Tag Archives: Devotional

November 9, 2018 · 5:42 AM

Actions Matter

When you read the New Testament, you find that it talks a lot about how we should live. It describes in detail how your life and actions should be different once you accept Christ into your heart. It’s very clear that we are not saved by those actions, but they should be the fruit of a life that has been changed from the inside out. In other words, our actions should line up with what we profess to believe. The Bible is very clear that there should be a distinction between how we live, act and speak as Christians and those who aren’t.

Just like an apple tree can’t produce oranges, our lives should produce the fruit of the Spirit instead of the fruits of the flesh. You’ve heard the saying that actions speak louder than words. Are your actions confessing Jesus louder than your words? Our faith should be seen through our actions. I love the quote, “Preach at all times. Use words when necessary.” It reminds me that my actions matter because that’s what other people see. Our goal should be that the fruit of our actions points people to Jesus.

Here are some Bible verses on the importance of our actions.

1. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.

Matthew 7:20 NLT

2. My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action.

1 John 3:18 GNT

3. So now it’s clear that a person is seen as righteous in God’s eyes not merely by faith alone, but by his works.

James (Jacob) 2:24 TPT

4. Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees!

Psalms 119:5 NLT

5. For if you live according to your human nature, you are going to die; but if by the Spirit you put to death your sinful actions, you will live.

Romans 8:13 GNT

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November 8, 2018 · 5:00 AM

Grab Your Sword

Have you ever been so angry with someone you sat there and plotted ways to pay them back? I have. I’ve plotted ways where I wouldn’t get caught, ways that would hurt them worse than they hurt me and ways where they would know to never do something to me again. I used to say, “I don’t get even, I get ahead!” It’s crazy how clouded our mind gets when we’ve been hurt by someone. Reason goes out the window and we have a laser focus (tunnel vision) on hurting them back. We don’t care who gets caught in the wake as long as that person suffers.

I know I can’t be the only one who has ever felt this way. Maybe you’ve experienced it too. I know David did in 1 Samuel 25. He had protected a man’s property while running from Saul and living in the wilderness. He was hungry so he sent servants to ask for food as repayment. The man whose property he protected replied, “Do you think I’m going to take good bread and wine and meat freshly butchered for my sheep shearers and give it to men I’ve never laid eyes on?” David took that as a slap in the face for all he had done for him. Without hesitation, David said, “Get your swords!”

His first instinct was to repay this man evil for evil. Eye for an eye. Tit for tat. His anger blinded him. He got 400 of his strongest men and headed for that man. If he wasn’t going to give it freely, David was going to kill him and take it. We act the same way when we’re angry. Only around here, we don’t say, “Get your swords,” we say, “Grab your gun!” Violence seems to be our answer when someone has made us mad. We hit a wall, stomp our feet into the ground, punch something, scream out loud and display our displeasure any way we can. We want people to know we’re really mad.

That’s opposite of what God wants us to do. God says, in Deuteronomy 32:35, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back. In due time their feet will slip. Their day of disaster will arrive, and their destiny will over take them.” The problem is we want them to have pay back now. We want to be the ones delivering it, but that’s not God’s way. That’s not God’s timing. In the New Testament, God reaffirms this message through Paul. Romans 12:17-18 says, “Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.”

God doesn’t want us grabbing our swords (or guns) to pay back what someone did to us. He wants us to calm down, breathe and trust that He will handle it “in due time.” Proverbs 22:1 says that a good reputation is more important than riches. We lose our reputation when we go around paying people back. In turn, we tarnish God’s name. By the way, that man’s wife stopped David from killing her husband and everyone else. The next day, the man had a stroke and died. Instead of having murder on his hands, he maintained a pure heart before God. Instead of reaching for your sword next time someone hurts you, reach for patience instead. Let God have it.

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Throwback Thursday is a new feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other writing 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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November 7, 2018 · 5:47 AM

Finding Grace

When I was around seven or eight, I did something that upset my mom. She told me that when my dad came home from work he was going to punish me. She then sent me to my room to wait. After I got in there, I began to think of the punishment I was going to get. I thought about hiding. It seemed like the best plan until I thought about escaping through the window. I then realized that would make it worse. Finally, I decided to put on every pair of underwear I had and some baggy pants. As I waited, all I could think about was the punishment. To be honest, I don’t remember the punishment that day. I just remember the build up and fear.

When you and I sin, we often act like that. It’s the Adam and Eve approach to sin. We feel bad for what we’ve done, and more than anything, we’re embarrassed. It’s obvious God knows about it, but for whatever reason, going to Him seems like a far fetched idea. To be forgiven freely doesn’t feel right, so we wallow in our shame for a bit. It’s like we feel the need to punish ourselves over our sins. The truth is that God doesn’t want us to hide from Him in those moments. He wants us to come to Him right away for the grace He gives.

Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us have confidence, then, and approach God’s throne, where there is grace. There we will receive mercy and find grace to help us just when we need it” (GNT). The verse before says that Jesus understands our weaknesses and sympathizes with us. He didn’t come into the world to condemn us, but that through Him we would find grace when we need it most. He is merciful, and too often we forget that. There’s no reason to hide from Him because of what you’ve done. He knows about it and loves you still. Approach His throne today, get the grace you need and lose your shame.

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November 6, 2018 · 5:49 AM

Developing Your Spiritual Gifts

Every one of us have things we are naturally gifted at and things we are not so good at. In today’s world, we have been spreading the lie to people that they can be anything they want to be. If you are not built a certain way or have superior skills, you will never be a professional athlete no matter how much you want to be one. Instead, i recommend that you look at the what has been given to you, develop those skills and use them for in a field where they can bloom. We get the biggest bang for our buck when we develop what we are gifted with rather than what we’re not gifted with.

Romans 12:6 says, “God’s marvelous grace imparts to each one of us varying gifts and ministries that are uniquely ours” (TPT). That means that not only are you naturally gifted, you are spiritually gifted as well. God designed each one of us to fit perfectly into His plan so He gave us spiritual gifts to use for His purposes. The problem is that many of us don’t use or develop the gifting that God has given us. They often lie dormant inside of us and we miss our holy calling going through life unfulfilled.

When Paul was writing his last letter, he started it off by saying, “I’m writing to encourage you to fan into a flame and rekindle the fire of the spiritual gift God imparted to you when I laid my hands upon you.” He was talking to Timothy, but it was to each of us. The word he used for rekindle means to develop the gift. It’s up to you and I to first know and understand the gifts God has given us, then to develop them so we can maximize our potential. Because you have a unique gift, you have a unique calling. While you can do a lot of things on this earth, you won’t be completely fulfilled until you activate your gifts and operate in them.

If you’ve never taken a Spiritual Giftings assessment, try this one to see what gifts God has given you. Click here.

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November 5, 2018 · 6:05 AM

Applying God’s Word

Every once in a while, I’ll see an equation pop up that looks something like 6-1×0+2/2=? for people to solve. I like to read the comments to see the heated exchanges of what people think the answer is. You can’t simply work this from left to right. You have to use the acronym PEMDAS (parentheses, exponents, multiplication, division, addition then subtraction) to do it. You can try any number of methods and come up with a lot of different answers, but only one answer is right. The only way to get it is to remember the acronym, “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally,” and apply it.

Every one of us have problems that show up in our lives. Whether they are complicated or easy, we must approach them through the lens of Scripture. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made things worse by trying to do it my way instead of God’s. The Bible gives us principles on how to live, how to handle your finances, how to treat others, how to act in a relationship and so much more. If we would apply those principles, we would be more successful in each of them.

2 Timothy 3:14 says, “But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught” (NLT). Paul was reminding Timothy that it’s not enough to know the right way to do things. You must faithfully apply them. If you’re struggling in an area today, or going through a problem, I want to encourage you to see what God’s Word says about it. Take His Word and faithfully apply it to your situation. You’ll find that it is good for teaching us what is true, showing us what needs to be corrected in our lives and for training us in righteousness (verse 16).

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November 2, 2018 · 5:36 AM

Children Of God

Recently, Meghan Markle married Prince Harry of the British royal family. She was an American actress who was a commoner. Since she married the prince, she has become part of the royal family and has been given the title Duchess of Sussex. She now has the rights and privileges of royalty. She travels the world representing the Crown. Her story has captivated the world giving hope to non-British people that one day they could become part of the most famous royal family,

You and I have been given the privilege of becoming part of the royal family of the King of Kings. When you accept Christ, God adopts you into His family making you a co-heir with Jesus. With that comes the privileges of royalty. God gives us special things as His children. It’s time that you and I start to live as children of the King and receive the benefits that are afforded to us. Don’t let the enemy steal your new identity and keep you from the things God has promised you as His child.

Here are some Bible verses on being a child of God.

1. For then you will be seen as innocent, faultless, and pure children of God, even though you live in the midst of a brutal and perverse culture. For you will appear among them as shining lights in the universe, offering them the words of eternal life.

Philippians 2:15-16 TPT

2. What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are. But that’s also why the world doesn’t recognize us or take us seriously, because it has no idea who he is or what he’s up to.

1 John 3:1 MSG

3. You are the people of God; he loved you and chose you for his own. So then, you must clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

Colossians 3:12 GNT

4. May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God.

Galatians 6:16 NLT

5. But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right [the authority, the privilege] to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name.

JOHN 1:12 AMP

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November 1, 2018 · 5:52 AM

Revitalizing Your Passion

A while back, I lived in Cairo, Egypt. My mode of transportation was a bike and I lived about a mile from where I worked. I took the same route every day at about the same time. There were constant messages from the embassy to those of us living there that we should vary our routines and routes. I never really understood why, so I didn’t do it. Then one day, I was in the police station getting my permit to extend my visa, and the officer set a folder down on his desk. When he walked away, I opened it and saw photos of me on my bike on my way to work and on other routes I took. That woke me up and I started changing routes.

I tell you that story because most of us have a rhythm to our lives. We get up at the same time, go through the same processes each morning, take the same route to work, do the same thing every day at work, take the same path home, watch the same shows and go to bed at the same time. To me, that’s a recipe for burnout. You can lose your way, your purpose and your passion. When that happens, we can easily start to question God’s purpose for us and wonder if there’s something more. We can even grow tired in living how God commanded us to live.

Philippians 2:13 says, “God will continually revitalize you, implanting within you the passion to do what pleases him” (TPT). God knows that we need revitalization every now and then. We need a wake up call to remind us of our purpose and the reignite our passion. If you’re in that routine today and starting to get burned out, pray that God would revitalize you and restore your passion. Ask Him to plant in your heart the excitement you once had. I believe He’ll break you out of your routine so that you’re no longer just going through the motions. He’ll set you back on the path to accomplishing what you were made to do here on this earth.

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October 30, 2018 · 5:52 AM

Difficult Relationships

I once heard someone say, “Everyone is a blessing. Some when they come into your life and others when they leave.” I also saw a meme that said, “I love my coworkers. Some I love to be around and some I love to avoid.” Right now you probably have some people in mind who you’d like to avoid and others whom you wish would be a blessing and exit your life. It’s only human to have conflict with some people. You’re not evil for having those thoughts.

In Acts 15:37-41, we read how the great apostle Paul and his ministry partner Barnabas had a heated argument and disagreement. It says they parted ways, the believers prayed blessings on both of them and that every place they went, they left the church stronger and more encouraged than before. This split came after the Holy Spirit had said in Acts 13:2 to set apart Paul and Barnabas to do the work of the ministry together. God put them together for a season and then blessed their parting.

Here’s the deal. Ephesians 5:20 says, “Always give thanks to Father God for every person he brings into your life in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (TPT). God has a reason for each person He brings into your life, whether you like them or not. Instead of praying for them to leave your life, try thanking God for them and asking Him to accomplish in your life what He needs to through that relationship. It’s no accident you’re together for this season. A time of departure may be on the horizon, but if God is going to bless both of you after, you’ve got to learn to be thankful for them first.

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October 29, 2018 · 5:42 AM

A Messy Life

Sometimes it’s easy to know what the right thing to do is, but it’s very difficult to do it. In my own life, I’ve found that I’ve passed on doing the right thing because my pride got in the way. Other times I didn’t do the right thing because my flesh wanted it and I gave in. In any of those cases, I can tell you that it’s created a mess. I’ve found that when I get into a habit of choosing the wrong thing, my life becomes a mess and it takes a while to make things right.

One of things I like to tell my son is, “You know the great thing about a mess? They can always be cleaned up.” No matter how much of a mess our life can be, it can always be cleaned up. It can take years sometimes, but once we determine to add God to the equation, miracles happen. I believe that messes are the incubators for miracles. When things look so bad that there’s no way out, He can make a way.

The person who wrote Psalm 119 was a person who made some messes in his life and didn’t want to make any more. In verse 31 they prayed, “Lord, don’t allow me to make a mess of my life, for I cling to your commands and follow them as closely as I can” (TPT). They understood that it takes prayer, knowing God’s Word and following no matter what to keep from creating messes. If you’ve made a mess already, it can be cleaned up with God’s help and choosing to do the right thing going forward. If you want to prevent future messes, continue to follow God’s Word. It has all the instructions you need.

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October 25, 2018 · 5:00 AM

Surrender

Throwback Thursday is a new feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other writing ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

White flag. Tap out. Give up. Submit. Yield. Say, “Uncle.” Throw in the towel. Surrender. I don’t know anyone who likes to do it. Surrendering is admitting defeat. It’s embarrassing really. I, like you, don’t like to give up. I don’t like to face defeat. It goes against everything in me. Maybe you’re the same. When all the odds are against you, do you play a theme song to pump you up? Maybe it’s “The Eye of the Tiger” or “This is my Fight Song” or whatever, but when it plays and pumps you up to keep you from surrendering and giving in.

In the prophet Jeremiah’s day, Jerusalem was under siege and there was very little hope. God was pronouncing His judgement against the people who had turned their back on Him. They refused to repent so God was sending them into captivity. The king secretly went to Jeremiah to ask what he should do. Jeremiah told him if he wanted to live, he needed to surrender. In Jeremiah 38:19, the king responded, “But I am afraid to surrender” (NLT). He was too afraid of how he would appear if he surrendered, so he disobeyed and it cost him his freedom.

Romans 8 tells us that the flesh and the spirit are at a constant war with each other. The flesh wants to do things its own way, and the spirit wants us to follow God’s way. For so many Christians, it’s a daily struggle and a guess as to which side will win. As Jesus said in the Garden of Gethsemane, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” More times than not, our flesh wins because we fail to surrender to God’s plan for our lives. Surrender is so foreign to our flesh that we fight against what the spirit is trying to accomplish in our lives.

In Luke 14:33, Jesus put it this way, “Likewise, unless you surrender all to me, giving up all you possess, you cannot be one of my disciples” (TPT). If we truly want to be God’s disciples, we have to be willing to surrender all we have for all He offers. According to Romans 8:13, when we surrender to what the spirit wants, we will live. You and I are given the same choice that the king of Israel had. Don’t make the same mistake he did. Surrender and live.

What is God asking you to surrender today in order to be His disciple?

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