Devotionals

Invest Your Life

In Luke 19:11-27, we find a parable Jesus taught to a crowd as they went up to Jerusalem for the Passover. It’s a familiar one, where a departing nobleman entrusted…

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Thank God in Troubles

As you see what’s happening in the world today, you see what’s happening in the Middle East, for example. You see what’s happening among people who are longing for their…

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Getting Unstuck

How many times have we struggled with being “stuck” in a particular holding pattern of thinking, reacting, and living? And maybe as we say here in the great state of…

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Dealing with Tragedy

“We seem to lurch from tragedy to tragedy, shooting to shooting, bombing to bombing. The kids didn’t deserve such a death. Their parents don’t deserve such grief. And we received…

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The Anatomy of Fear

Fear has its cause. It also has its consequences. If we left fear there, we’d be with little hope. Praise God, we don’t have to! The Christian has hope amidst fear. The…

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Conquer Fear

What is your fear? Fear may be driving down the interstate during rush hour traffic, speaking publicly, confronting a difficult person, seeing a spider, or walking into a large room…

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God of Many Generations

Our God is the God of many generations. Scripture makes that clear.  It’s even found in one of the names He uses for Himself: “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”  Exodus 3:6 God loves…

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God’s Final Act

“God’s dwelling place will be among His people, and He will be with them” (Revelation 21:3). Let me share with you a few takeaways from the book of Revelation. Everyone…

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Coming Home

Psalm 120: 6-7 “Too long have I lived among those who hate peace. I am a man of peace; but when I speak, they are for war.”   “I’m coming…

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The “I Am’s” of Christ

As the ancient Israelite people–suffering under the hands of the Egyptians–lifted their voices to God for help, He heard their cry and surprisingly responded by sending a fugitive, fearful, and…

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Praying God’s Word

For as long as I can remember, I have found such great comfort and “faith building” in the Scripture passage of Isaiah 55:8-11. When I came upon these verses in…

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In the Image of God

The other day I read a statement that was peculiar. The statement went something like this, “If an atheist does acts that are kind, loving and generous, (because it is…

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The Way Home

Bob sat on a bench across from the courthouse deep in his thoughts.  He was there to find his father.  He had never met him, but he had heard many…

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Choose Joy

Joy. The dictionary defines it as “the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying.” The apostle James tells us to “Consider it pure joy,…

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Psalm 95: How to Pray

Psalm 95 is a model for approaching God in prayer. It begins with praise and thanksgiving. The Apostle Paul seldom mentioned prayer in the New Testament without an attitude of gratitude.…

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A Light in the Dark

When the time was just right–being fulfilled according to God’s Divine decree–God sent His Son into His created world to become the man the rebellious world always needed, but never…

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He Sees Your Tears

Are you in a season of tears? Is the anguish of consequences from misdeeds long ago repented of still lingering? Is the anxiety climbing as you consider future financial prospects…

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Help Someone Repent

“All Scripture is . . . profitable for . . . reproof” (2 Tim. 3:16). People who aren’t interested in holy living will avoid being exposed to sound doctrine. Paul instructed…

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Name Your Struggle

Here is a word I haven’t dared to use when I’ve faced relationship issues or tensions in the past. I’ve avoided it. I’ve been afraid to name it. I’ve ignored…

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Am I Useful?

Discouragement creeps up on the best of us. It’s lurking in the corners of a promotion. It’s hiding in the shadows of being passed over. It’s slinking through the bends…

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Speak to the Storm!

Have You Learned to Speak To The Storm? In Mark 4:35-41, Jesus had just finished ministering to the multitudes…and He was about to display to His disciples His authoritative reign over the…

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We Must Believe!

There was a man, many years ago, who was intimately acquainted with Jesus. He and his two sisters were greatly loved by the Lord and fellowshipped with Him often. This…

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Exercise Your Faith

Talking of ants and not being a sluggard …. Good news for those of us who decided—quite reluctantly—that we needed more exercise! Well, we do. But not in the way we…

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Our Spiritual Body!

If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be? Most people want to change something about their physical appearance. Imagine having a body that doesn’t wear…

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You Have a Choice

I always love how the Holy Spirit gently nudges when He has something to share… Upon returning home from the magnificent Southern Rocky Mountains, there was something that resonated deep within…

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Release that Past!

As we begin to talk I would ask you, “At the perfect age you are now, do you have any regrets… any “what ifs”… any “what could have beens”… anything that you…

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I Am Always with You

Christ’s departure from this planet was not a departure from His church. He promised His disciples before He ascended to heaven, “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). And in…

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Why Should We Judge?

The church at Corinth was very tolerant of certain kinds of evil behavior in their midst. And instead of being ashamed over this tolerance of evil, they were actually proud…

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Sticks and Stones

“Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you.” Have you ever heard something so ridiculous? Anyone who has ever been crushed under the weight of…

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Believe! Don’t Doubt

Most non-Christians aren’t looking for a debate, but they are bombarded by a tidal wave of media that goes against the idea of faith. Non-Christians are plagued by questions like…

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You Serve in God’s Army

Ephesians 6:10-12: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our…

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Born for Such a Time as This

“Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.” Esther 4:14b [Mordecai speaking to Esther] Beloved, absorb this with your whole heart: You are royalty.…

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How to Heal from Betrayal

A while back, I received this desperate text from a hurting friend. She had discovered that some ministry leaders she greatly admired and who had played a significant role in…

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If Only

The widest river in the world is not the Mississippi, Amazon, or Nile. The widest river on earth is a body of water called If Only. Throngs of people stand on…

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God Has Called You Forward

Throughout the Bible, God consistently leads His people in one direction: “Press on…look ahead…forget what lies behind…REACH FORWARD to what lies ahead” (Philippians 3:12-14). Just as the Apostle Paul challenged the…

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Why Have a Sabbath?

Bible Reading: Mark 2:23-28 The Sabbath was made to benefit people, and not people to benefit the Sabbath. Mark 2:27 Peter, Andrew, John, and the other disciples were still gnawing…

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Finish Well

“I have fought long and hard for my Lord, and through it all I have kept true to him. And now the time has come for me to stop fighting…

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Why and How to Praise God

“He is aliiiiive! He is aliiiiive!” It was Easter Sunday morning. My five-year-old nephew was to be baptized that day. “Nana” had flown into town to share in the occasion. As…

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Hope for Uncertain Times

Seasons of adversity—economic or otherwise—do not catch God off guard. He knows everything that is going on in our world. He also knows what lies ahead. He is orchestrating all…

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Breath of Heaven

Breath of Heaven, Hold me together Be forever near me, Breath of Heaven Breath of Heaven, Light my darkness Pour over me, your holiness, For you’re holy Breath of Heaven…

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We Three Kings

O star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright, westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect Light. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart…

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Finish What You Start

  “Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants…Ephraim did not dive out the Canaanites…Zubulun did not drive out the inhabitants…Asher did not drive out the inhabitants…Naphtali did not drive out…

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Jesus Values You

  “[Judah] went against the inhabitants of Debir…And Caleb said, ‘He who attacks Kiribati-shepherd and captures it, I will give him Achsah my daughter for a wife.’ And Othniel the…

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Speak Up

“The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion” Proverbs 28:1 KJV Never be a spectator of unfairness or stupidity.—Hitchens A woman checked into…

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Listen

  “Know this, my dear brothers and sisters: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to grow angry.” James 1:19 CEB Being heard is so close…

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Smile

“A heart full of joy and goodness makes a cheerful face, But when a heart is full of sadness the spirit is crushed.” AMP A man without a smiling face…

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Empowered by Jesus

Disciples commissioned by the divinely powerful Jesus are themselves divinely empowered by him to meet any need. “You yourselves give them to eat!” Mark 6:37 The crowds gathered are like…

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Fearless Faith

Disciples’ faith in Jesus’ person and power enables them to fearlessly face natural and supernatural calamities. “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” Mark…

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Do the Will of God

Disciples—insiders with Jesus—are those who do the will of God. For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother. Mark 3:35 This pericope opens…

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Be Bold!

Following Jesus in discipleship involves facing opposition boldly and persistently, without being deterred from God’s calling. And looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He…

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Resisting Satan

“Take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm” (Eph. 6:13). Spiritual warfare isn’t…

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We Are Empowered by God

Paul’s divinely empowered role in the administration of God’s plan forms a paradigm for the ministry of all believers, as God is made known to the cosmos through the church.…

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Now We Are With Christ

Believers, once in dire straits, but now sharing Christ’s exaltation, demonstrate to the universe God’s mercy, love, grace, and kindness as they undertake good works. Ephesians 2:1-10 Prior to regeneration,…

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Learn from the Ant

Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise, Which, having no chief, Officer or ruler, Prepares her food in the summer And gathers her provision in…

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Don’t Quarrel, Confess

“He who [willfully] separates himself [from God and man] seeks his own desire, He quarrels against all sound wisdom.” Proverbs 18:1 (AMP) The tendency of the human is to separate…

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Why God Hates Grumbling

My older brother recently sent me a book he enjoyed titled Kingdom Men Rising by Tony Evans. It was an encouraging and heart-felt book that covered a lot of Tony Evans’s life…

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Speak Up and Be Truthful

“Wisdom teaches you to be honest and to speak the truth,     so that you bring back truthful reports     to those you serve.” Proverbs 22:21 Never be a spectator of unfairness…

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Be Diligent: Persevere

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:4 Diligence is the constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken. —Atal…

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Praise When You Suffer

To some, the dark tone is Psalm 130 seems incongruous with the victorious praise you would expect from a “spiritual young man or woman.” The difference between a maturing Christian…

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The Thief in the Night

Paul, in his first epistle to the Thessalonians, clarified further what the concept of “being ready for the coming of the Lord” is all about. He used the same analogy-being…

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The Little Things

Fall and Spring are my favorite times of year. “For who hath despised the day of small things?” Zechariah 4:10a   There’s something about a fire that draws me in…

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Facing Death with Faith

It was morning. The sun peaking over the horizon…whispering its luminescent yellow glow through the trees. The night had been full of a wearisome wrestling. Emotions tattered. Fervor frayed. Logic…

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The Wonders of Life

The day had finally arrived. Years. Now, I mean years had gone by…notwithstanding great disappointment. You see, this was a day of miracles. It shouldn’t even have been happened. Not…

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How to Accept One Another

In our contentious times, battle lines are drawn based political philosophies, religious beliefs, ethnic backgrounds, financial status, age and sex. Answers to “what’s right” and “who’s best” dominate the topics…

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Justice Will Prevail

When did you learn those words? It’s not fair. What deed exposed you to the imbalanced scales of life? Did a car wreck leave you fatherless? Did friends forget you, a teacher…

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What Goes In?

Two Minutes With Tom What Goes In(1080p).mp4: Video automatically transcribed by Sonix Two Minutes With Tom What Goes In(1080p).mp4: this mp4 video file was automatically transcribed by Sonix with the…

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When Weeping Ends

‘Abba, Father,’ he said, ’everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.’” Mark 14:36 (NIV) Do you ever feel…

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Idolatry: Culture

  When athletic teams play at home, they know that there are extra odds in their favor. The extra boost of fan participation, applause, encouragement and recognition in their home…

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Idolatry: Pleasure

  Our God is a God of pleasure. He wants us to have fun and participate in entertaining activities that lighten our moods, help us laugh, and encourage us to…

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Idolatry: Technology

Technology is designed to be a tool that serves and informs us, not a master that dictates how we live. Through science, entertainment, and communication, technology makes our lives easier…

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Idolatry: Religion

  The Christian faith is about a relationship, not religion. As Christians, we sometimes confuse the two and allow religion to damage and poison our relationship with God. We participate…

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Idolatry: Greed

  Warning lights in cars and other mechanical devices alert us that something needs our attention. Without this indicator light, issues that need attending to may not be noticed. Similarly,…

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The Art of Forgiveness

THE ART OF FORGIVENESS Warren Wiersbe wrote in his commentary Be Skillful: “It’s strange but true that some of God’s people will forgive offenses from unbelievers that they would never…

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Victory Over Temper

“They do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34 Thirty-seven years old. Thin, almost frail. Balding and bespectacled. An electronics buff. Law-abiding and tired. Certainly not a description you…

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Insensitive Words

Insensitivity makes a wound that heals slowly. If someone hurts your feelings intentionally you know how to react. You know the source of the pain. But if someone accidentally bruises…

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Remember God’s Forgiveness

The twelve apostles included “Matthew the tax-gatherer” (Matt. 10:3). Never lose your sense of awe over Christ’s forgiveness. Matthew describes himself as “Matthew the tax-gatherer” (Matt. 10:3). He is the…

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Brokenness Brings Blessings

Brokenness is a surprising road to happiness and fulfillment! Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matt. 5:3)—i.e., the “broken ones,” those who recognize that they are spiritually bankrupt…

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Rest and Listen

Have you ever thought of sleep as a gift? Symbolically, it means God the Father wants to teach you the rest you can experience by trusting in Him. Hebrews 4:9…

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The Commandment

  “And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession…

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Whatever is Good

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything…

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The Trap of Unforgiveness

Everyday…I’m amazed at how crafty the Enemy of God is in his attempts to bring about the Christian’s destruction. It doesn’t matter if it’s discouragement, discontentment, doubt, fear, insecurity, worry,…

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Gaining a Little Perspective

  Many times I’ve found–after the dust has settled–that things that seemed so significant at the time were really insignificant. The situations or issues weren’t trivial, but they really didn’t…

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Face and Defeat Your Fears

What are our sources of fear? From where do they originate? Past hurts can lead to present fear. Any traumatic event-a painful divorce, a car accident, a debilitating illness can…

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Are You Faithful and Meek?

Galatians 5:22-23 lists the qualities of  “faithfulness” and “meekness” next to each other. Faithfulness has to do with the keeping of promises, and the courageous declaration of truth. The Greek…

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Is Jesus Enough for You?

We need to live lives that demand an explanation. Paul lived this life that didn’t make any sense. In Philippians 4, he is talking about joy and contentment while chained…

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Hope in Heaven to Survive

How can you become heavenly-minded and hopeful? 1.     Remember that eternal life starts now. Jesus said in John 17:3: “Now this is eternal life; that they may know You, the only eternal God…

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Let God Be Your Rock

We live in uncertain times. But God is not surprised. Solomon wrote these words in Psalm 127: “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.…

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A Lavish God

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us…

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Put It Off, Put It On

“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.…

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Being A Hypocrite

“The Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle [Jesus] in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, ‘Teacher, we know that you are…

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