Podcasts about Devotion

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!emersonk78@me.comExcel Still More Journal - AmazonNew GENESIS Daily Bible Devotional!Daily Bible Devotional Series - AmazonTitle Sponsor: Tyler Cain, Senior Loan Officer, Statewide MortgageWebsites: https://statewidemortgage.com/https://tylercain.floify.com/Phone: 813-380-8487On Pentecost, Peter presented four cases for Christ: Miracles, Prophecy, Resurrection, and the Events of Pentecost. This created a 4 Part Response by the hearer: Repentant Hearts, Separation from Sin, Devotion to Worship, and Sacrificial Service of one another! And so should Christ's victory today.We need one another, and we need to value our faithfulness in terms of how we fit together, work together, and love God's people. 2,4,6,8 Who Do We Appreciate - is not just a great softball chant, it lends to God's people cheering one another  in Acts 2:42-37; 4:23-37; 6:1-7; and 8:1-17!  What does that look like today?1) Pray Unceasingly for Christians2) Prioritize the Gathering of Saints3) Participate in Sacrificial Service4) Proclaim Christ and His ChurchYou can do it. We can do it, together!

Joni's newest book "Keeping Faith When Life Hurts" is out now! Order it here --------Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org. Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260720dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. Who then is like me?” Isaiah 44: 6-7 The Bible Stands Alone In Old Testament times, God gave his people a visible reminder of his presence called the Ark of the Covenant. There was a time when the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines who had defeated Israel in battle and claimed the ark as their prize. Since they already believed in many gods, why not add the God of Israel as well? So, they placed the ark in the temple of their god, Dagon. The next morning, when they went to worship Dagon, there he lay, facedown before the ark of the Lord! So, Dagon was put back in his place. The next morning, it was the same result—Dagon facedown before the ark of the Lord, but this time his head and hands had broken off. Message received! The ark needed to go back to Israel because Dagon could not handle being in the presence of the Lord. (1 Samuel 5) God has placed in our hearts an awareness that there is a God and a desire to know that God. Throughout the course of human history, different gods and goddesses, spirits, and mystical powers have been proclaimed as gods. But “who then is like me?” asks the Lord. The best that the false worshippers could hope for is that their gods and goddesses would send rain and grow their fields and grow their families and flocks. If they gave the right sacrifices, perhaps those gods would listen. The Lord God stands alone. He does something that sinful minds couldn’t have even imagined. He came to us, wearing our flesh and blood. He redeemed us, taking our sinful failures upon himself. He loves us, promising his presence with us through life and preparing a place in eternity with him when this life comes to its close. Truly, the God of the Bible stands alone. Prayer: Lord God, help me to see you for you who are—eternal, powerful, and singular in your love for fallen humanity. Move my heart to serve you in my life. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Aloha and welcome to The Mission North Shore's podcast!  This week we dive into Luke 10:38-42 and the familiar story of Martha and Mary, two sisters whose different responses to Jesus' presence reveal profound truths about our own spiritual lives. This message beautifully illustrates that our service to God must flow from a heart of devotion rather than obligation, and that no matter how legitimate our activities may be, they can become distractions if they draw us away from intimate fellowship with Christ. 

In this third episode of A Devotional Life in a Broken World, I spend time with Clematis, a plant that offers no herbal medicine, no harvest, and no practical utility but simply climbs toward the light and offers its beauty freely.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260720dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. Who then is like me?” Isaiah 44: 6-7 The Bible Stands Alone In Old Testament times, God gave his people a visible reminder of his presence called the Ark of the Covenant. There was a time when the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines who had defeated Israel in battle and claimed the ark as their prize. Since they already believed in many gods, why not add the God of Israel as well? So, they placed the ark in the temple of their god, Dagon. The next morning, when they went to worship Dagon, there he lay, facedown before the ark of the Lord! So, Dagon was put back in his place. The next morning, it was the same result—Dagon facedown before the ark of the Lord, but this time his head and hands had broken off. Message received! The ark needed to go back to Israel because Dagon could not handle being in the presence of the Lord. (1 Samuel 5) God has placed in our hearts an awareness that there is a God and a desire to know that God. Throughout the course of human history, different gods and goddesses, spirits, and mystical powers have been proclaimed as gods. But “who then is like me?” asks the Lord. The best that the false worshippers could hope for is that their gods and goddesses would send rain and grow their fields and grow their families and flocks. If they gave the right sacrifices, perhaps those gods would listen. The Lord God stands alone. He does something that sinful minds couldn’t have even imagined. He came to us, wearing our flesh and blood. He redeemed us, taking our sinful failures upon himself. He loves us, promising his presence with us through life and preparing a place in eternity with him when this life comes to its close. Truly, the God of the Bible stands alone. Prayer: Lord God, help me to see you for you who are—eternal, powerful, and singular in your love for fallen humanity. Move my heart to serve you in my life. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Want to send a message to us? Click here!Support the showStart your morning with 5 minutes of wisdom and clarity from the Book of Proverbs.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260720dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. Who then is like me?” Isaiah 44: 6-7 The Bible Stands Alone In Old Testament times, God gave his people a visible reminder of his presence called the Ark of the Covenant. There was a time when the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines who had defeated Israel in battle and claimed the ark as their prize. Since they already believed in many gods, why not add the God of Israel as well? So, they placed the ark in the temple of their god, Dagon. The next morning, when they went to worship Dagon, there he lay, facedown before the ark of the Lord! So, Dagon was put back in his place. The next morning, it was the same result—Dagon facedown before the ark of the Lord, but this time his head and hands had broken off. Message received! The ark needed to go back to Israel because Dagon could not handle being in the presence of the Lord. (1 Samuel 5) God has placed in our hearts an awareness that there is a God and a desire to know that God. Throughout the course of human history, different gods and goddesses, spirits, and mystical powers have been proclaimed as gods. But “who then is like me?” asks the Lord. The best that the false worshippers could hope for is that their gods and goddesses would send rain and grow their fields and grow their families and flocks. If they gave the right sacrifices, perhaps those gods would listen. The Lord God stands alone. He does something that sinful minds couldn’t have even imagined. He came to us, wearing our flesh and blood. He redeemed us, taking our sinful failures upon himself. He loves us, promising his presence with us through life and preparing a place in eternity with him when this life comes to its close. Truly, the God of the Bible stands alone. Prayer: Lord God, help me to see you for you who are—eternal, powerful, and singular in your love for fallen humanity. Move my heart to serve you in my life. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260719dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:20 No Excuse Why are apples red? What does electricity look like? Anyone who has been a parent or teacher has heard questions like these. Sometimes we can give an answer that makes sense to the child, and sometimes not. How do you know that God exists? If he does, what is he like? These are not new questions. How they are answered is just as important now as ever. Sometimes we know who has been in a room by the smell of the perfume she has left behind. Sometimes we can tell who designed a building by its architectural style. In the same way, God has provided evidence that he exists. God’s eternal power is always on display. The world cries out that it was created by someone. And what power its creator must have—to be able to put atoms together into molecules and then exert the power to keep them all together. What power the creator of the stars must have. How far above us he must be! All around us, there is ample evidence of God’s power, wisdom, and divine nature. There is no excuse for anyone to doubt God’s existence or his involvement in the world. Does God exist? That’s not the right question. How should we serve God? What more might God have for us?” These are the questions we should ask. And the answers are given to us in the Bible. Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for revealing yourself in the world you created. Today I praise you for its wonders. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260719dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:20 No Excuse Why are apples red? What does electricity look like? Anyone who has been a parent or teacher has heard questions like these. Sometimes we can give an answer that makes sense to the child, and sometimes not. How do you know that God exists? If he does, what is he like? These are not new questions. How they are answered is just as important now as ever. Sometimes we know who has been in a room by the smell of the perfume she has left behind. Sometimes we can tell who designed a building by its architectural style. In the same way, God has provided evidence that he exists. God’s eternal power is always on display. The world cries out that it was created by someone. And what power its creator must have—to be able to put atoms together into molecules and then exert the power to keep them all together. What power the creator of the stars must have. How far above us he must be! All around us, there is ample evidence of God’s power, wisdom, and divine nature. There is no excuse for anyone to doubt God’s existence or his involvement in the world. Does God exist? That’s not the right question. How should we serve God? What more might God have for us?” These are the questions we should ask. And the answers are given to us in the Bible. Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for revealing yourself in the world you created. Today I praise you for its wonders. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

In this passage, Paul urges believers to flee idolatry and examine what—or who—has our ultimate devotion. Join us as we explore what it means to choose Christ above everything else and to live with wholehearted faith in a world full of competing influences.

Want to send a message to us? Click here!Support the showStart your morning with 5 minutes of wisdom and clarity from the Book of Proverbs.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260718dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 Build Your Spiritual House “And he huffed, and he puffed…and he blew the house down!” Remember that story? The first two little pigs hastily built houses with cheap, weak materials. The Big Bad Wolf easily blew them down. The third little pig was different. He used the better, more costly materials. He invested the right amount of time and effort to build a strong house. “And he huffed, and he puffed, but he could not blow that house down!” “Be careful how you build!” That’s advice from a messenger of Jesus named Paul. It was first written some 2,000 years ago. But that advice is meant for us today, too. Careful construction and high-quality materials will provide comfort, peace of mind, and a good return on investment for our physical dwellings. But Paul had something different in mind when he wrote these words. Be careful how you build…your spiritual house! Where does one even start when trying to follow Paul’s advice? So many convenient and compelling options. So many building materials and blueprints. Let’s start where he did. Paul, the expert builder, laid a solid foundation—the good news message of Jesus Christ. Jesus laid down his life as payment for the sins of the whole world and rose from the dead in victory. Paul and others continued to build on that firm foundation by speaking and teaching the words and promises of Jesus. Those words don’t always make sense to us and don't promise a life of ease and success. But they do give great comfort when we struggle with the guilt of sin— “Take heart, your sins are forgiven.” They do give us peace of mind when confronting the reality of death— “You will be with me in paradise.” Carefully build your spiritual house on Jesus, and yours is a house that will last. Prayer: Jesus, help me to build my spiritual house on the firm foundation of your Word and works. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Today find a way to testify about Christ – that way, your gold medal, your crown will last forever. -------- Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible.     Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org   Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260718dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 Build Your Spiritual House “And he huffed, and he puffed…and he blew the house down!” Remember that story? The first two little pigs hastily built houses with cheap, weak materials. The Big Bad Wolf easily blew them down. The third little pig was different. He used the better, more costly materials. He invested the right amount of time and effort to build a strong house. “And he huffed, and he puffed, but he could not blow that house down!” “Be careful how you build!” That’s advice from a messenger of Jesus named Paul. It was first written some 2,000 years ago. But that advice is meant for us today, too. Careful construction and high-quality materials will provide comfort, peace of mind, and a good return on investment for our physical dwellings. But Paul had something different in mind when he wrote these words. Be careful how you build…your spiritual house! Where does one even start when trying to follow Paul’s advice? So many convenient and compelling options. So many building materials and blueprints. Let’s start where he did. Paul, the expert builder, laid a solid foundation—the good news message of Jesus Christ. Jesus laid down his life as payment for the sins of the whole world and rose from the dead in victory. Paul and others continued to build on that firm foundation by speaking and teaching the words and promises of Jesus. Those words don’t always make sense to us and don't promise a life of ease and success. But they do give great comfort when we struggle with the guilt of sin— “Take heart, your sins are forgiven.” They do give us peace of mind when confronting the reality of death— “You will be with me in paradise.” Carefully build your spiritual house on Jesus, and yours is a house that will last. Prayer: Jesus, help me to build my spiritual house on the firm foundation of your Word and works. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Title: Christian Accountability by Jeff Strawther, deacon     

Amit takes the time to celebrate the 300'th episode by diving into his work and findings over the last year. Reflecting on what is important now, what is his to do. An invitation to fully lean into what you truly care about and create value, not extract from there. The invitation of inquiry and the possibilities that open up when we let go of the posture of right and wrong and truly begin to love what is here. The second part of the episode is Fredrik Forss (LI) — good friend and previous guest — interviewing Amit about where he's currently at. This is a wonderful conversation that takes us deep into what it is to follow the movement above all, what it means to be living and why cultivating a posture and capability for relaxation is essential in these days. To connect: website, innrwrks.com, RCOEnjoy!

Want to send a message to us? Click here!Support the showStart your morning with 5 minutes of wisdom and clarity from the Book of Proverbs.

If you enjoy this episode, we're sure you will enjoy more content like this on The Occult Rejects.  In fact, we have curated playlists on occult topics like grimoires, esoteric concepts and phenomena, occult history, analyzing true crime and cults with an occult lens, Para politics, and occultism in music. Whether you enjoy consuming your content visually or via audio, we've got you covered - and it will always be provided free of charge.  So, if you enjoy what we do and want to support our work of providing accessible, free content on various platforms, please consider making a donation to the links provided below.  Thank you and enjoy the episode!Links For The Occult Rejectshttps://linktr.ee/theoccultrejectsOccult Research Institutehttps://www.occultresearchinstitute.org/Substackhttps://substack.com/@theoccultrejects?r=7auau0&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-pageCash Apphttps://cash.app/$theoccultrejectsVenmo@TheOccultRejectsBuy Me A Coffeebuymeacoffee.com/TheOccultRejectsPatreonhttps://www.patreon.com/TheOccultRejectsPrimary Ancient SourcesAmbrose of Milan. De Virginibus / Concerning Virgins.Aristophanes. Lysistrata.Euripides. Iphigenia at Aulis.Euripides. Iphigenia among the Taurians.The Homeric Hymn to Demeter.Jerome. Against Helvidius: On the Perpetual Virginity of Blessed Mary.The Gospel According to Matthew, chapters 1–2.The Gospel According to Luke, chapters 1–2.Ovid. Fasti.Pausanias. Description of Greece.Philo of Alexandria. On the Contemplative Life.Plutarch. Life of Numa.Protoevangelium of James / Infancy Gospel of James.The Acts of Paul and Thecla.Core Academic SourcesBurkert, Walter. Greek Religion. Translated by John Raffan. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1985.Castelli, Elizabeth A. “Virginity and Its Meaning for Women's Sexuality in Early Christianity.” Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion 2, no. 1 (1986).Cole, Susan Guettel. Landscapes, Gender, and Ritual Space: The Ancient Greek Experience. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2004.Foskett, Mary F. A Virgin Conceived: Mary and Classical Representations of Virginity. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2002.Harvey, Susan Ashbrook. Ministries of Song: Women's Voices in Ancient Syriac Christianity. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2025.Harvey, Susan Ashbrook. “Revisiting the Daughters of the Covenant: Women's Choirs and Sacred Song in Ancient Syriac Christianity.” Hugoye: Journal of Syriac Studies 8, no. 2 (2005).Lillis, Julia Kelto. Virgin Territory: Configuring Female Virginity in Early Christianity. Oakland: University of California Press, 2022.Parker, Robert. Miasma: Pollution and Purification in Early Greek Religion. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1983.Sissa, Giulia. Greek Virginity. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1990.Sourvinou-Inwood, Christiane. Studies in Girls' Transitions: Aspects of the Arkteia and Age Representation in Attic Iconography. Athens: Kardamitsa, 1988.Wildfang, Robin Lorsch. Rome's Vestal Virgins: A Study of Rome's Vestal Priestesses in the Late Republic and Early Empire. London and New York: Routledge, 2006.Greek Women, Ritual, and Sacred MaidensBeard, Mary. “The Sexual Status of Vestal Virgins.” Journal of Roman Studies 70 (1980).Beard, Mary, John North, and Simon Price. Religions of Rome. Vol. 1, A History. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998.Connelly, Joan Breton. Portrait of a Priestess: Women and Ritual in Ancient Greece. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2007.Dillon, Matthew. Girls and Women in Classical Greek Religion. London and New York: Routledge, 2002.Pomeroy, Sarah B. Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves: Women in Classical Antiquity. New York: Schocken Books, 1975.Mary, Virginity, and Christian AsceticismBrown, Peter. The Body and Society: Men, Women, and Sexual Renunciation in Early Christianity. New York: Columbia University Press, 1988.Clark, Elizabeth A. Reading Renunciation: Asceticism and Scripture in Early Christianity. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1999.Cooper, Kate. The Virgin and the Bride: Idealized Womanhood in Late Antiquity. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1996.Elm, Susanna. Virgins of God: The Making of Asceticism in Late Antiquity. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1994.Limberis, Vasiliki. Divine Heiress: The Virgin Mary and the Creation of Christian Constantinople. London and New York: Routledge, 1994.Rubin, Miri. Mother of God: A History of the Virgin Mary. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2009.Shoemaker, Stephen J. Mary in Early Christian Faith and Devotion. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2016.Also want to remind people about the website, if you're into reading we have tons of information by multiple contributors, and we got t-shirts up on the site if you're interested. Fun fact, the art is all based on the eyeball. 

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260717dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. . . Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. . . But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13:3,8,23 One Seed Multiplies The farmers where I live recently planted their corn crops for the year. At the time of writing this devotion, those corn kernels have sprouted and are about six inches tall. They don’t look like much. But by late summer, those little plants will stand taller than the farmer who planted them. From one kernel of corn, one stalk grows. On that stalk, an ear of corn forms. And on that ear, there may be hundreds of kernels. One seed can produce far more than itself. That is the picture Jesus gives us when he describes the seed that falls on good soil. It produces a crop that is one hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. The seed is God’s Word. When God plants his Word in the heart, he produces what we could never grow on our own. First, God produces faith in Jesus. Through the gospel, the good news of what Jesus has done, God teaches us to trust that Jesus died for our sins, rose from the dead, and gives us forgiveness and life. But the Word doesn’t stop there. Where God gives faith, he also grows fruit. Love where there was selfishness. Joy where there was despair. Peace where there was anxiety. Patience where there was frustration. Kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control where sin had made the heart hard and tangled. And then the fruit multiplies. A person comforted by the Word speaks comfort to someone else. A forgiven sinner tells another sinner about forgiveness. A parent teaches a child. A friend shares a promise. A congregation supports a mission. The same seed that took root in one heart is scattered into another. One seed produces much fruit. That's what God's Word does. Prayer: Lord Jesus, plant your Word deeply in my heart. Grow faith and good fruit in me and use me to share your Word with others. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Devotion : Psalm 136:1-9, 23-36 / God's Steadfast Love Endures Forever! by Community Lutheran Church

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260717dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. . . Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. . . But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13:3,8,23 One Seed Multiplies The farmers where I live recently planted their corn crops for the year. At the time of writing this devotion, those corn kernels have sprouted and are about six inches tall. They don’t look like much. But by late summer, those little plants will stand taller than the farmer who planted them. From one kernel of corn, one stalk grows. On that stalk, an ear of corn forms. And on that ear, there may be hundreds of kernels. One seed can produce far more than itself. That is the picture Jesus gives us when he describes the seed that falls on good soil. It produces a crop that is one hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. The seed is God’s Word. When God plants his Word in the heart, he produces what we could never grow on our own. First, God produces faith in Jesus. Through the gospel, the good news of what Jesus has done, God teaches us to trust that Jesus died for our sins, rose from the dead, and gives us forgiveness and life. But the Word doesn’t stop there. Where God gives faith, he also grows fruit. Love where there was selfishness. Joy where there was despair. Peace where there was anxiety. Patience where there was frustration. Kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control where sin had made the heart hard and tangled. And then the fruit multiplies. A person comforted by the Word speaks comfort to someone else. A forgiven sinner tells another sinner about forgiveness. A parent teaches a child. A friend shares a promise. A congregation supports a mission. The same seed that took root in one heart is scattered into another. One seed produces much fruit. That's what God's Word does. Prayer: Lord Jesus, plant your Word deeply in my heart. Grow faith and good fruit in me and use me to share your Word with others. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Watch the Devotion Based on 1 Timothy 6:11-16 Fight the Good Fight   What are you willing to fight for? When you signed the dotted line, you said to the country, “I am willing to fight for you, for justice, for freedom; I am willing to fight against all enemies foreign and domestic.” And I thank you for that.   Take that same willingness and apply it to your spiritual life. What are you willing to fight for? In a letter to another pastor the apostle Paul commands Timothy, “Fight the good fight of the faith.” The faith, the trust, and belief in the truth that Jesus Christ is God and man, the faith in the truth that he lived a righteous life, that he truly died, that he rose from the dead—the faith that he did this for you, so that you, by believing, by having faith in this truth, might “take hold of the eternal life” (1 Timothy 6:12).    How is your faith fight? Whether you perceive it or not, you are engaged in a fight, a wrestling match, combat if you will, every single day of your life. This fracas is against the lie from Satan that it is just not worth your time or effort, the lie that you can get after it later, the lie that it is not as important as all the other things you have going on in your life, as relationships, your wealth and finances, your physical health, what you do on leave or liberty. The truth is that all those things suffer when we don't fight the good fight of the faith.   The apostle Paul reassures Pastor Timothy and you, where you and I have become apathetic or disinterested in our fight, Jesus fought the good fight for us. Paul points us to a skirmish that shows Jesus' persistence. “While testifying before Pontius Pilate [Jesus] made the good confession” (1 Timothy 6:13).   My fellow fighters, when the battle is long, when you are weary, when you have lapsed, flee to Christ and see your failures pardoned in Christ's persistent faith.   Then stand on your feet and get ready to “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11). Fight the good fight of the faith until Jesus appears and you may rest from your struggle.   Prayer: Lord Jesus, the fight for my faith in you is fierce and I am often weary. Sometimes I am lazy. Forgive me. Restore me by the strength of your forgiveness. Renew in me the desire to daily put on the armor of God so that I might fight against the lies of the devil with the truths you have taught me. Cause me to stand firm so that I might help others fight the good fight of the faith in you. Amen.   Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

Weekly devotion

Want to send a message to us? Click here!Support the showStart your morning with 5 minutes of wisdom and clarity from the Book of Proverbs.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260716dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 The Solid Foundation Every building needs a foundation. You can touch up paint. You can change the carpet. You can move furniture. But if the foundation crumbles, the whole building is in trouble. The apostle Paul knew that the church in Corinth had plenty of problems. They argued. They compared leaders. They acted immaturely. They misused the sacraments. They were tempted to build their faith on personalities, wisdom, talent, and human success. Paul pointed them back to the only foundation strong enough to hold them: Jesus Christ. That is still the only safe foundation. Your life cannot fully rest on your intelligence. It will eventually fail you. Your reputation can change in a moment. Your health can weaken. Your money can disappear. Your family, as precious as they are, cannot carry the weight of your soul. Your own faithfulness is not a strong enough foundation either. You know how often you stumble. But Jesus does not crumble. There is no storm in life stronger than him. There is no earth-shaking event that can make him waver. He is strong and secure through it all. That means when guilt accuses you, you have a foundation: Jesus died for you and your sin. When your faith feels weak, you have a foundation: Jesus holds onto you. When you are scared, you have a foundation: Jesus is with you. Build on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Find your rest in it. Be at peace in it. That foundation is the one you need in this life. Prayer: Lord Jesus, keep me from building my hope on anything that cannot last. You are my foundation in life, in death, and forever. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Are you living in the hope and confidence of who God has made you in Christ? His Hill alumnus and current camp counselor Aaron Sseruwagi, whom we had on the podcast a couple of weeks ago in episode 255 sharing his testimony, is back with us to encourage us in the truth of who we are in Christ.www.instagram.com/thehishillpodcast/www.hishill.orgkelly@hishill.org

In this episode of the Integral Yoga Podcast (Ep. 152), we sit down with master percussionist and sound healer Arjun Bruggeman. Known extensively for his decades of touring and playing the tabla alongside kirtan wallah Krishna Das, Arjun shares his profound evolutionary journey from a young punk-rock-loving drummer to a devotional musician and sound journey guide.Arjun opens up about his early life, the hilarious story of how he got his first drum kit, and his first chaotic introduction to the world of kirtan. He dives deep into what happens internally while anchoring a room full of chanters, sharing incredible transcendent experiences of devotion and the feeling of complete stillness on stage.We also explore his shift during the pandemic toward his solo "Sound Journey" work—inspired by the etheric nature of the Northern Lights—and how he uses meditation and ambient percussion to help others drop out of the mind and into the "sensation arts" of the body.

This true story of a Jewish mother and daughter is a powerful testament to courage, devotion, and the fragile thread of hope that sustained them through unimaginable hardship. Amidst cruelty and terror, they also encountered rare moments of humanity. Throughout their ordeal, both Bronia and Hajuta clung to memories of the River Kamienna—a place where they once danced, played music, and dreamed of the future. For them, the river was more than just a memory; it was a promise that they might one day return home.Bronia Feldman never imagined she would become the backbone of an underground medical lifeline, especially within the brutal forced-labor system of the HASAG munitions factory in occupied Poland. Torn from her family in September 1942, she arrived at the factory shattered by grief. Yet, the only force strong enough to keep her alive was the hope of saving others.My guess is honored to share her family's story—a story that warns of the dangers of fascism, antisemitism, and genocide. Despite the inhumanity they endured, the most valuable lessons Bronia and Hajuta passed on to her brothers and me were to embrace life, cherish family, and stand firmly against prejudice and injustice, just as they did. https://www.paulinesteinhorn.net/http://www.yourlotandparcel.orgSupport the show

Our guest on this episode is Jonathan "Johnny" Kuplak, co-founder of Sebaste, an organization in New Mexico challenging young men to become great saints through adventure, brotherhood, physical challenge, and prayer. Johnny is a husband.  He is also a teacher and an endurance athlete. In this episode, you will find the answers to the following questions about Johnny and Sebaste: Did he grow up in a large, sports-oriented family? What kind of school did he attend and how did it affect him? Why is brotherhood so important to him throughout his life? When and why did running become important in his life? What does he say about fear and how does his view affect his life? What is Sebaste and how did he and his friend, Jeremy, develop the Sebaste organization? Why did they name the organization “Sebaste” and what's the story of the Forty Martyrs? What is the mission, purpose, and goal of Sebaste and why is running so important to the experience? Why is freedom so important to him? What is the difference between a marathon and an ultra-marathon? What is the Via Magna and did he complete it? The four pillars of Sebaste are: Devotion, Adventure, Challenge, and Brotherhood. What do each of these pillars mean to the Sebaste organization? Where does the Catholic identity in Sebaste come from? Are stoicism and comfort the enemies of Christianity? Does Sebaste have any events coming up? Is there a target age and a gender that Sebaste is geared toward? What advice does he have for people who won't participate in Sebaste but want to practice what they preach? Links: https://www.sebaste.org/ 40 Martyrs - https://www.sebaste.org/about-us https://melkite.org/faith/faith-worship/melkite-identity/the-melkites https://www.usccb.org/topics/youth-and-young-adult-ministries/saint-pier-giorgio-frassati https://www.sebaste.org/via-magna #catholicsports, #sebaste, #catholicbrotherhood, #faithandphysicality, #understandingmen  

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260716dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 The Solid Foundation Every building needs a foundation. You can touch up paint. You can change the carpet. You can move furniture. But if the foundation crumbles, the whole building is in trouble. The apostle Paul knew that the church in Corinth had plenty of problems. They argued. They compared leaders. They acted immaturely. They misused the sacraments. They were tempted to build their faith on personalities, wisdom, talent, and human success. Paul pointed them back to the only foundation strong enough to hold them: Jesus Christ. That is still the only safe foundation. Your life cannot fully rest on your intelligence. It will eventually fail you. Your reputation can change in a moment. Your health can weaken. Your money can disappear. Your family, as precious as they are, cannot carry the weight of your soul. Your own faithfulness is not a strong enough foundation either. You know how often you stumble. But Jesus does not crumble. There is no storm in life stronger than him. There is no earth-shaking event that can make him waver. He is strong and secure through it all. That means when guilt accuses you, you have a foundation: Jesus died for you and your sin. When your faith feels weak, you have a foundation: Jesus holds onto you. When you are scared, you have a foundation: Jesus is with you. Build on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Find your rest in it. Be at peace in it. That foundation is the one you need in this life. Prayer: Lord Jesus, keep me from building my hope on anything that cannot last. You are my foundation in life, in death, and forever. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Get The 1.6:1 Ratio System: https://go.justinegliskis.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=book_funnelApply to work 1:1 with me: https://calendly.com/egliskiscapital/90-day-gameplan-sessionEmail: hey@justinegliskis.com to get in contact with meNew episodes out every Monday and Thursday at 10 AM Eastern TimeWorry is praying for what you don't want. Anxiety and faith use the exact same muscle — imagination invested in the unseen.The more attention you put into what you don't want, the more of it shows up. You can't be scared and grateful simultaneously. There's healthy fear — you see a bear in the woods, your system fires correctly. Then there's the fear of a party invitation, a social event, what someone thinks of you. That's Satan. Regret is a guideline: I didn't buy her flowers, I was too focused on building. I had to fumble to see. The Bible spams "do not be afraid" for a reason — there is only one thing worth fearing, and it's living an unrighteous life.Stop rehearsing disaster. Your nervous system is being trained to live in a future that never arrives. Pen to paper — simplify the mind, simplify the energy. Prayer, preparation, and presence don't have to be complicated. Repent, rebuke, repent, rebuke. The game gets served to you on a platter when you do the hardest levels of the internal work.Listen if you're ready for the redirect: converting anxious energy into prayer, preparation, and presence. I love you. Sincerely.Discover a podcast designed for entrepreneurs and solopreneurs navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship, offering insights on stress management, health and wellness, and overcoming imposter syndrome, while emphasizing work-life balance, energy alignment, and inner peace; explore topics like burnout recovery, business automation, scaling a business, business growth strategies, client management, mental resilience, overcoming anxiety, and achieving clearer thinking for sustainable success, using the blade of awareness, solving emotional dysfunction and unveiling the trickster within. Experience transformative solitude for entrepreneurs who seek to overcome loneliness while embracing spiritual isolation as a pathway to energy alignment and emotional clarity; learn to thrive alone and awaken in solitude through purposeful mental reset practices that cultivate an abundance mindset and build emotional resilience rooted in inner peace and deep self-inquiry, enabling mindful business growth through productivity that flows from peace rather than pressure, offering essential burnout recovery and healing alone strategies with specialized alignment coaching focused on deep listening skills that unlock success in silence and develop a resilient entrepreneur mindset capable of sustainable achievement.

Want to send a message to us? Click here!Support the showStart your morning with 5 minutes of wisdom and clarity from the Book of Proverbs.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260715dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 1 Corinthians 3:5-7 Only Servants Paul worked as a missionary bringing the good news about Jesus to the people of Corinth for the first time. He spent a lot of time there teaching the basics of the Christian faith. He faithfully and diligently shared how Jesus forgives sins by his death and resurrection from the grave. After Paul left, another gospel worker came to Corinth: a man named Apollos who was a gifted and passionate preacher. He watered the seed that Paul planted. Both Paul and Apollos were talented in their own ways, but the people in Corinth had picked their favorites. One said, “I like Paul.” Another, “I like Apollos better.” Still another, “I like this other teacher best.” The Corinthians were doing what people still do today. They made too much of the messenger and too little of the God who sent the message. Paul brings them back to reality. He and Apollos are only servants. They did not make the seed grow; only God could do that. It is natural to have preferences for preachers. Some are fiery, some are thoughtful. Some make you laugh; some make you think. Some are great storytellers, and some preach verse by verse. But the best preacher is the one who faithfully shares God's Word with you. A preacher’s style cannot save you. A preacher’s personality cannot forgive your sins. A clever illustration cannot raise the dead. Only God can make faith grow, and God does that through the Word of Christ. When the Word is preached faithfully, Jesus gives you what you need most. He gives you the law that exposes your sin. He gives you the gospel that forgives your sin. He gives you himself. One servant plants, another waters, but God makes it grow. Prayer: Lord God, thank you for faithful servants who bring me your Word. Help me listen past human style and hear the saving voice of Jesus. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

July 16 | Deuteronomy 33:1-17; Luke 12:49-59; Psalm 78:65-69; Proverbs 19:13-14 //  Needing more biblical wisdom? Subscribe and listen to the Wisdom Words podcast with Pastor Dale and Pastor Joel at lifereachresources.com/wisdomwords.   

Devotion : Psalm 125 / Peace! by Community Lutheran Church

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260715dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 1 Corinthians 3:5-7 Only Servants Paul worked as a missionary bringing the good news about Jesus to the people of Corinth for the first time. He spent a lot of time there teaching the basics of the Christian faith. He faithfully and diligently shared how Jesus forgives sins by his death and resurrection from the grave. After Paul left, another gospel worker came to Corinth: a man named Apollos who was a gifted and passionate preacher. He watered the seed that Paul planted. Both Paul and Apollos were talented in their own ways, but the people in Corinth had picked their favorites. One said, “I like Paul.” Another, “I like Apollos better.” Still another, “I like this other teacher best.” The Corinthians were doing what people still do today. They made too much of the messenger and too little of the God who sent the message. Paul brings them back to reality. He and Apollos are only servants. They did not make the seed grow; only God could do that. It is natural to have preferences for preachers. Some are fiery, some are thoughtful. Some make you laugh; some make you think. Some are great storytellers, and some preach verse by verse. But the best preacher is the one who faithfully shares God's Word with you. A preacher’s style cannot save you. A preacher’s personality cannot forgive your sins. A clever illustration cannot raise the dead. Only God can make faith grow, and God does that through the Word of Christ. When the Word is preached faithfully, Jesus gives you what you need most. He gives you the law that exposes your sin. He gives you the gospel that forgives your sin. He gives you himself. One servant plants, another waters, but God makes it grow. Prayer: Lord God, thank you for faithful servants who bring me your Word. Help me listen past human style and hear the saving voice of Jesus. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Michael Lewis went looking for the people holding this country together and found something he didn't expect — not just competence, but a kind of devotion so pure it made him want to keep writing about it. In the second episode of our Unsung series, Kelly sits down with one of the greatest storytellers alive to talk about what he's discovered inside the federal government, why the material keeps pulling him back, and what it means to dedicate your life to a problem nobody else thought was worth solving. Also: the story of how a one-man play about his daughter came to be — and why actor Jason Bateman was involved before Michael had written a single word. This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at Partnership for Public Service. Check out Michael's book Who Is Government? The Untold Story of Public Service To connect with Kelly and get a list of her weekly takeaways, join Kelly's free Substack.

Blockbuster had 9,000 stores and was worth $9 billion. Today, only one location remains. What happened — and what does it have to do with the church?In this episode, Pastor Scott Ardavanis sits down with his son Jonny for a father-son conversation on what actually makes a church healthy. Is it true that churches need to "change with the times or die," like Blockbuster and Kodak failed to do? Or are there timeless, transcendent principles every healthy church must hold onto regardless of culture?This episode is brought to you by our ministry partner Accountable2You. Join thousands living in freedom with nothing to hide, and visit https://accountable2you.com/dialin. Use our unique code DIALIN to get 25% off your first year of an Accountable2You Personal or Family PlanTogether they unpack 8 marks of a healthy church, including:1. A High View of God2. A High View of Scripture (expository preaching & sound doctrine)3. Every Member Ministry (every believer serving, not just watching)4. A Commitment to Holiness & Discipleship5. Christ-Centered, Spirit-Filled Worship6. A Devotion to Prayer7. A Gospel-Centered Focus (local & global)8. Qualified Biblical Leadership (elders & deacons)Whether you're a pastor, church leader, or simply trying to find a healthy church home, this conversation will help you understand what to look for — and why the church doesn't need a new strategy so much as faithfulness to God's Word.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260714dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11 Watered with the Word It doesn’t look like much from a distance, just a white line on the horizon. But as you get closer, the line has contours and dips and domes. It turns into a white ridge of snow-covered mountains. That snowpack may look quiet and still, but in the spring and summer months, it’s doing an important job. Melting. In places like the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the snowmelt is crucial for area agriculture. As snow melts, water runs down into rivers and reservoirs. It waters farms and orchards and carries communities through the dry months of summer. God says his Word works like that. Rain and snow do not fall from the sky and return without watering the earth. They accomplish God's purpose. So does his Word. It may not look powerful. Bible passages read around the family dinner table. A devotion next to a hospital bed. A Sunday sermon. But God says his Word does not return empty. That promise is great comfort, especially when we feel spiritually dry. Maybe your faith feels weak. Maybe guilt has hardened your heart. Maybe grief has left you cracked and tired. God’s Word is not powerful because of how strongly you feel it. It is powerful because God is working through it. The same Lord who sends rain to make the earth bud and flourish sends his Word to give faith, forgiveness, peace, and life. The good news of Jesus is not empty. Jesus’ death for your sins was not empty. His promise to forgive you is not empty. He left the tomb empty so that every promise he made is fulfilled. So, use God’s Word. Read it. Speak it. Share it. Rest in it. God will use it for his purpose. Prayer: Lord, water my dry heart with your Word. Make faith grow in me and use your Word through me to comfort others with Jesus. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

This past week, I worked on something that I believe has the potential to profoundly shape the next season of my life. I created a personal manifesto. The idea came from chapter fifteen of Rich Litvin's book, 100K Clients: How to Find Them, Coach Them and Keep Them. - Link To The Book In that chapter, Rich describes a manifesto as something far more than a list of goals, affirmations, or aspirations. It is a living declaration of who you are becoming. It is a personal constitution. It is something you can read regularly to help guide the moment-by-moment choices that shape your life. When I first heard the invitation to create a manifesto, I knew I wanted to take it seriously. Over the course of seven days, I spent about an hour each day reflecting, writing, refining, and allowing this manifesto to emerge. What came out of the process was not simply a better set of words. It helped me clarify the identity, commitments, practices, and inner posture that I want to live from. A manifesto is different from traditional goal-setting. Goals often focus on what I want to achieve. A manifesto helps me remember who I am becoming as I move through life. In this episode, I share how this exercise helped me reflect on five important areas: Character: Who am I becoming at the level of identity and way of being? Well-being: How do I want to relate to my body, energy, food, movement, and rest? Relationships: How do I want to love, serve, connect, and lead without abandoning myself? Wealth: How do I want to relate to money, value, service, receiving, generosity, and sovereignty? Spirit: What is the deeper truth I want to live from when everything else falls away? One of the clearest themes that emerged for me is this: I want to live consciously. I want to begin my day before the world has access to me. I want to meditate, reflect, focus within, and align with the deepest truth of who I am before stepping into the roles I am here to live, love, and lead through. I also want to continue living from the process I now call Momentum as a way of life: Desired Outcome → Clarity / Insight → Committed Calendared Action → Protected Focus → Feedback → Next Aligned Step So many people want clarity to lead directly to results. But I have learned that action always produces feedback, and that feedback can reveal the next aligned step. This is the heart of what I am living, and it is also the heart of what I love helping others experience. Toward the end of the episode, I invite you to consider a few questions: Have you been intentional about what you believe about who you are? Have you consciously chosen the narrative you tell yourself about your life, your work, your relationships, and your purpose? Have you chosen what you are devoted to? Have you identified what matters enough to protect from the distractions of the world? What would you want to remember about who you are when external evidence is temporarily absent? These are the kinds of questions that can change the direction of a life. They are also the kinds of questions I love working through with entrepreneurs inside Next Level Mastermind: Momentum. Next Level Mastermind: Momentum Momentum is a weekly coaching and mastermind environment for entrepreneurs who want to move from insight into committed action, and from committed action into visible progress. Inside Momentum, we focus on clarity, aligned next steps, calendar commitment, protected focus, feedback, and accountability. You do not need to figure out the entire map ahead of time. You simply need enough clarity to take the next aligned step, commit to it, protect your focus, and then learn from the feedback. If you are looking for more clarity, devotion, and momentum in your life and work, I invite you to learn more here: https://cliffravenscraft.com/momentum If what you read there resonates with you, reach out and let me know. If it does not, that is perfectly fine too. My hope is that this episode inspires you to think more deeply about who you are becoming, what you are devoted to, and what kind of life you are intentionally choosing to live.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260713dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. Isaiah 55:6-7 Easy to Find My children love to play hide-and-seek. They can get creative with their hiding spots. But when I play with my three-year-old, and it is my turn to hide, I keep it simple. I might leave a foot sticking out from behind the chair or make a little noise from the next room. At age three, she does not have a long enough attention span to seek more than a few minutes. So, I make sure that I am not too hard to find. When Isaiah says, “Seek the LORD while he may be found,” we might picture God as someone who is hidden far away, waiting to see whether we can find him. But God is not playing that kind of game. He is not trying to make himself hard to find. He is calling out to us. He is near. The problem is not that God has hidden himself too well. The problem is that sin leads us to look in the wrong places. We search for peace in our own plans. We search for comfort in distractions. We search for validation by making excuses or comparing ourselves to others. We go our own way and trust our own thoughts. But God calls us back. “Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them.” We find him in his Word, in his promises, in the good news of Jesus. Jesus did not come to stay hidden from sinners. He came near. He came into our world. He went to the cross to pay for our wandering ways and sinful thoughts. He rose so that mercy and pardon would not be hard to find but freely given. So, seek the Lord where he promises to be found. Call on him. Open his Word. Hear his promise. He is not hard to find. He is near with mercy in Jesus. Prayer: Lord God, when I seek peace and forgiveness in the wrong places, call me back through your Word. Thank you for coming near with mercy and free pardon in Jesus. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

What does a healthy, Christ-centered church really look like? In this message from Acts 2, Pastor Andy Wagner explores how the early church devoted themselves to God's Word, fellowship, communion, and prayer—and how those same disciplines help us grow spiritually, overcome life's challenges, and become more like Jesus.