Devotionals on the Go

This Devotional comes  from Week 1 in the SoulStrength Fit Honoring My Temple Workout Program found at soulstrengthfit.com.  Pairs with Week 1 Workout 1.Satan comes to steal and destroy.  He wants to distract us from God's goodness. He wants to keep us from becoming women who live lives in the full measure of God's strength.  He wants to keep you from becoming the best version of  the person God has created you to be.  He  wants to take something from you - He wants to take the truth.  The  truth that you are a new, beautiful creation in God the Father.  The truth that you  can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. The truth that you were bought at a high price and are now called to give your life fully to the discipleship of Christ. What distractions might Satan be using in your life?

Luke 2:8-21How would your trying situations or day to day living look different if you were filled with a sense of peace rather than a sense of underlying tension or weariness?WWW.SOULSTRENGTHFIT.COMMusic Credit FOR the final song, Silent Night:CALVARY COMMUNITY CHURCH CHRISTMAS ALBUM, "HOPE IS HERE"(WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CALIFORNIA)Produced by Michelle Tumes and Mark Libby with Jacob Wood– Acoustic guitar by Jacob Wood– Recorded and engineered by Mark Libby–  Children's Choir: Jack Armstrong, Addilyn Bernd, Barrett Bernd, Willa Bernd, Chelsi Braden, Allie Cano, Caleb Chou, Ellianna Chou, Alejandro Estrada-Gallardo, Isabella Estrada-Gallardo, Serena Feng, Victoria Gonzalez, Carly Hagenbach, Adelaide Higgins, Aria Higgins, Jonathan Kahl, Nicholas Kahl, Makai Kahl, Allie Lang, Andrew Robinson, Lilly Robinson, Aubree Roberts, Faith Shiller, Hannah Thomas– Mixed by Doug Higgins– Vocals recorded by Mark Libby– Edited by Mark Libby

Isaiah 53There is great plan and purpose behind Jesus' birth, ministry, and death.  Jesus' death was not a tragic event with no meaning or purpose.  Jesus' death was a necessity, and in this season of advent, we experience the deep hope found in the birth, life, and death of our  Lord and Savior.For more content from Kelly Wenner, be sure to visit SoulStrength Fit, Kelly's YouTube Channel & SoulStrength Fit Kids, where you can find educational content for children and fitness and faith content for adults.

Malachi 4:5-6, Matthew 2:1-6 God's people have experienced great waiting and silence from God.Between Malachi and Matthew, four hundred years passed in the Holy Land, a   time with no  prophets and  what seemed like silence from the Lord. What's the longest you have ever waited in prayer?  What was the situation?  Can you recall how you felt as you waited?  Forgotten?  Discouraged?  Hopeless or angry even?Sometimes we find hope in silence.For more content from Kelly Wenner, be sure to visit SoulStrength Fit, Kelly's YouTube Channel & SoulStrength Fit Kids, where you can find educational content for children and fitness and faith content for adults.

This begins the long wait for the promise of a Messiah.  This long wait is the foundation of our hope.  During this Christmas season,  we remember how since Genesis 3, God's  people have been waiting for the promise of the coming Messiah.For a Christmas workout series, be sure to check out the 12 Workouts of Christmas from SoulStrength Fit. It includes Bible Study Workouts, Daily Devotionals, and Weekly Zoom Calls.For more content from Kelly Wenner, be sure to visit SoulStrength Fit, Kelly's YouTube Channel & SoulStrength Fit Kids, where you can find educational content for children and fitness and faith content for adults.

Christ is the perfect model of patience. God wants us to be like Him, and the more we become Christ-like, the more we will have patience: patience with God, patience with others, and patience with ourselves.  As simple as it may sound, when you find yourself feeling impatient this week, ask yourself at that moment: “What would Jesus do?  How would Jesus respond?” and then act accordingly. For more from Kelly., be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit faith-based fitness and nutrition programs, including the 8 Week Challenge

You may not FEEL loved, valued, or special at times. It could be that others may not treat you according to your worth.  It may be that circumstances feel irreparable or hopeless.  It may be that you feel unnoticed or unloved.  Regardless of your feelings, you can choose to believe and live according to the truths in today's Psalm.You can choose to believe God's truth, and what a difference the truth will make in your life!  For more great Christian content including Bible Study based workouts, be sure to visit SoulStrength Fit

God did not give you shoulders broad enough to carry all your worries through life.  He did give you the responsibility to pray about the issues that worry you, but He didn't give you the burden of carrying it; you can't do that.  The more you try to carry your own burdens, the more you diminish your effectiveness as a Christian.  If you are struggling with anxiety today, take your eyes off yourself and do a good deed for another person. Then, ask God to help you learn how to trust in Him confidently.  Ask that His peace will surround you and drown out your anxiety.For more great Christian content, including Bible Study Based Workouts, be sure to visit SoulStrength Fit

Proverbs 25:28 tells us that A person without self-controlis like a city with broken-down walls.In your own words, what are the consequences of living without self control?  How does the image of this proverb help describe what a lack of self control looks like in someone's life?Be sure to check out https://www.soulstrengthfit.com and use code DEVOTIONALS at check out to get a 20% discount

Of the three characteristics of the Good Samaritan – compassion, extravagant giving, and generous investment of time – which is most difficult for you to show? Why?Be sure to check out https://www.soulstrengthfit.com and use code DEVOTIONALS at check out to get a 20% discount

What race are you running to win?  We all run a race.  Do not run aimlessly in your Christian faith, but seek perseverance and learn to discipline your body, your schedule, your words and your actions so that you can run to receive the prize.Be sure to check out https://www.soulstrengthfit.com and use code DEVOTIONALS at check out to get a 20% discount

It's one thing to simply believe in God, but another to be faithful to Him. When we are truly faithful to God, this shapes the way we live. Think about the ways you show your faithfulness to God. Are there things that are getting in the way of your faithfulness? Be sure to check out https://www.soulstrengthfit.com and use code DEVOTIONALs at check out to get a 20% discount

I encourage you to ask this important question throughout your week: “What is the loving thing to do?”Should you respond irritably to your husband or not: “What is the loving thing to do?”Should you yell at your child or not: “What is the loving thing to do?” Should you help a neighbor or relax with a TV show: “What is the loving thing to do?”So many problems you face can be solved by asking two questions, “Is this loving God?” and “Is this loving my neighbor?” If we learn to ask these two questions of ourselves regularly, we will truly begin to change from the inside out. Be sure to check out https://www.soulstrengthfit.com and use code DEVOTIONALs at check out to get a 20% discount

This week, be sure to fill your tank.  Take care of your physical and emotional needs, and be sure to manage your time in a way that will allow margin.  Then as you move through your day, prayerfully seek out each and every opportunity to demonstrate kindness to the people around you. Be sure to check out https://www.soulstrengthfit.com and use code DEVOTIONALs at check out to get a 20% discount!

Gentleness is often the disrespected, forgotten fruit of the Spirit. Gentleness is turning the reins of anger and irritation over to the Holy Spirit. Growing in gentleness is a process.  To grow in gentleness, we must see people with Jesus' eyes and strive to become more like Jesus each day.Be sure to check out https://www.soulstrengthfit.com and use code DEVOTIONALs at check out to get a 20% discount!

In today's passage, we are told to be strong in the Lord and put on His full armor to be able to stand against the devil's schemes.  Any area of your life that is not under the control of the Holy Spirit is open to the enemy.  He will attack your faith with fear and worry. He loves to intimidate and discourage. He is going to tempt you to compromise. He plays on your emotions. He wants to replay your hurts, wounds, bitterness, anger, and unforgiveness. We have to stand against him, and God has given us the full armor to do so.Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

We can experience joy even if we're not feeling happy.  Philippians 4:4 tells Christ-followers to “rejoice in the Lord always”.  Do people see you as a rejoicer? Do they see that you're always praising the Lord?  Today we will focus on three steps you can take this week as you focus on growing in the fruit of joy.Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

Many are familiar with the Hebrew word shalom. Shalom means “peace” in English, but in Hebrew it means so much more.  True biblical shalom means an inward sense of completeness or wholeness.  Although it can refer to an absence of war or conflict, it most often refers to an inner completeness, tranquility, and the idea of making something whole.  This wholeness refers to an overall sense of fullness and completeness in mind, body, and soul.  Not just the absence of conflict, it refers to the presence of connection and completion.Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

Satan has come to steal and destroy, and if he can steal from you the ability to love others and yourself as fully as possible by feeding your negative thoughts, you had better believe that he will.  Don't let that happen.  Carry the word LOVE with you all day today.  Repeat it again and again in your mind.  Live it in action and word.  Share it and embody it as you reflect the love of Christ to those around you.Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

Jesus is warning about the importance of responding to - and living out - His teachings.  To fail to do so would make us as useless as “unsalty” salt.Are there any ways in which the distractions, demands, or worries of this world have taken away a bit of your saltiness? Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

Can you think of times of prosperity in which you actually felt distracted by, or focused on, success, stability or pleasure, and consequently became more distant from God?  And conversely, can you bring to mind times of trial, suffering, or despair that drew you closer to God and led you to seek Him for comfort?Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important Our Lord Jesus wants to reward you for being a good and faithful manager of all He has entrusted to you.  Are you up for the challenge?Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

Today I encourage you to be open about your love for Jesus. Be open about your love for others. Let Jesus on the inside be seen on the outside. Your “good deeds” should be the light that God uses to draw others to Him. So, let your light shine. Be patient when others would be rude. Be kind when others would be harsh. Show love where others would show hate. Be calm when others would be filled with panic. Live by faith when others are living by fear. “Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” As a lamp you want your light to shine.Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

Rejecting Jesus is not a choice without consequences. Those who reject Him will one day pay dearly for it.  That is why we need to do everything we can to help those around us to accept Jesus as a stone on which to build for eternity, and to keep them from stumbling and falling in that decision.  How might God be specifically calling you to help others accept Jesus?Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

It can be easy to assume that we willingly serve the Lord, expecting nothing in return.  But do we?  Really search your heart.  Can you find any hidden areas in which you expect God to somehow reward you?Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

If you were to rate yourself on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being the most critical and 10 being the least critical, how would you rate yourself as a person who tends to be critical of others, quick to judge, and slow to forgive?Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

“You ought to live holy and godly lives,” Peter writes, “as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.”What do you think it means to live a “holy and godly life,” and how can you better prepare yourself for the Lord's second coming?Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

Jesus takes matters of earthly wealth, possessions, and resources seriously.  How we handle our money is a tip off to how faithful we would be in other areas, and faithfulness in this and all areas of our lives are rewarded with spiritual treasures.Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

It is foolish to live as if this life was all that mattered, yet many people do.  We will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.  “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that face judgment…” we will all one day be judged for things done, and things left undone. How are you doing with building your house so it will stand on the day of judgment?And how are you doing with warning unbelievers about the final day?  How can you balance the message of warning for God's judgment with the truth of God's love and forgiveness?Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

We can have the reputation of a good Christian.  We can do all the “right” things - go to church, tithe, help those less fortunate - and still be out of touch with the Father just as the religious leaders were.  They were active in all sorts of religious things, but their hearts were in the wrong place.  They were not working in God's vineyard.  They were working in their own vineyards, doing what they felt best.  We can all fall into the trap of doing godly work, but not doing God's work.  To do God's work, we humbly accept the specific work that He has called us to do.  We must do this daily.  We must do this hourly.Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

The Bible is clear that salvation is by grace, but that a transformed life is evidence of genuine faith.  Jesus wants us to live our lives for God. He wants us to stay deeply rooted in His Word and remain in His presence in all we do.  He tends to our branches, and He expects a fruitful return of His investment because He has willingly paid dearly through the death on the cross. His death covered our sins, and now He wants to see each of us adding to the Kingdom of God with our hearts, our words, and in all that we do.Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

In Pastor Rick Warren's sermon “A Faith That Works When Life Doesn't,” he points out that Jesus' resurrection took place over the course of 3 days.  Friday was a day of fear, pain, and heartache.  Saturday was a day of discouragement and hopelessness.  And finally on Sunday we experience a day of freedom and joy.  He says that we will experience all of these days repeatedly over the course of our lives.  We will have days of fear and grief.  We will have days of disillusionment and discouragement, and we will also have days of extreme joy and peace.Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

Jesus invites us into His Father's presence.  What once separated us from God has been removed.There may be no more veil in the temple, but often we can have a veil in our heart.  A guilty conscience, an ongoing sin ignored, an inability to let go of past hurts or regrets, an inability to fully trust.  We can create our own barriers separating us from our loving Father.  What are these barriers for you?

When things go well in your life, when you've worked hard, found success, and prospered in some way, do you congratulate yourself or stop and thank God?  Do you attribute your success to intelligence, your hard work, your education or training, but neglect to give thanks to the Lord?  Do you feel humble and dependent on God in times of prosperity as much as you do in times of distress?

We are called to follow Jesus' example, to be gentle and humble in heart.  But to understand and pursue humility, we must understand pride, and recognize how easy it is to fall into prideful thoughts and actions. Part of the problem with pride is that it is easy to see in OTHER people but hard to see in OURSELVES.  It blinds us and gives us a tunnel vision such that we see everything through the lense of “me.”  Max Lucado writes about pride, “The self-centered see everything through self. Their motto? ‘It's all about me!' The flight schedule, the traffic, the dress styles, the worship styles, the weather, the work—everything is filtered through the mini-ME in the eye.”  In what ways does pride affect your view of the world, of your circumstances, or of the people around you?

When Jesus says, “you are the salt of the earth…you are the light of the world,” He is effectively saying, “You're my plan for bringing transformation.  You are my plan for spreading the gospel.  You are my hands and my feet.”  Imagine that you are a part of the crowd of people gathered to listen to Jesus on that hillside. He looks at you—not someone else, but you—and says, “You are my plan.” What thoughts immediately come to your mind?  How do you think He wants to use you?

The foolish are the ones who don't know the Lord.  When Jesus returns, many who have considered themselves to be children of God will be shown not to be.  The foolish young women were unable to borrow oil from the wise, and so it will be at the end of time.   No one will be justified because they attended church.  None will be justified because their mother, father, spouse or child had a relationship with Christ.  Salvation and justification must be obtained on our own, How can you help others prepare for the return of Christ?  

Unless you choose to live by God's power and for God's glory, you will never find true fulfillment in life.  How do you live a fulfilled life, the kind of life God intends you to live?Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

Today's parable will highlight a problem that is applicable to all of us when we assume that because we have served or walked with the Lord faithfully for years we deserve anything from Him.It's easy to forget that God owes us nothing, and in fact, without His generous love and grace, we would have nothing - no hope, no future, no salvation.  It's easy to focus on what others have - and what we don't have - rather than on what God has generously given us. Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

As followers of Jesus, we live in a world that doubts, criticizes, or is hostile toward Christ.  As Paul wrote in the book of Philippians, “our citizenship is in heaven,” not here on Earth.  We face not only the opposition or hostility of mere people such as ourselves, but as today's reading highlights, we face satanic or demonic opposition as well.  What difficulties can this hostile environment cause for Christians?  What difficulties does it cause for you personally?Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

Although this may be a very familiar passage for you, listen to it with fresh eyes.  What is God saying to you in this passage today?Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

In your life, you are always doing one or the other.  If you're not praying, you're giving up.  And if you're giving up, it's because you are not praying.  Rather than worrying, Jesus is telling us to pray.  Persistently.  Without giving up.  What are you worrying about most lately?  Pause right now and turn those worries into prayer.Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

In what ways have you seen God bless people who trust Him?In what ways have you seen God bless YOU as you trust Him?Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

Spend a few moments to come before God, asking HIm to make clear to you some of the resources and talents He has given you to further His kingdom.Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

“He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.”The sheep represent true believers.  They are dependent on the shepherd and they follow His lead.  In what ways do you see yourself following your shepherd as your journey through life?  And, like all sheep, in which situations do you find yourself sometimes going astray?Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

Jesus is the door.  He is the way, the truth and the life.  If you acknowledge Him as your savior, you have indeed passed along the narrow way through the narrow door that leads to salvation.  God's free gift of salvation is for anyone who chooses to enter the door through faith.  God does not show favoritism, regardless of where they've been, what they've done, or who they've been.  All are invited to be among those who walk through the narrow door.Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

In today's reading, an expert of the law asks Jesus the question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”  This very important question isn't just answered BY Jesus.  It's answered THROUGH Jesus.  Jesus came to bring eternal life through grace, and it's in this new life that we are enabled to have real love toward God and others.  It's in this new life that we are given the strength and power to live a life of true love for God and true love for our neighbors.  If we are Christians through faith in the finished work of Jesus, we will live like that Samaritan.Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

We are all sinners.  We are all lost.  But we are also all precious to our God and Father who is anxiously wanting to bring us each back to Him.Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

Today we reflect on the Parable of the Prodigal Son.  This parable is about the relationship of God to his faithful children and his unfaithful ones.  It paints a picture of a Father who desires his children to return to him, to be renewed and restored.   What steps have you taken to return to the Father?Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

Simon had lost sight of his need for God's forgiveness.  And we too, as we journey through our walk with God, can become desensitized to our own sin and forget our own deep need for forgiveness.  What happens when we become so accustomed to our faith that we forget the grace of God?  How easily we can  become like Simon - religious but not grateful for the grace of God, nor fully capable of demonstrating that grace to others.Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.

When we pursue our own agenda, fixing our eyes only on the here and now and what we want at the moment, we lose sight of eternity.  But, if we let go of our own selfish aims and ambitions and entrust ourselves to the Lord Jesus, living for His purposes and seeking His will in our thoughts and actions, we not only gain eternal life but multiplied blessings in this life as well. Be sure to check out SoulStrength Fit for more great faith and fitness content and programs.