Listen to Today's Devotion The widest river in the world is a body of water called If Only. Are you standing on its shore? Does it seem the good life is always one if only away? According to the apostle Paul, the good life begins, not when circumstances change, but when our attitude toward them does. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV). Paul embedded two essential wo ..read more

Listen to Today's Devotion Confession is not complaining. If I merely recite my problems, I’m not confessing. Confession is not blaming. Pointing fingers at others without pointing any at myself does nothing to remove the conflict within me. Confession is coming clean with God. King David did. As if the affair with Bathsheba wasn’t enough. As if the murder of her husband wasn’t enough. Somehow David denied his wrongdoing for at least nine months until the child was born. It took a prophet to bring the truth to the surface, but when he did, David did not like what he saw. And he waved the white ..read more

Listen to Today's Devotion When Joseph faced his brothers twenty years after they had betrayed him, he made an incredible proclamation. “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result” (Genesis 50:20 NASB). The Hebrew word translated here as bring about is a construction term. God is the Master Builder. He redeemed the story of Joseph. But we wonder if he will redeem our story as well? Yes! Deliverance won’t be painless. It may not be quick. But God will use your mess for good. You are a version of Joseph in your generation. Yo ..read more

Listen to Today's Devotion “That evening [Adam and Eve] heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden” (Genesis 3:8 TLB). What had happened to the first family? The first couple said yes to the serpent’s temptation and no to God. And when they did, their world collapsed like an accordion. The only antidote to guilt is the power of God’s grace. I could take you to the church where this grace found me. I was a twenty-year-old college sophomore. For four years I had lived with the concrete block of guilt, not just from the first night of drunkenness but also a hundred more like it. But me ..read more

Listen to Today's Devotion Denalyn and I enjoyed a nice dinner at a local restaurant one night. About the same time we received our bill, we received a visit from a church member. After we chatted for a moment, he reached down and took our bill and said, “I’ll take this.” Guess what I did? I just let him take it away. Someday we will all stand before God. All of us will have to give an account for our lives. And were it not for the grace of Christ, I would find this to be a terrifying thought. Yet, according to Scripture, Jesus came to “take away the sins of the world” (John 1:29 Phillips). On ..read more

Listen to Today's Devotion Hard as it may be, it’s time to shine a light on that one weakness, that one bad habit, that one rotten attitude where Satan has a stronghold within you. And it begins by naming it. Try these steps: Lay claim to the nearness of God. “…Never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5 NIV) Cling to his character. The qualities of God—like his faithfulness, love, mercy, goodness—are promises you can rely on in the midst of the change you desire in your life. Confess your sins. The Scripture says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins ..read more

Listen to Today's Devotion Frightening thing, pride. Doesn’t it sneak up on us? We begin spiritual journeys as small people. The act of conversion is a humbling one. We confess sins, beg for mercy, bend our knees. We come to God humbly. No swagger, no boasts. And God works. He works the miracle of salvation. He immerses us in mercy. He stitches together our shredded souls. He deposits his Spirit in our hearts and implants heavenly gifts. Our big God blesses our small faith. Gradually our big God changes us, and people notice the difference. They applaud. They admire us. And kudos become ladder ..read more

Listen to Today's Devotion Stephen was one of the seven men tasked to care for the Gentile widows. His ministry, however, provoked antagonism. A sect of jealous enemies falsely accused him of blasphemy. They marched him to the council of the Sanhedrin and demanded that he defend himself. And did he ever! He caused a stir before he even opened his mouth. “Everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel’s” (Acts 6:15 NLT). Did heaven bathe him in a tunnel of brightness? I don’t know. I don’t know how to imagine the scene, but I know how to interpret ..read more

Listen to Today's Devotion In the game of life, many of us who cross home plate do so because we were born on third base. Others aren’t even on a team. Now some people are poor because they are lazy, and they need to get off their duffs. Others, however, are poor because they were born in the wrong place. A latitude largely vacant of libraries, vaccinations, clean water, and paved roads. The ultimate solution to poverty is found in the compassion of God’s people. Scripture endorses not forced communism, but Spirit-led volunteerism among God’s people. No one can do everything, but everyone can ..read more

Listen to Today's Devotion Hypocrisy turns people against God, so God has a no-tolerance policy. Let’s take hypocrisy as seriously as God does. Expect no credit for good deeds. Give financial gifts in secret. Don’t fake spirituality. When you go to church, don’t select a seat just to be seen or sing just to be heard. And if you raise your hands in worship, raise holy ones, not showy ones. Bottom line: don’t make a theater production out of your faith. Slay the desire to be noticed. Stir the desire to serve God. Heed the counsel of Christ: “First wash the inside of the cup and th ..read more