Romans 12:1“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”DevotionalWe love talking about the fire of God. We pray for revival, ask for more of His presence, and sing songs about wanting God to move in our lives. But throughout Scripture, there is a connection we cannot...  Read More

Leviticus 6:12“The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood and arrange the burnt offering on the fire…”DevotionalThere is a small phrase in Leviticus 6 that is easy to overlook: “Every morning.” God didn't simply tell the priests to keep the fire burning. He gave them a rhythm for doing it. Every morning, before another day unfolded, ...  Read More

Leviticus 6:12–13“The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood and arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat of the fellowship offerings on it. The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.”DevotionalThere is a difference between starting a fire and keeping a fire burning. Starting a fire ca...  Read More

Scripture"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me." — John 10:14DevotionalAs we've walked through these devotionals together, we've talked about recognizing God's voice, delighting in His presence, testing our desires, seeking confirmation, trusting His open doors, and following Him one step at a time. Every one of those lessons is important, but they all point to something ev...  Read More

Scripture"He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake." — Psalm 23:3DevotionalOne of the hardest parts of following God is that He rarely shows us the entire journey. We naturally want a roadmap. We want to know where He's taking us, how long it will take, what obstacles we'll face, and how everything will turn out. God, however, usually offers us something much better than a detailed p...  Read More

Scripture"What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open." — Revelation 3:7DevotionalOne of the most common questions Christians ask when trying to discern God's will is, "Is God opening this door?" It's a good question, but it's also one that can be misunderstood. Sometimes we assume that if something is easy, it must be God's will. If it's difficult, we assume we've missed Him ...  Read More

Scripture"Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses." — 2 Corinthians 13:1DevotionalHave you ever had a moment where you felt like God was speaking to you, but you weren't completely sure? Maybe it was an opportunity, a new direction, or a dream that began to grow in your heart. You sensed the Holy Spirit stirring something inside of you, but you also wondered, "I...  Read More

Scripture"Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." — Psalm 37:4DevotionalPsalm 37:4 is one of the most quoted—and misunderstood—verses in the Bible. Many people read it as though God is saying, "If you love Me enough, I'll give you everything you've always wanted." But that's not what David is saying.Look at the progression. He says, "Trust in the Lord... dwell in...  Read More

Scripture"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me." — John 10:14DevotionalOne of the greatest misconceptions about hearing God's voice is that it's a gift reserved for a select few. We assume there are certain Christians who have a special ability to hear from God while the rest of us are left trying to figure things out on our own. Jesus paints a very different picture.In Joh...  Read More

Scripture"When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice." — John 10:4DevotionalOne of the questions I've been asked more than almost any other is, "How do I hear God's voice?" It's a question that usually comes during seasons of uncertainty. We have decisions to make, relationships that need wisdom, and moments where we're despe...  Read More

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (NIV)“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.”One of the beautiful things about the Church is that God has never expected everyone to look the same, serve the same, or minister the same. ...  Read More

1 Corinthians 14:1 (NIV)“Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.”It is fascinating to me that after spending an entire chapter explaining spiritual gifts and another chapter celebrating love, Paul begins chapter fourteen with a command that brings everything into proper perspective. He doesn’t tell the church to chase spiritual experiences. He doesn’t te...  Read More

1 Corinthians 12:7 (NIV)“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”One of the most remarkable truths about spiritual gifts is that they were never intended to stop with us. Every gift the Holy Spirit gives has someone else’s name attached to it. Think about that for a moment. If God gives someone a word of encouragement, it’s because someone else needs encourage...  Read More

Ephesians 4:11-12 (NIV)“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”When most people think about church, they naturally think about what happens on Sunday morning. We gather to worship, hear God’s Word preached, pray together, and encourage one another. Those thin...  Read More

1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”One of the most overlooked words in this verse is the word stewards. Peter doesn’t say we are owners of our gifts. He says we are stewards. An owner has the right to do whatever he wants with what belongs to him. A steward understands that everything ...  Read More

Romans 12:4-6 (NIV)“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us…”One of the quickest ways to become discouraged is to spend your life comparing your calling to someone else’s. It’s...  Read More

Acts 8:20 (NIV)“Peter answered: ‘May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!’”One of the greatest dangers in the Christian life is wanting what God can do for us more than we want God Himself. That’s exactly what happened with Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8. Simon had spent his life amazing people with signs, wonders, and displays of power. When he w...  Read More

Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV)“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”As we come to the end of this week’s study, it’s worth asking one simple question: Why are so many Christians exhausted? We have more acces...  Read More

John 15:8 (NKJV)“By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”One of the most overlooked truths about fruit is that it is never produced for the branch. An apple tree doesn’t eat its own apples. A grapevine doesn’t enjoy its own grapes. The fruit exists for someone else. It provides nourishment, refreshment, and life to those who come and partake of it. Je...  Read More

Luke 10:41-4241 … “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part…One of the greatest dangers in the Christian life is becoming so busy doing things for Jesus that we forget to simply spend time with Jesus. This is the tension we find in the story of Mary and Martha. Both women loved Jesus. Both welcomed Him into their...  Read More

Genesis 5:24 (NKJV)“And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.”One of the shortest biographies in all of Scripture may also be one of the most profound. The Bible tells us very little about Enoch. We don’t read about great battles he fought, miraculous signs he performed, or famous sermons he preached. Instead, God chose to summarize his entire life with one simple statement: “En...  Read More

Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”One of the greatest frustrations in the Christian life is realizing that we still struggle with the very things we thought would disappear after coming to Christ. We know we should be more patient, yet we still lose our te...  Read More

John 15:5 (NKJV)“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.”⸻One of the greatest misconceptions about the Christian life is that abiding is something we do for a few minutes every morning. We think if we spend thirty minutes reading our Bible, say a quick prayer, and maybe listen to worship music on the drive to work...  Read More

John 15:4 (NKJV)“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”⸻If you asked most Christians what God wants from their lives, many would answer, “He wants me to produce fruit.” While that’s true, it’s not where Jesus begins. In John 15, Jesus never commands His followers to produce fruit. Instead, He giv...  Read More