Posts with the category “basics-devotional”

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these a...  Read More

“Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:15 Paul, a 1st century apprentice of Jesus wri...  Read More

“Remember: A stingy planter gets a stingy crop; a lavish planter gets a lavish crop. I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will...  Read More

“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Be...  Read More

“As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but...  Read More

“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” 1 Peter 2:16-17 I was at...  Read More

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10 I tried my hand at gardening years ago, more so as an e...  Read More

“I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. In Him lie hidden a...  Read More

“And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Ephesians 5:21 Every year, I spend time with young adults walking through a current book on relationships and dating. We dig into the ...  Read More

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied”Matthew 5:6 When I was in high school, I was part of a small church in Central Florida with less than a hundred ...  Read More

“For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17 When you hear the word “freedom” what reaction does it evoke from within you? Maybe the notor...  Read More

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I...  Read More

“With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it. My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers an...  Read More

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”John 13:35 Up to this point, everyone knew that these guys were disciples of Jesus because it was obvious. They were wit...  Read More

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” Ephesians 6:10 One of the many (some awesome, some not-so-awesome) things I’m discovering as I get older is that I’m not enough. I us...  Read More

“…for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” Philippians 2:13 Whenever I share my testimony, I talk about the first miracle I saw. In college, God healed ...  Read More

Luke 2:36-38 “Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years...  Read More

How do we respond when the changes we experience aren’t things we hoped for, made resolutions about, or planned for? Things like job loss, sickness, a stock market crash, or death?...  Read More

This phrase, “all hands on deck,” stuck with me through the years. It means all team members are invited to contribute. No one is exempt from the work....  Read More

“For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” 2 Corinthians 7:10 (ESV)...  Read More

In our age of immediate gratification and quick-fix methodologies we can be tempted to look for the “Five Easy Steps to Rapid Spiritual Maturity.” However, the Bible tells us we grow like trees, not l...  Read More