Video Devotionals

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

Friday, May 25, 2018

Time for a Comeback

1:35 min read |

If you’re a football fan you likely recall the 2017 Super Bowl. The New England Patriots trailed the Atlanta Falcons by 25 points with slightly over a quarter of the game to go. Then the unimaginable happened. With precision execution and tenacity, the Patriots overcame the deficit and snatched a victory from the jaws of defeat, winning 34-28. They came back!

Everybody loves comebacks. Even when it happens with an opposing team, hats come off to celebrate comebacks.

There are many stories of comebacks in the Bible. One of the most impressive is found in the Old Testament book of Judges. It’s the story of Samson.

After a miraculous beginning to his life, Samson, the strong man of Israel, lost his supernatural power. His physical strength was sacrificed because of character weakness. Samson ends up captured, blind, and bound by the enemies he had formerly defeated.

But this wasn’t the final chapter of his story. In his pain, Samson prayed a prayer recorded in Judges 16:28 (NKJV) “…‘O Lord God, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines…!’”

With his two hands against the main pillars of the Philistine temple, Samson not only prayed, but he began to push. Judges 16:30 (NKJV) tells us what happened next, “…And he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life.”

With God’s grace and help, Samson made a comeback. You can too!

Pastor Dale

Thursday, May 24, 2018

Storage Capacity

1:34 min read |

Americans love storage! Here are a few interesting stats about storage units in the U.S. Across our 50 states, there are more than 50,000 storage units. It’s a $38 billion industry, which is about 3 times the amount of box office revenues from Hollywood films! One out of every 11 people in America pays about $100.00 per month to store stuff! Yes, Americans love storage!

There’s another kind of storage that is just as common. In fact, it is something we all have. It’s heart storage.

Jesus talked about the storage capacity of the human heart in Luke 6:45 (NIV) “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

Your heart is a storage unit for good or evil thoughts and things. Daily we deposit these thoughts in our internal container. We place positive thoughts, kindness, forgiveness, and understanding in our hearts, or we unload unresolved hurts, anger, resentment, grudges, lusts, jealousy, and the like, there.

While physical stuff can be stored in a unit for decades without it affecting daily living, heart stuff is different. What’s stored in your heart seeps out into your words and actions. It either sweetens or sours your life.

To change your life, you must clean out all the ugly items stored in your soul. God will help you if you’ll ask Him. He’ll also help you more carefully select what you store there.

Does your heart storage need a fresh clean-out? Get to work on it today!

Pastor Dale

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

The Point of Prayer

1:34 min read |

What’s the point of prayer? Why pray?

One of the subtle enemies of faith is cynicism. The cynic has a skeptical view of life. Most often, because of hurts or disappointments, a cynic has stopped expecting positive things from life or others.

Cynics also have a hard time with prayer. Their response to the call to pray is “what’s the point?” They don’t believe that it matters. They don’t believe that prayer makes a difference.

Prayer does have a point. Prayer actually works. The Bible is filled with stories about answered prayer. It also contains lots of specific instructions and promises about prayer. Many people in our world have great stories of answered prayer.

Prayer is simply talking to God. When we pray, God responds. He answers, acts, works, and engages with us. He helps us by giving us miraculous breakthroughs or by providing us the wisdom and grace to walk through our problems.

The psalm writer reminded us of the power of prayer in Psalm 65:5 (NIV) “You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior…” He was completely convinced that prayer had a point. It resulted in heavenly activity on his behalf.

We need the same strong confidence and conviction. We can approach prayer realizing that it has a point. We believe that God listens, He acts, and He answers. Our simple appeals to God releases resources from heaven and connects us with power that is beyond us. When we pray, we can be sure that, whether it’s a breakthrough or a walkthrough, God will help us get through whatever we’re facing!

Pastor Dale

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Keep Your Cool

1:29 min read |

Have you ever lost your cool? All of us have moments when we wish we were more composed.

“Composure” refers to “calmness or repose especially of mind.” (Merriam-Webster) Composed people don’t “lose it” in a moment of stress or tension. They keep their “cool.”

Keeping composure is not only a nice thing to do, it’s something we need to do. Keeping our cool keeps us from creating emotional messes and forfeiting important opportunities.

Moses learned this lesson the hard way. At one point in his leadership of Israel, Moses “lost it.” The constant grumbling of the Israelites finally took its toll on him. As he led the Hebrews through the dry desert, the people needed a constant supply of water. God promises Moses to miraculously supply water from a rock. God told Moses to speak to the rock and the water would flow. Instead, Moses, out of frustration, lost his cool and struck the rock. Because of this lack of self-control, Moses lost his opportunity to enter the Promised Land!

If we’re not careful, we can easily allow the pressures, stresses, and frustrations of life to steal our composure. Instead of staying calm and steady, the wrong emotions erupt and take over. In these moments we say or do things that we regret, and hurt others in the process.

Ask God to help you keep your composure as you face the various challenges of life and relationships. Keeping your cool will keep you on track with God and will ensure that you live with less regret.

Pastor Dale

Monday, May 21, 2018

What Are You Listening To?

1:54 min read |

Have your ears ever gotten you into trouble?

Yes, your ears! We often think about the trouble our mouth causes, but seldom think about the messes we get into because we don’t put proper filters on our ears. Since we have two ears and one mouth, our listening may actually double our risk for spiritual and emotional pollution.

Think about all the various things we listen to that have a destructive impact on us—gossip, hateful words, negative comments, profanity, behind-the-back comments about others, doubts, fears, cynicism, and all kinds of other messages. Whether we passively allow these words into our system or actively engage them, they have an effect. They drain us of spiritual strength and leave us emotional depleted. Listening to the wrong things can erode your character and steal your destiny.

In the Old Testament, there is an example of the destructive nature of what people hear. As the Israelites were preparing to enter the Promised Land, Moses allowed 12 spies to check out Canaan first. 10 of these men returned with a negative report. The people listened to this report and believed it. Take a look at the impact of their words recorded in Deuteronomy 1;27, 28 (NIV) “…Our brothers have made our hearts melt in fear. They say, ‘The people are stronger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky. We even saw the Anakites [giants] there.’”

Not only did the 10 spies speak negatively about the Promised Land, the people listened! Because they listened, they forfeited their opportunity to enter into Canaan. They failed to filter the negative! Their ears got them into trouble.

In life, it’s not only important to pay close attention to what you say. You also need to pay close attention to what you hear. Put some filters over your ears. Shut out the things that can erode your character or destroy your destiny!

Pastor Dale

Friday, May 18, 2018

Forgive First

1:58 min read |

“You hurt me!” This is a common statement in relationships. If it’s not spoken, it’s most certainly felt.

Serious problems in relationships can almost always be traced to one common root—hurt. When our feelings get hurt, when we feel rejected, judged, disrespected, unloved, or are treated harshly or unkindly, our souls are wounded. Wounded souls, if not quickly healed, become angry, bitter souls. And angry, bitter souls retaliate—they seek revenge. A grudge relentlessly pursues payback—the payback of pain to the person who caused us pain.

Unfortunately, many relationships are caught in this downward cyclone of hurt, retaliation, more hurt, and more retaliation. Massive walls of resentment and bitterness are built over time. Trust is lost. People end up living isolated, angry, pain-filled lives. There must be a better way.

There is. The only cure for such an ugly existence is forgiveness. Forgiveness is the only thing that can clear and cure the soul of such hurt and resentment. It opens the heart to the grace of God that heals and restores. While it may not fix the other person, forgiveness fixes you. It takes you out of the hellish pull of hurt and hatred. It takes the poison out of your spirit.

Listen to the words of Paul, the apostle, in Ephesians 4:31, 32 (NLT) “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”

What is forgiveness? It’s not excusing the bad behavior of someone. It’s the choice to release justice to God. It’s letting go, by a decision of your will, of the hurt and resentment you feel. It is extending to someone who has caused you pain the same grace God has extended to you, although you have caused Him pain by your sins.

When hurt, forgive first! Forgiveness will heal you and will help you build healthier relationships.

Pastor Dale

Thursday, May 17, 2018

Be an Over-Looker

1:26 min read |

Are you an over-looker?

Dictionary.com defines “overlook” as a verb meaning “to fail to notice, perceive, or consider; to disregard or ignore indulgently.”

When it comes to relationships, we would do well to become good “over-lookers.” Relationships don’t work well when one or both people are highly critical, highly attentive fault-finders. They are more peaceful and productive when we learn to overlook the faults of one another.

This starts with a very important awareness and acknowledgment. Everyone has faults. Everyone has weaknesses. Everyone has limitations. No one is perfect. To get along with others, we have to give space for their faults. A critical spirit is never constructive. While there are moments when honest feedback helps us grow, continual reminders of weaknesses, faults and failures have the opposite effect.

Paul, the apostle, gave us these relationship instructions in Colossians 3:13 (NLT) “…Make allowance for each other’s faults…”

What does this mean? It means that we overlook the faults of another person that we could point out; that we could make an issue. We treat other people the way we want to be treated. We give people the grace we long for!

Are you an over-looker or a fault-finder? Do you have a critical spirit or a gracious spirit? To build good relationships over-look faults. Give people grace. You’ll be amazed at the difference this will make!

Pastor Dale

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

It’s About You

1:41 min read |

Who is the most important person in your relationships? You are!

Yes, whether you realize it or not, healthy relationships start with healthy people. If you don’t grow yourself, take responsibility for your own issues, develop your own character, and keep yourself spiritually, emotionally, and even physically healthy, your relationships will suffer.

Quite often relationships come to a standstill—a stand-off—because of a terrible tendency we all have—the tendency to place the blame for relationship problems on the other person. It’s always easier to adopt the “villain—victim” mindset. And the common view in relationships is that we’re the victim and the other person is the villain.

While there are times and situations when and where we find ourselves dealing with very bad people—true villains—in most of our relationships, our problems are the result of two sinful, broken people who need to pay attention to their personal growth and maturity. When two people in a relationship stop blaming one another and start responsibly owning their brokenness and failures, hope for improvement comes.

Look at what Jesus said about this in Matthew 7:3-5 (NLT) “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.’”

Who is the most important person in your relationships? You are! When you’re healthier and holier, your relationships get happier!

Pastor Dale

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Build Up or Tear Down?

1:20 min read |

How do you build a strong, healthy relationship with someone?

Every relationship has it’s challenges. To make relationships work, we must do the work. A significant ingredient in relationship success is the ratio between words and actions that build up and encourage versus those that tear down and discourage.

Research has proven that, for every negative, destructive statement or action in a relationship there must be five positives to counteract them. To make relationships work well we must deposit 5 times the amount of positives in the emotional accounts of people!

Suddenly our relationship problems make sense. More often than not, the ratio is reversed. There are 5 negatives for every positive, and we wonder why things aren’t going so well.

The wisdom of God’s Word becomes clear in the light of this research. In Ephesians 4:31, 32 (NLT) we find these instructions, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”

Are you building up others or tearing them down? Get busy generously pouring out positive, kind, and caring words and actions to others. Reverse the ratio in your relationships and watch great things happen!

Pastor Dale

Monday, May 14, 2018

It Starts With Commitment

1:17 min read |

How do you build a strong, healthy relationship with someone?

Whether it’s a marriage, a friendship or a business partnership, all relationships need a solid foundation. An essential part of good, lasting relationships is commitment—mutual commitment.

Relationships are built when 2 people move beyond the emotions of attraction or affinity to a point of commitment. Commitment holds relationships together, even when feelings and circumstances could drive them apart. It’s what creates loyalty, fidelity, and faithfulness between two people.

There’s a lady in the Bible who gives us an insightful perspective of commitment. Her name is Ruth. In the Old Testament book that bears her name, Ruth makes this amazing statement to her mother-in-law Naomi, when Naomi gave Ruth the option of staying in her homeland instead of moving to Israel with her, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” (Ruth 1:16, 17 NLT)

That’s commitment. When there is mutual commitment in a relationship, there is a foundation for success!

Pastor Dale

Friday, May 11, 2018

Overcoming Loneliness

1:14 min read |

How lonely are you?

Not too long ago the Prime Minister of Great Britain made an interesting appointment that reflects an alarming trend in today’s culture. A “Minister for Loneliness” was employed.

It’s hard to believe that in a world with so many ways to connect and communicate, with multiple social networks available, and with more mobility than any other time in history, has a loneliness epidemic. It has been given “health crisis” status. One expert on the subject observed that loneliness has proven to be worse for a person’s health than smoking 15 cigarettes a day!

How do we address this problem? More specifically, how can you deal with loneliness in your life?

Here are three suggestions:

1. Know that you’re never alone. God is with you. Jesus said, “… I am with you always…” (Matthew 28:20).

2. Connect with God’s people in His church. Become a part of a spiritual community. Hebrews 10:25 reminds us to “…not neglect our church meetings…”

3. Reach out and befriend others. Proverbs 18:24 provides us this wisdom, “A man who has friends must himself be friendly.” Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you…” (Luke 6:38)

Don’t settle for a life of loneliness. Take action to overcome it!

Pastor Dale

Thursday, May 10, 2018

How to Get More Time

1:43 min read |

Are you feeling stressed out by the busyness of life? Is the pressure of having lots to do, and too little time to do it, weighing on you?

One of the most precious things we have is time. It can’t be accumulated. Once it comes, it goes, and there’re no getting it back. Every day there are many things grabbing for your time and attention.

There’s only one way to get more time. It’s to use time more effectively. It’s not that we become 24/7 workhorses, it’s that we become better time stewards. It’s that we learn to use our time in more purposeful ways.

To live in a purposeful way is to live by preset priorities rather than by spur of the moment decisions. It means that you think about and know what’s most important to you. It means that you establish a life plan and a daily schedule that reflects your predetermined commitments.

Why is living this way so important? Because it’s living on purpose. It’s the only way to make your time and life really count. It’s taking charge of your life in a good way, instead of allowing life to take charge of you.

Jesus taught us about the power of determining life priorities and living by them in Luke 12:34 (TLB) “Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be.”

Jesus reminded us that what you treasure, what you determine is worthwhile, valuable, important and of high priority, will determine what you invest your resources into. He was teaching us that right priorities should lead our lives.

How about you? Is your time drained by whatever pressing things come along, by constant urgent demands on it, or are you living by predetermined priorities? To gain more time, put your time to good use. Live on purpose!

Pastor Dale

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Getting Unstuck

1:09 min read |

Have you felt stuck recently? Sometimes life becomes a rut. We get stuck in some situation, in some bad cycle of interaction with someone, or in some kind of negative emotion that we can’t seem to shake. The harder we try to get out, the deeper we get.

Ruts may be spiritual, mental, emotional or relational, but they are very real, and they get us down. They slowly rob us of hope. We wonder if we’ll ever get out.

When hope grows dim, you grow weary. It’s hard to keep going, to keep trying, to continue working at something when nothing is changing. When hope dwindles, everything inside us screams, “Quit! Give up!”

What do you do to get out of a rut? How do you get unstuck from things that have mired you down and stopped your progress? The answer is in one word. You learn to persevere! You keep going. You keep praying. You refuse to give up!

Look at what Jesus said in Luke 18:1 (NLT) “One day Jesus told His disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.” A key part of getting unstuck from your rut is persevering in prayer. Keep on praying. Don’t give up. You’re going to come out of your rut!

Pastor Dale

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

How to be Happy

1 min read |

While the word “happy” may sound shallow or superficial, happiness really is something everyone longs for. It’s an internal sense of fulfillment and well-being. Although happiness is different than joy, it is something we do well to develop.

What does it take to be happy? The truth is, external things never create long-term happiness or joy. A deep sense of fulfillment and well-being is always the result of internal attitudes and good, godly habits.

Here are four things that are guaranteed to increase your level of happiness:

1. Get connected to God and good people. Don’t be a loner.

2. Consistently count your blessings. Be grateful.

3. Be a contributor. Give your time, treasure, and talents to God and others.

4. Be content. Stop comparing your lot in life with anyone else’s. Be the person God made you to be and do your best with the opportunities He has provided you.

Happiness is the result of practicing the right habits, not having all the right happenings in your life!

Pastor Dale