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May 2, 2025 · 5:53 AM

Defiant Trust

One of my favorite things about the book of Job is that pulls the veil back for us. We get to read how Satan went to Heaven and sought permission to test Job. We know it was Satan causing all the calamity, death and loss for Job. However, Job didn’t get to know about that. He went through all his loss having to trust God and not blame Him. It’s easy to trust God when you’re living the blessed life, but can you still trust Him when everything is slipping through your fingers and it feels like He’s out to get you? Job fell and worshipped in that moment. In the face of such loss, Job showed defiant trust in God.

Here are some Bible verses on trusting God:

1. Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.

Job 13:15 NKJV

2. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.

Psalms 37:5 NLT

3. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 NKJV

4. But in the day that I’m afraid, I lay all my fears before you and trust in you with all my heart.

Psalms 56:3 TPT

5. Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which can never be shaken, never be moved.

Psalm 125:1 GNT

Photo by Max Andrey on Pexels.

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May 1, 2025 · 5:30 AM

Quit Panicking

One of the most common Christian myths many of us believe is that when I do what God asks me to, there won’t be any issues and things will go smoothly. For me, it seems like when I step out in faith and do what God asks, things often start going wrong. There are times it feels like I’ve jumped out of an airplane, but I’m not the one who gets to pull the cord on the parachute. The ground starts getting closer and I start to panic. I cry out, “God, where are you? Did you tell me to do this? Why haven’t you worked on my behalf yet? Don’t you care about my reputation? My family? I thought you were going to work out everything for my good.” At that point, it’s easy to start questioning if I really heard God or if I’m really in His will because I’m looking at external factors and I’m believing the myth that everything should be smooth sailing when I’m in His will through obedience.

In Mark 4, after a long day of teaching, night was falling and Jesus said, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake” (TPT). They all piled in a boat, and several people from the crowd got in boats to follow them across the lake. Being tired from teaching, Jesus decided to call it a night. He laid down and fell asleep. That’s when a ferocious storm came rolling in with violent winds that were rocking the boat and causing it to take on so much water that they were afraid of sinking. In verse 39, they had a similar prayer to mine. They woke Jesus up and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re all about to die?” Jesus, once He was fully awake, steps out, rebukes the wind and calms the sea. I’m sure He gave them a disappointed look as He said, “Why are you so afraid? Haven’t you learned to trust yet?”

Those words are ringing in my ears today as I shift my focus from my circumstances to who He is. When things don’t go the way we thought they should after our obedience, fear creeps in. Fear of failure. Fear of being embarrassed. Fear of going broke. Fear of our own ship going down. The storm you’re in may be great, but He is greater. It may feel like He’s asleep, but He knows what you’re going through. Push through the fear and panic, and trust that if He’s called you to it, He’ll get you through it. A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor, and easy times never stretch our faith. Yes, it might have been a big leap you took, but your faith has so much more room to grow. Now is not the time for panic. It’s the time for prayer and faith. He hasn’t ever failed you, and He won’t start failing you today.

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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 30, 2025 · 5:45 AM

Guarantees Of Obedience

Following God’s plan doesn’t always bring immediate victory. In the 1940’s the Ten Boom family saw how the Germans were treating the Jews. They felt like God wanted them to protect any Jew that needed help. They built a hideaway room in their house and over time saved hundreds. However, they were turned in to the authorities, separated and sent to concentration camps themselves. The father died quickly, while his two daughters, Corrie and Betsie, endured the death camps. Betsie died while in one, and Corrie was released later. Their obedience saved hundreds, but cost them dearly.

In Judges 20, the men of a city in the tribe of Benjamin had raped and murdered a Levite’s wife. The other tribes came to bring correction, but the tribe of Benjamin joined forces and decided to fight back. The other tribes prayed and asked God who should lead the battle. He said Judah. They went to battle and lost. They wept and prayed and asked God if they should fight. He told them yes. They went to battle again, but thousands more lost their lives as they lost. They wept, fasted and prayed asking again. God sent them to battle again, but this time they won. They nearly destroyed the entire tribe of Benjamin.

In Isaiah 43:2 God said, “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you” (NLT). God doesn’t promise everything will always be good or that you’ll never get hurt or always understand. Instead, He promises to be with you as you go through losses and difficulties. Obedience doesn’t guarantee victory, but it does guarantee His presence to be with you. He never abandoned the Ten Boom family, nor the tribes of Israel in their battles. Instead, He stands with us in the fire, seals the door in the flood and comforts us in tragedy. His presence in those times is our victory.

Photo by Vlad Bagacian on Pexels.

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April 29, 2025 · 5:57 AM

Confession And Restoration

In the late 80’s and early 90’s, I was in my teens. I remember vividly seeing prominent people in the faith succumb to sin and have to admit it publicly. There were famous ministers, TV preachers and even Christian’s singers who failed. I remember that Christians, for the most part, joined the world in tearing them down and shunning them. As is appropriate, they were removed from their ministry, but beyond that, they were shunned. Some went to prison, some to therapy and at least one became homeless. Watching their stories and how they were treated made me wonder if restoration was possible or if God could ever use them again. Then I wondered, “If I failed, could God still use me after I repented?”

In Judges 13-16, we read the story of Samson. He was called of God and set apart from before he was born to lead and deliver Israel. When he became a man, he was used by God to destroy Philistine towns and kill thousands of their people. However, fell in love with a Philistine woman named Delilah, which was against God’s rules on marrying pagan wives. She convinced him to give up the secret to his anointing and removed his hair. Chapter 16 verse 20 says, “He didn’t realize the Lord had left him” (NLT). He was publicly defeated, shamed and punished. Then at the end of the chapter, he prayed and asked God to use him again. His last act killed more of their enemies than at any other time in his life.

David was another prominent person who sinned and was called out. I love Psalm 51, which is his prayer for repentance. He asks God for mercy, to wash him clean of his guilt and to have a clean heart and a right spirit. Then verse 12 says, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.” After he faced his consequences, God not only restored that joy, but continued to use him. Stories like Samson and David show us that when we repent, God can still use us. We will face consequences for our actions, but God doesn’t give us a life sentence. If you’ve failed God, you must come clean, confess and repent. That’s the first step to having your joy restored and being used by God again.

Note: Every person mentioned here could have prevented their fall by being accountable to someone. Accountability is something we all need in our lives to help us walk upright with the Lord, whether we’re ministers or not. Find someone who you can trust to tell everything to so they can help you in your areas of weakness and temptation.

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April 28, 2025 · 5:40 AM

Put It Into Practice

I’ve known people who have read “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” They can talk about the habits extensively because they know them so well. However, they never implemented any of them into their life and nothing changed for them. I’ve known others who have read “How To Win Friends And Influence People” that were similar. They can tell me about the interpersonal skills it provides, yet not receive any of the benefits because they don’t put them into practice. Both of these books have the ability to help them if they would do more than read them.

In Matthew 7 Jesus is teaching about the same thing, but many different ways. He tells them of the narrow gate to Heaven and the broad gate to Hell. He then teaches about judging a tree by its fruit. If it doesn’t produce fruit, it’s chopped down. Then He taught about the people who will show up to Heaven saying they knew Him, but He did not know them. Finally, He tells the story of two builders. In verse 24 He says, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock” (NLT). Those who listen without obeying are foolish builders.

James 1:22 puts it this way, “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” God didn’t give us His Word to just listen to. We must implant it in our heart, allow it to bring correction and to change who we are. That only comes by being a doer of the Word. If we are going to be wise builders of our lives, we must build them on the Rock of Jesus and obey what He taught. Both He and James drew a line between those who read it and those who live it. Be a person who obeys the Word of God. It is quick, powerful and able to equip you for every good work. You must put it into practice and allow it to do its work in your life.

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April 25, 2025 · 5:57 AM

Sharing Is Caring

When I was a kid, my parents would force me to share things with my siblings or other people. I didn’t like having to share. As humans, we’re naturally selfish. Then I began to share from selfish motives. Id say, “I’ll share this with you if you share that with me.” It’s the opposite of God’s idea of sharing. His idea is sacrificial and used to build people up rather than transactional. When we share things Biblically, we transform lives by sharing our faith, sharing their burdens or sharing our blessings. When we share God’s way, we glorify Him rather than serving ourselves. What is God asking you to share with someone?

Here are some Bible verses on sharing:

I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective and powerful because of your accurate knowledge of every good thing which is ours in Christ.

Philemon 1:6 AMP

2. Whoever receives a prophet because he is God’s messenger will share a prophet’s reward. And whoever welcomes a righteous person because he follows me will also share in his reward. And whoever gives a cup of cold water to one of my disciples, I promise you, he will not go unrewarded.

Matthew 10:41-42 TPT

3. The people asked him, “What are we to do, then?” He answered, “Whoever has two shirts must give one to the man who has none, and whoever has food must share it.”

Luke 3:10-11 GNT

4. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2 NLT

5. And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

Hebrews 13:16 NLT

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April 24, 2025 · 5:30 AM

The Law Of Favor

If you were to stand on a chair and jump. 100 times out of 100 jumps you would go down. No matter how many times you try it, you will always go down. Why? Because the Law of Gravity is at work. You don’t have to believe in gravity for it to make you go down. You don’t have to see gravity for it to work. Laws work no matter what. You and I would never challenge the Law of Gravity because we’ve seen it at work our entire lives. Isaac Newton simply observed it, tested it and put it into words giving it at name.

God’s laws are no different that the laws of nature that He created. They work 100% of the time whether you believe in God or not. The Bible is full of these laws and they are constantly at work in our lives. For example, you will reap what you sow. If we think of it in the farming context, if you plant corn kernels, you will grow corn. You can’t plant a corn kernel and expect a potato. If you plant kindness in others, you can expect kindness. If you give, it will be given to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over because this is God’s law.

Another law at work is found in Proverbs 11:25. It says, “Those who live to bless others will have blessings heaped upon them, and the one who pours out his life to pour out blessings will be saturated with favor” (TPT). This law works just like the others. If you will live to bless others and pour your life out, you will find God’s hand of blessing and favor. My wife and I like to say, “Favor ain’t fair,” because it’s in direct proportion to your blessing others. You don’t have to have money to bless someone. Spend time with them, walk through their struggles with them, send an encouraging message, show them unconditional love or anything that reflects Christ. If you do these things, the Law of Favor will go into effect for you.

Photo by Luis Alexander Minchola Jiménez 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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April 23, 2025 · 5:28 AM

Completely Satisfied

Not long after Tom Brady won his first Super Bowl, he was interviewed. They asked him what it was like to achieve a life long dream. He said in the moment it was great, but that feeling went away and he wondered if that was really all there was in life. He was looking for more. In a recent interview with Will Smith, he was asked what it’s like to be worth $350 million. He said, Will Smith “Once you’ve bought everything you want and there’s literally nothing on earth else that you want to buy, I just wish that was a gift that everybody could have because there’s nothing that material can do to satisfy you. You realize none of it can make you happy” (people.com).

Solomon, who was one of the wisest people to ever live, also became one of the wealthiest people too. He had it all: a kingdom, money, fame, women and servants. In the book of Ecclesiastes, he talks about having tried everything he can to give him pleasure, but it was all vanity. He was saying that it’s all fleeting and unsatisfying. In chapter 5 verse 10 he wrote, “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its gain. This too is vanity (emptiness)” (AMP). He, like so many of us, chased and hungered after things of this world in order to fill a hole inside that only God can fill.

In Matthew 5:6, Jesus said, “Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied.” There’s nothing in this world that can bring true fulfillment to your life. The hunger you have can only be satisfied by a relationship with God. We’ve all thought, “If only I had this or accomplished that, then…” You’ll find like Tom Brady and Will Smith did that it won’t bring what you think it will. True satisfaction is found in actively pursuing God because those who seek Him find Him. We were created by Him and for Him. Until we find our identity and worth in Him, everything else is empty.

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April 22, 2025 · 5:40 AM

Spiritual Effectiveness

One of the draws for Peloton stationary bikes and some treadmills is the screen in front of it. You can choose a city, a trail or woods to bike or run through. As you’re exercising, you can watch the screen and feel like you’re in that environment covering a lot of ground. However, the truth is that you never went anywhere and you’re wore out. That’s about the same thing that happens to us when we try to be spiritually effective in our own strength and abilities. Our effectiveness only comes through our relationship with Jesus. When we fail to spend time with Jesus, our busyness for Him wears us out and is ineffective. It can feel like we’re going places and making a difference, but it’s only an illusion.

In John 15, Jesus was giving some final instructions to the disciples before His crucifixion. In verse 5 He said, “I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing” (AMP). He used the example of a branch on a vine. We can only Produce fruit when we’re connected to the vine. Once we’re disconnected, we might appear green for a while, but we’re not receiving the nutrients we need to produce anything. His encouragement to them and to us is to stay connected to Him through prayer and intimacy if we want to be spiritually effective. Otherwise our efforts are in vain.

Philippians 2:13 says, “For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure.” Have you been so busy for God that you’ve sacrificed your time with Him? It happens to all of us from time to time. That is a recipe for burn out and spiritual ineffectiveness. When we spend time with Him each day, He refills us, strengthens us and makes us produce fruit. God doesn’t call us to do things in our own strength because apart from Him we have none. He is who makes us spiritually effective in our work for Him.

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April 21, 2025 · 5:48 AM

Obedience Through Action

One of the great missionary stories I remember learning about from my childhood was the story of Jim Elliot. He and his wife felt the call of God to take the Gospel to an unreached people in Ecuador. In 1956, Jim and four other men went in to tell the Huaorani people about Jesus. They were killed by the tribe. After two years passed, Jim’s wife felt like God wanted her to go to that same tribe and try again. She, their daughter and the sister of one of the slain men went back to the Huaorani tribe and shared the Gospel. Many people gave their heart to the Lord, including some who killed her husband.

In Joshua 5, the Israelites had crossed the Jordan and were headed toward Jericho for their first battle in the Promised Land. As Joshua was getting near the town, he saw a man with a sword in his hand. Joshua asked Him, “Are you with us or against us. He replied, “‘Neither one,’ he replied. ‘I am the commander of the Lord’s army.’ At this, Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence. ‘I am at your command,’ Joshua said. ‘What do you want your servant to do?’” (NLT) He then tells Joshua to march around the city for seven days. On the seventh day, they needed to march around it seven times and then shout. If they obeyed, the walls would come down. It might not have seemed like it would work, but God was looking for obedience through action in order to give the victory.

Isaiah 1:9 says, “If you have a willing heart to let me help you, and if you will obey me, you will feast on the blessings of an abundant harvest” (TPT). What God asks us to do doesn’t always make sense. We must remember that His ways are higher than ours, and His thoughts are higher too. He sees what we can’t. Obedience is an act of trust, especially when we don’t understand. However, when we do trust and obey, His blessings follow. I wish we could have an experience with an angel like Joshua, but most of us will be like Elisabeth Elliott and need to obey having only heard God speak to our heart. Are you willing to be obedient even when it doesn’t make sense? Are you willing to trust God for to bring down walls using His strategy rather than yours? If so, your obedience through action will yield the results only God can give.

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