Tag Archives: calling

January 8, 2026 · 5:30 AM

Guarding The Seed

One of the most exciting things in life is when God puts a vision in your heart of where He wants to lead you and how He wants to use you. For most of us, we’re so excited that we want to share that with someone. What often happens is that the people whom you think would encourage you and be excited with you about it are often the ones who will discourage you from doing it. They’ll either blow it off, tell you why it can’t happen or outright oppose it. The enemy kills more seeds this way than in any other. Your disappointment turns into lack of moving forward and the vision goes dormant. Remember the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy that which God plants in you. Protect it until it has taken root.

In Genesis 37 we read the story of Joseph. One night God gave him a dream where he and his brothers were tying up grain when his stood up and their bowed to his. The next day he was so excited about this vision he told his brothers. They mocked him for the dream. When he dreamed that the sun, moon and eleven stars bowed to him, he told them again. This time his father scolded him for the dream God gave him. His brothers grew jealous of the dream God had given him, began to hate him and started planning to kill him over it. Even thought they sold him into slavery and he went to prison for years, God accomplished the dream He gave him. When things were darkest in his life, God was still growing the seed the enemy tried to steal and was positioning Joseph for it to come to pass.

In 1 Timothy 6:20 Paul warned Timothy of this very thing. He wrote, “Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge” (NLT). To guard it well you will first need to purpose in your heart to follow God’s vision and plan before you tell others what God has planted. You need to begin moving in the direction of the vision and acting on it. When the people you respect and love say opposing words, guard the seed and remember your promise to God to fulfill it. The larger the dream, the greater the opposition. Even if you feel like the seed has been stolen in this way, trust God’s plan like Joseph. It may be dark now, but that’s the condition a seed needs in order to grow. God does not take back His gifts nor His callings (Romans 11:29). Begin watering that seed and guard it well. God is still working.

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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 9, 2025 · 5:30 AM

Renewing Your Calling

Several years ago, I was running from my calling, living in sin and making some pretty dumb decisions. My life started to spiral out of control. I started to lose things and people that I wanted to hang onto, but I couldn’t stop the madness. When my first wife told me she was leaving me, it was a wake up call. Up to that moment, I always felt like I could get back to where I needed to be in my life, but when that happened, I felt like I had even lost the calling of God on my life. It was too much for me to have lost that too. Some time later, I explained to a friend how I had lost the calling of God on my life and my purpose. He asked, “Who do you think you are that you have the power to revoke God’s purpose and calling on your life?”

I wonder if David felt the same way after he had his affair with Bathsheba and murdered her husband. Maybe Peter did too after he denied Jesus three times. I can hear him beating himself up saying, “You we’re going to be the rock that Jesus built His Church on. You blew it!” Yet, despite both of their failures, and public ones at that, God continued to use them. David and Bathsheba later had a son they named Solomon. He became Israel’s next king and was the wisest person to ever live. Peter, after being restored by Jesus, went on to lead the Early Church and turn the world upside down. Despite their failures, God never removed their calling or purpose.

Romans 11:29 says, “For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn” (NLT). To me, that’s pretty clear that no matter what I’ve done, God designed me with a purpose and no matter what I do, He’s not going to withdraw it. If you’ve been hearing that voice inside telling you that it’s too late or you’ve done too much for God to ever use you, combat it with this verse. God uses our failures and humanity in our calling. He has a way of using them to humble us, to make us approachable and as a testimony to others that God can use or save anyone. No one is beyond His love or ability to forgive. No one is beyond His ability to use. You and I lack the power to revoke God’s calling though we may run from it for a lifetime. God’s plan for you is still in place. Quit running from it or believing the lie that you’re damaged goods. God’s not done with you yet.

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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, 2025 · 5:30 AM

Without Excuses

Years ago I taught a class where I posed a series of “what if” or “if only” questions. I would write their answers on the board. If only I had more time. If only I was paid more. If only management would do this or that. The answers were flowing until I stopped and read them their answers. I asked them what their answers looked like. When no one answered, I simply pointed out that their answers were excuses to not do things. They were things that were holding them back from their potential and keeping them from moving up. Some times those answers are right, but when we allow them to hold us back, they become excuses.

There were many people in the Bible who gave God excuses as to why they couldn’t do what He asked. Moses said he stuttered and wasn’t a good orator. Jonah said he didn’t like the people God called him to minister to. The people who wanted to follow Jesus, but first wanted to go back to bury the dead or get their inheritance. Even Jeremiah gave an excuse that he was too young to call his nation back to repentance. In Jeremiah 1 God told him that He had set him apart and called him to the nations. In verse 6, Jeremiah gave the excuse, “O Sovereign Lord, I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!” (NLT) These are some big names in the Bible who tried to use an excuse to hold them back from their purpose and calling. Thankfully God didn’t accept of their excuses.

In Jeremiah 1:7-8 God replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!” He went on to say that He would put His words in Jeremiah’s mouth and empower him. It’s got me thinking about the excuses I’ve used with God. Maybe you’ve given Him some too. If God has called you to it, He will empower you and help you do it. You haven’t messed it up nor have you done anything to remove His calling. It’s time we owned up to our excuses and allowed God to help us do what He created us to do. Start living your life without excuses.

Photo courtesy of Max Andrew on Pexels.

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June 25, 2025 · 5:33 AM

The Dominion Mandate

In Genesis 1:28 one of the first directives God gives mankind is a dominion mandate over the earth. That word dominion means to exercise authority, to make productive through the cultivation process and to steward well what had been given to them. I believe that mandate continues to this day, but also extends to the areas of our lives and gifts God has given us. Imagine how your life would change if you exercised authority over your thoughts, your flesh and your time. What would change if you began to cultivate the relationships God has given you, your finances, resources and talents? We are called to be stewards of all God has given us.

I love the story of Nehemiah. He did all these things well because he took the dominion mandate seriously. He was a cupbearer to the king. He cultivated that relationship to the point that the king financed his calling. When he returned to Jerusalem, he found that the walls were in torn down with rubble everywhere. He exercised authority over the situation and the people responded. They took what was broken and rebuilt the walls of the city in a short amount of time. The city had not been productive and couldn’t grow because of the lack of protection. By stewarding his vision, organizing the people and taking dominon over the situation, Jerusalem became a vibrant city again.

Proverbs 13:23 says, “Abundant food is in the fallow (uncultivated) ground of the poor, But [without protection] it is swept away by injustice” (AMP). There is so much untapped potential in our lives because we fail to take dominion and leave it uncultivated. There are places in our lives that are like Jerusalem before Nehemiah showed up. They’re without protection and need the walls rebuilt. Where in your life do you need to begin taking dominion? What do you need to cultivate in order to change fallow ground into fertile soil? Where do you need to be exercising your God given authority? You have been given a dominion mandate by God. Don’t settle for fallow for fallow ground into the land God has given you.

Photo by Mark Stebnicki on Pexels.

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October 29, 2024 · 6:53 AM

Playing Your Part

Have you ever stubbed your toe or hurt a finger? Several years ago I had a hatchback on my car. I was getting something out of it when someone honked at me. I turned around to see who it was. Just then, it closed on my hand and my thumb got trapped. I had to get the keys out of my pocket with my other hand, unlock it and lift it up to get it out. For the next couple of weeks, I thought about my thumb a lot. I had never paid much attention to how much I used it until I couldn’t anymore. The same holds true for your toe and really any body part. They all have purpose and functions that you use without thinking about it until you can’t use them.

In Romans 12:4-5, Paul wrote, “In the human body there are many parts and organs, each with a unique function. And so it is in the body of Christ. For though we are many, we’ve all been mingled into one body in Christ. This means that we are all vitally joined to one another, with each contributing to the others” (TPT). This verse first became real to me when I worked at a church in Egypt that had over 20 denominations and people from over 50 countries present all operating under one pastor. We functioned the way the Body of Christ was supposed to. We didn’t allow our doctrinal differences to separate us. Instead, we saw the beauty in those differences, recognized how each one is used and worked under the banner of what unites us. We used to say that church was a microcosm of Heaven.

The Body of Christ is more than denominations. It’s made up of people like you and me. When we look at that verse above and think of it on an individual level, it becomes even more real. You have a unique function in the Body of Christ and are vital to its success. There are no insignificant members of His body. The rest of us need you to contribute your part for us to function the way we are supposed to. The part you play may not get you famous or even noticed by your pastor, but don’t let that stop you. The calling you have is between you and God. It’s His voice that you want to hear one day saying, “Well done.” You are vital to the Church and the part you play is important to the overall functionality of the Body.

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June 26, 2024 · 5:36 AM

Fighting Insecurity

A few years ago I was sitting at a round table discussion with several other ministers in the Houston area. As they began the introductions, a little voice in my head said, “You don’t belong here!” A few more people introduced themselves and the voice continued, “You aren’t even in the same league as these people.” I sent my wife a text telling her I shouldn’t have come. More introduced themselves and what they were doing and the voice got louder as it got closer to my turn. I’m not an insecure person, but as I sat there, I was as insecure as I’d ever been thinking of how I’m less than everyone else at the table. I began to think of all my disqualifications and my inabilities. Then the voice of the Lord spoke to me reminding me who I am in Him, and I introduced myself.

In Exodus 3-4 Moses was at the burning bush talking to God when God asked him to go back to Egypt and free His people. As the Lord spoke, Moses’ insecurities began to rise in his mind. In verse 10, he replied to God, “I’m a nobody” (GNT). God continued telling him to go, but that voice in Moses’ head got louder. In Genesis 4:1 he told God, “No one will listen to me.” God continued. In verse 10 he reminded God of his limitations and inadequacies, but God insisted. Moses finally listened to God, went to Pharaoh and got the Israelites to be set free from 400 years of slavery. I don’t think the voice ever went away in his head, but over time he learned that it was God at work in him doing the things he did. Success depended on God’s provision rather than his ability.

That voice still speaks to me, and I bet you’ve heard it too reminding you of why you’re incapable of being used by God or accomplishing anything good for Him. Hebrews 13:21 says, “May the God of peace provide you with every good thing you need in order to do his will, and may he, through Jesus Christ, do in us what pleases him. And to Christ be the glory forever and ever! Amen.” The great news is that God will provide you with everything you need to accomplish His will. You just have to let your faith and trust in Him be louder than that voice. He is the God of peace when insecurities rise. He’s the God who supplies you with resources when you have none. It’s a good thing He calls some of the most seemingly unqualified people to do His work because they will give Him the glory for accomplishing it through them despite their inabilities. The next time you feel insecure because of that voice, remember this verse and simply pray, “I’ll do whatever you ask, Lord.”

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June 4, 2024 · 5:42 AM

Minimizing Distractions

Stephen Covey developed and taught his four quadrants model to show how we spend our time. Quadrant one is on things that are urgent and important. It includes pressing problems, crisis and things with deadlines approaching. Quadrant two is on things are important but not urgent. It includes things like personal growth, long term planning and relationship building. Three is on things that are not urgent but important. It includes interruptions, handling other people’s issues and emails. Finally four is on things that are not important and are not urgent. This includes watching TV, social media and down time activities. These are all things we spend time on, but three quadrants are full of distractions while one invests in your future. Quadrant two gives us the greatest impact to our lives, but we spend most of our time in the other three because we’re easily distracted.

We all heard of Samson and how strong he was. From a child, God gave him a set of rules to live by that would set him apart and give him supernatural strength. Over time, he quit living in the area God told him to and started getting distracted. In Judges 14, a woman from an enemy country caught his eye and he wanted to marry her against his parent’s wishes. The Lord used it though. Then he killed a lion which later he ate honey out of going against God’s Laws. In chapter 16 he met Delilah who distracted him and cut off his hair removing his strength. In the end, he prayed and killed more of his enemies on his last day than on all his other days. He was a man whom God could have done so much more with, but he lived a distracted life that minimized the impact he could have had.

In Psalm 119:37 David prayed, “Turn my eyes away from vanity [all those worldly, meaningless things that distract—let Your priorities be mine], And restore me [with renewed energy] in Your ways” (AMP). This is a prayer we all need to pray. Our lives are filled with distractions (some necessary and some unnecessary) that keep us from our purpose. Our eyes and hearts are like Samson’s at times drawing us away from the things God has called us to. We can spend all day doing things, but are simply spinning our tires going nowhere with no impact. We must take time each day to focus on God’s priorities for our life and ask Him for renewed energy like Samson did so we can accomplish all He’s created us to do. Take some time to think about your distractions and then find a way to create some space where you minimize them or remove them from your life so you can spend energy and time on God’s priorities for your future.

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May 16, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Leaving The Doldrums

Not long after Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492, other ships began to make the voyage across the pond. Several ships noticed a strange phenomenon as they sailed near the equator. There was very little wind and ships would drift there for weeks or months. In time, this area of the ocean became known as the doldrums. Sailors avoided it because they didn’t take the provisions to survive a trip that got stuck there for a long period. The doldrums became known as a place of stagnation, depression and death.

If you read the first part of Acts, the disciples had been in the doldrums since the crucifixion of Jesus. They had moments where Jesus would appear to them, but when He left, they would feel just as stuck as before. On one of those occasions Jesus spoke to them and said, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift He promised as I told you before. (Acts 1:4 NLT).” Wait? For how long? How could Jesus leave them adrift in the doldrums? It was a dangerous time to be in Jerusalem. Just 40 days before, Jesus had been killed and they feared they were next.

They met in the Upper Room and prayed for the next ten days as they waited. Then Acts 2:2 says, “Suddenly there was a sound from Heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. (NLT)” God sent the wind of the Holy Spirit to fill their sails and push them out of the doldrums. That wind pushed them and the message of Jesus all over the world. They were no longer stuck in their depression and doubt. They were revived and renewed because they waited on the Lord in prayer.

If you’re stuck in the doldrums, let me encourage you not to give up. Wait on the Lord in prayer and ask for Him to send the Wind of the Holy Spirit into your life. I’m talking about spending some serious time in prayer. The disciples prayed and waited in one place until God answered. We need to do the same thing. We need to commit to praying not just a one or two sentence prayer, but an active, waiting on God all day kind of prayer if we truly want out of the doldrums. We need to wait on the Lord until He answers. Be prepared though. When that rushing, mighty wind blows into your life, God will take you farther than you ever dreamed possible.

One final thought: The doldrums are where hurricanes originate from. What seems like a windless, stagnant place is where God launches His most powerful forces.

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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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March 7, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Inadequate And Insecure

I’ve been on a few mission trips where we’ve done construction work. On day one, they like to go around the circle and have each person talk about their skills. One guy says he can build shelving. Another says he’s good at framing. One always says he can do it all. Inevitably it always comes around to me. I like to say, “I’m the best gopher around. If you need nails, I’ll go for them. If you need a certain tool, I’ll go for it.” My skill set makes me feel very inadequate on a construction site.

Even when it comes to ministry and my calling, I often feel inadequate. I was at a conference of ministers earlier this year. They started off with introductions and sharing all they’re doing. As they went around the table, I began to compare what I do to what they were doing. I sent my wife a text and said, “What am I doing here? I don’t belong. They’re sharing all they’re doing in ministry, and I’ve got nothing.” I was feeling very insecure.

If you look at where God has you or think of what God has called you too, you’re going to feel inadequate. It’s easy to say, “God, I’m not qualified to do this,” or “God, there are other people who are better at this.” I’m sure David, being a shepherd, felt inadequate in front of all those soldiers when Goliath came out. I’ve learned that God doesn’t always take our skill set and put us where it should fit. He looks at our heart, and puts us where He needs that most.

When I feel inadequate, I take comfort in knowing the apostle Paul felt that way too. In 1 Timothy 1:12, he wrote, “I’m so grateful to Christ Jesus for making me adequate to do this work” (MSG). He understood what we need to learn. It’s God who makes us adequate to do what He’s called us to do. It’s not our skills or anything else. Our inadequacies cause our faith to grow and helps keep pride out. It is not we who do the work. It is Christ through us, and that makes us more than adequate to do anything God asks us to do.

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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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February 19, 2024 · 5:36 AM

Consecrate Yourself

I once interviewed for a job where they told me about eighty other people had applied. I started thinking about what I could do to set myself apart from the other people. When you think that way, you prepare differently. I wanted them to know I was ready to take on the job so I spent some time before the interview studying the role. I thought about the type of impact I could make in that role, how my personality would fit in with the existing team and how my approach could give them better than average results. Most people going into an interview won’t prepare themselves for the job, much less the interview. They won’t stand out or show that they’re ready to take the next step and be an asset. Because I approach and prepare this way for interviews, there are very few times I haven’t gotten the job.

In Joshua 3, the Israelites had been wandering in the desert for forty years. Their parents had told them how God had rescued them from Egypt and how they didn’t trust Him to give them victory over the land. This generation had seen God provide mana every day, bring water from the rock and lead them by fire or cloud. As they camped at the Jordan, in verse 5, Joshua said “Get yourselves ready! Set yourselves apart for Yahweh! Tomorrow, Yahweh will perform for us great miracles!” (TPT) One translation says, “Consecrate yourselves.” Consecration is a preparation process. God was telling the people to set themselves apart from other nations, to prepare themselves differently than other people and to be devoted to the task at hand. He did this so they would be ready to cross the Jordan and be prepared to take the land in front of them.

2 Timothy 2:21 says, “Those who make themselves clean from all those evil things, will be used for special purposes, because they are dedicated and useful to their Master, ready to be used for every good deed” (GNT). There is a preparation, or a consecration, we must go through to be used by God that prepares us for every good work. Most of us sit around and wait on God to pick us to be used by Him or we raise our hand saying, “Here am I, send me.” However, most of us won’t go through the consecration process to prepare our hearts, minds and bodies to be used by Him. We must set ourselves apart from others in how we live, talk and worship. Paul goes on to tell Timothy that a house has many different types of plates and utensils, but those who make themselves set apart and are consecrated will be used for special purposes. In what ways is God asking you to consecrate yourself for His purposes? What do you need to give up or change so you’re ready to enter the promised land He has for you?

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