Posts with the tag “heart”

"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." – James 4:8   Have you ever stopped to think about how amazing it is that the Creator of the universe wants a relationship with you? God, who spoke the stars into existence and holds all things together, isn’t distant or detached. He’s a personal God, and He longs to be a part of your life, not just the big moments, but every single detail.   God d...  Read More

"If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land." – Isaiah 1:19    One of the most incredible gifts God has given you is the ability to choose. He didn’t create you as a robot programmed to follow His will without question. Instead, He gave you the ability to reason, to weigh decisions, and to determine your own path. This gift of free will is a reflection of His love. He want...  Read More

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." - 1 John 2:15    It’s easy to get caught in the chase. You think, "If I could just have a little more, then I’ll be happy." A little more money, a bigger house, the latest TikTok shop trend, more clothes, more success.  The problem is, “more” never ends. You buy something you’ve bee...  Read More

"Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." - 2 Corinthians 9:7   In today’s world, everything seems to operate on transactions. Whether it’s a favor, a service, or even time spent with someone, there's often an unspoken expectation of getting something in return. It’s almost as if giving has turned into a business deal....  Read More

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." - Psalm 119:105    Have you ever found yourself searching for the right advice, a step-by-step guide on how to navigate life’s challenges? Maybe you’ve spent hours reading books, scrolling through articles, or asking for advice from friends, hoping to find the answers that will make everything clear. But what if the ultimate how-to guide has...  Read More

"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." - Ezekiel 36:26    Spending time with God has a transformative effect on our hearts. As we draw closer to Him through prayer, reading His Word, and worship, He begins to mold and shape our hearts to be more like the heart of Jesus.  The more...  Read More

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." - Matthew 6:33   What if you decided to go all in on God? Imagine a life fully surrendered to God—a life where every thought, every action, every decision is guided by His wisdom and His love. It’s a life of purpose, of passion, of unshakeable peace—a life beyond anything you could ever imagine. W...  Read More

"I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun." - Ecclesiastes 2:10-11   Have you ever found yourself chasing after the thin...  Read More

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." - Philippians 4:6  When our lives are often hectic, it's easy to overlook the many blessings that surround us. However, cultivating a heart of intentional gratitude opens our eyes to the abundance of God's goodness. Philippians 4:6 encourages us not only to present o...  Read More

"You are precious and honored in my sight, and I love you." - Isaiah 43:4    I want you to pause for a moment and let these words sink deep into your soul: You are precious and honored in God's sight, and He loves you. This love, expansive and boundless, defies human comprehension. It's a love that surpasses the heights of the heavens and reaches into the depths of your being. Consider the vastnes...  Read More

"Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'" - Matthew 19:26   Why do you question the power of God? While we might not say, "I question God's power," we do often act in ways that would suggest we do. So, let's take a moment to dig deeper. The truth is that we sometimes question God's power, not necessarily through our words, but through our...  Read More

"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." - Psalm 119:105   Have you ever experienced the profound impact of spending time in God's Word? When we immerse ourselves in the Scriptures, we're opening our hearts and minds to the wisdom, truth, and love of our Creator. It's a daily encounter that shapes our thoughts and actions in ways we can't even imagine. The Word of God is like a guidi...  Read More

"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." - Psalm 119:11   In your journey of faith, you will undoubtedly encounter temptations and the schemes of the devil. However, there is a powerful strategy at your disposal: the Word of God. Psalm 119:11 reminds us of the potency of Scripture in the battle against temptation: "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not...  Read More

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." - Psalm 51:10   Have you ever questioned whether your heart is truly ready for God to work mightily in your life? It's a vital inquiry that invites us to examine the condition of our innermost thoughts and intentions. Our hearts serve as the epicenter of our relationship with God. As Proverbs 4:23 wisely advises, "Above all e...  Read More

"But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong." - 1 Corinthians 1:27   Have you ever felt ordinary, believing that your life lacks the extraordinary qualities needed to make a difference? You're not alone. Many great heroes of faith throughout history were ordinary people whom God used to accomplish extraordinary things...  Read More

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." - 2 Peter 3:18 (ESV)  Today, let's talk about taking our faith to the next level. As we continue to walk with Christ, it's essential to elevate our faith, not only individually but also as a community of believers. Faith is like a seed planted in our hearts. It ...  Read More

Psalm 103:2 (NIV) - "Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits."   Have you taken a moment to thank God for what He has brought you through? As we journey through life, it's essential to reflect on the past and recall the countless ways in which God has faithfully guided us, comforted us, and brought us through every trial and worry. Let us remember and express gratitude for His un...  Read More

Proverbs 19:21 (NIV) - "Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."   In a world that often tells us our dreams and goals are too big, we must remember that it is God who plants those dreams and visions within us. He is the one who knows the purpose for which we are created, and only He can determine what we are truly made for. Let us hold fast to the under...  Read More

“My soul clings to you your right hand upholds me.” – Psalm 63:8  How do you know what God wants for your life? In the same way you know what your best friend, your wife, or your child wants; you spend time with Him. The more time you spend with God, the more you learn about His heart. What God wants is for us to be more like Jesus. And as our heart becomes more like Jesus, that character pours ou...  Read More

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” - Proverbs 3:5  Have you ever had a big idea about something you wanted to do, and you just got so excited to share it with the people who would be involved in this big idea? You had thought about it for some time now, and you were sure this is what you wanted to do. So you went to the people, whether it was your frien...  Read More

“Yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.” - Provers 2:3-5  Did you know you can have what you want most? That’s right. God wants to give you the thing(s) you want most in life. Now, before you go off and do your own thin...  Read More

“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’” - 1 Samuel 16:7  Over the last couple of days, we have talked about opportunity. Despite some people’s beliefs, your opportunity is still there. Your window isn’t closed,...  Read More

“For God says, ‘At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.’ Indeed, the ‘right time’ is now. Today is the day of salvation.” - 2 Corinthians 6:2  If you are here right now, reading this devotion, I want you to know that there is no coincidence. You are EXACTLY where you need to be because today is the day. You say, “Pastor, today is the day for what?”  Today is the...  Read More

“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” - Philippians 3:13-14  Do you know where you are going? I don’t mean tonight for dinner; I mean in your life. Do you know where y...  Read More

“I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess the perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly...  Read More

“Our enemies have no reason to gloat over us. We have fallen, but we will rise again. We are in darkness now, but the Lord will give us light.” - Micah 7:8   Yesterday, we mentioned that the people of Israel, God’s chosen people, were committing sins without considering the consequences. This is seen in the book of Micah. There were three specific types of sins they were regularly committing; idol...  Read More

“And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship.” - Exodus 35:31   Picking up from where we left off yesterday, Jonah’s disobedience landed him in the mouth of a big fish. And because God’s plans always prevail, the fish takes him to Nineveh. Who says God doesn’t have a sense of humor?   Now, the Ninevites were stone-cold kil...  Read More

“A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak.” - Ecclesiastes 3:7   Yesterday, we talked about sharing the message that is on your heart. When God places something inside of you, it can be a cause, a movement, a challenge, or a word of encouragement. It could be anything. When He places these things inside of you, He does not want them to stay there. He wants you to s...  Read More

“If you say with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved from the punishment of sin. When we believe in our hearts, we are made right with God. We tell with our mouth how we were saved from the punishment of sin.” - Romans 10:9-10   If you read yesterday’s devotional, you are fully aware of your need for Jesus. If we want to liv...  Read More

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” - Psalm 37:4As believers, there is a question we probably do not think about enough. We know if we want to maintain a good relationship with God, like all good relationships, there must be an element of communication. We must pray to Him, we must seek Him. But the question is, what are we praying about? What are we seeking...  Read More

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways.” This is the Lord’s declaration. “For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” (Isaiah 55:8-9) Kids have a tendency to think that material items fix everything. Ice cream fixes sadness, a game fixes boredom, and a toy makes you happy.Most everyone grows out of th...  Read More

“Jabez called out to the God of Israel: “If only You would bless me, extend my border, let Your hand be with me, and keep me from harm, so that I will not cause any pain” (1 Chronicles 4:10).God loves sincere prayers. He loves it when we are vulnerable with Him. Jabez, who’s lived his whole life being labeled as the one who caused pain, calls out to God. He’s broken-hearted and desperate for a cha...  Read More

“When they persisted in questioning Him, He stood up and said to them, ‘The one without sin among you should be the first one to throw a stone at her’” (John 8:7).Christianity is often nauseating to people who don’t understand it. The world looks at Christianity and it sees nothing but rules—rules about what they can and can’t do. As a result, many people, unfortunately, see Christianity as a grou...  Read More

“The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.” - Revelation 9:20-21 Yesterday, we talked about those who will reject...  Read More

“You study the scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very scriptures that testify about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me to have life” (John 5:39-40). When King Herod inquires where the prophecies say the Messiah will be born, he asks his scribes. These men are highly intelligent, very skilled in the law, and most likely have most, if not all, o...  Read More