+Dev+ Michael D. Inman Pastor

Jan 26, 2022 at 12:39 AM CST

Topic: +DEV+  Prayer of Faith

Prayer of Faith

"The prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."   James 5:15, 16b

Scripture Focus: James 5:13-16

Have you read this passage and questioned why your prayers for healing didn't seem to "work"? Did you wonder if perhaps you just were not righteous enough to produce prayers that were "powerful and effective"? I imagine we all can relate to this. 

We bring our impassioned requests to the Lord, not unlike a child begging a parent. But while the child may have a fit when the answer is "no," we can come to trust in our loving heavenly Father who will do His good and perfect will in His timing. He is still Lord. He is still loving. His answer is best. 

Let's pray together now: "We pray for healing for those who experience various sicknesses, acute and chronic, and that you will continue give them the strength and faith to bear their sufferings. We ask for your grace for those who are lonely and rejected, that they may find people of compassion to surround them. Please give them meaning in life and richness in their walk with you. 

Speak to our lost loved ones. Bring them into your kingdom, and name them your friends."

INSIGHT: 

Cry out to God like the father in Mark 9 who begged Jesus to heal his boy. "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" (vs. 24)

It is our hopes and prayers that these devotions will bring people to Jesus as Savior and have a deeper meaningful relationship with the Lord.

If you have prayer requests for anything please email us and we will pray for them.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you feel led to become a prayer partner or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=lVWtcmOoaZ9GZpaB-NmPMcxGFZNKEHz614BebUf4sI4vcg_jAcYtF6_524IQDwRGUw29G7CCHjK-bLKw
Or contact us by replying to this email.
Michael D. Inman

Jan 25, 2022 at 2:27 AM CST

Topic: +DEV+  Restore Us, Lord
Restore Us, Lord

"Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."   Psalm 73:25-26

Scripture Focus: Psalm 73:21-28

From very young on, we long for success. We hope things go right for us, and we strive to make it so. Yet as we grow older and our failures accumulate, we see God working in our shortcomings and disappointments as much as (or more than) He works in our accomplishments. Let's thank Him for that today. 

"Heavenly Father, we thank you for the opportunities you give which cultivate patience, tolerance, and hope. We can thank you for the letdowns that we have faced, for they teach us humility. We can thank you for our failures, for they help us understand the failures of others who need a helping hand. Thank you for your forgiveness that makes us conscious of being human. Thank you for prompting us to forgive those who hurt us. What a blessing to know that, though our flesh and heart may fail, you are our strength and portion forever. 

"May your healing hand be upon those who are sick and provide work for those in need. Bring home to us the power of your Word and give us receptive hearts to grow and be encouraged by it. Amen."

INSIGHT: When Jesus died on the cross, it looked like failure to many. But, oh, how God's perfect and amazing plan triumphed that day!


It is our hopes and prayers that these devotions will bring people to Jesus as Savior and have a deeper meaningful relationship with the Lord.

If you have prayer requests for anything please email us and we will pray for them.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you feel led to become a prayer partner or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=lVWtcmOoaZ9GZpaB-NmPMcxGFZNKEHz614BebUf4sI4vcg_jAcYtF6_524IQDwRGUw29G7CCHjK-bLKw

Or contact us by replying to this email.

Michael D. Inman

Jan 24, 2022 at 1:22 AM CST

Topic: +DEV+  Evening Prayer

Evening Prayer

"May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice."   Psalm 141:2

Scripture Focus: Palm 119:145-152

From sun up to sun down, Jesus hears our rambling, unorganized prayers as well as our short, one-line prayers. 

In A Praying Life (2009), Paul Miller says "A praying life isn't simply a morning prayer time; it is about slipping into prayer at odd hours of the day, not because we are disciplined, but because we are in touch with our own poverty of spirit" and know that we need Jesus at every hour. We can talk with Him right to the moment we lay our heads on the pillow and close our eyes. Let your evening thoughts be of Him and His goodness to you. 

"Heavenly Father, thank you for carrying me through another day. Thank you for all it held and each way you were evident in it. Let some faith and hope and love come out of today. Give me a humble spirit that I may never presume on your mercy, but live always as one who has been forgiven much. 

Grant peaceful rest and take hold of my wandering thoughts so that every 'meditation of my heart would be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.' Amen."

INSIGHT: "From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised." (Psalm 113:3)

It is our hopes and prayers that these devotions will bring people to Jesus as Savior and have a deeper meaningful relationship with the Lord.


If you have prayer requests for anything please email us and we will pray for them.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you feel led to become a prayer partner or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=lVWtcmOoaZ9GZpaB-NmPMcxGFZNKEHz614BebUf4sI4vcg_jAcYtF6_524IQDwRGUw29G7CCHjK-bLKw

Or contact us by replying to this email.

Michael D. Inman

Jan 20, 2021 at 1:47 AM CST

Topic: +DEV+  Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer

"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go. For to you I lift up my soul."   Psalm 143:8

Scripture Focus: Psalm 143:7-12

There are no "rules for praying" that say you must pray first thing in the morning. Still, why wouldn't I want to greet my Maker at the beginning of the day, thank Him for rest and life and breath, and place before Him the plans or worries or questions that lie ahead? 

When a full day awaits you, you might think you should pray so that all goes more smoothly in the coming hours. Pray, indeed! But what if all does not then go smoothly? Has prayer "not worked" again? Keep in mind that coming to God with the burden of your busy day is not necessarily going to offer you a less busy life. However, it will offer you a less busy heart. By lifting up your soul, as David says in the psalm, you'll be reminded in the morning of His unfailing love. That is what will give you an inner quiet for approaching your hectic day. 

"Lord, you are our bright and morning star. We taste and see that you are good. Blessed is the man or woman who knows that nothing can put him or her asunder from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. Amen."

INSIGHT: "In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation." (Psalm 5:3)

It is our hopes and prayers that these devotions will bring people to Jesus as Savior and have a deeper meaningful relationship with the Lord.

If you have prayer requests for anything please email us and we will pray for them.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you feel led to become a prayer partner or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=lVWtcmOoaZ9GZpaB-NmPMcxGFZNKEHz614BebUf4sI4vcg_jAcYtF6_524IQDwRGUw29G7CCHjK-bLKw

Or contact us by replying to this email.

Michael D. Inman

Jan 17, 2022 at 12:31 AM CST
Topic: +DEV+  Daily Conversation

Daily Conversation

"By day you led them with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire to give them light on the way they were to take." Nehemiah 9:12

Scripture Focus: Nehemiah 9:9-12

The daytime cloud and nighttime fire in the sky were visible, almost tangible displays of God's close presence with the Israelite people. He was with them at every moment. They lived in direct, intimate communion with God. Just think of it! 

Yet you and I, too, live with the presence of God every day. The Holy Spirit dwells in our very hearts, making a personal relationship with the God of all creation possible. We enter into that privileged communion through prayer. Let's pray together this prayer to the God who is at hand and draws near to us: 

"Almighty God, the Source of Light and Life, you dwell in light invisible and yet reveal yourself to earth-bound beings like us living in darkness. You are always present in our lives. We thank you for who you are and for your daily revelation to us through our parents, benefactors, ministers of the gospel, and the Scriptures. We thank you for considering us so valuable that you would number the hairs on our head. 

Who else in the world would be bothered to know us like that?"

Insight: "By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me-a prayer to the God of my life." (Psalm 42:8)

It is our hopes and prayers that these devotions will bring people to Jesus as Savior and have a deeper meaningful relationship with the Lord.

If you have prayer requests for anything please email us and we will pray for them.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you feel led to become a prayer partner or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=lVWtcmOoaZ9GZpaB-NmPMcxGFZNKEHz614BebUf4sI4vcg_jAcYtF6_524IQDwRGUw29G7CCHjK-bLKw

Or contact us by replying to this email.

Michael D. Inman

Jan 12, 2022 at 12:51 AM CST

Topic: +DEV+  A New Day

A New Day

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."   Psalm 118:29

Scripture Focus: Psalm 118:17-24

"Our loving heavenly Father, today we say, 'Thanks be to God!' Thank you for all we've encountered in life: the people that have given it more meaning, the opportunities we've learned much from, the challenges that we have had to overcome. Each new day we thank you for the chance to live our life once again. 

"Thank you for all you've abundantly given us: the hard lessons that have helped us know ourselves and others better and the multiple discoveries of reality and truth. Thank you for the good things we have grasped and the bad that we have dodged, for the solutions we have found and the talents we have grown, for the victories we have earned and the beautiful days that we have lived. Thank you for our parents who loved us and the friends we have met. Thank you for the growing awareness that God is tending us despite our mistakes, protecting us despite our weaknesses, loving us despite our flaws, and finding solutions for us despite our stubbornness. 

"Thank you for every new day when we awaken to live and love."

INSIGHT: "It is only with gratitude that life becomes rich!" (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, 1906-1945)

It is our hopes and prayers that these devotions will bring people to Jesus as Savior and have a deeper meaningful relationship with the Lord.

If you have prayer requests for anything please email us and we will pray for them.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you feel led to become a prayer partner or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=lVWtcmOoaZ9GZpaB-NmPMcxGFZNKEHz614BebUf4sI4vcg_jAcYtF6_524IQDwRGUw29G7CCHjK-bLKw

Or contact us by replying to this email.

Michael D. Inman

Jan 7, 2021 at 12:51 AM CST

Topic: +DEV+  Pray Like a Child

Pray Like a Child

"I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me."   Psalm 131:2

Scripture Focus: Luke 18:1-8

We don't have to worry about our words in prayer, wondering if we have "gotten it right." Come to God and tell Him what is on your mind. Isn't that what little children do? They come as they are, asking (sometime over and over again) and believing. I remember times when our kids were little, and they would ask incessantly for something. They were the persistent widow of Luke 18, and I would sometimes give in so they wouldn't "eventually wear me out with [their] coming!" (vs. 5) 

Be as confident and as persistent as a child when you come to the Lord in prayer today: "Abba, Father, we come to you as invited guests with consciences unburdened from guilt, with minds unconsumed from worries, with hearts disengaged from anxieties, with spirits not troubled by our fears, to be lavished with your love and mercy. May we be refreshed and renewed in our spirits. Lord, hide us deep in your heart. We pray this in the name of Jesus who endured our sorrows, absorbed all our sufferings, and tasted the bitterness of our death. Amen."

INSIGHT: "You received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.'" (Romans 8:15)

It is our hopes and prayers that these devotions will bring people to Jesus as Savior and have a deeper meaningful relationship with the Lord.


If you have prayer requests for anything please email us and we will pray for them.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you feel led to become a prayer partner or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=lVWtcmOoaZ9GZpaB-NmPMcxGFZNKEHz614BebUf4sI4vcg_jAcYtF6_524IQDwRGUw29G7CCHjK-bLKw

Or contact us by replying to this email.

Michael D. Inman

Jan 6, 2021 at 1:57 AM CST

Topic: +DEV+  We Pray for Those Who,

We Pray for Those Who,

"The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with his love."   Zephaniah 3:17

Scripture Focus: Zephaniah 3:17-20

"We pray for those who cannot pray for themselves, especially loved ones who are ever seeking things of this world that will not satisfy. Holy Spirit, please strive with their rebellion and plead with their pride. Fold them into your flock, numbering them as family members and friends. 

"Lord, visit those of us who are oppressed in body and troubled in mind. Lay no more upon our suffering than we are able to bear, but temper every trial to the measure of our endurance. Help of the helpless, give us a calm trust that you do all things well. Give us a sustaining hope in you. In your good time and way, grant health and gladness. 

"We pray for those whose homes are shadowed by grief from a loved one's death. May they have entered into your presence triumphantly knowing that their sins have been forgiven and forgotten according to your promise, 'I will remember your sins no more.' May they go home peacefully, where being with you eternally is to share something of that which the power of death cannot stop."

INSIGHT: When you can't put your prayer into words, God hears your heart.

It is our hopes and prayers that these devotions will bring people to Jesus as Savior and have a deeper meaningful relationship with the Lord.


If you have prayer requests for anything please email us and we will pray for them.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you feel led to become a prayer partner or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=lVWtcmOoaZ9GZpaB-NmPMcxGFZNKEHz614BebUf4sI4vcg_jAcYtF6_524IQDwRGUw29G7CCHjK-bLKw

Or contact us by replying to this email.


Michael D. Inman

Jan 5, 2021 at 12:30 AM CST

Topic: +DEV+  The One To Whom We Pray

The One To Whom We Pray

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things."   Revelation 4:11

Scripture Focus: John 6: 66-69

To start your conversation with the Lord today, will you pray along with me the following prayer? "Our heavenly Father, the God who pours out all your benefits to us, we thank you for your gift of Jesus that is so indescribable, for your wisdom that is so infinite. We thank you for your knowledge that is so unsearchable, for your love that is so unfathomable, for your ways that are so untraceable. Thank you for your grace that is so wonderful, for your self-emptying that is so incomprehensible, for your separation from the Father that is so inconceivable.  

"Yet at times those words, 'Thank You,' seem pathetic, lacking, and imperfect. We feel a sense of inadequacy and an inability to fully express what is inside us. Our hearts are ravished and enraptured with 'joy unspeakable,' and the internal emotions overwhelm. Lord, the feeling of gratitude is like a holy flame set ablaze within our hearts, burning to our bones. We're exploding into unutterable thanksgiving. 

Thank you, Father, for being so good to us."  

Insight: "Prayer is neither a mere mental exercise nor a vocal performance. It, is spiritual transaction with the Creator of Heaven and Earth." (Charles Spurgeon, 1834-1892)

It is our hopes and prayers that these devotions will bring people to Jesus as Savior and have a deeper meaningful relationship with the Lord.
If you have prayer requests for anything please email us and we will pray for them.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you feel led to become a prayer partner or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=lVWtcmOoaZ9GZpaB-NmPMcxGFZNKEHz614BebUf4sI4vcg_jAcYtF6_524IQDwRGUw29G7CCHjK-bLKw

Or contact us by replying to this email.


Michael D. Inman

Jan 1, 2022 at 12:56 AM CST
Topic: +DEV+  Learning to Pray


Learning to Pray

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."   1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Scripture Focus: Matthew 6:5-14

With some 650 prayers recorded for us in the Bible, we have a treasured collection that can help us learn to pray. But even when we do not have those prayers at hand or hidden in our hearts, we can talk to God. In The Journey Study Series booklet called "Learning to Pray" (2007), Billy Graham speaks about what prayer is. "Our relationship with God involves communication-not just an occasional brief chat, but a deep sharing of ourselves and our concerns with God. In the Bible God speaks to us; in prayer we speak to God. Both are essential-and both are gifts God has given us so we can know Him. He has given us the privilege of prayer because He loves us and wants our fellowship."   

Recently deceased author and editor of the Journal of Biblical Counseling, David Powlison said that "prayer is meant to be the conversation where your life and your God meet" (2009). Do you long to experience prayer like that? Your heavenly Father is listening and welcoming you into conversation with Him. Never is He weary of hearing you call out to Him.  

INSIGHT: The Bible is filled with many kinds of prayers. Read through them and see how words spoken centuries ago still are fitting for your life today.

Michael Inman
To:
restorationministry@groups.io

Fri, Dec 31, 2021 at 4:05 AM

Dec 30, 2022 at 10:02 PM CST

Topic: For those who are not vaccinated
For those who are not vaccinated and also for those who are.   My friend just sent this to me who lives here in Rolla, Lebanon is also in Missouri.  
Anita

My Friend said the following:

You know, at first I didn't think being around ppl who were vaccinated was any more dangerous than them being around us. BUT I just got a message from a friend in Lebanon who isn't vaccinated but has been around pp who are. She got REAL real sick but tested negative for covid. Last night her husband had to call an ambulance for her. After alot of testing they said she has contracted human metapneumovirus. That is what the vaccine changes your RNA in your DNA. That means she got sick from the vaccinated ppl near her. I just think there is SO MUCH drs haven't even begun to know yet! So be careful.  Now I will be more cautious too, but luckily most of my customers and all of my coworkers have no plans to be vaccinated. We prefer to stand on promises from God.

Dec 31, 2021 at 12:01 AM CST

Topic: +DEV+  Tesch Us To Pray

Teach Us to Pray

"One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."  Luke 11:1

Scripture Focus: Luke 11:1-4

When that one disciple asked Jesus to teach him and the others to pray, had he struggled with prayer as you and I do? Did his mind wander? Did he search for the right words? Did he wonder if prayer made a difference? Did he feel guilty for even having those doubts?   Jesus' brief, beautiful prayer recorded for us in Matthew 6 and Luke 11 gives us a structure to use in our own prayer time. 

The Lord's Prayer might be a part of how you talk with God day in and day out. Prayers found in the Psalms may express just what you want to say. Or perhaps you've found prayers of others (in books like The Valley of Decision) to be helpful in guiding your thoughts. 


You might incorporate into your prayer phrases you remember your own grandfather or grandmother praying.   In these next devotionals, we will use the written prayer of each day as a starting point for your own personal time with the Lord. Then put before God your requests for the problems you know of, for friends and family members in need, and for the agonies of your own heart.  

INSIGHT: Before you say, "Amen," adore God for who He is, confess your sins to Him, thank Him, and let your request be made known to Him.

It is our hopes and prayers that these devotions will bring people to Jesus as Savior and have a deeper meaningful relationship with the Lord.


If you have prayer requests for anything please email us and we will pray for them.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you feel led to become a prayer partner or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=lVWtcmOoaZ9GZpaB-NmPMcxGFZNKEHz614BebUf4sI4vcg_jAcYtF6_524IQDwRGUw29G7CCHjK-bLKw

Or contact us by replying to this email.


Michael D. Inman

Dec 30, 2021 at 12:01 AM CST

Topic: +DEV+  So Hard to Pray

So Hard to Pray


"I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. ,For I have a desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out."   Romans 7:15, 18b


Scripture Focus: Romans 7:15-25

Whether you're a new believer or have been a Christian your entire life, you've probably been confronted by a frustrating incapability to be faithful in prayer. Why is it so hard? Like Paul in his struggle with sin, we wonder why we want to pray but just can't seem to carry it out the way we know we should. 

We often forget to pray even when we've told a friend, "I'll be sure to pray about that for you." When we do, it's not unusual for us to last a short time before thoughts and worries creep in and distract. We're painfully aware that we are not "praying enough." Drawing near in daily conversation with our heavenly Father is hard. In his book A Praying Life (2009), Paul Miller says that "our natural desire to pray comes from Creation. We are made in the image of God. Our inability to pray comes from the Fall. Evil has marred the image." 

But our Father loves us too much to let our relationship with Him go. Join with thousands of Anchor readers this month as we seek to understand and enter into prayer more than ever.

Insight: "Does prayer make any difference?" you may ask. It does, indeed. Come to your Lord in conversation throughout the day. You'll soon discover the difference!

It is our hopes and prayers that these devotions will bring people to Jesus as Savior and have a deeper meaningful relationship with the Lord.


If you have prayer requests for anything please email us and we will pray for them.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you feel led to become a prayer partner or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=lVWtcmOoaZ9GZpaB-NmPMcxGFZNKEHz614BebUf4sI4vcg_jAcYtF6_524IQDwRGUw29G7CCHjK-bLKw

Or contact us by replying to this email.


Michael D. Inman

Dec 29 2021 at 12:01 AM CST

Topic: +DEV+  Resisting the Devil

Resisting the Devil

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are- yet was without sin."   Hebrews 4:15

Scripture Focus: Hebrews 4:1-11

The Bible likens the devil to a "roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). He is the great deceiver who cunningly hunts his prey. He lies in wait, looking for opportunities to steal, kill, and destroy. Often he takes over our thoughts and lives so slyly that we hardly realize what has happened. 

But 1 Peter 5 goes on to say that if we resist the devil and stand firm in the faith, the God of all grace will restore us and make us strong and steadfast. So how do we resist this roaring lion? We do so by looking to Christ. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He met Satan's twisted words and empty claims with the holy Word, "It is written." Satan skewed Scripture in an attempt to get Jesus to sin, but Jesus refuted him with the truth. If we are students of God's Word-hiding its precious promises in our hearts-we recognize when Scripture is misused or misinterpreted. Dependence on our own strength to resist evil will never work. 

Our only hope is to lean on our omnipotent Savior and the power of His Word.

INSIGHT: "I write to you, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one." (1 John 2:14b)

It is our hopes and prayers that these devotions will bring people to Jesus as Savior and have a deeper meaningful relationship with the Lord.


If you have prayer requests for anything please email us and we will pray for them.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you feel led to become a prayer partner or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=lVWtcmOoaZ9GZpaB-NmPMcxGFZNKEHz614BebUf4sI4vcg_jAcYtF6_524IQDwRGUw29G7CCHjK-bLKw

Or contact us by replying to this email.

Michael D. Inman

Dec 27, 2021 at 12:50 PM CST

Topic: +DEV+  The Blessing

The Blessing

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." Ephesians 1:3

Scripture Focus: Ephesians 1

One of my most cherished childhood memories is of my dad praying a blessing over my Sisters and me every evening after Family Alter. He would ask the Lord to cultivate in our love, zeal, and godly wisdom. He'd pray that Jesus would be the Cornerstone of our lives. 

In time, I realized that my dad's blessing pointed to an even greater blessing.   In biblical times, receiving a father's blessing was significant. God made a covenant of blessing with Abraham (Genesis 12:2-3) that was to be passed down through the generations, all the way until the birth of Jesus, the Savior (Matthew 1:2-16). 

Galatians 3:9 enlightens us to the good news that all who put their faith in Christ will share in the same blessing given to Abraham! In Christ, we are adopted into God's family and receive all of the benefits and privileges of a beloved child. If you have never experienced the love of an earthly father, your heart may ache. 

Thanks be to God that you can know the joy and security of belonging to your heavenly Father and receiving His blessing in Christ.

INSIGHT: When we meditate on God's Word, His Spirit opens our eyes to the rich blessings and glorious inheritance promised to those who believe.

The Fear of the Lord

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." "For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding."   Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 2:6

Scripture Focus: Proverbs 1:1-7

When I was in seventh grade, my wonderful church youth leader thought it would be fun to help us memorize Proverbs 1:7 by setting it to music. To this day, I still break out into song when recalling that verse. It has stuck with me all these years! The book of Proverbs reveals our desperate need for wisdom and instruction. Each time I recite my Proverbs song, 

I remember what the foundation of wisdom is: the fear of the Lord. Before we can glean the rich harvest of knowledge and understanding that comes from the Lord, we must revere, worship, and obey Him. "Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods" (Psalm 96:4). Those who fear the Lord acknowledges that His ways are higher than theirs (Isaiah 55:9), and they humbly submit to His authority and discipline. 

But the fool rejects wisdom and discipline, repeatedly facing the same problems and consequences. The Word of God leads us in a way that is good and right, granting wisdom to those who walk in it.

INSIGHT: The Lord imparts wisdom to those who fear Him. Ask God for the revelation and grace to submit your life to His wisdom.

It is our hopes and prayers that these devotions will bring people to Jesus as Savior and have a deeper meaningful relationship with the Lord.

If you have prayer requests for anything please email us and we will pray for them.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you feel led to become a prayer partner or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=lVWtcmOoaZ9GZpaB-NmPMcxGFZNKEHz614BebUf4sI4vcg_jAcYtF6_524IQDwRGUw29G7CCHjK-bLKw

Dec 14, 2021 at 12:01 AM CST
Topic: +DEV+  The Refiner's Fire

The Refiner's Fire

"Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?" Jeremiah 23:29,
"For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God." Deuteronomy 4:24

Scripture Focus: Malachi 3:2-3

Someone once described to me the process of refining gold. The gold is subajected to an intensely hot fire of 1,948. until it melts. This causes the imbedded impurities to separate and rise to the surface. The dross can then be skimmed off, and- remarkably-the worker is able to see his reflection on the surface of the pure, precious metal. God desires to prepare a people for Himself (Zechariah 13:9). But first, the Master Refiner must extract our dead hearts of stone and replace them with living hearts of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). We need the holy fire of God's Word to melt our stony hearts and burn away the dross of sin and impurity. Christ died to cleanse and redeem even the vilest of hearts. He alone has the authority to forgive sin and free the captive from its power. Once the refining fire of God's Word softens the heart, He then hammers and shapes it, forging something glorious for His holy use. He is preparing for Himself a spotless bride that will be a reflection of His magnificent glory (Ephesians 5:25b-27).

INSIGHT: Admit that you must yield yourself to the fire and hammer of God's Word. When you do so, His glory is reflected in your life.

It is our hopes and prayers that these devotions will bring people to Jesus as Savior and have a deeper meaningful relationship with the Lord.

If you have prayer requests for anything please email us and we will pray for them.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you feel led to become a prayer partner or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=lVWtcmOoaZ9GZpaB-NmPMcxGFZNKEHz614BebUf4sI4vcg_jAcYtF6_524IQDwRGUw29G7CCHjK-bLKw

Or contact us by replying to this email.


Michael D. Inman

Dec 6, 2021 at 1:04 AM CST

Topic: +DEV+  How Do I Handle Grief?

How Do I Handle Grief?

“And he said, Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” Job 1:21

Scripture Focus: Job 1:13-22

When Captain Dave Lyon was killed in Afghanistan five years ago, his wife, Dana—who was also deployed at the time—quoted a portion of this verse from the book of Job. I was stirred by her choice. She didn’t dismiss the pain with a trite phrase like, “These things happen.” Nor did she let her despair overwhelm her hope. She took these blessed words from Scripture and found hope amidst her deep grief.

Dana’s response—like Job’s response to his grief—is instructive. How do you handle grief? Do you bury it away, or find relief in a bottle? Or do you dwell in the darkness of depression, never reaching out for help and hope?

A healthy heart reflects grief in the form of tears and prayers. It recognizes the tragedy of the fall of mankind and the effects of sin for each of us today. It also recognizes that death will be swallowed up by life, sin will be no more, and every tear will be wiped from our eyes. We handle grief by handing our hearts to our gracious God and Savior who will never, never let us go.

Insight: “Hope is like a star—not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity.” (Charles Spurgeon, 1834-1892)

It is our hopes and prayers that these devotions will bring people to Jesus as Savior and have a deeper meaningful relationship with the Lord.

If you have prayer requests for anything please email us and we will pray for them.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you feel led to become a prayer partner or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=lVWtcmOoaZ9GZpaB-NmPMcxGFZNKEHz614BebUf4sI4vcg_jAcYtF6_524IQDwRGUw29G7CCHjK-bLKw

Or contact us by replying to this email.


Michael D. Inman

Nov 25, 2021 at 1:44 AM CST

Topic: +DEV+  Not According To Plan!

Not According To Plan!

“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow…. Instead, you ought to say, If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:14-15

Scripture Focus: James 4:13-17

In my conversations with soldiers, I find they usually have a defined plan for what they want out of the Army. Perhaps they want educational benefits or character growth. Many aim for the professional stability and retirement pension that come after 20 years. For some, it’s an opportunity to serve out of genuine love for their country and its ideals.

But then things happen. A soldier breaks his leg jumping from a plane or messes up his knees through countless ruck marches. He gets pulled over for a DUI. The Army downsizes, and thousands of soldiers lose their livelihood. There is some stability in Army life, but not as much as people think. Soldiers—not unlike anyone else—are devastated when life takes unexpected turns.

Do you find security in your own plans? Would you be devastated if something happened to hinder, interrupt, or change them? We are to hold onto our goals with an open palm, submitting our intentions to His holy and perfect will. Remember the words of Jesus: “Not my will, but yours be done.”

Insight: When Jesus submitted to the will of His Father, our salvation was the result. How can we not submit to so great a will like that?

It is our hopes and prayers that these devotions will bring people to Jesus as Savior and have a deeper meaningful relationship with the Lord.

If you have prayer requests for anything please email us and we will pray for them.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you feel led to become a prayer partner or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=lVWtcmOoaZ9GZpaB-NmPMcxGFZNKEHz614BebUf4sI4vcg_jAcYtF6_524IQDwRGUw29G7CCHjK-bLKw

Or contact us by replying to this email.

Michael D. Inman

Nov 24, 2021 at 12:11 AM CST

Topic: +DEV+  Do Things Differently?

Do Things Differently?

“Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the name of the LORD.” Genesis 4:26

Scripture Focus: Gen 4

As an pastor, I asked several at random church people what they would do differently from their parents. A number of them had to go out for a smoke before they could answer because even thinking about their upbringing was painful. Many young Christians can relate. It seems they have so little to build upon. How in the world do we begin to start putting together a better future for our families?

We are not the first to build upon ruins. Through biblical and world history, God’s people have been called again and again to start anew with little to build upon. Even at the beginning of time, as idolatry and cruelty crept in to dominate the earth, God gave Adam and Eve a son, Seth. Seth’s family was a sign of hope, for in that day people began to call upon the Lord.

The Lord has called us all from darkness into light, whether we grew up in believing households or not. Don’t be distracted by the long list of to-dos. You’ve been saved by Jesus, so tell your children or family members about Him. He will be faithful!

Insight: Trust that God will bless the work of His hands in your life and in the lives of those who come after you.

It is our hopes and prayers that these devotions will bring people to Jesus as Savior and have a deeper meaningful relationship with the Lord.


If you have prayer requests for anything please email us and we will pray for them.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you feel led to become a prayer partner or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=lVWtcmOoaZ9GZpaB-NmPMcxGFZNKEHz614BebUf4sI4vcg_jAcYtF6_524IQDwRGUw29G7CCHjK-bLKw

Or contact us by replying to this email.


Michael D. Inman

Oct 10, 2021 at 12:22 AM CST

Topic: +DEV+  How Do Handle Grief?
How Do Handle Grief?

“For that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Jesus Christ might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.” 1 Timothy 1:16

Scripture Focus: 1 Timothy 1:12-17

Every day you see your weaknesses before you. They’re reflected in your work, in your family, and in the hollows of your own heart. You might be wondering, what did God get Himself into? Did He know that I would be such a wreck? Would He take His offer of salvation back if He could? What good is someone like me to the purposes of the perfect Lord?
My friend, you must realize that indeed, you are not worthy. Christ saved you because you are a sinner, sick, weak, and foolish. He has washed you by His own blood and made you worthy because He is worthy. Our Lord wanted you exactly because you are a wreck. When people see His love for you reflected in your love for them, they give glory not to you but to Him. Just look at Paul’s life. What a mess he was, and what an astounding tool for spreading the good news of Jesus!

But you won’t truly believe that He loves to use you until you own that He loves you. He not only delights to show others His perfect patience with you, but He also delights to show you His perfect, redeeming love.

Insight: The love of God has rescued you from sin and has now unleashed you to serve others by His grace and in His name.

It is our hopes and prayers that these devotions will bring people to Jesus as Savior and have a deeper meaningful relationship with the Lord.

If you have prayer requests for anything please email us and we will pray for them.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.
We are in need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you feel led to become a prayer partner or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=lVWtcmOoaZ9GZpaB-NmPMcxGFZNKEHz614BebUf4sI4vcg_jAcYtF6_524IQDwRGUw29G7CCHjK-bLKw

Or contact us by replying to this email.

Michael D. Inman

Nov 8, 2021 at 12:32 AM CST

Topic: +DEV+  Do I Neglect Others?

Do I Neglect Others?
“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together… but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25

Scripture Focus: Hebrews 10:19-39
If we are honest, many of us have to admit we strive to live Lone Ranger lives though God created us to be in relationship with others. While families and communities collapse around us, and while neighbors, friends, and relatives struggle with loneliness, we are not exactly seeking to do anything about it.

Perhaps these are excuses you have used: People have hurt me. The church has hurt me. I can’t trust anyone. At the heart of it all, we long for relationships that will not fail. When we withdraw from the community, we think we are protecting ourselves from new abuses and betrayal. But our human relationships will always fall short in some way. We need to put our hope and trust where it will never fail: in our relationship with Jesus.

Walling ourselves off from the brokenness in this world will only block us from its beauty as well. Is this how you want to live? Christ died not only for you but for a spiritual family, of which you are apart. The church may be an ugly bride, but she is Christ’s bride, nonetheless.

Insight: Seek deep relationships with your fellow believers, at the cost of possible pain and the gain of assured love and growth in Christ.


It is our hopes and prayers that these devotions will bring people to Jesus as Savior and have a deeper meaningful relationship with the Lord.

If you have prayer requests for anything please email us and we will pray for them.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you feel led to become a prayer partner or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=lVWtcmOoaZ9GZpaB-NmPMcxGFZNKEHz614BebUf4sI4vcg_jAcYtF6_524IQDwRGUw29G7CCHjK-bLKw

Or contact us by replying to this email.


Michael D. Inman

Oct 5, 2021 at 2:30 AM CST

Topic: +DEV+  Enduring Loneliness
Enduring Loneliness

“You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.” Psalm 139:5

Scripture Focus: Psalm 139

Perhaps you know the suffocating, depressing darkness of a lonely night. You hear the ticking of the clock. You know you need to sleep, but you watch each hour pass. When such loneliness grips, thoughts like “nobody loves me,” or “even God has turned His back on me” descend on you.

You’re not alone in your alone-ness. The average American has about half as many good friends as he/she did 30 years ago. Many of our community organizations are on life support. We are constantly relocating for new jobs and don’t bother to get to know our neighbors. You think that the family has broken down in our culture? Our communities are even worse!

If you’re someone who looks back on a family life where you did not feel loved, and if you live largely disconnected in your community, there is hope. The Lord gives us His church as both our family and our community. The loneliness you face can be overturned by friendship. And the greatest friendship you’ll ever know is in Jesus. God has never left you. His hand is lovingly upon you.

Insight: Come to Jesus… “Those weeping through the night./ Come, those who tell of battles won,/ And those struggling in the fight.” (Stuart Townend, 2007)

It is our hopes and prayers that these devotions will bring people to Jesus as Savior and have a deeper meaningful relationship with the Lord.

If you have prayer requests for anything please email us and we will pray for them.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you feel led to become a prayer partner or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=lVWtcmOoaZ9GZpaB-NmPMcxGFZNKEHz614BebUf4sI4vcg_jAcYtF6_524IQDwRGUw29G7CCHjK-bLKw

Or contact us by replying to this email.


Michael D. Inman

Oct 4, 2021 at 12:35 AM CST

Topic: +DEV+  Is Love Possible?

Is Love Possible?

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us.” 1 John 4:16-17a

Scripture Focus: 1 John 4:7-21

“Love stinks,” the old 80s rock song proclaimed. Why throw your heart out there when it’s going to get crushed anyway? I recently had a soldier tell me he has learned his lesson about love since he’s been divorced twice and is now committed to living with a woman for a year before marrying her. You see what he’s doing? He doesn’t trust love, so he is going to hedge his bets.

The institution of marriage is threatened in our society right now. And it’s far worse than indicated by the random sets of statistics about divorce. Children are raised in households where their parents never get married, have multiple affairs, or abandon them. Some children don’t know whom to call “dad” out of the string of boyfriends their mom brings home. Abuse is rampant. And all this warped baggage gets carried into adult relationships.

Distrust love as we may, we still care about it. We long for it. We look for it. We know it’s important. Where can we find such love? Only in God through His Son, Jesus. A cross proves to us that such love exists.

Insight: Receive the perfect love of Jesus for you. Rest in this love alone because all others will fail while His love completes us.

It is our hopes and prayers that these devotions will bring people to Jesus as Savior and have a deeper meaningful relationship with the Lord.


If you have prayer requests for anything please email us and we will pray for them.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you feel led to become a prayer partner or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=lVWtcmOoaZ9GZpaB-NmPMcxGFZNKEHz614BebUf4sI4vcg_jAcYtF6_524IQDwRGUw29G7CCHjK-bLKw

Or contact us by replying to this email.

Michael D. Inman