Tag Archives: christian living

August 15, 2024 · 5:30 AM

God’s True Path For You

A recent news headline that caught my attention said, “Magnetic North Shifting By 30 Miles A Year”. As a person who grew up learning how to orienteer using a compass and maps, that’s a significant shift. It creates a greater difference between where compasses point and the North Pole (geographic north). It also creates significant problems for airplanes, your phone’s GPS navigation and migratory animals who use magnetic north to orient themselves. It has created such a problem that scientists are having to update the World Magnetic Model, the system that calibrates all GPS, a year early. If they hadn’t done that, the GPS in your phone, car and on airplanes could take you to a place that would be different by several miles depending on the length of the trip. In short, you would think you were on the right track, but miss your destination.

In today’s world, what the world considers “north” and what God considers “north” are separating at faster rate than ever. The world tells us that each of us have our own truth, but Jesus said He is the Truth. He is our geographic north if you will. The more we rely on our own truth or follow the truth of this world, the farther we will be from our destination when we arrive. This is not a new phenomenon. It’s been going on since the Garden of Eden when the serpent got Eve to switch from God’s north to her own. Today, he is still trying to get each one of us to make that shift and is blurring the lines between where each of us believe north in our lives is. We must be grounded in God’s infallible Word if we’re going to stay on the paths God has for us.

In Psalm 86:11, David realized the pull on his heart to switch from true north to a worldly magnetic north. He prayed, “Train me, GOD, to walk straight; then I’ll follow your true path” (MSG). That is a prayer that each one of us needs to pray daily along with reading and meditating on the Bible if we’re going to stay on God’s true path for our life. The great news is that if we have veered from His path, there’s time to make adjustments and get back onto His path. We simply need to recognize that we’ve made the shift, ask for forgiveness and then pray for guidance to get back on His path. He has given us to Holy Spirit to be our guide and to lead us into all truth (John 16:13). God has given us everything we need to follow His true path for our life. We just need to make sure we’re headed for His destination guided by His truth.

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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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August 14, 2024 · 5:35 AM

Outsourcing Our Worship

When we think of worship, we often associate it with singing in a church service. However, in the Bible it took on many forms, and it was always an act of humility in response to the presence and power of God. That act of humility showed up in different ways. For some, they bowed down to the ground in worship. Some, like David, raised their hands and sang of the greatness of God. Abel brought the best of his flock to the Lord and sacrificed it as an act of worship. Later, in Leviticus 1, God would ask for each person to do the very same thing as they came to the Temple. They were to bring the best and unblemished animals from their own flock to give to Him. This act of worship also provided margin in their lives for God to provide for them.

In Matthew 21:12-13, we read the famous story of Jesus entering the Temple and flipping over tables. It says, “Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. He said to them, ‘The Scriptures declare, “My Temple will be called a house of prayer,” but you have turned it into a den of thieves!’” (NLT). Did you catch what they were selling? It was the animals to be used as an act of worship and it made Him angry because they were outsourcing their worship. Instead of bringing their best, the just bought something from someone else and offered it. Their act of worship became a ritual part of going to the Temple rather than something that came from their heart. He was about to offer Himself as a sacrifice in an act of worship and their actions were mocking true worship.

Romans 12:1 says, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” Jesus was our example of physically offering His body as an acceptable way to worship. Here, Paul is asking us to give our whole life to the cause of Christ, not just on Sundays. He wants our hearts to respond to the power of His presence in our lives by committing everything to Him as an act of worship. Many times we only offer Him a portion and not everything. When we hold back or only give Him a portion of our lives, we are outsourcing our worship, and that is not acceptable. He wants every part of your life. What parts and habits have you been holding back from Him? As an act of worship today, would you commit it to Him?

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August 12, 2024 · 5:34 AM

Guard Yourself

There’s a story that the writer of Proverbs shares with his son that we all should be aware of. In verse 6, he says he was looking out his window over the city and saw a naive man walking down the street. He crossed the street near an immoral woman’s house and began to linger a bit. He knew she was immoral and chose to walk by there anyway. She came out, approached him and threw her arms around him. She said something religious to throw him off. She then said she had been looking for him and spoke seductively to him wooing him inside. He followed her like a bird into a snare not knowing it would cost him his life. The writer is warning us how temptation works and is begging us to guard our hearts so we don’t follow in the same steps as this naive man.

In Ephesians 6, Paul reminds us that we must be strong in the Lord and in His might so we can stand up to the temptations of the devil who seeks to steal, kill and destroy. He reminds us to put on God’s armor to help protect us. Verse 14 says, “Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness” (NLT). This body armor, or breastplate of righteousness, was meant to guard the heart which is the seat of our emotions and representative of our spiritual life. It is meant to shield us from the attacks and temptations from the enemy that would pierce us and lead us down the road the naive man went down. It’s accompanied by the belt of truth because we must know God’s truth in order to push back against the enemy’s lies the way Jesus did. Putting these on requires us to know the Word and to make choice’s consistent with our faith.

In Romans 13, Paul tells us we must live differently than the people of the world. We must live as people of the light rather than of darkness. In verse 14 he says, “Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.” We must put on the righteousness provided by Jesus and make decisions in our thinking that reflect His way for our life. Otherwise we will be caught in the enemy’s web of deceit drawing us away from God’s righteousness. He causes us to think about sin and it’s pleasures rather than the end result. Instead of playing around with it and walking near the street of the thing that tempts you, guard your heart and stay away. Don’t be like the naive man who went near the temptation. Put on truth and righteousness. Don’t entertain thoughts of temptation. Just like the woman luring the man in, our enemy is trying to lure us away from living as people of the light. Guard yourself with the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness.

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August 8, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Combating Internal Lies

When you’re going through a difficult season or through a hard time, you start seeking out sympathy. One of the things you’re going to hear in your mind is, “You don’t deserve this. Why is God mad at you?” Another thing you will hear is, “No one has it as badly as you do. No one will understand what you’re going through.” I know because I’ve heard them. These are lies to get you to be upset at God, to get mad at others and to isolate you. If you’re mad at God, you won’t pray and a root of bitterness can spring up. If you’re mad at others, you won’t accept help from them. If you’re isolated, you’re easy prey for your enemy who roams like a lion seeking to devour you.

To combat the first lie, I use Romans 8:28 as a promise to hold onto. I believe that no matter how bad things get, God can always work it out for my good. To combat the second lie, I look for people who had it worse than I did. There is always someone else who is having a more difficult time than you. I’ve also come to realize that while my circumstance are unique, it doesn’t disqualify anyone from understanding and offering empathy. The pain and stages of grief are where others can connect to help me from getting isolated. I also keep at least one friend nearby who knows that during difficult seasons I may push people away, but really I want and need them close by. They know I need encouragement and to be refocused during those times.

Hebrews 12:3 is a great Scripture to help refocus in difficult times. It says, “So consider carefully how Jesus faced such intense opposition from sinners who opposed their own souls, so that you won’t become worn down and cave in under life’s pressures” (TPT). Jesus, who is our intercessor, has been through worse things and attacks than anyone. The verse before this one reminds us that He endured all that for the joy set before Him knowing what good was going to come from it. Now He is able to be empathetic and to pray specifically for you to the Father. You are never alone in your struggles. You are never left without an intercessor who is praying for you. Don’t believe the lies you hear in your mind. Read the Word of God and stand on His promises. It may not feel like it, and you may not be able to see it, but He is working things out for your good.

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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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August 6, 2024 · 5:24 AM

Life’s Seasons

Seasons change. We seem to always be looking for the next season. Whatever season we’re in, we seem to complain about it. We complain about the heat of summer, the cold of winter, the rain in spring and the shorter days of fall. We’re always wanting out of the season we’re in. However, it’s the different seasons that create the lifecycle of growth and production. Without winter the ground couldn’t rest. Without spring seeds wouldn’t spout. Without summer, plants wouldn’t grow. Without Fall we wouldn’t see a harvest. Our lives experience these same cycles and seasons. Just like the regular seasons, we complain and look for the next one.

The people in the Bible were in different seasons and they taught us what to do in each one. In a season of temptation, Jesus quoted scriptures. In a season of being on the run from Saul, David found strength in the word of God. In a season of battles Joshua trusted the word of the Lord. In a season of lamenting Jeremiah found hope in the faithfulness of God. In a season of barrenness Abraham trusted the promise. In a season of persecution, the Early Church counted it joy to suffer as they looked forward to the return of Jesus. Each season passed for these men and women of old, but while they were in them, they held onto God’s Word.

Isaiah 40:8 reminds us, “The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever” (NLT). I don’t know what season you’re in right now. It may look like everything in your life is fading away. It’s in these moments, you must trust in God’s Word. Everything will change except it. His Word is our solid ground in a world of shifting sand. It is the stability we need, the shelter we can hide in, the water we can drink from and the firm foundation to build our life on. Though the storms come, our life can be anchored to hope knowing it will last forever. Instead of complaining about the season you’re in, seek out what God is trying to do in your life during it. Hold fast to the promises you find knowing He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. What He’s done in His Word, He can do today, and will do forever no matter what season you’re in.

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August 5, 2024 · 5:34 AM

Becoming Resilient

Resilience is a person’s ability to withstand difficulties or to be able to bounce back from them. We all have different levels of resilience. In 1956, Jim Elliot had been a missionary to Ecuador for three years. He had been wanting to reach a tribe who was known for their hostility towards outsiders. He felt in his heart that God had called him to reach this tribe so he and some others flew over to meet them. When he didn’t radio back that evening, his wife Elisabeth had another friend fly over the area. Her worst fear was confirmed. The men were killed. However, Elisabeth didn’t return home. She stayed and continued to try to reach this tribe. Within two years the whole tribe accepted Jesus and Jim’s family was living in the village.

In Genesis 39: we’re introduced to Joseph. He was Jacob’s favorite son out of twelve. He had a couple dreams where his brothers and his parents bowed down to him. It wasn’t long after that his brothers beat him up, threw him in a cistern and sold him as a slave. He worked in an Egyptian’s house until he was falsely accused and thrown in prison. After years of being down there, two men who served Pharaoh joined him. They had dreams as well. He interpreted them and they came true, but he was soon forgotten. In over a decade of being in slavery and prison, we don’t hear Joseph complain. Instead, we see his resilience knowing his dream was from God. It wasn’t long after that when he interpreted Pharaoh’s dream and saved his family while seeing his dream come to pass.

Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble” (NLT). It goes on to say that we don’t have to fear calamities, earthquakes, floods and other disasters. We can be resilient through terrible times knowing that God is in control. To be resilient is to surrender what control you think you have to him. Ultimately His way will prevail. Elisabeth and Joseph trusted God’s voice and plan when their expectations of it didn’t happen. Their resilience helped them to stay the course, believe in their dream and trust God no matter what their circumstances showed. He was their refuge and strength when they needed Him in times of trouble. Because they surrendered their expectations of what things should look like, they were rewarded with the fulfillment of the dreams God placed in them. What do you need to surrender to God so you can find refuge and withstand things not appearing to go your way?

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August 1, 2024 · 5:30 AM

A Forward Looking Perspective

Unfortunately, one of the promises Jesus gave us was written in John 16:33. He said that we would have trouble in this world. Yet somehow we always seemed surprised when we encounter troubles and set backs. I’m one of the biggest offenders. I like things to happen on schedule, the way I planned them, with no disruptions or issues. When things happen that mess up my plans, or I run into a period when nothing seems to go right, I lose my calm demeanor. I complain, and I let people and God know I’m not happy. My focus switches from long term to immediate, and in doing that, I lose my eternal perspective as well. In those times, I allow my troubles to block my view of God.

Consider Abraham. Hebrews 11:8 reminds us that God called him to leave his home where he had grown up and where his family was. God didn’t even tell him where he was going. He just said that He would show it to him. He and his wife Sarah lived in the land God promised him as a foreigner all his life. There was even a famine in the land that God took him to which forced him to leave for a period. Verse 10 says, “Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God” (NLT). Even when things didn’t happen the way he thought they should or in his timing, he kept looking past his troubles to God’s promises.

In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul starts out by saying they were pressed on every side by troubles, but they were not crushed. He continues talking about how constant his troubles are and that he keeps going and pushing forward. Then in the final verse of the chapter he writes, “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” He is teaching us to keep an eternal perspective by looking past our current situation. We must rely on God’s promises when things are going wrong. Our faith in what God says should give us the strength to persist even in times of trouble. Don’t allow today’s issues cause you to lose sight of tomorrow’s fulfilled promises.

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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 30, 2024 · 5:37 AM

The Best Perspective

I watch all kinds of sports on TV from American football to NASCAR racing. There are times I yell at the players or drivers from my couch because the quarterback missed seeing an open receiver or a driver didn’t take the inside lane on turn 3. I always wonder how they didn’t see it, but then I remember the cameras they’re broadcasting the sport from are usually up high looking down. It’s hard to see a receiver down field when you have a 300 man in your face chasing you down or when you’re traveling 200 mph in a field of over 40 cars. I’ve noticed that often coordinators will be sitting in the press boxes up high and spotters will be on the roof so they can get a better perspective of what’s going on. The directions given by these coaches may not make sense on the ground, but if they’ll trust their coach who has perspective, they’ll succeed.

In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were on their second missionary journey preaching the Good News to people who had never heard if, planting churches and checking with churches they already planted. In the middle of this journey, verse 6 says, “Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time” (NLT). They tried to go somewhere else to preach, but were also prevented. It must have seemed strange to them that God prevented them from doing what He called them to, but then Paul had a dream of a man in Macedonia asking him to come. God opened that door and they planted churches in Philippi, Corinth and Thessalonica. These churches became important to the growth of the Church in that area and we received five letters from Paul in the New Testament to them teaching us how to live.

Psalm 32:8 says, “The Lord says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.’” The thing about guides and advisers is that we can listen to them, but then have the choice of whether or not we follow their advice. Paul didn’t understand why God prevented him from going to where he planned, but he trusted God’s guidance and advice. The things God asks us to do or even tries to prevent us from doing may not make sense in the moment, but we must remember He has a better perspective of our life. He can see what’s down the road and not just what’s right in front of us. If God is saying, “No,” right now, trust Him. It may not coincide with your plans or even your expectations of what He’s called you to in the moment. Trust the One who watches over you. He had the best pathway for your life.

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July 29, 2024 · 5:48 AM

Covering Sin Up

It’s amazing to me how human nature will allow us to do something wrong, then make us think we can cover it up. In the early 2000’s, just down the road from me, Enron was supposedly the seventh largest and wealthiest company in the U.S. it turns out they had built a house of cards with deceptive business practices. They were doing things illegally and then covering it up trying to make it look like everything was on the up and up. Once all the covering up was exposed, the house of cards came tumbling down. In one final attempt to cover things up, shredder trucks arrived as the news broke. They began trying to shred all the evidence to cover up as much as possible. The business laws changed that day.

In Genesis 3, we read the story of Adam and Eve who were placed in the Garden of Eden. They were given the most beautiful place on earth to live in the most perfect environment. Each evening they even walked with God, yet even in there they had the temptation to do something wrong. The devil took their eyes off of all God had given them and had them focus on what they couldn’t have. Eve took from the tree and ate the forbidden fruit. She then gave some to her husband Adam. Immediately their eyes were opened to see that they were naked. They tried to cover themselves and their sin with fig leaves. Instead of confessing their sin, they tried to cover it up and were banished from the garden.

Proverbs 28:13 says, “People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy” (NLT). Sin always tries to hide in the life of a believer. It wants to be done in secret and covered up. However, we can’t prosper by covering our sins ourselves. Only the blood of Jesus can cover our sins and make us whole. We must confess them to God, turn from them too, and then we will receive God’s mercy and grace. Where are the fig leaves in your life? What are you trying to conceal instead of being willing to confess? God is extending mercy toward you today if you will quit trying to cover it yourself and allow Him to forgive you. It’s time to put the fig leaves down and to quit covering up sin.

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July 26, 2024 · 4:42 AM

Truly Following Jesus

When I was a kid, we followed trends sets by TV and movie stars. I remember vice jackets, pastels and sock ties being a thing. I also remember saying, “I pity the fool” a lot. Today we follow influencers who tell us things to buy that we never knew we needed. When we follow people, we usually try to become like them. That’s why Jesus sent out the call, “Follow me.” He was inviting the disciples and us to become more like Him by learning how to live His way. If someone were to look at your life to see how you talk, how you dress, how you behave, etc., who would they say you follow? Does your life reflect that you’re following Jesus or people? Jesus’ invitation wasn’t to follow Him geographically. It was to learn the meaning of Scriptures and the lifestyle they require. A disciple is a student who takes the time to study, learn and change.

Here are some Bible verses on following Jesus:

1. And He said to them, “Follow Me [as My disciples, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk], and I will make you fishers of men.”

Matthew 4:19 AMP

2. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never die. No one can snatch them away from me.

John 10:27-28 GNT

3. If anyone serves Me, he must [continue to faithfully] follow Me [without hesitation, holding steadfastly to Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]; and wherever I am [in heaven’s glory], there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

John 12:26 AMP

4. Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. “I am the light of the world,” he said. “Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness.”

John 8:12 GNT

5. And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Luke 9:23 ESV

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