Posts with the category “devotional”

I love the book of Joshua—we get to read about the transition of leadership from Moses to Joshua. Just like any transition of leadership there is always a difference. Joshua pulls everyone together and walks the tribes of Israel through everything they have been through, from Abraham worshipping other gods, to Abraham leaving and following God’s plan. He is trying to make the point that all these ...  Read More

It’s the beauty of a deciduous tree in fall after a long hot summer. Each leaf, changing a beautiful shade of green, yellow, orange, and earth. The glow of a maple in mid-October is so vibrant that you can’t decipher one leaf from another. They all mesh together into a glowing bloom of color. There is so much beauty and promise in the leaves of fall, but that beauty fades, the vibrant colors die, ...  Read More

There is something to be said about a “good day’s work” that leads to satisfying rest. For our series in Joshua, it has all been about God using Joshua as an instrument to fulfill his promise to Abraham, Moses, and the children of Israel. God had said many years before Joshua that Israel would have their own land to raise their own families while worshipping their one, true God. That time had fina...  Read More

Main Point and Overview:The battles had been won, yet peace was only for a season. It’s a great reminder that until we get to heaven, there will be battles to fight for the Lord. For Israel, God had immensely blessed them with a new land after they had overcome their enemies. Now, there was a new enemy to consider…complacency. They had to guard against “forgetting God,” and falling for the cultura...  Read More

There is the quote that goes something like this: “The greatest trick of the devil is to convince you (the world) that he is not real.” This thought goes hand-in-hand with humanism. There is no absolute good or absolute evil, just relativism as perceived or performed by people. The world extolls that we are all basically good people. Further, when we do evil it is because we are a victim of circum...  Read More

I don’t know about you, but I sure do love shopping on Amazon. I especially love it when I log in, find something I need or think I need, and then go to the shipping portion of the check out and see the greatest words “free next day shipping” or even better “same day shipping!” Amazon, however, has taught us the “I want it now” lifestyle. Unfortunately, that “I want it now” lifestyle leads to “I w...  Read More

One of my favorite board games to play is Risk. I love strategy-type games and the competitiveness that comes with it. Relationships are definitely stretched during this game. If you've played it before, you know what I mean. It is a game where you have to conquer the rest of the world against the people you are playing against. There is only one winner, and you have to choose when you want to for...  Read More

When I think too deeply about the state of our world, I begin to panic. I feel a heat rising in me that ushers in anxiety and this feeling of doom. To look around and see such chaos it just feels that it is so dark and heavy that waiting for God to show up just seems impossible. I am only 32 but I feel like I have seen such awful things in my lifetime, and it doesn’t feel like it will ever get any...  Read More

It’s that time of year, October is here, fall is in the air, the mornings are cooler, and most Michiganders appreciate the changing colors observed in the natural scenery around us. Our God-given human senses are an amazing thing we’ve been gifted to perceive and experience the world around us. The smell of a cup of coffee in the morning can bring a smile to your face. The creaking of a cabin door...  Read More

When I was in college, we played the funniest joke on one of our roommates. He came back from work one night, and he was exhausted. He quickly jumped into bed; it was almost midnight. When he did, I looked at my other roommates, and I told them that I had a dastardly idea. In the next few minutes, we proceeded to set his clock for 7:00 AM and trick him into getting up for class at midnight. He was...  Read More

Main Point and Overview:When life is good, it becomes increasingly easier to ignore God. There is money in the bank. Our kids are achieving in school. Our spouse is happy with us. Life is good, and we don’t need God! Now, we would never say that; it’s just that we start behaving this way. This is the exact trap that Joshua and the leaders of Israel fell into…headfirst! They were coming off of reso...  Read More

Have you ever said to yourself “If this one thing happens, then it is meant to be, and God wants me to have it”? That phrase could be, “If I am meant to have a donut, even though I am on a diet, my favorite one will be in the box” then look through 5 boxes to find one, or “If I am meant to buy that expensive item, the one you know you shouldn’t purchase, it will be in stock at the store”. Then you...  Read More

Being a dad of 2 young boys, Judah 6 and Lleywn (AKA Lewie) 4, we talk a lot about consequences. The number of times I have had to remind them of this before disciplining them, or preparing them to go someplace where I won’t be there to monitor them, is countless. It is easy to find ourselves in tempting situations, not counting the cost of how our choices will inevitably play out. As many times a...  Read More

Have you ever been in a moment where you felt like you needed to regroup? Maybe a time that you felt like you needed a reset? We see this all the time in the sports world. In football, we talk about how teams need to regroup and make adjustments at halftime. The same applies to all the other sports and different times when they have the ability to regroup and get back at it. Maybe our team didn't ...  Read More

We are going to ask you to do something a little different for today’s devotional. Please read the above text and “write down” answers to the following questions:1. What am I presently contemplating that could have devastating effects on those I love the most?2. What am I presently hiding – living in denial – when God and even others can see it?3. When I am confronted with my actions, do I respond...  Read More

The victorious shouts of Jericho echoed in what now seemed like a distant past-life. The bodies of about 36 men lay dead, slaughtered by the enemy. These were the bodies of husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers. The fallout of the first failed battle lay heavy on the hearts of the people, and of Joshua. Birthed by defeat, death, and loss, all confidence, courage, and strength had fled from the hea...  Read More

We have all been there—In that place where we begin to panic. We’ve lost our wallet, or we hear of a car accident when our kids are on the road, or we hear rumors of our job being in jeopardy, or a thousand other things that cause us stress in the greatest of ways! It’s so hard to know how to respond when life throws you a “curve ball.”Joshua was a courageous leader. Joshua was a fierce leader. Jo...  Read More

Main Point and Overview:Israel was guaranteed to experience success as long as they did things God’s way! When a single man and his family decided to step outside of that boundary, there was a steep price to pay. We must remember that we do not make decisions in a “bubble.” Lives all around us are affected by our daily decisions. We also need to remember that people are going to let us down as we ...  Read More

If you’ve been reading through the book of Joshua and the devotions all week, you’ve no doubt been inspired to get yourself prepared for success. Today, we will turn the pages from Joshua over to 2 Kings 5:1-19 and hover over a leper’s life who was in need of healing.In verse 1 we read, “Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and hig...  Read More

One of the better-known accounts in the Bible, Joshua chapter 6, describes the events surrounding the collapse of the walls of Jericho. The event bears great testimony to God faithfully keeping his promises. But there is also another great lesson to be learned. It is important to remember that this was a military action. The Israelites were told by the Lord that he would deliver Jericho to them. B...  Read More

Do you ever feel like it is hard to have faith sometimes? If so, know that you are not alone. Every one of us goes through times in our lives when it is harder to have faith than other times. There are times we know where God is calling us, and we don't want to listen. There are also times when we get instruction from God in our lives, and it just doesn't seem to make sense right away. One of the ...  Read More

When we read the Bible sometimes, we can be star struck reading all the ways in which God intervenes in human history in direct ways. Sometimes we forget the Bible spans thousands of years. We just see how many times God moves in those people lives. Here the Israelites are finishing up the 40+ year journey of being freed from slavery in Egypt where they experienced God defeating the Egyptians with...  Read More

We see it in creation all the time, things to be in awe of and amazed with, simple things being so still in their created complexity. It was an early Monday morning, a little over a week ago, I had taken the day off work since it was a busy Saturday and Sunday of ministry. With my wife gone at work, and my kids off to school for the day, how am I going to spend my time resting and recuperating? It...  Read More

When Israel sent spies to “check out” Jericho, God had something bigger in mind than they ever could have imagined. The one who would hide them from getting caught and executed was a woman by the name of Rahab. She was not at all what anyone would have expected. She was a prostitute, someone who was “far from God” in her actions and beliefs.Israel was on a mission to take over the “promised land” ...  Read More

Main Point and Overview:   Success doesn’t just happen; it’s the result of a process. We all want to be successful husbands or wives, fathers or mothers, leaders or followers, etc. We should desire to be successful disciples of Jesus Christ! In order to achieve spiritual success, we must have a proper mindset. To the professional world, a person must find the balance of confidence and humility, co...  Read More

A lot has changed over the centuries of how land ownership is acquired. I can still hear my eighth grade U.S. history teacher, Mr. Elias, passionately share about land being acquired through compromise, purchase, and a lot of conflict; the Revolutionary War, Louisiana Purchase, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Indian Wars, and forced treaties just to name a few. Have you become a landowner lately? ...  Read More

The one thing everyone wants to know is— “what is the secret to success?” No matter what job setting, life stage, or relationship phase, people want to know how to be successful. I see it, I hear it, and I’ve asked the question myself, more than I am willing to admit. But what if the answer to the question is more universal than we think?You want to be a successful businessman/woman—Read your Bibl...  Read More

Joshua 1:1-5 "After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon,...  Read More

Such an interesting talk by God. Moses finishes writing the Law (the first 5 books of the Bible), and God tells them to place it beside the ark and it will “remain a witness against you.” God knew that there would be times that the people would falter and go their own ways. God knew there would be times in which he would have to punish Israel. God knew there would be leaders in Israel that would l...  Read More

We had felt like Meriwether Lewis and William Clark as they prepared for their journey to explore the vast and newly acquired Louisiana Purchase. Our bags were packed full of warm clothing and extra sleepwear, we had the proper provisions to make fire in several different ways, we had stores of food, water filtration systems and iodine tablets, tarps, tents, and we had even checked the weather in ...  Read More

When I came to Emmanuel over 12 years ago, I had no idea what it took to lead a church. I had been a youth pastor for over 17 years, and youth ministry was my specialty. So, I came with a teachable heart. I also came with a passionate heart. For the first year, I knew that I would make very few changes, and my strategy was eventually to “make changes by addition instead of changes by subtraction.”...  Read More

Main Point and Overview:   Any time there is a transition of leadership, there are obstacles to overcome. Moses was a powerful and persistent leader for Israel, and now, he was passing the mantel to Joshua. What stood in front of Joshua must have felt daunting. That is why on multiple occasions, Joshua is reminded to “be strong and courageous.” It was a theme for him to embrace whether it came fro...  Read More

Numbers 27:18-23 We all love a good success story! I think back to the 2014 Rose Bowl game where Michigan State faced off against Stanford. I will always remember the pivotal play of the game. With less than 2 minutes remaining Stanford was faced with a 4th and 1. Michigan state didn't stop the drive. If they hold them from getting one yard, they seal the game and win. Well, the ball was snapped, ...  Read More

Numbers 27:12-18There were many factors that served as a catalyst for the American Colonies to pursue independence from Great Britian. Review your history books and you will read about the Stamp Act, the Townsend Acts, the Coercive Acts—the list goes on. Ultimately, it boiled down to the issue of self-determination. The British Monarchy to this day, as do other countries that have “royal rule,” re...  Read More

Numbers 14:1-9 Who will step up and be a leader? We are constantly looking for someone to step up and lead. You see it in everyday life in many different aspects. In sports, teams are always looking for someone who will step up, be a captain, and lead the team. The leader is obviously important, but I think others who also lead without being the main leader are just as important. I have been on ma...  Read More

Numbers 13:26-33  The Israelites just got done running away from their home, being attacked by the Egyptians, crossing the Red Sea, dealt with an angry guy making a golden calf, building the tabernacle, and trekking through a foreign land, so, the thought of being attacked was something in the back of their mind at all times. It was a very trying time for the nation. I mean, anytime you leave what...  Read More

Numbers 13:1-3, 17-20 Every direction we turn, there are unknowns beyond our control. Risk is a reality that is built into the fabric of each of our lives. Whether or not we are consciously taking risks, we spend our days as risk-takers. I’m simply defining risk in this devotional as exposing ourselves to some sort of loss or danger, whether that loss or threat of danger is financial, physical, em...  Read More

Numbers 11:28-30  Leadership is all about learning. I strongly believe that no one is “born” a leader! A leader is developed over time. From struggles to stress to satisfaction, leaders become leaders through experience. I would even add that the greatest experience is failure. Yes! You heard me right.In the past three years, I have watched what some would call the “golden era” of Michigan footbal...  Read More

Main Point and Overview:   Effective leadership is found in a process. Leaders are not born; leaders are made! For the young protégé of Moses, nothing could be truer. Adrenaline and emotion will only take a person so far. When the pressures of our culture mount, decisive leadership grounded in both grace and truth is always needed! For Joshua, this meant learning from his mistakes. It’s been accur...  Read More

Prepare; verb, pre·pare, pri-ˈper 1) to make or get something or someone ready for something that will happen in the future 2) to expect that something will happen and to be ready for it.As a former coastal resident of Florida, preparing for hurricane season was vitally important. The goal was to be hurricane-ready by Memorial Day, but the procrastinating often hindered the progress, and the che...  Read More