October 25, 2024 · 5:29 AM

Relying On God

In Isaiah 36-37 the Assyrian army had invaded Israel and set up a blockade around Jerusalem. They were the most powerful army in the world at that time and they were undefeated. They called out to the people and told them to surrender. They also told them not to let their leaders convince them God was going to help them. The king sent word to Isaiah to inquire of God, and God spoke back to rely on Him and to pray, then the army would leave. The king humbled himself, prayed and reaffirmed his reliance on God. Because he didn’t rely on his brains, his strategy or anything but God, the Lord answered and sent them away. What or whom do you rely on when the odds are stacked against you?

Here are some Bible verses to remind us to rely on God::

1. But I have trusted and relied on and been confident in Your lovingkindness and faithfulness; My heart shall rejoice and delight in Your salvation.

Psalms 13:5 AMP

2. O my God, in You I [have unwavering] trust [and I rely on You with steadfast confidence], Do not let me be ashamed or my hope in You be disappointed; Do not let my enemies triumph over me.

Psalms 25:2 AMP

3. Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart And do not rely on your own insight or understanding.

Proverbs 3:5 AMP

4. Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.

Isaiah 50:10 ESV

5. I rely on your constant love; I will be glad, because you will rescue me. I will sing to you, O Lord, because you have been good to me.

Psalm 13:5-6 GNT

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October 24, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Valuable Advice

What’s the best advice you never took? People are always giving us advice, but most of it we don’t listen to or follow through with it. Remember when someone told you to buy Bitcoin when it was $.17? I do. Another person told me to purchase some real estate that was cheap. It’s now worth hundreds of thousands. I didn’t buy it back then. One person told me to be careful about who I choose to hang around because I’ll become like them. I thought I could change them. I couldn’t and spent several years in unproductive relationships. I could go on and on about advice I never took from people and the consequences of not listening or following through. I’m sure you could too.

In 1 Kings 12, Solomon had just died and Israel had crowned his son Rehoboam as king. The people told him that if he would lighten the load that his father had on them, they would serve him and follow him forever. He went to his father’s advisors who were older and they concurred with the people. Then verse 8 says, “But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older men and instead asked the opinion of the young men who had grown up with him and were now his advisers” (NLT). They told him to be harder on the people than his father to prove he was better than his father. When he told the people his answer, they revolted and Israel was split into two. Rehoboam was the king of the smaller territory and missed out on being a prosperous king.

Who is speaking into your life? Who’s opinions do you value? The quality of their advice will dictate the quality of the rest of your life. Proverbs 13:13-14 says, “If you refuse good advice, you are asking for trouble; follow it and you are safe. The teachings of the wise are a fountain of life” (GNT). So many of us miss out on the fountains of life that God places in our life because we refuse their advice or don’t value it. Take time to think about who you’re listening to. Do they give you Godly, Biblical counsel or do they tell you what you want to hear and do? It’s not too late to start refusing the bad advice that you’ve been receiving. Invite someone who is wise and knows God’s Word to begin giving you advice. Follow it and you won’t look back years from now with the regrets of what could have been.

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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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October 23, 2024 · 5:36 AM

Seeking Creativity

One of the questions I get asked often is, “How can you write devotions consistently for over a decade?” My answer is always the same. I used to panic about it each day until I realized I wasn’t looking at God the right way. I’ve learned that God is an endless river of fresh flowing creativity. He is the most creative being in the universe. We get to see His creativity in creation daily. I don’t rely on my creativity. I rely on His. Each day I go to the river and ask God for His creativity. I hold out my bucket and ask Him to fill it with fresh water. I sit at His feet and don’t move until His creativity flows into me. I would run out of insight and things to say, but He never will.

When I think of people who tap into God’s creativity, David comes to mind first. He was a warrior that people feared. He had slain giants and armies, yet here was a man who sat at that same river and crafted psalm after psalm. In the New Testament, Paul wrote letters to all the churches. He wrote several of them while in prison. His circumstances didn’t keep him from that river. The New Testament also mentions people like Tabitha, who sewed clothes and jackets for the poor. Pricilla and Aquila were tent makers who used their creativity to make a living and further the Gospel. God is able to empower anyone with any creativity to use for His Kingdom.

1 Peter 4:10 says, “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another” (NLT). The Amplified version calls this gift a talent or ability graciously given by God. You don’t have to be creative to use the gifts, talents and abilities He has given you. Simply take time each day to ask Him how He wants you to use your unique giftings for His purposes. Be determined to sit at His river of creativity until He fill us your bucket. You will find that He will meet you there and fill you with fresh ideas, new inspiration and dynamic ways to do things that you would never come up with on your own. You have been given gifts, now seek Him for creativity in using them to make the greatest impact for the Kingdom that you can.

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October 22, 2024 · 5:39 AM

Responding To Adversity

When I lived in Egypt, one of my favorite things to do was to rent a sailboat and it’s captain to cruise up and down the Nile. These captains were very skilled. They would use the wind to take us up or down the river for the first part of the journey. They would then use that same wind and crisscross back and forth to return us back to port. Ion,y had one captain who wasn’t good at it. The wind pushed us up into the reeds where we got stuck. He couldn’t get us out and we started getting eaten up by mosquitoes. We were finally able to flag down another boat who pulled us out. Each captain learned to use the wind to their advantage. They could let it push them down the river and then take them back up it. For some, the wind put them in a bad position because they didn’t know how to navigate it or respond to it. There’s the same correlation to us with difficult times.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told us that it rains on the just and the unjust alike. He later said that in this world we would have trouble. Different people throughout the Bible responded differently. In Exodus when the Israelites were trapped against the Red Sea with pharaohs army chasing them, fear took over. When Job lost everything, he fell down and worshipped. When David’s son staged a coup, he didn’t take it out on people. When Paul and Silas were bound in chains in prison, they sang praises. When Naomi lost her husband and sons, she wanted to be called “Bitter.” When the three Hebrew boys wouldn’t bow, they trusted God as they were taken to a fiery furnace. What made the difference was how the responded to adversity. Some ended up crashing in the reeds, while others persevered.

James 1:2-3 says, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow” (NLT). Adversity will come to all of us. James said to respond to it with joy. He understood that joy isn’t based on our circumstances, but on the outcome because of who we trust in. God causes all things to work together for our good. Hard times can stretch us, grow us and increase our faith if we let them. It’s when we lose our trust that they begin to crush us. We’ve just read the differences of people in the Bible. The level of their faith and trust in God determined their reaction. How do you respond when adversity comes? Do you use it for your advantage to navigate upstream or let it push you into the reeds of doubt?

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October 21, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Living Selflessly

If I were to ask you what the opposite of love is, you would probably say, “Hate.” However, when we look at the characteristics of love, we begin to see a different picture. No doubt you can think of the attributes found in 1 Corinthians 13. Keep those in mind as we remember the story of the religious teacher who asked what the greatest commandment was. In Mark 12:31-32, Jesus said, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these” (NLT). Thinking of these attributes and requirements from God, I would contend that selfishness could be the opposite of love. When you think of relational breakdowns, you will likely find selfishness as the root cause.

In Philippians 2, Paul is addressing the church there on how to behave. In verses 3-4 he wrote, “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.” This is the recipe for loving your neighbor as yourself. We must learn to look out for the needs of others starting in the Body of Christ. It’s easy to love and be unselfish with the people we like, but what about those we don’t get along with? I remember Jesus telling us in the Sermon on the Mount to even love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute you so you can show you are truly Gods children. How good are you at living an unselfish life? How good are you at taking an interest in the lives of others that you come in contact with?

Paul went on in Philippians 2:5 to say, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” Jesus demonstrated His love for us in that while we were sinners, He died for us. Unselfish love is what drove Him to give up His divine privileges, to be born a human, to humble Himself in obedience and to die on the cross. What a challenge Paul gave us in asking us to have the same attitude Jesus had. He understood that if the world is going to know us by our love, it is going to have to show up one selfless act at a time. It’s going to take each of us to committing to living selflessly in a selfish world. When we get good at living out Philippians 2, I believe we will make an impact on culture and see revival in our time. Who is God putting on your heart today to show love to? Don’t hesitate. Reach out today.

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October 18, 2024 · 5:41 AM

God Given Experiences

There are things many of us do for the experience, not to gain it but to feel it. Some experiences are incredible and create core memories for us. I’m sure you can think of some experiences you’ve had. When we become Christians there are things we get to experience such as God’s peace or heavenly joy. I love hearing stories from people who give their life to the Lord and what they experienced at the altar. When we used to have testimony night at church, people would share these stories. Mature Christians would also share stories of how they experienced God’s goodness or blessing in their life. We can each testify to things we’ve experienced as believers. What are some of your God given experiences?

Here are some Bible verses on things we can experience as believers:

1. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 NLT

2. And it’s true: “Everyone who calls on the Lord’s name will experience new life.”

Romans 10:13 TPT

3. Jesus answered him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified],he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.”

John 3:3 AMP

4. And this, so that I may know Him [experientially, becoming more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person more completely] and [in that same way experience] the power of His resurrection [which overflows and is active in believers], and [that I may share] the fellowship of His sufferings, by being continually conformed [inwardly into His likeness even] to His death [dying as He did].

Philippians 3:10 AMP

5. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation.

1 Peter 2:2 NLT

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October 17, 2024 · 5:30 AM

The Feast Of Shelters

I was reading recently in II Chronicles 7 where Solomon was dedicating the temple. During the celebration, they celebrated the Feast of Shelters. I wasn’t as familiar with that feast as Pentecost, Jubilee, Rosh Hashanah or others. I looked it up to find out more about it and found something interesting. To help Israel remember how their ancestors wandered the desert for 40 years as nomads, they would live in temporary shelters for seven days. Some would sleep on the porch of their homes, others would camp out, some would build lean to shelters and some would build temporary booths.

The shelter they stayed in needed to make sure they were exposed to the elements. If it got cold, they shivered. If it rained, they got wet. If it was hot, they sweat. All of this to remember that their ancestors didn’t have permanent dwellings like they did. It was meant as a link to their past, but for me, it’s a link to our future. These bodies we live in are our temporary shelters. We live like nomads in them moving around all over the world. We think they’re our permanent home, but like the Israelites, we look forward to going to the Promised Land and getting our permanent homes.

II Corinthians 5:1 says, “For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in Heaven, an eternal body made for us by God Himself” (NLT). Paul referred to our bodies as tents which is what the people of Israel lived in while they wandered the desert. It’s a temporary home. The problem is that we have lived this way for so long that we’ve forgotten it’s temporary and have made ourselves comfortable in them. We are only wandering here making our way to our permanent home.

These tents we live in have us exposed to the elements of life. They don’t really protect us from tragedy, problems, storms or outside forces. We feel the full force of things and hurt deeply. When we get our new bodies, our permanent ones, we will have shelter from those things. Knowing that a day is coming when we’ll have protection against such things should give us strength and courage to move forward instead of being stick in the past. God wants each one of us to move forward and to think about the future He has for us. He told us about such a time because He knew it would give us hope, and hope is a powerful thing in a temporary storm.

Photo by Rahul Bhosale 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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October 16, 2024 · 5:33 AM

Obedience Matters

I heard the story of a man who had just e tied a plane at the airport when he felt he heard God tell him to do a headstand. He thought it was crazy and kept walking when he heard it again. It got to be so loud in his mind that he couldn’t concentrate. So finally he stopped next to a wall and did the headstand. When he looked forward, a man came out of the men’s room shouting at him asking him why he was doing that. He felt weird saying it, but he told the man God had told him to. The other man broke down in tears saying, lI was just in the restroom and told God, “If you’re real, prove it. Have someone do something crazy, like a headstand, and I’ll give my life to you.” Right then and there, he gave his heart to the Lord.

In John 2, Jesus and the disciples attended a wedding in a village near where He grew up. Weddings typically lasted several days. At some point, His mother Mary came up to Him to tell Him that their friends had run out of wine and we’re going to be shamed. After pushing back, verse 5 says, “But his mother told the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you’” (NLT). Jesus then told them to get water and fill six stone water jars. It didn’t make sense to them at the moment, but they obeyed. Then He told them to draw water and take it to the master of ceremonies. Again, it didn’t make any sense, but they did it anyway. When he lifted the cup of water to his lips, it changed into wine and the friend’s reputation was saved. Jesus Himself was obeying the Law because a stone jar is the only type of jar that could have two different liquids in it, one after the other, without being ritually purified.

1 Samuel 15:22 says, “But Samuel replied, ‘What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.’” I don’t know what God is asking you to do, or will ask you to do, but obedience is necessary above all else. He has the information you’re missing. He knows what you don’t know. In the moment, and even after, it may not make sense, but follow Mary’s advice and do whatever He tells you to. Hopefully it’s not to do a headstand in an airport, but if it is, follow His voice. When we obey whatever He tells us to, He opens doors that have never been opened before.

Thanks to Gabriel Encev on Unsplash for the photo.

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October 15, 2024 · 5:37 AM

Experiencing God’s Presence

One of the questions I like to ask is, “How do you connect with God?” I also like to find out, “When do you feel closets to Him?” What I’ve found is varying answers to these questions because we are wired differently. Some feel closest to Him when there’s worship playing. Others would say they feel closest when they are in nature experiencing His creation. Some will connect to God in solitude away from all distractions. I’ve had someone say they feel closest to God when they are serving other people. There are those who feel His presence as they study God’s Word or something in the world because they can see His handiwork.I’ve also seen someone connect to God through church rituals. The answers vary by our upbringing, our personality and by what we’ve been through.

Jesus is a great example of someone who connects with God in solitude. He was always going away to a quiet place to reconnect with God. Solomon was one who found God’s handiwork in everything he studied. We give her a hard time, but Martha connected with God through serving, while Mary did it through the quietness of sitting at His feet. I love reading Psalm 19 because it was written by someone as they were connecting with God through nature. People in the Early Church experienced God’s presence in the context of community and sharing meals. David expressed many different ways he connected with God, but we associate his with worship. Ultimately that is what connecting with God produces. It should grow our love for Him and create an attitude of worship.

In Mark 12:30 Jesus said, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength” (NLT) I’ve found at various times in my life I’m good at loving Him in some of these areas, but not all of them. I like to stop and evaluate how I’m doing in them every so often. When I’m lacking love for Him in certain areas, it’s usually because I’ve not been being intentional about taking the time to experience His presence and connecting with Him. Our lives can get so busy that we know we love God in our mind, but we fail to feel that love in our heart or express it with all of our soul and strength. How are you doing in all four of these areas? If you’re lacking, think about the first two questions I asked and take time to connect with God in your way. Loving and connecting with Him should be the priority in your life because that’s what will matter for eternity.

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October 14, 2024 · 5:38 AM

Songs Of Failure

When I was a kid, I remember going to Houston Oiler games. To get the crowd excited they would play the famous song that said, “‘Cause we’re the Houston Oilers. Houston Oilers. Houston Oilers number one!” That song was played all the time around here. I’ve been to other professional teams of various sports and the crowd will break out singing songs of victory for the team. If you support a favorite college in football, I bet you can name their fight song. Even in church we sing songs of victory over the enemy in our battle with him, but have you ever heard of or sang a song of failure? Could you imagine writing a song that exposed your greatest failure in life so that everyone could hear about it?

In 2 Samuel 12, the prophet Nathan walked into the king’s palace and told the king a story about two men. One was rich and the other was poor. The rich man had many sheep in his flock and the poor man just one, which he treated as his own child. A guest showed up at the rich man’s home and instead of killing one of his own sheep, he took the one from the poor man, slaughtered it and served it. David got angry and said that the rich man needed to be put to death. The prophet told him, “You are that man!” He exposed David’s hidden sin of murder and adultery. Instead of denying it or explaining it, he humbled himself. He then wrote Psalm 51, a beautiful song about his failure and need for repentance. Instead of keeping his sin from everyone but God, he exposed it to everyone.

Verse 1 says, “Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins” (NLT). It goes on and in verse 10 it says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.” Every one of us fail and sin at times, but do we take the time to expose those failures and confess them to God and others? James 5:16 tells us to confess our sins one to another, not just to God. Why? So we can find healing, restoration, and warn others of where temptations lay. Our song of failure can keep other people from wandering down the same path and keep them from making the same mistake. The enemy wants us to be so embarrassed about our failures that we keep quiet. God’s remedy is for us to sing it from the rooftops to help others on their way not to make the same mistakes. Confess your sins to each other and to God, then ask for a clean heart and a right spirit.

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