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Billy Graham's Daily Devotion

The Soul's Demands

August 2, 2013

And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought . . .
–Isaiah 58:11

The soul demands as much attention as the body. It demands fellowship and communion with God. It demands worship, quietness, and meditation. Unless the soul is fed and exercised daily, it becomes weak and shriveled. It remains discontented, confused, restless. Many people turn to alcohol to try to drown the cryings and longings of the soul. Some turn to a new sex experience. Others attempt to quiet the longings of their souls in other ways. Nothing but God ever completely satisfies, because the soul is made for God, and without God it is restless and in secret torment. The first step to God is a realization of your spiritual poverty. The poor in spirit do not measure the worth of life in earthly possessions, which fade away, but in terms of eternal realities, which endure forever. Wise is the man who openly confesses his lack of spiritual wealth and in humilty of heart cries, “God, be merciful unto me, a sinner.”

Prayer for the day

As I look to You, my Lord and my Redeemer, the strivings of my soul will be satisfied. You alone bring lasting joy.

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15 Comments

steven says 8.3.2012, 02:15 a.m.

Amen amen amen !

Lupe says 8.3.2012, 01:26 a.m.

Thank you My Lord for being for your mercy and grace that you cleanse me completely from my past sins and washed them away which are no longer remembered by you. Thank you for coming into my heart and saving my soul and made me brand new.

Richard says 8.3.2011, 07:41 a.m.

Thank you Dear Lord Jesus for your Word and the desire to learn from the pages to walk closer each day with a focus on You.

gregg says 8.2.2011, 10:03 p.m.

Thank you Lord for your grace and dying for our sins so we may have a chance to be with You in heaven soon.

Sandra says 8.2.2011, 8:55 p.m.

Billy Graham and his ministry are true inspiration and help to all who seek God honestly. This devotional is so true as I worry about my future, a perm job, my daughter, my mother, joint land/property that we are being cheated out of, and a godly spouse. My prayers have long gone unanswered and I wonder if God has held back until I realize this truth. Glory be to him.

Sandra says 8.2.2011, 7:34 p.m.

Anne, the thing that helped me to forgive myself was to realize that if God forgives me and I don't forgive myself, then I am putting my justice and pride before God. Not what I ever want to do. As the article reveals to us, we are to have an eternal perspective. My perspective of God's forgiveness needed to change as well. Once I embraced this revelation, the evil one's condemnation no longer worked and I wholeheartedly received the grace and mercy of my loving, eternal, Heavenly Father.

Herb says 8.2.2011, 4:54 p.m.

Today's devotion seems to hit it right on the mark as one would say. I have been working so much at my job and avoiding church so I can work more and try to pay those never ending bills. BUT I have come to realize that no matter much I work, if you leave God out of your day for a moment the enemy takes advantage of that and attacks your soul. Satan wants us to fail and to give up on Jesus. Nothing in this world will help us or take care of us better than the Love of Jesus. I have had to learn the hard way. Without Christ in control of everything we do, it is almost impossible to survive in this world. No matter how bad life seems, Jesus is here for you and me. I am willing and wanting Him to be in control of my soul, my life , ME...Praise Him for His Love and Forgiveness..

Tae says 8.2.2011, 4:51 p.m.

Without You Lord, we are absolutely not free and satisfied with all things that belong to the world. We need the true Bread and Water.

Anne says 8.2.2011, 09:43 a.m.

This could not be more true. Unfortunately for some of us in times of heartache and sadness we let our souls drift so far from the truth that we attempt to satisfy it in every way possible before turning to God who should have been our first stop. I have been guilty of this and though I am forgiven by the grace of God, I am still struggling to forgive myself. Please be in prayer for me and those like me who are struggling everyday to forgive ourselves as God forgave us.

Ashley says 8.2.2011, 08:47 a.m.

I needed this message today; Worldly possessions do not fill the soul. Jesus should be the center of our wants.

Tamara says 8.2.2011, 07:54 a.m.

By the grace of God I am who I am, thank you Lord

Gerry says 8.2.2011, 05:49 a.m.

Jesus offers us (today) the same water he offered the Samaritan woman at the well. A precious drink that will quench the thirst of our soul for all eternity. It absoutely free for the asking .

samson says 8.2.2011, 03:06 a.m.

Thank you Lord Jesus Christ for saving me, a wretched sinner.

mick says 8.1.2011, 11:37 a.m.

being weak in Spirit, we need all the Godly exercise we can get

christine haiyan Jin says 7.29.2011, 05:04 a.m.

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, Thank Thee for saving my soul, thank Thee for enabling me to confess sins. In Jesus name.

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