Video Devotionals

Monday, June 18, 2018

You Need a Friend

| 1:28 min read |

In 1995 Disney/Pixar released a movie called Toy Story. The rest is history. Woody and Buzz Lightyear became household names. The animated hit film spawned several sequels and an entire line of Toy Story products. The theme song of the movie, written and sung by Randy Newman, was titled “You’ve Got a Friend In Me.” Do you remember the lyrics:

“…You’ve got a friend in me
When the road looks rough ahead
And you’re miles and miles
From your nice warm bed
You just remember what your old pal said
Boy, you’ve got a friend in me…

…you got troubles, I’ve got them too
There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you
We stick together and see it through
Cause you’ve got a friend in me…

Some other folks might be
A little bit smarter than I am
Bigger and stronger too
Maybe
But none of them will ever love you
The way I do
It’s me and you, boy

And as the years go by
Our friendship will never die
You’re going to see it’s our destiny
You’ve got a friend in me…”

This song exalts the beauty of best friends. Everybody needs one. And there is One who really wants to be your best friend. His name is Jesus. He’ s a true blue, never-let-you-down kind of friend. the Bible describes Him this way in Proverbs 18:24 (NIV) “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

If you haven’t met Him, welcome Him into your life today. If you know Him, let Him know that you appreciate His friendship!

Pastor Dale

Friday, June 15, 2018

How To Pray For Your Future

| 2:42 min read |

A Beginner’s Guide to Prayer: How To Pray For Your Future

What are your future plans? Most of us spend some portion of time thinking about what’s ahead for us? Much money and energy are spent by people and organizations trying to predict future behavior, trends and conditions.

One of the best ways to prepare for the future is through prayer. When we pray the right way, we’re setting in motion the things today that will make us ready for our tomorrows.

To illustrate this, let’s take a lesson from Jesus’ life. There’s a great verse that shows us Jesus’ developmental process — what took Him to His future. Take a look at Luke 2:52 (NIV) “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” Jesus “grew” into His future through His daily relationship with God.

This is important to understand. The best way to secure your best future is to pursue your best now! What you do today, how you grow today, how you are developing as a follower of Jesus Christ today will determine what your tomorrows look like.

To be prepared for your future, here are 4 things to pray each day:

● Pray that you will grow in wisdom. Pray for the capacity to understand things that you need to understand. The more wisdom you gain today, the wiser you’ll be tomorrow!

● Pray for increased stature. While this literally refers to physical height, let’s think of it from a different perspective. Let’s consider spiritual stature. Spiritual stature is a mark of maturity. It enables you to stand taller and stronger, and to see farther. The more spiritual stature you develop, the more long-range vision you’ll have. Spiritual stature increases your ability to see right and wrong. It helps you understand the difference between good, better and best.

● Pray for growing favor with God. While you’re already favored by God because of His love for you, growing in favor with God means that you become more and more aware of the goodness, grace and mercy of God directed toward you. The awareness of God’s favor toward you will give you confidence, peace, and hope. It allows you to live in forward gear, anticipating good things in your life.

● Pray for favor with people. God has a purpose for your life. A major part of that purpose is to influence other people positively and to lead other people to Jesus Christ. You can’t influence someone unless you have favor with them. Favor in someone’s life is what opens the door of their heart to you. Favor in someone’s life allows you to make a difference in their lives.

Your future is determined by what you do with your present. The right prayers today will get you ready for your tomorrows!

Pastor Dale

Thursday, June 14, 2018

How To Pray For Your Family

| 2:03 min read |

A Beginner’s Guide to Prayer: How To Pray For Your Family

Families are the spiritual and emotional incubators of life. So much of who we are and what we become is determined by what goes on in our families. Healthy families generally produce healthy people.

One of the keys to a healthy family is the presence and power of God. God loves families and wants to work in them and through them to advance His work in the world. He wants to be a part of our families.

To be part of our families, God must be invited into our families. One of the ways we do this is through prayer. When we pray for family members the right way, we are creating conditions for God to work.

What is the right way to pray for our family members? Here are some suggestions:

● Pray for yourself first. Pray that you would be a positive influence of love and godliness to your family. If your life doesn’t demonstrate Jesus, your prayers for others will be hindered.

● Pray with love. Effective prayers are motivated by love, not anger, resentment, hatred or revenge. Your attitudes toward family members will determine how you pray for them—either in a loving way or in a condemning way.

● Pray specifically for your family members. Call their names and needs out to God in prayer.

● Pray consistently and persistently for your family members. While random, occasional prayers are powerful, consistency in prayer is even more effective.

● Pray God’s promises over your family members. Pray for their salvation, their growth in Jesus Christ and in God’s Word, for the discovery of God’s will and for the flourishing of their lives according to God’s plans and purposes.

● Add “hands and feet” to your prayers. Speak words of encouragement, blessings, and life for the members of your family. Let your prayers for them change the way you relate to them.

As a husband, wife, mom, dad, brother, sister, grandparent, uncle, aunt, cousin, or in-law, you are called to add strength and value to your family. Prayer is one way you make a difference!

Pastor Dale

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

How To Pray When Nothing Seems To Be Changing

| 1:49 min read |

A Beginner’s Guide to Prayer: How To Pray When Nothing Seems To Be Changing

Have you ever prayed for something, and nothing seemed to happen? Sometimes it seems that God isn’t listening to us, or answering our prayers. In these moments it’s easy to lose faith and hope and give up on prayer.

Jesus addressed this temptation in Luke 18:1 (NIV) “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” Jesus taught us that prayer often is a long-term, intense process. But it’s always better to keep praying than it is to quit praying!

Persistence in prayer always pays off. As we keep on praying, things change in us, and things change around us. Although the changes may be imperceptible at times, they are still happening.

George Muller was a Christian evangelist who lived in the 1800’s. He was a great man of prayer and faith. He founded the Ashley Down Orphanage in Bristol, England. Over his lifetime he took care of 10,000+ orphans. The daily supplies of food and clothing for the children came through his faithful, persistent prayers.

Muller’s persistence in prayer is seen in his prayers for the salvation of 5 men he was acquainted with. He put them on his prayer list and prayed for them daily. After a number of months, the first one came to faith in Christ. A decade later 2 more made the decision to turn their lives over to Jesus Christ. After another 15 years of prayer (25 years in total), the fourth man came to faith. He continued to pray for the fifth man for a total of 52 years. This man accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior a few months after Muller’s death. That’s persistence in prayer!

Don’t quit praying. Only time and eternity will tell the difference it will make in you, and in the people and circumstances you’re praying for.

Pastor Dale

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

How To Pray For Others

| 1:37 min read |

A Beginner’s Guide to Prayer: How To Pray For Others

Every week people ask me to pray for them. Sometimes these requests for prayer are very specific. They might be a health or financial situation a person is dealing with. It could be a challenge at work, or a difficulty in a relationship that is causing stress or that needs resolution or reconciliation. I’m sure you’re asked to pray for people too.

How do you handle the prayer requests of others? Here are a few things that help me when someone asks for prayer:

● If possible, pray with them when the request is made. Take time, that moment, to pray instead of promising to pray later. There’s no better time than that moment.

● If you promise to pray for someone, make a note of it and follow through.

● When praying for someone, put yourself in their situation emotionally. This is called empathy. It will allow you to pray with greater care and passion.

● When promising to pray for someone, give them hope. Let them know that you are believing with them for answers and help from God.

● When praying with and for someone, pray the promises of God over them. Help lift their faith and confidence.

● Ask the Lord to remind you of them so that you can continue to pray for them as He leads.

● Be confident that God hears and answers.

One of the best ways you can help someone is by praying for them. Prayer really does something powerful and positive. It invites the resources of heaven into the darkest places of a person’s life. Be a person who exercises the ministry of praying for others. You’ll be blessed as you do.

Pastor Dale

Monday, June 11, 2018

How To Pray For Protection

| 1:58 min read |

A Beginner’s Guide to Prayer: How To Pray For Protection

All too often we complicate things in life. We make them harder than they really are.

This is true with prayer. Many people don’t have a consistent prayer life because they don’t really know how to have one. They are intimidated by it.

Jesus gave us a beginner’s guide to prayer. One of Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them about prayer. In response, Jesus gave us The Lord’s Prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is more than a prayer to be recited. It is actually a simple pattern of prayer that teaches us exactly how to pray in a way that gets results.

An important part of prayer includes praying for protection. Jesus included this in His teaching about prayer. Look at what He said about this in Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV) “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’”

To be effective in prayer, we must understand that we’re actually in a daily spiritual battle. We are targeted by our spiritual adversary, the devil, every day, with temptations, and with evil attacks. While we shouldn’t live in fear of our adversary, neither should we be naive or dismissive of his devices and schemes.

This is why Jesus included this focus in His teaching on prayer. He wanted us to remember that we’re in a battle. He also wanted us to take advantage of the resources He has offered to us that help us overcome every strategy and tactic of darkness against us. Our daily prayer should include asking God to keep us away from things that deceive, trick and tempt us. It should include asking God to shut down and free us from any plans the enemy has to target us. Daily prayer is an opportunity to seek God for daily protection!

Pastor Dale

Friday, June 8, 2018

How To Pray For Your Relationships

| 1:49 min read |

A Beginner’s Guide to Prayer: How To Pray For Your Relationships

All too often we complicate things in life. We make them harder than they really are.

This is true with prayer. Many people don’t have a consistent prayer life because they don’t really know how to have one. They are intimidated by it.

Jesus gave us a beginner’s guide to prayer. One of Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them about prayer. In response, Jesus gave us The Lord’s Prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is more than a prayer to be recited. It is actually a simple pattern of prayer that teaches us exactly how to pray in a way that gets results.

A key part of prayer includes prayer about our relationships—our relationship with God and our relationships with others. Jesus included this in His teaching about prayer. Look at what He said about relationships in Matthew 6:9-12 (NIV) “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors…’”

Our daily prayer time should include a time of reflecting on our relationship with God. This involves asking God to show us any sins that need to be owned and confessed to Him. It involves asking God for forgiveness for the things we do, say, think or fail to do that hurts God’s heart. As we confess these to Him, we should also gratefully accept the forgiveness He freely offers us.

Another part of reviewing our relationships is reflecting on our relationships with others. We must be willing to forgive others in the same way God forgives us. In prayer, our hearts can be cleansed from lingering hurt, anger, resentment and bitterness toward others.

We need daily prayer to keep our relationship with God fresh, and our relationships with others free and harmonious!

Pastor Dale

Thursday, June 7, 2018

How To Ask God To Meet Your Needs

| 1:38 min read |

A Beginner’s Guide to Prayer: How To Ask God To Meet Your Needs

All too often we complicate things in life. We make them harder than they really are.

This is true with prayer. Many people don’t have a consistent prayer life because they don’t really know how to have one. They are intimidated by it.

Jesus gave us a beginner’s guide to prayer. One of Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them about prayer. In response, Jesus gave us The Lord’s Prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is more than a prayer to be recited. It is actually a simple pattern of prayer that teaches us exactly how to pray in a way that gets results.

The part of prayer we’re most familiar with is the part where we ask God for certain things we want or need. Jesus included this in His teaching about prayer. Look at what He said about asking in Matthew 6:9-11 (NIV) “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread…’”

Jesus encouraged us to ask for the things we need each day to do God’s will. It is that segment of our prayer time when we focus on the resources we need for the day to do what we need to do, and to do it well. I believe that “daily bread” is an intentional reference by Jesus to the Old Testament provision of manna for the Israelites as they traveled through the wilderness. Manna was the “daily bread” that kept God’s people strong, resourced and capable of their daily walk and work.

Take time in your prayer to specifically ask God for your “daily bread.” Although He knows what you need before you ask Him, He wants you to ask, and to expect Him to faithfully answer!

Pastor Dale

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

How To Surrender To God In Prayer

| 1:42 min read |

A Beginner’s Guide to Prayer: How To Surrender To God In Prayer

All too often we complicate things in life. We make them harder than they really are.

This is true with prayer. Many people don’t have a consistent prayer life because they don’t really know how to have one. They are intimidated by it.

Jesus gave us a beginner’s guide to prayer. One of Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them about prayer. In response, Jesus gave us The Lord’s Prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is more than a prayer to be recited. It is actually a simple pattern of prayer that teaches us exactly how to pray in a way that gets results.

An important part of prayer is surrendering ourselves to God. Jesus taught us this. Look at His instructions in Matthew 6:9, 10 (NIV) “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven… ’”

The prayer for the coming of God’s Kingdom is all about taking time in your prayer to invite God to have His will in your life, in your “earth,” the “world” around you and beyond you. It is a prayer of surrender. It is saying to God, “I trust You, and I want You to do what You want to do in me, in my circumstances, and in all things that are part of my life. Your will is more important to me than my will.”

Take 1 or 2 minutes in your daily prayer time opening yourself to God’s will and surrendering yourself to His wisdom and guidance. Let go of control and trust Him. As you do, listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit guiding you in any specific things you need to release to God. Surrendering to God’s will with trust in Him is the pathway to peace. It’s how you pray your way into God’s peace!

Pastor Dale

Tuesday, June 5, 2018

How To Praise God In Prayer

| 1:30 min read |

A Beginner’s Guide To Prayer: How To Praise God In Prayer

All too often we complicate things in life. We make them harder than they really are.

This is true with prayer. Many people don’t have a consistent prayer life because they don’t really know how to have one. They are intimidated by it.

Jesus gave us a beginner’s guide to prayer. One of Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them about prayer. In response, Jesus gave us The Lord’s Prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is more than a prayer to be recited. It’s actually a simple pattern of prayer that teaches us exactly how to pray in a way that gets results.

Take a look at the first lesson of prayer Jesus gave. It’s found in Matthew 6:9 (NIV) “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…’”

Jesus taught us to begin our prayers with praise. Before you ask God for anything, start by thanking Him for the blessings in your life. Pause, think and then verbalize your love to God for all He has done for you, and for who He is. Honor Him for His greatness, His power, His love, and His wisdom.

I encourage people who are beginning a daily prayer habit to start with 1 to 2 minutes of praise. Simply tell God what you appreciate about Him and what you’re grateful for. It is called “hallowing God’s name!” You’ll soon find that praise lifts your spirit and adjusts your perspective in a very positive way. Before long, your praise time will grow. It will become a key part of your daily time with God.

Pastor Dale

Monday, June 4, 2018

How To Pray Jesus’ Way

| 1:57 min read |

A Beginner’s Guide To Prayer: How To Pray Jesus’ Way

A few years ago, I decided to develop a new hobby. I wanted something that gave me the opportunity for creativity and relaxation. I chose photography.

Knowing nothing about this art, and not even owning a camera other than the one on my phone, I needed training—basic training. I needed a “beginner’s guide.” After purchasing a basic camera, I also found some resources that helped me understand the principles of photography and how to begin practicing it. It was great to study these beginner’s guides. They removed the intimidation factor and got me started taking pictures.

When it comes to certain spiritual practices, it’s easy to be intimidated. Sometimes we need a beginner’s guide that simplifies the process for us and helps us get started doing what we really want to do but don’t quite know how.

This is true with prayer. Many people don’t have a consistent prayer life because they don’t quite know how to have one. Jesus’ disciples needed a beginner’s guide to prayer. In fact, they asked Jesus to help them know how to do it. Look at their request in Luke 11:1 (NIV) “One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray…’”

Jesus responded to this disciple’s request by giving us what we refer to as The Lord’s Prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is more than a prayer that is to be recited. It is actually Jesus’ beginner’s guide to prayer. When you study The Lord’s Prayer you find at least 5 things that will make your prayer life powerful—5 things that you can include in your prayers every day. They include praising God, surrendering your life and circumstances to God, talking to God about your needs, talking to God about your relationships, and seeking God’s guidance and protection.

These simple parts of prayer will get you going and growing in a meaningful, personal prayer life.

Pastor Dale

Friday, June 1, 2018

Something To Show

1:36 min read |

Elementary school kids sometimes have a “show and tell” day. It’s a moment for them to bring in something that’s special to them and describe why it’s so special. It’s a “show off” day!

God is in the business of “showing off” His work too. He loves to show the world who He is and what He can do for people who put their faith in Him.

In Acts 3:10 (NIV) we find one of these moments, “they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.”

This verse is preceded by the story of a man who had been supernaturally healed by Jesus through the prayer of Peter and John. It was a stunning, recognizable miracle. One second he was lame, the next he was walking, leaping, and praising God!

There was a very clear before-and-after in this man’s story. In one miraculous moment of time this man’s disability, limitations, and life restrictions had been healed, lifted, and removed. He began that day looking for a handout to survive. He ended the day healthy and whole, with wonderful, new life opportunities.

People saw what had happened to him. They were eyewitnesses of the before-and-after of a miracle. They had front row seats to this life-altering event, and it shook them in a positive, powerful way. This man’s life was a testimony to God’s love and grace. He was God’s “show and tell!”

Jesus has done some wonderful things in your life too. Don’t forget to “show and tell” of His love and grace to others. Let your life be a testimony to the world of what God can do!

Pastor Dale

Thursday, May 31, 2018

You’re Not Forgotten!

1:21 min read |

Have you ever felt left out? Maybe it was an event that all your friends were invited to, but no invitation came your way. Maybe it was a promotion you felt sure had your name on it, and someone else’s got the nod.

Feeling forgotten is a terrible feeling. Noah, the Old Testament boat builder knew the feeling. Sitting in the ark for days, weeks, and months after the rain ended, Noah wondered if God had forgotten him. Would the water ever recede? Would he and his family ever be able to resume life outside of this boat?

Take a look at a wonderful verse in Genesis 8:1 (NIV) “But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and He sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.”

One phrase here is especially powerful, “But God remembered Noah…” Although Noah didn’t know where God was, God knew Noah’s exact location. God remembered Noah and brought an end to the situation. God sent a wind to drive away the water and dry the earth. It was God’s way of saying to Noah, “It’s enough! It’s over!”

Little by little, day by day Noah’s situation improved until the final day when Noah exited the ark and started fresh again.

Whatever you’re facing today, remember that God remembers you! He knows right where you are! He’s coming your way to get you out and give you a fresh start too!

Pastor Dale

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Need Some Guidance?

1:46 min read |

Life often gets complicated. Sometimes we face situations we don’t know how to handle. We don’t know what to do.

This was the case for a young man in the Bible named Joseph. He found himself in a dilemma. Matthew records his struggle in Matthew 1:18-21 (NIV) “This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. ‘Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’”

After hearing about Mary’s pregnancy, Joseph found himself in quite an emotional pickle. He needed some wisdom to navigate these circumstances. How could he handle this situation without bringing unnecessary hurt, humiliation, and shame to Mary? His mind went to work seeking solutions. In the midst of his considerations, God showed up and gave him guidance.

Although Joseph reflected thoughtfully on what he should do, his answer didn’t come from his mind. God stepped in and revealed His will to Joseph. As Joseph did all he knew to do, with the right attitude and heart, God made sure Joseph didn’t make a mistake. God made sure to get the right answer and direction to him.

Do you need some guidance? God is a guide. Get to work thinking, praying, and seeking God with a pure heart and right motives. He’ll get the answer to you!

Pastor Dale

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Ready To Break Out?

1:26 min read |

Occasionally I have moments of claustrophobia. If you’ve never experienced the feeling, it’s not pleasant. It feels like everything is closing in around you, slowly suffocating you. Panic is the only word that comes close to describing these moments.

Claustrophobia is usually triggered when a person finds themselves in a small, confined space. I’m not sure what happens psychologically and physiologically in these situations, but when the sensation starts, the only thing you want is out!

As surely as there is physical claustrophobia, there’s a spiritual counterpart. There are times when it seems that life has us in a tight, confined space. The panic rises and the urge to escape intensifies.

The psalmist David understood this feeling, and how to deal with it. Look at his prayer in Psalm 18:5 (NIV) “When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; He brought me into a spacious place.”

The phrase “hard pressed” refers to a narrow, confining, restricted place. This is where David found himself, spiritually and emotionally. In his panic and pain he “cried to the Lord.” What did God do? David tells us; “He brought me into a spacious place.”

“Spacious” obviously refers to a large, unconfined, expanded, open and free space. It was exactly what a spiritual claustrophobic needed!

Are you feeling some spiritual claustrophobia? Is life closing in on you? Cry out to God. What He did for David, He’ll do for you!

Pastor Dale

Monday, May 28, 2018

Silent or Absent?

1:44 min read |

Nothing is quite as frightful as feeling alone, especially when facing a challenge or crisis. The presence of a friend in these times makes a huge difference. It’s comforting. It gives us the confidence to keep going.

There are times when we go through trials and struggles. In some of these situations, we may find that our friends are absent. For whatever reason, they’re not around. We feel abandoned.

In times like these, it may even feel like God has abandoned us. We can’t sense His presence or hear His voice. He not only seems absent, He also seems silent.

We must never mistake God’s silence for His absence. Silence and absence are two different things. God’s silence is not a sign of His inactivity.

Between the Old Testament and New Testament, there were 400 years of silence. For 4 centuries there was no word from God spoken or recorded. It’s called the Intertestamental Period. It was a silent season.

Was God absent during these 400 years? Certainly not! At just the right moment, God invaded the world, creating the greatest moment in human history. The New Testament opens with the birth announcement of Jesus Christ, the Son of God!

The apostle, Paul, reflecting on the coming of Jesus at this time, made this observation in Galatians 4:4 (CEV) “But when the time was right, God sent His Son, and a woman gave birth to Him…”

In the life stories of Bible characters, and through the contemporary testimonies of Jesus followers, we learn that people often experience a season when God seems silent. But there is always something beyond His silence. His silence is never His absence. He’s still present, and He’s still working. And at just the right time, you’ll see what He’s been up to!

Pastor Dale