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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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July 25, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Moving God’s Boundaries

I read a news article recently about a farmer in Belgium. He was out plowing his field one day when he came across a stone that was where he was trying to work. He stopped plowing, moved the stone about 7 feet and went back to work. A little while later, a person was hiking in the woods near his home and saw the stone had been moved. He called the authorities and alerted them. It turns out that it wasn’t just any stone he moved. It was a stone that marked the border between Belgium and France. He inadvertently made Belgium about 7 feet wider. When he told them what happened, they all laughed, but told him to put it back, which he promptly did.

Saul, who was the first king of Israel, tried to move the boundaries that God had set too. When God told him to kill all the animals in a military campaign, he spared the best ones and the king. When he was confronted by the prophet, he said he only spared them in order to sacrifice them to God. In another instance, the prophet had told him to wait before going to battle until he arrived to make a sacrifice. When the prophet didn’t show up exactly on time, Saul began to panic. He saw his men deserting him before the battle. He offer the sacrifice himself which was against the direct order given to him and the Law of Moses. When Saul moved the boundaries because of his impatience and self reliance, God took the kingdom from him.

Proverbs 22:28 says, “The previous generation has set boundaries in place. Don’t you dare move them just to benefit yourself” (TPT). What boundaries that God has set have you moved because it was convenient for you? We all test boundaries and move them trying to enlarge our own territory. The problem is that when we do, we’re shrinking God’s territory in our lives. Our flesh is constantly at war with our spirit fighting over that boundary. It’s time that we moved the boundaries back to where God established them. If we truly want to thrive and to live the life God created us to live, we need to obey what God has said and to become dependent on Him rather than ourselves. God established our boundaries for a reason. We must respect them and obey them even when we don’t understand.

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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 24, 2024 · 5:38 AM

Increasing Your Capacity

When I was younger I would go to the YMCA to exercise. However, the weight room always intimidated me. I would see these big, buff guys in there stacking on the weights, bench pressing them and then cheering each other on. The question people would always ask is, “How much can you bench?” I would just shrug and then they would toss out a number. I looked up the World Record in bench pressing. It’s held by Julius Maddox who bench pressed 782 pounds. He trains four times a week strengthening his arms, back and shoulders. Jimmy, you and I have the same body with the same capabilities, but he has increased his capacity through weigh training. Without increasing our capacity, you and I could never handle that kind of weight.

In Luke 15, Jesus told the story of two bothers. The younger brother didn’t want to wait until his father’s death to inherit his portion of the family wealth, so he asked for it early. He went out and spent it all on momentary pleasures. He left nothing for the future. The other brother stayed home and continued to work for the father, learning the family business. Because the younger brother hadn’t increased his capacity to understand money, nor did he work to earn it, he didn’t appreciate it. He went through it all much like most lottery winners today. There’s a difference in a person’s capacity to handle wealth when it’s handed to them and when they’ve worked for it. There are ways to increase your capacity in just about every area of life.

In Matthew 25 we read the Parable of the Talents. Two men were able to increase their master’s money, while one didn’t. To the two who found ways to increase, He said in verse 21, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!” Like the Prodigal Son, many of us pray for greater responsibilities or blessings, but we haven’t been faithful in the little things where we are now, nor have we increased our capacity to handle more. Just like we couldn’t bench press as much as Julius Maddox, we can’t handle more of God’s blessings until we’ve learned to handle what we’ve been given today. Rather than seeking God for more, seek growing your capacity for the moment you’re in. When you’ve shown that you can increase what He’s given you, He’ll give you more.

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July 23, 2024 · 5:32 AM

The Pruning Process

One of my favorite summer snacks is grapes. I always look for bags with the biggest, crunchiest grapes in them. It turns out that the size and amount of grapes per cluster has a lot to do with how their caretaker pruned the vine. Pruning the vine Allows the plant to receive more sun light which is necessary for their growth and production. If they don’t prune them, the chutes will grow wild, take up necessary energy and prevent the sunlight from getting to where it’s needed. Unless they cut these back, their growth will be inhibited .It turns out that the secret to getting the most plentiful harvest is pruning. It’s the same with us.

Peter was a follower of Jesus and one of His most prominent disciples. He was the on,y one to volunteer to get out of the boat in the middle of the storm. He was also the one to speak up and declare that Jesus was the Messiah. There was still room for growth though and there were times when he needed to be pruned. He openly rebuked Jesus for saying He was going to die. He denied knowingly Jesus and even went back to his old life of fishing. Each time Jesus patiently pruned him and brought him back into the fold. Jesus even prayed that Peter would return and strengthen his brothers. He understood Peter had to go through the pruning process to build the strength in him to be the head of the early church. He had to cut back the things that were holding Peter back, and He’ll do the same for us.

John 15:1-2 says, “I am the real vine, and my Father is the gardener. He breaks off every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and he prunes every branch that does bear fruit, so that it will be clean and bear more fruit” (GNT). It’s important to know that pruning is not punishment. It’s a necessary part of the growing process. It’s a way that God let’s more light into our life so we can produce a greater harvest of the Fruits of the Spirit. It is painful for us to go through, but He know which branches in our lives need to stay and which to cut. Everything He does is for your good and for your benefit. Don’t reject the pruning process. It means He sees great potential in you and is working in your life to propel you forward.

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July 22, 2024 · 5:37 AM

Acts Of Bravery

On May 5, 1945, Desmond Doss acted with courage and bravery atop Hacksaw Ridge. He was a US medic at the Battle of Okinawa. The US military were trying to take the top of Hacksaw Ridge from the Japanese. After some fierce fighting, the Japanese laid in wait until all of the American climbed a high cliff before they ambushed them. Many soldiers were wounded and killed in the onslaught. The US military leaders called retreat, but Desmond couldn’t leave the wounded up there alone. In an act of bravery and heroism, he stayed atop the ridge and rescued men, one by one. He treated them and then lowered them down the cliff all night long while under the threat of being attacked and killed. He saved 75 men that day because through an incredible act of bravery and determination to not leave them in the hands of the enemy.

In 1 Samuel 17, we read that the Philistines had encamped on Israel’s land. Their champion was a giant who came out and defied the armies of Israel, challenging them to fight him. Each man, including the king, was afraid of him. For forty days this giant terrorized the army causing them to panic and run away from the battle. That’s when young David arrived at the battlefield. He saw the same giant and heard the same threats, but instead of being afraid, something rose within him. In an act of bravery, he went out to face the giant alone without a sword or armor. His faith was his courage, his trust in God gave him bravery to stand up to the threats and taunts of the enemy. On that day, the enemy was defeated by a boy who had trusted in God and was brave enough to stand up to the giant of an enemy.

Philippians 1:28 says, “Don’t be afraid of your enemies; always be courageous, and this will prove to them that they will lose and that you will win, because it is God who gives you the victory” (GNT). I don’t know what enemy you’re facing today or where it’s standing in your way, but God has called you to possess the land and advance. There are souls to be won. Just like God told Joshua, He’s telling you to be brave and courageous. God gives us the victory when we stand up to the enemy who roams around like a roaring lion. It’s not an easy thing to do, and often it feels like you’re alone, but God is with you. It’s time to quit being afraid of the enemy’s taunts and lies. It’s time to challenge him the way David did Goliath. Be brave and courageous. Let today be the end of the giant standing on your territory.

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July 19, 2024 · 5:32 AM

Learning To Submit

We’ve relegated the word “submit” to a seldom used word and have lost its true meaning over time. It actually means to yield in surrender to something. We don’t really like to yield or surrender our position. Just watch the next time a lane closes on a road. In 1 Kings 19, the prophet Elijah follows what God told him to do and finds Elisha. He puts his cloak around him asking him to be his student. Elisha then takes the yoke from his oxen, burns it and butchers the oxen to cook on the fire. He then followed Elijah and served him. By burning the yoke and eating the oxen, he was submitting to God’s plan and burning the bridge to his old life. By accepting the cloak, he was submitting to Elijah. Submitting is hard, but a necessary discipline in Christianity. It’s something God requires of each of us as we become disciples.

Here are some Bible verses on submitting.

1. In the same way you younger people must submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you must put on the apron of humility, to serve one another; for the scripture says, “God resists the proud, but shows favor to the humble.”

1 Peter 5:5 GNT

2. Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Hebrews 13:17 ESV

3. And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Ephesians 5:21 NLT

4. You must submit to [correction for the purpose of] discipline; God is dealing with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

Hebrews 12:7 AMP

5. So then, submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil, and he will run away from you.

James 4:7 GNT

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July 18, 2024 · 5:30 AM

We Need To Worship

In Job 1. we read one of the most devastating stories a person could ever go through. In one day, Job lost all his possessions, his servants, his shepherds, his livestock and his children. One bad report came right after the other. In under a minute, he had lost everything. His knees buckled and he fell under the weight of everything. Verse 20 says. “Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship” (NLT). I imagine him face down with his hands raised up in surrender. He didn’t understand why everything was happening, but he did understand that God would care for him. The final verse in the first chapter says he didn’t sin by blaming God.

Every one of us are going to experience hardship that we don’t understand. Every one of us are going to unexpectedly lose things and people that we love with no answer as to why. Jesus said in Matthew 5:45 that God causes the sun to shine on the just and the unjust just like He causes it to rain on both. We are not exempt from pain, disappointment or loss. Instead, we have an anchor to hold on to when all seems lost. We have hope that others do not have. We can still worship in the middle of a storm we don’t understand. We can still trust God’s plan when our plans are torn from us. We can still look ahead when we’re too weak to move.

Hebrews 12:12-13 says, “So be made strong even in your weakness by lifting up your tired hands in prayer and worship. And strengthen your weak knees, for as you keep walking forward on God’s paths all your stumbling ways will be healed!” (TPT) When we are at our lowest, we need to worship. When we are out of options, we need to worship. When all seems lost, we need to worship. When we are too tired and feel like giving up, we need to worship. Worship regains our perspective. Worship renews our strength. Worship gives us hope. Worship keeps us moving forward when we can’t see the path. We don’t have to understand what God is doing, or even why. Like Job, we have to trust that He sees the bigger picture and knows what He’s doing. When nothing makes sense and you can’t do anything else, worship. He inhabits the praises of His people. He will not abandon you in your greatest time of need.

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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 12, 2024 · 5:30 AM

God’s Promises

When I graduated high school, someone gifted me a book of God’s promises. That boom helped me to fall in love with the Bible. I began to dig through God’s Word looking for treasure rather than just reading it as a chore. I’ve found that God has given us precious promises to hold onto when we need hope, strength or courage. When everything else fades away, God’s Word will remain. That means His promises to you and me are good for eternity. Take time to read through these today. They are a list of some of my favorite promises that I hold onto. Which promise in God’s Word is your favorite? It doesn’t have to be in this list.

Here are some of God’s promises.

1. But those who wait for the Lord who expect, look for, and hope in Him shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up close to God as eagles mount up to the sun; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.

Isaiah 40:31 AMP

2. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen. When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed. GOD ’s Decree. I’ll turn things around for you… You can count on it.

Jeremiah 29:12-14 MSG

3. Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest. For the yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light.

Matthew 11:28-30 GNT

4. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Isaiah 41:10 NLT

5. And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19 NLT

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July 11, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Seeking God’s Face

One of the things I enjoy doing is going to sports shows to get autographs. There are tables set up all over the place with autographs from just about any athlete on just about anything. It’s cool to look at those and remember those players, but I rarely buy anything on that side of the building. On the other side is a series of tables with athletes sitting at them signing autographs. You have to get tickets months in advance if you’re going to meet the person and get their autograph. For me, that’s the way to go. I love being able to say, “I met Clyde Drexler,” or “I met Craig Biggio and got him to sign this right after he got into the Hall of Fame.” I want to be present and meet the people who’s autographs I have.

The same thing goes when it comes to God’s presence. I love hearing stories of revivals in the past and the miraculous things that happened. I love conversing with people about what God showed them in prayer, but to me, it’s like window shopping at the sports show. I don’t just want to hear about someone else’s experience, I want to meet with God and be in His presence too. There’s a fear many people have of being in God’s presence I think. It’s like the Israelites when they left Egypt. God invited them into His presence, but they sent Moses instead. You and I can’t live or fully grow off of someone else’s experiences. We must learn to get into God’s presence ourselves.

Psalm 27:8 says, “When You said, ‘Seek My face [in prayer, require My presence as your greatest need],’ my heart said to You, ‘Your face, O LORD, I will seek [on the authority of Your word]’” (AMP). God is asking us to seek His presence individually. There’s a cost associated with that. It’s going to cost you time that you could be doing something else. God wants to be first in our lives and to be our greatest need. Until each of us are willing to make Him our greatest need and are willing to pay the price, we’ll be window shopping off of other people’s experiences. Find time today to seek God. Put on some worship music, read your Bible, pray and listen. He’ll meet you there because if you seek, you will find.

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko.

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 10, 2024 · 5:34 AM

Revealing Everything

Is there anyone who knows everything about you? I mean EVERYTHING. I’m talking about your deepest, darkest secrets. These are the things you don’t let anyone know. Almost everyone has a face they put forward of what they want everyone else to see while hiding something from their past, a personality flaw or fear. We think that if they knew this about us they wouldn’t love us or like us so we keep it hidden. We all have a varying degree of how much of an open book we are. Some of it is based on who we are and some of it is controlled by fear. I once sat down with my wife to share things that were hidden even from her. The fear kept telling me if I tell her these things I’ve hidden she would divorce me. Yet afterwards, she loved me anyway and our love deepened because the barrier I had placed was removed.

In John 4, the disciples left Jesus sitting by a well while they went to buy food. A Samaritan woman came out to draw water from the well during that time. Jesus asked her for a drink. She was shocked that a Jew asked her for water and they began talking. Jesus began drawing her in with His questions and answers. He then revealed to her that He knew about her previous husbands, divorces and that she was living with a man whom she wasn’t married to. He then revealed that He was the Messiah. Verse 29 says she ran back into her village saying, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” (NLY) Even though He knew her deepest, darkest secrets, He still loved her and her whole village came out to meet Him.

Psalm 139:1 says, “O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.” Think about that. He knows everything there is to know about you. Even the things you’ve hidden from everyone else, and He still loves you. He still died for you. He still desires to have a growing relationship with you. Romans 8:15 says, “So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, ‘Abba, Father.’” You don’t have to be afraid to confess everything to Him. He knows already and still offers you the living waters. He has adopted you as His child. Just like in my case, the more you confess, the more of the barriers in your relationship with Him, that you have placed there, get removed. Take some private time today to tell Him everything and draw closer to Him.

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