God

September 2nd – Proverbs 3:7

Proverbs 3:7

Before the invention of the internet if we wanted advice, we asked someone we trusted. Today we can reach thousands of opinions day or night with just a few taps on a screen. And everyone seems to know how we should live, what we should believe, and what choices we should make. But Proverbs 3:7 reminds us not to become wise in our own eyes. Because the world may have an answer, but it doesn’t mean it has the right answer.

And because something is popular doesn’t make it wise. For as Baptist missionary Adoniram Judson once said, “No mind, no wisdom, temporary mind, temporary wisdom, eternal mind, eternal wisdom.” What a powerful reminder that our understanding is limited, but God’s wisdom is eternal.

The world’s opinions will change. Trends will change. What people call “wisdom” today may be completely different tomorrow. But God’s Word doesn’t change. That’s why we need to be careful about whose voice we allow to shape our lives. We can listen to the world all day long, but there is only one voice that leads us into truth, and that is the voice of God.

When we don’t know what to do, we don’t have to search the internet for every answer. We can open God’s Word. We can pray. And we can both seek His wisdom and trust His direction. There is no greater wisdom than the wisdom that comes from the eternal God. So don’t be wise in your own eyes. Listen to Him, follow His Word, and let His wisdom guide your life.

September 2nd – Proverbs 3:7 Read More »

September 1st – Hebrews 12:1

Hebrews 12:1

You’d never see someone who’s trying to win a foot race purposely strap on heavy ankle weights. Because they know those weights will slow them down and make the race harder than it needs to be. Yet sometimes as Christians, that’s exactly what we do.

When running our race we strap on the weight of fear, worry, bitterness, unforgiveness, guilt, past hurts, and even relationships or habits. Things that slow us down and keep us from becoming who God has called us to be.

Our faith journey isn’t a 50-yard dash. It’s a life long marathon. And God wants us to go the distance, finishing strong. But we can’t run freely if we’re determined to carry everything along with us. Some things have to be laid down. Other things have to be surrendered. And still others have to be released into God’s hands.

We don’t have to run someone else’s race, and we don’t have to finish it perfectly. We simply need to keep our eyes on Jesus, keep moving forward, and refuse to give up. So today ask yourself, “What am I carrying that God is asking me to lay down?” Maybe it’s time to take off the weights and run freely toward Him.

September 1st – Hebrews 12:1 Read More »

August 31st – Jude 25

Jude 25

Every day God keeps us, loves us, forgives us, and gives us grace, even though we fall short of Him in so many ways. We don’t earn His love by being perfect, and we certainly don’t deserve the mercy He continually pours over our lives. Yet He loves us anyway.

There are days when we say the wrong thing, think the wrong thought, make the wrong choice, or simply fail to be the person we know God has called us to be. And still, He doesn’t abandon us. He patiently picks us up, forgives us, and continues the work He began in us. That alone should humble our hearts.

We can give God thanks not because we have everything figured out, but because He is faithful even when we are not. His grace meets us in our weakness, His mercy covers our failures, and His love refuses to let go of us.

So today, let’s take our eyes off ourselves and put them back on Him. For the Lord is the One who keeps us, strengthens us, restores us, and carries us when we cannot carry ourselves.

All glory belongs to Him. For every answered prayer, every unseen protection, every second chance, every moment of mercy, and every day He gives us, thank You, Lord. May our lives continually point back to the One who loves us far more than we could ever deserve.

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August 30th – Hebrews 10:23

Hebrews 10:23

Hope is a beautiful thing. It gives us something to hold onto when life feels uncertain, and something to look forward to when the road ahead is hard. But for those of us who have placed our hope in Jesus, our hope is so much more than simply wishing things will get better. Our hope is anchored in the faithfulness of God.

We can hold onto that hope because the One who made the promises won’t fail to keep them. His promises aren’t dependent on our circumstances, our feelings, or what we can see happening around us. They rest on who God is.

There will be days when our faith feels strong and days when we’re tired and struggling to believe. There will be prayers we see answered and seasons when we wonder what God is doing. But through it all, we can cling to Jesus. He’s our anchor when the storms come and our hope when we can’t see the way forward.

So hold on. Don’t let disappointment steal your hope. Don’t let difficult circumstances convince you that God has forgotten His promises. He who promised is faithful. One day, our faith will become sight, our hope will become reality, and we’ll stand in the presence of the One we’ve trusted all along. Until that glorious day, keep your eyes on Jesus and hold tightly to the hope we have in Him.

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August 29th – Lamentations 3:31

Lamentations 3:31

There are seasons in our lives when suffering can feel like it won’t never end. And when the pain continues day after day, it can be difficult to imagine life ever feeling happy again. But Lamentations 3:31 reminds us, “For no one is cast off by the Lord forever.” What a comforting promise for a weary heart.

Our circumstances may change, and difficult times may last longer than we would ever choose, but they aren’t forever. God’s love and mercy endure even in the darkest places. And when we can’t understand why He has allowed us to walk through something painful, we can still trust that He hasn’t abandoned us.

Sometimes God allows us to remain in a difficult season for reasons we can’t yet see. But He knows exactly how long it will last, and He will never lose sight of us while we are in it. Our suffering isn’t evidence that God has stopped loving us. His presence doesn’t disappear simply because we don’t feel it.

So if you’re hurting today, take heart. This season is not your forever. The God who sees every tear is still holding you, still working, and still pouring out His mercy. You may not know when the suffering will end, but you can trust that God does.

Hold on to Him through the waiting. And trust there’ll come a day when you look back and realize that even in the valley, you were never walking alone. His love sustained you, His mercy carried you, and His faithfulness brought you through.

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August 28th – Philippians 1:6

Philippians 1:6

Faith is a journey, not a destination. When we receive Jesus as our Savior, the Holy Spirit takes up residence within us and begins the beautiful, sometimes difficult, work of transforming us into the likeness of Christ. But it doesn’t happen overnight. It can be a lifelong process of growing, learning, surrendering, and being changed from the inside out.

There will be days when we get it right, and there will be days when we stumble and fall. Times when we wonder why we haven’t grown more, why we still struggle with the same things, or why we aren’t  who we want to be yet. But God knows we are works in progress. And He isn’t finished with us.

Little by little, He continues to mold, refine, teach, and draw us closer to Jesus. Even when we don’t see the progress, He’s still working. Even when we fall short, His grace is still there. And even when we become discouraged with ourselves, He never gives up on us.

I’m so thankful that God refuses to leave me where He found me. He saw me in all my brokenness, weaknesses, mistakes, and imperfections, and He loved me anyway. The Lord didn’t just save me and walk away, He stayed. And He continues to work in me every single day, patiently shaping me into who He created me to be.

So if you’re frustrated with where you are in your faith journey, take heart. You may not be where you want to be, but you aren’t where you once were. Keep walking. Keep surrendering. And keep trusting. The God who started the work in you will never abandon it.

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August 26th – James 4:8

James 4:8

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” What an incredible invitation, and an incredible privilege. Think about it. The One who spoke the heavens into existence, invites us to come near to Him. We don’t have to try earn His attention or somehow become worthy enough to approach Him. Through Jesus, we can have a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father and come into His presence with open hearts.

But what does it mean to draw near to God? It means intentionally making room for Him in our lives. We draw near when we open His Word and allow His truth to shape our hearts. We draw near through talking with Him, listening, and sharing the deepest places of our hearts. And we draw near when we worship Him, surrender our worries, confess our sins, and choose obedience even when it’s difficult. Because drawing near to God isn’t about checking off a religious list. It’s about wanting to know Him more deeply.

And here’s the beautiful part. When we take even one step toward God, He meets us there. The Ruler and Creator of all things draws near to us. So slow down today. Put away the distractions. Open your Bible. Whisper a prayer. Sit quietly in His presence. Seek Him with your whole heart. Because there is nowhere else we can go where we will find a love so faithful, and a Father so eager to draw near to His children.

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August 25th – 1 Corinthians 9:22

1 Corinthians 9:22

Everyone is somewhere different on their faith journey. Some have a strong, mature faith. Others are barely holding onto what little faith they have. Some are searching for answers, and some don’t believe in God at all. Paul understood this. That’s why he didn’t expect everyone to meet him where he was. Instead, He was willing to meet them where they were.

That doesn’t mean Paul changed the Gospel or compromised God’s truth. It meant he humbled himself enough to understand the people he was trying to reach. He listened, related, and showed compassion. He found common ground so he could point people toward Jesus.

And isn’t that what Jesus calls us to do? We aren’t called to look down on those who don’t yet believe. Or shame people into faith. We’re called to love them, meet them where they are, and introduce them to the One who can change their lives.

Jesus commanded His followers to go into the world and make disciples. That means stepping outside our comfort zone and being willing to reach people who may think differently, live differently, or even reject what we believe. Some may reject our message. Some may not be ready. But that doesn’t mean we stop reaching.

We don’t have to have all the answers. We simply need to be willing to share what Jesus has done for us. To plant the seed, love faithfully, and leave the saving work to God. All because we were once lost too, and someone was willing to reach us.

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August 24th – Ephesians 4:1

Ephesians 4:1

The pull of this world is strong. Every day, we’re surrounded by voices telling us how to think, what to value, and how to live. It’s easy to get caught up in the ways of the world without even realizing how far we’ve drifted from God.

But Paul gives us an example worth following. He could have continued living for himself, and persecuting the very people who followed Jesus. Instead, he encountered Christ. And everything changed. Paul chose Jesus, no matter the cost.

And the cost was great. He was beaten, imprisoned, rejected, persecuted, and ultimately gave his life for the Gospel. Yet Paul didn’t see following Jesus as a burden. He considered it a privilege to live a life worthy of the calling he had received. Why? Because he knew this life was temporary, but eternity with Christ was forever.

We need that same perspective today. The world may pull us in a thousand different directions, but our calling is higher. We were not saved to simply blend into the culture around us. We were saved to belong to Jesus and reflect Him in the way we live.

Living worthy of our calling doesn’t mean living perfectly. It means living intentionally. Choosing Christ when the world says choose yourself, choosing truth when the world embraces lies, and choosing holiness when the world celebrates compromise.

So let Paul’s life challenge us. What are we willing to surrender to follow Jesus? May we count it a privilege to live for Him no matter the cost. Because we know that whatever we give up here will never compare to what awaits us in His presence.

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August 23rd – Matthew 5:11

Matthew 5:11

It’s a great feeling to be loved, respected, appreciated, and admired by others. We all want to feel valued, especially by the people closest to us. But Jesus gives us a completely different picture of what it means to be truly blessed. In Matthew 5:11, He tells us that we are blessed when people insult persecute and falsely say all kinds of evil against us because of Him.

That’s a hard truth to embrace, especially when the rejection comes from people we love. It hurts when someone we care about mocks what we believe, or distances themselves because we choose to follow the Lord. But Jesus reminds us that our worth isn’t determined by how the world receives us.

There’s something incredibly powerful about being able to rejoice when the world rejects us for standing with Christ. Because it means we value our relationship with Jesus more than we value being liked.

So when persecution comes, we can praise Him. When we’re mocked and rejected, we can refuse to become bitter. And people lie about us, we can remember that Jesus knows the truth.

No one rejoices because persecution feels good. We rejoice because it

reminds us whose side we’re on. Jesus endured rejection, hatred, mockery, and suffering for us. If following Him brings some of that same rejection into our lives, we can count it a privilege rather than a defeat.

The world may reject us, but heaven knows our name. And one day the approval of our Savior will matter infinitely more than the applause of this world.

August 23rd – Matthew 5:11 Read More »