Tag Archives: christian living

October 27, 2026 · 5:52 AM

Training For Godliness

When I go into the gym, I see lots of people training. Some are on treadmills, some are pulling weights with a harness and some are lifting weights. In order to grow stronger, people do reps or repetitious movements with the weights. Then they do sets of those reps. It’s visible who has been doing it for a while. However, one of the crazy stats I read said that over 60% of gym memberships are never used. People sign up with good intentions, but find reasons not to go. They like the result of the reps and the idea of someone who trains, but when it comes to showing up, doing the reps and building their strength, they’re not willing to go through what it takes.

In 1 Timothy 4:7-8 Paul wrote, “Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. ‘Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come’” (NLT). When he says, “Train yourself to be godly,” he uses the word gymnazo, which means to exercise and to discipline and condition yourself like you would at a gym. He’s telling us we don’t grow stronger in our faith by arguing with people. Instead we grow strong through repetition of spiritual disciplines like prayer, reading our Bible and using the gifts God’s given us. It isn’t easy and it will cost you something to train yourself to be godly.

Hebrews 12:11 says, “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” The writer reminds us that being disciplined is costly and unenjoyable at times, but it produces the strength we need. Like doing reps in the gym, we must be repetitious in our obedience, our surrender to the Spirit over our flesh and in our disciples. The good news is that there are blessings promised to us for sticking with it. We reap the harvest of spiritual growth, spiritual strength and living the way God asks us to. Don’t give up in your training or make excuses why you can’t today. Keep training for godliness.

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October 21, 2026 · 5:35 AM

A Lifeline Of Encouragement

When you’ve been through something tragic or life altering, you begin to hear lies in your mind disguised as the truth. One I heard was, “You’re the only one who has ever gone through this.” While it was true that no one had been through my exact circumstance, others had been through similar. That lie isolates you. It says that no one can understand you, feel your pain or be able to help you unless they’ve been through that exact thing. Because I’ve heard and experienced those lies, I’ve confronted them in others as I’ve sought to bring them encouragement. The devil roams like a roaring lion seeking to isolate you so he can devour you. There’s strength in receiving and giving encouragement to others to fight off his attacks.

In Luke 22 Jesus knew that Peter and the disciples were going to go through a traumatic experience. He also knew Peter was going to betray Him and feel unworthy to serve Him anymore. In verses 22-23 Jesus told Peter, “Simon, Simon (Peter), listen! Satan has demanded permission to sift [all of] you like grain; but I have prayed [especially] for you [Peter], that your faith [and confidence in Me] may not fail; and you, once you have turned back again [to Me], strengthen and support your brothers [in the faith]” (AMP). What would become Peter’s lowest point in his life, would be the exact thing God would use to qualify him to encourage and comfort others.

Isaiah 35:4 tell us, “Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you’” (NLT). Each of us holds a lifeline of encouragement in our hands. Each of us have needed encouragement and also have the ability to encourage. This verse tells us we need to speak up when we feel that prompting. Your words of encouragement may be the faith boost they need to remember that God sees them and has not abandoned them. He is coming to save them and will not leave them helpless.

Photo by Viktoriia Ananeva on Unsplash.

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October 20, 2026 · 5:30 AM

Measure Every Moment

One of the things I’ve noticed is that in our most painful or stressful times we quit looking at the bigger picture and focus on the moment. In the most difficult time of my life I would watch the clock tick away and think, “If I can make it through this minute, I can survive.” When the second hand reached the 12 again, I would repeat it. I was focused on surviving the minute, but also forgetting where my help comes from. When things are hard our perspective gets really narrow. Part of that is a defense mechanism, but also I feel like it’s a distraction from our enemy. If we can stay focused on our problems, then we won’t focus on God who already has a plan to work things out.

In Ruth 1, Naomi had to leave her home because of famine. While living outside of the country, her husband died and then both of her sons died too. Realizing she couldn’t support two daughters in law, she tried to send them to their families. However, Ruth stayed with her for the return to Bethlehem. When they arrived, Naomi was greeted with excitement by friends. Naomi said to them, “Do not call me Naomi (sweetness); call me Mara (bitter), for the Almighty has caused me great grief and bitterness” (AMP). She was so focused on her bitterness she forgot to trust God’s plan. He would restore joy, restore land, give her a grandson, kings in her lineage and ultimately our Savior.

In Psalm 90:12 Moses wrote, “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom” (NLT). Moses was asking God to help him evaluate life correctly and to give him the wisdom to measure his moments through the lens of eternity. It’s a great prayer each of needs to adopt as our own. Life is full of painful moments and joyful ones too. The moment you’re standing in may require every effort to survive, but remember it won’t stay like this. We are eternal beings in physical bodies. What we are experiencing now is temporary. As we go through these cycles, gain wisdom where you can and remember to measure every moment through the lens of eternity.

Photo credit: Anton Darius on Unsplash.

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October 19, 2026 · 5:51 AM

Beyond Expectations

Several years ago someone told me about a person who found a million dollar supercomputer for sale for $100,000. The only catch was that it wasn’t working. He decided to buy it anyway, have it repaired and then sell it for a profit. He found a person who could do the job and they told him it would be $100,000 to get it working. The man thought of the $800,000 profit and promptly agreed. The repair man went to the computer, opened it up, flipped one of the hundred switches inside and powered up the computer. He turned to the owner and asked for payment. The owner was angry over the simplicity of the solution and how much he was having to pay, so he demanded an invoice for the work performed. The repair person wrote, “Flipping Switch – $1,000. Knowing which switch to flip – $99,000.”

In 2 Kings we meet a man named Naaman. He was a commander for the Aramean army’s, but had leprosy. He had a servant girl from Israel that they had captured who told him about the prophet Elisha an how he could heal him. When he showed up at Elisha’s door, Elisha refused to come out or accept his gifts. Instead he sent his servant out to tell him to dip seven times in the Jordan River. He was angry and said he expected the prophet to wave his hand or pick a better river, but his men reasoned with him that if Elisha had demanded something complicated, he would have complied. So they went to the river and he dipped under seven times and found his healing.

In Isaiah 55:8, the Lord said, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, and my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine” (NLT). How many times have we expected God to have us do something complicated with our lives? Most often He’s simply looking for us to be salt and light where we are right now. It may not appear glamorous or that it will change the world, but God looks for simple obedience. He doesn’t work the way we think He should. He actually works the way He knows is best. Instead of seeking something greater, choose to be great where He has you. When we submit to His plan, He does more than we can imagine.

Photo by Na Inho on Unsplash.

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October 8, 2026 · 5:30 AM

Being Permeated By God’s Word

One of the artisan things that has been mostly lost is the art of making bread. It’s so easy to go to the store to buy a loaf that few of us have time to make it unless we have specific dietary needs. My father in law though still makes tortillas. While it’s not a loaf of bread, the process is similar. He always heats water on the stovetop while he mixes the dry ingredients. He then adds a little water at a time until the mixture is just right. He then separates it out into smaller balls of dough, then he takes a wet paper towel, covers them and waits. He gives the yeast time to activate and interact with the dough. Once it has permeated the whole ball of dough, it’s time to roll them out and cook them. It’s a process that can’t be rushed or you change the end result.

Meditating on God’s Word is a lot like that process. We have to take the water of God’s Word and add it to the dry mixture of our lives. It then has to be kneaded into every area so that the dryness is gone. This means that we can’t just read the Bible for the sake of reading it. We must look at it and consider how we apply it and live it out. After that, it’s time to stop and think about it on a deeper level. What is the context? Why did God put this in the Bible? What all is He trying to say? You then look at it from the angle of every person in that passage thinking about its implications to them. By asking these questions and really chewing on the verse or passage before applying it, you allow it to permeate your entire being and gain deeper understanding of it. Then, when you’re crushed or walk through fiery trials and the heat of life is applied, you will produce the life you’re called to live.

In Matthew 13:33 Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and worked into three measures of flour until all of it was leavened” (AMP). Each of our lives must allow the Word of God to be worked into our lives through meditating on it. There are promises of being successful if we do (Joshua 1:8) as well as having a life that produces fruit in every season of life (Psalm 1:2-3). We are also told in James 1:22 not just to be hearers of God’s Word, but to also be doers of it. To do that, we must pray for insight and direction as we read, then spend time asking the question and meditating on it. God’s Word, like yeast, is alive and active and is wanting to permeate every area of our life if we will slow down the process and allow it to do its work. Don’t read it to check off a Christian box. Read it to transform your life, to guide you and to lead you into His promises.

Photo by Skyler Ewing from 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.

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October 7, 2026 · 6:07 AM

Identity Under Pressure

When a country, corporation or group wants to change what people believe, they don’t start by attacking what they believe. They start by chipping away at a person’s identity. They challenge their habits, assumptions and patterns that a person finds their identity in. People then begin to internalize the new system, culture or belief system without feeling like they’ve made a conscious choice to leave their belief system behind. The education system, news, entertainment, pop culture, medical systems and local governments create a pipeline that slow,y erode the beliefs someone held tightly and flip them to the point that others who hold beliefs that they once held are seen as archaic and less enlightened. A person rarely gives up their long held beliefs on a moment. They fall prey to a system that has been used for thousands of years to get them to make small compromises.

In Daniel 1, King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonia empire besieged Jerusalem and defeated the Israelites. They captured people, especially people of influence and of the noble family, and took them back to Babylon. Verse 4 says, “Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men, Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon” (NLT). The king was taking people that not only were physically attractive, but also educated in order to indoctrinate them in order to get the Israelites to assimilate into the Babylonian way of life, leave their faith and adopt the king as their authority rather than God. It’s the same practice used today to get Christians to change what they believe, question the Bible and adopt the culture of the world.

However, Daniel understood what was happening and we can learn from how he stood firm in a culture and system that was designed to get him to abandon his beliefs. Verse 8 says, “But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods.” Daniel defeated Babylon’s system by first determining who had the real authority over his life, who he trusted with decisions and who he found his identity in. He guarded his daily habits, limited what the new system could change, stayed grounded in his daily spiritual disciplines and drew lines in the sand that he wouldn’t cross. Like Daniel, we must regard what God says above all else and not allow a culture that does not know Him to tell us who He is. We must stay in communication with Him through prayer, read His Word to us daily and renew our mind through the Spirit. Daily obedience is how you stand firm when your identity is under pressure.

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September 16, 2026 · 5:59 AM

An Everlasting Foundation

On the night that I hit rock bottom in life, I was laying on my living room floor circled up. As I was crying out to God for help, it was like the Lord took me up to look down from above. I saw myself laying just as I was, but I was on a house foundation. It was raining on me and there was house debris all over the yard as if it had been hit by a hurricane. I felt like the Lord say, “I have stripped away everything you built that wasn’t for me. However, your foundation is good. Now rebuild your life my way on this foundation and it will survive any storm.” That night I repented and agreed to live my life God’s way and to rebuild piece by piece, brick by brick.

In Matthew 8:24-25 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 went on to say that anyone who hears His teaching and words and chooses not to obey them is like a foolish person who built their life on the sand. When the rains, wind and flood come, it will collapse and have a great crash. The crowd standing there was amazed at this teaching. They each had a choice to make because they had a decision to make on whether to follow it and build their life on the Rock or not.

Proverbs 10:25 says, “When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation.” Notice how the parable of Jesus and this proverb talk about when the storms of life come. Every one of us will face storms, rain, winds and being overwhelmed by floodwaters in some form. Storms don’t create the failure. They expose our foundation and our foundation is what determines our future. If you haven’t built on the everlasting Rock as your foundation, it will be a total loss. Have you been building your life God’s way with an everlasting foundation? It only takes one storm to find out.

Photo by D Goug from Pexels.

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September 9, 2026 · 6:07 AM

The Grasp Of Grace

John Newton wrote the world’s most beloved hymn “Amazing Grace.” It became the anthem for Christians everywhere because of the powerful lyrics that hit home. To Newton they weren’t just lyrics though. They were his story. He calls himself a “wretch” in the song. The definition of that is a wicked, despicable person. He had been in the slave trade, used profanity and defied God. When he gave his life to Jesus, it wasn’t a sudden change like some experience. His transformation seemed to take longer than others. He felt like he kept undermining his own progress in the faith. He had believed he was beyond saving until God proved him wrong. Despite all that, God used him to write a song that captures the heart of Christianity that still touches people today.

Paul the Apostle wrote most of the books in the New Testament of the Bible. I’ve spent a lifetime reading and studying them, as have so many others. However, the man who wrote these books once called himself the “Chief of Sinners.” In the book of Acts, after Stephen became the first martyr of the Church, persecution began to spread. Paul, known as Saul then, was there watching and approving. Acts 9:1 then says, “Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers” (NLT). Not only did he approve, he was leading the way of taking men and women to jail and having them killed for their faith in Jesus. God met him on his way to capture more Christians and saved him, and used him to write books that have changed and shaped countless lives.

In 1 Timothy 1:16 Paul wrote, “But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.” No one has sinned too much that God can’t save them or use them. Don’t let shame hold you back from what God wants to do in your life and through you. If God can save and use a slave trader and a persecutor of His Church, He can save and use anyone. No past is too dark. No person is too far gone. God’s amazing grace can transform any person anywhere. There is no one beyond the grasp of grace. God has given us these examples so that anyone who calls on His name will be saved.

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September 1, 2026 · 6:05 AM

Trusting God’s Strategy

Several years ago I was a sales manager. There was another salesman in our district that had similar numbers to my team, but his checks were double. I set up a meeting and asked the secret, and he told me. In our weekly meeting I shared the secret. One rep jumped up, told the team I was a liar and to not listen to me. He couldn’t see how changing the mix of what he was selling could double his check without increasing the volume. Another rep said he would do it. I explained he would have to trust me for 8 weeks before he saw his commission check. He agreed to follow the formula. Eight weeks later, he brought his paycheck stub to the meeting. It was double. After that, the rest believed.

In Joshua 6, God gave Joshua a strange strategy to defeat Jericho. Instead of building a siege ramp to get past their walls, God told them to march around the city in silence for seven days and when they shouted on the seventh day, the walls would fall. Jericho residents mocked them and laughed at what they were doing. Every other successful battle against a walled city had followed the pattern of using siege ramps. They knew what needed to be done, but God was asking for obedience over understanding. The Israelites had to walk in silence each day trusting God’s strategy while nothing was changing. After seven days of obedience without a change to Jericho’s walls, they shouted anyway and God took down the walls. Their obedience had won the victory and not their own strength or strategy.

Hebrews 10:36 says, “Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised” (NLT). Throughout the Bible and today, God asks us to follow His strategy over our strength. Can you continue to follow what He asked over a long period of time even when nothing has changed? Can you sustain your obedience even when it doesn’t make sense? Obedience isn’t just the path to God’s promises, it proves it was God who delivered the victory and not ourselves. Have patient endurance and continue to do God’s will even when it doesn’t make sense and nothing is changing. Then you will experience all that He promised.

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August 20, 2026 · 5:30 AM

Preparing For Blessings

Growing up in sports and then working in sales caused me to hear a lot of motivational sayings. One of them that I remember is from UCLA basketball coach John Wooden. He said, “When opportunity knocks, It’s too late to prepare.” If you’re out of a job, you prepare for the next one by having a resume ready. In football, teams practice a two minute drill in case they’re down and need to score in the last two minutes. Preparation helps you be ready to capitalize on the opportunity that’s at hand. We all pray for once in a lifetime opportunities, but how many of us put in the work of preparation for such? If we haven’t prepared, we could miss out on the blessings God is trying to give us.

In 2 Kings 3, the two kings of Israel and the king of Edom were headed to teach the king of Moab a lesson. He had quit paying tribute to keep the peace. They decided to do a sneak attack so they took the long way went through the wilderness where there wasn’t any water. After seven days, the men and animals were parched and morale was down. They called for the prophet Elisha to help. He told them that the valley was going to be filled with water in the morning, and that they wouldn’t hear wind or rain. They needed to dig as many holes as possible to catch the water. Even though the army was exhausted, they dug the holes. The next morning they were filled with water as the prophet said. They had plenty for themselves and their animals to be victorious in the battle the next day.

Proverbs 24:27 says, “Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house” (NLT). There are things we must do first in preparation for long term blessings. The ways we prepare differ according to the blessings we’re praying for. If you’re praying for a spouse, do everything you can to prepare to be the best spouse yourself. If you’re praying for financial blessings, then prepare by learning wealth management. No matter what blessing you’re asking God for, there are steps you need to be taking now in order to receive it. Otherwise you may squander what God gives you or miss out on it completely. What holes do you need to be digging in order to contain what God is going to pour out? His blessings may fall suddenly without any warning so you need to be prepared. Even though you may be exhausted and tired, you need to step out in faith and dig. The amount of blessings you will be able to retain are directly proportionate to the amount of preparation you 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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