Daily Devotionals

 

A devotional is a religious practice, often involving readings, prayers, or meditations, intended to foster a deeper connection with God.  It can be a daily activity or a more structured ritual, and it's a way for individuals to express their faith and seek spiritual growth. 

 

What it is:

 

  • Religious Practice:
        Devotionals are a form of religious practice focused on honoring, venerating, or connecting with a higher power. 
 
  • Variety of Forms:
        They can take many forms, including Bible reading plans, meditations, liturgical exercises, or daily selections of verses with accompanying                               reflections. 
 
  • Spiritual Growth:
    Devotionals are a way to deepen one's faith, express devotion, and experience a sense of community. 
     

Examples:

 

  • Daily Devotionals:
        These are often found in books or online and provide a specific reading for each day of the calendar year. 
 
  • Specific Practices:
        Devotionals can include prayer, readings, and Bible study material.
 

In Essence:

 
  • Devotionals are a way to integrate faith into daily life, whether through structured practices or personal reflection. 

The God who Refreshes

July 31, 2025

 

Read: Psalm 72

 

May the king’s rule be refreshing like spring rain on freshly cut grass, like the showers that water the earth. Psalm 72:6

 

IN WORD

We long for seasons of refreshing. Life has a way of taking us into dry deserts, dark forests, and dangerous mountain paths. Those parts of the journey sometimes give us a sense of adventure, but when they drag on, we need relief. The good news of the Kingdom is that God promises it. The picture of God’s realm in Psalm 72 includes a gentle rain that refreshes us and leads to a harvest.

 

Sometimes those dry deserts and dangerous places are our own fault. We wander into them either by passive negligence of God’s purposes or active rebellion against them. Our own guilt tells us we have to put up with the consequences; we’ve made our bed, so now we have to lie in it. But while there are consequences to sin, we belong to a God who is truly merciful. The seasons of refreshing aren’t only for those who have innocently endured a hard time; they are for everyone who has endured a hard time. He doesn’t leave us in the desert, even if we walked away from Him to get there. He listens to our cries for relief.

 

God’s Kingdom is in some sense a restoration of Eden, or at least of Eden’s satisfying, fulfilling blessings. One day we will fully experience these blessings, but even now we get to taste many of them. Weary souls can have their strength renewed; we can “mount up with wings like eagles” (Isaiah 40:31, ESV). We can know that the hard seasons of life are temporary.

 

IN DEED

In your longings for the Kingdom, don’t be afraid to ask God for seasons of refreshing—for the dews and gentle rains of His love to fall on you and bring new growth. Not all of life is a problem to endure; much of it is a blessing to enjoy. If the blessings ever begin to seem few and far between, ask Him for relief. Open your heart to receive His touch and His promise. Let His rains refresh you.

 

ADDITIONAL READING: Acts 3:19-20

Those Kids!

July 30, 2025

 

Read Titus 1:5-9

 

An elder must be well thought of for his good life. He must be faithful to his wife, and his children must be believers who are not wild or rebellious. Titus 1:6

 

Janie’s daughter is pregnant and not married. Jim’s son just got arrested for drug possession. Mandy’s honor-student son was arrested for breaking and entering. Kim’s daughter refuses to attend church and says she is becoming a Buddhist. And all these parents are in leadership, so what do they do with Titus 1:6?

 

How wild is wild? (Purple hair, a nose ring, or a tattoo?) And how disobedient? (Sent to the principal’s office, juvenile hall, or jail?) How perfect do our kids have to be to keep us in ministry? At what point should we (if ever?) set our ministry, call, dreams, and leadership aside? What is hard about this part of the character checklist for leaders is this small section that includes the behavior of others (like having children who believe and are under control).

 

Bill and I have come to see this as a practical guideline: Those over eighteen are adults and under their own responsibility to God for this verse. The heart of the verse is to encourage parents who love God, hold God’s standards, and seek to help their children do the same.

 

Kids aren’t perfect; they will make mistakes. The key question as parents is, Are you dealing with the mistakes, getting your kids the resources they need, and helping them to grow in grace?

 

The point at which you may need to set aside your own dreams and plans is when you don’t have enough time to help a child keep his or her faith. When that becomes the case, you may need to take time away from a call to leadership and focus your energies on being spiritual leaders to your kids. There will be other opportunities to lead in an official capacity. But first you want to be sure that your children are on the way to the finish line.

Waiting

July 29, 2025

 

I’ve watched children go through a season of what we’ve lovingly called “dangling.” This is that awkward time when they’re finished with high school and are seeking God’s will for the next season of their life. It’s awkward. It’s not pretty. Waiting tries our patience. But wait. Didn’t God say that patience was a fruit of the Spirit? (See Galatians 5:22.) Didn’t He promise that those who wait upon the Lord will soar high like eagles? (See Isaiah 40:31.) The promises of God often come after a season of waiting. Perhaps you’ve heard the saying, “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.” Or maybe you’ve heard the old maxim, “Don’t just stand there—do something!” That’s our natural bent. We’re created to want to charge into every situation full speed. Waiting is uncomfortable. Dangling is awkward. Patience doesn’t come naturally. No, it comes supernaturally. It comes from learning the truth of the old gospel hymn that says about God, “He may not come when you want him, but he’s right on time.” Practice waiting. Help your children learn to wait. God is faithful. He will give you direction if you don’t grow impatient and plunge ahead in the flesh. Nurture the waiting process and look forward expectantly to God’s provision. It’s that kind of faith that pleases your heavenly Father.

 

WHEN WAITING IS THE HARDEST THING TO DO . . .

 

Wait patiently for the LORD.

Be brave and courageous.

Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.

Psalm 27:14

 

I am counting on the LORD;

yes, I am counting on him.

I have put my hope in his word.

Psalm 130:5

 

WHEN WAITING TURNS TO WORRY . . .

 

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Philippians 4:6

 

WHEN YOU NEED STRENGTH FOR THE IN-BETWEEN . . .

 

We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy.

Colossians 1:11

Forgiveness

July 28, 2025

 

 

If they sin against you—and who has never sinned?—you may become angry with them and let their enemies conquer them and take them captive to a foreign land far or near. But in that land of exile, they may turn to you again in repentance and pray, “We have sinned, done evil, and acted wickedly.” Then if they turn to you with their whole heart and soul and pray toward the land you gave to their ancestors, toward this city you have chosen, and toward this Temple I have built to honor your name, then hear their prayers from heaven where you live. Uphold their cause and forgive your people who have sinned against you. Make their captors merciful to them, for they are your people—your special possession—whom you brought out of the iron-smelting furnace of Egypt.

1 Kings 8:46-51

 

Building a temple for the glory of God was a huge task for a young king. At its dedication, Solomon prayed for the people’s hearts, which were more important than the new temple.

 

Solomon didn’t say “if” in regard to sin, because he knew it was a matter of “when.” His wise words gave the people—and believers today—a pattern for the cycle of sin, repentance, and forgiveness.

 

We will sin.

 

1. When we sin, if we have a change of heart and repent and plead to God, and if we turn back to God with all our heart and soul and pray to God, then:

 

2. God will hear our prayer, forgive the offenses we have committed against him, and show us mercy.

 

3. We must follow God’s pattern for repentance and forgiveness. How gracious that God does not leave us to carry our own burden of sin—he carried it to the cross. And when we follow the pattern he gave us for repentance, we become examples of his mercy in front of our children.

 

Merciful God,

Thank you that we do not have to carry our sin, but that you show us mercy when we turn to you with all our heart and soul. Amen.

Is Anyone Among you Sick?

July 27, 2025

 

-James 5:14

 

James wrote to believers who had fled Jerusalem under great persecution, and his letter is amazingly relevant to modern Christianity on several points. He, for instance, called on the church to be in touch with the hurting world that is all around us. We live in the midst of a world of hurts. Hearts are hurting. Families are hurting. Tragically, when people today hear the word church, they too often think of a musty-smelling, irrelevant institution out of touch with real human need. Have we looked around us lately? People are not simply sick physically but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually sick. Thus, we find ourselves asking an extremely pertinent question for our own culture: “Is anyone among you sick?”

 

Perhaps no other ministry of the New Testament church has seen as much perversion as the church’s healing ministry. While many involved may have wonderful intentions and pure hearts, some healing ministries have too often been a vehicle for a few to build their own personal financial kingdoms by offering false hopes of healing to any and all who come their way. Here in James 5, we find the only directive in Scripture concerning praying for those who are sick.

 

Contextually James described a local church ministry at a member’s bedside. After all, who most needs healing? Is it the person who can get up, get dressed, drive to the city auditorium, listen to a flashy and fancy preacher, and then stand in a “healing line” for an extended period of time? Or is the one who cannot get out of bed in greater need of the Great Physician’s healing touch?

 

THE PROBE “Is anyone among you sick?” The key to understanding this question is the word sick. James chose a word in Greek that means “without strength” or “to be weak.” Erroneously, we often assume that only physical sickness is involved. However, the word can include those who are weak in body, in soul, or in spirit. Note the next verse where James said, “The prayer of faith will save the sick” (v. 15). Here the word sick is a different word meaning “to grow weary.”

 

James was writing to those who had “grown weary” in the struggles of life, those “scattered abroad” (James 1:1) in the great dispersion. They had been forced to flee their homes and their jobs. Tempted to give out and give up, they were weary and weak. While these verses can certainly be applied to people who are physically sick, James was primarily writing to those about to crack mentally under the pressures of life.

 

THE PROPOSAL James’s proposal is for those who are weak and weary to “call for the elders of the church” (James 5:14). Those who are sick spiritually and emotionally often need someone upon whom they can lean and from whom they can draw strength. But the initiative is to be taken by those who are sick themselves. Anyone who has ever served as a pastor or elder has more than once heard, “No one ever came to visit me when I was sick.” But in James 5, the onus is on the one who is sick to take the initiative in calling for the elders. In response to this initiative, the elders are then instructed to perform their ministry of encouragement, to—as Paul exhorted—“comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all” (1 Thessalonians 5:14).

 

THE PROCEDURE When a sick person calls for the elders, they are to “pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5:14). In the Greek language in which James wrote, there are two distinct words translated into our English word anoint. One refers to an outward anointing; literally, a “rubbing down with oil.” The word is found in the story of the good Samaritan who bandaged the wounded man, “pouring” oil and wine into the wounds to fight infection and soothe the hurt. The other Greek word translated into English as anoint has to do with a ceremonial anointing used in a sacred and symbolic sense. Jesus, for example, explained that the Spirit “anointed” Him to preach the gospel (Luke 4:18).

 

Today, when the sick are anointed with oil and prayed for, the anointing is usually done in the symbolic sense. A drop or two of oil is placed on the finger and touched on the forehead, often in the sign of a cross. While there is nothing wrong in doing this, it is not at all the procedure that James described. He used the word that instructs us to do what the good Samaritan did: rub the wounded and the sick with oil. Pour wine into his wounds. In other words, use the best medicine known to man. The church should support the efforts of those in the medical community to bring healing, and those in the medical world should support the healing efforts in the church by recognizing the importance of the prayer of faith.

 

THE PRAYER This prayer at the bedside of the sick must be “the prayer of faith” (James 5:15). Earlier in his letter, James indicated that when we pray, we must believe, asking “in faith with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind” (1:6).

 

Furthermore, the prayer of faith must always be offered according to God’s Word and His will. When my wife and I were raising our daughters, we did not always give them everything for which they asked. Many times we knew what was best for them when they didn’t. Quite honestly, looking back over my life, I am extremely grateful God didn’t give me everything for which I asked of Him. At times, my own personal preferences or prejudices clouded my thinking and took precedence over His will for my life. I have asked Him time and again for certain things I now see He had no intention of giving because He had something far better in mind. It is appealing to hear preachers say, “You can have anything you ask.” But that request is not biblical. The prayer of faith must be grounded in the Word of God, or it is not the prayer of faith. After all, in the words of Paul, “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

 

THE PROVISION “The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up” (James 5:15). This verse is not a carte blanche for healing. It is wrapped in the mystery of God’s will and way. After all, Paul once left Trophimus while he was sick at Miletus instead of healing him (2 Timothy 4:20). Paul allowed Epaphroditus to become ill and almost die (Philippians 2:25–30). Paul even asked the Lord repeatedly to remove his own “thorn in the flesh,” only to discover that God’s grace was all-sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:7, 9). And once Paul instructed Timothy to drink a little wine for his “frequent infirmities” (1 Timothy 5:23).

 

Physical healing is a mystery wrapped up in the counsel of God’s own will. Some say all can be healed, yet God didn’t heal Paul when he asked. Others say that illness is the result of sin, yet some of God’s greatest saints have known the greatest suffering. Others say healing has to do with your attitude, yet no one had a more pitiful attitude than Naaman who was healed of leprosy (2 Kings 5:11–14).

 

All healing is divine. Medicine alone doesn’t heal. Doctors alone do not heal. Proper diet alone doesn’t heal. Exercise alone doesn’t heal. God heals! God’s own name is Jehovah Rapha . . . the God who heals! And we can trust the One who always has our very best interest at heart.

 

Q & A:

“Is anyone among you sick?”

Perhaps, even as you read these words, you are in pain or have heard the doctor say, “You have cancer.” Remember, God never slumbers nor sleeps (Psalm 121:4). He is awake and aware. Call some praying friends, lean on them and their prayers, believe that our God can still make the impossible possible, and surrender yourself into the loving hands of Jesus and His perfect will for your life.

Tree Stands

July 26, 2025

 

As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation. -Proverbs 10:25

 

There is a tree that stands by a body of water near my home. I have sat near that tree in the heat of summer. I have watched out the window during a storm and seen the branches twist around like a kite tail. I have also sat in my car near that tree in the dead of winter when the winds were howling and the snowflakes were flying, but the tree never wavered. After any and every storm the tree stands like nothing ever happened.

 

That is the picture I believe Christ wants us to show our children through all we face in life. We need to learn to be steady in an unsteady society. We need to be strong when everything around us is weak.

 

How do we do that? We do it by standing firm in our righteousness. By being holy as God is holy. God’s Word and righteousness will stand the test and trials of time. PARENTING PRINCIPLE

 

The firmness and steadiness of a tree makes it a secure home for many of God’s creations.

 

POINTS TO PONDER

  • How are you like a steady tree?
  • What could you do to be more righteous and steady?
  • Are your children developing age-appropriate steadiness with their issues?

Streams in the Desert

July 25, 2025

 

"I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer." -Song of Solomon 5:6

 

Once the Lord has given us great faith, He has been known to test it with long delays. He has allowed His servants’ voices to echo in their ears, as if their prayers were rebounding from a contemptuous sky. Believers have knocked at the heavenly gate, but it has remained immovable, as though its hinges had rusted. And like Jeremiah, they have cried, “Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through."(Lamentations 3:44).

 

True saints of God have endured lengthy times of patient waiting with no reply, not because their prayers were prayed without intensity, nor because God did not accept their pleas. They were required to wait because it pleased Him who is sovereign and who gives “according to his good purpose” (Phil. 2:13). And if it pleases Him to cause our patience to be exercised, should He not do as He desires with His own?

 

No prayer is ever lost, or any prayer ever breathed in vain. There is no such thing as prayer unanswered or unnoticed by God, and some things we see as refusals or denials are simply delays. Horatius Bonar

 

Christ sometimes delays His help so He may test our faith and energize our prayers. Our boat may be tossed by the waves while He continues to sleep, but He will awake before it sinks. He sleeps but He never oversleeps, for He is never too late. (Alexander Maclaren)

 

Be still, sad soul! lift up no passionate cry,

But spread the desert of your being bare

To the full searching of the All-seeing eye;

Wait! and through dark misgiving, deep despair,

God will come down in pity, and fill the dry

Dead place with light, and life, and springlike air.

John Campbell Shairp

Agents of Growth

July 24, 2025

 

34 "Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."

Luke 14:34-35

 

 

JESUS’ WORDS TO HIS DISCIPLES about salt have historically been interpreted in terms of flavor and preservation—seasoning society and slowing the corruption of the world. But the fertilizing powers of salt were well-known in the ancient world and have been in many cultures since; the right kind of salt in the right measure enhances the soil and makes things grow. When Jesus called his followers “the salt of the earth,” he was not only hinting at taste and preservation. Even more so, he seems to have been envisioning his followers as agents of increase. Where traditional interpretations of Jesus’ warnings have emphasized the possibility of salt losing taste or flavor, the original language more accurately implies losing potency or effectiveness, or even more literally, being made foolish or becoming nonsensical. Only then does “salt for the soil or for the manure pile” make sense. a  If believers are the world’s fertilizer, we are meant to be spread throughout the land. We help those around us bear fruit.

 

You may think your mission in this world is to bear fruit for God’s Kingdom, and it is. One of the most significant ways to do that is not to accumulate your own achievements but to enhance the lives of those around you—to seek their fruit more than your own. Too much salt corrodes and destroys; too little accomplishes nothing. But the right amount of you—or, more specifically, the right amount of what God has filled you with and empowered you to do—helps the world flourish. It blows wind in the sails of those around you. It turns you from being one fruitful plant to being the catalyst for a fruitful landscape.

 

Too many Christians are focused on fulfilling their own little mission, never realizing that their mission is to enhance the mission of their brothers and sisters. Broaden your vision and seek to fertilize the land around you. Serve others by helping them grow.

 

Lord, I’ve seen too many people walk through the world leaving a wasteland behind them. May a garden grow in every footprint I’ve left behind me. Help me as I help those around me flourish. Amen.

 

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2016/october/you-are-manure-of-earth.html.

No Place to Go

July 23, 2025

 

I’VE ALWAYS BEEN very driven. Inevitably, every personality test reveals another layer of ambition, drive, a quest for perfection, and attention to detail. This means that I have been able to do a lot of things I set out to do, but it also means I’ve done it all at a hurried pace. On top of that, it can create a sense of guilt because I know how my personality must exhaust my loved ones (it exhausts me, too!). So many days I have my eyes on the prize, and rarely is it what’s right in front of me. The wheels seem to be constantly moving.

 

I’ve been on the other end of this too, and in that case there were literal wheels in motion.

 

I saw an acquaintance in the grocery store and stopped to say hi. I could tell she was in a hurry, and as she kept rolling her cart forward, I felt such pressure to wrap up what I was saying. I felt like an inconvenience.

 

Is this how my kids feel? Do I rush their souls because they know they have to keep up with my pace if they want my attention? God seems to be hitting this message home in everything I’m reading lately.

 

First there were Elisabeth Elliot’s words: “Often we neglect the thing assigned for the moment because we are preoccupied with something that is not our business just now. How easy it is to give only half our attention to someone who needs us . . . because the other half is focused on a future worry.” a

 

Then I came across John Ortberg’s book Soul Keeping, in which he paints a picture of his mentor, Dallas Willard. His description made this hurried soul slow down: “His face and the movements of his body all seemed to say that he had no place else to go and nothing in particular to worry about.” b  This sounds very simple, but I was mesmerized by the image. There is something comforting about sitting in the presence of someone who has no worries and no place to be.

 

I want to be a person who puts others at ease because they know that when they are with me, I am all there. I’m not checking my phone repeatedly or watching the clock. I’m not waiting for my turn to talk or to share what I think is brilliant advice.

 

Instead, I’m able to sit and listen and be present.

 

I happened to take another personality test recently, and this one highlighted two strengths but also my biggest weakness. It said, “You are not always flexible and can lose sight of others’ needs in the pursuit of your goals.”

 

Just in case I hadn’t taken Elisabeth’s or John’s wisdom to heart, this test pegged me to a T. In pursuit of my goals, I tend to lose sight of the needs of everyone around me. I want things that are measurable, and my to-do list is the chief of that. Shepherding my kids’ hearts, hearing what my husband is saying between the lines, being there for a friend who’s too afraid to ask for help—those things can’t be quantified as easily.

 

If we just can’t help but measure things, let’s at least change our measuring stick. Hebrews 6:10 says, "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister." There may be no immediate item to cross off the list. You may not receive a pat on the back when you listen intently to your littlest one tell the longest story known to humankind or you give your middle schooler yet another ride to practice. But in those moments, can we remember Hebrews 6:10? God sees you. God sees the impact you’re making. You are loving on his kids each time you choose them over your to-do list. Slow down. Your biggest impact isn’t saved for the future. It is right here, right now, with whatever is right before you. Don’t let this moment pass you by in hopes of having a greater impact down the road.

 

ACTION STEP

Meditate on Proverbs 4:25, and keep your eyes straight ahead today.

 

PRAYER

Father, I need your vision. I am constantly looking to the left and right, behind me, and a thousand steps ahead of me. Show me how to stop calculating and to keep my eyes on what’s right in front of me today. Show me how to love those around me with a countenance that says they matter to me and that I have no place else to be. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

MORNING QUESTIONS:

 

  • Do you know someone who makes you feel like you are their only priority when you’re talking to them?
  • What would it look like to be fully present in your relationships today?
  • Is there anything you’re dreading today?
  • If so, what is another way you can view that thing you’re dreading?
  • What request are you bringing before the Lord today?

 

EVENING QUESTIONS:

 

  • Were there any times throughout the day when you prioritized a person over your to-do list?
  • Where did you see God show up even in small ways, reminding you that you aren’t alone?
  • When did you want to hide or escape today?
  • What do you want to relish and thank God for?

A Wonder-Filled Soul

July 22, 2025

 

"Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty." -Psalm 104:1

 

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO a majestic place that takes your breath away? Like the mountains flowing into the ocean along the Oregon coast. Like the crystal-blue waters surrounding the Isle of Capri. Like the Grand Canyon’s vastness and beauty. Like cradling your child for the first time. Such wonderful experiences can’t be explained; they can only be experienced.

 

So it is with God. We need to experience Him. When we experience Him, we are filled with the wonder of His presence and love.

 

This was the essence of what Jesus was getting at when He encouraged His hearers to love God with all their souls (Mark 12:30). The Greek word for soul is psyche, from which we get the word psychology. The soul is the animating principle of life: that which gives life to the body. When we talk about people putting their “heart and soul” into something, we mean they’re giving everything they have.

 

Wonder seems to be a rare commodity these days. A “been there, done that” attitude is common. That cliché suggests spiritual and emotional dullness. We are a people saturated with analysis, explanations, and facts but devoid of wonder. Maybe it’s time we rediscovered the wonder of God. All it takes is a renewed awareness of His presence.

 

BOTTOM LINE:

May we become less self-conscious and more God-conscious. That will produce a sense of wonder and joy and worship. Ask God to wake up your soul.

 

Moment of Strength: 1 Chronicles 16:29

Defining Moment

July 21, 2025

 

Read: Joshua 2:3

 

When the two Israelite spies chose to stay in Rahab’s house overnight, it triggered a defining moment in her life. The king of Jericho soon learned about the men’s presence in the city and their mission to spy out the land. He immediately sent soldiers to demand that Rahab turn over the men. If Rahab complied, she would probably be generously rewarded for protecting her city. If the king learned that she had hidden the men on her roof, she would be executed for treason. Would Rahab obey her king or act on the little knowledge she had of Israel’s Yahweh?

 

Many of us have faced a defining moment similar to Rahab’s. We may be offered a promotion and a nice raise, but the extra hours would force us to neglect our family’s needs. Or we might be confronted with a situation where our boss expects us to do something that contradicts God’s ways, and our refusal might mean being fired. We may have to decide between pursuing our own interests and making a commitment to care for a parent with Alzheimer’s.

 

Sometimes our circumstances force us to choose between turning down something in order to follow God more fully or just going along with the status quo. Rahab’s choice would determine whether she placed her allegiance with her own pagan city or with Israel’s God, who had demonstrated his powerful protection of his people. In a similar way, our daily choices determine whether we will follow the earthly kingdom around us or God’s Kingdom, which represents a better way of living. It’s always hard to turn down something that looks valuable or necessary to our happiness, but in the long run, obeying God is always the better choice.

 

What is God asking you to turn down in order to follow him more fully?

Homesick for Heaven

July 20, 2025

 

For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: -Philippians 3:20

 

This home we’re in won’t last forever.

 

Birthdays remind us of that.

 

Not long ago I turned thirty seven. I’m closer to death than I am to birth. All those things they say about aging are coming true. I’m patting myself less on the back and more under the chin. I have everything I had twenty years ago, except now it’s all lower. 

 

Aging. It’s no fun. The way we try to avoid it, you’d think we could. We paint the body, preserve the body, protect the body. And well we should. These bodies are God’s gifts. We should be responsible. But we should also be realistic. This body must die so the new body can live. "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." (1 Corinthians 15:50).

Do the Work.  Don't Give Up. God will Help You.

July 19, 2025

 

Lord, how can I stay motivated to keep going when I feel discouraged?

 

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for me rather than for people. Those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for I am with you. I will not fail you or forsake you. I help the fallen and lift those bent beneath their loads.

 

Colossians 3:23; Galatians 6:8; 1 Chronicles 28:20; Psalm 145:14

 

What truth can I focus on when I’m tempted to believe my work doesn’t matter?

Nothing you do for me is ever useless. So don’t get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time you will reap a harvest of blessing if you don’t give up.

 

1 Corinthians 15:58; Galatians 6:9

 

What can I pray when I need motivation to keep going?

For who is God except you, LORD? Who but my God is a solid rock? You arm me with strength, and you make my way perfect. You make me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights.

 

Psalm 18:31-33

 

Inspiration and enthusiasm can fade when you lose your sense of purpose. But Scripture says that nothing you do for God is ever useless. Sometimes what is needed is a clearer vision of your work and how God can use it. If you’re discouraged, ask God to give you fresh perspective and energy. Where do you need a renewed sense of motivation, energy, and confidence? Write down this truth:“Nothing I do for the Lord is ever useless.” Allow it to help you move forward.

Is It Sustainable?

July 18, 2025

 

"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." -2 Corinthians 7:1

 

Thought for the Day: Holiness doesn’t just deal with my spiritual life; it very much deals with my physical life as well.

 

Most people ask the same two questions when they hear about my weight loss and healthy eating plan: “How did you do it?” and “Is this something you can sustain?” In other words, they are wondering, “If I follow your advice, what will I have to give up forever?”

 

We often desire the long-term solution, but shy away from the actions necessary to reach our goal. Sacrificing for a season is not fun, but it is doable. However, sacrificing until we no longer desire what has been given up? Well, that just takes discipline to a whole new level. Is this kind of sacrificial discipline really sustainable?

 

My answer is no and yes.

 

No, I do not believe in our own strength we can sustain a level of discipline that requires real sacrifice for a long period of time.

 

However, my answer is yes if we factor in a crucial spiritual truth. Making the connection between my daily disciplines with food and my desire to pursue holiness is crucial. And holiness doesn’t just deal with my spiritual life; it very much deals with my physical life as well.

 

It is good for God’s people to be put in a place of longing so they feel a slight desperation. Only then can we be empty enough and open enough to discover the holiness we were made for. When we are stuffed full of other things and never allow ourselves to be in a place of longing, we don’t recognize the deeper spiritual battle going on.

 

Satan wants to keep us distracted by chasing one temporary filling after another. God wants us to step back and let the emptying process have its way until we start desiring a holier life. The gap between our frail discipline and God’s available strength is bridged with nothing but a simple choice on our part to pursue this holiness.

 

I was challenged by a pastor friend’s confident statement, “God tells us to be holy. So be holy. He wouldn’t have said it if it weren’t possible.”

 

"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

-2 Corinthians 7:1

 

Moment by moment we can make the choice to live in our own strength and risk failure or to reach across the gap and grab hold of God’s unwavering strength. And the beautiful thing is, the more dependent we become on God’s strength, the less enamored we are with other choices.

 

Dear Lord, I long to experience the holiness I was made for. I want to reach across the gap and grab hold of Your strength — the unwavering strength that leads to peace and joy. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

The Ninety and Nine

July 17, 2025

 

The loss of a brother gave the world a song.

 
IN 1868 in Scotland, Elizabeth Clephane wrote a poem called “The Lost Sheep.” Also called “The Ninety and Nine,” it depicts the Good Shepherd leaving his flock of sheep to find the one that was lost.
 
Sixteen years before, Elizabeth’s brother George had left the family and gone to Canada. There he collapsed on a country road in a drunken stupor and died the next day. Elizabeth had often thought about the story of the Good Shepherd, fantasizing that Christ the Shepherd had found her brother, the lost sheep, before his death. When asked to contribute a poem for a Christian magazine, she wrote this poem out of her grief and hope for her brother’s salvation.
 
In 1874 D. L. Moody, the American evangelist, and Ira Sankey, his song leader, went on an evangelistic tour of Scotland. On May 20 the two men were on their way to Edinburgh for two days of meetings. Sankey picked up a newspaper called the Christian Age to read on the train. In it, his eyes were drawn to Elizabeth Clephane’s poem, “The Lost Sheep.” Its words moved him deeply, and he thought it would make an excellent evangelistic hymn. He enthusiastically read it to Moody but then realized that Moody was busy reading a letter and had not listened to him. Nevertheless, Sankey ripped the poem out of the newspaper and began mulling over tunes in his head.
 
The next day, May 21, 1874, the theme for their meeting at the Free Church Assembly Hall was “The Good Shepherd.” Moody and several other ministers spoke. The audience was deeply moved by the truths of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. After the messages Moody, as chairman of the meeting, turned to Sankey and said, “Have you a solo appropriate for this subject, to close the service with?“
 
Sankey was startled to be put on the spot and quickly tried to think of something. “At this moment I seemed to hear a voice saying: Sing the hymn you found on the train!” Sankey thought this was crazy because it was a poem without music, not a hymn! He had not yet had time to compose a tune. Moody and the audience waited, and again the thought came, Sing that hymn!
 
Sankey recalls, “Placing the little newspaper slip on the organ in front of me, I lifted my heart in prayer, asking God to help me so to sing that the people might hear and understand. Laying my hands upon the organ I struck the key of A flat and began to sing:
 
“There were ninety and nine that safely lay
In the shelter of the fold;
But one was out on the hills away,
Far off from the gates of gold—
Away on the mountains wild and bare,
Away from the tender Shepherd’s care,
Away from the tender Shepherd’s care.”
 
After the first verse, Sankey was afraid the other verses would sound different from the first. But he prayed, and the Lord gave him the same tune for the other verses, note for note. His voice was triumphant as he sang the final verse:
 
“But all through the mountains, thunder riven,
And up from the rocky steep,
There arose a cry to the gate of heaven,
‘Rejoice! I have found My sheep!’
And the angels echoed round the throne:
‘Rejoice, for the Lord brings back His own!’
‘Rejoice, for the Lord brings back His own!
 
The rapt audience was overcome with emotion, as was Moody. He said, “Sankey, where did you get that hymn? I never heard the like of it in my life!’
 
Sankey replied, “Mr. Moody, that’s the hymn I read to you yesterday on the train, which you did not hear.”
 
Reflection
The Lord seeks his lost sheep and rejoices when they are found. This story spoke powerfully to Elizabeth Clephane, Ira Sankey, D. L. Moody, and those present at the meeting on May 21, 1874.
  • What does it mean to you?
  • Are you a lost sheep or are you safe in the fold?
 
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. -Luke 15:7

Few Find It

July 16, 2025

 

3 "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

Matthew 7:13-14

 

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

John 14:6

 

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

Acts 4:12

 

Most of us like to be in step with the crowd. We want to dress the way people around us dress, talk the way they talk, and even think the way they think about different topics. We don’t like to feel out of step at every turn with everyone around us. But Jesus says that if we want to be connected to him in a saving, eternal way, we have to be willing to go against the crowd—willing to be in the minority rather than the majority.

 

But being in the majority is usually more comfortable than being in the minority, isn’t it? Along with the seeming safety of the majority come strength in numbers and a sense of “rightness.” Jesus’ statement that only a few will find their way into the Kingdom of God challenges our assumptions about the rightness of the majority. It shows us that huge numbers of people in our world are wrong about how to have a life-giving relationship with God and about what makes life worth living.

 

Some people suggest it is arrogant to believe that only a small number of people have a grasp on truth and the gift of eternal life. But actually it takes great humility to recognize our complete unworthiness and inability to earn a place in God’s family. It requires humility to admit that we are desperately in need of a Savior.

 

DISCUSSION STARTERS

  • Have you ever been in the minority because of your gender, age, cultural background, interests, opinions, or something else? What was that like?

 

  • How would you respond to the criticism that Christianity is exclusive, or limited to certain people?

 

  • Why do you think Jesus said only a few will find life?

A Prayer about Perspective

July 15, 2025

 

When I need to see from God’s point of view:

 

ALMIGHTY GOD,

The other day I was thinking about how children view life. What a limited perspective they have because of their age and their lack of maturity and experience. As they grow older, they discover that the world is much bigger than home, neighborhood, and community. During the school years, they learn about history, geography, nations, and cultures. As an educated, experienced adult with a much larger picture, I can get the idea that I know it all. But even greater than the contrast between a baby’s view and mine is the gulf between my perspective and yours, Father. You know everything about everything—the beginning, the end, and the in-between. You know your plans for all of creation, me included, and you see how everything in your plan works together. O Lord, please keep me from pride in my knowledge and opinions. I need to trust fully in you, knowing that you are sovereign, good, and loving. Please help me see life, others, and myself from your point of view as revealed in Scripture. I walk by faith, not by sight.

 

"Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more." -2 Corinthians 5:16

31 Days of Wisdom-Proverbs 20

July 14, 2025

 

Reflection:

Proverbs 20:10, 23

 

Those who try to gain a competitive advantage through dishonest means, no matter how slight, are making a powerful statement about what they believe. They are making it clear that they don’t trust God to provide for them, defend them or show them his favor. Yet an alarming number of Christians are careless with their integrity. When our work ethics allow for inaccurate timesheets, hidden costs, unreliable quotes, questionable expense reports and other dubious practices, we are defrauding someone. We are being dishonest.

 

Few employers expect their employees to be hyper-conscientious about every minute or cent—that can become cumbersome, counterproductive and even annoying—but when an employer or client expects one thing and we give them something less, that’s an ethical problem. God is a God of integrity. His people are to be known for it too.

 

1 Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler;

whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

 

2 A king’s wrath strikes terror like the roar of a lion;

those who anger him forfeit their lives.

 

3 It is to one’s honor to avoid strife,

but every fool is quick to quarrel.

 

4 Sluggards do not plow in season;

so at harvest time they look but find nothing.

 

5 The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters,

but one who has insight draws them out.

 

6 Many claim to have unfailing love,

but a faithful person who can find?

 

7 The righteous lead blameless lives;

blessed are their children after them.

 

8 When a king sits on his throne to judge,

he winnows out all evil with his eyes.

 

9 Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure;

I am clean and without sin”?

 

10 Differing weights and differing measures—

the LORD detests them both.

 

11 Even small children are known by their actions,

so is their conduct really pure and upright?

 

12 Ears that hear and eyes that see—

the LORD has made them both.

 

13 Do not love sleep or you will grow poor;

stay awake and you will have food to spare.

 

14 “It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer—

then goes off and boasts about the purchase.

 

15 Gold there is, and rubies in abundance,

but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.

 

16 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;

hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.

 

17 Food gained by fraud tastes sweet,

but one ends up with a mouth full of gravel.

 

18 Plans are established by seeking advice;

so if you wage war, obtain guidance.

 

19 A gossip betrays a confidence;

so avoid anyone who talks too much.

 

20 If someone curses their father or mother,

their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.

 

21 An inheritance claimed too soon

will not be blessed at the end.

 

22 Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!”

Wait for the LORD, and he will avenge you.

 

23 The LORD detests differing weights,

and dishonest scales do not please him.

 

24 A person’s steps are directed by the LORD.

How then can anyone understand their own way?

 

25 It is a trap to dedicate something rashly

and only later to consider one’s vows.

 

26 A wise king winnows out the wicked;

he drives the threshing wheel over them.

 

27 The human spirit is the lamp of the LORD

that sheds light on one’s inmost being.

 

28 Love and faithfulness keep a king safe;

through love his throne is made secure.

 

29 The glory of young men is their strength,

gray hair the splendor of the old.

 

30 Blows and wounds scrub away evil,

and beatings purge the inmost being.

The Golden Rule of Mentoring

July 13, 2025

 

Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. -Matthew 7:12

 
We often think about this verse in terms of being nice to others because we want them to treat us nicely, but I wonder sometimes if there aren’t other qualities we should consider as well. Do I think this way when I deal with people in other settings?
 
How about mentoring others? Throughout my coaching career, I had guys on the team making multimillion-dollar salaries. Anyone with the slightest interest in sports knows that professional players’ salaries have skyrocketed in the past few years. So what do you think the response would be if players were asked to teach and “coach” other players in their particular positions for the overall good of the team?
 
Believe it or not, that’s what happens on good teams. Veteran players help the younger players improve because it will help the team grow stronger. Defensive backs could show new defensive backs the techniques that took them years to learn. The end result? Sometimes the new guy eventually beats the veteran out of a position and the lucrative salary that comes with it.
 
How about honesty? How about helping someone see where they need to improve by being candid and forthright about it—rather than sugarcoating it or, worse, not pointing it out at all? Sometimes hearing no is painful, but we can pick ourselves up and move on much easier than if it were maybe. Sometimes getting a poor job review can give us the opportunity to work with what we have and learn. If we believe everyone was created by God with specific gifts and abilities—like no one else—then we have to believe they are equipped to do incredible things in some setting, some place. Maybe right now they are just in the wrong place.
 
What about helping someone grow in his or her faith? If we didn’t know about Jesus Christ or had not asked Him to be our Lord and Savior, and someone we know did know Him, wouldn’t we want that person to tell us about Him?
 
Uncommon Key > Do unto others as you would have them do unto you—there are many opportunities if you look for them. Start thinking about—and acting upon—them today.

Answering Isaiah

July 12, 2025

 

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: . . . Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter — when you see the naked, to clothe him." -Isaiah 58:6-7

 

Diana is a “working” homeless person. She puts in hours at a local fast-food restaurant and showers every couple of days at a nearby Methodist church. Sometimes with her earnings, Diana is able to get a good night’s sleep at a Motel 6. She is sixty-two years old and starts each day with a “Good morning, God!” then tends to her cat, Shadow. She has found a safe sleeping place near a hardware store in the San Fernando Valley. She lost her home years ago but is hoping to find a permanent place to live.

 

Cathy, who works at our office, met Diana several months ago when she stopped by the fast-food restaurant. She was impressed with the woman’s upbeat attitude. When she learned Diana was homeless, Cathy and her husband decided to help — they have since found her a room to rent. It’s one modern-day example of how Christians are not only responding to God’s plea in Isaiah 58 but are salting their communities with the preserving influence of the gospel. After all, people like Diana hold a special place in God’s heart (Matthew 25:35).

 

People like Cathy have a special place in God’s heart too. As they help someone like Diana, Isaiah 58:9 – 11 assures that “the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. If you do away with the yoke of oppression . . . and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always.”

 

Father God, today I will encounter all sorts of people in my community. Open my eyes to their needs and show me how to make a difference.

Home Treasure

July 11, 2025

 

A worthy wife is a crown for her husband, but a disgraceful woman is like cancer in his bones. -Proverbs 12:4

 

Proverbs has much to say about wives and husbands. This one offers a glimpse of the way spouses have a deep influence on one another. This has nothing to do with the perfection of the husband, for no husband can be perfect. Nor does it refer to a wife being no more than a doormat or a trophy on display. Instead, this verse is referring to a loving relationship in which both husband and wife honor each other. And it reveals the power a wife has in a relationship.

 

When a wife builds up and supports her husband, when she is faithful and loving, then she is like a crown on his head and she brings him joy. But when she hurts and shames him by her actions or words, she can ruin him. Husbands and wives need to work together to build a relationship in which they are “worthy” for each other. Then they will find great joy in their marriage.

 

Today, Lord, may I be a joy to my husband (wife), helping him (her) to be the best he (she) can be for you.

Seeing the Big Picture

July 10, 2025

 

God sometimes used his prophets as motivational speakers.

 

FOR THREE and a half weeks Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, and Jeshua, the high priest, had been directing the Jews who had returned with them from Babylonia as they rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem. The work was discouraging because the temple had lain in ruins for sixty-six years.

 

Previously the enemies of the Jews had been so successful in frightening and discouraging them that work had stopped for seventeen years. On October 17, 520 B.C., as the rebuilding project was underway again, God sent a message to encourage and motivate the workers through the prophet Haggai (Haggai 2:1).

 

Haggai said to Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and all the people, “Is there anyone who can remember this house—the Temple—as it was before? In comparison, how does it look to you now? It must seem like nothing at all! . . . Take courage and work, for I am with you, says the Lord Almighty. My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid” (Haggai 2:3-5).

 

The original temple built by Solomon was ornate and luxurious. There was no way the workers could replicate its grandeur, and Haggai realized that this discouraged many of the workers. But God desired his people to be encouraged in spite of how insignificant the temple they were rebuilding might look.

 

So God gave them a glimpse of what the future temple would look like—in connection with the second coming of Christ. Of that time God said through Haggai to the discouraged temple builders, “In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth. I will shake the oceans and the dry land, too. I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will come to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the Lord Almighty. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord Almighty. The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the Lord Almighty. And in this place I will bring peace. I, the Lord Almighty, have spoken!” (vv. 6-9).

 

Previously God had shaken the earth when he had made his covenant with them at Mount Sinai. “Moses led them out from the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. . . . And the whole mountain shook with a violent earthquake” (Exodus 19:17-18). God shook the earth again when Christ was crucified. “The earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened” (Matthew 27:51-52). But the great shaking is yet to come. In a vision of the second coming of Christ, John saw “a great earthquake. . . Then the stars of the sky fell to the earth. . . . And the sky was rolled up like a scroll and taken away. And all of the mountains and all of the islands disappeared” (Revelation 6:12-14; cf. Luke 21:25-27).

 

Through Haggai God helped the disheartened workers see that their building was part of a much bigger scenario—one in which the temple would eventually be rebuilt a final time to a grandeur greater than ever before (cf. Ezekiel 40:1–47:12).

 

Reflection:

God encouraged the discouraged temple builders by telling them of the glorious end of the project they were beginning. We, likewise, can become discouraged at the seeming insignificance of what God calls us to do. Yet it is all part of God’s glorious perfect plan. No matter what our task, “the future glory . . . will be greater than its past” (Haggai 2:9).

 

"The glory of the Lord filled the Temple."

-Ezekiel 43:5

Grumbling and Grace

July 9, 2025

 

The LORD said to Moses, “I have heard the Israelites’ complaints. Now tell them, ‘In the evening you will have meat to eat, and in the morning you will have all the bread you want. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.’” Exodus 16:11-12

 

 
GOD HAD HEARD the cries of his people and sent a deliverer to bring them out of slavery in Egypt. He had held back a wall of water so they could cross through the Red Sea on dry ground and then released it to drown their enemies. Most recently he had brought them to an Eden-like oasis and sweetened the bitter water there to slake their thirst. They should have been overflowing with gratitude. But instead, God’s people grumbled, accusing him of bringing them out into the wilderness to die of hunger.
 
God would have been just to let them starve right there in the desert. But God’s grace is greater than his people’s grumbling. His gracious response to their grumbling was to supernaturally provide for them. Every day as they gathered just enough manna to meet the day’s needs and went to bed expecting it to rain down again the next morning, they were learning what it meant to live by faith in God’s promised provision.
 
We long for our children to learn what it means to live by faith. We sometimes think it is all about knowing the right things and acting the right way. But isn’t it really more about sensing a great need for what only God can provide and waking up each day to that provision? Though we are quick to notice when our kids gripe and grumble, how often do they hear us complain—about their messy room, an annoying neighbor, or about our own parents? What we all need is for gratitude to crowd out our impulse to complain. Lord, forgive us for our grumbling against you when you are providing everything we need, including what we need most—the Living Bread that came down from heaven, Jesus himself.
 
Lord, give ________ a desperate hunger for you. Help ________ to see that only your provision nourishes and satisfies the human soul. As he takes and eats your provision, the body and blood of Christ, make him truly know that you are the Lord his God.

When you Wonder what You're Supposed to Hope In

July 8, 2025

 

Lord, what is the source of my hope?

 

Look up to the mountains—does your help come from there? Your help comes from me, who made heaven and earth! If your wealth increases, don’t make it the center of your life. Power belongs to me; unfailing love is mine. I am the LORD, and I do not change. Put your hope in me. I am your help and your shield. In me your heart rejoices; trust in my holy name.
 
Psalm 121:1-2; Psalm 62:10-12; Malachi 3:6; Psalm 33:20-21
 
What happens if I start to place my hope in the wrong things?
Be sure that your faith is in me alone. Do not waver, for your divided loyalty makes you as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. People like this should not expect to receive anything from me. Their loyalty is divided between me and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. Give me your heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways.
 
James 1:6-8; Proverbs 23:26
 
What can I pray to renew my hope that you alone will meet my greatest needs?
I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to you, LORD, because you are good to me. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.
 
Psalm 13:5-6; Psalm 25:5
 
Examine where you turn for hope today. Is it to material things, financial stability, success, the love and acceptance of others, changed circumstances, having a comfortable life, healing? Ask yourself, Why do I turn to these things when I feel insecure? The world offers many things to help you live a better, healthier life, but never let these distract you from your ultimate hope in God’s rescue plan.
 
Pray Psalm 13:5-6 to proclaim that God alone is your rescuer and source of hope.

Let it Go

July 7, 2025

Women can be so uptight and prone to worry, can’t we? Each of us has been given a different puzzle—different circumstances, gifts, personalities, families, children, husbands (or lack thereof). I wish I had not been such a people pleaser, trying to live up to the expectations of others—my family, my critics, my peers. My family puzzle just did not fit into the pattern of others’ expectations, so trying to live up to those standards was impossible. I wish I had accepted that at the very first instead of fretting about things I could not change.

 

Some of the cards we have been dealt are pleasing, and some just drive us crazy. But I think the reason we often struggle with His will is because we find ourselves and our circumstances unacceptable, embarrassing, and/or less than perfect.

 

We can’t truly find peace until we relinquish a tight grasp on our rights and learn to rest in the places in which we find ourselves.

 

To have peace and rest, we must die to ourselves, our failures, and our expectations and hold our hands up to our Father just as a toddler would and say, “I need You. I need Your love, grace, joy, peace today. Without You, I am not able to experience rest in my heart. Help me to see Your presence in this place, this time, these circumstances, within my own limitations. Open my eyes to beauty, to Your fingerprints all around me today.”

 

His Promises:

"Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."

-Matthew 11:28-30

 

"Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me."

-John 14:1

 

"The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed,

a refuge in times of trouble.

Those who know your name trust in you,

for you, O LORD, do not abandon those who search for you."

-Psalm 9:9-10

He will Build a House for My Name

July 6, 2025

After King David had been given rest from all his enemies in Canaan, and after he had finished building his famed cedar palace, he told the prophet Nathan that he wanted to build a house for God. Nathan’s first reaction was to applaud and encourage David’s plans. But that night, God warned Nathan that what he had told David was his own opinion and not a divine instruction. So Nathan then delivered a word from God that was decisive.

 

The LORD declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. (2 Samuel 7:11-13)

 

On one hand, God was declaring that David’s son Solomon would be the one to build a house for God. But Solomon can’t be the only son referred to here, because his kingdom did not last forever. There must be another descendant, another offspring, whose throne will be secure forever. Far beyond Solomon, who would build a house made of stone, God was promising his greater Son, Jesus, who would build a house made of living stones—the lives of his elect. Peter wrote to those coming to Christ, “You are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple” (1 Peter 2:5).

 

God was giving David much more than he could have ever imagined. Instead of having David build a “house” for the Almighty, God planned to make a “house” out of David. He was part of the same promise and plan that had been given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

 

God promises a spiritual house, an eternal home, for people from all nations and all times. “So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself” (Ephesians 2:19-20).

 

Master Builder, I don’t deserve to be a part of the house you are building for God, but you have made me into a living stone, into a part of your grand plan for your world. In this world where foundations crumble so easily, I find my security in being built into your house, where you are the cornerstone.

Easy Learning

July 5, 2025

"The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor." -Proverbs 22:12

 

When athletes make the jump from middle school to high school, the game speeds up. When they jump from high school to college, it gets even faster. When an athlete gets to the pros, the game gets even faster—that is, until it slows down. You see, there comes a time when after significant study and experience, the game gets easier instead of harder—slower instead of faster.

 

But that knowledge of the game can come only when athletes seek to learn. Proverbs 14:6 says, “A mocker seeks wisdom and never finds it, but knowledge comes easily to those with understanding.”

 

Unfortunately, mockers don’t take time to learn from their experience. Coaches can speak into their lives, but then mockers simply ignore the words of wisdom. On the other hand, those who are teachable are eager to learn. They have a “Put me in, coach” mentality. They can’t get enough drills, and they are eager to do the extra film study to master their game.

I have the privilege of being Dr. Jim Tour’s pastor. He is an example of a man of great understanding. Dr. Tour is the T. T. and W. F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, as well as a professor of computer science, materials science, and nano-engineering at Rice University. Professionally, he is an elite scientist. As a man of prayer, he is very persistent in his requests. When I asked him if he was having any breakthroughs in his research, Jim told me, “We have breakthroughs every single week.” You see, Jim prays for the Lord to give him knowledge as he does the most cutting-edge research in nanotechnology.

 

Learn from your experience, master your craft, and ask the Lord for breakthroughs. The learning will come easier than you think if you stick with it.

God's Masterpiece

July 4, 2025

 

We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. –Ephesians 2:10

 

A masterpiece. Me? I don’t think so. At least it’s hard for me to see. All it takes is a glance in the mirror, a step on the scale, a few minutes of flipping through a magazine, for my self-image to nose-dive and my self-confidence to be shaken. Can you relate? Do you sometimes struggle with the way God has made you—the shape or size of your body, the personality you have, the abilities you were given? It’s easy to allow the way we look to define who we are, but Paul says we are God’s masterpiece. What does he mean?

 

When I think of a masterpiece, my first thought, and perhaps yours too, is great works of art by Da Vinci or Rembrandt or Van Gogh, great sculptors and painters who created the breathtaking works of art we gaze at in wonder. But I don’t think this is the kind of masterpiece Paul had in mind, because God is not making us into his masterpiece simply so we can look good or even so we can be good. His purpose in making us a masterpiece is so that we can do good. Rather than Picasso or Monet, think instead of Stradivari. Antonio Stradivari made about 1,100 violins, harps, guitars, violas, and cellos during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Each Stradivarius is a treasured masterpiece unsurpassed in sound. It is not made to sit on a shelf to be admired for its beauty, but to be played—to be put in the hands of a master musician to create beautiful music.

 

You are a masterpiece, not like the Mona Lisa, which hangs in a museum behind bulletproof glass, beyond the potentially damaging touch of dirty hands. You are like a Stradivarius violin, whose true beauty and value is seen and experienced in its usefulness—especially when it is used by a master. Being used by the master in this hurting world is thrilling. The reason it feels so good to offer food to those who are hungry, a coat to those who are cold, companionship to those who are lonely, a home to a child who is alone, is because this is what you were made for. This is the beauty of the Master Jesus using your life.

 

Master Designer, I’ve wasted too much time and energy looking in the mirror agonizing over my own reflection instead of feeling the pain of a hurting world around me and doing something about it. Make me a masterpiece that displays your beauty and demonstrates your love.

 

DIGGING DEEPER Read Romans 8:28-30. How does this passage add to your understanding of God’s plans and purposes?

One Too Many Voices

July 3, 2025

“Let all who are simple come in here!” she says to those who lack judgment."

-Proverbs 9:4, 16
 
IN WORD Wisdom and Folly both take on a human voice in Proverbs; they are principles personified. Repeatedly throughout the book, Wisdom calls. So does Folly. Wisdom promises everlasting blessing; Folly promises a moment of pleasure. Their voices are incessant.
 
So which one is quoted in the verses above? Both. Wisdom in verse 4; Folly in verse 16. They say exactly the same thing. They speak to those who are simple and lacking in judgment; the only difference between the two sayings is in the response of the hearer.
 
Perhaps we are unaware of the constant call. Perhaps we do not realize that every choice is a response to a voice—the voice of Wisdom or the voice of Folly. When you are tempted, both are speaking. When you are in search of security, both call out. When you are making your plans, both compete for your attention. When you are spending your money and your time, they beckon. Have you not heard them? They always say the same thing: “Come in here!”
 
Wisdom is like a spouse—a permanent partner who is always there supporting you for your own good. Folly is like a prostitute—the promise is enticing, but the result is brief and disappointing. When Proverbs speaks of wives and prostitutes, faithfulness and adultery, it speaks in literal terms. But it also speaks figuratively. We make choices daily. We are faced with a repeated choice between Wisdom and Folly, and their voices can sound so much alike.
 
IN DEED Whose voice do you hear? Wisdom isn’t flashy, rarely impresses, and never demands. Folly is brash, showy, and frequently pushy. She says you were put here to have a blast. Wisdom disagrees: You were put here to have—and to be— a blessing. Can you tell the difference? When they both call, to which voice are your ears attuned? Train them well—a lot is riding on your ability to hear.
 
"Common sense suits itself to the ways of the world. Wisdom tries to conform to the ways of heaven."
—JOSEPH JOUBERT

Promote Peace

July 2, 2025

"Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy." -Proverbs 12:20 

 

I feel an urgency to apply this proverb to families. There is so much intrigue and turmoil in families right now. Sisters and brothers are ganging up on each other, fighting over an inheritance, bickering over petty things.

 

If you’re involved in trouble in your family, I suggest you go back to Genesis 37–50 and read the story of Joseph and his brothers. It’s like a big soap opera, with all the elements of jealousy, bitterness, grudges, lies, deceit. Be aware that it’s not just a story. It’s about a real family—a family with stepmothers and stepbrothers. That adds an element that definitely makes things more complicated, and then you add the element of favoritism, and you have a real formula for trouble. I don’t have to explain that to you if you’re living it. It’s not the Brady Bunch. Bottom line: Joseph’s brothers plotted revenge against Joseph, and in the end, they were the big losers.

 

First Peter 3:8-9 has a formula of joy for us as an antidote. Read it carefully: “Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing” (NIV).

 

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Families can indeed be complicated, especially with blended families, ex-spouses, in-laws, and out-laws (ex-in-laws). Everything from who is invited to Easter dinner to custody and inheritance issues can be an emotional can of worms. Let me ask you a question: When there is a conflict in your family, is there a difference between the way you respond and the way the non-Christians respond? Conflict is opportunity in disguise; really it is. It can be the best opportunity of all for you to show the grace and love and patience of Christ. Talk is cheap. This can be your “divine appointment” to walk the talk.