Video Devotionals

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Like Me

| 1:16 MIN READ |

And boy, do we like the likes! They’re addicting. It’s true. I read the summary of a research study comparing likes on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter feeds to highly addictive substances such as cocaine. Every like you see on your media page stimulates the release of a shot of dopamine, also known as the pleasure hormone. It’s the same hormone release associated with certain “recreational” drugs. We get hooked on the likes and the biological pleasure shots that come with them.

To add to this interesting phenomenon called social media, we now have a new definition of an old word—friend. It used to be that you had to be acquainted with someone to be their friend. Not any more. You can be friends with thousands of people without actually knowing a single one of them personally!

Am I on the warpath against social media? Certainly not. I’m just pointing something out. Friendships and likes have been diluted in today’s culture because of it. We need a true “friend and like” revival!

Remember, a friend isn’t a label or a like. Friendship is a relationship. It’s demonstrated by your commitment to others. It’s based on caring, serving, sharing, and growing together.

Let’s break the like addiction and discover what real friendship is all about!

Pastor Dale

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

What Friendships Are Made Of

| 2:21 MIN READ |

I am privileged and blessed to have some great friends. They bring joy, provide counsel, and make life more meaningful. If you haven’t done so recently, stop for a moment and thank God for your friends.

David, the well-known character in the Bible, had a great friend. His name was Jonathan. It’s helpful to know a bit about the backstory of David and Jonathan’s friendship.

Jonathan was the son of King Saul, the first king of Israel. Therefore, Jonathan was Israel’s prince, the next in line to take his father’s throne.

Very suddenly, the landscape of national popularity in Israel changed. It happened the day David defeated Goliath. David immediately became the talk of the town. People were singing about him in the streets. He was the champion. His name was likely on everyone’s lips. It was evident that this young man was remarkably different from King Saul. David had courageous faith. Saul didn’t. The political tide was turning in Israel. David’s stock was rising rapidly.

Saul’s reaction to this was quick and severe. He became very jealous of David. He decided the best thing he could do was kill him. In Saul’s twisted mind, failure to get rid of David would possibly mean the loss of his throne. It would certainly mean the forfeiture of his son, Jonathan’s reign.

Jonathan had a different take on the success of David. Unlike his father, Jonathan saw the hand of God on David. Somehow, miraculously, Jonathan understood that his calling in life wasn’t to become Israel’s king but to keep David alive so he could become the next monarch of God’s nation. Incredible!

The Bible describes the moment this divine friendship between David and Jonathan happened.

1 Samuel 18:1 (Voice) “By the time David had finished speaking to Saul, Saul’s son Jonathan was bound to David in friendship, and Jonathan loved David as he loved himself.”

1 Samuel 18:4 (Voice) “He took off the robe he wore and gave it to David, and also his armor, sword, bow, and belt, symbolically transferring to David his right to ascend the throne.”

Jonathan modeled real friendship to David. He put himself in the background and supported God’s person and God’s plan. He laid down his interests for the benefit of his friend.

I think you would agree; everybody needs some “Jonathan-like” friends. The best way to have one is to be one!

Pastor Dale

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

BFF’s

| 1:47 MIN READ |

I vaguely recall the first time I heard the term—BFF. I had no idea what it meant. When I inquired, someone educated me on the language of web life. I didn’t know at the time that it’s short for Best Friends Forever. As far as I understand it, it’s used to describe the friends who are the nearest and dearest to you.

I hope you have some BFF’s in your life. They’re a blessing. They’re also human. This means the best BFF’s are going to come up short on occasion. There’s no perfect and completely reliable human friend. This is why we need to find a higher form of friendship, friendship with God.

In the wisdom book of Proverbs, we are reminded of this need to look beyond earth for a heavenly Friend.

Proverbs 20:6 (NLT) “Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?”

Proverbs 18:24 (TLB) “There are ’friends’ who pretend to be friends, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

We all need a heavenly Friendship. We need the divine Friend who will never leave us, never stop loving us, always be available to listen and help us. We need a 24/7, 365 Friend. His name is Jesus!

Look at what Jesus said about this in John 15:13-15 (TPT) “For the greatest love of all is a love that sacrifices all. And this great love is demonstrated when a person sacrifices his life for his friends. You show that you are my intimate friends when you obey all that I command you. I have never called you ‘servants,’ because a master doesn’t confide in his servants, and servants don’t always understand what the master is doing. But I call you my most intimate friends, for I reveal to you everything that I’ve heard from my Father.”

Do you have a friendship with Jesus? If not, start one today. He desperately wants to be your heavenly BFF!

Pastor Dale

Monday, November 25, 2019

Friends

| 1:54 MIN READ |

Who are your friends? Friends are a big deal. The real ones are a great blessing. The phony ones, well, they’re trouble.

The difference good friends make is invaluable. They’re with you through thick and thin, the good times, and the not so good times. They don’t leave you behind when wounded on the battlefield of life. Someone said that a true friend is someone who comes into your life when everyone else walks out.

As much as we all appreciate and long for great friends, the truth is, they’re hard to come by, and even the best ones aren’t perfect. Well-meaning friends can let you down, drop you in a moment of need, and forget you during your life storms. Why? Because people are human! Humanity is plagued by sin, weakness, and self-centeredness. Most, if not all of us, have been disappointed by someone we thought we could count on. And it’s highly likely that we’ve let others down along the way.

Jesus reminded us of the fact that people are fickle. Look at what He said about naïve trust in people in John 2:23-25 (TPT) “While Jesus was at the Passover Feast, the number of his followers began to grow, and many gave their allegiance to him because of the miraculous signs they had seen him doing! But Jesus did not yet entrust himself to them, because he knew how fickle human hearts can be. He didn’t need anyone to tell him about human nature, for he fully understood what man was capable of doing.” And in John 2:23-25 (TLB) “Because of the miracles he did in Jerusalem … many people were convinced that he was indeed the Messiah. But Jesus didn’t trust them, for he knew mankind to the core. No one needed to tell him how changeable human nature is!”

What’s the point? Is Jesus telling us never to trust anyone? Certainly not. He’s reminding us that people are going to let you down at times. If and when they do, don’t be discouraged. It’s part of living in a broken world.

Pastor Dale

Friday, November 22, 2019

A Life Legacy

| 1:29 MIN READ |

What do you want to be remembered for? Think about some of the greatest men and women of history. Great people leave positive and lasting legacies.

There’s a difference between destiny and a legacy. Destiny is the potential ahead of you. Legacy is what you leave behind you. Both are important. Discovering your destiny and pursuing it well leads to a positive lasting legacy.

What is David, the ancient biblical character remembered for? At the top, or certainly near the top of most people’s list would be the amazing faith that empowered him to fight and defeat the giant, Goliath. Almost everyone knows the David and Goliath story! It has inspired perhaps millions through the millennia and continues to inspire people today. That’s the impact of a positive legacy.

This story is recorded in Scripture for our benefit. It happened because David saw and seized a God-given opportunity that others refused. David was the only fellow on the battlefield that did so. Because he saw and seized this opportunity, we’re still learning from David today.

Handling God-given opportunities well is important. Look at the words of Paul, the apostle, found in Ephesians 5:16, 17 (NLT) “Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.”

Your destiny and your legacy are determined by what you do with your opportunities. As Paul reminded us, let’s “make the most of every opportunity!”

Pastor Dale

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Greater Things

| 1:15 MIN READ |

Maybe you have longed for greater things in your life. Sometimes we long for more opportunities or greater things. There’s nothing inherently wrong with desiring greater things if your motives are right. And there’s only one right reason to pursue greatness, and only one thing that will genuinely get you there—serving.

We can likely agree that David—the second king of Israel—was one of the greatest men who ever lived. He’s known as a man after God’s own heart!

The thing that made him great was serving. He served his father, taking care of his sheep in anonymity. He served his brothers, bringing food to them on the battlefield. He served Saul, playing music that calmed him in his madness. He served God, taking a stand against Goliath.

David ended up in a great place as a great man because he served. He fulfilled the instruction Jesus gave centuries later, found in Matthew 20:26-28 (NIV) “…whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Serving with the right motives is the pathway to greatness. Jesus taught it. David practiced it. It will work for you too!

Pastor Dale

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Simple Obedience

| 1:47 MIN READ |

How does God lead people? Receiving God’s guidance is wonderful. It gives us confidence. It puts us on the right track. It leads us to our highest and best in life.

Discovering God’s guidance isn’t complicated. Sometimes it’s found in the simple act of doing something we’ve been asked to do—completing a simple assignment.

This was true for the Bible character David. David’s dad, Jesse, gave him a simple assignment to fulfill. Some of Jesse’s sons were in King Saul’s army, facing the Philistines. Jesse instructed David to take bread and cheese to his brothers and to get an update on how they were doing to bring back to him.

David didn’t realize how life-changing and important doing this simple thing would be. It led him to one of the biggest days and opportunities of his life. God was guiding David through his dad’s assignment.

David could have resisted. He could have lollygagged along and missed his moment — the incredible defeat of Goliath. Instead, he immediately did what his father asked him to do. Look at the story in 1 Samuel 17:17-20 (NIV) “Now Jesse said to his son David, ‘Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. See how your brothers are and bring back some assurance from them. They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.’ Early in the morning David left the flock in the care of a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry.”

Sometimes the most significant things in our lives are connected to obedience in the insignificant things. It’s one of the ways God guides us!

Pastor Dale

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Get The Ball Rolling

| 1:28 MIN READ |

Inspiration is a powerful thing. One way it happens is when we see someone else doing something great, awesome, or life-changing. Their example of success or positive action births something in us. It inspires us to do what we were otherwise afraid to do, or too lazy to do.

We see this all the time with kids. We have a swing set in our backyard for our grandchildren. I’ve watched one grandchild inspire another to get on the swing, climb the monkey bars, swing higher and faster, all because someone else did it first! Example is a powerful thing.

David did this for the men of Israel. After he chose to fight Goliath and defeated him, suddenly, these formerly fearful men got a massive dose of courage. Take a look at what happened in 1 Samuel 17:48, 49; 52 (NIV) “As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. …Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. Their dead were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron.”

The big question for us is, will we be “inspirers” or “inspirees” in life? Probably both. Find someone that can inspire you. Then find a way to be an inspiration to others. Get the inspiration ball rolling!

Pastor Dale

Monday, November 18, 2019

Blessings In Disguise

| 1:31 MIN READ |

Give me an opportunity! People complain about, beg for, are jealous of others—all because of their feelings about opportunities.

What is an opportunity? Webster defines it as “a good chance for advancement or progress.” Opportunities are moments in time, when if recognized and seized, take our lives forward.

Why do so many people feel frustrated about their opportunities? They are blind to them! They don’t recognize them when they show up. Why? Because they look different than we expected.

Opportunities—the best opportunities in life—come dressed up as a challenge, problems to solve, purposeful work we can do, or battles we’re willing to fight.

This was the situation with the Old Testament character David. When he showed up on the battlefield, Goliath was intimidating Israel’s army. David saw what others couldn’t or wouldn’t see. He saw an opportunity! How do we know? Look at the question he asked in 1 Samuel 17:26 (NIV) “David asked the men standing near him, ‘What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?’”

Dealing with this giant was an opportunity to glorify God and advance his future. He was wise enough to see his opportunity dressed as a challenge!

What opportunities are you overlooking that may be the key to your future? Don’t look for blessings falling from the sky. Look for work, challenges, and problems you can put your hand to!

Pastor Dale

Friday, November 15, 2019

Preach It!

| 2:10 MIN READ |

Have you ever given a sermon? Chances are, most of you have never preached a message, other than to your spouse or children! While we may unwisely preach at others from time to time, there is a certain kind of sermon you need to be ready to give, forcefully and confidently.

The shepherd boy David gives us some preaching lessons when he faced Goliath. There is no doubting that Goliath was the poster boy for a big-mouthed bully. Before he prepared to fight David with his sword and spear, Goliath had already eviscerated the army of Israel with his words. These otherwise mighty military men had been shredded by Goliath’s arrogant tongue.

When David headed into battle against this giant, Goliath tried the same old tactics on him. Look at what he said to David, 1 Samuel 17:42, 43 (NIV) “He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. He said to David, ‘Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?’” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.” Big-mouthed Goliath was at it again.

David would have none of it. He had a sermon prepared for the giant. Here it is. Read it. It will inspire you! 1 Samuel 17:45-47 (NIV) “David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.’”

Preach it, David!

What does this have to do with you? You need to prepare a good, strong faith-filled, conquering, Holy Spirit-fired sermon to preach to your giants. They’re always talking trash to you. It’s time to turn the tables on them! Get a good message based on the great character and power of God, and His promises to you, His child, and PREACH IT!

Pastor Dale

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Can The Can’t

| 1:55 MIN READ |

Which word is more attractive to you, can or can’t? Even the most negative person would likely say they prefer to hang around a “can do” person rather than a “can’t do” person.

Although we’re attracted to positive people, many of us are still locked into a negative mindset. While we prefer the “can do,” we may still be infected with the “can’t do” virus.

This was true for the Israelite soldiers millennia ago facing the intimidating taunts of the giant, Goliath. His massive body and booming voice assaulted the psyche of these men, day after day. Goliath’s words and presence wore them down. Steadily their “can do,” became “can’t do!” They became convinced of the impossibility of their situation. The disease of negativity was contagious and epidemic.

It took an outside influence to break this cycle and mindset of impossibility. That influence was the voice of a young man named David. He saw differently and spoke differently. Negativity had no hold on him. He was the quintessential “can do” person.

Look at David’s confident faith in 1 Samuel 17:34-37 (NIV) “But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.’ Saul said to David, ‘Go, and the Lord be with you.’”

We know the end of the story. God gave David victory. His “can do” spirit attracted the presence and power of God!

Which voice controls you “can do” or “can’t do?” Can the can’t and see the good that comes when you do!

Pastor Dale

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Remove The Filters

| 1:58 MIN READ |

Filters are popular in photography. Certain filters add color; others remove color. Some change the amount of light in the exposure. Some filters are added while taking pictures and others in post-production. Photographs can be enhanced by filters or ruined by them.

When it comes to life, we’re often living under the influence of filters. We view the world through past experiences, usually bad ones. We look at our circumstances, relationships, and opportunities through filters of unresolved pain, anger, resentment, grief, and disappointments. These filters distort, color, darken, and reduce our ability to see life and God, clearly and accurately.

This happened to the Israelite soldiers facing the giant, Goliath. While David saw the situation clearly, and responded to it with faith, the rest of the Israelites looked at the situation through a filter called fear. It’s one of the most common distorters of reality. They fell prey to it, as do we, all too often.

Look at how fear controlled these folks, 1 Samuel 17:23, 24 (NIV) “As he [David] was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear.”

Notice what fear did to these otherwise strong military men. They ran! When they heard Goliath’s words, they turned their backs to Goliath and fled as fast as possible. It’s sad, but it’s also frequently true of us. The filter of fear gets in the way of our vision of God and His greatness.

After David faced down Goliath and defeated him, the fear filters on these soldiers were removed. Then, and only then, were they able to run toward their enemy in faith. After fear was gone, victory was won, and the plunder of the Philistines was enjoyed.

What filters are messing up your vision? When you remove the distorted and destructive filters, you’re ready to move forward!

Pastor Dale

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

The One Thing That Changes Everything

| 1:51 MIN READ |

Here’s a profound statement for you. You see what you look at and what you look for! Now that you are deeply impressed with my astounding observation, what’s the point?

The lesson is, your life is limited or enlarged by your vision. If all you see are problems, difficulties, and impossibilities, you’ll have a miserable life and accomplish little. You will live your life defensively, fearfully, and in reaction mode.

On the other hand, if you see life from an entirely different perspective—a positive, faith-filled perspective—you’ll live an inspired, forward-moving, giant-battling life.

Ask the Bible character, David. When he arrived on the battlefield where the Israelites were experiencing intimidation by the giant Goliath, all he heard was negativity. He found himself surrounded by massive fear. All the Israelite soldiers could talk about was Goliath. Why? Because all they were looking at was Goliath!

David had a different vision. While the Israelites saw Goliath, David saw God! And because he saw God, he was ready to take on Goliath, “mano a mano!” He knew that God was far greater than Goliath!

Look at David’s words, 1 Samuel 17:45 (NIV) “David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.’”

The one thing that made the difference that day was David’s vision. David saw what others couldn’t see or refused to see. Faith-filled vision! It’s the one thing that changes everything!

What are you seeing? Is your vision filled with lots of Goliath’s? Do they loom over you, intimidating and threatening you and your future?

There’s one thing that changes everything. Change your vision? Look past your giants and see God. He gave victory to David, and He’ll do it for you too!

Pastor Dale

Monday, November 11, 2019

It’s In Front of You

| 2:03 MIN READ |

Many people are pining away about the lack of something in their life. If you listen closely to their complaining, you’ll usually hear them express frustrations and jealousies about others who seem to have more opportunities than them.

While it’s true that life isn’t always fair, and some people get a head start on success, there’s another truth we shouldn’t miss. There are great opportunities in front of you now. You don’t need to look farther than the responsibilities on your plate. Every responsibility in your life actually represents opportunities to improve your future and the future of others.

The Old Testament personality David teaches us this lesson. There was a day that he found himself on a battlefield. He had been sent there to deliver food to his brothers serving in Israel’s military. When he arrived, David saw something that no other Israelite soldier saw. When the Philistine giant, Goliath appeared on the hillside, taunting Israel’s army, David saw a great opportunity. While performing his responsibilities, David saw opportunities.

Take a look at David’s perspective, 1 Samuel 17:26 (NIV) “David asked the men standing near him, ‘What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?’”

David made his intentions clear to King Saul, 1 Samuel 17:32 (NIV) “David said to Saul, ‘Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.’”

You know the story. David went against Goliath, defeated and destroyed him. It was not only a great day for David, but it was also a great day for Israel. It was also a day that brought honor to God.

All this happened because, in the midst of doing what his dad asked him to do, David saw an opportunity.

Let’s stop whining about what we feel is a lack of opportunity. Look for the opportunities amid your current responsibilities. There are giants waiting to be defeated, and victories waiting to be won!

Pastor Dale

Friday, November 8, 2019

How To Get There From Here

| 1:28 MIN READ |

Directions. We need them regularly. To get to an unfamiliar place, we need to know the way. What roads do we take? What landmarks do we look for?

It’s true in life too. We need to know the way to life destinations. “What career do I pursue? What neighborhood should I live in? What friends should I make? What purpose does God have for my life?”

All these questions are legitimate. They point to our need to know how to get there from here! We need guidance!

God has actually made guidance simple. He’s not in heaven hiding His will from us. He wants to help us get from here to there, and He’s made it clear how to find the way.

Take a look at God’s guidance made simple. It’s found in Proverbs 3:5-7 (TPT) “Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make. Become intimate with him in whatever you do, and he will lead you wherever you go. Don’t think for a moment that you know it all, for wisdom comes when you adore him with undivided devotion and avoid everything that’s wrong.”

Simply put, rely on God to guide you. How?

R – Develop a personal RELATIONSHIP with God.

E – Get a good spiritual EDUCATION. Learn, believe and obey God’s promises, commands, and principles.

L – LET GO of your own will and life agenda. Always want God’s will, not your own.

Y – Trust that He loves and will lead YOU!

Never forget, God knows how to get you from here to there!

Pastor Dale

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Count On Me!

| 1:56 MIN READ |

Have you desperately needed someone’s help in a crisis? We’ve all had difficult moments when we needed a friend’s assistance. It’s extremely comforting when a person proves reliable in times of trouble. It’s also painful when someone who promised to be there for us, isn’t there when we need them most. It’s the difference between being reliable or unreliable; faithful or unfaithful.

The Bible talks about this trait called faithfulness or reliability in many places. Here are a few examples:

Proverbs 25:19 (TLB) “Putting confidence in an unreliable man is like chewing with a sore tooth, or trying to run on a broken foot.”

Proverbs 20:6 (TPT) “Many will tell you they’re your loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly trustworthy?”

1 Corinthians 4:2 (NLT) “Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful.”

To be reliable and faithful is to be someone others can always count on. A faithful, reliable friend isn’t a fair-weather friend. They’re an all-season friend. A faithful, reliable worker works as diligently when not being watched as they do when they’re watched. A faithful, reliable soldier is vigilant and ready at all times.

One of my favorite places to visit in Washington, DC is Arlington National Cemetery. I especially enjoy watching the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. These Army soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Regiment, also known as The Old Guard, march in front of the tomb of an unknown comrade’s remains 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, good weather and bad. They’re reliable. They’re there morning, noon, night, and in the earliest hours of the morning when no one is present. They never stop marching, never stop guarding, never let up on their duty. They are reliable. They are faithful. They are a great example for us.

One of the best things potentially said about someone is, “He or she is reliable!” Be a “count on me” person!

Pastor Dale