RTTBROS

He Doesn't Stop #RTTBROS #Nightlight

The Joy Dealer #RTTBROS #Nightlight"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones." — Proverbs 17:22You know, I got an email the other day that hit me right between the eyes. It said something I needed to hear: "Your wife doesn't need another burden to manage. She needs a joy dealer." And friend, I sat there staring at that line because it convicted me in the best possible way.See, somewhere along the journey, a lot of us Christian men got this idea that maturity means being serious all the time. Heavy. Intense. Always grinding, always stressed, always carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders. We think if we're not worried, we're not responsible. If we're not intense, we're not spiritual.But that's not leadership, and it's not biblical manhood. That's just exhaustion with a spiritual veneer on it.Think about Jesus for a minute. He was the strongest leader who ever walked this earth, yet people were drawn to Him. Children ran to Him. His disciples followed Him for years, and they didn't just endure His presence, they enjoyed it. He didn't repel people with heaviness. He attracted them with life.I love what Nehemiah said: "The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). Did you catch that? Joy isn't some optional add-on to the Christian life. Joy IS strength. When God is first in your life, when your order is right, joy flows naturally because your peace doesn't depend on circumstances.Here's what I'm learning, and I'm too soon old and too late smart on this one: rigid men repel, but joyful men attract. If your wife isn't drawn to you, if your kids seem to avoid you, maybe it's time to check your energy. Are you fun to be around? Do you bring life into the room, or do you suck it out with stress and intensity?Paul tells us in Galatians 5:22 that joy is a fruit of the Spirit. It's not something we manufacture, it's something that flows when we're walking with God. A man filled with the Spirit doesn't need substances to relax or entertainment to unwind. He's enjoyable because God's joy lives in him.Your family doesn't need another manager. They need a joy dealer. Someone who brings life, not drains it. Someone who's strong AND joyful. That's not weakness, friend. That's what it looks like when a man is anchored in the presence of God.Let's pray: Father, forgive us for being exhausting instead of life-giving. Help us to find our joy in You so we can be joy dealers in our homes. Teach us that maturity isn't misery, and that following You should make us more enjoyable, not less. In Jesus' name, Amen.#Faith #ChristianLiving #BiblicalManhood #Joy #Marriage #Family #DailyDevotion #SpiritualGrowth #RTTBROS #NightlightBe sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out. https://linktr.ee/rttbros

Adapt and Overcome #RTTBROS #Nightlight"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." — Romans 8:28I remember my old boss telling me something he learned during his military career. Three simple words that became his motto for life: Adapt and overcome. At first, I thought it was just another one of those tough-guy military sayings, you know? But the more I sat with it, the more I realized how deeply biblical that concept really is.Life has this habit of not going according to our plans. The car breaks down when you can't afford the repair. The job you thought was secure disappears. And we're left standing there wondering what just happened.Here's what I've learned: God isn't nearly as concerned with our comfort as He is with our character. He's not shocked when things go sideways. In fact, He's already working on Plan B while we're still trying to figure out what happened to Plan A.Think about the Apostle Paul in Acts 16. He had big plans to preach the gospel, but he kept running into closed doors. The Spirit wouldn't let him preach in Asia. He couldn't go into Bithynia. But then he had a vision of a man from Macedonia saying, "Come over and help us." Paul adapted, changed direction, and ended up bringing the gospel to Europe for the first time. That one adaptation changed the entire course of Christian history.Adapt and overcome isn't just about toughing it out. It's about trusting that God is redirecting, not rejecting. It's about being flexible enough to follow where He leads, even when it's not where we planned to go.The military teaches adapt and overcome because in battle, nothing ever goes exactly according to plan. Well, friend, we're in a spiritual battle, and our enemy isn't going to make things easy. But here's the good news: we serve a God who specializes in taking our messes and making them into messages, our tests into testimonies, our trials into triumphs.Romans 8:28 reminds us that all things work together for good to them that love God. Notice it doesn't say all things ARE good. It says they work together FOR good. That's adaptation. That's overcoming.So whatever you're facing today, whatever has gone wrong, remember: God's not done yet. He's teaching you to adapt and overcome. And when you do, you'll look back and see that history really is just HIS story, and He was writing a better chapter than you could have imagined.Let's pray: Father, when our plans fall apart, help us trust that You're not surprised. Give us the strength to adapt to what You're doing and the faith to overcome what stands in our way. In Jesus' name, Amen.#Faith #Resilience #ChristianLiving #DailyDevotion #TrustGod #BiblicalWisdom #SpiritualGrowth #OvercomingObstacles #RTTBROS #NightlightBe sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out.https://linktr.ee/rttbros

Pastoral prayer: transitions #RTTBROS #nightlight

Stop Running #RTTBROS #Nightlight #Running #Salvation #WalkwithGod

Living Legacy #RTTBROS #Nightlight

Promise Keeping God #RTTBROS #Nightlight

Building New PathwaysThe Power of Practiced Truth #RTTBROS #Nightlight

Taking Thoughts CaptiveThe Story of Martin Luther's Stand #RTTBROS #Nightlight"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds)." — 2 Corinthians 10:3-4Last night we talked about those automatic negative thoughts, those ANTs that swarm through our minds. Tonight, I want to tell you about a man who understood this battle better than most: Martin Luther.Now, Luther was a monk who struggled terribly with his thoughts. He would spend hours in confession, sometimes confessing the same sins over and over because his mind kept telling him he wasn't truly forgiven, that he wasn't good enough, that God couldn't possibly love someone like him. His superior finally told him to stop coming to confession unless he had committed murder or blasphemy, something real to confess.But here's where Luther's story gets interesting. When he finally discovered the truth of justification by faith, when he understood that we're made right with God through faith in Christ alone, not by our works, everything changed. He realized that those thoughts that kept condemning him were lies. They were real thoughts, yes, but they weren't true thoughts.Luther used to say that you can't keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair. Sound familiar? He understood what Paul was teaching in 2 Corinthians 10, that we have weapons mighty through God for pulling down strongholds, for taking thoughts captive.Here's the thing about taking thoughts captive: you can't do it by just trying harder to think positive. That's not what Paul is talking about. He's talking about confronting those automatic negative thoughts with the truth of God's Word. It's not about pretending the thoughts aren't there or trying to force yourself to feel differently. It's about recognizing a lie when you hear one and standing your ground with truth.When that thought shows up telling you you're worthless, you don't have to argue with it or try to convince yourself otherwise. You just need to know what God says: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people" (1 Peter 2:9). That's not positive thinking, that's truth thinking.When that automatic thought tells you you're all alone and nobody cares, you don't have to try to talk yourself out of feeling lonely. You just need to remember what Jesus said: "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5). Again, not positive thinking, truth thinking.Luther learned to fight his ANTs with Scripture. When those condemning thoughts would swarm, he would literally speak truth out loud. He'd say, "I am baptized. I am God's child. Christ died for me." Simple truths that cut through the lies like a sword.You see, you can't control the first thought that pops into your head, but you can control what you do with it. You can take it captive. You can hold it up against God's Word and say, "Does this match what God says about me? Does this match what God says about my situation?" If it doesn't, then it's a lie dressed up as a thought, and it needs to be taken prisoner.Tomorrow night, we'll talk about what to do for the long haul, because this isn't a one-time battle. But tonight, practice taking one thought captive. Just one. When that ANT shows up, grab hold of it with a truth from God's Word and don't let it run wild.Let's pray: Father, give us courage to confront the lies in our minds with Your truth. Help us to be quick to recognize when our thoughts are not lining up with Your Word. Teach us to fight with the weapon of truth. In Jesus' name, Amen

Ants automatic negative thinking

Handling Anger #RTTBROS #Nightlight

The Real Thing #RTTBROS #Nightlight

the responsibility of privilege #rttbros #nightlight

Human Becoming #RTTBROS #Nightlight Finding God in the PassionflowersReading: Psalm 46:10 – "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."You know, I've got this tendency that keeps tripping me up. I become what I call a "human doing" when God is calling me to be a "human being," or better yet, a "human becoming." Let me tell you what I mean. A few years back, something small happened that made a big change in my life. In the midst of the hustle and hurry of ministry and raising a massive family, I found myself driving by and walking past some of the most beautiful moments in God's creation. I started to notice things I'd been missing: sunrises painting the sky in colors that could only come from the Master's hand, sunsets that reminded me God was still in control when the day was done. Flowers blooming in fields, children playing in the park with that carefree joy we all used to know, pets playing fetch with their families. A storm rolling in with all its power and majesty, the wind blowing through the trees like God's breath over creation. Family dinners around the table sharing the events of our day, those ordinary moments that turn out to be the most sacred. And quiet time with God in the morning, where He speaks peace to my troubled heart.I'd been blowing by all of these amazing things, these gifts from God's hand, in order to rush to the next thing on my list.Standing there one morning, finally paying attention, it hit me: I'd been so busy doing God's work that I'd forgotten to be with God. I was like Martha in the kitchen, clanging pots and pans, while Mary sat at Jesus' feet. And you remember what Jesus said? "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part" (Luke 10:41-42).The Psalmist got it right: "Be still, and know that I am God." Not "be busy and prove you're useful." Not "be productive and earn your worth." Just be still. Be present. Be with Him.Because transformation doesn't happen in the blur of busyness. It happens when we slow down enough to let God's presence shape us, mold us, change us. It's in those divine interruptions, those ordinary moments made holy, where we stop being human doings and start becoming who God created us to be.So here's my question for you today: What is God putting in your path that you're rushing right past? What moment is He asking you to stop and notice? Because I promise you, the divine presence you're looking for isn't waiting at the end of your to-do list. It's right here, right now, in this very moment, if you'll just slow down long enough to see it.Let's pray: Father, forgive us for being so busy doing things for You that we forget to be with You. Teach us to slow down, to notice, to be present in the moments You give us. Help us become human becomings, shaped by Your presence in the journey. In Jesus' name, Amen.#Faith #BeStill #ChristianLiving #DailyDevotion #PresenceOfGod #SpiritualGrowth #RTTBROS #NightlightBe sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out.https://linktr.ee/rttbros

Our Doubts Are Traitors #RTTBROS #Nightlight"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." — 2 Timothy 1:7You know, William Shakespeare wrote something that has stuck with me for years. One of his characters says, "Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt." Shakespeare wasn't a theologian, but he understood something profound about human nature.Doubt is a traitor. It whispers in our ear just when we're about to step out in faith. And here's the thing, that voice of doubt isn't just our own insecurity talking. The enemy knows that if he can keep us doubting, he can keep us from attempting the very things God has called us to do.I think about Peter walking on the water. He's actually doing it, defying gravity, moving toward Jesus. But then Matthew 14:30 tells us, "But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me." The doubt crept in, and suddenly what had been possible became impossible in his mind.Satan doesn't have to defeat us if he can just get us to defeat ourselves. All he needs to do is plant a seed of doubt, and watch us talk ourselves out of the very thing God is calling us to do.Think about all the "almosts" in your life. The ministry you almost started. The person you almost witnessed to. How many of those were stopped not by actual obstacles, but by the traitor of doubt?Here's what God says: He hasn't given us a spirit of fear. He's given us power, love, and a sound mind. That means when doubt shows up and starts whispering its poisonous lies, we have the authority to reject it.What would you attempt for God if you knew you couldn't fail? Even if we stumble like Peter, Jesus is right there to catch us. Don't let doubt rob you of the good you might win. Step out in faith and watch what God can do when you refuse to let fear have the final word.Let's pray: Father, forgive us for letting doubt talk us out of what You've called us to do. Give us courage to step out in faith and trust Your power more than we fear our weakness. In Jesus' name, Amen.#Faith #OvercomingDoubt #ChristianLiving #DailyDevotion #TrustGod #BiblicalWisdom #SpiritualGrowth #RTTBROS #NightlightBe sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out.https://linktr.ee/rttbros

Fresh Word Of God #Rebuild #Nightlight #RTTBROS #Obey #BIBLESTUDY

Ruined To Rebuilt #RTTBROS #Nightlight #Repent #Rebuild #restorarion When Ruins Become Rebuilding"Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah." — Ezra 1:2You know, I've been sitting with Ezra chapter 1 lately, and there's something powerful happening in these verses. The temple in Jerusalem has been destroyed for seventy years. That's a lifetime. An entire generation grew up never seeing the glory of God's house, only hearing stories about what used to be.But here's what gets me, and it's something I heard recently that I just can't shake: when your life lies in ruin from the lies that ruined you, it's time to rebuild.The temple didn't fall because of some random act of nature. It fell because God's people believed lies, lies about who God was, lies about what really mattered, lies that led them away from truth. And now, all these years later, God says through a pagan king no less, "It's time to rebuild."I've been in ministry long enough to know that most of us have some ruins in our lives. Maybe you believed the lie that you weren't good enough. Maybe you believed the lie that this sin wouldn't really hurt anyone. Maybe you believed the lie that God couldn't use someone with your past, so you've been sitting on the sidelines.Here's what I love about this passage: God didn't wait for the Israelites to clean up the mess first. He stirred up the heart of a king, provided the resources, and said, "Now, let's build."Rebuilding always starts with a decision, but it continues with God's provision. The Apostle Paul wrote: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). That's rebuild language right there.Maybe you're looking at the ruins in your life today, thinking it's too late, too far gone, too damaged. But friend, if God could bring His people back from seventy years of captivity and rebuild His temple, He can rebuild whatever lies in ruin in your life.The ruins don't define us, the rebuilding does. And rebuilding always starts with returning to the truth. It's never too late to start again.Let's pray: Father, thank You that You are the God of rebuilding. Where lies have created ruins in our lives, help us to hear Your voice calling us back to truth. Give us the courage to start rebuilding today. In Jesus' name, Amen.#Faith #Rebuilding #ChristianLiving #DailyDevotion #TrustGod #BiblicalWisdom #SpiritualGrowth #RTTBROS #NightlightBe sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe, it helps get the word out.

Handle The Scandal #Submission #Obey #Meekness #Nightlight #RTTBROS

More On Meekness #RTTBROS #Nightlight

Monkey Hand #RTTBROS #NightlightScripture: "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." — Matthew 16:25You know, I heard a story once about how hunters in some parts of the world used to catch monkeys, and it's stuck with me for years because it says so much about human nature.They would take a coconut, drill a hole just big enough for a monkey's hand to slip through, and put some rice or fruit inside. Then they'd secure the coconut to a tree. The monkey would reach in, grab the food, and make a fist. But here's the thing, that fist was too big to pull back through the hole. All the monkey had to do was let go of the food and he could pull his hand out and be free. But he wouldn't. He'd sit there, holding onto that food, even when the hunters came. His freedom was literally one choice away, but he'd rather lose everything than open his hand.I think about that monkey sometimes when I look at my own life. How often do we hold onto things so tightly that we lose our freedom? Maybe it's a relationship that's become unhealthy, but we can't let go. Maybe it's a job that's consuming us. Maybe it's money, or reputation, or control over our kids' lives. We grip these things with white knuckles, and all the while, we're the ones becoming trapped.Jesus said something that seemed backwards to his disciples: "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it" (Matthew 16:25). That's the paradox of the Kingdom. The tighter we hold onto our lives, our plans, our stuff, the more we actually lose. But when we open our hands and surrender it all to Him, that's when we find real life.I'm too soon old and too late smart on this, but I've learned that God never asks us to release something without giving us something better in return. But we've got to trust Him enough to open our hands first.So here's what I want you to think about today: What are you holding onto so tightly that it's keeping you trapped? When we hold onto anything more tightly than we hold onto Jesus, we've already lost it. But when we surrender everything to Him, we find that we never really lose anything that matters.Let's pray: Father, show us what we're gripping too tightly. Give us the courage to open our hands and trust You with the things we're afraid to lose. Help us remember that You are better than anything we could hold onto. In Jesus' name, Amen.#Faith #Surrender #ChristianLiving #DailyDevotion #TrustGod #BiblicalWisdom #SpiritualGrowth #RTTBROS #NightlightBe sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out.https://linktr.ee/rttbros

Strength Under Control #Nightlight #RTTBROS #Meekness #Relationships #Unity

Blind To Blessing #RTTBROS #NightlightBlind to BlessingIn every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18About 3,500 years ago in the wilderness of Sinai, the Israelites witnessed the most spectacular miracle in human history. God parted the Red Sea, they walked through on dry ground, and the Egyptian army that had pursued them was swallowed up by the waters. They saw walls of water standing on either side of them as they crossed. That's the kind of thing that should stay with you forever.But just three days later, they were complaining. And about a month after their miraculous deliverance, they actually said they wished they had died back in Egypt. They told Moses, "Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full, for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger" (Exodus 16:3).They had trained their minds to search for problems, and when you're looking for bad things, no surprise, you find what you're looking for. Even when really good things happen, you discount them or find fault with them. You essentially become blind to blessing.The Israelites had manna from heaven, bread that literally fell from the sky every morning. They had water from a rock. They had the presence of God with them in a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. But their negative mindset kept them from seeing it. They were looking through a filter of discontent, and it colored everything.I've seen this in my own life. There have been seasons when I was running on empty, when it seemed like everything that could go wrong did go wrong. And in those seasons, if I wasn't careful, I could focus so much on what wasn't working that I completely missed what God was doing. I remember a time when a friend came by and blessed my family out of the blue with some money. It left me speechless, and that does not often happen to me. It was God's way of tapping me on my shoulder and saying, "Don't worry, I got this." But if I had been consumed with my problems, I would have missed that moment of grace.Here's what Paul teaches us: "In every thing give thanks." Notice he didn't say "for everything," he said "in everything." We don't thank God for the hard things themselves, but we thank Him in the midst of them because we know He's still on the throne, still taking care of His kids, still providing in supernatural ways.The Israelites finally made it to the Promised Land, but it took them 40 years for a journey that should have taken 11 days. Why? Because they couldn't see past their complaints to recognize God's faithfulness. Don't let that be your story. Train your mind to see His hand, to recognize His provision, to count your blessings. Start searching for blessings instead of problems, because I promise you, you'll find what you're looking for.Today's Growth PrincipleGod is always working in your life, but if you train your mind to hunt for problems, you'll miss His hand of blessing and provision.#Faith #Joy #ChristianLiving #DailyDevotion #TrustGod #BiblicalWisdom #SpiritualGrowth #RTTBROS #NightlightBe sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out.https://linktr.ee/rttbros

Joy in the Journey #RTTBROS #Nightlight"I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." — Philippians 4:11You know, I've been thinking a lot lately about something that keeps showing up in my conversations with people. We live in a world that's constantly selling us expectations. Social media shows us everyone's highlight reel, and we start measuring our regular Tuesday against someone else's best moment. Before long, we're running on empty, wondering why we can't seem to find any joy.I came across something recently that really stuck with me: joy is your current situation minus expectation. Now, at first glance, that might sound like I'm saying we should just lower the bar. That's not it at all.There's a world of difference between expectation and anticipation. Expectations are rigid demands we place on life, on God, on other people. They're about control. But anticipation? That's hopeful, flexible, trusting. It's looking forward with open hands instead of clenched fists.Think about the Apostle Paul for a minute. Here's a man sitting in a Roman prison, chained to a guard, uncertain about his future. By all our expectations, he should have been miserable. But listen to what he wrote: "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice" (Philippians 4:4).How could he say that? Because Paul had learned the secret. He had released his expectations of how his life should look and replaced them with anticipation of what God was doing. He wasn't demanding God work things out his way. He was trusting that God was working, even when he couldn't see the whole picture.Expectations steal our joy because they're focused on what we think should be. Anticipation gives us joy because it's focused on who God is and what He's capable of doing, even in the mess we're in right now.Here's what I've learned, and I'm too soon old and too late smart on this one: most of our disappointment comes from the gap between what we expected and what actually happened. But when we release those expectations and replace them with anticipation of God's goodness, suddenly there's room for joy.Paul goes on to say, "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content" (Philippians 4:11). That's not resignation. That's a man who's traded his expectations for anticipation of God's faithfulness.So let me ask you: what expectations are you carrying today that are robbing you of joy? Maybe it's time to open your hands and start anticipating with excitement what God might do instead.Because when you subtract your expectations from your current situation, what you're left with is room for joy. Real, lasting joy that doesn't depend on everything going your way, but on knowing that God is good and He's working.Let's pray: Father, help us release the expectations we're clinging to and replace them with anticipation of Your goodness. Teach us to find joy not in getting our way, but in trusting Your way. In Jesus' name, Amen.#Faith #Joy #ChristianLiving #DailyDevotion #TrustGod #BiblicalWisdom #SpiritualGrowth #RTTBROS #NightlightBe sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out.https://linktr.ee/rttbros

Accurate Words #RTTBROS #nightlight

Manners Or Maturity #rttbros #nightlight

Unbreakable (full sermon) #RTTBROS #Nightlight

Seeing the Invisible: When Anxiety Meets God's Presence#RTTBROS #Nightlight"The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." (John 3:8, KJV)You know what keeps me up at night? It's not usually what happened yesterday. It's what might happen tomorrow. My mind drifts into the future like a warrior scanning the horizon for threats. And there, in that tomorrow territory, anxiety springs up like mushrooms after a rainstorm.Here's what I've learned: I can't see God with my physical eyes, but I can learn to see Him by His movement in my life. Just like that wind Jesus talked about in John 3. You can't see wind itself, but you sure can see what it does. You see the leaves dancing, feel it on your face, watch it bend the tall grass. The wind is real even though it's invisible.God works the same way. I may not see Him with my eyes, but I can see His fingerprints everywhere. I see Him in that unexpected provision that showed up right when I needed it. I see Him in the peace that makes no sense given my circumstances. I see Him in the way He's carried me through every storm I was sure would drown me.When I take the time to really see God moving in my present moment, something shifts. That anxiety that was growing in tomorrow's territory? It starts to shrink. Because I remember: the same God who's here with me right now will be there with me tomorrow too."Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." (1 Peter 5:7, KJV)God knows we need to plan for the future. He's not asking us to be foolish. But He is asking us to stay anchored in today, where He is. Not lost in a tomorrow that hasn't happened yet, growing anxiety like a crop we never planted.So tonight, before you drift off to sleep worrying about tomorrow, take a minute. Look for God's wind blowing in your life right now. See where He's moving. Feel His presence. And let that reality of God here, now, diminish the anxiety about God there, later.Because He's already there waiting for you.Prayer:Father, teach me to see You moving in my life today. Help me feel Your presence like wind on my face. When anxiety tries to pull me into tomorrow's worries, anchor me in today's reality that You are here, You are faithful, and You will be there too. In Jesus' name, Amen.Be sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out.https://linktr.ee/rttbros

Great Is Thy Faithfulness: Morning by Morning, New Mercies #RTTBROS #Nightlight"It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." — Lamentations 3:22-23Some of the most beautiful songs come from the darkest places. Take the hymn "Great Is Thy Faithfulness." You'd think it was written during some mountaintop experience, some season of overwhelming blessing. But the scripture it's based on, Lamentations 3, was written by Jeremiah while watching Jerusalem burn.Let me paint you the picture: Jeremiah had spent forty years warning God's people to turn from their sin. Nobody listened. Now he's sitting in the rubble of his destroyed city, everything he'd known and loved reduced to ashes. And in the middle of that absolute devastation, he writes these words about God's faithfulness.Thomas Chisholm, who wrote the hymn in 1923, understood something of life's difficulties. He struggled with poor health most of his life and wasn't writing from a place of prosperity or ease. He was writing from lived experience, from having watched God prove faithful morning after morning, year after year, even when circumstances were hard.Here's what I love about this hymn: it's not about dramatic miracles or huge interventions. Look at the words: "Morning by morning new mercies I see." Not once in a lifetime. Not occasionally when things get really bad. Morning by morning. Every single day. It's the faithfulness of God in the ordinary moments, the daily provision, the steady presence that never wavers.I think sometimes we're looking for God to show up in the earthquake, the fire, the mighty wind, and we miss Him in the still small voice. We're waiting for the Red Sea to part when God's already providing manna for today."All I have needed Thy hand hath provided." That's a testimony to God's faithful provision of exactly what we need, when we need it. Not always what we want. Not always what we ask for. But what we need.I'm reminded of God's promise to the Israelites in the wilderness. He gave them manna every morning, enough for that day. God was teaching them to trust Him day by day, morning by morning. That's hard for us, isn't it? We want next week figured out, next month secured, next year planned. But God says, "Trust Me for today."Jeremiah was right when he wrote those words in Lamentations, and Chisholm was right when he turned them into this hymn, and it's still true today. God's faithfulness hasn't diminished one bit. His mercies are still new every morning. His compassions still don't fail. And great, truly great, is His faithfulness.So whatever you're facing today, remember: you don't need strength for next week's trial. You just need what God has for you this morning. And guess what? It's already there, fresh and new, waiting for you like manna on the ground.Prayer:Father, thank You that Your faithfulness never wavers, never fails. Help us to see Your mercies new every morning, to recognize Your provision in the ordinary moments, and to trust Your faithfulness even when circumstances are hard. Give us eyes to see all You've already given, and hearts that rest in Your unchanging nature. In Jesus' name, Amen.Be sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out.https://linktr.ee/rttbros

More than Tears #Nightlight #RTTBROS #Repentance #Sorry #forgiveness

Dynamic Tension: Where Faith Meets Surrender#RTTBROS #Nightlight"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV)Life in Christ isn't about choosing between two truths. It's about holding both in faithful tension.I've been thinking lately about something I call "dynamic tension." Those places in our faith where two seemingly opposite truths exist together, both real, both necessary, neither negating the other.Let me give you a picture from my own life. When someone I love faces a terminal diagnosis, I can pray with absolute faith that God can heal them. "Is any thing too hard for the LORD?" (Genesis 18:14). I believe with my whole heart that He can speak and cancer vanishes. But at the very same time, I can also surrender to His sovereignty, trusting that "to be absent from the body" is "to be present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8). Neither prayer cancels out the other.This dynamic tension runs all through Scripture.Take the warning passages. The Bible doesn't pull punches: "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves" (2 Corinthians 13:5). We're told to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12). These verses cause us to take a careful diagnostic glance at our walk with God.But right alongside those warnings, we find the security Scriptures. Promises that anchor our souls when doubt storms roll in. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand" (John 10:27-28).So which is it? Should we be terrified we might lose our salvation, or confident that we're secure in Christ? The answer is yes. Both. At the same time.This isn't contradiction. It's completion. The warning verses keep me from presumption. The security verses keep me from despair.Here's what I've learned: God's big enough to hold both truths without them colliding. They work together like two wings on a bird. Try flying with just one wing and you'll only fly in circles. But when both are working together? That's when you soar.The same dynamic tension shows up in prayer. Jesus taught us to pray "Thy will be done" (Matthew 6:10), but He also said, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (Matthew 7:7). We bring our requests with confidence, and we trust that His answer, whatever it is, is better than anything we could have orchestrated.Maybe you're in a season where you're struggling to hold two truths at once. You believe God can change your situation, but you're also trying to accept it if He doesn't. You want to trust His promises, but you also want to heed His warnings.Friend, that tension you're feeling? That's not a sign you're doing it wrong. That's a sign you're doing it right. Faith isn't about having all the answers tied up neatly. Sometimes faith is about holding two truths in open hands and trusting God to make sense of them both.Prayer:Father, help me to live in the dynamic tension of faith. Boldly asking while humbly surrendering, confidently trusting while carefully examining, fully believing while completely yielding. Teach me that holding two truths at once isn't weakness, it's wisdom. May I stand firm on both feet, secure in Your perfect will. In Jesus' name, Amen.Be sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe. It helps get the word out.https://linktr.ee/rttbros

Bible Birds #RTTBROS #NightlightLessons from Bible BirdsEagles - "They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles" (Isaiah 40:31). Trust God's timing to lift you above life's storms.Sparrows - "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father...Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows" (Matthew 10:29, 31). Remember that if God watches over sparrows, He surely watches over you.Ravens - "Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them" (Luke 12:24). Release your worries about tomorrow because God faithfully provides.Doves - "Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves" (Matthew 10:16). Pursue gentleness and purity in all your dealings with others.Hens - "How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" (Matthew 23:37). Run to Jesus when trouble comes, for He longs to shelter you.Roosters - "And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter" (Luke 22:60-61). Return quickly to Jesus when you stumble, for His loving eyes are already seeking you."Rest now, knowing the God who notes every sparrow's fall is watching over your sleep tonight."Be sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe. It helps get the word out.https://linktr.ee/rttbros

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie #RTTBROS #NightlightLet Sleeping Dogs LieProverbs 26:17 - "He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears."Geoffrey Chaucer knew something about human nature when he wrote in his medieval poetry, "It is nought good a slepyng hound to wake." He understood that sometimes the wisest thing you can do is leave well enough alone. There was even an earlier French version that said essentially the same thing: don't wake the sleeping dog.Anyone who's ever been around dogs knows exactly what this means. You see an old hound sleeping peacefully in the sun, and common sense tells you to walk quietly around him. Sure, he might be friendly when he's awake, but startle him out of a deep sleep and you might get a very different reaction. Better to let him wake up naturally than to poke him and find out the hard way that he doesn't appreciate being disturbed.Solomon understood this principle too, long before Chaucer wrote about it. He said that getting involved in someone else's fight is like grabbing a dog by the ears. You're asking for trouble, and you're probably going to get bit for your efforts. Sometimes the most loving thing you can do is step back and let peaceful situations stay peaceful.Now, I'm not talking about ignoring real problems or turning your back when someone genuinely needs help. There are times when we absolutely need to get involved, times when love requires us to step into difficult situations. But there's a difference between helping someone who's asking for help and stirring up trouble where there doesn't need to be any.We all know people who seem to specialize in waking sleeping dogs. They bring up old hurts that had been forgiven and forgotten. They ask questions that are designed to start arguments. They poke at sensitive subjects just to see what kind of reaction they'll get. They meddle in marriages and friendships and family relationships that were getting along just fine without their input.Friend, sometimes wisdom means knowing when to speak up and when to keep quiet. Sometimes love means getting involved, and sometimes it means staying out of it. Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is walk quietly around that sleeping dog and let him rest in peace.Before you wake up an old controversy, ask yourself: is this really going to help anyone, or am I just satisfying my own curiosity? Before you bring up that past mistake, consider whether it needs to be discussed or whether it's better left buried. Before you get in the middle of that family dispute, think about whether your involvement will bring peace or just make things worse.There are enough real problems in this world that need our attention. We don't need to go around creating new ones by waking sleeping dogs.Prayer: Lord, give me wisdom to know when to speak and when to stay quiet, when to get involved and when to let sleeping dogs lie. Amen.Be sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe. It helps get the word out.https://linktr.ee/rttbros

All That Glitters Is Not Gold #RTTBROS #Nightlight"But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." — 1 Samuel 16:7 (KJV)Back in the twelfth century, a French theologian named Alain de Lille wrote something that would echo through the centuries: "Do not hold everything gold that shines like gold." Eventually it became the phrase we know today: "All that glitters is not gold."These medieval thinkers understood something we sometimes forget. Appearances can be mighty deceiving. Fool's gold sparkled just as pretty as real gold, but it was worthless when you tried to spend it.We're so quick to be impressed by surface things. Someone drives up in an expensive car, and we assume they're successful. Someone speaks with confidence, and we figure they must know what they're talking about. Someone looks put-together, and we think they must have their life figured out.But God showed Samuel a different way of seeing. When Samuel looked at Eliab, Jesse's oldest son, he thought, "Surely this is the one. Look how tall and strong and kingly he appears." But God said, "Don't look at his appearance or his height. I've rejected him. Man looks at the outward appearance, but I look at the heart."Seven sons passed before Samuel. Every one looked like king material to human eyes. Then came David, the youngest, the shepherd boy nobody even thought to call in from the fields. And God said, "This is the one."Friend, the world is full of glittering things that aren't gold. The only way to tell real gold from fool's gold is to test it. And the only way to see what God sees is to ask Him to give you His eyes. Look for character, not just charisma. Look for faithfulness, not just flashiness. Look for the heart, because that's what matters to the One who matters most.Prayer:Father, help me see past the glitter to what's really gold. Give me Your eyes to see hearts, not just appearances. In Jesus' name, Amen.Be sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe. It helps get the word out.https://linktr.ee/rttbros

Unbreakable Unity #Nightlight #RTTBROS #Discipleship #Unity #Satan

Root and Fruit #RTTBROS #Nightlight #holybible #Discipleship #Truth

NEST EGG #RTTBROS #NightlightNest EggLuke 12:21 - "So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."Medieval farmers knew something smart about chickens. When collecting eggs, they'd always leave one in the nest, what they called the "nest egg." That one egg kept the hen coming back to lay more. Take them all, and your chicken might hide her eggs somewhere you'd never find them.By the fourteenth century, peasants used this phrase to describe their approach to the future: set aside a little now, find security later. It was about thinking beyond today's hunger to tomorrow's needs.That's good wisdom, and there's nothing wrong with planning for the future and being responsible with what God gives us. But Jesus told a story that puts this in perspective. A rich man had such a good harvest that he tore down his barns to build bigger ones. He was planning for many years of easy living, but God called him a fool because that very night, his soul was required of him.See, there's a difference between wise planning and foolish hoarding. The question Jesus asks is: what kind of nest egg are you building?Are you laying up treasure in heaven or just on earth? Are you investing in things that'll matter a hundred years from now, or just things that make you feel secure today?I'm not saying don't plan for retirement. I'm saying make sure your spiritual nest egg is growing too. Every act of kindness, every moment in prayer, every dollar given to God's work, that's your eternal nest egg growing.Because friend, earthly nest eggs can disappear in a market crash, but heavenly treasure is safe forever.Prayer: God, help me be wise with earthly planning but even wiser with eternal investing. Show me how to be rich toward You. Amen.Be sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe, it helps get the word out. https://linktr.ee/rttbros

THE Church #RTTBROS #Nightlight #NK #Normankissinger

Multiplication #RTTBROS #NightlightEpisode 2000I keep thinking about the boy with the five loaves and two fish.He didn't have much. Just a kid's lunch. But he offered what he had to Jesus, and Jesus multiplied it to feed thousands.That's what RTTBROS has been for Norman and me: • We're not theologians, just brothers who love God's Word • We don't have a big production team, just two guys and their phones • We're not famous preachers, just a custodian and counselor who serveBut we offered what we had, and God multiplied it.2000 episodes later, we're in awe of what God can do with a small offering surrendered to Him.We have over a quarter of a million views on one video platformWe have one video that has over 30,000 views and another over 20,000 viewsWe have over 50,000 likes on one platform.On YouTube which is one of our weaker performing channels in the last 28 days we have nearly 4,000 views on our short form videos. We are on every major podcast, video and audio platform. Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. What do you have that you're holding back? What "small thing" could God multiply if you'd just offer it to Him?"And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would." - John 6:11He's still multiplying small offerings today.#RTTBROS #SmallOfferings #GodMultiplies #Episode2000Reflection #FiveLoaves #FaithfulnessBe sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe - it helps get the word out. https://linktr.ee/rttbros

STORM PRAYER #RTTBROS #nightlight #God #Prayer #Storm

Memories #RTTBROS #Nightlight(For all of my old Church Camp Kids I sing and do the actions for Peace Like A River in this sermon)

90 Years Young and Still Building "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." - Galatians 6:9 (KJV)Well folks, here we are celebrating a man who's turning 90, and I'm pretty sure he's already planning his next church plant. You know Jesse retirement isn't in his vocabulary, and honestly, I don't think the word "quit" is either.I've been trying to figure out how to sum up Jesse Dunn's life, and I keep coming back to this: he's a builder. Not the kind that works with hammer and nails, though knowing Jesse, he probably could, but the kind that builds people's lives and builds God's kingdom.When I think about Jesse going to California Christian College in his thirties with three little girls in tow, working full time and going to school... well, that tells you everything you need to know about his character. Most of us think we're busy when we have to work and watch Netflix on the same day. Jesse was building a future while raising a family and chasing after God's calling.And can we talk about his church-planting record? This man has started more churches than some denominations have. Boise in the early '70s, Salem in the late '70s, then back to Boise to rebuild what he'd already built once. It's like he looked at the Great Commission and thought, "You know what? I'm going to take this personally."I've been thinking about what I learned watching Jesse over the years, and I realized he gave us a master class in ministry without ever charging tuition. The man went to Bible college in his thirties, but the real education happened in the trenches, building churches, raising daughters, and somehow keeping his sense of humor through it all.But here's what gets me about Jesse, and what I learned from watching him all these years: he doesn't just build churches, he builds people. He took a bunch of rough-around-the-edges teenagers in Salem and somehow convinced us we could be useful to God. I'm still not sure how he pulled that off.Let me tell you what Jesse's classroom looked like: it was his living room where he'd counsel hurting people, his kitchen table where he'd study sermons while Joyce cooked dinner, and that old church bus where he'd pick up anybody and everybody who needed a ride to church. His curriculum was simple: love people, preach the Word, and trust God with the results.The thing about Jesse is he never seemed to think anything was impossible. Church needs rebuilding? "Well, let's get to work." Three little girls need raising while daddy goes to college? "We'll figure it out." New town needs a church? "Pack the car, Joyce."Watching Jesse taught me something that changed my life: "You can't make people love God, but you can sure show them what God's love looks like." And boy, did he show us. This man could find potential in a pile of scrap metal, and often did, if you count some of us teenagers he worked with.Jesse, you taught me that discipleship isn't a program in a book, it's life on life investment. You opened your home, shared your table, and showed us what it looked like to follow Jesus even when it wasn't easy or convenient.And can we talk about his longevity? Ninety years old and still preaching weekly. Most people his age are content to watch TV and complain about their arthritis. Jesse's still standing in pulpits, opening God's Word, and believing that the next sermon might be the one that changes someone's life forever.You know what I think God is going to say when Jesse finally gets to heaven? "Well done, good and faithful servant... but what took you so long? I've been hearing about you from all the people you sent ahead."Jesse, you've been a father figure to more people than you'll ever know, a mentor to countless ministers, and a friend to everyone you've ever met. At 90, you're still showing us what it looks like to love God and love people with everything you've got.Happy 90th birthday, Jesse.

Where Are You? God's Search for Connection #RTTBROS #Nightlight"And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?" - Genesis 3:9 (KJV)When my wife and I go to the store, I'll sometimes peel off and become like a bird dog, hunting down something she's looking for. But when I need to reconnect with her, I'll usually text or call and ask, "Where are you?" so I can find her again.Now, I'm asking that question because I genuinely don't know where she is. But in Genesis, when God calls out to Adam, "Where art thou?" He's not asking for information. God knew exactly where Adam was hiding among the trees. This wasn't a question born out of ignorance. It was a question born out of love.God was asking to reconnect. He was using the question the way Socrates used to teach his students back in ancient Greece, not to get an answer He didn't already know, but to help the student discover something about themselves. God knew where Adam was physically, but Adam didn't know where he was spiritually.Adam had just experienced the first taste of shame, the first moment of wanting to hide from his Creator. He was lost, not geographically, but relationally. And God's question wasn't an accusation. It was an invitation to come back home.This simple question points to one of humanity's biggest problems: loneliness. From the very beginning, God's heart has been to connect with His creation in a personal and profound way. Even after the rebellion, God came looking. He didn't wait for Adam to find his way back. He went searching.Here's what gets me about this whole scene: God still does this today. When we're hiding behind our shame, our mistakes, our fears, we hear that same gentle call: "Where are you?" Not because He's lost us, but because He wants us to realize we don't have to stay lost.Maybe you're hiding today. Maybe you've been avoiding that conversation with God because you know you've messed up. Let me tell you something: He already knows where you are. The question isn't for His benefit. It's for yours. He's giving you the chance to come home.Prayer: Father, thank You for never giving up on us. Thank You for coming to find us even when we're hiding. Help us to hear Your voice calling us back home, and give us the courage to answer honestly. Draw us close to Your heart. In Jesus' name, Amen.Be sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out. https://linktr.ee/rttbros

Real Repentance #RTTBROS #Nightlight

Glance at Your Problems, Gaze at God #RTTBROS #Nightlight"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is now set down at the right hand of the throne of God." - Hebrews 12:2 (KJV)Adrian Rogers once said, "Glance at your problems but gaze at God." Those words have been rolling around in my mind lately, especially during these busy days when problems seem to multiply faster than I can count them.I've been thinking about the difference between a glance and a gaze. A glance is quick, momentary like checking your watch or looking both ways before crossing the street. But a gaze? That's sustained attention. That's what you do when you're captivated by something beautiful, or when you're studying something important, or when you're looking into the eyes of someone you love.Here's what I've learned in my years of ministry and life: whatever we gaze at grows in our perspective. If I spend my days staring at my problems (and Heaven knows I've got plenty to look at) they begin to loom larger and larger until they block out everything else. The bills start looking like mountains. The health concerns become tsunamis. The family struggles turn into Category 5 hurricanes.But when I shift my gaze to God? Something profound happens. Not that my problems disappear (they're still there, still real, still needing attention). But they shrink down to their proper size when measured against the vastness of God's power, the depth of His love, and the certainty of His promises.I think about Peter walking on the water. As long as he kept his eyes on Jesus, he was doing the impossible. But the moment he shifted his gaze to the storm around him, down he went. The waves didn't get bigger; Peter just stopped looking at the One who was bigger than the waves.David understood this principle. In Psalm 121:1-2, he declares, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth." David deliberately lifted his gaze above his circumstances to focus on the source of his strength.So yes, glance at your problems. Acknowledge them. Be realistic about what you're facing. But don't set up camp there. Don't build a house in that place of worry and fear. Instead, turn your gaze to the God who spoke galaxies into existence, who holds your tomorrow in His hands, and who promises never to leave you nor forsake you.Prayer: Father, forgive me for the times I've gotten so focused on my problems that I've forgotten to look at You. Help me today to practice the discipline of glancing at my troubles but gazing at Your goodness. When anxiety threatens to overwhelm me, remind me to lift my eyes to You. You are bigger than any storm I'll face. In Jesus' name, Amen.Be sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out. https://linktr.ee/rttbros

The Blueprint For Spiritual Leadership #rttbros #nightlight

God's Law #RTTBROS #Nightlight #God #law #Relationship

Apple of the EyeDeuteronomy 32:10 - "He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye."Back in medieval England, people had some interesting ideas about how the human body worked. They thought the pupil of the eye was actually a solid, apple-shaped object sitting right there in the center of your eye. They called it the "apple" because, well, it looked like a tiny apple to them. Now, they may have been wrong about the science, but they got something exactly right about its importance.You see, that little "apple" in your eye is the most delicate, most crucial part of your vision. Without it, you can't see a thing. It has to be protected at all costs. So when medieval folks wanted to describe something or someone that was absolutely precious to them, something they would guard with their very life, they called it "the apple of their eye." Even King Alfred the Great used this phrase when he was talking about the things he treasured most.Now here's what gets me about this old expression. When Moses was writing about God's love for His people in Deuteronomy, he reached for this same picture. He said God kept Israel "as the apple of his eye." Think about that for a moment. Of all the ways God could describe how He feels about us, He chose this image of the most delicate, most protected, most essential part of our vision.Friend, that's how God sees you. You're not just another face in the crowd to Him. You're not just a name on a list somewhere in heaven. You are the apple of His eye, the most precious thing in His sight. He watches over you with the same careful attention you'd give to protecting your own eyesight.When life gets hard and you start wondering if anybody really cares, when you feel forgotten or overlooked, remember this old medieval phrase. Remember that the God of the universe keeps you as the apple of His eye. He's not looking past you to find someone more important, He's not distracted by others who seem more worthy. His loving gaze is fixed on you with tender, protective care.That ought to change how you walk through your day, knowing you're that treasured, that watched over, that loved.Prayer: Lord, thank You for loving me as the apple of Your eye. Help me remember that I'm precious to You, especially when I feel forgotten by others. Amen.

Satan Blew It #RTTBROS #nightlight #sovereignty #Satan #spiritualwarfare

By Hook or By Crook #RTTBROS #nightlight Philippians 3:14 - "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."Medieval peasants had a hard life, and one of their constant struggles was finding enough fuel to heat their homes and cook their food. The forests belonged to the lords and nobles, but there was an old law that allowed common folks to gather firewood under very specific conditions. They could only take dead wood, and they could only cut what they could reach with their tools, either a reaper's bill-hook or a shepherd's crook. No axes, no saws, no climbing trees, just what they could snag with those two tools.So these determined peasants would head into the forest with their hooks and crooks, and they'd work at it until they had gathered enough fuel for their families. It didn't matter if a branch was stuck high in a tree or tangled in thorny bushes, they'd figure out a way to get it down. "By hook or by crook," they'd say, "we're going to get what we need to survive."That phrase stuck around because it captured something deep in the human spirit, this determination to achieve a goal no matter what obstacles get in the way. And you know what? I think that's exactly the kind of determination Paul was talking about when he wrote to the Philippians about pressing toward the mark.Paul said he was going to pursue the prize of his high calling in Christ Jesus, and nothing was going to stop him. Not shipwrecks, not beatings, not prison, not persecution. By hook or by crook, he was going to finish the race God had set before him. He'd use whatever tools he had, work around whatever obstacles appeared, and keep moving toward that eternal prize.Friend, that same holy determination needs to mark our walk with God. There are going to be days when following Jesus feels easy and natural, but there are also going to be days when everything seems to be working against your faith. That's when you need that medieval peasant spirit, that "by hook or by crook" attitude.Maybe your hook is prayer and your crook is God's Word. Maybe you use the hook of Christian fellowship and the crook of worship music. Whatever tools God has given you, use them with determination. Don't let obstacles keep you from the fuel your soul needs to keep burning bright for Him.Prayer: Lord, give me holy determination to pursue You by hook or by crook, using whatever tools You provide to overcome the obstacles in my path. Amen.

Thoughts on the recent tragedy. #RTTBROS #nightlight #NK #Normankissinger

The Sacred Exchange #RTTBROS #Nightlight