Video Devotionals

Thursday, May 16, 2019

Unbox Yourself

| 1:32 MIN READ |

Have you ever felt “boxed in?” This phrase is used to describe the feeling of being limited by something or someone. It communicates the frustration someone experiences because of real or perceived restrictions.

If anyone ever had the right to feel “boxed in” by life’s circumstances it was Paul, the apostle. His passion was preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to others. He loved encouraging Christian believers and helping churches grow. However, many times this energetic, highly committed man found himself in a literal “box,” a prison cell, for doing the things he loved so much and was called by God to do.

Although Paul was frequently “boxed in” as a prisoner, he was never “boxed in” spiritually and emotionally. Look at his words from a Roman prison recorded in Philippians 1:18-21 (NIV) “…Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Doesn’t sound like a “boxed in” man, does it? No, although he was a prisoner, in his heart, he was free!

What has “boxed you in?” Is it fear, disappointment, grief, regret, pain, bitterness, jealousy, hopelessness? Make the decision to live as Paul lived. Don’t let these things “box you in!” Unbox yourself today!

Pastor Dale

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Winning Battles, Losing Wars

| 1:45 MIN READ |

Life continually presents potential battlegrounds and battle opportunities to us. Around every corner, there’s another possible fight waiting. Unfortunately, some folks have never met a fight they didn’t like. They’re committed warriors, but often in battles not worth fighting or winning.

How many times have you involved yourself in a conflict that eventually only wasted your time and energy, and left no one better? Chances are, we’ve all had more than our share of these.

Many of these wasted battles are with people over things that are, at the end of the day, insignificant. We may even win these battles but end up destroying others and our relationship with them in the process. That’s not winning at all.

The most important battles you will ever face in life, and the ones genuinely worth fighting and winning, is with yourself. Going to war against bad personal habits, personality dysfunctions, sinful behavior and attitudes, and destructive thinking is always worth it. Why? Because winning these battles actually move your life forward!

Paul, the apostle, wrote about his commitment to fight personal issues in his life. Note his words in 1 Corinthians 9:27 (TPT) “… I train like a champion athlete. I subdue my body and get it under my control so that after preaching the good news to others I myself won’t be disqualified.”

The Greek word Paul used for “subdue” means, “to enslave.” It means that he set out to conquer the demands and habits of his body and mind. He was committed to fighting the one war worth the fight, the battle with himself!

What about you? Are you winning battles but losing the war that really matters—the war with yourself? Fight the fight that is worth winning — the battle with you!

Pastor Dale

Tuesday, May 14, 2019

The Blame Game

| 1:15 MIN READ |

“It’s not my fault!” How many times is this phrase spoken every day, if not in words, in thought?

While there are lots of things that go wrong in life that are not our responsibility, or breakdowns we’re not the cause of, the “it’s not my fault” mentality frequently gets in the way of our learning and growing.

At the beginning of human history, one of the first indicators things had gone wrong between Adam, Eve and God was this very thing. After the first couple sinned, neither of them was willing to accept responsibility for the failure. Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent. Blame was flowing freely! I have sometimes wondered what might have happened if both of them had only come clean with God at that moment, instead of playing the blame game?

The problem with the blame game is that we learn nothing when we play it. Even when we’re not at fault for problems, there’s always wisdom to gain from them. Accepting the responsibility to learn lessons, even when we’re not at fault, is a sign of maturity and internal security. Blaming pushes wisdom away from us. Humility attracts wisdom to us.

What about you? Are you a blamer or a learner? Blamers never learn, and learners never waste time and opportunities blaming. Be a learner!

Pastor Dale

Monday, May 13, 2019

Replenished!

| 1:37 MIN READ |

All of us get depleted at times. There are seasons when life takes all the energy out of you. Whether it’s a personal challenge, a time of sickness, job or financial pressures, or some other problem, we can find ourselves at the bottom of a very dry spiritual and emotional well. To move forward again, we need to be replenished. Merriam-Webster defines the verb “replenish” as “filling or building up again.”

There was a man in the Bible who found himself in desperate need of replenishing. His name is Elijah. After an intense spiritual battle with 450 prophets of the false god Baal, and years of being pursued by the evil duo, King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, Elijah was done. His internal fuel gauge was past empty.

The Bible reveals one of Elijah’s lowest moments in 1 Kings 19:3-5 (NIV) “Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die, ‘I have had enough, Lord,’ he said…Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.”

What a sad picture of a tremendously strong man. Elijah had great courage, great persistence, and is held up as an example of a mighty servant of God and prayer warrior. Yet, Elijah found himself wiped out by the pressures he faced.

If you read the rest of this story, you’ll find that God showed up and replenished Elijah with rest, food and encouragement. He recovered fully and went on to do more great things for God.

Are you depleted? Don’t give up. The same God who replenished Elijah will replenish you!

Pastor Dale

Friday, May 10, 2019

What Are You Doing This Weekend?

| 0:57 MIN READ |

Most folks look forward to weekends. It’s a time for a little extra sleep, some catch-up on work at home, or perhaps some enjoyable activity. Even the most spontaneous people usually have some kind of weekend plan.

One thing vital to our weekend is worship with God’s people. It’s one of the wisest decisions we can make and habits we can develop. Our choice to attend church consistently each weekend helps ensure sustained spiritual health and strength, stronger relationships, and better emotional health. Some studies have even linked regular church participation as a factor in improved physical health. Perhaps these reasons instinctively prompted King David to write these words in Psalm 122:1 (KJV) “I was glad when they said unto me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’”

The New Testament writer of Hebrews reminded us of the importance of church life. Look at his words in Hebrews 10:25 (TLB) “Let us not neglect our church meetings, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back is drawing near.”

What are you doing this weekend? Whatever your plans, include church!

Pastor Dale

Thursday, May 9, 2019

Start Muttering!

| 1:00 MIN READ |

We often think of muttering as a bad thing. It usually refers to unintelligible speech. If you’re a parent, you have likely reminded your child to stop muttering!

It’s interesting to note that God actually instructs us, as His children, to do the opposite. He commands us to mutter. In fact, He describes a certain kind of muttering as a key to our fruitfulness and success in life.

Look at what He says to us about this in Psalm 1: 2, 3 (NIV) “… but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither — whatever they do prospers.”

God tells us that meditating on His principles, commands, and promises is the key to life success. The Hebrew word for “meditate” means to mutter or speak in a low voice repeatedly. It is using our mouth to remind our mind of God’s truth. Why? Because our thoughts determine our actions. A better life starts with muttering God’s Word!

Make this kind of muttering a habit in your life!

Pastor Dale

Wednesday, May 8, 2019

Quitting Time

| 0:56 MIN READ |

You’ve heard the famous Vince Lombardi maxim, “Winners never quit, and quitters never win.” There is great power in perseverance, diligence, grit, old fashioned “gutting it out.” These things pay high dividends.

The Bible teaches us the value of not giving up. One of the most well-known Bible passages reminding us of this truth is found in Galatians 6:9 (NIV) “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

There are rewards when you keep going, even when your soul is demanding that you quit. And it’s true, many people give up in frustration on the brink of a breakthrough. Far too many wearily walk off the field, only inches away from the goal line.

But is there ever a good and right time to quit something? Yes. At times we’re called to abandon certain things. Here are a few examples.

It’s wise to quit:

• Unhealthy habits.
• Sinful attitudes and behaviors.
• Negative thinking.
• Destructive friendships.
• Anything inconsistent with God’s will.

What do you need to quit today?

Pastor Dale

Tuesday, May 7, 2019

What’s Driving You?

| 1:11 MIN READ |

We sometimes use words like “driven” to describe a highly motivated, self-starting, achievement-oriented person. This individual usually has clear goals, strong discipline and a high commitment to the things that matter to them.

While this kind of drivenness can be an excellent thing, there are other expressions of drivenness that are extremely destructive. When we’re driven by wrong motives, values, priorities, and passions, trouble is not far behind.

Paul, the apostle, warned us about this way of living in Titus 2:11, 12 (NIV) “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age…”

There are certain drives Jesus desires to deal within us, as we grow our relationship with Him. Through the working of His grace, Jesus seeks to teach us to say ‘no’ to the attitudes, thoughts, and behaviors that drive us away from what is right and good. Why? Because these driving forces are destructive. They detour us from the purpose God had for us. They cause us to waste time, energy and resources on things that have no lasting value.

What’s driving you? Are you going after things that are right, good and genuinely enduring? If not, ask God to help you readjust your focus. Ask Him to help you passionately pursue what really matters!

Pastor Dale

Monday, May 6, 2019

Good and Broken

| 1:07 MIN READ |

You’ve met them before. Perhaps you’ve even been that person. I am talking about the person who refuses to change their thinking, despite the facts. It’s the one knowingly stuck in their destructive ways, yet unwilling to do anything about it. We use an adjective for folks like this — stubborn! It’s a highly negative character flaw that guarantees bad decisions.

Stubbornness is the child of pride. It’s birthed in the absence of humility. It’s the opposite of Jesus’ nature. Look at Jesus’ description of Himself in Matthew 11:29 (NIV) “…I am gentle and humble in heart…”

Note the combination of two words Jesus used, “gentle and humble.” Both these words are important to understand if we want to be like Him. Humility refers to a lack of pretense and self-promotion. A humble person isn’t trying to impress or be something they’re not. Gentleness refers to power under control. In Ancient Greek it was used to describe an animal that had been “broken,” or domesticated; no longer wild and unusable. The humble person is submitted and able to be directed.

Gentleness and humility are a dynamic duo in the spiritual life. They position you to attract God’s grace and power. They make you teachable, guidable, and useful to God. It’s a good kind of brokenness!

How about you? Are you broken, in a good way?

Pastor Dale

Friday, May 3, 2019

Controlled Desires

| 1:40 MIN READ |

Desire is an essential element of life. It inspires and motivates us. It causes us to set goals and go after them. It moves us forward. As long as desires are holy and healthy, they are a good thing.

Sometimes desires go haywire, however. A good thing can become a bad thing when it’s out of control. The desire for a piece of cake after dinner is likely fine occasionally, but eating an entire cake, and doing it every evening is over-the-top. It’s a desire gone haywire.

The Bible refers to inappropriate and uncontrolled desires with a single word — lust. While we usually think of lust as something sensual, it’s more than this. Lust is a desire for anything that is either inappropriate or uncontrolled — without proper boundaries and restrictions.

Lust leads to all kinds of problems. It drives many of our bad decisions. A desire for material things can drive us into debt. Lust for sensual pleasure can lead you into unhealthy and destructive relationships. Lust for power can cause you to compromise ethics to get it. The list could go on and on.

Lust is a condition of the heart. It gets inside us and demands satisfaction. It’s something that has to be dealt with at a heart level. This is why King David prayed a very specific prayer after lust led him into his illicit relationship with Bathsheba. Look at what he prayed in Psalm 51:10 (TLB) “Create in me a new, clean heart, O God, filled with clean thoughts and right desires.”

Has lust found a place in your heart? Begin praying the same prayer David prayed. Deal with your inappropriate and uncontrolled desires at a heart level. God will help you, and you’ll avoid unnecessary pain in your life.

Pastor Dale

Thursday, May 2, 2019

Lane Changes

| 1:45 MIN READ |

Making proper lane changes is a vital part of safe driving. Newer vehicles are often equipped with lane assistance technology. A warning activates when you begin drifting into another lane, or when you’re about to make an unwise lane change.

In life, we often drift into other people’s lanes, mentally and emotionally. It’s called comparison. It happens when we start looking at the successes, advantages, possessions, and positions of other people and compare these with our own. We’re never the winner when we do this. All it creates is misery. It drives jealousy and envy, which poisons our soul. Take a look at this warning about comparison and the jealousy it generates in Proverbs 27:4 (NLT) “Anger is cruel, and wrath like a flood, but jealousy is even more dangerous.” The Message paraphrase reads, “We’re blasted by anger and swamped by rage, but who can survive jealousy?”

On the highway, drifting unaware into another person’s lane can be fatal to you and others. It’s true in the spiritual and emotional realm too. When you start comparing yourself with someone else, you drift out of your life lane into trouble. You get your eyes off of the path you’re called to live. You lose focus and passion for your life. You become enamored with what you perceive as a better lane than your own.

The truth is, other lanes always looks better than the one we’re on. We fail to understand this critical fact, every road has potholes and problems. There are no perfect lanes in life. In fact, it’s likely that the person in the lane you envy is actually envying you!

The lesson? Get in your lane. Run your race. Don’t waste energy worrying about or comparing yourself with others. Stay in the lane God designed for you!

Pastor Dale

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Getting Even

| 1:26 MIN READ |

“Even” is an interesting word. It means, “on the same level; equal in measure or quantity” (Dictionary.com). The concept of “even” is often applied to our relationships. When hurt or offended by something someone says, does or fails to do, we often want to get “even.” We want to equalize the pain. The thought is, “Whatever measure of problems or hurt you’ve caused me, the same should come back to you!” It’s called “getting even,” and we all have the tendency to desire and seek it.

This impulse to get even will continue to harass and haunt you until you get offenses out of your heart. You’ll be preoccupied with payback as long as you hold on to and nurse the grudges you have toward someone. Revenge will drive your thoughts and feelings. It will fuel the fires of anger inside you. It will make you restless and miserable.

One of the best ways to be free from the “getting even” syndrome is to say no to revenge — to respond differently. Look at how Peter described this choice in 1 Peter 3:9 (NLT) “Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead pay them back with a blessing. This is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it.”

Are you upset with someone? Are you holding on to a grudge? Is something inside you demanding that you “get even?” Stop! Change your response. The right payback is with blessing! Do it, and you’ll find God showing up for you in a big way!

Pastor Dale

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Hurting Hearts

| 1:27 MIN READ |

Your heart condition is important. Heart checks help us become aware of potentially fatal issues hidden from our view — heart problems.

Just as physical heart checks are essential, spiritual checks on your soul condition are vital. Many times, things are going on inside us robbing us of the fullness of life Jesus intended.

Hurt is one of the hidden issues in the hearts of many. Over time and through various painful experiences, hurts can accumulate in our soul. When these get inside you, they poison your thinking, damage your emotions, and get in the way of good relationships.

Walking through life without some pain is impossible. We’re hurt by people along the way. Everybody experiences emotional pain. It’s not the hurt that destroys you, it’s what you do with it. Far too many allow their pain to become their identity. It becomes the focus of their lives. They refuse to face it, work on it, deal with it, or seek to overcome it. It lays in their soul generating toxicity through all their life actions and systems.

A hurting heart is curable! God comes near to those who are in soul pain. Take a look at this assurance in Psalm 34:18 (NIV) “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Are you carrying the heavy weight of pain in your soul? Is your heart hurting? God is with you. He’s close. He’s nearby, ready to bring healing. Let Him in and give your hurt to Him. He’s the heart healer!

Pastor Dale

Monday, April 29, 2019

Heart Check

| 1:36 MIN READ |

How’s your heart? Regular physical check-ups will often include some kind of heart check. From the simple stethoscope analysis to more extensive testing, it’s important to know how your heart is doing. One source reports that heart issues account for over 800,000 deaths in the US every year. That’s about 2,200 people every day of the year!

There’s another kind of heart problem that’s destroying lives. Many people are suffering from an unhealthy spiritual heart. Often, unbeknownst to them, there are issues going on inside their soul robbing them of the life and health God intends.

God is very interested in the condition of your heart. He’s also committed to helping you with issues of the heart. We’re reminded of God’s commitment to our heart health in 1 Samuel 16:7b (NIV) “…The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

We’re told that God isn’t focused on or impressed with the outward appearance of people. He’s interested in something much deeper and more important. God “looks” at our hearts.

The Hebrew word for “looks” means to examine, observe, and inspect. It implies a careful analysis of what’s going on at the core of our being, not for the sake of condemning us, but to help us become aware of the heart issues that are negatively affecting us.

How’s your heart? When was the last time you considered what’s going on in the deepest places of your soul? Are you healthy and whole in your soul? Ask God to do a heart check on you today and to provide you with the results.

Pastor Dale

Friday, April 26, 2019

Fearful and Confused?

| 1:31 MIN READ |

Life can be confusing. There are times when we don’t know what to do. Nothing seems clear or certain. Confusion usually brings its brother “fear” along for the ride. What do you do when you’re facing something confusing and fearful? What do you do when you don’t know what to do?

There’s a story in the Old Testament that teaches us valuable lessons about dealing with confusion and fearful circumstances. Jehoshaphat, one of the kings of Judah, found himself facing this kind of situation. Three large armies were poised to attack his small nation. Jehoshaphat’s army was severely out-numbered and out-resourced by these enemy forces. Everything about the case spelled disaster for Jehoshaphat.

However, Jehoshaphat had a good thing going for him. He knew God! The first thing he did was to call a prayer meeting. He knew that Judah needed God’s help, and asked for it. Take a look at 2 Chronicles 20:4 (NIV) “The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.”

In his fear and confusion, King Jehoshaphat made a choice that changed everything. He turned to God. He shifted his focus from the problem to the solution. He remembered that, although Judah was small and weak, God was big and strong! This change of perspective cleared the fog of confusion.

Are you fearful and confused about something in your life? Let Jehoshaphat’s example inspire you. Change your focus. Bring God into view. He’s bigger, stronger and wiser!

Pastor Dale

Thursday, April 25, 2019

Wait Training

| 1:18 MIN READ |

Maybe you’ve heard the common prayer of an impatient man, “Lord, please give me patience, and give it to me now!” Sound familiar? There’s no doubt that it’s rare a person who doesn’t struggle with impatience. Every day patience is tested in some way. It might be on the freeway, in the grocery store, with a co-worker, dealing with your spouse or children, or in some other way, but one thing’s for sure, patience is regularly tested.

Patience doesn’t come naturally. Impatience is our default mode. We all set internal expectations of how life should go, and at what speed life should happen, and God forbid should anything, or anyone get in the way!

Impatience has some ugly consequences. It creates stress in us and others. It leads to bad feelings and decisions. It damages friendships, destroys marriages and creates tense work environments and relationships.

As followers of Jesus, impatience is something God helps us conquer. Patience is something God helps us develop. The apostle Paul gave us this reminder in Colossians 3:12 (NLT) “Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with … patience.”

How impatient are you? Ask God to help you change how you handle slow-moving circumstances and people. Decide to start some wait training!

Pastor Dale