Category Archives: Uncategorized

December 15, 2025 · 5:51 AM

Opening Your Circle

For many of us , Christmas is a joyous Sean and time with family and friends. It had never crossed my mind that it could be anything but that for someone. Growing up, our church always had Christmas Eve communion. When it was time to partake, our Christmas tradition was that each family would go up together, get the bread and the juice, and then get together alone for a private time of taking it together. One year, our pastor made mention for people to look around at anyone who was alone and to invite them into your family for this special time. Each year, that became one of my favorite things. I’d look around to see who needed to be brought into our family and included. Each year, there was always someone who needed a family to be with That we could open up the circle of our family to.

2 Samuel 9:1 says, “And David said, ‘Is there still anyone left of the house (family) of Saul to whom I may show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?’” (AMP) They told him of Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth, who was lame and had been hiding for years. David ordered them to bring him in at once. Mephibosheth was the last of his family and was afraid he was being taken to his execution because that’s what kings did back then. Instead, David returned his family land to him, had his servants work it for him and offered him a seat at the king’s table to eat. It’s a beautiful picture of God’s heart for us to not only show kindness, but to open up our circle and make room at the king’s table for others who may not have a seat.

In Galatians 6:10, Paul reminds us, “So then, while we [as individual believers] have the opportunity, let us do good to all people [not only being helpful, but also doing that which promotes their spiritual well-being], and especially [be a blessing] to those of the household of faith (born-again believers).” I know this is a busy season with lots to get done, but don’t forget about the Mephibosheths of the world around you. They need someone to be helpful, to promote their spiritual well being and to be a blessing to them. They need someone to open their circle and to offer them a seat at a table where they can feel loved and included. Ask God to open your eyes to see who that is. Chances are that God will show you someone who needs to be shown some kindness. When you’re available to open your circle, God will give you the opportunity to do good.

Photo by Google Gemini

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

December 12, 2025 · 5:53 AM

For You

One year I was handing my wife the presents to wrap. After each one, she would ask who it was for and write their name on it. About six presents in, I gave her one to wrap and when she asked who it was for I said, “It’s for you!” She was so caught up in all the measuring that she didn’t even pay attention to what she was wrapping and didn’t notice what the gift was. I feel like we get that way with Christmas. We get caught up in stringing lights, decorating, singing the songs and shopping that we forget the central message of Christmas. God sent His son for you. You were the reason Jesus was born. God desires to have you with Him for eternity, so He sent Jesus to make a way for you.

Here are some Bible verses that remind us God sent Jesus for you:

1. But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”

Galatians 4:4-6 NLT

2. For here is the way God loved the world—he gave his only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in him will never perish but experience everlasting life.

John 3:16 TPT

3. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people. For this day in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (the Messiah).”

Luke 2:10-11 AMP

4. A child has been born for us; a son has been given to us. The responsibility of complete dominion will rest on his shoulders, and his name will be: the Wonderful One, the Extraordinary Strategist, the Mighty God, the Father of Eternity, the Prince of Peace!

Isaiah 9:6 TPT

5. And when He had taken bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

Luke 22:19 AMP

Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,

December 11, 2025 · 5:30 AM

Emmanuel

Around Christmas time, I remember an old song we used to sing at church by Don Moen. “Emmanuel. Emmanuel. His name is called Emmanuel. Emmanuel. God with us. Revealed in us. His name is Emmanuel.” Simple, yet powerful as it reminds us of God’s plan to save the world. I thought about the meaning of it the other night when we, as a family, sat down, looked at our nativity and talked through all the people in it. By doing this activity, we each gained more insight and perspective into what has become a common Christmas symbol, but is truly the greatest display of love the world has ever seen.

Since the Garden of Eden, sin had reigned on the earth. It brought death and decay with it. Man had no ability to conquer it. When God looked on our helpless estate, He didn’t condemn us to an eternity In hell. Rather, He displayed His love by sending His one and only Son into the world, not to condemn it, but that through Him the world might be saved (John 3:16-17). He became one of us in order to reach us, to break the curse of sin and to end its rule. If you remember, while He was in the tomb, He took the keys of death, hell and the grace removing its power over our lives. He ushered in a wave of grace to do for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves.

Romans 8:3 says, “Yet God sent us his Son in human form to identify with human weakness. Clothed with humanity, God’s Son gave his body to be the sin-offering so that God could once and for all condemn the guilt and power of sin” (TPT). Jesus, coming to earth as depicted in the manger scene, is God reaching out, identifying with us and ultimately sacrificing Himself so we could be together. Emmanuel is a powerful word that concisely tells the story of Christmas. You are loved immensely by your creator. He didn’t come to condemn you. He came to save you because there is no way to save yourself.

Photo by Jon Carlson 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.

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,

December 10, 2025 · 5:52 AM

The Most Powerful Name

When I was learning to read, my parents gave me my first Bible. It was a blue Precious Moments one. With it, they gave me a bookmark that said, “Chris: Bearer of Christ.” They explained that my name had a meaning and that’s why they chose it. I kept that bookmark for years and it cemented in my brain how much my name meant. Then, when I was in sixth grade, I started going to a Christian school. Mr. Davidson, my teacher, had a bulletin board with our names written on scrolls. At the top, it said Proverbs 22:1, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches” (NKJV). I then associated that with “Bearer of Christ” and knew I had a good name.

In Matthew 1:21 Joseph had found out Mary was pregnant and was going to break off the engagement when an angel visited him. Not only did the angel tell him to marry her, he said, “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” The name Jesus means “Yahweh saves (delivers, rescues).” The Jews were looking for God to save them from Rome, but the angel delivered a different meaning for saves, delivers and rescues. He said that Jesus would save us from our sin. He grew up with a divine mission attached to His name. Every time we use His name, we are declaring that God saves, rescues and delivers. It’s not just a name. It’s the most powerful name there is.

Seven hundred years before Jesus was born and given that name, Isaiah 9:6 prophesied the Messiah would be born. He said, “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Not only is He God’s salvation, rescuer and deliverer, He is all these things not just in general, but to you and me. You can call on His name today for what you need. He wasn’t just a baby born in a stable. He was God in the flesh coming to create a new covenant between God and man. He came into this world to show God knows and cares about you personally. He wasn’t just given any name. He was given the name above all names as a constant reminder to us of His mission and God’s desire to know you.

Photo by Gift Habeshaw on Unsplash

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

December 9, 2025 · 5:55 AM

When Kings Collide

A friend of mine and I were having lunch recently. We were talking about leaders in the community that we know and that we have worked for. I mentioned the story of a leader who hired someone to be his right hand and successor. The person he hired was very capable and also a great leader. In less than a year, he fired the other person because he felt threatened in his role. My friend responded how much he hates it when leaders are insecure. So many organizations fail because of insecure leaders who are afraid of other competent leaders. Meanwhile others thrive because they set egos aside and allow upcoming leaders to thrive in their strengths.

In Matthew 2, we read the story of the wisemen seeking the king who was born. They went to Jerusalem to talk with King Herod about it. Verse 3 says King Herod was deeply disturbed when they asked about the newborn king. He had them search for where the Messiah would be born and sent the magi to Bethlehem. When the magi found Jesus, they bowed and offered gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Then King Herod sent soldiers to kill every boy in and around Bethlehem who were under two. The wisemen responded with worship and reverence to another king, while King Herod responded out of fear with hostility and destruction.

In Matthew 6:24 Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other” (NLT). While He was referring to money in this instance, He was also speaking of a truth about our hearts. It exposes what was going on inside the wisemen and King Herod. It will also expose what’s in our heart. How do you respond to Jesus? Are you willing to submit to His way of living or are you still fighting Him? Have you submitted to Him the way the wisemen did? There is a spiritual war going on inside each of us that this story exposes. We will either live our lives submitted to the Spirit or we will be led by our flesh. The choice is yours to make. Will you respond as the wisemen or like King Herod?

Image by Google Gemini

3 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

December 8, 2025 · 5:30 AM

The Miracle Of Christmas

Every year as we move into the season of Christmas, I find myself thinking about the shepherds, who were in the field, and the town of Bethlehem. Shepherds didn’t command respect the way that the religious leaders did. They didn’t hold influence on others, yet God chose them to be the first ones to hear the announcement of Jesus’s birth. They were treated as significant by God even though they were lowly. They were given a front row seat to God’s greatest gift to mankind, while being overlooked by society. God chose people who felt unseen to see the newborn King. I believe God still does that today. He is drawn to those who draw near to Him regardless of position, title or social standing.

For the same reasons, I believe God chose Bethlehem. Micah 5:2 says, “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf” (NLT). Bethlehem felt small and insignificant to Jerusalem, yet God chose this city whose name means “House of Bread” to give us the Bread of life. It’s the city where Ruth gleaned in the fields. It’s home to the fields where David watched his father’s sheep. It’s the place the whole world now remembers at Christmas and sings songs about. Bethlehem didn’t have a palace or even room for Mary and Joseph to give birth in. Yet God proved once again that He will miraculously encounter those who do make room for Him, even if it feels you are as insignificant as a stable.

My favorite verse in all of this is Matthew 1:23. “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” God with US. God with YOU. He came into this world to be involved in your life, to reveal Himself to you and to let you know you are His greatest creation. Don’t deflect and say He’s here for others or that other people are more significant in the Kingdom than you. He will create divine encounters with anyone who makes room for Him, no matter how insignificant they feel. To me, this is the miracle of salvation that shows the heart of God who desperately wants you to know you matter to Him. That’s the miracle of Christmas.

Image by Google Gemini

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,

December 5, 2025 · 5:56 AM

Overflowing Joy

Joy is not just a fruit of the Spirit, it’s truly a gift from God for us. Joy is what allows us to be thankful in all circumstances. It is our strength when we’re walking through fiery trials. It isn’t dependent on our situation because it flows from our relationship with God. It’s something we must all cultivate in our lives because of how powerful it is. When we keep our eyes on Jesus and abide in Him, our joy grows. What does it look like in your life? I’ve had it sustain me in the darkest of times. In my pain, joy kept me trusting in God’s promises and helped me look past the present to God’s eternal character. It will do the same for you.

Here are some Bible verses on joy:

1. You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.

Psalms 4:7 NLT

2. Now may God, the fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super-abundance until you radiate with hope!

Romans 15:13 TPT

3. I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing.

John 15:11 AMP

4. You will show me the path that leads to life; your presence fills me with joy and brings me pleasure forever.

Psalm 16:11 GNT

5. And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”

Nehemiah 8:10 NLT

Photo by Aditya Saxena on Unsplash

1 Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,

December 4, 2025 · 5:30 AM

Yet I Will Praise Him

If you’ve ever read the book of Job, you may have found yourself feeling sorry for him. There may have been times in your life when you’ve even related to him too. I know I have had those moments. When you go through periods of loss or continuous disappointment, Job is a great book to read. You will find that there’s always someone who has it worse than you, there is purpose in pain and that you can endure anything. I don’t know how many times I’ve read the book, but I can tell you that I’m still amazed when I come to the end of the first chapter. After Job has lost all his livestock, his riches and his children, he doesn’t curse God. He doesn’t cry out, “Why me?” Instead, it says he fell to his knees and worshipped God. He recognized that everything he had came from God, and if God took it all back, he was good with it.

I can honestly say that during my times of great disappointment and loss, that was not my attitude. To stand on rock bottom in life, look up from the hole you’re in and bless God seems unfathomable, yet Job was able to. If he was able to, you and I are to. He made the choice to worship instead of to whine. He chose to bless God instead of to curse Him. He made the choice to recognize everything he had belonged to God and wasn’t a result of His own work. The perspective he had challenges me to readjust and calibrate how I see God and how I react in the bad times. It’s easy to worship when things are going well, but can we worship when everything seems to be going wrong? Can we praise Him when our prayers are unanswered? Can we thank Him when we don’t see a way forward? Can you say, “Even though I’m broken, yet will I praise you”?

Habakkuk 3:17-18 says, “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!” (NLT) There’s a very similar picture here to the attitude Job had and that we are to have. Joy is not something that is circumstantial. It doesn’t rely on what’s going on around you. Joy looks at where your strength comes from. It looks at who your hope is in. It is defiant in the face of any circumstance you may face, and it says, “My hope is not in all, these things. My hope is in God. No matter what comes my way, I know that my God is able to do exceedingly and abundantly more than I can ask or pray for. Even though things look bad now, yet will I praise God! He is my rock, my fortress and my salvation.” You and I have that same spirit of joy within us. In tough times, activate it and worship. Remind yourself that God is in control, He has a plan and that no matter what happens you will continue to trust and to praise Him.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.

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.

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

December 3, 2025 · 5:31 AM

Combating Shame

I’ve talked with a lot of people lately who are struggling with shame and condemnation. Shame says, “You are bad because of what you’ve done.” Condemnation says, “You are guilty and should be defined by this failure.” Neither of these are from God. They are lies from the enemy to keep you from growing and guilting you into minimizing communication with God and others. These lies dig roots down into your life to make you ineffective as a Christian. Just like any lie, it must be confronted with the truth of who you are in Christ and by who God is. It’s not easy to break their power over your mind and life, but it must be done.

In Luke 15 Jesus told the story of a son who shamed his father and his family by asking for his inheritance early. When he got it, he took off to be far away from his father to waste his inheritance. About the time the money ran out, there was a famine in the land. Shame and condemnation would want to keep him there away from his father. Then it says, “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger!’” (NLT) He returned with the plan to use shame and condemnation’s words, “I’m not worthy to be your son.” However when his father heard it, he called for the family ring To be put in his finger, sandals to be put on his feet and for a robe to be placed around him. The father rejected those lies and showed him that his heart is for his children.

Romans 8:1 says, “So now there is NO condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” If you are hearing the voice of those lies, know they are not from God. I love the parable of the Prodigal Son because it proves this verse. Had the son done those things? Yes, but God did not define him by those actions. Instead he reminded him and everyone else of his sonship. You are not what you have done in the past. Don’t stay in a foreign place while God is waiting for you to come home. God gives conviction to point out sin with the purpose of seeking forgiveness the way the prodigal did. He defines you as His child and is ready to restore you to where you belong. Quit listening to the lies of shame and condemnation. Speak the truth and walk in the freedom God gives.

Photo by Ali Naderi on Pexels.

10 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

December 2, 2025 · 5:51 AM

Rebuilding On The Rock

In the hardest time of my life, I remember getting to the point of breaking. I was at the point of giving up when I told the Lord I couldn’t do it anymore. In that moment, I saw a picture of myself laying on a foundation in the rain. There was debris all around from a house that had been destroyed. The Lord said, “The house you built didn’t survive the storm, but your foundation is strong. This time I want you to build your life my way.” I could have been mad at the storm that took everything, but instead I realized all the storm did was expose the weaknesses of the house I had built. I was the one who had centered my life on the wrong things. It wasn’t the storm’s fault everything was destroyed. It was mine.

In Matthew 7:24-25 Jesus said, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock” (NLT). He then said those who listen but don’t apply what He teaches are building on sand. When the storms come, the house will be destroyed. Again, it wasn’t the storm’s fault the house was built on the sand. It was the person who listens to sermons, Bible teaching and sound doctrine, but doesn’t apply it. You don’t get to pick and choose what you like in the Bible. If you do, the storms will expose the weaknesses in what you’ve built. On the other hand, if you apply what it teaches, it can survive any storm because they also expose strength.

1 Peter 1:7 says, “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” Your faith is going to be tested and exposed throughout your life. God doesn’t do it to make fun of you, to embarrass you or to hurt you. He doesn’t it because only what’s done for Him will last. The storms will show what parts of your faith and life are genuine and which parts aren’t. When you get the chance to rebuild, do it the right way.

Photo by Josh Olalde on Unsplash

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized