Tag Archives: christian living

June 5, 2025 · 5:30 AM

Understanding Spiritual Principles

I read recently that you can understand almost every spiritual principle through understanding farming. I grew up hearing that you reap what you sow, but there’s so much more. There’s faith that when you plant it, things are growing where you can’t see. There’s understanding the right soil and the right season to plant in. The list goes on and on. The more I learn and understand the concepts of farming, the better steward I can be with the spiritual realities God has entrusted to me. These concepts were obvious to people until we became a modern society where we get our produce from a store.

Think back to Genesis 3. Adam and Eve took the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. They had access to everything, but they squandered it. What was Adam’s punishment? Verse 17 says, “And he said to the man, ‘You listened to your wife and ate the fruit which I told you not to eat. Because of what you have done, the ground will be under a curse. You will have to work hard all your life to make it produce enough food for you’” (GNT). What if his punishment was really about teaching him and us how to better manage and appreciate spiritual principles? Instead of leaving him in the dark, God created a way to understand Him better through having us work the land.

What lesson has God been trying to teach you? What concept has He been trying to get you to understand. I’m pretty sure you can better understand it through farming. Most of Jesus’ parables were about some form of farming. God wants us to learn more about Him and to understand spiritual realities better so He can entrust more to us. Take some time today to ask God to open your eyes to see what He’s showing you. God wants you and I to grow closer to Him and He’s given us the blueprint. We need to seek better understanding from Him so He can help us to be better stewards of all He’s entrusting to us. Don’t shy away or try to take the easy route. Lean in and learn from Him and His Word.

Photo by Ponnappa Ganesh on Unsplash

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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June 4, 2025 · 5:30 AM

Making Room

Before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He addressed the disciples. In Luke 24:49 He said, “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven” (NLT). There were 120 of them who went to the Upper Room to wait on the gift of God. Ten days later, on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit entered the room with the sound of a mighty rushing wind, tongues of fire appeared over their heads, they began speaking in other languages and they received the power to be witnesses. On that day, the Church was born. Just as the disciples went to the Upper Room, we too must make room for Him in our life.

In 2 King 4, a Shunammite woman invited the prophet Elisha into her home to eat. From then on, any time he passed that way, he would stop by. She knew he was a man of God and wanted to make room for him in her home and life. In verse 10 she told her husband, “Let’s build a small room for him on the roof and furnish it with a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp. Then he will have a place to stay whenever he comes by.” She wanted a place where the presence of God could dwell with her. That room became the birthplace of miracles in her life. Elisha gave her the promise of a son, and years later he was raised from the dead in that very room. I believe God is asking us to make room for the Holy Spirit in our life so He has a permanent place of power in our lives.

I love that this woman provided a table and chair for Elisha. These represent a place of meeting and fellowship. The Holy Spirit doesn’t just want to dwell inside of you, He wants to meet with you and have fellowship. She also provided a lamp for him. Just as a lamp brings illuminates a room and chases out darkness, the Holy Spirit wants to reveal more of who God is to you. He will illuminate the Scriptures, bring His light into our life and cause us to burn brighter for Him. That leads us to the last thing she provided, which was a bed. The Holy Spirit wants to give you rest and renewal. Our lives are so busy that we lack these things He provides. Imagine what would happen if only we would make room in our prayer time, our heart, our mind and our life for Him. As we approach Pentecost Sunday, I challenge you to do just that in your life. Ask the Holy Spirit where you need to give Him more room. I believe that space in your life will be the birthplace of miracles.

Photo courtesy of Copilot

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June 3, 2025 · 6:00 AM

God Of Breakthroughs

In 2023 there was a young lady in Ohio who got accepted into the school of her choice. The problem was that she couldn’t afford to go there. She tried, but was unable to secure any scholarships to help pay for it. She prayed all summer about it. As the deadline was approaching, she was preparing herself to reject the offer. That’s when she got a letter stating that she got a full ride scholarship from a Christian organization she had never heard of. A month or two before she had mentioned it at youth camp. Someone heard and submitted her for the scholarship. God made a way just as she was about to give up.

In 2 Samuel 5, David had just become king when the Philistines came to challenge him. They spread out around the city he was in and surrounded it. David went into the stronghold and began to pray. He asked God if he went out to fight, would He give him victory. God told him yes, so he and his men went to fight the army that was surrounding them. They won a swift victory. Verse 20 says, “So David came to Baal-perazim, and he defeated them there, and said, ‘The Lord has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water.’ So he named that place Baal-perazim (master of breakthroughs)” (AMP). Just like water breaking through a dam, God showed up and gave them victory at the right moment.

Isaiah 43:19 says, “Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.” I’ve learned that God answers on His time and not mine. I’ve also learned that His breakthroughs come swiftly and decisively. You may be standing in a desert right now wondering where God is as the time runs out on your situation, but keep standing and believing. He will burst through and give you rivers in that desert. He is the God of breakthroughs and breakthroughs start with surrender to His will, His timing and His way.

Photo by Gary Yost on Unsplash

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May 29, 2025 · 5:30 AM

Psychological Warfare

Psychological warfare has been used for thousands of years to help win wars. If you remember the first night of Desert Storm, we used shock and awe to overwhelm the Iraqi army. It was a show of strength to win the battle of the mind. I’ve seen army’s drop pamphlets behind enemy lines to disrupt their belief of what they think the truth is. If they can get the people to believe their own government is lying, they’ll fold. I’ve also seen where they used speakers to blast messages 24 hours a day trying to get into their minds. Psychological warfare is real, and it’s intended to influence emotions, thinking, attitudes and behaviors. If those are manipulated, victory is easier.

In Isaiah 36, Jerusalem was surrounded by Assyria. They were the toughest army of the day and they were undefeated. When they showed up in full force, their psychological ware fare was to make their enemies lose heart. Not only that, they would address the people instead of just the king. They understood psychological warfare. In verse 15, their emperor was talking with Jerusalem’s leaders where all could hear. He tried to undermine King Hezekiah and their faith. He said, “And don’t let him (Hezekiah) persuade you to rely on the Lord. Don’t think that the Lord will save you and that he will stop our Assyrian army from capturing your city” (GNT). He then encouraged them to surrender. Thankfully they continued to trust the Lord and God sent the Assyrian army home.

Our enemy comes against you and I the same way. He speaks lies into our minds to get us to doubt God. He’s done it since the Garden of Eden. James 4:7 says, “So then, submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil, and he will run away from you.” The key to victory against his mind games and lies that try to get you to quit relying on the Lord begin with submitting to God. Trust that He will not fail you, abandon you or leave you to fight alone. Trust His plan and know that He will work everything out for your good. Then resist the devil’s lies. Combat them with God’s Word the way Jesus did in the desert. When we do that, he has to flee. He has to stop the attack on your life and your mind. Don’t surrender or succumb to the psychological warfare of the devil. God has given you the Helmet of Salvation and the Shield of Faith to resist.

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya: https://www.pexels.com/photo/back-view-of-a-boy-covering-his-ear-12449967/

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 26, 2025 · 5:30 AM

Polished To Perfection

Polishing the blade is one of the most satisfying parts of knife making. It reveals the grain, finish and craftsmanship that was put into it. The polishing process starts with holding the blade against a belt grinder using a coarse grit and progressively moving to a fine grit. Each grit removes the scratches from the previous one until there is a clean reflective surface that reveals the beauty of the steel. Before this polishing, the blade may be fully formed, but there are details and beauty hidden that only polishing can bring out. The polishing process can be slow and tedious. If the artist is too quick or too aggressive, it can damage the blade. The final polish is often done by hand in order to be slower and more intentional with the outcome.

Each of us goes through a process of sanctification when we are saved. I’ve seen some people delivered immediately from a habit, addiction or sin, while most undergo the process of becoming more like Christ as they get to know Him. The Holy Spirit starts with a coarse grit in our life removing the old man and everything that he stood for. While our soul is saved, our flesh and its desires need to decrease while Jesus increases in our lives. As our roots grow down deep into Him, He begins to switch to a finer grit to continue this sanctification process. We take on the mind and attitude of Christ mentioned in Philippians 2. We undergo a change from being led by our flesh to being led by the Holy Spirit. This process continues throughout our life to help us reflect Jesus.

In Philippians 3:12 Paul continues, “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.” Don’t fall into the comparison trap as you undergo this process. There will always be others whom God is using a finer grit with and others whom He is using a coarser grit with. Allow Him to work in your life at the pace He wants to go. You are being forged into His image for His purpose. Each step along the way, God will reveal more of who God created you to be. Don’t try to jump ahead. He will be faithful to complete what He started in you. Like Paul, you will not achieve perfection in this life, but press on anyway! 

Photo by David Ballew on Unsplash

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May 22, 2025 · 5:30 AM

Wait Patiently

Have you ever prayed for patience? If you haven’t, don’t try it! I’m kidding. It turns out that when you pray for patience, God typically doesn’t just give it to you. Instead, you will earn patience through a series of events that will try your patience. I don’t really have patience when I see things that need to be done. I start doing the work to get it done whether it’s the right time or not. There are times when my wife has to make me stop and wait to do things. I’d rather do them right then and get the satisfaction of completing the task than to wait. I’m also competitive, and with that comes comparison. If someone else is doing more, working harder, completing tasks or succeeding where I think I should be, it drives me to push forward without rest. I easily lose sight of the bigger picture, and I forget that patience and steadiness bring success and blessings.

I don’t think Abraham and Sarah were very patient either. When God made the promise that he would be the father of many nations, Abram was 75 years old. When his wife didn’t immediately get pregnant, I’m sure He doubted God, or did what we do when we run out of patience, and took matters into his own hands. Because they didn’t wait for the promise, Abraham got another woman pregnant thinking that he was doing God a favor or enacting His plan for Him. It was 25 years after the promise that he had Isaac through his wife. If he thought he was too old to have kids at 75, imagine what he was thinking as he approached 100. Yet, because God told him to wait for the promise, he did.

Psalm 37:7 says, “Be patient and wait for the Lord to act; don’t be worried about those who prosper or those who succeed in their evil plans” (GNT). I love that this verse speaks to our focus. Quit looking at what other people are accomplishing, and thinking about how you wish you were farther along at this point in your life. Be patient and wait for God’s timing. There’s a greater blessing for us when we do. Put your focus back on being faithful where you are, doing the little things, and God will reward you in due season. I know how hard that is, but it is the right thing to do. Even though you may be able to act now, be patient. God is using this time to prepare you for the blessings that are coming so that when His time is right, you won’t squander what He gives you.

Photo by Serkan Göktay on 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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May 21, 2025 · 5:37 AM

Provision And Protection

I love reading stories of George Muller. He was a German man who helped over 10,000 orphans. He lived completely by faith. One morning he knew the pantry was empty, but the kids needed to eat. He sat them all down at their tables for breakfast and prayed to thank God for their food. Not long after saying, “Amen,” there was a knock on the door. A baker said the Lord woke him up in the middle of the night to bake bread for the kids. He handed over enough bread for them to eat. Then there was another knock on the door. A milk delivery wagon got stuck and offered them all their milk. God provided for their need.

In 1 Samuel 21, Saul was trying to kill David out of jealousy. Jonathan warned him and he fled to the town of Nob, which was the spiritual center of Israel at the time. He was hungry and tired from his journey as he entered the tabernacle. The priest saw him and wanted to know why he was there. David told him he was on a mission, but needed food. The on,y thing available was the bread reserved for priests. Verse 6 says, “Since there was no other food available, the priest gave him the holy bread—the Bread of the Presence that was placed before the Lord in the Tabernacle. It had just been replaced that day with fresh bread” (NLT). This bread represented God provision and protection for Israel. Ahimelech, the priest, understood God’s compassion and provided the bread to David.

Isaiah 55:1 says, “Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink— even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it’s all free!” God’s blessings and provision are freely given to us. They can’t be earned. He’s looking for those who are spiritually hungry and thirst to come to the place of His presence. He’s waiting for those who come to the place where they realize they can’t do everything on their own and must live by faith. When we come to that place, He offers provision and protection for us. When we realize we have nothing but what He offers is when we realize we have everything. What God offers can only be bought with desire, humility and surrender. It can be scary to stand there with nothing the way George Muller and David did, but they both trusted God to provide and He did.

Photo by Skyler Ewing on Unsplash

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May 20, 2025 · 5:35 AM

God’s Training Ground

One of the things God does is shape us in unseen moments. I talk to so many people who share wisdom with me that fought battles in obscurity. One person recently shared how her mom abandoned she and her brother when she was a teen. She raised him like she was a single mom as she put herself through college and taught Sunday school. Her husband told me that he found out about that while dating her. He realized the character she had because she had and knew that was shaping her to be a great mother and wife. She had men who wouldn’t date her because she was raising her brother. Now they have grown children of their own and decades of marriage behind them.

In 1 Samuel 17, Goliath was taunting the army of Israel and defying God. All of their untested and untrained warriors fled in fear. For forty days he came out twice a day challenging them, but no one rose to the occasion until David showed up. In verses 34-36 David told Saul, “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God!” (NLT) David’s confidence came from private victories in battles where he learned to trust God. He knew God would show up and defeat the giant.

1 Peter 5:6 says, “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.” We often want greater exposure without having through God’s training ground of obscurity. We want public victories without winning private battles. However, we must remain humble and learn to trust God in the dark before He shines the light on us. Obscurity is not abandonment. David’s years of watching sheep even after he had been anointed king, were used to grow and prepare him. He had more private battles to face before he could lead the nation’s army. God will lift you up at the right time. Until then, learn and grow as much as you can in God’s training ground.

Photo by André Eusébio on Unsplash

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May 15, 2025 · 5:30 AM

A Conditional Mindset

Have you ever told God, “I’ll go wherever you want me to go, except…”? Or you might have said, “I’ll do anything you want me to, except…” it’s crazy how we sometimes put conditions on our obedience. The truth is that we’ve got a mindset that we’ve adopted on earth that makes us think we can do that. For some reason we’ve bought the lie that we get to pick and choose what we want to obey. You can’t say, “God, I’ll honor you, but I’m not going to honor my spouse or my parents.” To dishonor them is to dishonor God and the commandment He’s given. The mindset that tells God what we are and are not going to do is wrong.

Take Jonah for example. God told him where to go and what to say. He didn’t say anything back to God. He went down to the shore, bought a ticket like he was going and boarded a ship in the opposite direction. His mindset was the kind that said, “I’ll go wherever you want except Nineveh.” God wasn’t pleased with Jonah, nor is He pleased with us when we adopt the same mindset. He might not send a great fish to swallow you so you’ll get an attitude adjustment and a mindset change, but He will try to get your attention so you’ll follow and say what the Spirit leads you to do and say. We can’t forget that He is the potter and we are the clay.

Romans 8:7 puts it plainly what’s happening when we do this to God. It says, “In fact, the mind-set focused on the flesh fights God’s plan and refuses to submit to his direction, because it cannot!” (TPT) When we refuse to submit to God’s direction for our lives, we’ve adopted a flesh driven mindset rather than a Spirit led one. It’s a visible sign of rebellion because of a lack of submission to God. To live by the Spirit is to live in obedience and without conditions to what God says on how to live, where to go and what to say. It’s the way God has asked you and I to live. The next time you find yourself putting conditions on obeying, stop the sentence, repent and say, “I’m your servant. I’ll do whatever you want.” It may not be easy, but that’s what a Spirit led life looks like.

Photo by Aravind Vijayan on Unsplash

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 14, 2025 · 5:26 AM

Extraordinary Destiny

Christine Caine was living a normal life in Australia as a youth leader in her church. One year she took her youth group on a mission trip to Greece. While there, they stopped at a store to buy snacks and necessities. It was in that ordinary moment that everything changed. As she was in line to pay, she saw some missing persons posters for kids. God lit a fire in her heart for people who are being trafficked. She started A21, an international anti human trafficking organization that has brought the issue to light, saved countless people and become a well known Bible teacher.

In 1 Samuel 8, the people of Israel rebelled against God and Samuel by asking for a king. Samuel warned them what that would do, but they insisted. In 1 Samuel 9, some donkeys belonging to man named Kish escaped and ran away. He sent his son Saul after them. As he was searching for them, doing an ordinary and mundane task, he encountered Samuel. Before they even met, God had told Samuel that the first king of Israel was coming. Saul’s life changed in a moment while doing a chore for his dad. He was unaware that God was using an ordinary circumstance for divine purposes.

Proverbs 16:9 says, “A man’s mind plans his way [as he journeys through life], But the Lord directs his steps and establishes them” (AMP). You never know when God is going to show up and change everything in your life. We often look for big moments where the sky opens up and a voice calls down to us, but more often than not, God uses the ordinary to do something extraordinary. He uses a still small voice in the middle of the mundane to touch our heart and reveal our destiny. As you make your way through life today, doing everything on your to do list, be listening for His voice. You never know when God will change your direction and reveal the steps you’re to take.

Photo by Bob Price on Pexels.

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