12 Powerful Days: A Teaching Devotional

By Reginald E. Daniels

12 Powerful Days is designed to take the aspiring Christian on a twelve-day quest for a closer walk with Christ. It is the author's intent to assist the reader in becoming stronger, wiser, and, ultimately, empowered upon the completion of this mission. These powerful teaching devotions were designed to give the reader more content than

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: Mar 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9798887386508

Reginald E. Daniels

Reginald E. Daniels is called to fulfill the mandate of the great commission by taking the teachings of Jesus Christ to the world. He is the author of three books. His life experience includes: pastor, counselor, life coach,elected official, community leader, customer service sector employee, radio host, and actor. He had a speaking role in the Wes Miller produced movie Prayer Never Fails, which featured Eric Roberts, Corbin Bernsen, Lynn Whitfield, Clifton Davis, and Cathy Lee Crosby. He believes we were created to glorify the Lord in every aspect of our lives, regardless of our assignments and geographical location.

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Introduction

This devotional is designed to take you on a twelve-day quest for a closer walk with Jesus using practical and down-to-earth lessons. It is my prayer that you are stronger and wiser upon your completion of this mission. Do not hesitate to get your Bible as you read the daily devotions. I challenge you to meditate prayerfully on the teachings and the scriptures provided. For the first six days, you will be presented with the challenge of prayerfully reading and meditating on one devotional session each day. Then, the final six days, you will be encouraged to increase your pursuit to power in Jesus Christ by prayerfully reading and meditating on two devotional sessions per day.

Read these daily devotions at home, on your break at work, during your quiet time in the morning or night—however you feel led. They were designed to give you a little more than the typical one-page devotionals, yet short enough to squeeze them into a busy day. I recommend setting aside at least 15–30 minutes for each devotional session.

In the event you cannot read them on consecutive days, don’t worry. Things happen. If you miss a day(s), do not hesitate to resume as soon as you can from the point you paused. It will indeed be a challenge and a sacrifice. I pray you are empowered and your environment is a better place as a result of reading these devotions. To God be all the glory!

-Reginald E. Daniels-

Faith

First Day:

Pursuing a Life with Jesus

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

John 10:1–10 (KJV)

So many times, we find ourselves searching for all kinds of solutions to many kinds of problems. Often, we feel like there’s no way out of our complex situations. There are many issues we face and we need to realize that problems are meant to be solved.

It doesn’t matter what circumstances you are facing right now, there are people around the world that are living in worse conditions than you are. You have to realize that trouble isn’t meant to last always. The keyword there in that last statement was meant. Trouble isn’t meant to be permanent. It’s what we allow to abide that matters.

Every day, many people wonder if they’re going to be able to make it through the day. Some even have concerns about making it through the hour, but thank God we have hope. We have an assurance that Jesus is bigger than any problem life has to offer. We have to learn how to trust Him during these trying times.

In our text today, Jesus conversed with some Pharisees about being spiritually blind. Jesus revealed to the Pharisees that trusting in Him is the way to go. Regardless of how you try to get around it, Jesus is the way. Time and time again, He attempted to make that truth clear to them. They (the Pharisees) could not understand how one who holds their eternal fate was there talking to them in the flesh.

This text begins with Jesus revealing to them that He’s the real deal! He reveals to them that whether they accepted it or not, they had to come through Him. He explained that He was the way to the Father.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

John 10:1–5

Notice that Jesus explained that if one enters any other way, he is considered a spiritual criminal. He said that if they climbed up some other way, it’s the same as a thief and a criminal. Jesus cleared all of that up with hope by revealing to them that they should come in the right way, but it must be through the door! In short, Jesus is that door! This is where we have many hang- ups when it comes to one’s eternal fate. Jesus is the door, and any time you enter into someone’s house, you want to enter in the right way, and Jesus was making it clear in the text that He is the door.

Verses 4 and 5 of our text are talking about relationships. Once you receive Jesus as your personal Savior, you must try to maintain a personal relationship with Him.

And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

Notice that Jesus made it clear that sheep follow the shepherd. In other words, we ought to be trying to keep a close relationship with the Lord at all times. He explained that a stranger will not follow. This is why we have to establish and maintain that relationship with the Lord so that we’ll know the do’s and don’ts of this life. You may be asking, what does such a relationship entail?

Well, we have to be constantly in prayer with the Lord. This communication is vital in the Christian’s walk. We need to make prayer a way of life in our lives, and just for the record, we don’t have to have only set times, but we’re to be prayer(ful) at all times. In other words, our hearts should always have communication with the Lord at all times.

We should also be constantly studying the Word. In addition to hearing the preached Word, it’s imperative to learn to get into the Word ourselves. One doesn’t have to be a Bible scholar in order to dig deep into the Word. Prayer plus meditation, with the Lord providing understanding, will do great things in your life.

It’s the Word that helps increase our faith. This is why you have to learn what thus saith the Lord to help you in your daily walk. Then you’ll have some ammunition to use against the circumstances that come your way.

Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Romans 10:7–17

As you can see there, we need to get the Word in us. That in turn will activate our faith to give us the boost we need to stand on the promises of the Lord. Later on in the text, we find that the Pharisees couldn’t grasp the teachings that Jesus was giving them, so as He often did, He broke it down for them in a parable.

Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not