Victory Temple Chantilly's Podcast

AUG. 22, 2025Advice for in-laws."That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh." Ge 2:24 NIVIn Eight Ways In-laws Can Break Up a Marriage it offers examples that should make every in-law stop and think. "(1) When your child decides to marry, show hostility toward the person they chose. After all, it means less love for you, so you have a right to resent them. (2) Expect them to spend weekends and holidays with you, and act hurt if they don't. (3) If they have problems with their mate, encourage them to come home. And when they do, listen to their complaints, and point out other shortcomings they may have missed. Remember, one drop of water after another can wear away a rock. (4) If they're having financial problems, rescue them. Beg, borrow, or steal, but let them know that as long as you're around, they'll never go without. (5) If they have a drinking or drug problem, tell them their mate drove them to it.After all, everybody needs someone to blame.(6) If they have an opportunity for career advancement that takes them to another city, tell them 'family' is more important than money and God will punish them for not honoring the commandment 'honor thy father and thy mother! (7) If there are grandchildren involved, spoil them. And if the parents object, tell them to stay out of it; after all, what are grandkids for? (8) If your child has an argument with their mate, fan the flames.Family loyalty is a beautiful thing; with a little work, you can turn a minor argument into a major hassle and break up a marriage."Advice for in-laws In-laws—stop and think!Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

AUG. 21, 2025God's answer to anxiety (4)"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee." Isa 26:3Dr. D. James Kennedy wrote: "A proper epitaph for most people today would be'Hurried, worried, buried'... Many times we wish we could wash our hands of all our responsibilities and worries. The executive of one small company decided he would. Even though his company was headed for bankruptcy, he decided to quit worrying about it. So [hel called in his first vice-president and said, 'I have had it with worrying about this company. If you'll take over and handle all my worrying for me, I'll add $50,000 to your salary. Startled and perplexed by this generous offer (and knowing the financial condition of the company), the vice-president asked, 'But where are you going to get an extra $50,000?' The boss replied, 'That's your first worry!' William Gladstone, [one of England's] greatest prime minister[s], was a fine Christian man who served the Lord. On the wall of his bedroom hung a plaque embroidered with this text: 'Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee! It was the first thing Gladstone saw when he awoke in the morning and the last thing he saw before retiring at night. There is the secret of peace! We can have this peace because we know that the One upon whom we've stayed our minds is the One who works all things together for our good. Is the frantic pace of modern life robbing you of peace today? If so, slow down and refocus on the Lord. Realize He's with you and He's in control no matter what comes your way. Stay your mind on Him and let Him grant you His peace."God's answer to anxiety "Hurried, worried, buried"Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

AUG. 20, 2025God's answer to anxiety (3)"All the days of the desponding...are made evil [by anxious thoughts and forebodings]." Pr 15:15 AMPCOne Christian author writes: "I once went through a period...when I was plagued by anxiety. I was filled with fear and dread for no particular reason. I kept feeling something terrible was going to happen. Finally I went to the Lord and asked Him what was troubling me. He told me it was 'evil forebodings! At the time I didn't even know what that phrase meant or where it came from. Sometime later I came across Proverbs 15:15: 'All the days of the desponding and afflicted are made evil [by anxious thoughts and forebodings], but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of circumstances]' (AMPC)...l was like so many other people. I was looking for some 'monster problem' that was keeping me from enjoying life. I was so intense about everything; I was creating problems for myself where none really existed. Once in a meeting, the Lord told me to speak out something. Apparently, someone needed to hear this: 'Stop making a big deal out of nothing.' I used to be the type of person who needed to hear directions like that. I could make mountains out of molehills. I had to learn to just let some things go-forget them and go on. Some of us become upset over things that are just not worth becoming upset over-those 'little foxes, that spoil the vines' (SS 2:15). If our lives consist of becoming upset over one little thing after another...we won't have much peace or joy." So, the word for you today is-cultivate a happy heart and start enjoying the life God has given you!God's answer to anxiety Let some things go.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

AUG. 19, 2025God's answer to anxiety (2)"Come to me, all you who are... burdened, and I will give you rest." Mt 11:28 NIVAnxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in the nation. That was never part of God's plan. In Matthew 11:28-29, Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are... burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (NIV). When oxen work side by side in the fields, they are yoked together and share the workload. That's what Jesus wants you to do: work in harness with Him. Can you think of anyone better to share your load? It makes you wonder why we wait so long to take Him up on His offer! He then goes on to say, "Do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried...your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you" (Lk 12:29, 30-31 ESV). Jesus gives us the perfect perspective on life. You can't add one day to your life span by worrying, but you can certainly shorten it through stress and anxiety. Think about it:The birds don't sit around in the trees and worry about what they will eat tomorrow. No, they sing without a care in the world. And the lilies don't sweat about how they will grow or if they will get enough rain to survive. All of God's creation except man does not have a care in the world. And since your heavenly Father cares even more for His people, you can be sure He will take care of you.God's answer to anxiety  He will take care of you.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

AUG. 18, 2025God's answer to anxiety (1)"Do not fret or have anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance... by prayer...make your wants known to God." Php 4:6 AMPCAnxiety is the curse of the modern era, but it's not a new trend. Throughout Scripture, Jesus talked a lot about anxiety, stress, and fear. In fact, He mentioned them repeatedly in His teachings. In Matthew 6:25-27, He said, "Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or...what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" (NIV). Now, Jesus didn't say these words just to relieve our fears and worries.What He was doing was commanding us not to be anxious because it demonstrates a lack of faith in God's faithfulness to us. Paul writes: "Do not fret or have anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition...with thanksgiving...make your wants known to God. And God's peace...which transcends all understanding shall garrison...your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus" (Php 4:6-7 AMPC). Instead of letting fear and anxiety control you, you can have peace by bringing your worries to God in prayer, thanking Him by faith for the answer, and trusting Him to work things out as only He can. So, what are you going to do? Worry and fret, or pray and have peace? The choice is yours.God's answer to anxiety  "God's peace transcends all understanding."Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

AUG. 15, 2025God's footprints."Your footprints were not seen." Ps. 77:19 NIVThe psalmist wrote, "Your path led through... mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen" (v. 19 NIV). When you can't see God's "footprints," He is calling you to walk by faith, not by sight (See 2Co 5:7). Joni Eareckson Tada wrote: "A few months from now, I'll mark an anniversary that is a heartbreaking story of loss and an incomparable testimony of God's faithfulness...l will have been in a wheelchair for 47 years... barely a heartbeat in history, and as nothing compared with eternity. But for a flesh-and-blood, earth-dwelling human being, 47 years is a long time. Anyone who suffers...[wants] assurance that somehow, someway, things will work out in the end. We want to know that God is at the center of our suffering. In Romans 8 we have...that assurance: 'For those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose' (v. 28 ESV) … [God] is so supremely in charge of the world that everything touching our lives...is ordered in such a way that it serves our good. This is true whether we face cancer, broken relationships, job loss, bankruptcy...or even a broken neck at age 17. The strong hope of the believer is not that we will escape 'bad things'... but that God will transform our hardships into an instrument of his mercy to do us good...Romans 8:29 reveals [our] sufferings are small and short...compared with the weight of glory they are accruing for [us] in heaven. So bear with heartbreak and hardship a bit longer. These things are expanding your soul's capacity for joy, worship, and service in heaven.God's footprints When you can't see God's "footprints"Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

AUG. 14, 2025Have you been wounded in church? (2)"I will build my church." Mt 16:18Author Sherry Surratt notes that when Jesus promised to build His church, "[he] wasn't just talking about the bricks or wood that form a...building, but he was talking about building his church of...ordinary, human people who are imperfect... broken and [who] bring their messy lives...with them every time they walk through the door. This is what Christ died for…He died for people-for his church…a group of people, led by people, and not a single one of us is perfect. We're a broken bunch who hopefully recognizes our brokenness and acknowledges that Jesus is the only fix... No matter how long we've been in the church, we never reach perfection...we'll have to work at it every day. We'll come face-to-face with our human side every morning when we wake up, and...when we do, we'll bump up against each other and we'll get hurt. Our natural tendency is to steer clear of what hurts us...So when we encounter gossip aimed at us or witness hatred or hypocrisy in our fellow church goers or even our pastors, it's natural to think about walking away. But to do this is to separate ourselves from something that God built for us to use for our good…The Bible never says other people aren't going to wound [us]...What [it] does teach...is that it doesn't help to just sit in hurt and feel sorry for [ourselves] (See Mt 5:24). God's Word warns [us] not to let bitterness set in (See Heb 12:15). This has nothing to do with pretending something didn't happen. It has everything to do with being honest... admitting when our spirit is crushed and leaving revenge in the hands of God."Have you been wounded in church? We're a broken bunch.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

AUG. 13, 2025Have you been wounded in church? (1)"I will build my church." Mt 16:18Being hurt by another Christian can be devastating, but the church is filled with imperfect people who do things they shouldn't. As C. S. Lewis said, "God works on us in all sorts of ways...above all he works on us through each other." So before you give up and walk away, consider these suggestions:(1) Admit how much it hurt, and start to cope with it. Running away doesn't achieve this. Humbly approach the person who hurt you, motivated to reconcile. Discuss your pain with the purpose of releasing it and moving on. (2) Ask, "What's my role in this?" If it had nothing to do with you, as in the case of a trusted leader who has fallen morally or legally, ask yourself if you put idealistic expectations on their humanness. Did you think they were perfect? Now that you realize they're not, can you forgive them? (3) Ask God what to do next. He knows the motives in the hearts of the people involved. Give Him time to answer.(4) "Guard your heart...for it determines the course of your life" (Pr 4:23 NLT). Choose to follow God, even when your heart breaks. He alone can decide motives and intents, and He is just and reasonable. But many times, our faithfulness must come first before His blessings flow. (5) If you still feel you must leave, promise yourself and God that you will leave well. Refuse to say anything bad. Don't leave mad, and admit the good, no matter how small. Most important of all, don't quit. God is good, His church is good, and people are flawed. Locate another house of worship, and commit to it with an open heart.Have you been wounded in church?Follow God, even when your heart breaks.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

AUG. 7, 2025A life-enriching habit."Evening... morning, and at noon, will I pray." Ps 55:17An ancient European monastery perched on a high ledge was accessible only by way of a basket that was held in place by a single rope on a series of pulleys. One day a concerned visitor noticed the rope was frayed in numerous places. Hoping to relieve his anxiety, he asked the monk who was sharing the ride with him, "How often do you guys change the rope?" Stoically the cleric replied,"Whenever it breaks!" Seriously, waiting for the worst to happen before taking action is a risky life strategy. Just as common sense dictates that machinery, health, and relationships require continual attention and maintenance, the same strategy applies to your spiritual life. Because we become what we consistently practice in our walk with God, routine and repetition can be spiritual lifesavers. Spiritual excellence isn't an act; it's a habit! Consider prayer and meditation:Rather than exceptions, they're intended to be habits you practice daily. Don't wait until the rope snaps before incorporating them into your life! Prayer must first be a spiritual discipline. God's Word designates it as a life habit and not merely an act. Paul instructs us to "pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion…..be persistent in your prayers" (Eph 6:18 NLT). "Never stop praying" (1Th 5:17 NLT). The psalmist David understood this principle. He said, "Evening... morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud." And Daniel practiced it too: "He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done" (Da 6:10 NLT). It was a routine that proved powerful and effective for both men—and it's one that will work for you too!A life-enriching habit  "Never stop praying."Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

AUG. 12, 2025Dealing with stress-producing people."If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." Ro 12:18 NKJVAt times it's impossible to be at peace with certain people. Recognizing this reality, the apostle Paul, in essence, said, "Do all that you can to try and make it happen." Besides the covenant relationship you have with your husband or wife and your responsibility for your children, if you're wise, you will prayerfully evaluate your other relationships and know how much time you should invest in them. For example: If you have a close relative who is always argumentative or negative, don't put yourself in a position where you have to interact with them on a regular basis. Only holidays together may be enough! The same is true for friends. Those who gossip, condemn others, compete with you, or engage in cutting remarks should rarely find you available-unless the Lord impresses you to spend some time with them to impart His Word. You are not commanded to spend time with people who disturb your peace. Solomon said, "Don't...associate with hot-tempered people" (Pr 22:24 NLT). Paul warned, "Watch out for people who cause divisions...Stay away from them" (Ro 16:17 NLT). When you're in the company of a stress-producing person, ask yourself these questions: "Will this situation grow patience within me if I endure it rather than leave? Why do this person's actions stress me out? Is it because they are reflecting my own behavior? Why am I continuing to interact with them?" Prayer: "Father, I need you to help me discern when and how to be with stress-producing people so that your love continually shines through me."Dealing with stress-producing people People who disturb your peaceShare This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

AUG. 8, 2025Seeing yourself through God's eyes (1)"We are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus." Eph 2:10 NIVIf you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Most of us could come up with a long list! The fact is, Jesus alone holds the world record when it comes to perfection.In the words of Jennifer Dukes Lee: "Until you are convinced of God's incredible love...you will continue looking for replacement love everywhere but in the heart of Christ. No matter where you live or work...the enemy prowls like a lion, stalking people on Wall Street, fashion runways, suburban cul-de-sacs, [and] Facebook walls... [We're] in a showdown with Satan, who will use every opportunity...to whisper in our ears, 'What are people thinking of you?' [He] will tell you you're too fat, too frumpy, too stupid, too poor. He will do whatever he can to set your affections on the things of this world, instead of on Christ. And he'll wrap those accusations in glossy magazine covers if he has to." Don't buy into his lies. Jesus said, "There is not an iota of truth in him...he is the father of liars" (Jn 8:44 TLB). One Christian author summarizes it like this: "Discontentment is one of the big giants we must conquer if we ever hope to enjoy life...We may not have all we would like to have, but we certainly have more than some people. No matter how you think you look, there is somebody who would love to look like you. No matter how old you are, there is someone who would love to be as young as you…Love yourself and love your life; it is the only one you have!" The truth is that you're the only you, God made... after that, He broke the mold!Seeing yourself through God's eyes  He broke the mold!Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

Communication that works at home. "Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become...mature." Eph 4:15 NIVVirginia Satir, a founder of family systems therapy, determined that most families have five styles of communication. (1) Some members are placaters. They go along to get along, and reduce stress by saying what others want to hear that makes them less upset. (2) Others are blamers: finger-pointers, nitpickers, spinners of exquisite theories, eager to prove that they're right and you're wrong. And by accepting the blame, you vindicate and empower them. (3) Satir describes other family members as super-reasonable. Their motto is, "Always agree with what other people say and conceal your real feelings." It's how they prevent getting hurt. They talk from their head and not their heart, redirecting the conversation toward things that are "safe." (4) Other family members opt for irrelevance, deflecting the conversation away from uncomfortable and potentially threatening topics. They talk only about what's unrelated to whatever is going on. (5) The final communication style is congruous or consistent. Congruous people tell it like it is. No disguising feelings, no double-talk, and no pretending. If they're angry, they own their anger, they say they're angry, and they may even look angry. They're straight shooters. They have credibility; you can understand and believe them. No topics have to be dodged, and no questions avoided. Anything and everything can be discussed, and everyone's opinion is respected. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "Nothing astonishes men [and women] so much as common sense and plain dealing." And it's a scriptural, truth-based communication style that works.Communication that works at home"Common sense and plain dealing"Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

JUN. 24, 2025Called to overcome (1)"He who overcomes shall inherit all things." Rev 21:7 NKJVA pastor writes: "All of us want every day to be a good day. But if every day was a good day, there would be no 'good' days, because there wouldn't be any bad days to compare the good days to… Sickness helps us appreciate health. Failure helps us appreciate success. Debt helps us appreciate wealth. And the tough times help us appreciate the good times... Adversity is often the seedbed of opportunity [because it has] a way of bringing the best out of us... Adversity is often a blessing in disguise. We dream of zero gravity. We imagine what life would be like without any problems or issues or challenges.But from a biological perspective, zero gravity is hazardous to your health. Astronauts who spend any length of time in zero gravity experience serious medical complications.Without any resistance, they lose muscle mass and bone density, they experience high pulse rates and heart palpitations, and they can barely walk after re-entering the earth's atmosphere. We may dream of zero gravity, but what we really need is a healthy dose of adversity. The people God uses the most are often the people who have experienced the most adversity. This isn't necessarily...what you want to read, but it's true. Adversity can produce an increased capacity to serve God." Why? Because adversity causes us to turn to God, lean on God, seek God, and get to know God in a way we otherwise wouldn't. Some of God's greatest promises in Scripture begin with the words "to him who overcomes." The Bible says, "People who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits" (Da 11:32 NKJV).Called to overcome The tough times help us appreciate the good times.Called to overcome. (2)"This is the victory that has overcome the world -our faith." 1Jn 5:4 NKJVA pastor encourages us: "PsychoanalystAlfred Adler conducted a fascinating research project that popularized the theory of compensation. He studied art students and discovered that seventy percent of them suffered from optical anomalies. He found degenerative traces in the ears of great composers like Mozart and Beethoven. And he cited numerous examples of other people who eventually became successful in the area of their greatest weakness. Adler believed that birth defects, poverty, illness, and negative circumstances often prove to be the springboard for success...God wants to recycle your adversity and turn it into a ministry. People go through a painful divorce or the death of a child or a destructive addiction, but God helps them climb out of the pit so they can help others in similar circumstances. One of the most paralyzing mistakes we make is thinking that our problems somehow disqualify us from being used by God... No one rolls out the red carpet and invites tragedy into their life, but our greatest gifts and passions are often the byproduct of our worst tragedies and failures. Trials have a way of helping us rediscover our purpose in life." The problems God has brought you through become a platform upon which you can stand and minister to others."Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God" (2Co 1:3-4 NIV).Called to overcome  God wants to recycle your adversitySend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

JUL. 3, 2025You have come too far to give up now!."He persevered." Heb 11:27 NIVV. Raymond Edman said, "To be torn...by external forces, and still...preserve one's inward integrity, is to know the discipline that endures." So when you're faced with opposition, do you automatically throw in the towel, or like Moses, do you persevere? Chuck Swindoll characterizes Moses as a man "who hung tough, who refused to give in or give up, who decided that no amount of odds against him would cause him to surrender…He possessed the disciplines of durability. He endured the contempt of Pharaoh...the stubbornness of the Hebrews who grumbled, blamed, complained, and rebelled... the criticism of Miriam and Aaron, his own sister and brother. When ten of the twelve spies came back with their nay-sayings, Moses stood fast. When Korah and Dathan and Abiram led a conspiracy against him, Moses remained 'resolute. "When you have fought to a standstill...stand your ground' (Eph 6:13 PHPS)...when the wicked appear to be winning...in times of crisis…when no one will know if you compromised... when big people act contemptibly small…when people demand authority they don't deserve. Stand firm... keep your head…stay true...endure! You may be getting shaky...[or] begun to listen too closely to your critics. Maybe you've started giving in...in little areas...because you're tired.Moses endured-even in his eighties. How? By focusing...on 'Him who is invisible.' He fixed his heart and soul on the One who, alone, judges righteously. He continually reminded himself that his sole purpose was to please, obey, and glorify Him and to gain His approval at all cost." Whatever you're facing, stand strong and don't give up!You have come too far to give up now! Stand your ground.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

JUL. 2, 2025Overcoming loneliness."Show deep love for each other." 1Pe 4:8 NLTYou don't have to be alone to be lonely. Some of us are married to emotionally unavailable spouses. Some of us put up with verbal and emotional abuse because we prefer anybody's company to our own. Some of the loneliest people you will meet are in crowded bars at "happy" hour. They mingle, but they don't connect. What is the answer? (1) Get involved in a cause greater than self-interest.After the Prodigal Son had spent his last penny partying with so-called friends, they forsook him, and he ended up alone in a hog pen. On the other hand, when the disciples were persecuted for their faith, the Bible says that "being let go, they went to their own company" (Ac 4:23). They had friends who shared their faith and their vision, who knew how to pray with them, strengthen them, and stand by them. And God has people like that who are waiting to become part of your life; you will find some of them in your local church. (2) Practice being accepting of others. When you love and accept people as they are, they're drawn to you. "Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins" (1Pe 4:8 NLT). (3) Reach out. Begin nurturing your relationships by connecting more often with the people you know and value. Don't get sucked into the Facebook/email/text-message-only communication vacuum. The founder of Wired Magazine says that his favorite form of communication is face-to-face, his second is by phone, and his third is via internet. Take a leaf out of his book.Overcoming loneliness You don't have to be alone to be lonely.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

JUL. 1, 2025The challenge of developing leaders (3)."The things you have heard me say... entrust to reliable people." 2Ti 2:2 NIVA leadership expert who conducted a poll to find out how people came to be leaders writes: "I asked if they became leaders because (a) they were given a position; (b) there was a crisis in the organization; or (c) they had been mentored. More than 80 percent indicated that they were leaders because someone had mentored them in leadership-had taken them through the process...As leaders, if we feel any uncertainty or insecurity about the leadership development process, it is usually not related to the training we give. The uncertainty we feel comes when we contemplate releasing our leaders to lead. It is not dissimilar to what parents feel with their kids. My children are grown and have families of their own, but when they were teenagers, the hardest thing for my wife and me was releasing them to go their own way and make their own decisions.It is scary, but if you don't let them try out their wings, they will never learn to fly. As I have grown older, I have come to think of myself as a lid lifter. That is my main function as a team leader. If I can lift the leadership lids for the members of my team, then I am doing my job. The more barriers I remove for my people, the more likely they are to rise up to their potential." Jesus told His disciples, "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain" (Jn 15:16 NKJV). If you want lasting fruit and enduring results-take the time to develop leaders.The challenge of developing leaders A lid lifterShare This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

JUN. 26, 2025Called to overcome (3)"In all these things we are more than conquerors." Ro 8:37 NKJVHave you heard of the principle of supercompensation? A pastor explains: "When an athlete is pushed beyond the threshold of pain and exhaustion, the body overcompensates. The more a muscle is broken down, the more it builds back up…The two hundred and six bones in the body are constantly going through a process called remodeling. They are being broken down by osteoclasts and built back up by osteoblasts. The process of remodeling is intensified when a bone is broken. Extra osteoblasts help rebuild the bone. There is a period of weakness where the bone is more vulnerable to re-injury. That is why we wear casts. But eventually the bone ends up stronger than it was to begin with because the body overcompensates. Very rarely does a bone break in the same place twice because the bone is thicker and stronger than it was before the break. Almost like a broken bone that needs to be reset, God breaks us where we need to be broken. He fractures the pride and lust and anger in our lives, but He does it to remodel us into His image. and once we heal, we end up stronger than we were to begin with. [Paul writes,] 'It has been granted to you on behalf of Christ...to suffer for him' [Php 1:29 NIV]. The word 'granted' comes from [a] Greek root...which literally means 'to grant a favor'...We tend to see suffering as a necessary evil at best, but Paul calls it a divine favor." So, maybe God is remodeling you. Perhaps the problem you thought you would never overcome will become your most effective ministry to others.Called to overcome Remodeled into His imageShare This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

Wisdom for parenting teenagers."There is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven." Ecc 3:1 NKJVWhy does a happy, cooperative twelve-year-old suddenly turn into a sullen, depressed thirteen-year-old? There are two powerful forces that account for some of the adolescent behavior that drives you crazy as a parent. The first is linked to social pressures common at that age. But there is a second source of disruption. It's related to hormonal changes that not only transform the physical body but also revolutionize how kids think.For some (not all) adolescents, human chemistry is in a state of imbalance for a few years, causing flightiness, agitation, outbursts, and even depression. This upheaval can motivate a boy or girl to do things that make absolutely no sense to the adults who are watching anxiously on the sidelines. This hormonal firestorm can destabilize their self-concept and create a sense of foreboding. Parents often despair during the irrationality of this period.Everything they have tried to teach their children seems to have misfired for a couple of years. Self-discipline, cleanliness, respect for authority, and common courtesy may give way to risk-taking and all-around goofiness. If that is where your child is today, there is good news-better days are coming! Your unpredictable teen can actually become a tower of strength and good judgment-if they don't do something destructive before their hormones settle down once more. What should you do as a parent? First, don't draw long-term conclusions based on a short-term season. Second, let them know you love them, be patient, and pray for peace of mind."The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds" (Php 4:7 NKJV).Wisdom for parenting teenagers The hormonal firestormShare This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

JUN. 10, 2025The five crowns (3)."There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness." 2Ti 4:8 NKJVThe third crown mentioned in Scripture is the crown of righteousness. Paul writes: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord...will give to me on that Day, and... also to all who have loved His appearing" (vv. 7-8 NKJV). A pastor amplifies this: "The book of 2 Timothy represents the last known writing of the apostle Paul, and we have reason to believe he was beheaded shortly after writing these words. But rather than dreading death, he was looking forward to the Second Coming. He was...content with his record of service for the Master. Paul's use of the athletic metaphor here is especially descriptive of the life of the believer because it describes struggle, endurance, discipline, and final victory. The Crown of Righteousness is reserved for those who have a longing for the Lord Jesus and who watch for Jesus to come back." Writing to Titus, Paul speaks of "looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13 NKJV). The pastor continues: "Psychologists tell us that anticipation...is an emotion with marvelous healing powers. People who are snowbound sustain their spirits by anticipating the longer days of spring and summer. Couples…separated by military deployment stay sane by anticipating their reunion…Brides and grooms are eager for their wedding day." As a Christian, your best days are ahead of you, and you can anticipate all the glories of heaven and eternity. It should motivate you to be faithful to Jesus as you wait for His return.The five crowns The crown of righteousnessShare This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

The five crowns (1)."They do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown." 1Co 9:25 NKJVIn describing our heavenly rewards, the Bible speaks of crowns. Let's look at each and see what we can learn. The first is the victor's crown. "Everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified" (vv. 25-27 NKJV). Paul points out that athletes who expect to win must actively train. And we, likewise, must retain self-control even in things that, although not inherently evil, can weaken our devotion to God. A pastor explains: Sometimes we have to turn off the television so we can study our Bibles. We have to get up earlier in the mornings to have our daily devotions. We have to exercise self-control in what comes into our minds. We can't watch many of today's television programs or movies-much less the streaming material accessible on our phones and computers-without violating biblical standards of personal holiness. We can't subject our bodies to drug or alcohol abuse or allow immorality to creep into our relationships. We've got to keep our tempers [and tongues] under the control of the Holy Spirit...and we have to depend on God to strengthen us in our resolutions to live disciplined lives." The Bible says, "Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown"-the victor's crown.The five crowns  The victor's crownThe five crowns (2)."What will be our...crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you!" 1Th 2:19 NLTThe second crown mentioned in Scripture is the crown of rejoicing. It's given to those who take part in leading others to Christ. The background for this passage is written about in Acts 17, which tells the story of Paul arriving in the city of Thessalonica. He went into the synagogue, "and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining...that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, 'This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ'" (vv. 2-3 NKJV). Some of his hearers were converted, including a great multitude of devout Greeks and a number of prominent women. As a result, a church was built there. Writing to them later, Paul said that they would be his crown when Christ returned. We should all follow Bill Bright's example; he was one of the best soul winners of the twentieth century. And he once disclosed his secret: "Although I have shared Christ personally with many thousands of people through the years, I am a rather reserved person and I do not always find it easy to witness. But I have made this my practice, and l urge you to do the same: Assume that whenever you are alone with another person for more than a few moments, you are there by divine appointment to explain...the love and forgiveness he [or she] can know through faith in Jesus Christ." When was the last time you shared the gospel with someone? Whenever you do, the Lord is fitting you for a crown of rejoicing.The five crowns The crown of rejoicingShare This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

JUN. 5, 2025Honor others, and God will honor you."...In honor giving preference to one another." Ro 12:10 NKJVOne of the real tests of character and maturity is how you react to someone else's success. That's particularly so when they succeed in an area where you failed or in which you're frustrated over not having achieved greater success. F. B. Meyer, a well-known author and minister in England, once shared the following experience to a few of his friends: "It was easy to pray for the success of G. Campbell Morgan when he was in America. But when he came back to England and took a church near to mine, it was something different. The old Adam in me was inclined to jealousy, but I got my heel upon his head, and whether I felt right toward my friend, I determined to act right. My church gave a reception for him, and I acknowledged that if it was not necessary for me to preach Sunday evenings, I would dearly love to go and hear him myself. Well, that made me feel right toward him. But just see how the dear Lord helped me out of my difficulty. There was Charles Spurgeon preaching wonderfully on one side of me, and G. Campbell Morgan on the other. Both were so popular and drew such crowds that our church caught the overflow, and we had all we could accommodate." No matter how well you do something, someone else will come along and do it better. So, here are your options:Compare yourself to them, compete with them, criticize them, compliment, and cooperate with them. The latter is what Paul meant when he wrote, "Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another" (v. 10 NKJV).Honor others, and God will honor you How you react to someone else's successShare This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

Finding your life's purpose."I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness." Ac 26:16 NKJVIn baseball, the catcher tries to distract the batter. On one occasion when Yogi Berra was behind the plate, Hank Aaron came up to bat. Yogi started in, "Hank, you've got the writing on the bat in the wrong place. The words should be facing you." Yogi kept going, "You better check it." Hank didn't say a word. On the next pitch, Hank hit the ball over the center field fence. He rounded the bases, stepped on home plate, looked at Yogi Berra, and said, "I didn't come here to read, I came to win." It's vital to know why you are here and not to let anyone talk you out of your calling or purpose. In the world today, people say they are trying to find themselves. Such a search is pointless. As one pastor states: "If you don't know who you are, how do you know what to look for? And how would you know when you have found it, since you don't know what you are looking for? Toasters don't find themselves...A toaster...just [has] to do what the manufacturer had in mind." Paul had a supernatural encounter on the Damascus road when Christ said to him, "I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you" (v. 16 NKJV). To discover your life's purpose, you must start with God as your reference point. He made you; He redeemed you; He has a plan for your life-and He will reveal it to you.Finding your life's purpose It's vital to know why you are here.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

JUN. 3, 2025Take responsibility for your life."Do you want to get well?" Jn 5:6 NIVWhat an amazing question Jesus asked this paralyzed man: "Do you want to get well?" Who wouldn't? You might be surprised! Kay Arthur tells of passing a beggar one day on a street in the Old City of Jerusalem. As he sat begging, his trouser leg was pulled up to reveal his terrible sores. She writes: "My nurse's heart brought my feet to a halt. I wanted to bend down and shield the open wound from the dust...It should be washed, medicated, and dressed by someone who cared. My friend gently took me by my elbow and propelled me toward our destination. I was a tourist and did not know about these things. She then proceeded to tell me that this man did not wish to be made well. He made his living from his wound! As I looked back...l caught one last glimpse of someone who was less than what he could have been." The man lying helpless on a cot by the pool called Bethesda had been there for thirty-eight years. Question: How long does it take before a problem becomes a way of life? Jesus said to him, "Get up...and walk" (v. 8 NIV), the inference being that it's time to get up and go to work—to become a father to your children, a husband to your wife, a contributor to your community, a solution to someone else's problem-it's time to take responsibility for your life. Are you letting your past or present circumstances keep you stuck and stop you from moving forward? If Jesus asked you, "Do you want to get well emotionally, physically, and spiritually?" what would your answer be? Today let Jesus make you whole!Take responsibility for your life Today let Jesus make you whole!Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

JUN. 2, 2025A word to graduates."Concentrate on doing your best for God." 2Ti 2:15 MSGGraduate, here are eleven lessons to empower and inspire you: (1) You're here for a reason, and the most vital thing you can do is find it. (2) Follow your passion. You may not already know what it is, but make it your mission to discover it. (3) Although you might love Facebook, you might not like working for the company. And because you enjoy cooking doesn't mean you will enjoy owning a restaurant. (4) Don't quit because the work is hard. Quit because deep inside you know there is something different for you to do, or you're not improving yourself or the organization, or you know you're not supposed to be there anymore. (5) Learn from every experience. Each job gets you ready for the work you were born to do. (6) Your present job may not be your highest purpose, but it can assist as an agent to prepare you for it. (7) In whichever job you accept after graduation, serve. Serving in minor ways affords you opportunities to serve in major ways. (8) Your dream job probably isn't the one you dreamed about. Frequently we end up in remarkable careers outside the scope of our degrees. (9) The pursuit of your purpose is filled with difficulties, wins, detours, dead ends, and postponements. Remain hopeful and faithful. (10) You may want something to happen immediately, but if it did, would you be ready for it? (11) Seeds yield to the ground so they can be utilized for a greater purpose.So, plant yourself, and let yourself be used for a harvest to benefit others.A word to graduates Don't quit because the work is hard.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

MAY. 29, 2025The need for connectedness."Being rooted and established in love." Eph 3:17 NIVUnfortunately, the word fellowship has come to be associated with awkward gatherings in church basements, drinking red punch, and participating in stilted conversations. No wonder people give up on it! Paul describes connectedness as "being rooted and established in love."When a tree puts roots into the ground, it takes in nutrients and water, and the tree grows and has life, but only if it's rooted. In the same way, we're rooted, and our souls are nourished in the love of God-and other people. We experience this physically and emotionally when we connect with somebody. When there is an exchange of genuine caring, the roots of your soul get fed. We flourish when we're connected with God and people, and we languish when we're disconnected.Emotionally isolated people are more prone to depression, anxiety, loneliness, low self-esteem, substance abuse, sexual addiction, and difficulty eating and sleeping. One behavioral expert writes: "Connection not only helped make us who we are...it helps determine who we become as individuals…In both cases, human connections, mental health, psychological health, and emotional well-being are inextricably linked." Even animals that are isolated experience more intensive arterial sclerosis. One author writes, "A friend of mine used to have a dog and a cat [that] fought for ten years. Then the cat died...and the dog wouldn't eat. Six weeks later he died." That's just a small illustration of the power of connection. This doesn't mean you have to force yourself to become an extrovert. Some of the shyest people have the deepest friendships because they identify life-giving relationships, plug into them, thrive, and give back. And that's what God designed you to do too.The need for connectedness Human connections and emotional wellbeing are inextricably linked.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

MAY. 28, 2025When you feel blah."Where there is no vision, the people perish." Pr 29:18The word "perish" conjures up images of deterioration and decay, like fruit rotting from within. On what specific day does passion leave a marriage or a worker lose interest in a job that once excited them? Like air leaking silently out of a tire, what was meant to carry our weight and to power us toward our destiny can now barely wobble. If that's how you're feeling now, read this promise, and let it take root within you: "He gives power to the tired and worn out, and strength to the weak. Even the youths shall be exhausted, and the young men will all give up. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint" (Isa 40:29-31 TLB).The great apostle Paul told his admirers, "We too are only human, like you" (Ac 14:15 NIV).  We are all made of the same flawed material. That's why we need God's strength and mercy newly bestowed on us each day (See La 3:22-23). So, what should you do when you're feeling blah? Two things. First, if you're physically tired-rest. Second, think about how God's family works and stop isolating. The Bible says, "Carry each other's burdens" (Gal 6:2 NIV). The fact is, you have given to others in times past, now have the grace and humility to receive from them. Reach out. Use your connections. Start reading God's Word. Listen to uplifting music and fill your space with praise. When you do these things, your focus will change, and your faith will start to rise.When you feel blah We are all made of the same flawed material.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

MAY. 27, 2025Are you in a stress mess?"What you are doing is not good...You... will only wear yourselves out." Ex 18:17-18 NIVThe Bible says: "The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, 'What is this you are doing for the people?Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?' Moses answered him, 'Because the people come to me to seek God's will. Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God's decrees and instructions! Moses' father-in-law replied, 'What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out'" (vv. 13-18 NIV). Moses was stressed to the breaking point. The Latin word for "stress" means "to be drawn tight." Doctors say it's a precursor to heart attacks and strokes. There is a reason why highways have weigh stations-to ensure that trucks aren't carrying more weight than they are constructed to haul. Moses' father-in-law told him that he was wearing himself out. The Hebrew word for "wearing out" literally means "to become old." Moses was growing old before his time. If that's happening to you,(1) shift gears and start to share the load with others, and (2) spend more time in God's presence. "Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength...they shall... not faint" (Isa 40:31 NKJV).Are you in a stress mess? Stressed to a breaking pointShare This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

MAY. 26, 2025When God asks you to give."The Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do." Eph 6:8 NIVWhen God asks you to sacrifice on behalf of somebody else, do it. It's like putting money in a heavenly account. You may not need it today or tomorrow, but when you do, God will ensure it comes back to you in multiplied form. Indian Christian missionary Sadhu Sundar Singh and a companion were traveling through a pass high in the Himalayas when they found a body lying in the snow. They checked for vital signs and discovered the man was still alive, but barely. As Sundar prepared to stop and help this unfortunate traveler, his companion objected, saying, "We shall lose our lives if we burden ourselves with him." Sundar, however, couldn't comprehend leaving the man to die in the snow without an attempt at rescue. His companion bade him farewell and walked on. Sundar lifted the traveler on his back and, with great exertion-made greater by the high altitude and snowy conditions-carried him onward. As he walked, the heat from his body began to warm the frozen man. He revived, and soon they were walking together side by side, holding each other up and sharing body heat. Before long, they came upon another traveler's body lying in the snow, and on closer inspection, they discovered he was dead. You guessed it. It was Sundar's original traveling companion! So, what's the lesson in all this? What you make happen for others, God will make happen for you! The Bible says, "Serve wholeheartedly because...the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do" (vv. 7-8 NIV).When God asks you to give Money in a heavenly accountShare This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

MAY. 22, 2025How to stay enthusiastic about God.'My food,' said Jesus, 'is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.'" Jn 4:34 NIVNo one had more energy than Jesus. He got up early, stayed up late, and sometimes pulled all-nighters. Where did He get all that energy from? The answer is found in a fascinating dialogue. "His disciples urged him, 'Rabbi, eat something. But He said to them, 'I have food to eat that you know nothing about! Then His disciples said to each other, 'Could someone have brought him food?' 'My food, said Jesus, 'is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work'" (vv. 31-34 NIV). When you see the word "food," you think energy because that's what food is. And Jesus makes an insightful point here: God's will is energizing. So, how do you keep yourself energized? By staying in the will of God. Engaging in God-ordained passions and pursuing God-sized dreams is how we produce energy. Nothing energizes us more. Don't just repent of doing what is wrong; replace it with what is right. Paul writes: "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord [always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord], knowing and being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile [it is never wasted or to no purpose]" (1Co 15:58 AMPC). If sin is a waste of energy, which it is, then discovering and fulfilling your God-given assignment in life is the most energizing thing that you can do.How to stay enthusiastic about God God's will is energizing.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

MAY. 21, 2025The secret to success."Whose weakness was turned to strength." Heb 11:34 NIVThe so-called "secret" to success is really no secret at all! It's simply getting back up when life has knocked you down and taking with you into the future the lessons you have learned. In talking about heroes such as Samson and David, the Bible goes on to say, "Whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies" (v. 34 NIV). Notice these people weren't always strong, but they became strong. They didn't win every battle, but they went on to win the ones that mattered. In 1928, a thirty-three-year-old man named Paul Galvin found himself staring at failure...again. By this point, he had failed twice in industry, his competitors having forced him to fold up his latest venture in the storage-battery business. Convinced, however, that he still had a remarkable idea, Galvin attended the auction of his own business. And with the $750 he had managed to raise, he bought back the battery eliminator portion of the inventory. With it, he built a new company, one in which he succeeded, one from which he eventually retired, and one which became a household word: Motorola. You have probably heard of it. Business innovator Roger von Oech said: "Remember the two benefits of failure. First, if you do fail, you learn what doesn't work; and second, the failure gives you the opportunity to try a new approach... Most people think of success and failure as opposites, but they both are products of the same process." Failure is delay, not defeat. We all make mistakes, especially those who act. It's only when you become unwilling to risk failure that you stop learning, you stop growing, and you stop succeeding.The secret to success Failure is delay, not defeat.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

MAY. 20, 2025Who are you depending on?"Without Me you can do nothing." Jn 15:5 NKJVBecause God's Spirit lives within you doesn't guarantee His power is at work in your life. God's power is available, but you must plug into it. Jesus associates our spiritual life with a vine and its branches: "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing" (v. 5 NKJV). In this comparison, the branch is completely dependent on the main vine; it cannot yield fruit on its own. Growing fruit is an internal job. If someone tied apples onto the branches of a dead tree and said, "Look at this fruit tree," what would you say? You would probably say, "You tied those things on." That's similar to when a Christian says, "I'm going to tie on a bunch of fruit in my life—a little patience now, a little goodness later, a little self-control at another time. I will do it by myself." Impossible! It's the fruit of the Spirit, not the efforts of the flesh. Jesus said, "He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit." How can you tell you're abiding (or residing) in Christ? Consider your prayer life. Your prayers reveal your dependence on God. What do you pray about? Whatever you pray about is what you're relying on God for. The Bible says, "Never stop praying" (1Th 5:17 NLT). Pray about your decisions, needs, temptations, interests, plans, schedule, problems, purchases; specifically, pray about everything! Doing this is what it means to "abide"-being aware that God is always with you, practicing His presence.Who are you depending on? Your prayers reveal your dependence on God.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

MAY. 19, 2025Get alone with God (3)"When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it." Ecc 5:4 NIVWhen the pressures in your life begin to mount, the first thing you will be tempted to drop is your time alone with God, praying and reading His Word. And what's more, Satan knows if he can keep you from it, he has won the battle, and he will get no opposition from you. So, how can you overcome this problem?(1) By making a covenant with God. Think about it: Why do we make marriage vows? So we will think twice about breaking them! It's the same in your devotional life: "When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it."(2) By scheduling it. Block out time to meet with God each day, just like you would for a doctor's appointment or a business lunch. Can you think of a more important appointment? Surely not! (3) By being prepared for the devil's excuses. Adopt the Boy Scout motto: Be prepared! Dr. Robert G.Lee used to say, "If you wake up in the morning and don't meet the devil face on, it means you're headed in the same direction!"(4) By leaving your Bible open the night before to the verses you intend to read the next morning. When you wake up, it will remind you that the most important thing you have to do today is meet with God. What if you miss a day? Don't worry-and don't go on a guilt trip. If you miss a meal, you don't give up eating, right? It just means you eat a little more at the next one and move on from there.Get alone with God Block out time to meet with God.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

MAY. 16, 2025Don't lose your passion for God."Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: 'Passion for God's house will consume me.'" Jn 2:17 NLTTry to imagine the fire in the eyes of Jesus and the flex of His muscles as He turns over the tables of the money changers in the temple. And He does it while wielding a whip He made Himself. "Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: 'Passion for God's house will consume me.'" Jesus was the wisest and kindest person who ever lived. Additionally, He was the most passionate. And those who follow Him ought to be the most passionate people on earth. The word enthusiasm comes from two Greek words: en and theos, meaning "in God." And the more you get into God, the more passion you develop about the things of God. "Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart" (Ps 37:4 NKJV). Yes, you're supposed to crucify your carnal desires daily. But God doesn't do away with your capacity for desire; He sanctifies and redirects it. When you "delight yourself also in the Lord," you get a "desire transplant."  C. S. Lewis said, "We are half-hearted creatures fooling around with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us." A pastor adds: "Sin is a waste of energy...And it's a double waste. After you waste your energy on things like lust and pride and anger, then you must waste even more energy on things like guilt and shame and regret. Nothing is more de-energizing than sin, but by the same token, nothing is more reenergizing than obedience. It's pure energy."Don't lose your passion for God Get a "desire transplant."Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

MAY. 15, 2025Free from jealousy."If your heart is full of...jealousy...don't... cover up the truth." Jas 3:14 CEVThe Bible says, "People are slaves to whatever has mastered them" (2Pe 2:19 NIV). And that's especially true of jealousy. Chuck Swindoll writes: "Jealousy and envy are often used interchangeably, but there's a difference. Envy begins with empty hands; it mourns what it doesn't have...Jealousy begins with full hands; it's threatened by the pain of losing what you have to someone else despite your efforts to hold on to it...This was Cain's sin. He was jealous of Abel. He resented God's acceptance of his brother, and not until Abel's blood poured over Cain's cruel hands did jealousy subside. Solomon might well have written the epitaph for Abel's tombstone: 'Jealousy is [cruel] as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire' (SS 8:6 ESV). Anyone who has experienced deliverance from this hellish giant knows too well how jealousy can decimate a friendship, dissolve a romance, destroy a marriage, shoot tension through the ranks of professionals, nullify unity on a team, ruin a church, separate preachers, foster competition among the choir, bring bitterness and finger-pointing among talented instrumentalists and capable singers. Jealousy questions motives and deplores another's success." The Bible says, "If your heart is full of...jealousy...don't... cover up the truth." Instead, determine that by the grace of God, you're going to break free from its control.  Swindoll adds: "I lived many years obeying its commands. It was gross agony. Finally, I realized I didn't have to live in darkness. I slew the giant and crawled out...and the releasing sunlight of freedom captured my heart. The air was so fresh and clean. Oh, the difference it has made! It's utter delight. Ask my wife."Free from jealousy. Jealousy is cruel as the grave.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

MAY. 14, 2025Have a biblical perspective."That through the endurance taught in the Scriptures...we might have hope." Ro 15:4 NIVThere is a cute story about a girl who left home and went away to college. After her first semester, she emailed her mother, saying, "I think it's time I brought you up to date on what's going on in my life. Shortly after I arrived at college, I got bored with dormitory life and stole fifty dollars from my roommate's purse. With the money, I rented a motorcycle, which I crashed into a telephone pole a few blocks from the dorm. I broke my leg in the accident and am unable to attend classes, so I'm coming home to live with you and dad." After hitting "send," she immediately sent a second email: "Mom, I was only joking. I didn't steal any money, or rent a motorcycle, or hit a telephone pole, or break my leg. And I won't be coming home to live with you and dad either. However, I am getting a D in mathematics and an F in literature, and I wanted you to keep my grades in proper perspective!" Seriously, having a biblical perspective on life's challenges can lift you out of discouragement and despair. Paul said, "Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures...we might have hope." For every problem you face in life, God's Word has a principle to be practiced or a promise to be claimed. So, the way to overcome discouragement is to get into God's Word and get it into you.Have a biblical perspective Get into God's Word.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

MAY. 13, 2025Faith is not faith until it is acted upon."Faith without works is dead." Jas 2:26Could it be that the negative perception people have of the church stems from the negative energy we project?  And could it be that our negative energy stems from our negative view of righteousness?  We falsely view righteousness as doing nothing wrong: "Don't do this. Don't do that. And you're okay."  The problem with that approach is you can do nothing wrong and still not do the right thing; the thing God is calling you to do. Righteousness means more than doing nothing wrong. Do you really think God's ultimate dream for us is doing nothing wrong? You love it when your children make a difficult decision not to do something wrong. But the thing that brings you greater joy is seeing them develop their gifts and maximize their potential. And that's what God wants for each of us. The Bible teaches two kinds of sin: the sin of commission, which is doing something you shouldn't have done, and the sin of omission, which is all the things we could and should have done to advance God's kingdom but didn't do. A pastor writes: "In God's economy, breaking even is a total loss. Isn't that the lesson of the parable of the talents? The servant with one talent broke even... [and] Jesus called him a 'wicked and lazy servant' (Mt 25:26 NKJV). The greatest risk is taking no risks…Righteousness is using all our God-given gifts to their full God-given potential. Love doesn't play it safe; it takes risks. Love doesn't make excuses; it takes responsibility.Love doesn't see problems; it seizes opportunities to step up and step in."Faith is not faith until it is acted upon  The greatest risk is taking no risks.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

MAY. 12, 2025Knowing the season you're in."To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven." Ecc 3:1 NKJVYour life's purpose is connected to a specific time and season. In other words, it will have a beginning and an ending. Some of God's purposes can be fulfilled in a short time, while others take a lifetime. You won't always be able to do what you're doing today, or at least to the extent you're doing it now. The Bible teaches, "As your days, so shall your strength be" (Dt 33:25 NKJV). That's why some of the world's best sports players transition into coaching. Three important observations: (1) You must understand and maximize the season you're in right now. (2) When one season ends, you must transition graciously into the next. (3) You must learn to enjoy whatever season you're in. Here is an interesting phenomenon: Elijah passed his mantle of power to Elisha, but nowhere do we read that Elisha passed it on to anyone else.But when Paul passed his mantle on to Timothy, it didn't end there. Paul told him,"The things...you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit...to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2Ti 2:2 NKJV). Instead of lamenting that he had run out of time, Paul rejoiced in knowing that God had helped him to fulfill his assignment. "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown" (2Ti 4:7-8 NKJV). The truth is, God only gives you grace for the season you're in. And when a season ends, and it's time to transition, the grace lifts. So, pay attention and know when to move on!Knowing the season you're in When the season ends-the grace lifts.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

MAY. 7, 2025Why can't we work together? (4)"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." Eph 4:3 NIVA lady told her friend, "My husband and I have a very happy marriage. There's nothing I wouldn't do for him, and there's nothing he wouldn't do for me. And that's the way we go through life-doing nothing for each other!" We smile, but that's not so funny when it's true. That attitude paves the road to disaster in marriage, business, church, personal relationships, and everywhere else. Often people join a team for their own advantage— they want supporting players so they can receive all the accolades. But ultimately, that attitude not only hurts them, but it also hurts the people they work with and hinders the results they otherwise could have had.President Woodrow Wilson asserted: "You are not here merely to make a living. You are here to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and to impoverish yourself if you forget the errand." Here is a true statement, if ever there was one: When you use people, exploit them, and take advantage of them, you inevitably fail in life. Is it easy to work with others and always get along? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. That's why Paul writes, "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." You have to work at it. When someone criticizes, offset it with a compliment. When someone complains, find something to be thankful for. When someone comes across as self-centered, remind them that the collective goal you're striving for is greater than any one individual.Why can't we work together? You are here to enrich the world.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

Why can't we work together? (3)."How good…..it is... to dwell together in unity!" Ps 133:1 NKJVReason three: temperament. Some people aren't naturally outgoing. When they face challenges, it never occurs to them to enlist other people's help in order to accomplish their goal.When you operate alone, you will achieve a certain amount of success, but when you cooperate with the right people, you will achieve things you never dreamed possible. When you do everything alone and never partner with others, you produce huge hurdles to your own potential. Dr. Allan Fromme quipped, "People have been known to achieve more as a result of working with others than against them." That's certainly an understatement! Like Chuck Swindoll says: "Nobody is a whole team...We need each other. You need someone and someone needs you. Isolated islands we're not. To make this thing called life work, we gotta lean and support. And relate and respond. And give and take. And confess and forgive. And reach out and embrace and rely on [others]. Since none of us is a whole, independent, self-sufficient, super-capable, all-powerful hotshot, let's quit acting like we are. Life's lonely enough without our playing that silly role. The game is over. Let's link up." If you desire to accomplish something big, you have to join with others. One is too small a number to greatly succeed. The Bible says, "Behold, how good and...pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!….For there the Lord commanded the blessing" (vv. 1, 3 NKJV). Did you get that? When we work together, God commands His blessing to be upon our efforts. And without the blessing of God, there is no true and lasting success.Why can't we work together?  Let's link up.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

Try. Try harder. Try longer."Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." Gal 6:9 NKJVOne of the greatest predictors of success in any endeavor is persistence. It's not only how hard you try; it's how long you try. We tend to overestimate how much we can accomplish in the short term. And according to an American pastor and author, we also "underestimate how much we can accomplish over the long haul. Why? Because energy is exponential. The harder you work and the longer you work, the more it pays off. In a study involving Japanese and American first graders, kids were given a difficult puzzle to solve while researchers measured how long they would try before giving up. On average, the American children lasted 9.47 minutes. The Japanese children lasted 13.93 minutes. That is a 47 percent difference. Want to guess who scores higher on standardized math tests?Success in any endeavor is a by-product of trying harder and trying longer. There are no substitutes. There are no shortcuts. It doesn't matter whether it's athletics or academics, music, or math [or ministry]. Study after study has shown that it takes about ten years or ten thousand hours to become great at anything. You need to work hard and work long. In the words of Malcolm Gladwell, 'Ten thousand hours is the magic number of greatness! Are there any God ideas you've given up on? Any God-ordained passions that you have stopped fighting for? Any God-sized dreams gathering the dust of disobedience? Don't give up on them. You need to try. Then you need to try harder. And then you need to try longer."Try. Try harder. Try longer. There are no shortcuts.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

MAY. 4, 2025Why can't we work together? (1)"Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence." 3Jn v. 9 NKJVReason one: insecurity. The Florentine philosopher Machiavelli said, "The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him." Insecure leaders are threatened by talented individuals, so they surround themselves with weak people. As a result, the work suffers, and everybody involved suffers too. When a leader responds to a genuine question by saying, "How dare you challenge my authority," they're dangerous and often not worth following. Insecure leaders usually fail for two reasons: They want to maintain control over everything, or they're afraid of being replaced by someone more competent.Either way, leaders who don't encourage teamwork weaken their own potential and discourage those around them. President Woodrow Wilson said, "We should not only use all the brains we have, but all that we can borrow." John the Apostle tells us that Diotrephes, a leader in the church, "loves to have the preeminence." What was this man's problem? He wanted to blow everybody else's light out in order to let his own light shine. So, John writes: "When I come, I will report some of the things he is doing and the evil accusations he is making against us. Not only does he refuse to welcome the traveling teachers, he also tells others not to help them. And when they do help, he puts them out of the church. Dear friend, don't let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God's children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God" (3Jn vs. 10-11 NLT). Let God's approval— which you already have—make you secure!Why can't we work together? Let God's approval make you secure!Share This Devotional"Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul." 1Sa 14:7 NIVReason two: naivety. An old Chinese proverb says, "Behind every able man there are always other able men." Even if you can do the job yourself, isn't it wise to stop and ask, "Who do I know who could help me to do it better?" That question defines the difference between mediocrity and excellence. Business consultant John Ghegan keeps a sign on his desk that reads, "If I had it to do all over again, I'd get help." We all need that sign! When you have a few victories under your belt, you're at an increased risk of thinking you can do anything and everything by yourself. But when your dream is from God, it will always be greater than your individual capacity and gifts, which means you will have to reach for others. Two men, Jonathan, and his armor-bearer, wiped out an entire Philistine garrison. How? "Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, 'Come, let's go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf.Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.' 'Do all that you have in mind, his armor-bearer said. 'Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul'" (vv. 6-7 NIV). Jonathan, the leader, needed the encouragement and support of his armor-bearer. And his armor-bearer needed the courage and leadership of Jonathan. Together they accomplished amazing things for God.The truth is teamwork is at the heart of all impressive triumphs. The question isn't whether teams have value; it's whether you are humble enough to acknowledge that fact and become a better team player.Why can't we work together?  Become a better team player.Share This DevotiSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

APR. 15, 2025Become willing to change."You will grow as you learn to know God better and better." Col 1:10 NLTTo grow, you must dedicate yourself to the process. Whether it's in your career, your marriage, your ministry, or your walk with God, once you dedicate yourself to growth and development and a lifestyle of planned improvement, it becomes normal to you.  And you realize when you're not making progress. Something is missing! It's been reputed that the Polish American classical pianist Arthur Rubinstein refused to listen to recordings of his playing. Even only a few months afterward, he was unhappy with what he heard. Why? Because he had changed and improved-but his recordings had not. Stop and think about the non-negotiables in your life. What are you willing to live and die for?Write down what you want to hold on to at any cost, and fully explain why. After you have done that, everything else should be open to change. Here is how Paul prayed for the Christians in the Colossian church: "We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and...spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light" (vv. 9-12 NLT).Become willing to change To grow, you must dedicate yourself to the process.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

APR. 24, 2025The waiting strategy."I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry." Ps 40:1 NKJVWhen you're up against a problem that seems too big for you or feel like you are "in over your head" and you don't know what to do or which way to go, use the waiting strategy. That's the one David the psalmist used. And it worked for him: "I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth-praise to our God...Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust...My ears You have opened" (vv. 1-4, 6 NKJV). Waiting is hard to do when you are anxious. And waiting patiently is even harder. Stop and think who you are waiting for: the Lord. He is Lord of every situation, including yours. Perhaps this illustration will help you. Arthur McKinsey writes: "If you think of a... problem as being like a medieval walled city, then a lot of people will attack it head on, like a battering ram. They will storm the gates and try to smash through the defences with sheer intellectual power and brilliance...I just camp outside the city. I wait. And I think. Until one day-maybe after l've turned to a completely different problem-the drawbridge comes down and the defenders say, 'We surrender' The answer to the problem comes all at once." Waiting for God to work is that way. While you are waiting, He is working on your behalf.The waiting strategy While you are waiting, He is working.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

APR. 25, 2025Resolve conflict quickly (1)"If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother." Mt 18:15Few things in life cause more stress than unresolved conflict. It will elevate your blood pressure and consume your thoughts until you resolve it, so if you're wise, you will deal with it right away. Not all people feel this way. Even though Jesus commanded us to deal with it, many Christians refrain from saying anything for the sake of peace. Not so. Unresolved conflict will affect your peace of mind, your productivity, and your attitude toward others, so it must be dealt with. Additionally, the problem with refusing to face an issue is that it will probably occur again. So, according to an interpersonal communications adviser, do these three things: (1) "Ask God to give you His words to say so that His purpose will be achieved. 'My word...will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it' (Isa 55:11 NIV). (2) Empty your emotions out to God before engaging the offender. Emotions tend to get in the way of facts and can hinder objective thinking. This isn't as hard as it may sound once you decide you are going to make every effort to settle the issue in a harmonious way. 'If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone' (Ro 12:18 NIV). (3) Be clear as to what you perceive the problem to be. Avoid vague arguments that leave room for misinterpretation. For example, 'You need to do better' does not really clarify the problem." If your goal is to heal the relationship, God will work with you.Resolve conflict quickly "Live at peace with everyone."Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

APR. 2, 2025Be real."People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1Sa 16:7 NLTJesus was rough on Pharisees: "People look at you and think you are saints, but beneath... you are total frauds" (Mt 23:28 MSG). They put on a good front but were devoid of grace, mercy, and compassion. And Jesus called them on it! Because we live in an appearance-focused society, Jesus warns us about the dangers that come from dwelling on the outer life at the cost of developing the inner life. So, how do you keep that from happening? (1) Follow Jesus' example. He spent His life ministering to the hurting, the forgotten, the lost, and lonely. (2) Keep in mind that even though you're a Christian, you will still struggle in certain areas, and don't try to act like you "have it all together." (3) Ask God to reveal behavior patterns that are appearance oriented instead of heart oriented. (4) Surround yourself with transparent people who encourage you to be real and correct you when you need it. Marybeth Whalen writes: "The painters painted the wall leading downstairs...A week later I discovered, while the wall had been repainted, the habits hadn't changed. The kids were still dragging their dirty hands behind them, making what was white and clean, grey, and dirty. Like that wall, if I'm not careful I can cover up what's there... wear the Christian tee shirt, carry my Bible, smile like everything's great, and talk a good game about my walk with the Lord. But deep inside the ugly habits are waiting to be revealed the moment life gets messy. I can become a modern-day Pharisee who focuses on the whitewash and ignores the dirty stuff underneath." So, be real.Be realDon't try to act like you "have it all together."Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

APR. 3, 2025Today, use your God-given power."You shall receive power." Ac 1:8 NKJVYou say, "If Christ lives in me, why do I still think and act the way I do?" A Christian leader explains: "The answer is illustrated in a story about a lady who had a small house...at the turn of the century. She was quite wealthy but also quite frugal... People were surprised, then, when she decided to be among the first to have electricity in her home. Several weeks after the installation, a meter reader appeared at her door. He asked her if her electricity was working well, and she assured him it was. 'I'm wondering if you can explain something to me,' he said. 'Your meter shows scarcely any usage. Are you using your power?' 'Certainly,' she answered. 'Each evening when the sun sets, I turn on my lights just long enough to light my candles; then I turn them off.' She's tapped into the power but didn't use it. Her house is connected but not altered. Don't we make the same mistake? We, too-with our souls saved but our hearts unchanged-are connected but not altered. Trusting Christ for salvation but resisting transformation. We occasionally flip the switch, but most of the time we settle for shadows. What would happen if we left the light on? What changes would occur if we set about the task of dwelling in the radiance of Christ? No doubt about it: God has ambitious plans for us. The same one who saved your soul longs to remake your heart. His plan is nothing short of a total transformation." "He decided...to shape [our] lives...along the same lines as the life of his Son" (Ro 8:29 MSG). Today, use your God-given power.Today, use your God-given power God has ambitious plans for us.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

Put God between yourself and the foe"There is none like you to help." 2Ch 14:11 ESVFaced with an enemy he couldn't conquer on his own, King Asa prayed, "Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us...we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you! The Lord struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah" (vv. 11-12 NIV). F. B. Meyer writes: "Remind God of his entire responsibility. 'There is none like thee to help! The odds against Asa were enormous. There were a million men in arms...beside three hundred chariots. It seemed impossible to hold his own against that vast multitude. There were no allies who would come to his help: his only hope therefore was in God. There was none beside to help. It may be that your difficulties have been allowed to come to so alarming a pitch that you may be compelled to renounce all creature aid, to which in lesser trials you have had recourse, and cast yourself back on your Almighty friend. Put God between yourself and the foe. To Asa's faith, Jehovah seemed to stand between the might of Zerah and himself, as one who had no strength. Nor was he mistaken...the Ethiopians were destroyed before the Lord, and before His host, as though celestial combatants flung themselves against the foe on Israel's behalf...Our God is Jehovah of Hosts, who can summon unexpected reinforcements at any moment to the aid of his people. Believe that He is there between you and your difficulty, and what baffles you will flee before Him as clouds before the gale."Put God between yourself and the foe An enemy you can't conquer on your own.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

MAR. 11, 2025Born to believe (1)"Train up a child in the way he should go." Pr 22:6Training your child is both challenging and rewarding. By shaping their underlying belief system, you help their developing brain establish permanent neural pathways that will guide their moral and spiritual growth.Neuroscientists Andrew Newberg and Mark Robert Waldman, authors of Born to Believe, tell us the most crucial years are from age seven to ten. That's when your child has the greatest propensity to understand the concept of a God they can't see, feel, or hear.What an ideal opportunity! Newberg and Waldman also suggest that our most effective tool for belief building at this stage is storytelling, not preaching or moralizing. Stories that incorporate godly principles, moral behaviors, courage, faith, love, compassion, and forgiveness are welcomed, easily digested ingredients for building Christian character. Storytelling was how God instructed the Israelites to teach their children His ways and Word. Stories of Adam and Eve, Noah, Daniel, Esther, Samson, Ruth, and David; of Christ's birth, life, death, and resurrection; of Jesus walking on the sea, raising the dead, and feeding the five thousand, stir the hearts, interest, and imagination of young children and impart enduring, life-changing principles! In fact, studies show that the belief systems of adults are powerfully influenced by stories they heard growing up. Implant stories that will become the underpinning for their character and the basis for a lifetime of faith. As a parent, it's your job to encourage and stimulate their developing brain toward godly beliefs, decisions, and lifestyle!Born to believe Ingredients for building Christian character.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

MAR. 10, 2025How God sees you."There is...no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." Ro 8:1Once we understand that God's love for us is based on what Christ did for us rather than what we do ourselves, the struggle is over. Now we can stop "performing," and we can serve God because we know He loves us and that we don't need to try to make Him love us.We no longer fear rejection by Him because of our mistakes. When we do something wrong, now all we do is repent, receive God's forgiveness, and then refuse the condemnation that sin brings. Realizing we are loved and accepted even though we're imperfect is such a relief! Serving God out of desire rather than obligation is incredibly liberating! The moment you place your trust in Christ, God sees you as righteous from that point on. He doesn't accept you because of your performance but because of your relationship with Him through Christ. And you need to decide to believe it and stand on it. A noted minister writes: "We become what we believe we are; therefore, as we become convinced that we are right with God, our behavior will improve. We will do things right and with less effort. No matter what other people may have told you that you are not, God delights in telling you in His Word who you are in Him-loved, valuable, precious, talented, gifted, capable, powerful, wise, and redeemed. Take a moment and repeat those nine things aloud. Say, 'I am loved, valuable, precious, talented, gifted, capable, powerful, wise, and redeemed!'" That's how God sees you, and it's how you need to start seeing yourself.How God sees you Loved, valuable, precious, capable, powerful, wise and redeemedShare This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

Use your imagination."Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we... imagine." Eph 3:20 NIVLack of faith is not a failure of logic; it's a failure of imagination. Lack of faith is the inability or unwillingness to entertain thoughts of a God who is able to do "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" (v. 20 NIV). Did you get that? God wants to empower your imagination! A pastor writes: "If we are going to have an eternal impact on our culture, we can't just criticize it or copy it. We've got to create it. If we are going to reach our generation with the gospel, we can't just appeal to logic. We've got to capture their imagination. And C. S. Lewis is a great example of both. Can you think of anyone more left-brain logical than Lewis? His theological writings, from Mere Christianity to The Problem of Pain, are as logical as logic can be. But Lewis combined left-brain logic with right-brain creativity. The Chronicles of Narnia continue to capture the imagination of new generations. The church ought to be the most creative place on the planet. And there are certainly pockets of ingenuity and imagination, but we're nowhere near our creative potential." Perhaps this is because we have a false definition of faithfulness. Faithfulness is not doing it how it has always been done. It's not preserving the status quo. No, we must never water down the gospel or promote biblical compromise for cultural relevancy. Bottom line: Our message must never change, but our methods must change if we are to gather in the final harvest before the Lord of the harvest returns.Use your imagination Our message must never change, but our methods must change.Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

Put away the measuring stick!"Jesus said to Simon Peter...do you love me...?" Jn 21:15 NIVReimar Schultze says: "The more conscientious we are, the more we...go to bed with some sense that we missed the elusive 100 percent again... Many precious saints fall for this trap…..robbing themselves of the joy of the Lord and the peace...that passes all understanding…We all are familiar with the testimonies of some of the greatest men of God. Many of them, like us...found themselves in the gutters of self-incrimination." Moses felt completely unworthy and unable to free Israel from Egypt. Yet how often has God called you to do something and you said the same thing: "Who am I, that I should go?" (Ex 3:11). Do you think you know more than the One who called you? David tells us throughout the Psalms that God is omnipotent and omnipresent; that He never takes his eyes off us.  Then David contradicts himself by declaring, "I am a worm and not a man" (Ps 22:6 NIV), and "I am forgotten as though I were dead" (Ps 31:12 NIV). Elijah was so depressed that he cried, "Enough... Lord, take away my life" (1Ki 19:4). Job cursed the day he was born, yet the Bible calls him a "blameless and upright" man who reverenced God (Job 1:1 NIV). Pastor Schultze continues: "Measuring our worth to God by our performance will continue to threaten us until the end of time...I absolutely refuse to go to bed going through some kind of checklist on how I did...l would rather ask myself the question Jesus asked Peter...do you love Me with all your heart, soul, mind and strength? Again, that is the only test I want to give myself at the end of the day." It's the one that counts most!Put away the measuring stick! Do you love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength?Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!