Here you can post photos of the different activities as you do them, ask questions of other couples, share how God is using this book to strengthen your marriage, and grow with other Christian couples. We’ll see you in the community.

Bible Studies, Bibles, Books & More

Christianbook Distributors logo
Everything Christian for less!

Looking for a Bible Study, Bible, book or Christian gift? We are an affiliate with Christianbook Distributors and receive an 8% commission on any item purchased through one of our links. However, the commission never increases your cost of any item. View some of our favorite items by clicking on the logo and thank you for supporting our ministry.

Christianbook Distributors Search:
Christianbook.com

Wellspring Christian Ministries receives an 8% commission on any purchased made from Christian Book Distributors through any affiliate link on this site. Your price for any item is the same as purchasing from CBD directly.

See our other recent posts:

904.239.8937
A non-profit ministry located in Jacksonville, FL 
Follow us on:

facebook logo link on Bible reading post
LinkedIn logo link on Bible reading post
Twitter logo link on Bible reading post
Instagram logo link on Bible reading post
YouTub logo link on Bible reading post
Pintrest logo link on Bible reading post