Posts with the category “devotional”

Let's start the day with a mind-blowing discovery. The word team is not spelled with an I! The Christian lifestyle is not about yourself but what Jesus did in our place. Today's Bible verses tell us:“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:...  Read More

If I am being completely honest, this is a very difficult devotional to write. With lots of prayer, many discussions with my wife, and wise counsel from trusted friends and family, this devotional will be my last. Over the last 6 months, God has been stirring our hearts towards a direction that I never expected to happen. Hannah and I have had the desire to be at church within our community, where...  Read More

Philippians 2:25-30 “But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 26 For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sor...  Read More

Wow! This is gonna be a tough one. Please bear with me. When I read this passage from Paul to the Philippians, I felt it in every fiber of my body. Paul was at a place in his life where he had become a spiritual father to a few younger guys who were extremely precious to him. He had taught them. He had mentored them. He had challenged them. He deeply loved them. He was extremely proud of them. Whe...  Read More

Main Point and Overview:   Dependable servants are hard to come by in today’s day and age. People are always asking the question – what’s in it for me? From social media posts to vying for attention in the crowd, the human heart naturally seeks to be “center stage.” Finding people who simply want to serve looking for no accolades or attention is countercultural. This is what we are called to be…de...  Read More

How beautiful it was to celebrate our graduating seniors this past Sunday. It’s always an exciting time as these graduates envision and embrace their future and navigate into adulthood. During moments like this, there is this slight twinge of thought, “Wouldn’t it be nice to have a do-over?” I know that I could’ve and should’ve heeded the title of this devotion a lot better over the four decades s...  Read More

Whatever goes around comes around. This little “ism” has rung true since time in memorial. The consequences, both good and bad, of our decisions always find their way back. With the inception of recorded media, and more recently the internet, if someone said it, odds are high that it was recorded and remains in posterity. Politicians are most notably susceptible to this dilemma. “I was for the war...  Read More

“This little light of mine,I'm gonna let it shine.This little light of mine,I'm gonna let it shine.This little light of mine,I'm gonna let it shine.Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.”You are welcome, this song will be stuck in your head for the rest of the day— but that’s not a bad thing! Today’s Bible reading is talking about the light that comes from Jesus Christ. As Christians we all kno...  Read More

If I were to decide today, that tomorrow I am going to run a marathon with my brother from another mother, Pastor Matt Hatton, without any training, you would probably think I am crazy and doomed for failure. Running a race is something you have to train for and prepare for, especially a long race like a marathon. You have to set yourself up for success, and that begins with learning the basics an...  Read More

“Ahh… you think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but blinding!” – Bane (The Dark Knight Rises)Darkness. That was all the blind beggar had ever known, he was born in it. He had no conception of colors, red, yellow, black, or white, the vivid water colored picture of a su...  Read More

I still remember my high school graduation. It seems like yesterday. I also vividly remember the day of my Open House, and how I played in the Michigan Association of Christian Schools Baseball State Championship that morning before my Open House. Lots of memories. Lots of excitement. Lots of opportunities in front of me. I couldn’t wait for the “next step” in my life.It seems like yesterday that ...  Read More

Main Point and Overview:   There’s a big difference in being with someone to motivate and challenge him and attempting to do it from a distance. In some ways, our church building is a “protective cocoon” every Sunday as we gather with people who love us, believe in what we believe, and love the same Lord Jesus Christ. Then, we go out into the culture which is often filled with viewpoints that are ...  Read More

Matthew 5:23-24 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”How many times have you been hurt in church? How many times have people failed you in church? Next question might hurt a bit. How many times ha...  Read More

The title of today’s devotion is a phrase that has probably come out of our mouths at one point or another. Maybe you said it to a child, or to someone in the movie theater, library, hospital, in the classroom or even at a church gathering. As I think back to the full-nest days with four kids who were just five years apart, I recall saying things like; “use your inside voices”, “shhh”, or “quiet”....  Read More

If you have siblings like me, you know all too well the arguments they can get into. From stealing things (AKA Borrowing) to just plain silly disagreements. As a parent it's almost unavoidable. In the moment we think it's the end of the world and we wish to never speak or see of them again, (not really meaning it) and within hours we are best friends living our lives as if nothing happened. I wish...  Read More

The two things that they (whoever “they” may be) say should not be brought up are religion and politics. Certainly, social media has put that theory to the test and proven it to be true. Nothing like reading a war of electron words for entertainment. But truly, those are questions and conversations that do come up eventually, particularly when you start to take a dating relationship to the next le...  Read More

James 1:22-25 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. DO WHAT IT SAYS. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror  and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what the...  Read More

James 1:19-21 “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this:  Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”           The nickname “diarrhea mouth” isn’t just...  Read More

Main Point and Overview:   In this next section, James bridges the all-important gap of knowledge and action. It’s not enough to know about the truth; you must do the truth! He gives to us some important formulas beginning with QUICK TO LISTEN + SLOW TO SPEAK + SLOW TO ANGER. The key to growing our relationships, both with God and others, is our intentional application of this spiritual formula. W...  Read More

2 Timothy 2:22-26 "Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructe...  Read More

Sin. I’ve done it and shamefully continue to do so in one form or another. Sometimes it’s my actions but more so it’s my thoughts. Regardless, it’s wrong in the eyes of God and I’ve experienced a variety of consequences and embarrassment. Can you relate with remorse, guilt, and shame? Can you relate to the consequences; personal, familial, societal, and spiritual separation from God? And let’s not...  Read More

We all at some point or another have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe it was a car accident, something spilled on you, etc. It's never a good thing or good timing. The effects of the aftermath seem to be intense. We see in today’s Scripture that David was in the wrong place and the wrong time. Now the story of David and Bathsheba could fill this entire devotional booklet plus a cou...  Read More

We’ve all heard the saying “The grass is always greener on the other side.” How many times have we looked at someone else’s life and thought, “Gosh, do they have it good.” It is a natural tendency to do so. It could be because they have more money, a better job, better marriage, better kids, a better car, and on and on. But envy is an unhealthy thing. It can cause depression, withdrawal, and a who...  Read More

The weight of sin—far heavier than anyone should carry for any length of time. Yet, so many of us chose to bottle it up, accept the shame and guilt, and try to forget it happened. However, our body knows—it can cause us to be stressed and filled with anxiety, it can cause us to fall into depression and despair, it can cause us to become erratically angry. Sin literally, chemically, changes us. Whi...  Read More

James 1:13-15 “When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” Picture yourself in the scene of a scary movie, que the scary mus...  Read More

Main Point and Overview:   What is “off limits” is often what we desire. Sometimes it’s out of intrigue. Sometimes it’s out of rebellion. Sometimes it’s out of lust. No matter what, the Bible does warn us about those things that would steal our joy and ruin our purpose. At the center of temptation is always the lie of the enemy that there is something “better to experience!” From the very beginnin...  Read More

My first recollection of people not seeing eye to eye was when I was three or four years of age and my mom read the book, “Sneetches” to me. Authored by Dr. Suess, this story was about a population of yellow creatures that mildly resembled a walking bird with a pear-shaped body, and I believe they lived on beaches. Of course, they did because that rhymes with Sneetches. The main characteristic abo...  Read More

Amid all the cultural and political chaos going on, the irony of it all is people calling for unity while only further seeking to divide. It’s gone beyond rhetoric to becoming violent. No matter how much we may try to romanticize the past, the fact is there has never been true unity among men. From the moment of the fall of man through today, divisiveness has been and will always be. This isn’t me...  Read More

Have you ever heard of the slogan “we are stronger together”? This slogan is often used to push an agenda of acceptance of Sin. From the secular viewpoint of multiple genders to LGBT+, we see this slogan everywhere. However, it's not limited to that. We often see groups of many kinds using this slogan to help unify their message to show the world what they believe or think. There is no difference ...  Read More

Every day, people make excuses for pride, anger, selfishness, or any sin really, with the thought that “I earned this”, “I deserve this”, “this is my life, I can do whatever I want to do.” You and I, may be guilty of making all sorts of choices and decisions, by justifying them with many of these excuses. We trick ourselves into believing that the sin is okay, if we have some “valid” reason as to ...  Read More

Growing up in a household with siblings, EVERYTHING was a rivalry! Who could finish their food the fastest, who could carry in the most bags of groceries on one arm, who could run the fastest or jump their dirt bike the farthest, we turned everything into a competition! One of the “games” we played, was what we called the “I got last” game. It wasn’t much of a game I suppose but more of a senseles...  Read More

What motivates a person seems to be the million-dollar question these days. Is it more money at work? Is it having your kids earn a college scholarship? Is it getting all your responsibilities covered so that you can take a much-needed vacation? Is it the potential embarrassment of looking foolish as you get up to offer your speech in school? What is it? Everyone in some way is motivated by someth...  Read More

Main Point and Overview:   The most underrated strength of any church is not its preaching, worship, programming, or facilities, but its unity. In fact, there have been plenty of churches that had all of the already mentioned advantages, only to “fade away” over time because their people were not moving together in the same direction. The Apostle Paul took the time to remind the Philippian church ...  Read More

The definition of embrace-to hold someone or something closely in one's arms, especially as a sign of affection OR to accept or support a belief, theory, or change willingly and enthusiastically.What are some things that you embrace? The first thing that comes to my mind are my loved ones; especially the grandchildren. I’ll hold and squeeze them until they wriggle away in laughter. I embrace famil...  Read More

I love a good war movie. There are three or four that I watch every year. I enjoy them for their action, history, and the reminder of the sacrifice given by those so that my family and I live in freedom. Perhaps one of the most iconic lines that comes from just about any war movie, is “Hold the line.” In the movie “Gettysburg,” Joshua Lawrence Chamberlin was told to hold the line at Little Round T...  Read More

We often tend to make standing firm and compassion oxymorons. I will be the first to admit when I hear someone tell me to stand firm, my first thought is a soldier in a battle. Someone who is going to stand his ground and not move for anything, but what if standing firm doesn't have to be an aggressive word..... What if standing firm meant showing the love of Christ to those around us? Paul writes...  Read More

Philippians is my all-time favorite book of the entire Bible. To me, it has the most life giving, faith encouraging, purpose breathing, endurance and perseverance convicting verses in all of scripture. When I am feeling the weight of the world, I turn to Philippians. When I am feeling overwhelmed by my high functioning anxiety, I turn to Philippians. When I need a reminder of who I am, and why I a...  Read More

If you’ve been on the internet even a handful of times in the past couples of days, you are most likely aware of the great debate. The ultimate question… Can 100 average-sized and unarmed men, take down ONE fully-grown silverback gorilla who is the troop leader? Artificial intelligence doesn’t seem to think so. I want to disagree with artificial intelligence and assume that men could overpower the...  Read More

Have you ever had an experience that crippled or crushed you in some way? We have all been there in our lives. Moments that left us frustrated and grasping for reasons as to why we are experiencing what we are experiencing. It’s in these moments where our faith is truly tested. What will be your perspective in these difficult moments?In one of my past youth ministry churches, I had this experience...  Read More

Main Point and Overview:   How can someone be filled with joy in a struggle? The answer is having a “healthy life perception.” It has been said that “perception is reality.” While we know that statement isn’t technically true, we do know that a person’s perception is what he or she believes causing action or a lack of action. Paul’s perception was that the cost of prison was worth the fruit that i...  Read More