Tag Archives: what does the bible say about

October 5, 2023 · 5:30 AM

Moving Toward Your Destiny

I spend a lot of time thinking about the future. Not just the future, my future and the plans God has for me. I wonder when the dreams and plans He has for me will happen. I try to make plans and prepare myself for the things He wants to do through me. Then there are times when I think about my past. I think about the ugly details and can’t help but wonder if my past is the thing keeping me from the future God has for me. It’s easy to look behind me and then mentally disqualify myself. It’s usually in those moments I hear the still small voice say, “You can’t undo my calling on your life. Just keep being faithful in the little things.”

Peter is a disciple we like to pick on, but his faith enabled him to do things that were written about. There were moments when he had great revelation and times when Jesus rebuked him openly. Jesus once told Him that He would use him as the foundation to build His Church on. Yet Peter is also the person who denied even knowing Jesus. I’m sure he wrestled with the same thoughts I do. Had he messed up so badly that God changed His plan him? That’s why I love that Jesus imparted the blessing to him by asking Peter if he loved Him. When Peter said yes, Jesus comforted him and told him that the deal was still on by telling him to feed His sheep. His past didn’t matter. His heart did.

Psalm 139:5 says, “You’ve gone into my future to prepare the way, and in kindness you follow behind me to spare me from the harm of my past. With your hand of love upon my life, you impart a blessing to me” (TPT). Man looks on the outward appearance of things looking to disqualify ourselves or someone else from their calling, but God looks at our heart and the plans He has for us. He prepares the way and opens the doors for us. He uses the mistakes of our past, no matter how bad they were, to help us reach broken people with authenticity. He speaks His blessings of approval over us like He did for Peter. Do you love Him? Then go do what He’s called you to do. Quit worrying about all these other things and focus on your love for Him. He’s already prepared your way, so get moving on it toward your destiny.

Photo courtesy of Joel Protasio on Unsplash

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 4, 2023 · 5:51 AM

Burning The Ships

One of the most well known stories of the New World (whether true or not) is about Hernan Cortez. You may remember him from your history class back in the day. The story goes that in 1519 he had plans to conquer Mexico. As his men left their ships he wanted them to understand there was no turning back to their previous life. There also wasn’t room for failure, so he destroyed the ships. He wanted them to fight with everything they had and to leave the past behind. They fought for years to conquer the land. With the help of Allie’s they created, the weapons they brought and their determination, they were able to defeat the Aztecs and pave the way for the Spanish forces to colonize Mexico. The story of Cortez burning the ships has been used throughout history to illustrate points because it illustrates so many things including leaving things behind.

The Bible shares the story of the patriarch of Israel. God approached Abram, as he was called at that time, to ask him to leave his father and mother. Abram was asked to travel to a distant land that he didn’t know about or even which direction it was. I don’t know if Abram had to think about it or gave an immediate yes, but he left his life behind to follow where God led. Along with his story, Hebrews 11 also tells the account of Moses. Verse 24 says that when he matured, he refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. Instead of clinging to his comfortable life, he stood up for the freedom of the Hebrews. His burn the ships moment came when he stood before Pharaoh and demanded that they be let go. Because of their faith and willingness to walk away, God used them in mighty ways.

In Matthew 10:39 Jesus said, “Those who cling to their lives will give up true life. But those who let go of their lives for my sake and surrender it all to me will discover true life!” (TPT) What has God asked you to leave behind? Have you burned those ships or are you keeping an open door to them? We tend to try to leave a way back because it’s comfortable to us, but that way back impedes our progress. Jesus has asked us to give Him our whole heart and life. Surrendering to Him and His will is the on,y way to the abundant life He offers. It’s time we all had a burn the ships moment in our life where we commit fully to the life He called us to. We like to identify with the results of Abraham, Moses and others listed in Hebrews 11, but not with the cost. True discipleship, true Christianity, is to no longer cling to the things that hold us back and to fully surrender our lives to Him. Ask Him today to show you what things you need to let go of and then fully commit to living the life He’s called you to.

Photo by Nathan Trampe on Unsplash

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October 3, 2023 · 5:49 AM

Controlling Your Words

When a toddler is mad at someone and wants to hurt them, they use their mouth to bite them. When they get a little older and they want to hurt someone, they say, “You’re not my best friend!” As they age a little more, they start name calling. Then the preteen and teen years come and the put downs start. It’s not long before they’re married, and when they get into an argument with their spouse, they use their words to attack the vulnerabilities of the person they love most in the world. No one has to teach us to use words to hurt. It starts at a very young age and if we don’t learn to control that urge, we’ll leave a lot of hurting people in our wake.

In Genesis 37, Joseph shared his God given dream with his brothers. Verse 8 says, “His brothers responded, ‘So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?’ And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them” (NLT). Their put downs of Joseph turned into murmuring among themselves about Joseph. Those words became a breeding ground for bitterness and hate until finally they decided to kill him. Instead they sold him into slavery for 14 years until God raised him up to be second in command of Egypt which saved his family. When they realized it was him, they were scared. But in Genesis 50:20, he spoke kindness to them, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” His words restored the relationship.

Ephesians 4:29 says, “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” You and I have a choice every day of how to use our words. We can use them to tear people down or to build them up. In this passage, Paul leads up to this verse telling us as believers to not lie or to sin when we get angry. Instead of using our words in anger towards someone, we must learn to edify. The power of life and death is in the words you use. Don’t go shooting it off just because you’re mad, angry or upset. Think about how your words will be interpreted and the ramifications of what you say because once words get past your lips, you can never get them back. Make it a habit to praise the people around you and watch lives change including yours.

Photo by Sujal Patel on Unsplash

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October 2, 2023 · 5:45 AM

Dealing With Doubt

Doubt is one of those things that we don’t really talk about when we go through it. The thoughts come in, we try to dismiss them away, but sometimes they linger. If you grew up in church and come from a family of generational Christians it’s natural for the enemy to try to plant seeds of doubt in your mind, especially after a tragic event or death of a close family member. We don’t talk about it because of the way we were raised, but if those thoughts linger, they will begin to show up in our actions. The good news is that when we go through periods of doubt, research shows that it gives us a chance to strengthen our relationship with Jesus and to let our roots grow deeper into Him. Doubt often produces a stronger faith. The faith we talked about our whole life becomes real when we experience God intervening in our life and revealing Himself to us.

In John 20, Jesus had resurrected from the dead. Peter and John had been to the empty tomb, but only Mary Magdalene saw Him. Doubt filled their minds I’m sure, but Jesus appeared to all of them that night with the exception of Thomas. He wasn’t in the room. When they tried to tell him their experience, he didn’t believe and famously said, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side” (verse 25 NLT). We’ve nicknamed him and shamed him by calling him “Doubting Thomas”, but the truth is we all doubt at times and need God to reveal Himself to us in a real way. We all look for those moments we can look back on and say, “I know that was God!”

In Psalm 94:19 David says, “When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.” Even King David, who slayed a giant, experienced doubts but he always went back to God’s Word and found comfort in God. Romans 10:17 reminds us that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. When doubts arise, read the Bible, go to the Lord in honest prayer and let another Christian you know and trust pray with you. We all experience periods and moments of doubt. Let them drive you to know God more and to have that moment where you place your finger in His hands and put your hand in His side so to speak. He is willing to let you experience it to grow your faith. Don’t let doubt chase you away. Use it to grow deeper in your relationship with Him.

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September 29, 2023 · 5:42 AM

Embracing Truth

In John 18, Pilate was questioning Jesus and asked if He was a king. “You are right.” Jesus said, “I was born a King, and I have come into this world to prove what truth really is. And everyone who loves the truth will receive my words” (TPT). Then Pilate asked, lWhat is truth?” The Bible didn’t record Jesus’ answer. He had already told us that He is the truth earlier in His ministry. Truth is not something that you and I create, nor can we have our own truth since truth comes from God Himself. The truth is what God says over what your eyes see or your mind thinks. The truth of who you are is who He says you are, not what your circumstances try to dictate. His truth is greater than anything because His truth frees us from lies, overrides the lies of the enemy and sets us right with Him. We must learn to believe in and embrace His truth.

Here are some Bible verses on God’s truth.

1. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.

John 16:13 NLT

2. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.

John 17:17 NLT

3. Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].

Philippians 4:8 AMP

4. For if you embrace the truth, it will release true freedom into your lives.

John 8:32 TPT

5. Put on truth as a belt to strengthen you to stand in triumph. Put on holiness as the protective armor that covers your heart.

Ephesians 6:14 TPT

Photo by Михаил Секацкий on Unsplash

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September 28, 2023 · 5:30 AM

Keep Failing

Several years ago I decided I was ready for the next step in my career. I wanted to be the General Manager of a retail store. I put on my suit, rehearsed answers of my achievements, thought of people I had helped get promoted and confidently walked into the interview. The District Manager followed the script for a little while then said, “I hate these questions. They don’t really tell me anything. Tell me about a time when you failed.” I sat there with a blank face. My heart was pounding. I thought, “A failure? Why does he want to know about my failures? Is he trying to keep me from the job?” As I searched for a good failure, I asked him to repeat the question. I then gave him a failure when everything turned out good, but he wasn’t satisfied. He wanted one where I crashed and burned because he wanted to see how I responded to it.

Our past failures are something that so many of us try to hide. In fact, we are so afraid of failure that we typically won’t ever put ourselves in a position to fail at doing something. We try to stick with what we know so that we’re always succeeding. What my District Manager wanted to see if I had learned that failure is the greatest teacher. It is also our path to grace. If we never fail, we have no need for grace. If we never try to do something beyond our abilities, we also keep our faith small by never trusting God to do something through us. God rarely calls us to do things that we can do in our own strength and abilities because He knows pride is always knocking on our door waiting to take credit for our successes. However, when we do things beyond our abilities, it forces us to seek and rely on Him.

James 1:5 says, “And if anyone longs to be wise, ask God for wisdom and he will give it! He won’t see your lack of wisdom as an opportunity to scold you over your failures but he will overwhelm your failures with his generous grace” (TPT). God doesn’t ridicule your failures. He’s not waiting to strike you down when you fail either. He sees them as opportunities to grow us and to lavish His grace on us. When we’re called to something greater than our abilities, seek His wisdom first, then step out in faith and do it. If you fail, it doesn’t mean you didn’t hear God or that He didn’t come through for you. It quite often means you and God have two different definitions of failure and success. Don’t let what you think is a failure keep you down. Get back up, trust His grace and keep walking in faith because to keep playing things safe is truly a failure.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio.

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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September 27, 2023 · 5:42 AM

Forgiving The Past

Pastor Robert Morris of Gateway church told the story of a time he was on stage about to preach. While he was looking out into the audience, the Holy Spirit pointed out a woman to him. When he stepped up to preach he started talking to her from the pulpit. He said, “The Holy Spirit showed you to me and asked, “Do you know her past?” With that, the woman looked down in shame. He said, “I told Him, ‘No, Lord. I don’t know her past.’” He then asked her to look at him. He then said, “I heard the Spirit say back, ‘Neither do I!’” She began to smile. He then told her, “Ma’am, God knows everything about you and He has chosen not to remember your sins. It’s time for you to choose to not remember them anymore as well.”

In John 8, Jesus was minding His own business when a group of men making a commotion came up to Him forcing a woman to come along. They told him in front of everyone that she had been caught in the act of adultery. They reminded Him how the Law of Moses said that she deserved to be stoned to death. With rocks in their hands, they asked Jesus, “What is your verdict?” After drawing in the sand He said, “Let the one who is without sin throw the first stone.” One by one they dropped their rocks and walked away. Jesus looked at her and asked if there was anyone left to condemn her. She told him no. Then in verse 11 He said, “I do not condemn you either. Go. From now on sin no more” (AMP). She walked away from that meeting forgiven and with a new outlook.

Hebrews 10:17 says, “And their sins and their lawless acts I will remember no more [no longer holding their sins against them].” If you have asked God to forgive your sins and repented, they are forgiven and forgotten. It’s time for you to forgive yourself and let go of your past. Quit allowing the enemy to use it to shame you and hold you back. They’re gone! Let them go too and walk in freedom starting today. The price of your sins were paid for by the blood of Jesus. You don’t have to live in shame or hold yourself back trying to pay for them yourself. If Jesus’ death wasn’t enough, there’s nothing you could do to make up for them. It was for you to walk in freedom that He set you free (Galatians 5:1). It’s time to step out of your self imposed prison. God has forgotten your past. It’s time for you to forget it too.

Photo by Jametlene Reskp on Unsplash

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September 26, 2023 · 5:39 AM

No Comparison

One of the most exclusive clubs in the world is to be a president of the United States. Each one has a legacy and way that they’ve run the country. New asters and people alike compare them against each other constantly. I imagine that being in that role it would be hard not to compare yourself against the presidents who came before you. Teddy Roosevelt fell into that trap, but soon learned the lesson of comparing yourself to someone else. He wisely said that comparison is the thief of joy. If I’m constantly comparing myself to another person, it’s hard to be happy, yet it’s something we all do. We try to measure ourselves against someone else to gauge how we’re doing. The problem is while we’re all running a race, we’re on different tracks. There’s no way to truly compare.

In John 21 Peter was slipping into that mindset. He had betrayed Jesus three times and decided he wasn’t worthy to continue being a disciple. After all, in his mind, no one else had betrayed Jesus. After not catching fish all night, they heard Jesus tell them to cast their nets on the other side again. They then had breakfast and Jesus pulled Peter aside to ask him if he loved Him and to tell him to feed His sheep. Jesus then told Peter, “Follow me,” again. He then told Peter how he would die one day. John was nearby and Peter asked Jesus about him. Jesus replied, “If I want him to stay alive until I come [again], what is that to you? You follow Me!” (AMP) Jesus was telling him not to compare himself with John. He wasn’t called to do what john was. He had his own race to run.

Galatians 6:4 says, “But each one must carefully scrutinize his own work [examining his actions, attitudes, and behavior], and then he can have the personal satisfaction and inner joy of doing something commendable without comparing himself to another.” If you’re going to compare yourself to someone, compare yourself to Jesus. He is our measuring stick and we’re all going to fall short which keeps us humble and shows us our need for Him. Don’t let pride trick you into looking at someone else other than Jesus so you feel better about yourself. Run your own race and follow the path God has for you. That is how you maintain joy in your relationship with Him and will continue to follow Him because you’re keeping your eyes on Him and not someone else.

Photo by Caleb George on Unsplash

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September 25, 2023 · 5:21 AM

Heaven’s Ambassador

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and knowing a lady who is an ambassador from another country. She’s not like the ambassadors and diplomats they portray in movies. She doesn’t drive around in a car with her country’s flags flying from the hood. What she does is the work of an ambassador. She works as a liaison between her country and the United States. Her goal, like all ambassadors, is to build relationships, to communicate important information and to promote programs that benefit both countries. She has fascinating stories of the work her office does and honestly inspires people to want to visit her country when she talks about it. Her work is never done it seems. She is always traveling and educating and promoting.

In John 20, we read the story of the women who went to the tomb of Jesus and found the stone had been moved. When they told the disciples, Peter and John raced to it to find it empty as well. That night, as they were talking about it, Jesus appeared to them. He showed them His scars and wounds. They rejoiced because it was really Him. Then in verse 21 He said to them, “Peace to you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you [as My representatives]” (AMP). He then instructed them to do the work of an ambassador. However, His call wasn’t just to them in this moment. It goes out to you and I as well.

2 Corinthians 5:20 says, “So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us; we [as Christ’s representatives] plead with you on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God.” Wherever you go, you are His representative to promote His Kingdom here on earth. You should be communicating His love for others, giving your testimony, telling stories of what God has done for you and inspiring others to want to go to Heaven. You don’t have to fly the Christian flag from the hood of your car announcing it everywhere you go that you’re an ambassador, but you should be living in such a way that’s different from the customs of this world. As you go about your day today, look for opportunities to be His representative so you can make a difference in the lives of others and build a bridge between them and God.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash

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September 22, 2023 · 5:14 AM

Don’t Neglect Your Responsibilities

Did you know that to neglect something is to not give attention to something that is your responsibility? I have a friend who went to buy a house recently. The house had never been lived in and was beautiful. The problem was that it had been built ten years early. The couple who built it went through a divorce during the building process and could never agree on selling it. When they finally did, the years of neglect had taken its toll and made it unlivable. The same thing happens to all things we neglect. The Bible is very specific on many things that God says we should never neglect so that they don’t become unusable. These things the Bible mentions are our responsibility to care for and maintain on a regular basis.

Here are some Bible verses on things we shouldn’t neglect.

1. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.

1 Timothy 4:14 ESV

2. So be careful to obey and do everything that is written in the book of the Law of Moses. Do not neglect any part of it.

Joshua 23:6 GNT

3. Give respect to your father and mother, for without them you wouldn’t even be here. And don’t neglect them when they grow old.

Proverbs 23:22 TPT

4. Do not neglect to extend hospitality to strangers [especially among the family of believers—being friendly, cordial, and gracious, sharing the comforts of your home and doing your part generously], for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.

Hebrews 13:2 AMP

5. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Hebrews 10:25 NLT

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