April 26, 2024 · 5:20 AM

Blessing God

How often do you ask God to bless you, your finances, food and family? I’m constantly asking for God’s blessings in my life, but I started thinking about how often I bless God. He doesn’t need blessings the way we do, yet the Bible talks about us blessing Him. The blessings we give Him are acknowledgement for what He’s done for us. My wife and I have begun being intentional about stopping and thanking Him as soon as a prayer is answered as a way to bless Him. I believe blessing and acknowledging Him are a form of worship. David was really good at this and wrote about it often in the Psalms. Take a moment today to bless and acknowledge God for the work He’s doing in your life.

Here are some Bible verses on blessing God.

1. I will bless and praise the Lord with my whole heart! Let all his works throughout the earth, wherever his dominion stretches— let everything bless the Lord!

Psalms 103:22 TPT

2. Blessed and worthy of praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ.

Ephesians 1:3 AMP

3. When you have eaten and are satisfied, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.

Deuteronomy 8:10 AMP

4. I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Psalm 34:1 ESV

5. Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul, And do not forget any of His benefits.

Psalms 103:2 AMP

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April 25, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Close To God

If you’ve ever been to Jerusalem, you’ve probably visited the Western Wall. It is what’s left of a retaining wall built on the Temple Mount to create a flat area to add more buildings around the Temple. I’ve been to the wall a few times to pray. On my last couple of trips over there, I’ve been able to go underground where the foundation of the Temple is. There’s a long corridor running beside it. As we moved down that hall, we came to a place where these women were praying. Our guide informed us that this was the closest spot to where the Holy of Holies was, and that these women come there to pray instead of praying above ground at the wall. In the Jewish culture, God’s presence is found in the Holy of Holies and the closer you are to that point, the closer you are to God. In the Old Testament, all of Israel would come to Jerusalem for the feasts and to pray so that they could be close to God and be heard.

In Ephesians 2, Paul was addressing people with this mindset. In verse 13, he wrote, “Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ” (NLT). The phrase “far from God” in that culture had a two fold meaning. People that lived outside of Jerusalem were considered far from God which is why they visited Jerusalem so often. They wanted to be close to God. There are times that you and I feel like we’re far from God. It’s like He can’t hear our prayers. We can’t feel His presence. We even feel isolated and alone. We all go through these feelings of being far from God, but the truth is that God never leaves us. In fact, He’s made His home in our lives so that He will be with us always.

Paul went on to try to change their mindset about the presence of God as the chapter continued. He ended it with, “God is transforming each one of you into the Holy of Holies, his dwelling place, through the power of the Holy Spirit living in you!” (TPT) You and I have become the Holy of Holies because He dwells in us. When those feelings come that we are far from God and makes us believe He doesn’t hear us, declare this verse over your life. Your feelings will lie, but God’s Word never will. You are never far from God because you are the host of His presence. You don’t have to go anywhere special for Him to hear your prayers. He hears every prayer, spoken or silent. God is close to you today, listening to you, walking with you and working things out for your good despite what your feelings are telling you. Push past those feelings asking God to let you sense His presence today. You are closer to Him than you think.

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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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April 24, 2024 · 5:41 AM

The Deception Of Busyness

Busy is often worn as a badge of honor. Not only are we usually busy, we’re also in a hurry to get things done or running behind schedule. Sound familiar? Many of us aren’t just busy here and there. We’ve become chronically busy. It has become the state we live in. Corrie Ten Boom once warned that if the devil can’t make you sin, he’d make you busy. The reason is that busyness severs our connection with God and causes us to miss opportunities God has placed around us. Many of us are too busy to stop and be the Good Samaritan to the hurting and broken down people God places on our road. We pass them by because we don’t have time.

Jesus was never too busy to heal. In Luke 8, a Jewish official came to Him saying that his daughter was dying and in desperate need of healing. As He was on his way to heal her, He was interrupted by the woman with the issue of blood. She reached out and touched His robe to receive her healing. He stopped what He was doing to ask who touched Him. We have this beautiful story because He stopped along the way before going to raise Jarius’ daughter. We also know that He also would make time in his busy schedule to break away from the crowds to spend time with the disciples in a small group setting and also found time to be with God alone. Even though He had lots of demands on His time and Himself, He made sure He was never so busy that it severed His relationship with the Father.

In Matthew 11:28 Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (ESV). Have you allowed yourself to be so chronically busy that you’ve been borrowing time from the things that matter most? We can get so busy about the Father’s business that we fail to spend time with the Father if we’re not careful. Jesus modeled for us that we can be effective in our lives or ministry and still make time for the hurting, for mentoring and for praying. If you’re driving or walking past people you wish you could help, turning away people who interrupt your day that need you or are minimizing your quiet time, you’ve become chronically busy. Jesus offers us a place of rest from our laboring. He offers us holy moments throughout our day. Don’t get so busy that you miss them. If you are missing them, it’s time to break free from the deception of busyness.

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April 23, 2024 · 5:41 AM

Growth And Change

Have you ever thought about getting better in an area of your life that you wanted to improve in? Most of us have. We want to see growth in our relationship with God, a better position in our company or to learn a new skill. There’s something in us that isn’t satisfied with where we are and it drives us to grow. What we resist is change though. We don’t like the uncertainty, the the different schedule, the loss of control or the uncomfortableness that it brings. However, you can’t have one without the other. Anytime you grow, there is going to be change. Anytime there is change, it forces you to grow. Sometimes we seek growth or change, and other times it it pushed on us by our circumstances.

Think of Joseph who was a teenager when his dad gave him a colorful coat and God gave him a dream. His brothers brought change into his life by selling him as a slave. Being thrown into another culture, falsely accused and forgotten in prison brought change and growth into his life. God used that time to help him become the person who could save his family and the nation. While he had change thrust on him, Peter, I believe sought to grow after Jesus restored him. He didn’t want to be the person who denied his savior anymore. He made changes in his thinking and actions that caused him to become the leader of the Early Church. The guy who was quick to pull out his sword became one who stood before thousands proclaiming his faith boldly. Growth made that possible.

God desires growth and change in all of us. Ezekiel 36:26 says, “I will give you a new heart and a new mind. I will take away your stubborn heart of stone and give you an obedient heart” (GNT). Have you been resisting the growth and change in your life that He wants? A new heart and a new mind are what He offers us to help us become more like Him. Salvation brings about new life for us. Discipleship brings about change in how we live and think. God is calling you to another level of intimacy with Him. He’s stretching you to grow you so He can put you in a new place. Don’t resist the growth and change He has for your life. Embrace it. You can’t fulfill your calling and purpose without these two things constantly happening in your life.

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April 22, 2024 · 5:52 AM

True Worship

A pastor and I were recently discussing the changes in church throughout our life time. One of the things we discussed was singing at church. When I was a kid, we had a song leader at church that led us in the singing of hymns and then Scripture songs. As we transitioned into singing contemporary, presence style singing, we changed their title to worship leader. A few years later, their title changed to worship pastor. Now, over time, we have begun to think of worship only as singing. As we were discussing what worship is, he told me how he had read that someone wrote about worship and said that we worship God any time we choose His will over ours, and His thoughts over ours. That really got my mind going.

I first thought of Job 1. After all his loss, the Bible says he fell down and worshiped. He cried out that the Lord gives and the Lord takes, and then he blessed the Lord. In his time of distress and grief, he chose to change his thoughts to God’s thoughts and worshipped. After thinking about him, my mind turned to Luke 22 with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was in anguish over giving up His life on the cross and the torture He was about to endure. In verse 42 He prayed, “Father, if you will, take this cup of suffering away from me. Not my will, however, but your will be done” (GNT). In a moment of pain, Jesus decided to worship as He chose the Father’s will over the will of His flesh. Worship isn’t an easy thing to do sometimes.

Romans 12:1 says, “So then, my friends, because of God’s great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer.” My flesh wants to crawl off that altar constantly. However, true worship is choosing God’s way over my own. What areas of your life have you been struggling to worship God in this way? It’s natural to have this struggle. Just read Romans 7 and 8. There’s a battle going on in every one of us between our flesh and the Spirit over who we will worship – ourselves or God. We all face this constant choice throughout our day. Choose to worship today by being led by God’s Spirit and choosing His will over your own. Also go back and read Romans 7 and 8 today with this in mind. It will change how you see it and how you worship.

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April 19, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Preserving Unity

The spirit of this age is one of divisiveness. People are split nearly 50/50 on so many things. This spirit has invaded almost every nation to divide them. I have also seen it invading the Church. I’m not talking denominationally, but in having us attack other Christians. I’ve seen it ramped up recently and it’s frightening. Jesus told us that a house divided can’t stand. An army divided can’t take ground either. God’s spirit is one of unity. His plan is for a United Church that even the gates of hell couldn’t prevail against. Yet when we fight among each other, we fail to advance His kingdom. Let’s individually ask God to helps us follow His spirit and to do our part to preserve the bonds of unity among believers.

Here are some Bible verses on unity.

1. Beyond all these things put on and wrap yourselves in [unselfish] love, which is the perfect bond of unity [for everything is bound together in agreement when each one seeks the best for others].

Colossians 3:14 AMP

2. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.

John 17:23 NLT

3. Do your best to preserve the unity which the Spirit gives by means of the peace that binds you together.

Ephesians 4:3 GNT

4. Now may God, the source of great endurance and comfort, grace you with unity among yourselves, which flows from your relationship with Jesus, the Anointed One.

Romans 15:5 TPT

5. Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!

Psalm 133:1 ESV

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April 18, 2024 · 5:30 AM

The Right Hands

My son tries to be fiercely independent. He wants to do things himself without my help. I can see him sometimes working on something he can’t quite figure out. I watch his frustration begin to rise, and I say, “Bring it here. Let me try.” Of course he keeps trying getting more upset. I make my offer again. Nope, he wants to keep trying. That’s usually when frustration starts turning into anger. He then has the choice to make – he can walk away from it or he can bring it to me. Once he puts it in my hands, I’m able to do with it what he cannot. Many times I’ll set it up so that he can participate in finishing it. When that happens, both of us smile and are happy.

In Matthew 14, King Herod has John the Baptist beheaded at the request of his step daughter. Jesus was sad over the loss of his cousin and went into a remote area to mourn. While he was there, someone spotted him and started telling people where He was. Soon thousands of people made their way to Him for healing. As it was getting dark, the disciples asked Him to send the crowds away so they could get dinner in nearby villages. In verse 16, Jesus said, “That isn’t necessary – you feed them” (NLT). I’m sure the disciples panicked and got frustrated trying to figure out how they could do it. They found five loaves and two fish and told Jesus that was all they had and they couldn’t do it. That’s when Jesus said, “Bring them here.”

The difference in both of these stories is whose hands things were in. How long do we try to do things while Jesus is telling us, “Bring them here”? You can keep trying to do the impossible on your own or you can trust Jesus with it. You can get frustrated trying over and over or you can put it in His hands. The feeding of the 5,000 was a miracle because the disciples were able to say, “We can’t do it,” and then handed over what they had to Jesus. One of the most difficult things about faith is letting go. We are fiercely independent people who want to do things ourselves. At the end of the day we have to choose whether we allow that frustration to turn to anger or put action to our faith and trust God with it. He is able to do above and beyond what we are able to. If we will trust Him, He will often allow us to participate in the miracle.

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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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April 17, 2024 · 5:31 AM

The Fruit Of Patience

One of the Fruits of the Spirit that we don’t like to talk about is patience. We like to talk about love, joy, peace and kindness, but we tend to forget about patience being one. Have you ever thought about the fruit that patience and impatience yield in our life? When we’re impatient things escalate and complications arise. Our vision of the future gets clouded and we make dumb decisions. Impatience also comes with negative feelings that create negative behaviors for which we have to apologize. However, patience yields a different crop in our life. By being patient, we develop endurance and resilience. We Also build up future success because we learn to have delayed gratification. Finally patience creates better relationships. Would you rather be around an impulsive and impatient person or a calm patient one?

There were plenty of people in the Bible who were impatient. Think,of King Saul who couldn’t wait for Samuel to do the sacrifice. His impatience cost him the kingdom. Abraham and Sarah grew impatient waiting on God’s promise of a son and created a work around. That decision is still causing wars to this day. Also the Israelites got tired of waiting for Moses to come down the mountain and created a golden calf causing God’s anger to fall on them. Even though we have these examples, we also have examples of patience. Look at Job. He was patient through his trials and God restored everything he lost and then some. David patiently waited to be king even while running for his life. He became the most famous king of Israel. There was also Hannah who was barren. She continued to pray year after year and God answer with a son named Samuel.

Psalm 40:1 says, “I waited and waited and waited some more, patiently, knowing God would come through for me. Then, at last, he bent down and listened to my cry” (TPT). What crop do you want to grow in your life? Both patience and impatience create long lasting results. A moment of impatience can cause a lifetime of sorrow. If God hasn’t answered yet, keep praying and believing. If you’re waiting on God to fulfill His promise, don’t jump the gun. He will do it in His time, not yours. I know the clock may be ticking, but switch your focus from the humdrum of the ticks and tocks to His Word. Watching the time yields the fruits of impatience, while His Word reminds us of His character. Let the fruit of patience grow in your life as you wait for God to come through.

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April 16, 2024 · 5:39 AM

Giving Good Words

I’ve had some interactions with famous people before. On one such occasion I met a famous christian singer who wrote and sang one of the anthems everyone would know. After the concert I waited in line to share a special memory one of their songs held for me and how it helped me in my time of need. When I told them, they had a blank stare back at me and said, “Yeah I get that all the time.” It made me feel very small honestly. Contrast that with a famous author I wrote to. One of their stories had me laughing and in tears on a plane ride and challenged me. I couldn’t wait to land to reach out. Within ten minutes, they emailed me back thanking me for sharing. They said, “There are millions of words you could have chosen to share this story with me. It looks like you found the right ones. Thank you for sharing.” I did a screenshot and sent to all my friends when I got that.

We sometimes forget how powerful our words are and their ability to make or break someone’s day. In the New Testament we read Paul’s letters to churches and to individuals like Timothy. In 2 Timothy 1:6-7, he encouraged Timothy to fan into flames his gifts and to remember that God doesn’t give us a spirit of fear. In Deuteronomy 31:7-8, Moses encouraged Joshua who was taking over the daunting task as leader of Israel. He told him to be strong and courageous, and reminded him that is the Lord who will go before him and give victory in the battles ahead. Another example is when Jesus was talking to the disciples giving them comfort on the night He would be betrayed. John 16:33 records Him saying, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (ESV). John remembered those words in his sorrow.

Proverbs 12:25 says, “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.” You never truly know what someone is going through or the encouragement they need to get through the day. Speak encouragement to someone today. Give a good word to all you meet. Your words carry life or death in them the Bible says. We are life givers as Christians. Ask God to speak through you today to someone to say what they need to hear so they have fuel to keep fighting or to find peace in troubled times. You don’t have to know what they’re going through to speak a word in season as Isaiah says. You just need to be led by the Spirit and hear who needs encouragement and to hear the words He wants you to say. I’m sure you can think of times when someone’s words either crushed you or built you up. Give good words today and make someone’s day.

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April 15, 2024 · 5:39 AM

The Best Route

Sometimes when I use the map app to find my way somewhere it will ask me if i want the fastest route there or the most fuel efficient route. Most of the time I want the fastest route to where I’m going. When I’m on vacation, I’ve been known to take the scenic route in order to see things the fastest route misses. When driving through several states, I took a route that sent us through as many state capitals as possible so my son could check them off his list. Some days though, my schedule sends me on what I call the star route. I go from one side of town to an appointment, then across town to pick up something from the warehouse. Then I have to cross town again to drop it off at a job site. I then drive another way across town to pick up my son from school and back home. All that zigzagging looks like a star on the map. I’ve found that different routes yield different results.

Moses’ life had some strange routes to it. The very first route had him going down the Nile in a basket. He landed at the Pharaoh’s daughter’s house. He grew up privileged and educated. His route took a left turn into the desert suddenly where he was an humble shepherd. God parked him there for forty years before his route took him to Sinai where he encountered the burning bush. That led him back to Egypt to free the Israelites. His route had him confront Pharaoh, which was hard. The route then led he and all of Israel to a dead end at the Red Sea where they were trapped until God showed up. They traveled through the sea to Sinai again and back into the desert for forty years before coming to the edge of the Promised Land. At each place along his route, God was in control and giving him what he needed for the future God had for him. In the moment, I’m sure he often felt lost and would’ve taken a different route had he been in charge.

Proverbs 20:24 says, ”It is the Lord who directs your life, for each step you take is ordained by God to bring you closer to your destiny. So much of your life, then, remains a mystery!“ (TPT) Are you wondering what route you’re on right now and why is God taking this one? Me too, but I know He is in control. He doesn’t always take the fastest route or the easiest route. He takes the route that prepares you for your destiny. He takes the route that you didn’t know was there. Sometimes it’s painful and dark. Other times the route may feel like a dead end. I’ve found that God will use whatever route is necessary to get you where He’s taking you while equipping you along the way. Your route is ordered of the Lord, especially when it’s a mystery. Hang on and let Him keep driving. He has plans for your life and they’re good plans to prosper you. Trust in Him as He leads and directs your life. That is the best route.

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