DEVOTION - Day 31

1 Chronicles 22:19
19 Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the LORD.”


Today, the devotion includes the verse that we discussed when we met on that Wednesday night 31 days ago and agreed to challenge ourselves to spending some time with God daily. I sincerely hope that over the last 31 days you’ve made God a priority and spent time with him each day. Below are the bullet points from the message I presented that night:

Big Idea:

A commitment to devotion will build up your life to be used by God.

The deal:

• You devote your time to those things that you place value on

• Devotion is an act of love and worship

• Devotion is where true change happens

The reality:

• Devotions are time with God

• They can be in the form of Bible study, prayer, private worship, or anything else outside of corporate worship

• They are another way to “tithe”

The challenge:

• From where you are today, do more

• Pray that God will truly change your life through this process

• 31 days of devotions – blog: RefugeSeniorHigh.blogspot.com

For me, the last 31 days have been amazing. To be honest, when I first thought of the challenge, I thought it was a really good idea, but was quite unsure of my follow through. I have been able to complete all 31 days and have been blessed to have things to write about each day. In fact, I have heard compliments and testimonies from a lot of people because of this blog. It has shown me a lot about my life and I hope that it’s done the same for you.

So, today, pray that God will give you the resolve and strength to continue making time with Him a priority. Ask Him to continue to show you that time with Him equals obedience and that when you are obedient, He blesses you. Finally, pray that your devotion time will truly change you and make you more like Jesus.

Please let me know how your 31 days have gone. I would love to hear your story of how God is changing you through this time alone with Him. Post here or on Facebook what God has done in your life throughout the last 31 days.

DEVOTION - Day 30

2 Thessalonians 3:16 (New International Version)


16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.



As we get to day 30 of our 31 day devotional challenge, I think this verse is appropriate for us all. I sincerely hope that you’ve been able to stick with this every day and that it’s had a positive impact on your life. If you haven’t been able to quite do devotions every day, I at least hope you’ve done it most days and that you will continue doing this for the rest of 2011.

But, my prayer for all of you is that, if nothing else, God has given you a sense of peace throughout this devotional challenge. I believe that peace in our busy lives is difficult to find and I hope that you’ve found moments of peace as you’ve spent time with God. Often times, we may not get the answers that we’re looking for, but I pray that God has given you His peace knowing that ultimately He is in control of your future and your current consequences.

Many times we pray to God expecting an answer. And, often times, He doesn’t respond in the time frame or even the way we think He should. However, I firmly believe that peace should be a by-product of turning our cares and our requests over to His capable hands. And I think that this is something we should search for.

Additionally, when we’re faced with a big decision in our lives, we should pray for His peace. Because I believe that when we feel peace about a decision, that is when we know that it is God’s will. And, remember, we’re not just talking about calmness or quietness, we’re talking about a peace that “surpasses all understanding.” It’s a peace that we don’t even understand or fully comprehend, yet it is there anyway and it helps us move forward in life.

So, today, pray that God will give you His peace. Ask Him that it comes at all times, in every way, and in every circumstance. Pray that He will help you to pray first for peace and then for answers so that you can know His amazing love in your life.

DEVOTION - Day 29

2 Thessalonians 2:4 (New International Version)

4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

Although it’s not exactly what this verse is talking about, upon reading it, my mind immediately went to the gods that I have set up in my own life. Or better yet, what things do I allow to oppose what I believe and exalt itself above the God that I worship? And, do I use religious things to keep me from doing God’s will in my life?

We spend a lot of time doing things that are not getting us any closer to God. We have activities in our lives that we think we can’t do without, yet they don’t bring us into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. We even have things that we miss church to do because we feel as though we cannot miss it or else, somehow, our lives would be incomplete. These are the things that “oppose” and “exalt” themselves “over everything that is called God.”

Also, there are moments where we place religious things ahead of God’s will so that they set themselves up “in God’s temple, proclaiming to be God.” There are things in life that we know are sinful. When we see others who live this lifestyle or do these things, we let it interfere or come between us and our faith and we forget that the greatest commandments where to love God and love others. In other words, we get so wrapped up in judging and condemning other people, that it becomes something that proclaims itself to be God when God tells us to love everyone, unconditionally.

So, what activities do you have in your life that you are letting come between you and God? What things do you do that keep you from having a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ? What religious things have you allowed to set up in God’s temple that proclaim themselves to be God fooling you into thinking that they are God?

For me, I have always placed a high emphasis on ‘success.’ I used to do anything it took to get me what I had pictured in my mind as success. This meant that I would work long hours and even compromise my integrity to get where I wanted to be. In essence, I allowed this pursuit of ‘success’ to come between me and God and it caused me to stop going to church – it definitely opposed God in my life and I allowed it to exalt itself over God.

So, pray today that God will give you eyes to see the areas of your life where you have been separated from God. Ask Him to show you what things are being exalted over him and ask for His forgiveness. Finally, pray that the religion you subscribe to doesn’t outweigh and supersede the God that you serve and the faith that you have.

DEVOTION - Day 28

2 Thessalonians 1:6 (New International Version)
6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you

Often times, we try to play God and do His job. Paying people back when they wrong you is exactly one of those times when we do that. But, we see here that God “will pay back trouble to those who trouble you.” So, let’s consider this principle for our lives…

Who is it that has done something so bad to you that you have been thinking about getting revenge? Who have you already exacted revenge on that you need to ask for forgiveness? What other areas of your life are you playing God? What situations and people do you need to turn over to God and let Him fulfill his promise in this verse?

For me, anyone that does anything wrong to me, I want them to experience exactly what they put me through. Not that I want to necessarily get revenge, but I find myself almost hoping that they get back what they dished out to me. It’s because of impatience that I want to act on my own rather than wait on God to pay back the trouble that I’ve been caused. And, in reality, I may never see or even know that God has done anything in their lives.

So, today, pray that God will give you the resolve to let God be God. Ask Him to show you who you are trying to pay back trouble to. Finally, pray that you will truly learn to “turn the other cheek” and understand that God will live up to His promise.

DEVOTION - Day 27

Today I'm posting a Devotional that relates to this week's message in Refuge.  Enjoy!!

YOU, NOT ME

By Sarah Anderson

(Read Mark 2:1-12 before reading this devotional.)

Something about just hearing the word “friendship” makes me feel good. I immediately start thinking about long phone conversations, inside jokes, road trips, a good meal together, a good cup of coffee and a lot of laughs. When I think about friendship, a lot of great things come to mind. But the truth is a friendship made up of only the great stuff isn’t really a friendship at all. It’s a fantasy. Because anyone who has been friends with someone for a long time can tell you that as much fun as solid quality friendship can be, it can be a lot of hard work too. It isn’t always convenient and it definitely isn’t always easy.

At one point in His ministry, Jesus encountered some guys in Capernaum who had learned firsthand the sometimes inopportune and awkward demands of being a friend. When Jesus had entered the city, He went to a house to begin preaching His message. Word had spread about Him and what He was able to do—His reputation proceeded His arrival so that once He got in town, not only were people ready to hear Him, they crowded the house He was in, gathered outside the doors and windows, and were willing to do just about anything to get a closer look at this rumored Messiah. There was talk that He was a healer, a miracle worker and that in a seemingly effortless way, He could restore sight to the blind, movement to the lame and hope to the desperate.

With that much hype surrounding Jesus’ arrival, it was no surprise that the crowds took to Him immediately, surrounding every square inch of space available around Him. And the guys this story is about were no different than the rest of the town—they were five guys whose curiosity was piqued and whose interest was stirred. They too wanted to hear what Jesus had to say. Only one problem. One of the five was a paralytic. As in totally paralyzed. As in living his life on the space of a 3x6 foot mat. Every day. Day in. Day out.

Let’s get honest here. Let’s say what everyone else is thinking. When it came to getting to hear Jesus, this paralyzed guy was kind of slowing the rest of them down. I mean it took all four of his friends to carry him, and if they wanted any chance of getting to the action, then they had to leave this friend behind. Surely he would understand. Surely he would see that he was more a hindrance than a help. Surely he wouldn’t mind if they promised to bring him around next time Jesus made a public appearance.

But these four guys weren’t about to leave their friend—the one who needed the touch of Jesus more than anyone else—behind. They weren’t about to put their interests, their desires, their expectations before the wants of their paralyzed friend. So, the book of Mark says, the four friends carried the fifth guy. They each took a corner of his mat, and they lifted him, shouldered him, somehow moved him to the house where Jesus was, only to find the crowds more than they could handle. They couldn’t get close enough. They could hardly hear a thing from the outside. Their plan was interrupted. So they gave up? Nope. So, they cut their losses and said maybe next time? So they left their friend on the mat and bumped and pushed their way closer to hear what Jesus had to say themselves? No. They got creative. They climbed on the roof. And then they made an opening there. As in, they damaged private property. And then somehow they got their paralyzed friend on the roof, and with whatever strength they had left, they lowered him, slowly, carefully, but probably not quietly, into the room where Jesus was teaching.

And while the people there may have been a little put out, a little frustrated by the disturbance, Jesus wasn’t at all. In fact, Jesus takes note. Not just of the man on the mat coming from the roof, but of the four men who worked to get him there. The book of Mark says that when Jesus saw their faith—not the paralyzed man’s faith, but their faith, the faith of all five men and not just the one—He did more than what everyone expected. He invited the paralyzed man to pick up his mat and walk.

Jesus stopped what He was doing when He saw the faith of five friends. It silenced Him. He noticed it. He made an example out of five guys who saw the bigger picture of friendship than just convenience, ease and a benefit to themselves. What these guys understood was that friendship very rarely has to do with only the good stuff and the easy stuff. That oftentimes the friendships that go the distance, the friendships that people take note of, the friendships that end up silencing the people around you are the ones that are marked by selflessness, the ability to drop personal needs for the sake of someone else’s. The friendships that get our attention are the ones where someone is willing to get a little uncomfortable for the sake of the one who needs him or her.

How far are you willing to go when it comes to being inconvenienced for the sake of a friend? Are you willing to carry the mat? Are you willing to put yourself aside and risk some embarrassment, just so you can get that friend to the feet of Jesus? What lengths are you willing to go to?

Who around you could use some help carrying their mat? Who could use some extra strength, some additional care, some added encouragement? Who needs you to be the kind of friend you have the potential to be?  And what will it take for you to start acting like this friend they need? Yes, it can be hard. Sure, it may be uncomfortable. But you have more than just the world’s attention when you live this way. You have the eye of Jesus on you. You have the attention of the very One whose love you are modeling. He notices love, service and friendship of this magnitude. And where He is involved, anything can happen.

DEVOTION - Day 26

1 Thessalonians 4:7 (New International Version)
7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

Let’s face it, sexual temptations are all around us. It is quite difficult to avoid being tempted by something we see or something we hear or read. No matter which way we turn, sex and sexual innuendo are thrown at us at an alarming rate.

I mean, I’m not telling you anything that you don’t already know. And, we all struggle with it to varying degrees. Some of us don’t struggle at all while others struggle to a large degree. This is one of the areas of life that far too many people find themselves in a mess that they don’t know how to get out of. And, unfortunately, many people succumb to the pressure and give in to doing things that ultimately destroy their lives along with any relationships they have.

I want to urge you that the message in today’s verse is that complete purity should be the goal. This includes both purity of body, mind, and spirit. Additionally, the instruction we receive here is to not just stop at purity in the sexual sense, but to live a life that is holy. This means that all areas of your life should be in line with a pure life – sexually, relationally, etc.

Are you sexually pure? Is there any area of your life that is not pure? Do you value your purity and vow to keep it that way until you are married? What things do you need to change in your life to be in line with this verse? Do you have an accountability partner that holds you accountable to a higher purity standard?

For me, this used to be a tough area for me. I have had to take a strong stance in my life to remove anything that might be a temptation to me. This includes the TV shows I watch or the movies I rent. It also includes the things I look at and the things I read (both online and in print). Consuela and I have come to learn that “the small stuff matters.” In other words, everything that goes into your mind/heart plants a seed, no matter how small it may seem at the time. Everything matters.

So, pray today that God will reveal any area of your life that is impure. Ask Him for the strength to fight back against temptation and not give into it. Finally, pray that He will help you take the necessary steps and realize the goal of living a holy life.

DEVOTION - Day 25

1 Thessalonians 3:7 (New International Version)
7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith.

With less than a week left in the 31 Day Devotional challenge, I want to encourage you that we are very close to completing our fifth book of the Bible! This is no small feat and is a very extraordinary thing for us to be able to say that we’ve done! Just imagine what you could do if you kept this up for the rest of the year…you just might complete the entire Bible!! That is my challenge to you…

But, today we focus on this Scripture which speaks so clearly to one of the benefits of surrounding yourself with Godly people. Too many people only see those that they go to church with on Sunday morning. Then, the rest of the week, they’re at work where they are surrounded by people and environments that are less than Christian. Now, don’t get me wrong, we all need to be out in the world ministering to those around us, but I think the verse today gives us insight as to why it’s also important to have Christian friends around us.

Have you ever been to a point where you were ready to give up? I mean, this Christian thing, well you gave it a chance, and it’s just too hard? Maybe you feel like Paul here – you’re distressed and persecuted and you’re to a point where you almost can’t go on another day?

If that’s you, Paul gives us the direction here that, by having brothers and sisters in Christ around you, you are able to tap into their faith and their stories of faith. In other words, when you are weak, you can be strengthened by the acts of faith of those around you.

Here’s what I mean. Have you ever heard a story where a Christian has overcome some obstacle in their life that you walk away from it thinking “man, if they can do THAT, then I can do THIS”? Their tremendous story of hope, or restoration, or God’s triumphant blessing in their life gives you such encouragement to deal with whatever you’re going through. That’s what I’m talking about here.

For me, I find encouragement in others often. In the life of ministry, there are often moments where I feel as though the mountain is too high or the waters are too deep and I just can’t do it. There are times where the idea is just too big or there just aren’t enough people or resources to carry it out. Or, there just isn’t enough time in my week or days in my month to get things done and I’m not sure that I can continue to juggle everything effectively. Then, I see someone like Pastor Todd who has his hands full with a LARGE family in addition to making a transition into a new position in a new city, and I think to myself “man, if he can do THAT, then I can do THIS!”

So, today, pray that God will give you strength to continue on another day. Ask Him to place others in your life that you can be encouraged by their faith by, especially when you are distressed and persecuted. Finally, pray that your faith can be that to someone else someday.

DEVOTION - Day 24

1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 (New International Version)

11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

Fathers are an interesting topic and the father/child relationship is so vitally important for all of us. Studies say that a father’s involvement (or lack of involvement) determines the direction of a child’s life and how secure (or insecure) that child will be in their identity. Additionally, there have been many studies that have shown, time and time again, that fathers influence their children in ways that a mother alone just can’t do.

For some of us, the thought of our father is an easy one. He’s there and he attends all my school events. He supports me and he encourages me. He loves me unconditionally and shows me affection on a regular basis. He teaches me right from wrong and fills my life full of weighty things like integrity and character. For us, this Scripture describes our father to a “T.” He is “encouraging, comforting, and he urges us to live lives worthy of God.”

For others, the topic of our fathers is not an easy one. Our father is a workaholic, so we never see him and he is not at any of my events. He misses out on the most impressionable and important moments of my life. Or, maybe our father is absent emotionally. He’s home, but disconnected from any emotional relationship with me. Or even worse yet, he is absent physically and emotionally. You may not even know who he is.

For those that fall in the second category I described, you probably long for the encouragement and comfort that Paul speaks of in this verse. You hope for the day when dad will grab you up, hug you, apologize for what he’s done to you and your family, and continue a long life full of love and affection. I want to encourage you that whether or not that ever happens, you have a Father that loves you in such a way that no earthly father could ever do – that Father is God.

God longs to be our Father. He wants to have a relationship with us that gives us everything that our father either gave us or didn’t. He wants to love us. He also wants to encourage us, comfort us, and urges us to live lives that are worthy of Him and His will for our lives. I don’t want this to be some philosophical concept that can never be attained for you. But, I really want it to be something that you strive for each and every day.

For me, I had a good dad. Of course, there are things that I wish he would have done better. But, for the most part, he was a good dad. My downfall is not appreciated the type of father I had. I took him for granted and, to a large degree, still do today. Because of this, I feel like our relationship has been fractured to an extent. And, I feel as though I’ve missed out on some things over time.

So, today, if your father has been involved in your life in a positive way, thank God for that relationship and ask that God never lets you take it for granted. If your father is absent in some way, ask that God will reconcile the relationship and gives you the patience to wait on His timing. Above all else, pray that God will be your Father and ask Him to show you the way to deepen your relationship with Him.

DEVOTION - Day 23

1 Thessalonians 1:2 (New International Version)

2 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.


This Scripture spoke to me in a less than obvious way. So, I ask that you bear with my thoughts tonight as they are probably not what you heard when you read this verse. For me, the words written in 1 Thessalonians 1:2 challenged my prayer life.

Consuela and I have many opportunities to pray for others. We participate in the prayer teams at the main church service, we lead Refuge and hear all kinds of prayer requests there, and we have friends, family, and co-workers asking us to pray for them often. So, our lives are full of many times where we need to “continually mention” people in our prayers.

However, I can say that our prayers for others are hindered by our own busy lives and lack of diligence in remembering all of the prayer requests we hear. In other words, we forget and therefore do not always follow through when we tell someone that we would pray for them. This is a burden that falls heavy on my heart and is the challenge that God laid on me when I read this verse.

So, who have you told that you would pray for them and haven’t? Who should you be continually mentioning in your prayer time with God and are not? What habits can you put in place to help you remember to follow through on this important practice so that you can tell others that you are lifting them up to God?

Pray today that God will help you to follow through when you tell someone that you will pray for them. Ask Him for the memory to recall of the needs that you know those around you have. Finally, pray for those people that immediately came to your mind as you read this (and if you can’t think of anyone, Consuela and I are always grateful for your prayers).

DEVOTION - Day 22

Colossians 4:3 (New International Version)

3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.

One of the things that describes our community of Refuge is the word Evangelism. We have committed to the vision that our youth movement should be about sharing the Gospel with the lost in our schools, church, and family. So, I think it’s important to dive into one of the most important aspects of sharing our faith with others.

This all-important aspect is the fact that God opens the doors for us to share our message with others. Our responsibility is to be ready for and be aware of when a door is opened so that we can fulfill our obligation in the equation. Ultimately, we must understand that it is up to God to change the heart of the lost and it is only up to us to share our faith, our story, our testimony. He will take care of the rest.

So, now that that enormous weight has been lifted from your shoulders, how free do you feel to share your faith with others? Who is it that you think God might be opening a door for you to talk to about the wonderful News of Jesus Christ? Where is a door opening at school or at home where you can fulfill God’s call in your life?

For me, it might be pretty obvious – Refuge is a wonderful opportunity for me to share my faith with others. However, what I must keep in mind on a weekly basis is to not force the opportunity. I must be patient and diligent waiting on God’s timing and for Him to open the door for me to share. You see, it may look easy for a pastor or youth group leader to do what they do, and in some ways it is, but it really takes a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and a discernment of where God is working in the lives of those in the room.

So, today, pray as Paul has instructed in this verse that “God may open a door” for you to share your message. Ask Him to give you the discernment and awareness of where He is providing you with an opportunity to share your faith with someone else. Finally, pray for the right words to say that would effectively minister to the other person and that it would plant a seed that will bloom at the right time.

DEVOTION - Day 21

Colossians 3:13 (New International Version)

13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Forgiveness is a basic principle in Christianity. It is something that we all want and need for our lives in order to experience the full grace of Jesus Christ. We all have done things in our lives that have been against His will for us and have been contrary to what we know we should have done, and we need forgiveness for our actions.

However, the harder concept with forgiveness is not necessarily that we need it – it is that we need to give it out ourselves. People wrong us multiple times throughout our days here on earth and so the practice of forgiveness should be one that we are accustomed to giving to people. But, I would venture to guess that there may be someone in your life that you think has done you too wrong to forgive them.

So, who is it? What person have you stopped talking to, stopped having a relationship with because they did something to you and you refuse to forgive them? Who is that family member, friend, co-worker that needs your forgiveness just the same as “the Lord forgave you”?

You see, by you refusing to forgive them, that hurts you much more than them. Often we try to make someone feel pain by not forgiving them. But the reality is that it hurts us far worse because we are obsessed with what they’ve done and they have moved on with their lives.

For me, I find that when someone attacks my character – like saying that I intentionally did something to make their jobs harder in some way – it is harder for me to forgive them. I take it quite personally and tend to dwell on their words to the point that it makes me more upset than when it first happened. However, they have often times moved on with life and my unforgiveness is doing nothing but impacting, in a negative way, my own life. But, when I forgive them and then work to mend the broken relationship, my world improves instantaneously.

So, pray that God will help you identify unforgiveness in your life. Pray, using the person’s or people’s name(s), that He will give you the heart to truly forgive them. Ask God for the strength to restore the relationship and to minister to the other person through your forgiveness.

DEVOTION - Day 20

Colossians 2:8 (New International Version)

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

We allow so many people into our lives through different means. Our friends, our classmates, our family, the TV characters, the music artists, etc… We listen to what they say and we make a decision whether or not we believe what they’re saying and ultimately whether we will adopt their principles and philosophies.

Some people will try to lead us toward a life that is all about immediate satisfaction. While others will try to make us believe that what we have and who we are aren’t good enough. And others will say verbally abusive and damaging things to us destroying any hope that we have for tomorrow.

What happens when we listen to these people in our lives is that they take us “captive.” Notice that the Scripture doesn’t just say that they influence us – it says they take us “captive.” They have control over us and they can cause us to do things that we may not otherwise do. In fact, they can cause us to make decisions that are not in line with what we know to be true.

For me, I used to buy into the philosophy that success is the equivalent of the biggest paycheck or the most accolades one could get. I was more concerned about fame and praise than I was in relationships or serving others. But, this verse calls us to the higher purpose – Christ.

So, who are you allowing into your life that shouldn’t be there? Who is holding you captive with their deception and hollowness? What principles do you believe and follow that are not in line with the truth of Jesus Christ? What area of your life do you need to break free from the bondage of influence from others?

Pray today that God will help you see the areas that you live in captivity. Ask Him to give you the strength to resist the ways of the world and follow His way. Finally, pray that God will use you as a positive influence in the lives of those around you – not as one who holds others captive.

DEVOTION - Day 19

Colossians 1:22 (New International Version)


22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—

Here we see Paul comparing the death of Jesus to the sin offerings that the Jewish people would make under the Law. He draws a direct line between our sin and Christ’s death that brought us reconciliation with God. In other words, God offered the sacrifice for our sins…we just have to accept it and acknowledge it.

So, where are you at in your Spiritual walk? Do you know the peace that comes from knowing Christ as your Savior? Do you understand fully the enormity of what God did by offering the sacrifice of His son to make up for our sinful ways? Do you see the hope and the assurance in this verse that one day we will stand before God – Holy and perfect in every way?

This verse is the basis for our entire belief system and without it we would be just like everyone else. But, we’re not. We are the reason God did this and His love should be what guides our lives and ultimately our faith in Him. So, have you been reconciled to God? If not, won’t you take that step today?

Admit today that you can’t do it on your own and you need God. Ask Jesus to come into your life to become your Lord and Savior. Tell Him that you will continue to serve Him all of your days and pray for strength to take the necessary steps to mature in your faith. Oh, and tell someone the decision you just made to accept Christ into your life!

DEVOTION - Day 18

Philippians 4:6-7 (New International Version)


6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.


How often do you worry? How often are you focused on the uncertainties of the future? At what points in life do you find that you try to figure things out on your own the most? For me, it’s more often than I would care to admit. In fact this Scripture has ministered to me on numerous occasions over the last several years.

There are a number of things in this verse that should open our eyes to discovering further the character of God. The first is that we should not be anxious “about anything.” And, I think that’s important. We often find ourselves in situations that are ‘severe’ enough that we allow ourselves to worry and obsess over them – to an unhealthy degree. But here we see that we should not be anxious about anything. Not the test that’s coming tomorrow. Not the job that we recently applied for. Not our sick relative. Nothing.

It then tells us what we should do when we feel anxious – pray. And not just pray and ask for what we want, but also to give God thanks. I believe that means we should thank Him for whatever we’re worrying about too. That may be tough in most situations, but it is something that could certainly mature us in our faith, huh?

Finally, we see in verse 7 what will happen if we are not anxious and we turn it all over to God along with our thanks – he will answer the prayer in exactly the way we asked Him to. Just seeing if you were paying attention! No, He won’t necessarily answer it in the way we want. But, what the verse does promise us is that He will send us His peace and He will guard our hearts and our minds. In other words, we know that God is faithful to help us and that, when we place our problems, and hopes, and dreams in His capable, loving hands, we can find a peace that “transcends all understanding” in the midst of whatever we’re going through.

As I said in the beginning, I find that I am a worrier. My mom is a worrier, so I come by it honestly. However, it can get unhealthy if I let my mind go too far and I allow the thoughts of the enemy in my head and dwell on the what-if’s of life too much. This Scripture is a good reminder that the peace of God is much better for me than the anxiety of my own imagination.

So, today, pray that God will give you the ability to see when you are worrying and not letting God be God in your life. Ask that He give you the peace that transcends all understanding no matter what situation you are up against. Finally, ask God to protect your hearts and minds so that you can live your life free of the worry that brings so many people down these days.

DEVOTION - Day 17

Philippians 3:12 (New International Version)
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Of course, we all want to be like Jesus. After all, that’s why the WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) bracelets caught on so well. But, for those of us that need a more tangible example, we should have those in our lives that are our example or mentor. Also, we should look to people we read about in the Bible as examples of where we want to be. Paul is this for me.

As I read his teachings, my mind can’t help but to picture him as a Spiritual giant. Someone who has it all together and hardly ever fails in their walk with God. It is similar to how we probably view our pastors or deacons or maybe that person that we hear folk tales about in church history. Paul was someone that was an example to so many people and certainly lived his life with a faith that was as big as faith could probably be.

But, what we see here in Philippians is that he was not perfect either. In fact, he says that he has not yet reached his goal or attained what God has promised him. That is so refreshing to me! As one who fails often in my walk with God, I need the reassurance often of the fact that God isn’t done with me yet. I heard someone whom I view as a Spiritual giant say tonight that “we all have shortcomings and we all have blind spots.” That makes me know that I am not alone in my journey to be all that God has called me to be.

Who are your Spiritual giants? Are they worthy of the title? If so, are you in a place to ask them what they are working on in their own Spiritual journey? It is great to have those that are more mature than you spiritually in your life, but it’s also important to have honest conversations with them so you don’t set unrealistic expectations on yourself to achieve a perfection that’s just not possible here on earth.

So, pray today that God will place someone in your life as a Spiritual mentor. Ask Him to show you ways to interact with them so that you can see where they’re growing in their walk. Finally, pray for the strength to continue to grow and to not let setbacks in life to detour you from His ultimate plan for your life.

DEVOTION - Day 16

Philippians 2:3 (New International Version)

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,

I had to read this verse a few times before I really grasped its meaning. I mean, I understand that we should humble ourselves and think of and value others higher than ourselves, but what did the first part of this verse mean? I believe that every part of every verse has significance, so I knew there had to be nuggets of truth here somewhere…

So, my first goal was to figure out what Paul meant by “selfish ambition.” He says that we should “do nothing out of” it. Then it hit me. How often do we do things because it is going to put us in a better position? Think about it.

When you are trying to decide on where to get that part-time, summer job – do you think to yourself “where can I make the most money and work the best hours” or do you think “where can I work that I will be able to serve the most people and share my faith with others”? Or, when you are trying to make your college choice – are you thinking “what college is ranked highest and has the best dorms and nightlife” or do you think “where can I go to get an education so I can change the world and make Jesus more famous”?

It’s easy in most major life decisions to get caught up in the WIIFM syndrome – What’s In It For Me? The promotion at work, the friends that I have, the future I’m planning for myself. But, doesn’t this Scripture call us to do better than that. I see that it tells to make our ambitions God’s ambitions and our goal with our future should be to “value others above” ourselves.

The next thing that I had to figure out was the phrase “vain conceit.” To me, this is the opposite of humility. In other words, you’re not just conceited, you have vain conceit. Here’s what I mean. Conceit means that you think highly of yourself and you almost have an excessive appreciation in an unhealthy way. But, someone can be conceited and it could be based on a factual part of them. For example, I could be highly intelligent and could be conceited about that. But, “vain conceit” is different.

“Vain conceit” means that the conceitedness that you have is worthless and has no value. In other words, it’s not true. So, what areas of your life do you think higher of yourself than you ought to – both with things that are true about your abilities, skills, looks, etc., but also in areas that are not true about you? Where do you consider yourself better than others?

For me, I struggle more with the selfish ambition than the vain conceit. I often make decisions that have my best interests in mind and keep me in my comfort zone. Now, I wonder what my life would be like if I really considered others when I make major life decisions. I mean, what if I looked for my next job or promotion based on how many opportunities I would have to share my faith with others?

Today, pray for God to show you the areas where you have selfish ambition or vain conceit. Ask for forgiveness in those areas and ask Him to give you a heart to truly change them. Finally, seek God’s will for your future and pray for a renewed humility in your life.

DEVOTION - Day 15

Philippians 1:6 (New International Version)

6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

This verse is one of the most encouraging one’s to me and is something that I try to reflect on often. What we see here is two main concepts – the first is that God is still working on us and the second is that there will be a day when His work will be complete in us. As we contemplate this verse today, may we find the wisdom that He is trying to speak into our lives.

It feels good to know that we are all still a work in process, doesn’t it? I mean, we all have areas of our lives where we are trying to do better and be better. But, it feels great to know that we are not expected to be perfect in our walk with God…only on the path towards it and open to the work that He is doing in us today.

The other thing that is an enormous encouragement to me is the fact that there will come a day when His work is complete in me. In other words, I will, one day, be perfect as He is perfect. I will realize a day when all of the things that I struggle with today will be no more. There will come a day when all of my hang ups and troubles will be no more. That day will be when Jesus comes to take all of His people home with Him.

For me, I try to run and run and run; and work and work and work; and focus and focus and focus, yet I still can’t seem to overcome some of the things that I would like ‘fixed’ in my life. I am constantly disappointed in my efforts because I often feel as though I should be further along in my maturing process than where I am today. But, this Scripture tells me that we are all work in processes. Even the ‘super-Spiritual’ man that I admire in our congregation is still being perfected by Jesus Christ.

Today, pray that God will allow you to accept your shortcomings. Not to be satisfied with them, but to accept them as part of the work He is doing in your life right now. Ask Him to give you the patience to wait on His timing before He perfects these areas in your life. And, finally, pray that He will help you live expectantly of that day when you will see Him face to face and finally be perfect.

DEVOTION - Day 14

Ephesians 6:2-3 (New International Version)

2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

The word honor has the following 2 words in its definition: admiration and respect. So, here we see Paul quoting one of the Ten Commandments that tells us to “honor our father and mother.” Throughout the beginning of the sixth chapter of Ephesians, he takes us through the idea of respecting and honoring others and beginning with our father and mother.

Not that we needed a reason, but Paul then goes on to tell us the ‘why’ behind his instruction. Ultimately he says that we do this so that it “may go well with” us and so that we “may enjoy a long life on the earth.” And this is the promise to being obedient to God’s command.

Now, for some of you, the thought of honoring your parent(s) may seem like a far-fetched idea. It may make you sick to your stomach and there are many others in your life that you would rather honor than him/her. Let me just say that this Scripture still applies to you. But I think it brings us to a tipping point in our discussion of this verse.

What does it mean to really honor your father and mother? Does it mean that you accept whatever behavior they exhibit and comply with whatever destructive thing they ask you to do? Does it mean that you condone their sinful behavior? Does it mean that you put up with their verbal/physical abuse? The obvious answer to these questions is an emphatic “no.”

So what does it mean to honor your father and mother? I feel that for some of us, honoring them simply means that you pray for them, you love them as Christ loves them, and do your best to find some good memories to hold on to. For others, honoring them is showing them, in tangible ways, that you admire and respect them.

For me, this has been an area of focus over the last few years. As I went through college I grew apart from my parents. Now that I am older and have kids of my own, I find that I long for time with my parents. I am trying to do a better job of reaching out to them and deepening my relationship with them.

So, pray that God will help you understand how this Scripture applies to your family situation. Ask Him to give you tangible ways to honor your parent(s). Finally, pray that your relationship with your parent(s) would be one that honors not only them but also God.

DEVOTION - Day 13

Ephesians 5:24 (New International Version)

24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Today we’re looking at a verse that has been grossly misinterpreted over the years…mostly by men. And, you may be asking yourself right now what this has to do with you since you’re only in high school. Well, I thought I would tackle this from the other side of this sentence – the one that has to do with the church submitting to Christ. And maybe by the end you will have a perspective on how this translates to the marriage relationship.

So, we see here first that the “church submits to Christ.” What does this mean? Merriam-Webster tells us that submitting means to “yield authority to” someone. So ultimately when a church submits to Christ it understands that whatever happens in that church is because of Christ and His will for them. In other words, they may have to put aside what they may think is the best or right action at the time for the direction and will of God, understanding that He has a perspective that is bigger than theirs.

Now, if we stopped there, this presumption could be quite scary given both the church/Christ relationship as well as the husband/wife relationship. However, we know something that this Scripture doesn’t explicitly tell us – that Christ loves the church. So, submission to His will becomes easier because we know whatever He does is done with love as the primary focus.

Submission then really boils down to an issue of trust. I have always said that the way to build trust is to be vulnerable. If others see you as you really are, then they will begin to trust you because they know you and your character. The same holds true with Christ. We know His character is one of love. His actions are based on His love for us, so we can trust that our submission, as an act of obedience, will be blessed. In a marriage relationship, the same can be true – that a husband who truly loves his wife will not take advantage of her submission, but will honor it and do what is in her best interest.

For me, I struggle with submission to Christ because I want to be in control and know the end result without going through the journey. Although he has blessed me beyond what I deserve and has never disproved my trust, I still find myself hesitating on giving Him my complete trust. However, as I continue to grow in my faith and He continues to show me His faithfulness, I find it easier to submit to Him and His will for me.

So, today pray that God will show you where you have not completely submitted to Christ in your life. Ask that he forgives you for these times and gives you the resolve to want His will for your life more than your own. Pray that your submission to Him will be complete and full so that you can experience His amazing love in your life.

DEVOTION - Day 12

Today, I'm going to let someone else minister to you through this blog. I came across this devotional and the author says things better than I could ever say them. Plus, it gives us a great lead in to this Wednesday night's service. So, enjoy...

NO CLONES

By Tim Walker


If you’re anything like me, I usually walk into a room of strangers and start looking for the people who look like me. Okay, not exactly like me—I’m not that vain. But I tend to find people who seem to dress similar to me, who are around my same age, who seem to be a “similar status” as me. But the ironic thing is that most of the time, once I start a conversation with those people; I’m bored out of my mind. Or the conversation just is strained, awkward, and we’re done talking after about a minute.

It’s “comfortable” to seek out people who are like me, but if I’m honest with myself, most of the people who are closest to me are nothing like me. And that’s a good thing. King Solomon was the wisest man—ever. He wrote things like: “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm” (Proverbs 13:20 NIV). And from his son Rehoboam’s decisions, one just might think he wasn’t listening to his dad’s advice.

Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How would you advise me to answer these people?” he asked.

They replied, “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.”

But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. He asked them, “What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”

The young men who had grown up with him replied, “Tell these people who have said to you, ‘Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter’—tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’”

Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said, “Come back to me in three days.”

The king answered the people harshly. Rejecting the advice given him by the elders, he followed the advice of the young men and said, “My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.”

So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from the LORD, to fulfill the word the LORD had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.

When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What share do we have in David, what part in Jesse’s son? To your tents, O Israel! Look after your own house, O David!” So the Israelites went home (1 Kings 12:6-16 NIV).

Rehoboam chose to ignore the people who were different than him, in order to follow the advice of those who were just like him. And the advice of his friends, the ones he grew up, turned out to be very bad.

There are people in your life now, people who are so different from you, that you may be completely oblivious to you because you have this picture of what your friends should look like, how they should dress, what kind of financial status they should have. And there may be someone in your life or someone you know who doesn’t fit any of those criteria, but could be someone who brings a different perspective, teaches you new things and even inspires you to be more like Christ.

When we don’t allow people into our lives who look and act differently than we do, we end up less. Too much time in the company of people exactly like you starts to affect you—just ask Rehoboam. It starts to make you think that if someone isn’t like you, than they aren’t good enough. We start to judge people and their worth based on how closely they resemble us, and we think that God is on board with it. But don’t be fooled—He’s not. God isn’t only like me. He isn’t only like you. And, God didn’t make a world full of clones. But when we begin to act like we, and people like us, are the only people worth investing in, we start to shrink God. We start to undermine His creativity and the pleasure He finds in the diversity among us. God is much bigger than that. And He wants us to be bigger than our sometimes narrow view of other people.

There is one thing in common you definitely want in a good friend—you want to have people close to you who have an active relationship with Jesus Christ. People who love Him, not only with their words, but with their lives. But their interests, their perspectives can be completely different than yours.

The world is much bigger than us. It is much bigger than people like us. Do you believe that there is more to you and more to me than just who we already are right now? What if there was this incredible untapped potential to become so much bigger than we even thought possible if we just began to entertain this idea that there are people out there who are going to shake our lives up, maybe push our buttons every once in awhile, but who will expand our world in ways we could never do on our own?

What if someone different from you wasn’t bad, but was just what you needed to become the person God has in mind? Would you choose them, pick them, accept them as friends as different as they be from you—even if no one around you, including yourself, understood “why them”?

DEVOTION - Day 11

Ephesians 4:14 (New International Version)

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

The fourth chapter in the book of Ephesians is so full of wisdom that I couldn’t possibly cover it all in one day’s devotion blog. So, I once again challenge you to take a look at this chapter in its entirety. I believe it has something or everyone if you will take the time to digest what it is trying to tell you.

But, my goal today is to examine the concepts presented in verse 14. Here we see Paul encouraging the people of the church of Ephesus with the hope that one day they will “no longer be infants.” Having 2 infants in my household, this Scripture hits close to home for me. The diapers, teething, lack of ability to get themselves dressed, and so on. It is really a time in their lives where they rely 100%, almost, on others to take care of them and give them the basic necessities of life.

I cannot wait for them to mature to a point in their own life where they do not constantly require so much of my attention and energy in order to function. It is much the same for all of us when we first come to a knowledge of Christ. Think about it for a minute. What was it like when you first accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? Did immediate change happen for you? Was your life completely different the next day when you woke up?

The answer I would guess is that your life is still a work in process. In other words, none of us at day 1 or day 1,000 is the kind of mature Christian that we aspire to be. Our Christian development, in other words, takes time and a maturing of our walk with God. So, given all of this, what is this Scripture trying to tell us?

Well, I believe we see here not only the hope that we will one day mature in our walk, but that it will become easier to not be swayed by all of the other competing priorities and opinions that we are faced with on a daily basis. When we are infants in our faith, we require others to give us direction and provide for our basic needs. And when we separate ourselves from the community of Christian fathers and mothers (the church), we leave ourselves open to being “blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.”

For me, when I was first saved, I went to a church that didn’t focus too often on Christian development. In fact I feel that anyone who took that all important step of inviting Jesus into their heart to be their Savior and Lord, was almost left hanging with little or no direction on where to go from there. So, that created in my life a shallow Christianity that didn’t take time to read His Word and devote myself to learning more about this person that I just said I wanted to follow. Also, I didn’t place a value on going to church because I didn’t understand this principle, so I just stopped going when I got to college and away from my parents “making” me go.

How old are you in your Christian walk? Are you 1 or 5 or maybe even 10? Think about where that age matches with a child. If you were saved 5 years ago, you have now made it through your ‘formative’ years and you are ready to go to kindergarten. Kindergarten. You are not ready to graduate into adulthood…yet. But, with some focus on God’s principles and Spiritual disciplines such as following this blog and doing devotions/spending time with God daily, you can continue your journey towards maturity.

So, today ask God to help you to accept your Spiritual age. Ask that He would give you the strength to resist the temptation to be “older” than you actually are and that you would take the time to learn about Him more each day. Pray that in your faithfulness to these things that He would be faithful to His word to give you the maturity to resist all the distractions of life that would take you away from His best for your life.

DEVOTION - Day 10

Ephesians 3:20 (New International Version)

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,


Before I begin today’s devotional commentary, I wanted to take a moment to challenge you to read more than just my post from this point forward. I want to challenge you to take out your own Bible (and if you don’t have one, come see me and I’ll give you one) and read the entire chapter that I am quoting a verse from.

In doing this, it will give you the context of the Scripture. I don’t always take the time to give you the context around the verse and, with the context; you will be given a richer understanding of why Paul or any other author is saying what is being said in the verse we are looking at. And, you never know, God may say something to you in a completely different Scripture than the one that I pick…

But, today, let’s look at the 3rd chapter of Ephesians where Paul is giving us something to think about and something that should make us consider our own faith a little deeper. Let me say first that we often pray to God with a laundry list of things that we want from Him. We fit Him in the box that we’ve created for Him in our own mind and we ask Him for things that fit that mold.

Here, we see that Paul challenges us to go deeper in our faith. He reminds us that God is bigger than the immediate need that we have. As we pray for things, we should keep Jesus’ example of the “Lord’s Prayer” in mind and say that no matter what we are asking for “Your will be done.” Because we may find that His answer may be more than we can “imagine.”

What things are you seeking God for right now that you have confined Him and His answer to? Where are you limiting the awesomeness of God in your life not allowing Him to answer in a way that is farther than your imagination can take you? What things in your life do you need to understand that what you could ask for is not even close to the answer that God wants to give you?

For me, I have been having some struggles with my job. I have gotten a new boss and I have a new team of peers that I am working with. In the midst of this circumstance, I have decided that there are 2 desired outcomes – change my current job situation to a more favorable one or change my job. However, as I read this Scripture, I am reminded that I need to shut up, stop limiting God to my 2 outcomes, and understand that He may bless me beyond what my feeble imagination could ever come up with and my situation will probably be better than what I could have ever dreamed.

So, today, ask God to show you the areas where you have limited Him and His power. Pray that as you come to Him in prayer that you will not place Him in your box and that you will give Him the freedom to work in miraculous, “immeasurable” ways. Finally, seek Him today in a new way that allows your situations to truly be placed in His capable, loving hands expecting something bigger than your creativity will take you.

DEVOTION - Day 9

Ephesians 2:10 (New International Version)

10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

This verse from Paul to the church in Ephesus is a message that transcends the years and should speak to us all in a number of different ways. In fact, there are three very specific and encouraging ways that I see here that I’m sure ministered to the Ephesians. As we seek to understand God’s plan for our lives, I believe that we can find some clear instruction right here today.

The first piece of this puzzle is that Paul says that we are “God’s handiwork.” Have you ever created something with your own two hands? Have you ever made something, written a paper or a poem, or built a piece of furniture and stood back and admired its beauty? Or even look at what it was you created and imagine the possibilities that could happen because of its purpose? God looks at us the same way. He considers us perfectly beautiful and made for an amazing purpose.

Picture it, the God of the universe created YOU. On purpose. You are not an accident and your life has a distinct purpose. Imagine the fact that He needed to create someone and He could have created anyone; and He chose to make YOU. Sometimes we float through life and wonder if we will ever make a difference and maybe question why we are here. Find hope in the fact that God created you and you have a purpose.

Well, the second thing I notice is that we were created to do “good works.” This is something we’ve been discussing for the last few days in this blog. Good works can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. But, here, I believe Paul is telling us that we have been made to do all the things that the Bible tells us we should do – serve others, bless others, pray for others, etc. etc.

This is what we are created to do. To do good works. Often we try to make it more complicated than it needs to be. We question why we are here and what we are supposed to do. Here it is in black and white. We are here to do good works – and a big portion of that is to be selfless individuals who love others and looks for opportunities to serve them.

Finally, we read that all of this was planned “in advance.” In advance of what? Psalms 139 says that “You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” This says to me that our lives were pre-meditated. A person doesn’t knit something together without having a plan first, and so it is with God. Our lives were planned in advance of our birth. There are no mistakes and there is no one born (or even conceived) without a specific plan from the all-mighty God.

For me, I get in the routine too often. I go through the motions too often. Instead of living with a higher purpose mentality, I live day to day with my own needs and wants in the forefront of my mind. This Scripture reminds me that I have a purpose. No day should pass without me moving closer to God and His purpose and will for my life.

Today, thank God for creating you. Thank Him and praise Him that He made you for a purpose and that He chose you. Pray that His purpose will be fulfilled in your life and that you will do the good works that He’s placed you here to do. Lastly, ask that His purpose will be constantly on your mind and that He will give you the resolve to live it out each and every day, no matter your circumstances.

DEVOTION - Day 8

Ephesians 1:1-2 (New International Version)

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


Rather than focus on a verse today, I wanted to focus on a person. Actually, I want to place the spotlight on the behaviors of that person. The Apostle Paul, who wrote a lot of the New Testament, is a Spiritual giant (the description I’ve given him). There is so much wisdom that came from this one man who was obviously an anointed man of God. So, let’s take a look at the first chapter in Paul’s letter to the Church in Ephesus.

There are three behaviors that stand out to me that I think would really benefit us all if we tried to model our own actions after them. The first is encouragement. Paul’s writing here is oozing with encouragement for the people to whom he is writing. He lifts them up, compliments them, and just speaks in a general uplifting tone. In fact, it encouraged me just by simply reading the words. Who in your life do you need to encourage TODAY? Is there someone that you don’t necessarily call a friend or even an acquaintance that you could encourage over the next week?

The next behavior that I see here is one of prayer. Paul says multiple times throughout his letters how he has been praying for the specific church that he is writing to. Doesn’t it feel good to know that someone else is praying for you? For some reason we put an emphasis on knowing that someone in church leadership is praying for us, don’t we? Imagine having Paul tell you that he’s been praying for YOU. What would that feel like?

I would imagine that someone in your life looks up to you in much the same way that we look up to the Spiritual leaders in our own lives. Who do you need to pray for right now? I mean stop reading the blog for a minute and really petition God on their behalf? And then, tell them that you’ve been praying for them. It makes a difference…

The final behavior that I see in Paul here is that of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. He reminds them of the peace and grace that comes from God and the salvation we get from calling Jesus our Lord and Savior. Can’t we all do this just a little more in our lives? I know I can… There are 2 things I can see as an application for us here.

The first is to remind ourselves and others what it means that Jesus loves us so much that He died for US. And the second is to share our faith with those who need to hear it. So, who are those people in your realm of influence? A fellow student? A co-worker? A family member? Whoever it is, they need to hear it and YOU are just the person to share it with them.

So, today, pray that God will give you a heart like Paul’s that will empower us to encourage one another and be a positive, uplifting influence to those we come in contact with. Ask Him to anoint your prayer life so that it is a daily focus and so that when you tell someone that you’ll pray for them, that you actually will. Finally, pray for boldness to share the Gospel with those around you.

DEVOTION - Day 7

Galatians 6:7 (New International Version)

7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

It is common sense that a farmer cannot plant corn in the ground and expect to grow wheat. This is the same for each of us in our lives. The Scripture, written by Paul, tells us that a man will reap what he sows and it is a simple verse with eternal ramifications.

The verse is really the culmination of the other 6 days worth of devotions. As we navigate this life, we are called to produce fruit that will further God’s kingdom and put us squarely in His will. So, when we ask ourselves why we should do the right thing, this Scripture and the ones following it tell us that we should because we will reap eternal life.

However, I would challenge our thinking to expand the concept of reaping and sowing a little further. This concept is one that works in both a negative and positive way. In other words, if we are generous to others, then we can expect that generosity will be returned to us. But on the flipside, if we treat others harshly, then we can expect to be treated harshly.

I ask that you let this Scripture really challenge you to explore your world in a deeper way. Do not think of it in its basic, fundamental way only. But, consider it in light of every day interactions and the way that you live your life holistically. Where is there a relationship where you need to treat someone differently? Is there someone that you need to forgive so that forgiveness can be extended to you for something?

For me, I struggle with both sides of the equation. What I mean by this is that I tend to find myself hesitating to bless someone else, yet I expect that I should be blessed. So, I have to remember that I cannot expect for my life that which I do not invest into others’ lives.

So, pray today that God will show you where you are sowing the wrong things and ask for forgiveness. Ask Him for the focus in your life to sow only those things that are going to reap a harvest of blessings in your own life. Finally, pray that God will continue to remind you of the reaping and sowing principle on a regular basis so that your life may be filled with the divine goodness of God.

DEVOTION - Day 6

Galatians 5:22-23 (New International Version)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

In yesterday’s blog, we looked at how inside of us there is a battle raging between our “Flesh Man” and our “Spirit Man.” There, we saw that we should feed our Spirit more than our flesh so that He will win out and our lives will be lived according to God’s plan for us. However, as you read my comments, you may have been asking “How do we know when the Spirit is truly winning and when we are living by the Spirit?” Well, I’m glad you asked.

Many times the Bible and more specifically Jesus uses the illustration of trees and other plants to show us how being “alive in Christ” should look. In doing this, we see that those plants/trees that are the healthiest are producing fruit. In other words, if the tree has deep roots, has been watered, and has spent enough time in the light, it will produce more fruit than a tree with shallow roots that has dried up and has lived its life in the darkness.

As with trees, our lives are very much the same. When we feed our Spirits with the water of God’s Word and we bask in the light of His Son, this creates roots in us that are deep enough to withstand the storms of life. And when all of these elements are in place, the Bible tells us that we should be producing “fruit.”

So, how do we know that we are living by the Spirit? Our lives will produce fruit. No, not apples and oranges, but the exact things that Paul lists here for the Galatians. This Scripture is so rich that we could literally spend the next 25 days on it alone. However, I will spare you the verbose version and just cut right to the point. If you are living by the Spirit, then your life should be full of “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

One more thing, notice that the verses say the word ‘and’. Even though you can have some and not others at any given moment, the goal should be to have ALL of these. So, the question to ask yourself is “Does my life have any AND all of these?” “If someone who doesn’t know me well were to have a conversation with me, would they see these exhibited?”

Which of these are easiest for you? Is it joy or perhaps peace? Maybe its kindness. Whichever one it is, take a moment and thank God for it! And pray that He will help it to continue in your life…maybe in a bigger way.

Which one is the hardest for you? For me it’s either peace or self-control. My mind is always at work – it almost never takes a rest. And I’m a worrier. So, with the combination of those two things, it’s difficult for me to find true peace in my life. But, I also indulge too much…mostly with food and snacks. I don’t know when to say enough. Even when my acid reflux is kicking in, it’s not enough to make me stop. So, self-control is also a struggle. How about for you?

So, today pray that God will help you to have an honest evaluation of these nine fruits of the Spirit in your own life. Ask Him to shed light on the area(s) that you most need help in. Pray that you will have the strength and resolve to take care of your tree (you) so that the Spirit within you will bear fruit that this entire world will see. Finally, thank Him that his mercies are new everyday and those things you didn’t necessarily show today – thank Him that you will have another opportunity to bear them tomorrow.

DEVOTIONS - Day 5

Galatians 5:17 (New International Version)

17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.

Today’s Scripture is a poignant reminder that within each of us there is a conflict going on. As Consuela has heard it put, a battle between our Flesh Man and our Spirit Man. In all of us there are desires to do both things of this world as well as things that God would want us to do. The question then becomes, which one will win out?

The flesh would want us to do things of this world – i.e. sin. It would have us live in a way that satisfies our hunger for acceptance, pleasure, or instant gratification. Our flesh, as the Scripture tells us, is “contrary to the Spirit.” Merriam Webster would tell us that contrary means either ‘opposite’ or even ‘incompatible with.’ So, anything that is not in line with the Word of God and the truth that we know would come from the flesh.

On the other hand, the Spirit would urge us to do things that are consistent with God’s character and direction. When the Spirit wins the internal battle raging in each of us, we are more apt to do things such as serve and love others, have a giving heart, and live in constant joy no matter what we are facing. So, when the Spirit is leading us, our lives have more joy, love, and peace. Does that sound good to you?

The question that could be on your mind at this moment is “What decides which one wins the fight – the Flesh Man or the Spirit Man?” I submit to you that the one that wins out is the one that would win out if they were two boxers or two MMA fighters. It would be the one that has been fed with the right things the most. It’s really a simple equation. If you feed your Flesh Man more, he will win. If you feed your Spirit Man more, he will win.

For me, I get wrapped up in TV. More specifically, I love to watch sports. However, in watching sports, I must be careful that I don’t get too drawn in to the story lines about the cars the athletes drive or the homes they live in. Also, I must protect myself from paying too close attention to what the cheerleaders are wearing or what the beer commercial has in it. These are all things for me that I must be protected against. And I do that by making sure that I am feeding my Spirit Man as much as I possibly can and turning the TV off as often as possible.

What kinds of things are you taking in? What music are you listening to? What movies are you watching? What books are you reading? What internet sites are you looking at? What thoughts are you having? In other words, if you are listening to music that is full of cuss words and sexual references, then which ‘Man’ are you feeding? If you’re studying your Bible and listening to Christian music, which ‘Man’ is that feeding?

As you pray today, ask God to forgive you for not being more selective in what you watch, listen to, and think about. Ask Him to give you the strength to go against mainstream society and not be drawn into a culture that is overrun with sexual images and inappropriate media. Pray that you would be the example to everyone around you and that you would feed your Spirit far more than your flesh. Commit to God and yourself that you will do everything you can to help your Spirit Man beat the Flesh Man inside of you.

DEVOTION - Day 4

Galatians 4:7 (New International Version)
7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.


The Jewish people were slaves in a number of different ways. They were often times literal slaves in that their country was conquered and they were taken to be slaves in the country who defeated them in war. However, they were also slaves to the law that I referenced in yesterday’s blog. Paul seeks to outline their freedom from all of these rules in order to draw attention to the grace of God that doesn’t require anyone to follow rules to earn it.

But, he also takes it a step further and tells them that they are also God’s children. And because of this, they are also “heirs.” No this isn’t a misspelling of Pastor Todd’s last name. In fact it is telling them that they are part of the family of God. This means that they are entitled to everything that comes along with being family – love, support, protection, provision, etc.

For us today, this story speaks of freedom and the peace that comes with knowing we belong to a loving family. What is it in your life that you are a slave to? What area of your life are you needing freedom in? Where could you use a little “family” to encourage you or give you other necessities in your life?

I often times find myself a slave to certain things. For example, I frequently feel like a slave to my job. And, yes, I need a job. However, that doesn’t mean that I have to be there all the time sacrificing my family time in order to be successful. Maybe for you, you feel like a slave to temptation, or pornography, or food. Or, maybe you don’t have a family where you feel much of the things I list above.

Pray today that God will help you accept the freedom that He purchased for you on the cross. Ask that he assists you in breaking free from any bondage in your life so that you can be all that He has made you to be. Finally, pray that He will help you accept that no matter what family experience you’ve had in life that you are now an heir to the God of the universe and He will give you all the love, support, protection, and provision you need.

DEVOTION - Day 3

Galations 3:3 (New Living Translation)

3 How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?



Chapter 3 of Galatians is Paul’s admonition to the Galatian people about whether or not they should follow the law in order to be in God’s will and ultimately achieve salvation. This was a big question among the Jewish people who had lived their lives being taught that the law was the way to get right with God. For example, they believed that in order to make up for a sin that a person committed, they would have to sacrifice a certain type of animal depending on the type of sin.

However, we see a reversal in this theology here by Paul. He tells them clearly that obeying the law will not get them to heaven. In fact, this seems to be something that they already knew and lived by, which is why the questioning in the beginning of the chapter seems to be from someone (Paul) who is obviously frustrated by the situation.

Similarly, we know that we were not saved by anything that we did. Our actions did not save us. In fact, it was just simply believing that Jesus Christ is Savior and Lord that saved us. But how many times do we second guess what we know in life to be true? For some of us, we have accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord yet we still try to do things to ‘earn’ our salvation.

The bigger question, in my opinion, is how many of us are trying to live by our own effort rather than completely relying on the Spirit to give us everything we need? If we believe that God is all we need, then why do we do things on our own without even consulting with God first? If we believe that the Spirit is our ‘helper’ as the Scripture says, then why don’t we rely on Him more to give us the strength, courage, guidance, protection that we need?

For me, since a young age, I’ve always had to do things “on my own.” I have always been a loner, not needing anyone to help me do anything. Or so I thought. I have a great confidence in my own abilities. But time and time again, I find myself in moments and situations that I’ve created and they are all messed up. So, rather than living “in the Spirit,” I create even bigger problems in my life by trying to do things on my own. Can you relate?

So, today, pray that God will help you cast off any “I can do it on my own” tendencies. Thank Him for the Holy Spirit and ask Him to fill you with the Spirit all the way to overflowing so that your life may be lived in His perfect will and so that it might be an example to others. Pray that any areas in your life that you are trying to live by your own human effort be brought to light and that, beginning now, you turn those over to Him to assist you with.

DEVOTION - Day 2

Galatians 2:20 (NIV)

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Here we see Paul giving us instructions, through his example, of how we should live as Christians.  It’s an amazing illustration of his view of what it means to say that you’re a follower of Christ and I believe we can gain a lot of insight about how we are to be in the midst of our everyday lives.  So, join me as we dissect this passage and search for the nuggets of truth.

The first thing that I see is that Paul tells us that he no longer lives, but that Christ lives in him.  To me, this means that when we choose to follow Christ, we need to give up certain things.  Basically, we are instructed that our own selfish desires should be given up and we should take on a life based on what God wants us to do. 

It is easy to get caught up in our own wants and lose sight of God’s bigger plan for our lives.  Often times we live in the now, wanting immediate gratification, and we make decisions without considering whether our actions are getting us closer to God’s will or satisfying some selfish part of us.  What is God asking you to crucify in your life allowing His light to shine through you?

The second thing I see in the Scripture is that Paul says he now lives by faith in the Son of God.  If the first part is the ‘what,’ then this is the ‘how.’  If we are to truly give up our own wants and allow God to use our lives in an authentic way, then we must TRUST that His will is what is best for us.

We do this when we “live by faith.”  According to Hebrews 11:1 faith is “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”  In other words, if we are living by faith then we can have peace knowing that God is at work in our lives in every situation (even though we may not see the activity).  Are you trusting God with your decisions, your desires, and your life?  Are you really living by faith?

We’ve now been through the ‘what’ and the ‘how.’  Now, Paul moves on to the ‘why.’  Why should we give up our own wants and dreams to pursue God’s will?  Why should we trust Him and live our lives by faith?  Paul tells us that we can and should do those things because He loved us and gave himself for us.

The more that struggles enter my life and the more that I seemed to be faced with tough situations, I find myself in need of this Scripture more and more.  As I try to navigate life and try to do things on my own, I find myself further from God and further from this example that Paul sets.  That’s why my devotion time is so important – because I read the truth of who God is and I learn about His character and come back into line with who He wants me to be.

 As we close out today’s devotion, pray that God will show you the way to crucify yourself and give up selfish desires.  Ask Him to increase your faith so that it truly does become a way of life and pray that you will trust him at a deeper level.  Finally, ask that He reminds you daily of His love and His sacrifice for you.  Feel free to leave a comment telling everyone how today’s devotion has touched your life.