July 27, 2026 · 5:58 AM

Led From The Front

One of the questions I ask in my leadership training is, “What’s the difference between a boss and a leader?” Answers vary, but eventually they’re summed up in a picture I’ve seen where a boss is on a block that the team is pulling while he points forward. The leader is at the front of the team pulling the rope. John Maxwell says that a leader knows the way, shows the way and goes the way. They lead from the front, they’re accessible and they’re interested in the success of the team. I’m sure at some point you have worked for a boss and a leader. Who would you rather work for? The leader wins every time.

In John 10 Jesus is talking to the people using terminology they could understand. He referred to them as sheep and Himself as the Good Shepherd. He explained that the sheep know the shepherd’s voice and go to Him. Then in verse 4 He says, “After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice” (NLT). There are two types of shepherds. One that drives the sheep from behind and one that leads from the front. The shepherds who lead from the front, choose the path, face the dangers first and create a safe environment for the sheep. It’s the responsibility of the sheep to align themselves with the steps of the shepherd, follow his direction and respond out of relationship.

Romans 8:14 says, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” Are you being led by Jesus or are you out front trying to lead Him? As children of God, we are to be led by Him, recognize His voice and to respond to Him. We need to let Him choose the path we’re following versus us choosing the path and asking for His blessing. As the Good Shepherd, He knows our name and calls to us. He’s out front doing what a shepherd does. He’s not trying to drive us. Instead He’s trying to lead us to the life He has for us, but we must be willing to be led and to follow. His call to each of us has always been, “Follow me.” Are you aligning yourself with His steps and following His direction? As His children, we must let Him lead from the front.

Photo by Quan-You Zhang on Unsplash.

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July 24, 2026 · 5:50 AM

Seeking The Lord

My nieces and nephews were playing hide and go seek in my house recently. One of them loosely looked around the first floor for the others and didn’t find anyone. She then went to the stairs and said, “I’m not coming up there to search for you!” She wasn’t really searching to begin with, but many of us search for God, the Bible and the things of God just like my niece was “searching.” When the Bible tells us to search or seek, it’s using the Hebrew word “darash.” It means to pursue intentionally, repeatedly seeking relationship. It’s more of a way of life than a temporary assignment. We’re not supposed to simply search, we’re to continually pursue Him. Don’t give up after a short while. Make seeking Him a lifestyle.

Here are some Bible verses on searching for God:

1. If you reach out to me, you will find me when you search for me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:13 TPT

2. Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.

Isaiah 55:6 NKJV

3. Seek and deeply long for the Lord and His strength [His power, His might]; Seek and deeply long for His face and His presence continually.

Psalms 105:4 AMP

4. The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Psalm 34:10 ESV

5. The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him.

Lamentations 3:25 NLT

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July 23, 2026 · 5:30 AM

Take Time To Prepare

Years ago I had a corporate job where I stood in front of groups to train soft skills and also processes. Every once in a while, someone would come up and tell me that they wanted to be in a position like mine. They would ask if they could shadow me for a day. I would usually agree to it, and then they would ask what training they could shadow. I’d laugh and say, “I’m not going to have you shadow me on a teaching day. I want you to come up here during my preparation time.” They would look puzzled and ask why. I always responded, “Because what you see in the classroom is the result of my work. I’ve spent hours preparing to stand here and deliver this content. If you want to do this job, you need to see the amount of preparation it takes to stand here for 8 hours.” Not many people wanted the job after that.

When we read the Gospels, we’re looking at 3 years of Jesus’ ministry. It was the result of 30 years of preparation. We don’t really get a glimpse of the years He prepared. We know as a twelve year old, He was in the Temple preparing. He knew He needed to be about His father’s business even then. We know that His earthly father was a carpenter. He would have learned His father’s trade of looking at the details, measuring twice, cutting once and using tools to create masterpieces from wood that had been cut. All of His life was preparation for ministry. We even read how He took time away from the disciples and people to get alone with God as preparation for the ministry He would do the next day.

2 Timothy 2:21 says, “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things [which are dishonorable—disobedient, sinful], he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified [set apart for a special purpose and], useful to the Master, prepared for every good work” (AMP). God wants to use each of us somewhere in His Kingdom, but we each must take the time to prepare for it. We must be willing to be alone with God in prayer. We have to be willing to be taught skills that God can use. We must be open to learning more about who He is. We also have to make choices to be set apart, live pure lives and to be ready when God wants to use us. Most of us will touch one or two lives at a time rather than the masses. That will still require you to spend time in prayer and preparation. Every person who wants to be used by God must take the time to be prepared for every good work God wants to do through them.

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Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

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July 22, 2026 · 5:44 AM

Life’s Building Materials

One of the sites my wife and I visited on our honeymoon was Notre Dame. For it had stood there for over 800 years. We marveled at the architecture, the stained glass and the history. It was one of our favorite places to visit in Paris. I believe that’s why it was so painful to see the fire in 2019. I kept wondering how it could burn. I remembered a stone building, but its roof and spire were built of medieval timber that was dry. It hurt to see the roof collapse and the spire fall. All that work and history were gone in seconds. The parts that were flammable burned and disintegrated while the parts that weren’t remained.

It reminds me of how we as people can be. When Israel demanded a king, God chose one that was from a wealthy, influential family. 1 Samuel 9:2 says, “Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land” (NLT). He looked great on the outside, but on the inside, he was like Notre Dame’s roof. Later, when it was time to choose the next king, Samuel was still looking at the outside when Jesse brought his sons before him. God reminded him, “People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” David didn’t look the part on the outside, but his heart was in the right place.

1 Corinthians 3:11-13 says, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.” One day our lives will be exposed to fire. What’s done for eternity will survive it. What’s done for selfish ambition will burn like wood, hay and straw. As long as we’re still alive, there’s time to change the materials we’re building our lives with. Our lives will be exposed to show whether we are like Saul or David. Man may be impressed by what looks good on the outside, but God is looking on the inside. Make sure your heart is in the right place.

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July 21, 2026 · 6:07 AM

The Familiarity Trap

To me, Matthew 13:58 has one of the biggest warnings in the Bible. It says, “And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief” (NLT). The town that was most familiar with Jesus had a hard time accepting Him for who He was. They knew His family, His father’s trade and His siblings. They saw Him perform miracles, and heard of many more that He had done. They heard Him teach in the synagogue He grew up in. They recognized the authority He spoke with and marveled at His understanding of Scripture. However, they had placed Him in a box and couldn’t accept Him outside of it. They couldn’t see He was God because they had shrunk Him into something they could predict, understand and control.

In 1 Samuel 2:12, it says, “Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the Lord.” Eli was the priest of Israel who lived next to the Tabernacle which carried the Ark of the Covenant. They grew up around the presence of God. They witnessed answered prayers and prophecies fulfilled, yet their hearts became hardened and far from God. They began to treat the things that were holy as common. They stole offerings before they were offered to God, they treated God’s people poorly and had contempt for God’s house. They rejected God even though they grew up around His presence and in His house. Their hearts became hardened even though they had familiarity with God.

The writer of Hebrews warned us of the same temptation that Nazareth, Eli’s sons and the nation of Israel did when they left Egypt. Hebrews 3:15 says, “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.” We can go to church every Sunday, experience God’s presence and hear His voice, yet harden our hearts towards Him if we don’t honor His presence. We can become so familiar with the things of God that we reject the work He wants to do in our lives. God doesn’t always fit into the nice, neat little box we try to fit Him into. When we honor His presence and allow Him to have His way, we will find ourselves like so many others who experienced fresh revelation, greater faith and miracles. His presence should still stir awe in us, shape our lives and remain holy to us. Let us not become so familiar with Him that we harden our hearts.

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July 20, 2026 · 5:30 AM

Purpose Driven Living

In the early 2000’s, one of the life groups I attended went through “The Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren. The book opened with the phrase, “It’s not about you.” Our purpose is found in serving God and others. John Maxwell teaches that success is internally focused and significance is externally focused. So many people in life think their purpose is to be successful, but God’s purpose for each of our lives becomes apparent when we stop focusing on ourselves and start focusing on others. I believe that’s why Jesus said the two greatest commandments are to love God with all of our heart, soul and strength, and to love others as we love ourselves.

In the book of Acts, one of the members of the Early Church was Barnabas. His given name was Joseph, but everyone called him Barnabas, which means “Son of Encouragement.” He sold some land that he owned in order to fund the ministry. He was also the one who vouched for Paul to the leaders after his conversion on the Damascus Road. They sent him on the road with Paul to mentor him and lead the missionary journey. When John Mark and Paul had a disagreement and split, it was Barnabas who facilitated the reconciliation behind the scenes. Barnabas lived out a purpose driven life by seeing potential in others, sharing responsibilities even when he was overlooked and multiplied his impact through the work of mentorship, discipleship and reconciliation.

Philippians 2:3-5 gives us the description of purpose driven living. It says, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had” (NLT). When we have the same attitude as Jesus and follow these steps, our lives take on eternal significance. If you’re searching for your God given purpose, quit chasing success and start living a life that helps others reach their potential, points them to Jesus and helps them live out their purpose. In the end, trading the spotlight of selfish ambition for the servant heart and attitude of Christ is the only path to a life of purpose.

Photo by ATC Comm Photo from Pexels.

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July 17, 2026 · 5:56 AM

Fearing The Lord

One of the phrases in the Bible that has always stood out to me is “the fear of the Lord.” The word “fear” pretty much has one meaning in English, but in this context, it’s not about being afraid of God. It’s the fear of separation from God or of separation from Him. There are plenty of examples from the Bible of people who knew God, but were more afraid of what people thought than of their relationship with Him. Cain knew God. He made choices that showed he wanted God’s blessings without having God’s presence in his life. Samson was empowered by God, but made choices to where he didn’t even know God’s spirit had left him. We cannot treat God’s presence in our life casually. We must honor it and give it the weight it deserves. The fear of the Lord brings blessings because it’s puts God first in our life.

Here are some Bible verses on the fear of the Lord:

1. Who are those who fear the Lord? He will show them the path they should choose. They will live in prosperity, and their children will inherit the land.

Psalms 25:12-13 NLT

2. And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul.

Deuteronomy 10:12 NLT

3. The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that leads to obedience and worship] is a fountain of life, So that one may avoid the snares of death.

Proverbs 14:27 AMP

4. Fear of the Lord leads to life, bringing security and protection from harm.

Proverbs 19:23 NLT

5. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Proverbs 9:10 NKJV

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July 16, 2026 · 5:30 AM

Doing Something Great

I grew up seeing Billy Graham crusades on TV. I read and heard about ministers like D. L. Moody, Charles Finley and A. W. Tozer. I was impressed by their ministries and the impact they had made. The number of souls they had won combined is staggering. Years later, I went to see Reinhard Bonnke preach. Afterwards people flooded the altars wanting to be saved. Seeing them and reading about them put a desire in me to do something great for God. I began consuming the Bible and learning as much as I could about it and God. I’ve studied the great revivals in history. It’s incredible to think how culture changed completely and how periods of time, like the Renaissance, were products of people doing something great. What I’ve also learned is that before any of us can do something great for God is that first we must allow Him to do something great in us.

In the story of Nehemiah. Israel had been conquered and taken to a foreign land where they had lived in captivity for decades. The new king had allowed them to return to their land, but only a few did. When a few had returned to the capital Susa in Persia, Nehemiah asked how things were going in Jerusalem. They replied, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire” (NLT). At this moment, God did something great in Nehemiah. He broke down and wept for days at the condition of his homeland. God birthed in him a burden to restore the walls of Jerusalem. His job was no longer satisfying and all he could think about was returning and restoration. Because God did something great in him, he was able to accomplish something great for God.

I love the prayer David prayed in Psalm 51. Though it was birthed out of repentance for sin, the words have the ability to birth something great in us. In verse 10 he prayed, “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.” I believe a prayer like that gives God permission to change our heart, our spirit and our life. It gives God permission to give us His burden. The men I read about and studied all had moments in their lives where they surrendered everything to God and picked up His desires. What we see and read about are the effects of what God did inside of them first. Every great move of God has begun with people who have allowed God to first do something great in them. If you want to do something great for God too, surrender your will to His first and then give Him permission to do something great in you.

Photo by Jametlene Reskp on Unsplash.

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

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July 15, 2026 · 5:55 AM

When Willpower Fails

There’s a lot of things I try to do in life with willpower. I’ve tried eating healthy, going to the gym, saving money, and trying to stay consistent in disciplines. Willpower works for a little bit, but then some kind of trigger happens and I’m eating the wrong food, making an excuse why I need to do something and then breaking the habit I’m trying to build. I’ve tried reminders, delayed messages and calendar invites. When willpower fails, I feel like I’ve failed. I get down on myself and promise to do better tomorrow. After losing so many times, I finally give up trying and just decide that’s who I am. It makes me feel incapable of change.

In Romans 7, Paul talks about how we try to use willpower to fight temptation. It’s a losing battle too. In verse 15 he writes, “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate” (NLT). It’s like when Peter told Jesus he would never betray Him or abandon him. He even said he would die for Him. It wasn’t but a few hours later when a little girl accused Peter of being a disciple. Peter cursed and made a big scene denying Jesus. Luke 22:61 says that when Peter denied Jesus the third time, Jesus turned to look at him. Peter then remembered what Jesus said and left weeping bitterly. Peter found out willpower couldn’t help and beat himself up. However, instead of condemning him, Jesus found him and restored him.

Romans 7 ends with Paul saying he feels miserable trying to fight temptation with willpower and failing. Then in Romans 8:1 he reminds us, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” Condemnation says, “You’re bad. You’re a failure.” The conviction of the Holy Spirit says, “You failed, but there’s forgiveness available.” Paul encourages us to not try to live by willpower, but by the Spirit. Verse 13 says, “But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.” The Holy Spirit helps us resist temptation and reminds us we are God’s children. Don’t try to fight sin and temptation with willpower alone. Ask the Holy Spirit to help. He will provide a way of escape from temptation. Follow His leading and quit relying on willpower alone.

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July 14, 2026 · 5:49 AM

Cultivation Is Key

My mother in law is one of those people with a green thumb. There is something in her that drives her to care for plants. She has them all over her yard and you can find her out there watering them. From time to time she will bring me plants. What thrives in her yard dies in mine. When she visits, she goes out there and waters them. Sometimes she even brings a bag of soil knowing that it will help make a difference. She is constantly doing things to cultivate growth and life in the plants. What I do is let nature take care of them or try to put water on them Every once in a while. The same plants can have very different lives depending on whether they’re at a cultivator’s house or someone’s who lets them be.

Jesus told the story of a man who planted a fig tree. He was like me and decided to let nature do its thing. Year after year he would wait for fruit, but he was always disappointed. Finally he told his gardener after a few years to chop it down because it hadn’t produced fruit and it’s just taking up space. The gardener pleaded with him not to cut it down. He offered to cultivate it and give it the care it needed to produce fruit. He said he only needed a year of cultivating it and fertilizing it to get it to bear figs. Then he said, “If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down” (NLT). He knew that the tree was capable of producing fruit, but it just needed to be fertilized and cultivated to induce it.

Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” In order to produce these fruits in our lives, we must cultivate the soil of our heart. Verse 16 tells us if we let the Holy Spirit guide our lives, we won’t produce the fruit of the flesh. We all have the daily choice of whether we will be led by the Spirit or the flesh. We can’t be passive and led by our flesh and expect the Fruit of the Spirit to be produced in our life. We must cultivate our lives so that He can produce these godly qualities that others can see and experience. Cultivation is key.

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