Esther 4:14 NIV14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”Esther's reluctance to embrace her destiny serves as a poignant reminder of the power of fear to paralyze us. Despite her initial hesitations, Es...  Read More

 1 Samuel 16:7 NIV7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”David's journey from shepherd boy to king illustrates the transformative power of God's perspective. Though overlooked and underestimated by others, David...  Read More

Inside Out1 Samuel 9:21 NIV21 Saul answered, “But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?”King Saul, despite his outward appearance of strength and stature, struggled with feelings of insignificance due to his upbringing and the opinions of others. His story serves as a remin...  Read More

Self-Doubt Exodus 4:10 MSG10 Moses raised another objection to God: “Master, please, I don’t talk well. I’ve never been good with words, neither before nor after you spoke to me. I stutter and stammer.”Moses, despite being chosen by God for a great purpose, struggled with self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy. He couldn't see past his own limitations, forgetting that God equips those He calls. In ...  Read More

Mr. IrrelevantPsalm 8:3-4 NIV3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them human beings that you care for them?When we ponder the vastness of the universe and our seemingly small place within it, it's easy to succumb to feelings of insignificance. The story of Brock Purdy, labeled as "Mr...  Read More

Insecurity's Grip on Trust in God's Plan1 Corinthians 15:9-10 NIV"For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am..."In the tapestry of our spiritual journey, the thread of insecurity can subtly weave its way, affecting our ability to trust in God's unfolding plan. As we explore the n...  Read More

Front Lines - Embracing God's Victory in Small BeginningsJudges 7:2 & 7 NIV"The Lord said to Gideon, 'You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, 'My own strength has saved me… The Lord said to Gideon, 'With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.'"God's tendency to...  Read More

Front Lines - Seeing, Saying, and Seizing the CallMatthew 25:23 NIVWell done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things…Gideon's shift from hidden to hero involved tearing down idols, breaking generational curses, and building an altar to God. We need to see, say, and seize the call with the same determination and vision, knowing t...  Read More

Front Lines - Walking Out the Call with BoldnessJudges 7:9-15 NIV 9 During that night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. 10 If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah 11 and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp… 13 Gideon arrived just as a man was te...  Read More

Front Lines - Despise Not the CallZechariah 4:10 NLT"Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin..."It's easy to underestimate the impact of our small beginnings, but God delights in the initiation of His work. The importance of not despising the call, even when faced with challenges, and trusting that God can work wonders with the little we have cannot be un...  Read More

Front Lines - Believing and Embracing the Call Judges 6:12, 15 NIV"When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, 'The Lord is with you, mighty warrior…' Pardon me, my lord,' Gideon replied, 'but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.'"The journey from doubt to belief is a crucial aspect of Gideon's story. In our own lives, we often fac...  Read More

Front Lines - Recognizing the Call to Battle Judges 6:11-12, 14-15 NIV"The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, 'The Lord is with you, mighty warrior…'"As we conclude our series, "Front Lines," w...  Read More

Day 21: Let's CelebratePsalm 27:4 NIVOne thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.As we conclude the fast today, let's continue to believe in God for everything we have fasted for! I know that God will fulfill His promise and accomplish His will in your life!Ton...  Read More

Day 20: Fasting as Surrender 1 Samuel 1:10 NIVIn her deep anguish, Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly.Hannah's heartfelt prayer, accompanied by fasting, is a poignant example of fasting as surrender. In moments of deep anguish, fasting becomes a way to surrender our desires, fears, and concerns to God, trusting in His sovereignty.Hannah's act of fasting is intertwined with surrendering he...  Read More

Day 19: Fasting as Separation Daniel 1:8 NIVBut Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine...In the book of Daniel, we encounter Daniel's remarkable resolve to separate himself from the king's delicacies through fasting. This act of separation showcases the power of intentional fasting as a means to distance ourselves from worldly influences and draw closer to God.Daniel's ...  Read More

Ezra 8:23So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.What do we do when God doesn’t answer our prayer? I think it’s important to remember that fasting is not about imposing our will on God but about hearing His voice, seeking His face, and becoming more like Him. If you have a long time of unanswered prayers, I encourage you to start at the place of reflecting on you...  Read More

Psalm 56: 8 – 11List my tears on your scroll. Are they not in your record? Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this, I will know that God is for me. In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, in God, I trust and am not afraid.Many times, the Old Testament associates fasting with a time of mourning. While this is not true of every fast, I believe that somethi...  Read More

Galatians 6:9Do Not become weary in well doing, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest. I want to encourage you today not to give up. Keep going on the fasting journey. I know it’s been a long few hard weeks, but the end is almost near, and I believe that if you stay faithful at the proper time, you will receive a harvest! See the fast through to the end; God will bless your faithfulness. I...  Read More

Isaiah 58:3Why have we fasted, they say, and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you haven't noticed? Yet, on the day of fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.Today we are looking at the Old Testament Passage found in Isaiah 58. In this Chapter, God paints a picture of what true fasting looks like. God’s children have seemingly been using fasting as a mani...  Read More

Luke 18: 1-6“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said a certain town had a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And a widow in that town kept coming to him with the plea, Grant me justice against my adversary.’ For some time, he refused. But finally, he said to himself, Even though I don’t fear God or care wha...  Read More

Psalm 35:13 “…. I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting.”Fasting is a discipline of humility. It is a practice of laying down ourselves, placing our wants and desires aside, and putting God above all other things. It is humbling in that it allows us to realize how weak we are apart from food and earthly sustenance and draws us back to a dependence on Jesus.John 15:4-8 says, “He who abid...  Read More

Matthew 4:7 -10“Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. He said I will give all this to you if you bow down and worship me. Jesus said to him, away from me, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.”In Matthew 4, Jesus was led into th...  Read More

1 Corinthians 10:13“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted beyond what you can bear, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”The Bible tells us Jesus was tempted just as we are tempted. Let’s cling to Jesus. When our fleshly desire can sometimes take o...  Read More

Matthew 6:16-1816 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.”If our goal in fasting is to appear righteous or to prove to others how righteous we are, then we are receiving our reward here on earth. Fasting is a practice that is between you and the Lord. Liked we...  Read More