Tag Archives: christian living

May 9, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Worship In The Valley

Two of the biggest lies we hear when we’re going through a difficult time is that no one else understands and that God doesn’t care. I remember hearing both and believing them. The first one tries to get you on a technicality because there is no one else with your exact situation. I’ve found that while our situations may be unique, the pain and the process we go through is very similar. While someone may not be able to fully understand my exact situation, they can identify with the pain. That leads us to the second lie that God doesn’t care. The lie wants you to think that if God cared, you wouldn’t be going through so much. The truth is that even though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, He’s there with you to guide you and comfort you. He makes all things work together for our good.

I don’t know anyone who went through as much as Paul or Job. Job lost everything including his wealth, his kids and property. He still was able to worship God in that moment. In Job 2:9, when his wife told him to curse God and die, he responded, “Shall we accept good from God and not the trouble?” (NIV) When Paul was thrown in prison with Silas after having been beat, he invited God’s presence into the deepest, darkest part of that prison in the middle of the night by singing praises. When both of these men felt abandoned by people and God, they worshipped knowing that God dwells in the praises of His people. They held to the truth that God cares for us no matter how bad things may seem.

Psalm 31:7 says, “I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul” (NLT). In the darkest nights of my life, the most painful times, I turned on praise and worship music to help me worship when I didn’t feel it. God is worthy of our praise no matter what it is we’re going through. He sees the anguish in our soul and He cares deeply for us. He knows that the pain, the hurt, the sadness and the darkness will only last for a little while. He never leaves us in those times though He may feel far away. He’s there leading us into a greater joy and life that often goes through the darkest valley. Don’t listen to the lies and despair. Listen to the truth and worship.

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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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May 8, 2024 · 5:39 AM

Redeemed From Failure

In 2003, I was going through the hardest time of my life. My first wife had left me and my business was going under. I ended up divorced and bankrupt. My mind began to be consumed with one thought, “You’re nothing but a failure!” I couldn’t shake it. I had failed God, failed at love and failed at business. That thought I couldn’t shake made me think my life was over and that God could never use me. I felt like I had let everyone down. As I was going through it, I received a word from God through someone who didn’t know me or what I was going through. God said, “What seems like an end is only a beginning. I have not left you. In fact I am walking through this with you. Im not in front of you or behind you. I’m right beside you. Where I’m leading is to a place where you will experience joy like never before.” Over twenty years later, looking back, I can say God has been true to that word.

In John 18, Peter was standing in a courtyard watching and listening to people accuse Jesus. That’s when a little girl recognized him and asked him if he was a disciple of Jesus. Peter denied it. Two more people asked about it that night and he got to the point he vehemently denied that he knew Jesus. Luke says that Jesus turned and looked at Peter after the rooster crowed and Peter left weeping bitterly at his failure. Peter began to focus on his failure and even went back to his old life of fishing rather than preaching. That’s when Jesus showed up and asked him if he loved Him. Jesus took his failure and used it to build a rock solid faith rather than to use it to disqualify him.

Psalm 103:1-4 says, “Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul, And all that is [deep] within me, bless His holy name. Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul, And do not forget any of His benefits; Who forgives all your sins, Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you [lavishly] with lovingkindness and tender mercy” (AMP). God doesn’t just forgive our failures. He redeems our life from the pit that they create, including pits that are so deep you can’t see the sunlight. Instead of beating us up or leaving us, he gives us kindness and mercy in those times. Our greatest growth will come from our lowest moments of failure if we focus on who Christ wants us to become and follow His leading rather than succumbing to the thoughts of our failure. He restores us and leads us into new beginnings after failure if we will let Him.

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May 7, 2024 · 5:48 AM

Getting Some Rest

Did you know that humans are the only mammals to put off sleeping? We stay late, get up early and work ourselves to death. It’s no wonder the coffee industry will do more than $350 billion in sales in the US alone. The energy drink market is over $20 billion a year. We’re caffeinating ourselves to wake up and stay awake throughout the day because we’re missing rest. I’ve worked for a company that valued long hours. They wanted people in debt because it meant they had a reason to work. When we work so hard and rest so little, we can forget that God is our provider. I’m not against hard work or coffee or making a good living. We just need to be careful of what we’re sacrificing and what our motivation for it is.

Jesus worked hard too. He grew up understanding hard work as a carpenter. He carried that over into His ministry. He even got tired and exhausted from the work God called Him to. John 4:6 says that Jesus was tired and sat down next to a well to rest. That’s when He met the Samaritan woman. In Matthew 8, we read the story where Jesus was asleep on a boat. They had to wake Him up to calm the storm. He took time to rest even though He was about His Father’s business. He also trusted God to give He and the disciples their daily bread. Luke 8:3 tells us the names of several people who contributed to the Jesus to provide for His needs so He could minister. He was able to rest and trust God to take care of His needs.

Psalm 127:2 says, “It is useless to work so hard for a living, getting up early and going to bed late. For the Lord provides for those he loves, while they are asleep” (GNT). Don’t let worry or work continuously rob you of rest. God rested after a week of work and even made taking a rest one of the Ten Commandments. Our bodies and minds were not created to go 24/7. What is the motivation behind staying up late and working hours that are longer than normal? Is it the praise of people? Is it that you see yourself as your provider? It’s good to be a driven individual. Just watch your motivation. Man looks at the outside, but God is looking at your heart. You are to be a good steward of your time, your energy, your body and your money. Ask God to give you wisdom in how to be a good steward in all these areas and to trust Him to provide even when you sleep.

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May 6, 2024 · 5:40 AM

The Lesson Of Contentment

One of the hardest things to learn is contentment. Last week we watched the movie “Unsung Hero” about the Smallbone family. The father lost everything, including their house, when a concert tour he was promoting flopped. He was promised a job in the US, so he moved his family here only to find out it wasn’t a sure thing. The rented a house, but had no car, no food and no furniture. They made a chart of prayer requests for their needs and as God answered their prayers, they moved them over. The kids were content with nothing, but the dad struggled with it seeing their situation as a reflection of him. His discontentment led to depression and family arguments. Discontentment affects relationships horizontally with people and vertically with God.

Job in the Bible was one of the wealthiest people of his time. He had everything you could want. He had land, resources, a family that he loved and lots of employees. When Satan approached God to accuse people, God pointed out Job and his contentment. Satan said that he was only content because of God’s blessings and protection. When Satan took everything from Job in a day, we read how Job fell to the ground and worshipped. He prayed in Job 1:21, “Naked (without possessions) I came [into this world] from my mother’s womb, And naked I will return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord” (AMP). He had possessions, but they didn’t have him. Because he recognized that everything he had was from God, he was able to be content even with nothing.

Paul had learned a similar lesson. In Philippians 4:12, he explained, “I know how to get along and live humbly [in difficult times], and I also know how to enjoy abundance and live in prosperity. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret [of facing life], whether well-fed or going hungry, whether having an abundance or being in need.” That secret is contentment. Simply put, contentment is submitting to God’s plan even when your circumstances are not ideal. This doesn’t mean you don’t have ambition to improve your life or circumstances. It’s an attitude like Job’s that recognizes what you have has been entrusted to you by God for this moment. Are you stewarding it well? Are you content with what He’s given you? Or is your discontentment affecting your relationships? The secret to facing life in any circumstance is contentment.

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May 1, 2024 · 5:43 AM

Get Off The Treadmill

Years ago I was at the YMCA running on the treadmill one evening. I was running at a steady pace and had been going for over a mile or so. At this YMCA there were windows in front of you and a TV to the right. It was dark out so I couldn’t see out the window. I began watching the news on the TV as they were updating on the war in Iraq. I was starting to get tired I guess and quit paying as close attention to the fact I was on a treadmill. One foot stepped on the side of the treadmill, which wasn’t moving, while the other foot stayed on the moving conveyor belt. My upper half started to go forward as my lower half shot backwards. I fell face first into the treadmill and flew backwards onto the floor. I’m sure people got a good laugh as I jumped up and exited the Y. I started thinking about the treadmill that night and how I can run for hours, getting tired and going nowhere. It’s like trying to do things in your own strength and expertise without relying on God.

In Luke 5, Jesus was teaching a crowd, but they kept pressing in and backing Him up to the water’s edge of the Sea of Galilee. He noticed some fishermen there cleaning their nets and asked if they could take Him out a bit so He could teach the crowd. Once He finished, He asked these experienced fishermen to push out further and to cast their nets. Verse 5 tells us, “Simon replied, ‘Master, we worked hard all night [to the point of exhaustion] and caught nothing [in our nets], but at Your word I will [do as you say and] lower the nets [again]’” (AMP). They didn’t argue that they knew what they were doing or how it was the wrong time or place according to their knowledge. They had tried it in their abilities and had gotten nowhere and were tired. They decided to obey and their boat nearly capsized. It was then that they learned to rely on what Jesus said rather than their expertise.

Ephesians 5:17 says, “Therefore do not be foolish and thoughtless, but understand and firmly grasp what the will of the Lord is.” Sometimes we know what God’s plan is for our lives, but we try to accomplish it in our own strength or knowledge. In those moments we can feel foolish as we accomplish so little in exchange for the amount of effort we’re putting in. It’s important to not only seek God’s will, but also His direction. We can end up on a treadmill going nowhere, getting tired and falling on our face trying to do what He asks in our own strength and knowledge. If that’s you, it’s time to get off the treadmill, ask Him to show you how He wants it accomplished and then follow His lead. You will go farther and get greater results if you do.

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April 29, 2024 · 5:30 AM

An All In Boldness

When you think of Peter in the Bible, what comes to mind? Many immediately think of the guy who put his foot in his mouth way too often. We remember him denying Jesus three times on the same night he told Him that he would die for Him. We remember how he famously declared that Jesus was the Messiah in Matthew 16. It would be a few verses later that Jesus would turn to him and say, “Get behind me, Satan!” We remember Peter as a mess, but also as someone we can identify with. What we often forget about him is the man he became after Pentecost and the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

In Acts 2, we find a completely different man. We find someone standing on a balcony in Jerusalem preaching to thousands about Jesus. A few days earlier, he was hiding in that same city afraid to be associated with Jesus for fear of what others might do to him. The difference came with his decision to go all in after Jesus told him to feed His sheep. Peter waited and prayed in the Upper Room for 10 days not letting go until he received what was promised to him from God. On that day, Peter received boldness from the Holy Spirit to publicly live out his faith and to share it. That boldness raised the dead, took lame men by the hand pulling them to their feet and testified in front of the very group that killed Jesus.

That same boldness was in Stephen In Acts 6-7. He was full of grace and power because of what the Holy Spirit was doing in him according to the Bible. He was seized for preaching and brought before the high priest. Stephen didn’t back down and walked them through God redemptive plan. They refused to listen and began stoning him, making him the first martyr of the Church. A young man named Saul watched this display of boldness as he held the coats of the men throwing stones. He would later be changed by God, go all in with his life and write most of the New Testament. We never know the ripple effect of our boldness through the Holy Spirit. We must take hold of that boldness and connect people to God.

In the early 1900’s King George V was going to give an important speech that would be broadcast around the world. Just before the broadcast began, the main cable in the New York radio station snapped. Millions were waiting to hear this message, and the station staff began to panic. Suddenly a junior mechanic saw what needed to be done. He immediately grabbed both ends of the cable and held them together, allowing the royal message to be communicated. His body convulsed as the electricity flowed through him, yet he didn’t loosen his grip. We must be like this young man. We must choose to be all in, use the boldness of the Holy Spirit and communicate the Royal message of the Gospel to a world that needs to hear it.

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April 25, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Close To God

If you’ve ever been to Jerusalem, you’ve probably visited the Western Wall. It is what’s left of a retaining wall built on the Temple Mount to create a flat area to add more buildings around the Temple. I’ve been to the wall a few times to pray. On my last couple of trips over there, I’ve been able to go underground where the foundation of the Temple is. There’s a long corridor running beside it. As we moved down that hall, we came to a place where these women were praying. Our guide informed us that this was the closest spot to where the Holy of Holies was, and that these women come there to pray instead of praying above ground at the wall. In the Jewish culture, God’s presence is found in the Holy of Holies and the closer you are to that point, the closer you are to God. In the Old Testament, all of Israel would come to Jerusalem for the feasts and to pray so that they could be close to God and be heard.

In Ephesians 2, Paul was addressing people with this mindset. In verse 13, he wrote, “Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ” (NLT). The phrase “far from God” in that culture had a two fold meaning. People that lived outside of Jerusalem were considered far from God which is why they visited Jerusalem so often. They wanted to be close to God. There are times that you and I feel like we’re far from God. It’s like He can’t hear our prayers. We can’t feel His presence. We even feel isolated and alone. We all go through these feelings of being far from God, but the truth is that God never leaves us. In fact, He’s made His home in our lives so that He will be with us always.

Paul went on to try to change their mindset about the presence of God as the chapter continued. He ended it with, “God is transforming each one of you into the Holy of Holies, his dwelling place, through the power of the Holy Spirit living in you!” (TPT) You and I have become the Holy of Holies because He dwells in us. When those feelings come that we are far from God and makes us believe He doesn’t hear us, declare this verse over your life. Your feelings will lie, but God’s Word never will. You are never far from God because you are the host of His presence. You don’t have to go anywhere special for Him to hear your prayers. He hears every prayer, spoken or silent. God is close to you today, listening to you, walking with you and working things out for your good despite what your feelings are telling you. Push past those feelings asking God to let you sense His presence today. You are closer to Him than you think.

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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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April 23, 2024 · 5:41 AM

Growth And Change

Have you ever thought about getting better in an area of your life that you wanted to improve in? Most of us have. We want to see growth in our relationship with God, a better position in our company or to learn a new skill. There’s something in us that isn’t satisfied with where we are and it drives us to grow. What we resist is change though. We don’t like the uncertainty, the the different schedule, the loss of control or the uncomfortableness that it brings. However, you can’t have one without the other. Anytime you grow, there is going to be change. Anytime there is change, it forces you to grow. Sometimes we seek growth or change, and other times it it pushed on us by our circumstances.

Think of Joseph who was a teenager when his dad gave him a colorful coat and God gave him a dream. His brothers brought change into his life by selling him as a slave. Being thrown into another culture, falsely accused and forgotten in prison brought change and growth into his life. God used that time to help him become the person who could save his family and the nation. While he had change thrust on him, Peter, I believe sought to grow after Jesus restored him. He didn’t want to be the person who denied his savior anymore. He made changes in his thinking and actions that caused him to become the leader of the Early Church. The guy who was quick to pull out his sword became one who stood before thousands proclaiming his faith boldly. Growth made that possible.

God desires growth and change in all of us. Ezekiel 36:26 says, “I will give you a new heart and a new mind. I will take away your stubborn heart of stone and give you an obedient heart” (GNT). Have you been resisting the growth and change in your life that He wants? A new heart and a new mind are what He offers us to help us become more like Him. Salvation brings about new life for us. Discipleship brings about change in how we live and think. God is calling you to another level of intimacy with Him. He’s stretching you to grow you so He can put you in a new place. Don’t resist the growth and change He has for your life. Embrace it. You can’t fulfill your calling and purpose without these two things constantly happening in your life.

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April 22, 2024 · 5:52 AM

True Worship

A pastor and I were recently discussing the changes in church throughout our life time. One of the things we discussed was singing at church. When I was a kid, we had a song leader at church that led us in the singing of hymns and then Scripture songs. As we transitioned into singing contemporary, presence style singing, we changed their title to worship leader. A few years later, their title changed to worship pastor. Now, over time, we have begun to think of worship only as singing. As we were discussing what worship is, he told me how he had read that someone wrote about worship and said that we worship God any time we choose His will over ours, and His thoughts over ours. That really got my mind going.

I first thought of Job 1. After all his loss, the Bible says he fell down and worshiped. He cried out that the Lord gives and the Lord takes, and then he blessed the Lord. In his time of distress and grief, he chose to change his thoughts to God’s thoughts and worshipped. After thinking about him, my mind turned to Luke 22 with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was in anguish over giving up His life on the cross and the torture He was about to endure. In verse 42 He prayed, “Father, if you will, take this cup of suffering away from me. Not my will, however, but your will be done” (GNT). In a moment of pain, Jesus decided to worship as He chose the Father’s will over the will of His flesh. Worship isn’t an easy thing to do sometimes.

Romans 12:1 says, “So then, my friends, because of God’s great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer.” My flesh wants to crawl off that altar constantly. However, true worship is choosing God’s way over my own. What areas of your life have you been struggling to worship God in this way? It’s natural to have this struggle. Just read Romans 7 and 8. There’s a battle going on in every one of us between our flesh and the Spirit over who we will worship – ourselves or God. We all face this constant choice throughout our day. Choose to worship today by being led by God’s Spirit and choosing His will over your own. Also go back and read Romans 7 and 8 today with this in mind. It will change how you see it and how you worship.

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April 19, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Preserving Unity

The spirit of this age is one of divisiveness. People are split nearly 50/50 on so many things. This spirit has invaded almost every nation to divide them. I have also seen it invading the Church. I’m not talking denominationally, but in having us attack other Christians. I’ve seen it ramped up recently and it’s frightening. Jesus told us that a house divided can’t stand. An army divided can’t take ground either. God’s spirit is one of unity. His plan is for a United Church that even the gates of hell couldn’t prevail against. Yet when we fight among each other, we fail to advance His kingdom. Let’s individually ask God to helps us follow His spirit and to do our part to preserve the bonds of unity among believers.

Here are some Bible verses on unity.

1. Beyond all these things put on and wrap yourselves in [unselfish] love, which is the perfect bond of unity [for everything is bound together in agreement when each one seeks the best for others].

Colossians 3:14 AMP

2. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.

John 17:23 NLT

3. Do your best to preserve the unity which the Spirit gives by means of the peace that binds you together.

Ephesians 4:3 GNT

4. Now may God, the source of great endurance and comfort, grace you with unity among yourselves, which flows from your relationship with Jesus, the Anointed One.

Romans 15:5 TPT

5. Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!

Psalm 133:1 ESV

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