Tag Archives: what does the bible say about

October 19, 2023 · 5:30 AM

Intimate Conversations

Whenever I travel for work, it’s important to stay in contact with my wife. Sometimes when we end up talking I’m at the airport or I’m at dinner or while I’m with coworkers. It’s hard to have good conversations in those places. It’s often noisy, people are trying to get my attention or I’m trying to find where I’m going so I’m somewhat distracted. The best conversations are when I’m away from all the noise in the quiet of my hotel room. Only then can we truly have interruption free conversations where it doesn’t have to be quick snippets.

Luke 5:16 says, “As often as possible Jesus withdrew to out-of-the-way places for prayer” (MSG). Having intimate conversations with His father while He was here was important to Him. People were constantly vying for His attention and needing a miracle. He just wanted to have a quiet, uninterrupted conversation. Many times He had those quick conversations in front of people, but very often we read where Jesus went to a desolate place to pray. If it was important for Him to do that, how much more important for us?

At one point, Jesus told us to go into our closet to pray. I don’t know that He meant that literally. I think what He was saying was that we need to find a quiet place where we can have some uninterrupted prayer time. We can’t always go to an out of the way place to pray, but we can find space to get alone with Him. It may be a closet or it could be before everyone wakes up or after they go to bed, but we each need to find time to get alone with God so we can have intimate conversations with Him. I believe the quality of our relationship with Him hinges on it.

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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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October 18, 2023 · 5:43 AM

God Values You

I’ve been with people in the darkest moment of their life. Each time I get the call when they say they’ve reached their limit and life isn’t worth living, I begin to pray to ask God what to say. I ask Him to fight for their life through me. Because of that, I’ve been in some tough battles to keep them alive. The lies that the enemy is telling them are so loud in their mind and so believable that they can’t hear me at times. I remind them that the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy, but God brings abundant life. I remind them how much they’re loved by Him. I stay with them as long as it takes for them to get a breakthrough which can sometimes be a while. God doesn’t want anyone to perish. He loves and values each life.

When you think of a shepherd, do you have the image of a peaceful, quiet person roaming the hillside with their staff? That’s how I picture it, but honestly, they’re warriors who fight for their sheep like God does. Look in 1 Samuel 17 where David has heard Goliath threaten God’s flock. He’s ready to go fight a guy twice his size and who has been a warrior since he was young. Saul had the same image of a shepherd that I do and didn’t want to let him fight. “But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and attacked it and rescued the lamb from its mouth; and when it rose up against me, I seized it by its whiskers and struck and killed it’” (1 Samuel 17:24-24 AMP). A shepherd loves and values the life of each sheep and doesn’t want any to perish.

Exodus 14:14 says, “The Lord will fight for you while you [only need to] keep silent and remain calm.” God will fight the enemy of your would because He is a good shepherd. He values you and your life. The voices that tell you otherwise are not from God. He is your shepherd who wants to lead you to restore your soul in His green pastures. He wants to renew your strength and to guide you to His paths. Even when you pass through the darkest valleys of life under the shadow of death, He will guide, protect and fight for you with His rod and His staff. He will prepare a feast for you in the presence of the enemy of your soul and give you the blessings of goodness and mercy to follow you the rest of your life. He won’t sit idly by when it comes to your soul because you are valued and prized. He will leave the 99 to fight for you because He is a warrior who loves you.

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October 17, 2023 · 5:39 AM

Complete Faith

I grew up hearing the stories of George Mueller. He was a man of faith who lived in the early 1800’s and cared for over 10,000 orphans in his lifetime. One morning the head mistress of the 300 children in the orphanage told him that the kids were dressed for school, but they didn’t have anything for breakfast or any money to purchase it. George told the kids to sit at the tables and they put out their place settings. He then thanked the Lord for providing food. Just then the local baker knocked on the door. He said he couldn’t sleep and thought the kids could use some bread. He baked all night and brought it to them. As soon as he left, there was another knock at the door. A milkman said his cart broke down just outside and he needed to get rid of the milk before it went bad. George kept a prayer journal and in it had over 50,000 times when God answered his prayers.

In Joshua 3, the Israelites had left the desert and were ready to enter the Promised Land. After a three day fast, the people consecrated themselves before entering. While Joshua was praying, God said, “Give this command to the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant: ‘When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river and stop there’” (NLT). In order for them to be able cross the Jordan, they had to step into the mud and the water. When the priests, carrying the Ark of the Covenant, stepped into the water, God then stopped the river so they could pass through on dry ground. When everyone had crossed, the priests stepped out of the middle of the river and it began to flow again.

James 2 tells us how our faith and actions are interlinked. He used Abraham putting Isaac on the altar trusting God to provide as an example. In verse 22 it says, “You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete.” In almost every example I can find, people acted in faith before God answered their prayer. Not only did they ask God to provide or to help, they sat the kids down to eat, they stepped into a raging river and they tied up their son and raised the knife. Faith and action are interlinked. What is the step of faith God wants for from you for the prayers you’re asking Him for to be answered? Don’t just pray and believe. Act! Let your actions make your faith complete.

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October 16, 2023 · 5:47 AM

Seeking God’s Plan

We recent,y had a guest speaker at church who is also a professor at a Christian college. He told the story of how one of his classes asked him, “What do you think Christians struggle with most?” He then posed it to the audience and fielded responses. Some said loving others, obedience, overcoming temptation, etc. All the usual suspects were called out. He then said he asked his class for two days to ponder the question. As he thought about it, there wasn’t an answer for Christians as a whole because Christianity is made up of unique individuals with their own propensities and struggles. As I’ve thought about my own personal answer to that question, I’ve also thought about us as a whole and how we are good about praising God, but then forgetting what He’s done in the past, as well as, making decisions without involving Him or seeking His plan for us.

In 1 Samuel 13 King Saul been king for a couple of years and had seen God miraculously deliver him and the army in battle. In this instance, he had attacked a garrison of the Philistine army and then called the warriors to him for battle. While the arrived, he waited for Samuel to arrive to sacrifice and to seek God’s guidance and blessing. He began to see the Philistine army arrive in force and panicked. He made the sacrifice himself and the kingdom was taken from him. He acted much like israel did when leaving Egypt. They had seen God’s hand deliver them with the plagues, yet they forgot and began to doubt God at the Red Sea. Psalm 106:12-13 says, “Then Israel believed in [the validity of] His words; They sang His praise. But they quickly forgot His works; They did not [patiently] wait for His counsel and purpose [to be revealed regarding them]” (AMP). In each of these instances the consequences of forgetting and acting without waiting on God had dire consequences.

Proverbs 19:21 says, “You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail” (NLT). Is this something you struggle with too? The consequences are too dire for us to continue trying to execute our own plan without seeking what God’s plan is. There’s too much at stake when we forget what He’s done in the past for us. James 1:5 tells us He will give us wisdom if we seek Him for it. In Matthew 6 Jesus told us to seek God’s kingdom first then everything else will fall into place. Let’s work on keeping our eyes and hearts focused on God even when our current circumstances want to make us doubt and forget what He’s done for us in the past. Let’s ask Him what His plan is for us and then give Him the freedom to execute it because His plan and purpose for us is what’s going to succeed. You probably won’t overcome your struggle overnight, but you can focus on getting a little bit better each day.

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October 13, 2023 · 5:29 AM

Every Good Thing

One of the habits that my wife and I are developing is to stop and thank God on the spot when something good happens. We’re pretty good at praying and taking our needs to Him, but most of the time when He answers, we just celebrate and move on. We believe it’s important to recognize when God answers. What we know about God is that every good and perfect gift we receive comes from Him (James 1:17). When good things happen, it’s from God. Think back over the last week, month and year. How many good things has God given you? Take time to thank Him for all the good things He’s done and given you because every good thing comes from Him.

Here are some Bible verses on good things from God.

1. You have done many good things for me, Lord, just as you promised.

Psalms 119:65 NLT

2. Lord, how wonderful you are! You have stored up so many good things for us, like a treasure chest heaped up and spilling over with blessings— all for those who honor and worship you! Everybody knows what you can do for those who turn and hide themselves in you.

Psalms 31:19 TPT

3. You satisfy my every desire with good things. You’ve supercharged my life so that I soar again like a flying eagle in the sky!

Psalms 103:5 TPT

4. As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Matthew 7:11 GNT

5. They all wait for You To give them their food in its appointed season. You give it to them, they gather it up; You open Your hand, they are filled and satisfied with good [things].

Psalms 104:27-28 AMP

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October 12, 2023 · 5:30 AM

A Breath Of Fresh Air

When I was a senior in high school, I was given the gift of the trip of a lifetime to go camping in the Canadian Rockies. I went with a small group of other high school students who had completed the same milestone in this scouting program. As we pulled up to our first camping spot somewhere near Banff, Alberta, I remember the view was incredible. One of the trip leaders got out of the van and said, “Boys, get out here and take a deep breath of this fresh, mountain air!” I remember taking that breath. The air was crisp and cool. I think one of us even coughed from taking such a deep breath. The leader said, “That’s right! Get that city air out of your lungs. You’re breathing fresh air up here.”

When You read the creation account in Genesis, you will read that God formed man out of the dust of the ground. He shaped him, gave him fingers and toes, arms and legs, a brain, a heart and even lungs. Man has everything he needed to live, but was still laying lifeless on the ground until God bent down and blew the breath of life into his nostrils. His lungs filled with air and man became a living being. I believe that every one of us have that breath of life in us, but it gets covered up by the polluted air we breathe in this world. One way to replace that polluted air is to read the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “God has transmitted his very substance into every Scripture, for it is God-breathed” (TPT). When we breathe in the Word of God, we breathe in what God exhaled and our lungs are filled with fresh air.

What will we do with that fresh air? Will we let it become polluted again or will we use it to allow others to breath in fresh air? In 2 Timothy 1:16, Paul wrote, “So many times Onesiphorus was like a breath of fresh air to me and never seemed to be ashamed of my chains.” Even Paul, who wrote most of the New Testament needed someone to be a breath of fresh air to him encouraging him with the Words of God. If he needed it, how much more do the people around you? The problem is that we can only breathe out what we breathe in. What have you been breathing in? Is what you’re breathing out life giving? Is it fresh air to those around you? If not, spend more time in God’s Word asking Him to fill, your lungs with His breath of life so that you can be someone who is a breath of fresh air wherever you go.

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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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October 11, 2023 · 4:51 AM

The Good Shepherd

Shepherding isn’t as common as it was when the Bible was written. Because it’s not part of our every day life, we lose some of the imagery of the Bible when it refers to them. I read a book where a pastor went to live with Bedouin shepherds in the Middle East for a year to help him understand it more called, “While Shepherds Watch Their Flock”. In one of his stories he asked them what it took to be a shepherd. He got various responses, but one stood out. This gentleman said that you have to have a heart for it and the sheep. He then said that his own son didn’t have a heart for the sheep. He followed that up by saying that because of that, he didn’t deserve the sheep and that he would rather sell his flocks than to give them to someone who didn’t love them because they wouldn’t care for them.

In John 10 Jesus shared the parable of the good shepherd. This shepherd knew his sheep and they knew him. They also knew his voice and followed him. He also shared how the shepherd protects the sheep and is the door for the sheep to enter and go out through because the enemy steals, kills and destroys the sheep. Then in verse 14 Jesus made it plain by saying, “I am the Good Shepherd, and I know [without any doubt those who are] My own and My own know Me [and have a deep, personal relationship with Me]” (AMP). As a shepherd, He has a heart for you and I. He knows us by name, cares for us and protects us. As sheep, we must listen for His voice and follow where He leads to receive what we need from Him.

In Ezekiel 34:12 God said that as a shepherd cares for his sheep, so He cares for us. Then in verse 16a He says, “I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bandage the crippled, and strengthen the weak and the sick.” As sheep, we are in constant need of our shepherd. We tend to wander off, try to do things on our own and get hurt. God, our shepherd, is there looking for us to bring us back into His protection, guidance and care. When we’re hurt, He bandages us up. When we’re sick, He heals us. He also strengthens us when we are weak because His grace is sufficient for us. You are not alone while facing these. The enemy who Jesus referred to wants you to feel like the shepherd doesn’t care or can’t see you, but nothing is further from the truth. He has the heart of a shepherd because He is the Great Shepherd. Call out to Him today with your needs and let Him rescue you through a deep, personal relationship with Him.

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October 10, 2023 · 5:43 AM

Motivated By Love

Think of some things you’ve done and accomplished. What was the motivation behind them? What drove you to accomplish them? I’ve been motivated by money in order to get something done. I’ve been motivated to be the best so much that it pushed me to my limits. I’ve been motivated by wanting to prove people wrong. I’ve also been motivated by my pride so that I was seen and praised. However, to be motivated by love is completely different. That causes us to go above and beyond. When asked what the greatest commandment is, Jesus told them that it was to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Then He said that the second one was to love others as we love ourselves. Love for God and others should motivate our actions.

In 2 Samuel 9 King David asked if there was anyone left alive in the House of Saul whom he could show kindness to because of his love for Jonathan. They told him that one of Jonathan’s sons had survived, but he had become crippled while being carried from his home once word came out that the king and Jonathan had been killed. This son, Mephibosheth, had been living in fear since he was young that the new king would find him and kill him to end the line of Saul. When he was summoned to the king, I’m sure he was terrified as he arrived. However, love casts out fear, and what he discovered was a man motivated by love and not fear of losing his kingdom. He was invited to stay there and sit at the kings table all the days of his life. This act of love from David pulled Mephibosheth from a life of hiding and obscurity into the life he was born into. He lived a life of abundance from then on and David was blessed because of his act of love.

1 Corinthians 16:14 says, “Let everything you do be done in love [motivated and inspired by God’s love for us]” (AMP). We love because God loved us first. We are to be motivated by that love in everything we do. Going back to my initial question, what’s the motivation behind what you’re planning to do? If it’s anything other than love, it’s time to reconsider how being motivated by love would change your actions. It’s not easy to do everything with a love that unselfishly seeks the betterment of others. We have to fight our selfish nature that wants to do things that are motivated by making you feel better, that benefit you and or bring attention to you. That is the opposite of what the Bible is asking us to do. Our motivating factors should be a love that honors God and benefits Him or honors and benefits others. It’s not easy, but it’s right.

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October 9, 2023 · 5:43 AM

Yielding To God’s Process

In high school I was on the varsity basketball team. At the beginning of each season coach would run us a lot to condition our body. He would make us do jumping exercises too so we could increase our vertical leap. It was after we were worn out that we would begin shooting practice. He wanted us in mid game condition so we could learn to shoot while our boys was tired. After that, we went through our plays and then ran some more. Finally, we had to make 100 free throws before we could leave. Coach always pushed us hard because he understood that while we had skills and talent, there was a gap from where we were to where we could be. His job was to increase our skills and our endurance which meant he had to push us.

Early in the Gospels we read where Jesus called the disciples to follow Him. Some were fishing when He asked them to give up catching fish so they could learn to fish for men. Matthew was in his tax collection booth when Jesus called and redeemed him. Each one he called was asked to give up their life, their routine and their normal life in order to learn from Him. They lived a nomadic life while they listened to each sermon, watched the compassion Jesus had and asked questions around the campfire at night. Jesus pushed these 12 men to be more than they were. He taught them, trained them and gave them opportunities to put into practice what He did. When He went to Heaven, they grew even more and turned the world upside down. It didn’t make sense to the outside observer, but because they had spent time with Jesus and submitted to being disciples, they changed the world.

Hebrews 12:11 says, “Now all discipline seems to be painful at the time, yet later it will produce a transformation of character, bringing a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who yield to it” (TPT). God sees potential in you and wants to help you reach that potential. There’s a gap between where you are right now and where you could be. In order to get there, you’re going to have to submit to His process of discipleship. You’re going to have to endure being uncomfortable, being pushed and stretched so that He can produce in you a harvest like you’ve never experienced. It starts with yielding to Him as the authority of your life. You must give Him control rather than just letting Him be a guide. Discipleship is sitting at His feet, learning from Him, giving up what you want for what He wants and accepting His plan over yours. Only then will you reach the potential He’s placed in you and bring in a harvest like never before.

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October 6, 2023 · 5:27 AM

Being Open

One of the things I talk with people about is the difference between open posture and closed posture, as well as asking open questions versus closed. In each of these cases, the open one gives you more of what you’re looking for. The same is true when it comes to our relationship with God. There is a difference in our lives when we’re open to the things He wants to do in our lives versus being closed to them. The person who is open to God experiences more fullness in their life because He’s able to accomplish more through those who are open. Think about Jonah. He was closed to what God wanted to do in his life and through him. By contrast, Mary, the mother of Jesus was open. She prayed, “Be it unto me according to your word.” Their lives were drastically different. Take time today to let God know you are open to His will, His plans and His Word.

Here are some Bible verses on being open.

1. O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise.

Psalms 51:15 AMP

2. Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

Luke 24:45 NLT

3. Open my eyes [to spiritual truth] so that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law.

Psalms 119:18 AMP

4. Open your homes to each other without complaining.

1 Peter 4:9 GNT

5. The one whose heart is open let him listen carefully to what the Spirit is saying now to the churches.

Revelation 3:22 TPT

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