Video Devotionals
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Keep Moving
| 1:02 READ TIME |
Life transitions create uncertainty in us. We’re currently in a season of transition dealing with the present problems. Perhaps you’ve had other transitions in life. Maybe you’ve lost a job, or a loved one or had a financial setback or some other difficulty. This season creates lots of challenges.
David experienced many transitions in his life. As he penned the twenty-third Psalm, David reflected on his days as a shepherd. “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4, NIV)” He recognized that, just as he helped his sheep to navigate transitions, God would help him navigate the valley he was walking through.
As God helped David navigate his valleys, He will also help you navigate your valleys. Valleys are temporary places of transition. God will guide you through.
Decide today to resist fear. Have confidence in God. He is your Good Shepherd. He will help you get through your valleys to new pastures of blessings.
Pastor Dale
Monday, May 4, 2020
Fear is Real
| 1:23 READ TIME |
Whenever we experience difficult or uncertain situations, we can feel a range of emotions. A common emotion we can feel during challenging times is fear. Fear is an unpleasant feeling caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous or will cause us pain. Even though we can feel fear at different points in our lives, the good news is we can overcome fear.
David was familiar with the feeling of fear. In a time when he is fleeing for his life from his own son Absalom, David wrote Psalm 23:4 (ESV), “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” This verse is about fear. David was passing through a valley at this point in his life, and the valley generated fear for this man of God.
Though David acknowledges he’s battling fear, he declares in faith that he will overcome fear. His declaration is not based upon his own power and might, but by the presence and power of God in his life. David gives us an excellent example of how to deal with our fears. Just like David, even though we may experience the emotion of fear, the Lord is our Shepherd and He can empower us to overcome it.
If you’re feeling fear today, I encourage you to make the decision to acknowledge it and give it to God. Invite God’s presence and power to enable you to overcome fear in your life.
Pastor Dale
Friday, May 1, 2020
It’s Common Sense!
| 0:55 READ TIME |
Imagine with me that we are outside in a parking lot holding a ball. If we were to throw the ball into midair, common sense says gravity will bring the ball back down to the ground. We don’t have to wonder or ask God if that’s true. We know it’s true. It’s common sense.
One of the ways God wants to guide us is through what I’ll call sanctified common sense. We all have been gifted with a brain and common sense. God uses the Bible and the Holy Spirit to inform and shape our thinking.
One of the struggles we all face at times is allowing our emotions to guide our decisions. God wants us to think before we make decisions. Proverbs 13:16 (NLT) gives us vital insight, “Wise people think before they act; fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness.”
Don’t let your feelings be your guide. Today, allow God to sanctify your common sense. He will empower you by the Holy Spirit to make better decisions!
Pastor Dale
Thursday, April 30, 2020
Alternate Route Available
| 1:20 READ TIME |
In today’s culture, to arrive somewhere you’ve never been before, you need to use a navigation system. Navigation systems, if functioning correctly, will guide us to the right place. But not only that, navigation systems have the capability to show us traffic spots so we can avoid them and take an alternative and more effective route.
In our life journey, there are many decisions that we need to make. For example, What job should l take? Who should l marry? Which church should l attend? Which school should l let my children attend? Taking the wrong turn in any of these areas can cause us many problems. God wants to guide us, and He has given us a heavenly navigation system to provide us direction to His intended destinations.
Two essential aspects of God’s navigation system for us are the Bible and the Holy Spirit. The Bible is God’s Word to us. The Bible gives us guidance for right living. The Holy Spirit takes the Word of God and makes it alive to us in the moments when we need to make decisions. He helps us apply the Bible to our lives. Psalms 119:98 (NLT) says, “Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide.”
For God’s navigation system to work in your life, you must choose to trust it and use it daily. Engage with God’s navigation system and navigate safely through life!
Pastor Dale
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Check Your Alignment
| 1:32 READ TIME |
Driving a car is much easier when all four wheels are aligned. Sometimes when going over bumps or potholes, a car’s wheels can come out of alignment, making the vehicle more difficult to guide or steer. Alignment is essential to safely and enjoyably drive a car.
The same is true in our walk with God. If we want God to guide us, we have to be aligned with God in our thoughts, words, and actions. Listen to the words of Psalm 32:9-8 (NIV) “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.” God desires to instruct and guide us, but we must be aligned with His heart to receive the blessings He has for us.
What are some ways in which we can bring ourselves into alignment with God’s guidance? We can humble ourselves before Him by submitting ourselves to His wisdom. We can remain teachable, allowing God to guide us by His principles. We can be attentive to His voice, revealed to us through Scripture. We can be faithful to what He has already given us before looking for other things in our lives. We can be patient, learning to wait for God’s instruction.
Today, make the decision to be guidable by bringing your heart into alignment with God’s heart. Ask Him to guide and instruct you, and commit to being humble, teachable, and attentive. Know that as you are faithful and patient, He will bring about what’s best for your life.
Pastor Dale
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Need Directions?
| 1:22 READ TIME |
Why should we value God’s guidance? The reason we need to value God’s guidance is that every day we’re confronted with a vast number of decisions that will have an impact on our lives and the lives of those around us.
As human beings, we face some unique challenges. To have the right response to those challenges, we need direction. Without it, we tend to stray, to wander away from God’s Word and will for our lives. And this is especially true in difficult times such as we are living these days. In Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV), Jesus Himself warns us about entering the wide road. If we don’t follow directions carefully, we will get on that path and head down deception and our destruction, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
If you happen to be struggling today with lack of direction, then Scripture is a great place for finding guidance—God’s guidance; and the words you read will be a great blessing through hard times.
No matter what circumstance you are facing, you can always rest in the fact that God is worthy of our wholehearted, unquestioning trust. He will take care of every detail of your life, lead you, guide you, and shepherd you. We can fully rely on His guidance!
Pastor Dale
Monday, April 27, 2020
Recalculating…
| 1:13 READ TIME |
In today’s world, a good GPS is very valuable; even if you get lost in the middle of nowhere, you can turn to your smartphone and find a voice that will recalculate your position and guide you to the right destination. The same is true in our lives. At times when we find ourselves lost in the darkness of despair, depression, disappointment, and doubt, we need a trustable guide!
As a young shepherd, David understood the importance of guidance. He guided his flock to green pastures and safe shelters. He knew that without his direction, the sheep would be lost. Not only did he guide his sheep, but he learned to be guided by God. In Psalm 23:3 (NLT), David declared, “He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.” David valued God’s guidance.
You will never get to the right destination for your life unless you have an infallible and reliable guide. Value and pay attention to the instructions God gives us in His Word. Then you can say with David, “He guides me along right paths.”
You were not created to carve out your path through this life alone! God longs to lead and guide you to a life with more fullness of joy, peace, and purpose than you could ever imagine!
Pastor Dale
Friday, April 24, 2020
Come Out Of Your Tomb!
| 1:23 MIN READ |
Every one of us has areas—parts of our heart—that are not alive, and some of us have entirely dead places in our soul. Only the power of Jesus can help us come out of these tombs of sin and become alive in Him.
Jesus called out to Lazarus to come out of his tomb in John 11. At that moment, resurrection power entered into Lazarus’ body, and he returned to life. Imagine for a moment if Lazarus decided to stay in the tomb, or someone else tried to keep him in the tomb. He would’ve had life, but his life would’ve been restricted because he remained in the tomb.
In the same way, Jesus calls us to come out of the tombs of our past mistakes and failures. Too often, we fail to take hold of the power and promise of freedom He offers us. We have been promised new life and freedom in Jesus, but we must choose to respond to His call by coming out of our tombs. What’s your tomb? It may be the tomb of failure, disappointment, unfulfilled expectations, or truncated dreams. No matter the tomb you may be in, take hold of the promise given to us in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
God has given us the freedom in Jesus to move forward, but we must choose to take ownership of that promise. Choose today to live in the freedom Jesus offers. Step out of your tomb and into the fullness of life!
Pastor Dale
Thursday, April 23, 2020
Talk About Comeback!
| 1:25 MIN READ |
How are you responding to the current pandemic that is affecting the entire world? Certainly, many are experiencing high anxiety and fear. Others might feel lost, numbed by emotional pain, or even assaulted by doubts. Some perhaps feel dead on the inside, wondering if there’s anything to look forward to in life.
While the effects of COVID-19 are devastating, individually and for humanity at large, I want you to know today that our comeback is on the way. Jesus can bring back everything we have lost. Jesus loves turning around impossible circumstances. His specialty is comeback because He is comeback!
The same Jesus that brought Lazarus from the dead, the One who came out from the grave Himself by the power of God—the power of the Holy Spirit—can bring you back from your hopelessness. In Matthew 28:5-6 (NIV), we find Mary Magdalene and the other Mary going to the tomb of Jesus and encountering the angel who said to them, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.”
The events of the world may be frightening, but we need not set our eyes on the world but on the eternal, unshakeable hope we have in Christ. If you are carrying tremendous pain on the inside, pain that weighs you down and keeps you from your best functioning, turn your eyes to Jesus, He is the resurrection and the life! He is your comeback!
Pastor Dale
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Do You Believe in Comebacks?
| 1:32 READ TIME |
In life, all of us will encounter setbacks. Surely we recall times when our work, families, friendships, and finances were affected by delays and hindrances. It would be quite easy to become discouraged by the setbacks we encounter; however, it’s important to remember that in Jesus, every setback is a setup for a comeback!
In John 11:25, we find Jesus comforting Martha, who had encountered the terrible setback of losing her brother, Lazarus. Jesus tells her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.” (NIV). Jesus doesn’t just do resurrection—He is resurrection! In the same way, Jesus doesn’t just create comebacks—He is the comeback! Jesus is able to supernaturally transform your life, taking what the enemy meant for evil and turning it for good.
If you were to take a piece of cloth and submerge it in water, it would be impossible for the cloth to stay dry. The water would overwhelm the fabric—the nature of the water would distinctively change it. In the same way, when you and I are in Jesus—in relationship with and obedience to Him—His supernatural nature changes us, gives us the grace to experience divine comebacks!
Remember that Jesus loves you, and He knows exactly what you are experiencing at this moment in your life. Even though we will encounter setbacks, when we take these setbacks to Jesus, His supernatural nature transforms us, and sets us up for a divine comeback! Let’s decide today to believe that comebacks are possible through Jesus!
Pastor Dale
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
The Right Perspective
| 1:17 READ TIME |
Experiencing a setback can feel frustrating and defeating. Setbacks have the potential to discourage us and cause us to give up. Every time we experience a setback, we decide how we are going to view it. God cares about how we view our setbacks. The way we see our setbacks influences how we move forward from them.
John 9 describes a time when Jesus and His disciples were walking by a man who was born blind. His disciples asked Jesus if the sins of the man or his parents caused him to be blind. Jesus responded in John 9:3 (NIV) “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” Jesus helped His disciples understand that the man’s setback was really an opportunity for God to display His power and goodness.
In the midst of the setback you may be experiencing today, look for Jesus. When your eyes are fixed on Jesus, He helps you to see your setbacks as setups for the miraculous to happen in your life. When you have the right perspective and your trust is on God, you will see Him transforming your challenges into opportunities for His power to be displayed.
Invite God to shape your perspective during this time of delays and uncertainty; you will see Him do amazing things in your life.
Pastor Dale
Monday, April 20, 2020
Look Past Your Setback
| 1:12 READ TIME |
Setbacks are real. A loss in the family, the end of a relationship, loss of a job, illness; these situations can leave us broken and hopeless. Today, I want to remind you that there is hope and help for our setbacks. When circumstances around us say that everything is a mess, we can hope in the one who holds our life in His hands.
In John 11:21, we find Martha, who had lost her brother, Lazarus. When Martha encountered Jesus, she was feeling broken and hopeless. The Bible says that when she saw Jesus, she said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (NIV). Martha thought that Jesus had arrived late to the situation. It seemed as if Jesus had forgotten about her, but Martha did not know what you and I know. In the midst of this setback, Jesus had planned a great miracle. For Martha, it was the worst day of her life; for Jesus, it was an opportunity to display His glory. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead! Martha’s setback was a setup for a miracle!
What miracle are you in need of today? No matter how hopeless your situation is, let me remind you that there is hope and help on the way. Put your hope in Jesus today; He is able to resurrect what is dead. Your setback is a setup!
Pastor Dale
Friday, April 17, 2020
Putting the Pieces Back Together
| 1:14 READ TIME |
God cares about you and wants to restore you! What a true statement! God loves us and has the ability and capacity to restore the broken places of our lives. The challenge we can experience sometimes is believing God wants to restore us.
One day a man with leprosy approached Jesus with an interesting declaration. His words revealed that he knew Jesus could restore him to wholeness, but he wasn’t sure if Jesus wanted to. The story is found in Matthew 8:2-3 (NLT), “Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. ‘Lord,’ the man said, ‘if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.’ Jesus reached out and touched him. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be healed!’ And instantly, the leprosy disappeared.”
Dear one, know that God cares for you, and yes, He desires to restore you. He knows exactly how, and He is willing to put the broken pieces of your life back together. An important thing to remember is that if you want to be restored, you have to be at rest and planted in your spiritual commitments so God can work in you and minister to you.
Always, and even more in times of difficulty and uncertainty as we are facing now, God wants us to know that He is present, able, and willing to make us whole again!
Pastor Dale
Thursday, April 16, 2020
Engage In The Process
| 1:15 READ TIME |
Everyone is broken. We all have gone through pain, disappointments, and losses. Often, people don’t get healing because they don’t want to be healed. Restoration doesn’t happen without participation. To be restored, we must participate in the restorative process.
In Mark 5:25-28 (NLT), we are reminded of a woman who had a hemorrhage in her body for over 12 years. The Bible says that she “spent everything she had” in order to find healing, “A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse. She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.”
There was something inside of this lady that frequently told her, “I do not want to live a life that is broken. I will do everything I can to get well.” Her attitude expressed her desire to be restored and her willingness to do her part in the process.
Today, Jesus is asking you, do you want to be restored? He can and wants to restore you, but to be restored, you must do your part!
Pastor Dale