Acts 4:29-31 Video Devotional

Posted on May 27, 2020 by admin in Video Devotional | Tags: , , , , , , ,

“And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:29-31)

This is a great verse to memorize. This is shortly after Peter and John are at the Jewish Council where they were threatened not to spread the gospel anymore. They chose the bold path and continued to preach Jesus everywhere they went. They didn’t deny their suffering or the risks ahead, but went to the other believers and shared everything, thus allowing the believers to be in prayer for them.

Prayer is such a huge ingredient in spiritual success. It connects us to God, puts us in a humble position to listen and seek the will of the Lord. When we pray for God’s will to be done, we are not asking for what we want, but for what He wants – it lets the Spirit work freely in our hearts when we have an attitude of submission to Him. And that’s what the believers did in praying for Peter and John.

When they did that, notice the response of the prayer. It wasn’t just effective for the apostles, but for everyone who participated and led to even more of an impact with more people speaking the name of Jesus with boldness. When we get out of our own way, let God’s will reign in our soul and stop trying to do what we think is best, incredible things will happen.

Be encouraged, friends! If you pray for boldness to share the gospel, it is very likely that you will receive it, as it is God’s will for us to make disciples (Matt 28:19). Therefore ask freely, but be prepared and know that you will then need to use that boldness and will be opposed. Know that there are consequences for following God (mostly good, though you will be subject to spiritual warfare). Pray the above verse for yourself and your church family – let’s see what happens!


Genesis 45:4-8 Video Devotional

Posted on May 6, 2020 by admin in Video Devotional | Tags: , , , , ,

“So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.” (Genesis 45:4-8)

Friends, this pandemic has been long and frustrating, testing all parts of our resolve, endurance, faith, strength, and patience. It is easy in times like this to ask why, and let our anger get the best of us. Stresses are high and if the news is any inclination, there is a strong mix in each person of fear to reengage mixed with strong desire to do so.

I encourage you to look at this time to Joseph. His suffering was longstanding and difficult. Yet he saw (without knowing the future) there was purpose to what God was doing and later on (as shown in the verses above) was able to see the connection between his suffering and the salvation of many.

We do not know or understand the purposes behind God allowing this COVID-19 crisis to happen. But we do now know a lot of people (each of us in our own circles) that are at the point of desperation, where they may actually be ready to listen. Are you ready to be a witness? Are you ready to show love through your words AND actions?

People are starting to see that they need God more than ever right now – the challenge is to us to take the opportunities given and return glory to God through our actions and discussions. Praise Him! And pray that He would use you for His glory, which He is working out in the minds and hearts of those around us.


Genesis 35:9-15 Video Devotional

Posted on May 1, 2020 by admin in Video Devotional | Tags: , , , ,

“God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel. And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body. The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.” Then God went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him. And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it and poured oil on it. So Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.” (Genesis 35:9-15)

God’s promises follow through all the way to completion. That is true with these verses as well, where God promises Israel that kings will come from his body. That is obvious in David and Solomon, etc…, but it is also shown in Jesus, of whose kingdom we belong. But this promise is not fulfilled completely yet. Jesus is our Coming King. His bodily return is promised, meaning there is still a King to come to reign on this earth from Israel’s body.

We long for the days when all will be made right and justice will truly be justice. Those are His days – days that are promised to come when every tear shall be wiped away and we are fully in the presence of our King. No pandemics, natural disasters, or evils will befall His kingdom. “So, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,” (Hebrews 12:2). He’s got this – this isn’t the end, because He hasn’t returned yet.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow and Jesus who died and LIVES for us!


Genesis 1:1-2:3 Video Devotional

Posted on Apr 15, 2020 by admin in Video Devotional | Tags: , , ,

“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.” (Genesis 1:31-2:3)

Humanity is naturally inquisitive. We can’t help but look at things and desire to understand how it works; what makes it tick. This is no different when we look at spiritual things. We want to understand how God did certain things. Miracles astonish us because they defy natural order; crisis-es (such as the one we are dealing with today) frustrate us, because there is no clear answer; and death frightens us because we can’t see past it.

If we can’t take it apart and figure out how something works, as humans, that things becomes bothersome. We are naturally curious; we have to know the answer. This part of our being is a good thing and has led us to many advancements in society, but is not all good. It has a tendency to push us past of point of acceptance on some things and refuse to take the answer we are given. Again, in many cases this is good – but it is not always.

Case in point: the tendency in reading the first chapter in Genesis is to seek to find how God created. We look for details and connect “facts” together. Many read this chapter literally. They see words like “morning and evening, the first day” and take that as a 24 hour period. They read what happens on day 5 and make conclusions from there.

The problem is that Genesis 1 is not a literal, step by step recount of the act of creation. Reading the complete “creation account” of Genesis 1:1-2:3 is not prose with detailed evidential backing. It is a song; a poem. Look at the rhythm, the rhyming, repeated phrases. It reads more like a beautiful worship chorus than evidential law.

This doesn’t necessarily change anything; but it shows us that we are asking the wrong questions here – our curiosity has gotten the better of us. Instead of asking how or why God created, Genesis 1 is more interested in answering the question of WHO created. Who is this God that took chaotic nothingness and gave it order, made it beautiful, and gave it life?

I challenge you to read Genesis 1 everyday for the rest of this week and dwell on the God who did it. His power, His beauty, His goodness. Enjoy the music of creation; not just the words on the page, but the sounds of birds chirping in the backyard, the wind humming through the trees, and the laughter of a loved one. Don’t worry about how He made this world. Just enjoy the God that did. He gave this world life and personality – which means He has personality and desires love and relationship with you. He is artistic and this world (including the truth of what we are going through today) is His art!


Philippians 4:10-14 Video Devotional

Posted on Apr 13, 2020 by admin in Video Devotional | Tags: , , , , ,

“I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble.” (Philippians 4:10-14)

In the previous verses, Paul had just laid down his challenge, which was to focus on Christ and on the good. Turning things personal, Paul recaps the main point of the letter (participating with Christ means participating in His suffering for the sake of the gospel) by sharing how his hardships are teachers for him in his own personal growth. He knows he can be content and face any situation, because, in Christ, he can do all things.

The 13th verse here is famously misunderstood the world around. So many times this verse hangs in weight rooms, ball parks, motivational signage and anywhere else people want to “succeed”. There is a similar problem with Jeremiah 29:11 – so I know the plans I have for you; plans for a hope and a future… The problem is that God was telling the Israelites that while they were heading into exile in Babylon. Paul is not claiming Christ’s strength to win a prize; he is calling on Christ’s strength to thrive through the enormous challenges of his current situation.

He can face prison, persecution, pain. He can deal with fighting, fear, and fakers. Regardless of the situation he is in, Paul is prepared because the strength of Christ is in him – because Christ is in him through the Holy Spirit. We can face pandemic, panic, and even poverty, because we are citizens of Heaven!

Please share in the comments what you are enjoying most about this quarantine. What brings your heart contentment during this time?


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