Video Devotionals

Monday, November 19, 2018

The Path To Peace – Part 1

| 1:27 min read |

Environments are important. They’re the difference between productivity and waste, joy and sadness, inspiration and despair.

We live our best lives in an environment of peace. When peace rules, better work is done, more happiness is found, and every aspect of health improves. God designed you to function at your peak in an atmosphere of peace.

The big question is, how do we find peace, and how do we keep peace in our hearts, our homes and in the many relationships of life?

The first step on the path to peace is critical. It can’t be skipped or replaced. It’s essential. Peace is the result of a right and good relationship with God. It comes when we know that we are loved by Him, forgiven by Him and accepted into His family through faith in His Son, Jesus, Christ.

Paul the apostle wrote about this in Romans 5:1, 2 (TPT) “Our faith in Jesus transfers God’s righteousness to us and he now declares us flawless in his eyes. This means that we can now enjoy true and lasting peace with God, all because of what our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, has done for us. Our faith guarantees us permanent access into this marvelous kindness that has given us a perfect relationship with God. What incredible joy bursts forth within us as we keep on celebrating our hope of experiencing God’s glory!”

Do you have this kind of peace—real peace with God? When it’s in you, it can flow through you to the people and environments around you!

Pastor Dale

Friday, November 16, 2018

Slippery Slopes

| 1:45 min read |

You’re likely familiar with the term “slippery slope.” Metaphorically it describes “a course of action that seems to lead inevitably from one action or result to another with unintended consequences.” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).

This phrase is almost always used to describe a negative sequence of events that started ignorantly or innocuously, and yet ended tragically.

There is no slippery slope story more tragic than the story of Judas Iscariot. Jesus invited Judas to be one of his12 closest disciples—and appointed him as one of the first 12 apostles during His earthly ministry. It’s safe to assume that Judas had some level of love for Jesus, at least initially. He obviously made a commitment to become one of Jesus’ followers.

But little by little, over time, unresolved spiritual issues surfaced in Judas’ life. His greed, rebellion, and his opinionated nature are revealed in various situations. Without realizing it, Judas was on a slippery slope that climaxed the night before Jesus was crucified.

Look at how John described the moment in John 13:2 (NIV) “The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.” We all know the rest of the story, and the tragic end of Judas’ life.

The sad part of the story is that Judas’ bad ending was the result of small bad decisions along the way that opened him to the influence of evil. His journey down the slippery slope came to a very ugly crash. His little spiritual compromises caused him a big spiritual problem.

Are you on a slippery slope? Are you making small spiritual compromises, thinking they really don’t matter? Hop off the slope and get back on solid spiritual ground!

Pastor Dale

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Overcoming Resistance

| 1:40 min read |

Change is a key part of life. Somewhere I read that failure isn’t fatal, but failure to change can be! I agree. When something needs to change in us, we’re foolish to avoid it. We’re also foolish to resist it.

Resistance to change is a big problem with lots of people. For a variety of reasons, we push change away from us. We put up walls against it.

This was the case with the apostle Peter. On the Thursday evening, before Jesus was crucified, Jesus spent time with His disciples around a meal. After dinner, Jesus did something astounding. He got up and began washing the feet of His 12 closest followers. He was giving them an example of true leadership. He wanted to change the way they thought about loving and serving one another.

When Jesus came to Peter, Peter resisted. Look at his reaction in John 13:6-9 (NIV) “He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus replied, ‘You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ ‘No,’ said Peter, ‘you shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.’ ‘Then, Lord,’ Simon Peter replied, ‘not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!’”

Peter’s first response to Jesus’ plan to wash his feet was resistance. Peter’s resistance almost cost him one of his most precious experiences with His Savior. Jesus confronted Peter’s resistance in a very firm but loving way, and Peter changed his mind. Peter then allowed the Lord to do what He wanted to do in his life.

Where are you resisting Jesus’ plans? What price are you paying for your resistance? What good things is resistance robbing of your life?

Pastor Dale

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

An Enemy Called Apathy

| 1:48 min read |

Maybe you’ve heard the old joke about the man who asked his friend, “What’s the difference between ignorance and apathy?” The friend replied, “I don’t know, and I don’t care!” His response inadvertently answered the question. Ignorance is what you don’t know. Apathy is a lack of concern or care.

The word apathy comes from a negated form of the Greek word “pathos”—“a-pathos.” It means, “without feeling or emotion.” It includes the idea of a lack of action or responsiveness. Apathetic people distance themselves from emotions about important priorities. They have no urgency to address essentials. They make few or no commitments to things that really matter. They’re indifferent.

One of the root causes of apathy is comfort. When we become comfortable as we are, we don’t care about changing. We casually drift through life maintaining status quo.

God addresses apathy in lots of places in the Bible. One example is found in Haggai 1:5-7 (NIV) “Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.’ This is why the Lord Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways.’”

The context of this message is important. God’s people had returned from Babylonian Captivity to Jerusalem. They were supposed to rebuild the temple, but instead, they focused on building their own homes first, and had become apathetic about God’s House. God confronted their indifference. He reminded them that there’s a price to pay for spiritual apathy.

We have an enemy called apathy. Don’t let indifference shrink and impoverish your life.

Pastor Dale

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

What You Don’t Know…

| 1:22 min read |

You’ve heard the statement before, haven’t you? “What you don’t know can’t hurt you!” I’m not sure who comes up with some of these crazy ideas, but the truth is, what you don’t know can hurt you. Ignorance can and will ransack your life.

God warned us about the consequences of ignorance. Hosea 4:6 (NIV) “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge …”

It’s helpful to have a little history about this verse. Hosea spoke this to the people of the northern kingdom of Israel. They drifted from God’s Word and laws because the religious leaders of their day hadn’t taught the Scriptures to them. This deficit of spiritual knowledge resulted in some very bad choices. Their lives were being destroyed because they didn’t understand some things they should have understood.

What you don’t know can cost you greatly. It can destroy your life, your marriage, your family, your health, and your finances. It can steal your life’s possibilities and potential. This is why you need to be a student of God’s Word. That’s why you need to be a part of a local church where the Bible is taught. That’s why you need people in your life who inspire you to live God’s way. That’s why your children need to be taught God’s Word. Education, especially spiritual education, will save you from lots of bad choices, and the consequences that accompany them.

Pastor Dale

Monday, November 12, 2018

Making a Change

| 1:27 min read |

Life is filled with changes. We live our lives in stages. From childhood to youth, to young adulthood, to middle age, to senior status, life is all about changes.

Changes aren’t always easy. Especially if we are unprepared for them, or resistant to them. Yet change is essential for growth. It’s part of maturing.

Change is a big part of our spiritual lives too. God is continually calling and challenging us to make the right changes in the way we think and live. He wants to move us forward into greater maturity and responsibility, which requires leaving old things behind.

The truth is we’re always changing—for better or worse. The choice is ours.

The right choice is to change for the better. The key to this kind of change involves our attitudes and mindset. Changing your thinking for the better is actually how you change your life for the better.

Take a look at this familiar verse from Romans 12:2 (GW) “Don’t become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants—what is good, pleasing, and perfect.”

In what ways is your mind stuck in a rut? What thoughts are holding you back from the life God planned for you? How has worldly thinking infiltrated your mind and restricted you from loving and serving God and others to your fullest potential?

Choose to change your thinking. God will show you how, and He’ll help you do it!

Pastor Dale

Friday, November 9, 2018

Are You Content?

| 1:36 min read |

Discontentment is a very common human ailment. Through constant messages from marketers, and the prevalence of social media influences, we’re continually reminded of the things we don’t have. When we look at our lives in the light of celebrities, or in contrast to the highlight reels of our peers on Facebook and Instagram, we can easily become frustrated with what we “lack.”

One of the major strategies of the devil is to agitate us and make us restless with life. His tactics include creating discontentment in our souls. Discontentment poisons our perspective and robs us of the appreciation and joy we have in the opportunities and gifts given to us by God. If we’re not careful, we’ll be sidetracked by our frustration and rendered useless for God and miss His purpose for our lives.

The apostle James reminds us of the blessings we have from God, and the gratitude we should express because of them. Note what he wrote in James 1:16, 17 (NIV) “Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

The cure for discontentment, and the pathway to contentment is an awareness of all your blessings, a recognition of the Source of your blessings, the genuine expression of appreciation to God for every blessing He has provided. You’ll never be content without gratitude. When you’re grateful for what you have, and continually thank God for every blessing in your life, you’ll be more contented person. And contentment is a good thing!

Pastor Dale

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Staying Strong

| 1:16 min read |

How strong are you? I’m not talking about physical strength, I’m referring to spiritual strength. How spiritually strong are you?

The beginning point of developing spiritual strength is actually counterintuitive. To be strong in spirit you must first acknowledge your weakness—your spiritual vulnerabilities. When you realize how spiritually weak you are, you’re motivated to become more aware—more vigilant—against the temptations that can take you down and out.

James the apostle reminded us of this in James 1:13-16 (NIV) “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don’t be deceived, my brothers and sisters.”

Here we’re told that all of us can easily be lured into trouble by the attraction of sin. If we think we’re beyond the pull of temptation, we’re deceiving ourselves. Spiritual strength starts with acknowledging our weakness. When you realize your spiritual weakness, you’ll be better prepared to overcome the temptations that can lead you astray.

Pastor Dale

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Press In and Press On!

| 1:27 min read |

Have you been under pressure recently? Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “pressure” as “the burden of physical or mental distress; the constraint of circumstance; the application of force to something; the stress of urgency of matters needing attention.”

We really don’t need a formal definition to understand pressure. We know when it’s affecting us. It pushes forcefully and painfully on our mind and soul. We feel the weight of it in our hearts. We battle under the dark cloud of the worry and weariness it generates.

What’s the best way to handle pressure? You must press in and press on! Look at what James the apostle wrote about this in James 1:12 (NIV) “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

The key word in this verse is “perseveres.” To persevere is to keep going when everything is pressuring you to quit. It’s to bear up without resignation, with hope and confidence of eventual victory. It’s tenacity of faith, steadfastness in service, strength of heart and depth of commitment that causes you to stay the course.

Perseverance is all about pressing in and pressing on when life pressures come your way. It’s holding on to the promise that you’re going to make it, when it feels like you’re done. Don’t forget, people who press in and press on are rewarded for their perseverance!

Pastor Dale

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Overcoming Confusion

| 1:35 min read |

Decisions are a part of life. We make choices every day about all kinds of things, from the simplest decisions to very complicated ones. Nothing hinders good decision-making more than confusion.

Confusion is mixed or contradictory ideas and opinions about something. It is a lack of clarity about a direction. It creates emotional distress and frustration. Confused people get stuck in the paralysis of analysis.

The Bible uses a phrase that aptly describes this condition. It’s called “double-minded.” The apostle James spoke about the dangers of “double-mindedness” in James 1:5-8 (NIV) “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”

The original Greek word for “double-minded” refers to “someone with two souls or two minds” competing against one another. One part of their mind pulls in one direction and a second part pulls in another. Indecision, inactivity and ineffectiveness are the results. This person lives a “flip-flop” life, tossed around by the emotions of the moment. They are confused.

The cure to confusion is a mind filled with faith and focused on God’s promises. When our hearts and minds are full of faith, we can move forward in the face of questions and uncertainty. Confusion is conquered by faith!

Pastor Dale

Monday, November 5, 2018

Need Directions?

| 1:17 min read |

Do you remember the “pre-Google Maps” days? I do! Years back, every journey to an unfamiliar destination required a map—a real paper map! You would mark your route and read the map to get where you were going.

Inevitably, map reading included an additional element. When the map was unclear, or road changes had been made, you had to stop and ask someone for directions. Hundreds of times over the years I have gone into gas stations, convenience stores, or stopped somewhere along the way to ask for help finding my destination. The map and the asking worked together!

The same is true in getting direction from God. We need a map, which is the Bible, and we need prayer, which is the asking. The Bible clarifies the road we are to take, and prayer helps us discover the adjustments we need to make along the way.

James the apostle referred to what we should do when we need guidance from God in James 1:5 (NIV) “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all, without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

We all need guidance. We may need to make a decision that we’re unsure of making or face a decision about an opportunity that we’re unsure of taking. In all kinds of situations, we need to know what to do—what path to take.

Pastor Dale

Friday, November 2, 2018

Give-away Day!

| 1:14 min read |

Most people love giveaways. Walk through a mall or grocery store and you’ll notice people adjusting their path toward employees giving out samples—especially free food!

As believers in Jesus, we’re called to distribute free samples of God’s goodness to others. Jesus said it this way in Matthew 10:8 (NIV) “… Freely you have received; free give.”

Every day should be a give-away day for us. We should look for opportunities to distribute free samples of God’s love, grace, kindness, forgiveness, and favor. We should look for people we can encourage, inspire and support. We should give away faith and friendship. We should be the kind of person that people adjust their path to be near, knowing that something good and life-giving is always in our hearts, hands and mouths.

When we give, we should also remember that good comes back to us. While we don’t give to get, the law of reciprocity works. Jesus taught us this in Luke 6:38 (NIV) “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Go ahead and give! God will take care of you! Make every day a give-away day!

Pastor Dale

Thursday, November 1, 2018

Faith—Full

| 1:39 min read |

A while back I had surgery on one of my knees. As a part of recovery, the doctor prescribed physical therapy. I was amazed at how quickly the muscles supporting my knee atrophied. In a matter of days following the surgery, I had lost a significant amount of strength that needed to be restored — muscle tissue needed to be rebuilt.

The remedy was the right exercises. During my physical therapy sessions, I was taken through muscle-building routines and sent home with a list of exercises to do. The promise was—“do these and your strength will return.”

It’s something we all know, muscles develop through use. They’re enlarged through exercise. Lack of exercise = lack of development.

The same is true of faith. Faith is like a muscle. It’s meant to be used. It grows when it’s put under pressure and stretched. This is what the apostle James was talking about in James 1:2-4 (TLB) “Dear brothers, is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you’ll be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete.”

The pressures and stresses of life are a gift of God to you. They’re God’s way of making your faith grow. They’re God’s way of developing you into a person you never dreamed you be, with a faith you never dreamed you could have!

God is committed to helping you become “faith—full!” Full of faith in every area of your life! Stop cursing the tough times. See them as exercises that increase the strength of your faith!

Pastor Dale

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

How Patient Are You?

| 1:21 min read |

I suppose most of us would likely give ourselves low marks on the patience scale. We like quick. We like fast. We like immediate.

The truth is, the greatest things in life take time to grow and develop. Compare a mushroom with an oak tree. The mushroom sprouts quickly and disappears quickly. The oak tree grows slowly but endures centuries. Our problem is, we want oak tree strength at mushroom speed!

To get oak tree strength you need oak tree patience! This is what the apostle James was talking about in James 1:2-4 (TLB) “Dear brothers, is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you’ll be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete.”

The Greek word for “patience” can also be translated “perseverance.” It means “to remain, endure, hold out, and wait on.” (TDNT) It describes the commitment of someone to stay the course, keep on working and waiting until problems are solved, battles are won, and challenges are conquered.

Patience has a pay-off! James says that when you develop it “… you’ll be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete.” Sounds like the kind of people we want to be!

Pastor Dale

Monday, October 29, 2018

The Choice to Rejoice

| 1:09 min read |

One of the most common questions people ask when going through a tough time is “why?” The “why am I going through this” question actually has an answer.

The apostle James give us that answer in James 1:2-4 (TLB) “Dear brothers, is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you’ll be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete.”

Problems are a part of life. Being a follower of Jesus doesn’t insulate you from them. It gives purpose to your problems. It changes your perspective of your difficulties. Instead of trying to “squirm out” of them, we’re told to rejoice in them, knowing that trials provide an opportunity to use our faith. Problems put our faith to the test, proving that our faith is genuine and real—that it really works.

Are you going through a hard time? Make the choice to rejoice. Change your perspective about your problems. See them as an opportunity to prove that your faith is real, and it really works!

Pastor Dale

Friday, October 26, 2018

Are You A Worshiper?

| 1:14 min read |

Are you a worshiper? The truth is, we’re all worshipers. It’s just a matter of who or what we worship!

Worship is all about the priorities and allegiances of your life. It’s about who or what you’re primarily devoted to. Some people worship their work. Some worship money. Others worship pleasure. The list could go on and on.

The Bible makes it clear that worshiping anyone or anything other than God, and His Son, Jesus Christ, is known as idolatry. Yes, idolatry! Kind of heavy isn’t it? It should also be sobering.

We don’t usually consider ourselves to be idolaters, but the truth is, anytime anything takes priority over God in our lives that person or thing becomes an idol to us. And idolatry never ends well. It always leads to disappointments and an empty life.

The cure for idolatry is true and right worship. There is only One who is truly worthy of worship. There is only One who deserves our allegiance and obedience.

Look at what Jesus said about this in Luke 4:8 (NLT) “Jesus replied, “The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

Note the “only” in this verse. True worshipers remove all over “gods” and worship the only One who is worthy. Are you a true worshiper?

Pastor Dale