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October 24, 2022 · 5:59 AM

Running Free

The book of Nehemiah takes place after Israel had been in captivity in Babylon for 70 years. Ezra had returned years earlier with a small group of people to rebuild the Temple, but did nothing to rebuild the walls. Nehemiah had asked about the rebuild situation and found out that the walls were in shambles. That’s when he wept over it and got the burden to rebuild the walls. It only took them a matter of a couple months to gather the stones and rebuild the walls. When they had finished, the people all gathered together in Jerusalem to hear to Law of Moses being read aloud. They began to weep over their sin, but Nehemiah stopped them. He reminded them that it was a day of celebration, not mourning.

A few weeks later they all returned to Jerusalem to for another gathering. This service was six hours long. They read the Law for three hours and then spent three hours confessing their sins and weeping before the Lord. When they had finished, they wrote out a pact to the Lord to say they would obey His Word. Toward the end of that pact, in Nehemiah 9:36 they wrote, “So now today we are slaves in the land of plenty that you gave our ancestors for their enjoyment! We are slaves here in this good land” (NLT). As I read that, I couldn’t help but think of how many Christians are in the same boat they were in. We are slaves to sin in a land of plenty that Jesus paid for.

Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (NKJV). All Christians have temptations and at one time or another can get entangled or enslaved to sin. The writer here calls us to freedom like Galatians 5:1 does. The way we get free is the same way the Israelites did in Nehemiah. We need to get into God’s Word and we must confess our sins. Don’t go another day living as a slave to your sin when God has set you free. It was for freedom that He set you free. Lay aside that sin and run your race in freedom.

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October 21, 2022 · 5:36 AM

Giving God Thanks

I love the story of Jesus healing the ten lepers. As the men walked away excited about their healing, one turned around to come back and thank Jesus. It’s a great reminder to all of us that we need to stop and give thanks to God for the things He’s done for us. Our lives are more busy than ever, and we are constantly asking God for things. Sometimes we don’t even recognize when He’s answered a prayer. Don’t be like the nine who went on with their lives. Think about the last time you truly stopped everything to give God a proper thanks. Don’t let another moment pass. Take time right now to just thanks Him for all He’s done. The more you give Him thanks, the more you have to be thankful for.

Here are some Bible verses on giving God thanks.

1. Speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, [offering praise by] singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks to God the Father for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; being subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Ephesians 5:19-21 AMP

2. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness, And for His wonderful acts to the children of men!

Psalms 107:8 AMP

3. Lord, receive my grateful thanks and teach me more of how to please you.

Psalms 119:108 TPT

4. I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.

Psalms 139:14 AMP

5. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
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Psalms‬ ‭100:4-5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

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October 20, 2022 · 5:30 AM

The Habit Of Forgiveness

One of the hardest habits for us to adopt is the habit of forgiveness. When we’ve been wronged, we feel justified in holding anger and resentment against the one who wronged us. I’ve learned in my own life that anger, resentment and being hurt are all that’s needed to become bitter. That bitterness then becomes a prison that holds your thoughts captive and stops any progress in your life. It has the power to consume you and that kind of bitterness causes you to spread that poison to others.

God wants us to let go of the wrongs that have been done to us because He knows that’s where our freedom lies. You cannot be a productive Christian if you’re holding anger, resentment, or bitterness towards someone else. God’s desire is that we turn the other cheek, not so we can get hurt again, but so we can lead with our un-bruised side. He knows that we will be better witnesses for Him when we don’t lead with our hurts and bruises out front. He knows that we can be healed in time when we first learn the habit of forgiveness.

In Matthew 6, we find the Lord’s Prayer. I’m sure you’ve memorized it at one point in your life. What you may not have memorized are verses 14-15 which come immediately after it. Jesus followed up His prayer with, “If you forgive others the wrongs they have done to you, your Father in Heaven will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father in Heaven will not forgive the wrongs you have done” (GNT). Your forgiveness from God is dependent on your ability to forgive others.

I like how the Amplified Bible describes what forgiving “wrongs” is and looks like. It says, “Their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up your resentment.” All of this is put on you, not the other person or God. Your own forgiveness starts with your ability to let go of what someone else has willfully done to wrong you. The life God has for you will be bright and fresh again once you choose to adopt the habit of forgiveness.

Photo by Maria Turkmani:

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 19, 2022 · 5:47 AM

Stay Focused

Every one of us have a certain amount of energy for the day. Whether you feel like you have a little today or a lot, that is your 100% for the day. It’s given to you to use so you can get things done. However, there are unexpected things that pop up each day that steal some of that energy. There are also people and distractions that try to rob you of your energy to keep you from getting things done. If we allow them to distract us, they diffuse our energy and keep us from accomplishing all we have to do. Those distractions can last from a few minutes to days or weeks. To keep them from robbing us of our energy, we must remain focused on the job at hand, prioritize our time and refuse to be distracted.

Nehemiah was a man on a mission. Once he heard that the walls of Jerusalem were in shambles, God put it in his heart to rebuild them. Immediately worry came in and tried to rob his energy. How could he leave his job? Where would he get the resources? When the king asked what he needed, he responded and it was all given to him. While he had what he needed now, he needed workers. The people showed up to help build once they caught the vision. Their energy was being poured into the project when two men came to distract them from their work. They tried intimidation, uprisings and lies to diffuse the people’s energy. However, Nehemiah stayed focused and got the work done.

In Nehemiah 6:3 he responded to them, “I am doing important work and can’t go down there. I am not going to let the work stop just to go and see you” (GNT). It’s ok to tell people the word “no”. Even if it’s something worthwhile, good or even helpful. If it is robbing you of your energy to do what God has called you to, it’s a distraction. Use wisdom like Nehemiah did when distractions and intimidators showed up. He prayed, got wisdom from God and then stayed the course. Because of that, the walls of Jerusalem were built in a matter of weeks instead of years. Imagine what God could do through you if you would stay focused and concentrate your energy. Don’t let intimidators, distractions or worry rob you of the energy that God has given you to accomplish His will in your life. When you use godly wisdom and stay focused, God will do His part.

Photo by Paul Skorupskas on Unsplash

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October 18, 2022 · 5:54 AM

Contradicting Yourself

How does it make you feel when someone tells you they’re going to do one thing, and then do another? Or when they say they support you to your face, but behind your back they are against you? I’ve had that happen to me at work. It not only hurts, it makes you not trust that person. I was nominated to be on a certain council, but because I didn’t fit the mold, it had to be approved. This person was my biggest advocate outside the voting room. However, behind closed doors, they were my biggest opponent. Ultimately I withdrew my name because I no longer trusted this person. They never knew I found out and they kept up appearances as long as I knew them. Their words to me said one thing, but their actions proved another.

In 1 Samuel 15, Saul was king, and he had been instructed to kill all the Amalekites and their animals. After the battle, Saul decided to capture the king and keep the best of the animals for he and the army. God was upset with King Saul and sent Samuel to address the problem. When he got to the king, Saul was happy and said, “I have carried out the Lord’s command.” Samuel gave one of my favorite replies in the Bible when he asked, “Then what is this bleating of sheep I hear?” Saul made an excuse saying they were going to sacrifice them to the Kord, but that wasn’t true. Because he rejected the Lord’s commands, the Lord rejected him as king.

In Isaiah 29:13, the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote” (NLT). God is not looking for lip service from us. He also not looking for us to go through the motions of serving Him. It’s easy to fall into that rut, and we all do at times, but God cares more about the condition of our heart than our outward actions. If you’ve been going through the motions lately, ask God to give you a heart of flesh and to renew a right spirit within you. You may be able to fool everyone else, but you can’t fool Him. Take some time today to check the condition of your heart. Does it line up with what you say? If they’re in contradiction, ask God to transform you from the inside out. His grace is sufficient to do it.

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October 17, 2022 · 5:51 AM

God’s Definition Of Success

One of the lessons I’ve had to learn is to accept God’s definition of success for my endeavors over my own. Our world has given us its own definition of success. We measure it in money, numbers, clicks, likes, comments, etc. The more we get of any of these, the better we feel about ourselves and the more successful we feel. However, when we don’t get a lot of money, numbers, clicks, likes, comments, etc., it leaves us feeling insecure and unsuccessful. I’ve had to learn the hard way that my worth, and my success, are not contingent on those things. In anything God has called me to, obedience is what gives success, not numbers. Most of the time, what God calls us to do reaches or touches just a few, sometimes one. If you’re being obedient, that is success. Yes, the numbers would be nice, but those often fuel pride.

In Acts 8, the apostle Philip was preaching in Samaria. It says that large crowds came to hear him preach. People were being healed, demons were being cast out, the lame were healed and the city was filled with joy because of his ministry. It was going so well that news reached Peter and John in Jerusalem and they decided to come take over this “successful” ministry. That’s when an angel appeared to Philip and told him to leave this great work and head south. As he was traveling, he came upon the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch who was probably denied access to the Temple, and the Holy Spirit told Philip to walk by the carriage. Philip heard him reading Isaiah, explained it to him and led him to the Lord. God took him away from man’s definition of success to show him that crowds are nice, but God is also after the one.

In 1 Kings 2:3, David told Solomon, “Observe the requirements of the Lord your God, and follow all his ways. Keep the decrees, commands, regulations, and laws written in the Law of Moses so that you will be successful in all you do and wherever you go” (NLT). If you want to be successful in God’s eyes, simply obey. He may give you success by the world’s definition or it may be on a very small scale. Whatever it looks like, be obedient and content. Your value, worth and validation can’t come from the world’s definition of success. You will struggle in all of those areas and more if it does. God’s plan usually involves one touching one. Learn to be content with the success, or “failure” by the world’s standards, that God gives. Your success comes from God, not man.

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October 14, 2022 · 5:36 AM

Do Good

One of the Scriptures that challenges me is that faith without works is dead. Not only that, but Jesus said it wasn’t good enough to only do good to the people who deserve it or our friends. We have to do things for those we don’t like. It’s not an easy task doing things for people who treat us poorly, but it’s part of living out our faith. Doing good wherever we go, to whomever we can, is one of the best ways to show God’s love. We must remember that it was while we were still sinners that God showed us compassion and sent His Son to die for us when we didn’t deserve it. Following His example is what we are called to do.

Here are some Bible verses on doing good.

1. 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).

Galatians 6:10 AMP

2. Whenever you possibly can, do good to those who need it.

Proverbs 3:27 GNT

3. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Hebrews 13:16 ESV

4. But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you.

Luke 6:27 NLT

5. Trust [rely on and have confidence] in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land and feed [securely] on His faithfulness.

Psalms 37:3 AMP

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October 13, 2022 · 5:30 AM

No More Micromanagement

I’ve had some very different bosses throughout my working life. Some of my bosses could be referred to as micromanagers. They would give me an assignment, then breathe down my neck the whole time. They wanted it done their way or I would get in trouble. It was stressful and not very fun to work for them. Contrast them with some other bosses I’ve had that were overseers. They would hand me an assignment then back up and let me work. If I needed anything, they were always available to answer questions or give me feedback. I always felt like I thrived in that environment. I knew what was expected of me and I was able to do the work in a way that made going to work fun.

When Jesus walked on the earth, the religious leaders had made following God a lot like those micromanagers. They had a set of rules you couldn’t deviate from or they would call you out and embarrass you. They had their interpretation of living for God and forced everyone else to try to live that way too. It was burdensome and difficult. Contrast that with Jesus who took all their regulations and said they could be summed up by loving God and loving people. If they did those two things well, the rest came pretty easily. He removed the burdensome yoke of the law from our necks. In Matthew 11:28-30 He said, “Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis. Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me. For all that I require of you will be pleasant and easy to bear” (TPT).

God is not a micromanager giving you a heavy load of regulations that’s impossible to bear. Christianity is not a bunch of “Thou shalt not’s”. Instead it is a spiritual oasis where we join our life to His and learn to love Him and others. He forgives your past and has given you permission to heal from it. You don’t have to live under the constant condemnation of what you were. In Him, you are a new creation. The old life is gone and He has created a new life in you. I love that He said in these verses that He’s easy to please. You don’t have to live under the stress of constantly fighting for His approval. He loves you, approves of you and has lifted your old burden that was weighing you down. It’s time to live in that approval and enjoy the relationship with Him that He offers.

Photo by Mukuko Studio 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 12, 2022 · 5:49 AM

The Blessings Of The Righteous

If you ever travel to the Middle East, one of the things you will see lots of are Palm Date trees. It grows very well in desert conditions as well as just about any climate. They refer to it as the tree of life. Without these trees, it would be difficult to sustain life in such harsh conditions. These trees provide shade on a blistering, hot day. The trunk and even the leaves are used as building materials. It’s not uncommon to see the leaves placed in roads where cars drive over them to break them down so they can be used to build with. The fruit stalks are used to make rope and of course, the dates are delicious with many health benefits. Palm trees thrive and help to sustain life wherever they’re planted.

Abraham is one of the great heroes of faith. He trusted what God said and acted on it. When God asked him to leave his family to go to place he’d never been, he packed up and left. When God told him that he would have descendants as many as the stars, he trusted God at His word. When God asked him to sacrifice his only son, the only way to fulfill His promise, he bound his son and took out his knife. Because he believed God, Genesis 15:6 tells us he was counted as righteous. Not only are we counted as righteous when we believe, we are now given a robe of righteousness when we believe in Jesus. That means you and I are entitled to the benefits of the righteous.

Psalm 92:12 says, “The righteous will flourish like the date palm [long-lived, upright and useful]; They will grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic and stable]” (AMP). Wherever God has you planted right now, you have the ability to flourish, be useful and bring life. It doesn’t matter how old you are, what season of life you’re in or who is around you. God will bless you so that you can withstand the conditions and produce fruit. We can’t look at where God has us and use that as an excuse for not bearing fruit or being useful because He has given you the blessings of the righteous that produce fruit in all seasons. Don’t complain to God about how difficult it is. Instead, ask Him to use you to bring life wherever you go and to use every facet of your life to be a blessing to others.

Photo by Hosni Hannoun:

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October 11, 2022 · 5:54 AM

Preparation For The Promise

I was talking with someone recently who wanted my opinion. I could tell they were a little worried when they told me that they feared God’s calling was no longer on their life because they hadn’t accomplished it yet. As they shared their calling with me and the things they were going through, it was clear to me that they were in a time of preparation. They pushed back a little saying they were getting too old to accomplish it. I reminded them of Caleb who entered the Promised Land as an older person full of wisdom and strength. He fulfilled his calling despite the years of waiting in the wilderness.

I then pointed to David. He was a young shepherd who received his calling to be king. He didn’t get taken to the throne right after he was anointed. Instead, he continued watching sheep, fought a giant and even lived life on the run before he became king. He waited over 15 years before he became king. God didn’t take away his calling even when he sinned. God uses our past to connect with others or to position us for His purpose the way He did with Joseph. His brothers sold him as a slave. He was falsely accused of a crime and placed in jail where he thought he was forgotten and God’s calling was over. Instead, he was being prepared and positioned to lead an entire country and save millions.

Romans 11:29 says, “For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn” (NLT). There is nothing you can do to revoke God’s calling. You’re not that powerful. There’s no circumstance that can take you away from it, and periods of inactivity are not a way to measure it. God works everything out for your good because you are called to His purposes. Don’t listen to the lie that He’s moved on and chosen someone else. Submit to the preparation, open your heart to understand and your eyes to see. God is still moving on your behalf. Some preparation takes longer than others. God knows what He’s doing. Trust Him and in the calling He gave you. Don’t get caught up looking at the present when He’s promised something in the future. His promises are yes and amen. That means they’re guaranteed through Jesus.

Photo by Zach Vessels on Unsplash

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