Tag Archives: Devotion

July 16, 2025 · 5:30 AM

Changing Direction

One of the questions I pose to leaders is a good question to ask yourself. Imagine you are going from Houston to Jacksonville, Florida on Interstate 10. After a day of driving, you end up in El Paso, Texas, what would you do? Would you turn around and head back toward Houston or keep driving and reevaluate in Phoenix, Arizona? The correct answer is easy in this scenario, but in real life, we tend to keep going toward Phoenix. We rationalize that decision because of how much time, money and effort we’ve put into it. However, no amount of time, money or effort is going to get you to your destination until you change course.

In Luke 19, Jesus was walking through Jericho and everyone crowded the roads trying to see him. Zacchaeus, who had become rich by overtaxing people, wanted to see Him too. He climbed up a tree and Jesus saw him. Jesus then went to his house for dinner. People were upset that Jesus was hanging out with a despised sinner. Then in verse 8 we read, “Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!’” (NLT) Jesus saw that Zacchaeus had changed direction and said, “Salvation has come to this home today.”

Psalm 119:59 says, “I considered my ways And turned my feet to [follow and obey] Your testimonies” (AMP). Take a look at your life. Each of us need to consider our ways often. Are we headed the wrong direction in certain areas of our life? Are we like Jonah and going the opposite direction from what God called us to? We need to be willing to turn our feet to follow and obey God’s ways. Like Zacchaeus we need to repent, which means to change directions. God’s blessings follow our obedience. It’s not always easy to admit we need a change of direction, but we can’t afford to keep going the wrong way. There’s too much at stake.

Photo by Tim Graf on Unsplash

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July 25, 2023 · 5:57 AM

A Double Portion

Do you ever hear a common phrase and actually stop to think about what it’s saying? There’s a phrase my wife and I hear often that has become a bit of a pet peeve. It’s usually said at funerals by a person who comes up to speak about the deceased. They’ll usually say something like, “If I ever become half the person they were…” Another way they’ll say it is, “I hope to accomplish half of what they did.” Think about that. If you were half or only did half, then the next generation only wanted to be half of you, they would only do a quarter of the first person. Why do we insist on going backwards? Why do we only aspire to be half of someone else’s legacy? It’s not Biblical, nor is it God’s intention for you to only do a portion of the previous generation.

In 2 Kings 2, we read the story of Elijah being taken to Heaven in a chariot of fire. All day long he’s going from place to place while his assistant Elisha follows him. At each city, he tells Elisha to stay there, but he refuses. Also at each city there are prophets who tell Elisha that Elijah is about to be taken to Heaven. In verse 9, Elijah asks Elisha, “‘Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken away.’ And Elisha replied, ‘Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit and become your successor’” (NLT). Elisha didn’t aspire to be half of who elijah had been. He wanted to be twice the person. He didn’t want to do half of what elijah had done, he wanted to do twice as much. Guess what? He did! God honored what he spoke and gave him a double portion so he could accomplish twice as much.

1 Corinthians 9:24 says, “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!” Why would you on,y want to run at half the speed as someone else in a race? God is calling you and me to more. He wants to give us greater amounts of His Spirit and blessing, but if we only ask for half we’re missing out on all He has for us. It’s time you and I asked God for a double portion instead of a half portion. We live in a world that desperately needs what we have. We need the mantle of Elijah on us with a double portion of what God gave him. We need a double portion of the boldness that Early Church received at Pentecost. James 4:2 says that we don’t have things because we don’t ask God for them. Take time today to ask God to give you a double portion of what He has for you so you can accomplish all He created you to do and then some.

Photo by Todd Diemer on Unsplash

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January 28, 2022 · 5:48 AM

Let Your Light Shine

The Bible starts off with the story of creation. It describes that the earth was full of darkness. Then God said, “Let there be light.” All throughout the Bible God is associated with light. In John 1, Jesus is described as the Light of men. Then it says that His light shines in the darkness of this world, alluding to the darkness of sin. On the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 5, Jesus tell us that we are now the light of the world. We are still surrounded by darkness and our light is just as necessary as it was in the beginning. Wherever you go today, let your light shine bright so that others can find hope and salvation.

Here are some Bible verses on being the light.

1. The people who live in darkness will see a great light. On those who live in the dark land of death the light will shine.

Matthew 4:16 GNT

2. Jesus once again addressed them: “I am the world’s Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in.”

John 8:12 MSG

3. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.

Ephesians 5:8 NIV

4. But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

1 Peter 2:9 NLT

5. You are the light of [Christ to] the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Matthew 5:14 AMP

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December 29, 2021 · 5:59 AM

Practice Matters

I can’t hear the word “practice” without thinking of Allen Iverson and his famous meltdown. It was in 2002 in response to a reporters question right after he and the Philadelphia 76ers exited the playoffs in the first round. They were expected to make it to the finals. There had been reports, and even hints from his coach, that he wasn’t committed to being a team player in practice. The rant was the result of not meeting his own expectations, the early exit and the loss of his best friend. In his outburst, he said “practice”22 times. My favorite quote of it was, “We talking about practice. Not a game. Not the game I go out there and die for and play every game like it’s my last. Not the game. We talking about practice, man.”

When I was in high school, I played basketball. Each game was four eight minute quarters. We would spend two hours a day in practice five days a week preparing for games. The difference between winning and losing a game came down to how well you practiced. Coach understood that. We practiced shooting, our plays, our press, our passing and scenarios in order to be flawless when it mattered. Yet most people don’t take practice seriously. As believers, our “practice” is often on a Sunday. It’s where we get coached up, learn about God’s way of living and have the opportunity to show love to fellow Christians.

Philippians 4:9 says, “Put into practice the example of all that you have heard from me or seen in my life and the God of peace will be with you in all things” (TPT). We can’t be like Allen Iverson when it comes to putting into practice godly things. If we can’t show love to each other as believers, how can we show it to the world when we leave? If we can’t worship because we don’t like the songs or the volume, how can we worship during the week? We spend a lot of time complaining about personal preferences on Sunday when we have the greatest opportunity to practice godly traits. We are to be known for our love for one another. Each week we get the opportunity to practice what we preach. Don’t waste your practice time or forsaking the assembling of the brethren. Use each service to put into practice all you’ve learned.

Photo by adrianna geo on Unsplash

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December 16, 2021 · 5:30 AM

The Tamarisk Tree

In Genesis 21, Abraham had been living in the Promised Land as a foreigner for a while. After he made a treaty with Abimelech, verse 33 says, “Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he worshiped the LORD, the Eternal God” (NLT). I don’t know if Abimelech was there for the planting or if it was just a sign to God, but it was no coincidence that he planted a tamarisk tree given the promise God had made to him about that land.

According to nps.gov, the tamarisk tree is an invasive tree that spreads rapidly. It has the ability to survive in harsh conditions. It is very adaptable to whatever conditions it faces. I can’t think of a better tree that depicts the Israelites and God’s plan for them. God had given them that land, and Abraham had been given the promise that he would have as many descendants as there were stars. His family would flourish and spread throughout that region one day.

The tree is also representative of how we as Christians are to be. God did not plant us where we are in order to be quiet about our faith. He expects us to advance the Gospel rapidly, even in the harsh conditions we live in today. In Mark 16:15, Jesus told us, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” He wanted us to be invasive with His message. It has never been about waiting for someone to come to you with questions about your faith. It has always been about us being proactive.

The tamarisk tree is also a survivor. It adapts to be able to thrive in the harshest conditions. Throughout history, it’s been in the harshest conditions that the Gospel has spread the most. With the social pressures and unfriendly conditions towards Christianity that we face today, you can expect that the Gospel is about to spread rapidly once again. We must be adaptable in the face of such pressure instead of allowing it to shut us down. As history begins to repeat itself, we need to be prepared for another Great Awakening.

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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December 3, 2021 · 5:31 AM

The Act Of Receiving

It’s usually around Christmas when we think about giving and receiving gifts. Have you ever refused one? Receiving is the act of taking delivery of something. It requires action on our part. There are several delivery drivers who drop off packages at my door. Just because they’re sitting on my porch and are available to me, it doesn’t mean I have received them. I receive them when I open the door, pick them up and bring them inside. The concept of receiving something isn’t foreign to us. In Christendom, receiving works the same way, vat for some reason we don’t think of it as an act. I believe we are missing out on several things God offers us because God has set them at our door, but we haven’t done the act of receiving them.

Here are some Bible verses on receiving things from God.

1. So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.

Romans 4:16 NLT

2. Learn this well: unless you receive the revelation of the kingdom the same way a little child receives it, you will never be able to enter in.

Luke 18:17 TPT

3. For those who receive that rest which God promised will rest from their own work, just as God rested from his.

Hebrews 4:10 GNT

4. Then he took a deep breath and breathed into them. “Receive the Holy Spirit,” he said. “If you forgive someone’s sins, they’re gone for good. If you don’t forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?”

John 20:22-23 MSG

5. So get rid of all uncleanness and all that remains of wickedness, and with a humble spirit receive the word [of God] which is implanted [actually rooted in your heart], which is able to save your souls.

James 1:21 AMP

There are many other things the Bible says we are to receive. Open the door of your heart today and let God know you receive all He has for you.

Photo by Andrew Moca on Unsplash

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October 19, 2021 · 5:46 AM

Your Daily Bread

In Exodus 16, the Israelites were in the desert on the way to the Promised Land. They were tired and hungry, so they began to complain. In verse 4, the Lord said, “Now I am going to cause food to rain down from the sky for all of you. The people must go out every day and gather enough for that day. In this way I can test them to find out if they will follow my instructions” (GNT). For the rest of their time in the wilderness, the people went out every day to get manna from Heaven, taking only what they needed. God did not fail to give them their daily bread, but it was up to them to go get it.

In John 6, Jesus fed the 5,000 with 5 loaves of bread and two fish. Everyone had more than enough to eat. Because it was late, many stayed the night there. That night, the disciples went across the Sea of Galilee, and were hit with a storm. Jesus went to them walking on water. The next morning, the people who had been fed were looking for Jesus. When they found him, they asked for another miracle. Jesus wanted them to trust in Him for the Bread of Life. They were stubborn and brought up that Moses fed the people every day in the wilderness. Then Jesus reminded them it was God who provided the bread, not Moses. He went on to say, “I am the Bread of Life. Come every day to me and you will never be hungry. Believe in me and you will never be thirsty” (TPT).

God cares more for your spiritual condition than your physical one. Yes, He cares and provides for our physical needs, but it’s the eternal needs that matter most. Just like our physical body needs sustenance, so does our spirit. Jesus is inviting you and I to meet with Him daily for the manna He provides for our spirit. We can’t be like the people in the Old and New Testaments who are only looking for the temporary things from God that meet our immediate needs. He wants to give you so much more, but it requires you to set aside time to go get it every day. You wouldn’t neglect your physical hunger, so don’t neglect your spiritual hunger. Jesus is waiting for you with your daily bread right now. Ask Him to feed your spiritual hunger and thirst today, then listen for His voice. Taste and see that the Lord is good today. He is the Bread of Life.

Photo by Tommaso Urli on Unsplash

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August 6, 2021 · 5:30 AM

Your Life Verse

A life verse from the Bible is one that speaks to you no matter what season of life you’re in. It’s as if God put that verse in there just for you. When you read it, you’re encouraged. When you need a word from God, you go to it. I had never heard of a life verse until several years ago when someone shared theirs with me. Immediately, I knew what verse mine was. It has spoken to me since I was in school. I memorized it as a child and I still quote it and rely on it to this day. I believe we each need to have verses in the Bible that we can go to or quote at a moment’s notice because of how powerful they are. Here are a few verses I think are good life verses if you don’t have one. If you do have one, I’d love for you to let me know what it is. Mine is this first one.

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scoffers; but his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His Law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by the streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all he does, he prospers.

Psalm 1:1-3 ESV

Be strong in the lord and in His mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:10-12 NLT

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

Remember that I have commanded you to be determined and confident! Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for I, the Lord your God, am with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9 GNB

Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the Lord in everything you do, and He will show you the right way. Never let yourself think that you are wiser than you are; simply obey the Lord and refuse to do wrong.

Proverbs 3:5-7 GNB

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June 1, 2021 · 6:04 AM

Speaking In Faith

Several years ago I taught a psychology of sales class. As part of the curriculum, we dealt with the rejection that all sales people face and how to overcome it. One of the methods was to speak out loud positive things about yourself that you wanted to happen. One exercise in particular had participants write down one attribute they wanted to be stronger in. They would get up in front of the group and say, “I am more courageous!” Then the rest of the crowd would shout back, “You are more courageous!” They were then encouraged to keep repeating it at home over and over until they became whatever it was that they chose in order to get it into their subconscious. Psychologists have proven that you can change your behavior, your mindset and even your attributes by creating new neuropathways for your thoughts to travel down. In order to do that, you had to create new paths and those began by speaking out in faith, if you will, about the new way you wanted your brain to think.

The apostle Paul was a person who faced a lot of adversity after he converted to Christianity. He was thrown in prison, he was whipped five times, beaten with a rod three times, stoned, shipwrecked, put in dangerous situations and so much more. If anyone had a reason to speak negatively, it was him. Yet despite all the troubles he had, he held firmly to his faith and spoke words of faith to the churches of that time. He stayed faithful to God despite what his circumstances were. In prison, he sang praises. In storms, he encouraged others, In pain, he trusted in God’s grace. In whatever he faced, he reminded himself that nothing could ever separate him from the love of God. He knew that his words were powerful not only for himself, but for others as well. He wrote many of his letters, which are the books of the New Testament in the Bible, from prison. He understood the importance of staying faithful to God and speaking words of faith in the most trying times. If Paul did it, so should we.

Psalm 116:10-11 says, “Even when it seems I’m surrounded by many liars and my own fears, and though I’m hurting in my suffering and trauma, I will stay faithful to God and speak words of faith” (TPT). Like Paul and this psalmist, you and I must stay faithful to God and speak in faith about all He has done and will do. Many times our situation and circumstances stand opposed to who God is and what we know of Him. In those times, we must trust in the unchanging nature of God rather than what our physical eyes and mind are telling us. We should sing praises and Bible verses out loud to get them into our mind and subconscious. Remember that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Don’t be afraid to read the Bible out loud, to pray out loud and to sing out loud when you feel surrounded by your circumstances. You will find strength, encouragement and faith to keep moving forward and to keep trusting in God’s plan for your life.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

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May 20, 2021 · 5:30 AM

Bouncing Back

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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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