Brokenness is a part of the human condition. And there are a lot of faulty band-aids that try to cover over man’s pain. But those things cannot bring the peace that only God provides. And sometimes pursuing peace this world offers will end up cursing us rather than blessing us. Bible Reading: Jeremiah 1-6 Scripture Verse of the Day: Jeremiah 6:14
When we long for something so much we can lose hope that we will ever see our hope come to fruition. But God knows. And when we cry out to Him to fulfill our hope. More than trying to fulfill it on our own, we will not be let down. Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 1-5 Scripture Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 2:3
Control. That little word with big ramifications. People try to control circumstances. They try to control other people. And God just laughs. He is sovereign over it all and able to take what was meant for evil and use it for good. Don’t try to control that which God already does. Bible Reading: Genesis 45-48 Scripture Verse of the Day: 45:8
We can be a prideful bunch. We can think we know it all. But a know-it-all is bound to fall. Those who are truly wise recognize that their true strength and wisdom is only from God. Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 7-8 Scripture Verse of the Day: 1 Corinthians 8:2
Excuses, excuses! They are easy to say, but they do not remedy the problem at hand. It is when we take responsibility for our part in problems that we are able to be set free of them. Sin is the same way. Sometimes we don’t recognize sinful habits or thoughts. And shame prevents us from repenting. Don’t let it. When we own up to our messes, God will bless us. Bible Reading: Mark 1-2 Scripture Verse of the Day: Mark 1:15
If you are the youngest kid in your family, you probably understand what it is like to feel like you are not seen or heard. Life gets busy. People have things to do and places to be. But one thing remains the same. Truly hearing someone’s heart is one of the greatest sources of consolation. Sometimes people don’t need us to try and fix their problem, but to hear them. Bible Reading: Job 20-21 Scripture Verse of the Day: Job 21:2
Fear is one of the greatest struggles of our day. It inhibits people’s enjoyment of life and can cause us to shrink back from what God has called us to do. But there is a fear that is prized. It helps us to live this one life well. It is the fear of God. Without it, we are prone to error. With it, we draw near to God and live productive, peace-filled lives. God will lead us through the crazy maze that is this life. Bible Reading: Psalms 25-27 Scripture Verse of the Day: Psalm 25:12...
God feels your pain, friend. Christ bore it all when He walked on this earth. And why did He do that? So He could identify with our weaknesses and give us His identity. When life feels unfair, it doesn’t mean that God doesn’t care. Bible Reading: Isaiah 62-65 Scripture Verse of the Day: Isaiah 63:9
Devotion when all is well is a good thing. But devotion when all is wrong is where character is shown. When things seem impossible and unredeemable, this is the perfect set up for God to do the impossible. Bible Reading: Ruth Scripture Verse of the Day: Ruth 1:16
We can feel proud of ourselves when we achieve something difficult. But the greatest delight in our achievements should be the gratitude we feel toward God to help us to do it. Bible Reading: Genesis 41-44 Scripture Verse of the Day: Genesis 41:16
Are you free, friends? True freedom is not the ability to have or do what we want. It is the freedom not to. Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 5-6 Scripture Verse of the Day: 1 Corinthians 6:12
How are you “go”ing, friends? Our mission for Jesus does not have to be on a mission field. It is right where God has placed us. The manner in which we “go” to share Jesus matters as much as the message. Bible Reading: Matthew 27-28 Scripture Verse of the Day: Matthew 28:19-20
It is one thing to say that our Redeemer lives and another thing to believe this reality. Knowing that any sorrow we have experienced in this life will be redeemed, we do not lose our hope. Bible Reading: Job 19-20 Scripture Verse of the Day: Job 19:25
Disappointments can cause us to doubt God’s goodness. But if we let the disappointment cause us to run to Him for refuge, the disappointment can become a reappointment for God’s purposes. Bible Reading: Psalms 22-24 Scripture Verse of the Day: Psalm 22:5
God is always faithful. Always. When we choose to go our own way, He still maintains His position of love toward us. But our actions will bear fruit. To stay in God’s blessing we need to align ourselves with His way, not ours. Bible Reading: Isaiah 56-61 Scripture Verse of the Day: Isaiah 59:21
There are a lot of different opinions in this world and a lot of different ideas about what is “right”. But we deceive ourselves if we think we know what is best. God already defined that for us. Bible Reading: Judges 16-21 Scripture Verse of the Day: Judges 21:25
Do people see Jesus in you? There is evidence of a life hidden in Christ that the world can see. Would there be enough evidence to convict you of being a Christian? When others can see Christ in us, they can find Him for themselves. Bible Reading: Genesis 37-40 Scripture Verse of the Day: Genesis 39:3
A lot of things can try to control us in this life and it starts in the mind. But when we know what we are—temples of the living God, we don't waste our time with things of this world. Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 3-4 Scripture Verse of the Day: 1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Friends are you doing your job? I don't mean your daytime job. I mean your eternal one. It is easy to become distracted and to forget to keep the main thing the main thing. Jesus is trying to help us see that our ladder can be leaning up against the wrong wall. This life is not about seeking the perfect, comfortable life full of entertainment. It is about staying on mission with God. Bible Reading: Matthew 24-26 Scripture Verse of the Day: Matthew 24:46
Our souls are on a relentless search for hope . . . often in the wrong places. But when we try to pacify the eternal with the temporary, we will wind up in a worse place. Temporary things cannot bring lasting hope. Bible Reading: Job 17-18 Scripture Verse of the Day: Job 17:15
We feel the struggle of life. We can try to muddle through it in our own strength. But the struggles we face are a signal to us to run to God and His word. Reading God's word is not just a good thing to do, it is our refuge when we are hurting and have forgotten that this life is not about us. We are restored when we turn to the LORD and His Word. Nothing else can heal our hearts or bring the satisfaction our souls crave. We were not made for the temporary, but for the eternal. Bible Reading: Ps...
Shame is often unseen yet felt by all. It is a mystery how it can silence people without a word. And it is a powerful tool of the enemy. But God helps us in our shame. We don’t have to let shame define us, but it can refine us. Bible Reading: Isaiah 50-55 Scripture Verse of the Day: Isaiah 50:7
Sometimes the thought of knowing God can be intimidating. I mean, He knows everything about us. And He is Holy. But God has helped us to know Him by His name. The names of God ae a place of refuge for believers because by God’s names, we see His goodness and His character. Bible Reading: Judges 11-15 Scripture Verse of the Day: Judges 13:18
Sometimes we can grow so comfortable with the “gods” of the surrounding culture that we live with them and start to adapt to the world’s ways rather than God’s. But if we don’t remove the “gods” that surround us, we may find ourselves ensnared by them. Bible Reading: Genesis 33-36 Scripture Verse of the Day: Genesis 35:2
The one thing I asked my kids to ask God for more than anything else when they were growing up was wisdom. Wisdom was not something I could truly give them unless they desired to gain it. Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 1-2 Scripture Verse of the Day: 1 Corinthians 1:18
All that you do,—Do with your might; Things done by halves—Are never done right. I used to recite this to my children when they were little. We would make it a fun recitation but the meaning of the words would mean more as they grew older. So it is with us. Sometimes we can instinctively know that God requires all that we have, yet we can seek to do “just enough”. But “just enough” doesn’t really satisfy anyone. God wants our heart, not our outer garments. Bible Reading: Matthew 21-23 Scripture ...
If we understood how fleeting our life is, we would want to live well. But this life offers many distractions that keep us focused on temporary things of no eternal value. What we trust in defines us. Following after the world leaves us empty. Following after Jesus leaves us full. Bible Reading: Job 15-16 Scripture Verse of the Day: Job 15:31
We don’t like boundaries when they deprive us of something we want, right? But we don’t have boundaries if we don’t keep them. And boundaries keep out just as much as they keep in. Boundaries are a blessing. They protect us and define the space that God has given us. When we are content with the boundaries God has for us, we flourish. Bible Reading: Psalms 16-18 Scripture Verse of the Day: Psalm 16:6
Sometimes we can think that we need to prioritize God in our life. This is the wrong paradigm. God IS our life. He IS our priority. When we center our lives around Christ, all of our other priorities fall into place. Bible Reading: Isaiah 43-49 Scripture Verse of the Day: Isaiah 44:6
When we don’t remember what God has done for us, we can stray. Reflecting on the things we take for granted like breathing, walking, living, can help to cultivate gratitude. But thinking about our salvation and considering what we have been saved from should provoke worship. Truly, we are blessed more than we deserve. Bible Reading: Judges 6-10 Scripture Verse of the Day: Judges 8:34
