Tag Archives: christian living

November 6, 2024 · 5:39 AM

Pushing Past Fear

Have you ever been afraid to do what God asked you to do? I have. When God asks you to speak to someone, speak to a group, give something away or whatever, it can make you feel uneasy. I usually question if I’m hearing Him. I woke up in the middle of the night once and felt the need to reach out to a person I barely knew. The message was a hard one calling them out on sin. I brushed it off and tried to go back to sleep. I wrestled with it all night, but couldn’t shake it. Finally at 6:00 AM, I gave in and sent the message. Immediately they replied asking how I knew. After explaining my night, they had a choice to make: they could stay in sin or repent. They chose the latter which caused them to uproot their family and move. Even though I was afraid to deliver the message, I trusted the voice of God.

In Judges 7, God had told Gideon to build an army to fight the Midianites. His army was just over 30,000 and going up against one over 100,000 strong. He was leading them to the battlefield when God Told him he had too many warriors. He let all who were afraid leave, and 22,000 headed home. Then God told him he still had too many and needed to weed out some more. At the brook, God had him separate the men who cupped their hands and drank and sent the rest home. He now only had 300 men, and a mind full of doubt and fear. God told him if he was afraid to go to the enemy’s camp and listen, which he did. He heard two men share dreams which confirmed the Lord was with him. He trusted the Lord, attacked and won a great victory.

Psalm 56:3 says, “But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you” (AMP). Do you trust what you’re hearing from the Lord or what you can see with your eyes? Often what God asks us to do either doesn’t make sense in the moment or moves us from our comfort zone. God understands that to get growth out of us, we must be moved from where we try to stop on our journey. He also is looking for people to give His message to someone or to share His love with them. You and I are often that vehicle and it can be scary to think about. If you’re standing in that moment now, don’t let fear win. Trust in God no matter what you feel. You can also be like Gideon and ask God for confirmation that you’re hearing Him. It’s time to step out in faith. Victory is on the other side of obedience.

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November 4, 2024 · 5:29 AM

Your Greatest Need

When someone experiences an emergency situation or loses a family member, people show up. Before they leave, they almost always tell the affected person to call them or let them know what they need. They never get called and things go undone because they honestly don’t know what they truly need. I’ve also seen people ask that question, and when they get the same answer, they look around and start what needs to be done. They clean the house, straighten up, organize food, help them make decisions and anything else they see to do. The affected person needs help, but they don’t know what to ask for or ask for something that isn’t at the top of the list.

In Mark 2, we read the story of four friends who are doing their best to meet the need of their paralyzed friend. They took him to see Jesus to be healed, but when they showed up, they couldn’t get to Him. The house was full of people and it spilled out into the streets. Undaunted by this set back, they carried their friend onto the roof and began to break it open. Once they found Jesus in the house, they lowered their friend down in front of Him. Verse 5 says, “Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven’” (NLT). They had brought their friend for healing, yet Jesus forgave his sins instead. Why? Because Jesus knew his greatest need was eternal life rather than the healing of a temporary body.

Philippians 4:19 says, “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” We often go to God taking Him our needs, but He doesn’t always start by answering what we think He should. God knows your every need. He also knows what your greatest need is, even if you don’t. After forgiving the man’s sins, He turned around and healed him. God will always meet our deepest needs first. He’s not looking at the situation the same way we are. He has an eternal perspective. Have you thought about your greatest need? If you’re unsure what it is, ask God to meet it from His glorious riches.

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October 31, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Your Inner Circle

When I was a kid, I began to hear my parents tell me, “You become like those you run with. Choose wisely.” Those were wise words to a child, but they’re also wise words to you as an adult. We like to think that people don’t change us, but the truth of the matter is that each of us are being sharpened and shaped by the people closest to us. They’re the ones whom we let down our facade the most with to show who we really are. Because of that vulnerability, they become the people who shape our decisions, our interests and even direction of our life. Your innermost circle of friends even determine the level of success you’ll have in life. You can’t soar with eagles if you’re scratching around with turkeys all the time.

The Bible has a lot to say about friendships. It gives examples of people like David and Jonathon who were willing to sacrifice everything for each other. There’s also Paul and Timothy whose friendship was one where Paul was a mentor as he shaped this young pastor. However, Job had some friends that gave him bad advice and weren’t able to endure the suffering with their friend. They used their influence in his life to try to misrepresent God and affect his relationship with Him. The people we let in our innermost circle of friends shape even our relationship with God, so it’s eternally important to choose wisely.

In Psalm 101:6 David says, “My innermost circle will only be those whom I know are pure and godly. They will be the only ones I allow to minister to me” (TPT). He understood the importance of that group on his relationship with God and wanted to protect it most. Who are you allowing to minister to you and to shape your relationship with God? Are they pushing you closer to Him or are they misrepresenting God to you? If they’re not making you sharper, challenging you to grow more or improving your relationship with God, they’re holding you back. David was selective about who he let into that group, and we should be too. God is calling us to greater maturity, faith and relationship with Him. Are the people closest to you influencing you in that direction?

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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 30, 2024 · 5:40 AM

Wilderness Seasons

Some of the toughest seasons in life to get through are wilderness seasons. They’re brought on by different things that happen in our life. Sometimes we enter them shell shocked after our world has been rocked. You can’t really feel Godwin the wilderness, but you know He’s there. I’ve found myself simply going through the motions. I stand during worship, but words won’t come out. I hear the message, but nothing seems to resonate. I smile and shake hands, but feel disconnected. I try to pray, but my words fall flat. There’s no telling how long the season will last, but I’ve found that wilderness seasons are usually followed up by victory seasons.

In 1 Kings 19, Elijah had just called fire from heaven and proved God’s existence to the nation when Jezebel threatened his life. Verse 4 says, “Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die” (NLT). He fell asleep there from his depression, but was awakened by an angel who fed him. He laid back down and slept again until the angel did the same thing again. He then traveled forty days and nights deeper into the wilderness where he found a cave on Mount Sinai. God spoke and asked him what he was doing there. He needed to hear from God and know His power. He experienced an earthquake, a fire and a still, small voice. God sent him back into the wilderness with instructions to anoint a new king and to appoint a successor. In that moment, God took care of the future and his present. Some of his greatest miracles are in the chapters that follow.

Deuteronomy 2:7 says, “For the Lord your God has blessed you in everything you have done. He has watched your every step through this great wilderness. During these forty years, the Lord your God has been with you, and you have lacked nothing.” God never leaves us in wilderness seasons, and He provides for us while we’re there. I’ve learned that these seasons, while tough, have produced deeper roots in my faith. They caused me to dig down deep into God’s Word, to seek His presence and to depend on Him. I couldn’t always see Him in my wanderings in the wilderness, but when I look back, I see He never left my side. If you’re there now, keep being desperate for God to answer. It may not be big and grandiose like you want. It’s often in the still, small voice and in subtle ways. God has a purpose for wilderness seasons. Don’t rush through them. A victorious season is just ahead.

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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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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 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.

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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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