Arts Worship In June

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Daily Devotion
Am I Trusting God?
Exodus 4:2-5

Exodus 4:2-5: Then the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied. [3] The LORD said, “Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. [4] Then the LORD said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. [5] “This,” said the LORD, “is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”

Moses is overcoming his trust issues by obeying the Lord’s command to do something he doesn’t quite understand: throw his staff on the ground. It then turns into a snake. The Lord is confronting Moses with his past. The snake was a symbol of Egypt, Moses understood it and ran from it. He continues to not trust God and still carries the mindset of a fugitive. Perhaps he remembers the fact that he committed murder in Egypt and had to run away from that country.

We may wonder why God is confronting Moses with his painful past. Could he not just sweep the thing under the carpet and pretend that nothing happened? After 40 painful years of oblivion, God is not finished with Moses and wants to deal with his trust issue. Moses, will you trust me to face Egypt again? Will you stop running away from things and start trusting me to direct your steps?

God wants us to face our ‘Egypts’ — the situations in our lives that have been painful and we ran away from without consulting him. Jesus had to confront Peter with his thrice denial by asking him three times, “Do you love me?” God wants to heal the scars of our failures and prepare us to face our future. What are the failures of your past? Are you willing to face them again with the grace of God and with confidence that he will help you overcome them? You can trust God!

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Daily Devotion
Am I Trusting God?
Exodus 4:2-5

Exodus 4:2-5: Then the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied. [3] The LORD said, “Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. [4] Then the LORD said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. [5] “This,” said the LORD, “is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”

How wonderfully God is working in Moses’ life. He is willing to trust God and obey him against his instincts. To take the snake by its tail does not make sense. It leaves the snakehead free to recoil and strike him. In overcoming his trust issues Moses is learning to obey God implicitly and to do as God says even when it does not seem right in the natural.

Is God saying to him, Moses, you take the tail and I’ll deal with the head? Perhaps when Moses carried his staff, the thin end (tail) was in his hand whilst the thick end (head) was on the ground.  The head of the serpent was eating its food, the dust of the earth. And is God trying to tell him: Moses, you are the head and Egypt is the tail that I am giving to you in your hand. Either way God is demonstrating to Moses that he is turning things around for Moses.

What is God asking you to do regarding your past failures? Is he wanting you to confront them, to hold them in your hand, to make them the tail and make you the head? When we encounter God afresh, hear his voice and obey him, things turn around. We can confront our trust issues and overcome them. 

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Daily Devotion
Am I Trusting God?
Exodus 4:6-8

Exodus 4:6-8: Then the LORD said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous —it had become as white as snow. [7] “Now put it back into your cloak,” he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh. [8] Then the LORD said, “If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first sign, they may believe the second.

Moses is given another powerful sign from God to convince the Israelites that God sent him. It has to do with the most deadly of diseases that people of those days feared and required those afflicted to be quarantined indefinitely. Moses’ hand became leprous when put into his cloak and then healed when the same was repeated.  

The affliction and healing from leprosy was seen as a sure sign of God’s power. But what is it reminding Moses of? Was it his early story when as a baby he was put in the basket and floated down the Nile in a sense destined to die like the leprous hand? And then a second time he was discovered and removed only to be transformed from slave to prince. God is dealing with his trust issues. Was he like his hand removed from Egypt to waste away in the wilderness for 40 years and then instantly transformed when he was returned to be the deliverer of Israel? 

God is revealing himself to Moses as the one who can heal and transform in an instant. The children of Israel were placed in Egypt and had become enslaved (diseased). God could take them out and return them to the Promised Land (healed).  

What are the signs God is giving you today? Jesus said: Mark 16:17-18 NIV And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; [18] they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” He wants to bring us to the place of trusting him.

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Daily Devotion
Trusting the Lord Forever
Isaiah 26:4
Trust In The Lord Forever.

“Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:” Isaiah‬ ‭26:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Trust in the Lord for He is God. He is King. He is the great I Am. He is the Everlasting Father. He is my Fortress. He is my Strong Tower. He is my very Present Help in times of trouble. I choose to trust in my Savior. He is Lord. He is my Rock. He is my Deliverer. “So trust in the Lord (commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, hope confidently in Him) forever; for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages].” Isaiah‬ ‭26:4‬ ‭AMPC‬‬.

Choose to lean upon Christ. Choose to commit your life to Him. Choose to place your hope in Him. For there is none like Him. No one can outrank Him. No one can beat Him. No one can overthrow Him. He is Mighty. He is Strong. Choose to trust in the One who can lift you out of bondage. Choose to lift your eyes to the One who conquered death, Hell and the grave. 

Choose to surrender to the One who breaks generational yokes. Choose to surrender to the One who can break bondages and cycles. Trust in the One who cannot be defeated. O death where is your sting? Sickness is defeated in Him. He is our Righteous Savior. In Him we have the Victory. “Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord GOD is the eternal Rock.” Isaiah‬ ‭26:4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

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Daily Devotion
Trust in the Lord Forever
Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 27:1-2
With All Of Your Heart.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Proverbs‬ ‭3:5-6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart. Surrender everything to Him. Surrender your fears to Him. Surrender you failures to Him. Surrender your shortcomings to Him. Surrender your pain to Him. Surrender your wounds to Him. Surrender every aspect of your life over to Him. Let Christ make you whole. Let Christ direct your path. 

Proverbs‬ ‭3:5-6‬ ‭KJV‬‬ declares, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Don’t lean upon your own understanding. According to Strong’s Concordance, the Hebrew word for ‘lean’ is ‘sha`an’ (H8172) which means: “To trust in, support, to support oneself” Don’t depend upon your own way of thinking. Let God lead you. Let God lead your heart. Let God lead your hands. Let God direct your course. Choose to trust Him and let God light your path. 

Psalms‬ ‭27:1-2‬ ‭KJV‬‬ declares, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.” The Lord is stronger than any obstacle that you may face. The Lord is stronger than your enemies. Choose to focus on Him. When darkness surrounds you, choose to let God lead your course. For He is stronger. God is mightier. No one can outrank Him. No one can outmaneuver Him. Surrender to Him and you shall not be moved. 

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Daily Devotion
Trusting the Lord Forever
Psalm 16:8; 63:1; Proverbs 18:10
Set The Lord Before You. 

‭“I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” Psalms‬ ‭16:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Choose to set the Lord before you. Let His Word take priority in every area of your life. Let His Word lead and direct you. Let His Word enlarge your steps. Let His Word strengthen you. Choose to always set His Word before you. Let His Word filter through your heart. Let His Word flow from your lips. Let His Word direct you. Let His Word shield you and navigate you through the storm. 

God saw the storm before it formed. Choose to surrender to the God who speaks to storms. Surrender to God. Psalms‬ ‭63:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬ declares, “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;” Choose to seek God early in the situation. Choose to submit your flesh to Him — For in Him there is strength. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” Proverbs‬ ‭18:10‬ ‭KJV‬‬. Run to Him. Run to Christ.

He is strong. He is powerful. Choose to set the Lord before you. He is a mighty strong tower and no storm can defeat Him. No matter the storm you face — He is more powerful than any mountain that you face. Choose to trust in the Lord — forever. 

If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, or if you have fallen away from Him, simply say this prayer:

Father God, in the Name of Jesus, I repent of my sin and I turn to You. Father, I receive Your Son, Jesus Christ, as my Lord and Savior. I believe that Jesus Christ died and rose just for me. 

I believe that His Blood washes me and cleanses me from all unrighteousness. Father, in You, I am set free. Father, through the Blood of your Son, Jesus Christ my past is history and my future is bright. 

Father, In You, I am made new. Father, in You, I am complete. Father, in You, I am made whole. Father, in You, I am restored. Father, I surrender every area of my life to You now and forever. 

In Jesus Name. Amen. 

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Daily Devotion
Creatures of Habit: Study
Jeremiah 29:11-13; Psalm 119:1-16
Study: The Heart of The Habit 

The definition of a habit is an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary. In other words, something we do over and over until it becomes part of us. So normal, so regular, it is almost involuntary. 

As humans, we are creatures of our habits. From the friendships in our lives, to the food we eat, to our daily rhythms, and even our favorite coffee shop. Some habits can obviously be unhealthy, but habits used in a positive way can help us establish great rhythms in our lives. 

What if we could become men and women that are creatures of habit in the formation of spiritual disciplines? What if the habit of studying God’s Word became such a part of our lives that it changed everything about us? Our thoughts, hearts, actions, motives, decisions, marriages, relationships, work, and every other aspect of our lives. Because as we study the Word of God, we get to know God. As we pour our hearts into the Word of God, the heart of God is poured out in us. 

A balanced discipline of reading God’s Word helps us recognize God’s heart.   

The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah had a few things to say about this idea in chapter 29 of his book. Jeremiah challenges us to embrace the habit of studying God’s Word because it helps us find God. God’s heart is for his children to know him, understand him, and seek him. We live in a day where this can be difficult, but let’s make no mistake about it, the scriptures are clear, God wants us to know him and understand his heart. A balanced discipline of reading God’s Word helps us recognize God’s heart. The result of seeking God is finding God! Jeremiah says that coming to the Lord and praying to the Lord help us find the heart of God.  

• What’s hindering you from coming to God today?

• If you are going to foster this habit and be able to see more of God’s heart, what changes do you need to make in your daily rhythms?

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Daily Devotion
Creatures of Habit: Study
Deuteronomy 11:18-21
Study: The How of The Habit 

One of the most overlooked disciplines in our lives is the discipline of choice. Let me explain what I mean. Prayer, reading God’s Word, going to church, and health in life are amazing pursuits that all of us should embrace. But the truth is, these things will not happen if we don’t make a choice to do them! Maybe we should see our choices as more spiritual than they are?

The question we need to wrestle with is, how do I choose to establish a healthy rhythm of study in my life? In the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy, we can find our answer: cultivating a habit of studying God’s Word starts with frequency.  

A habit of studying the Word starts with our frequency in the Word.  

Deuteronomy 11:18-21 provides a beautiful picture of how we can build that frequency into our lives. Fix God’s Word to your heart and mind. This means read it. Meditate on it. Make space for it. Then, begin to place the Word of God around you. Write it down. Keep it near. From sticky notes on your mirror, to apps that send you verses of the day, don’t relegate the Bible to one quiet moment. Invite it into your whole life. Then, begin to talk about it with your people. Ask questions. Share what you’re learning. This will come easily as it settles into your heart. You won’t be able to help it. And finally, live it out. Proclaim the Word of God with your life. Speak words of life into the world and live a life that radiates with hope! 

• What are rhythms of frequency with God’s Word that you can implement in your life? 

• Where is a strategic place you could put the Word before you?  

Read Deuteronomy 11:18-21 for yourself and be encouraged: a healthy dose of God’s Word on a regular basis cultivates an even greater hunger to know him through his Word. Frequency builds on frequency!   

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Daily Devotion
Creatures of Habit: Study
James 1:22-25
Study: The Hang-up of The Habit 

Building a consistent habit of Bible study is a challenge! It takes dedication to anchor ourselves in God’s Word every day. When we are forming a new habit, we may be tempted to make excuses that can jeopardize the patterns we are establishing in our spiritual life.

“I just don’t have time today.”

“I’m too busy at work.”

“Taking care of my family is too stressful.”

Let’s face it…if good habits were easy to form, we would all spend more time exercising and less time watching TV. The truth is that we all face hang-ups that can stand in the way of creating healthy habits. In the book of James, the author identifies one hang-up with studying God’s Word that is bound to affect us all.

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). 

Do. What. It. Says. 

That’s a pretty big hang-up! It is one thing to read the Bible consistently, but it doesn’t stop there. 

Godly thinking is important, but useless if it doesn’t lead you to godly living.  

The longer you maintain a habit of daily study, the more you will realize that these aren’t just words on a page. As the writer of Hebrews says, “the word of God is living and active” (Hebrews 4:12a). The words of scripture compel you to act, to take a step, to do something. One day you will read something that convicts your heart, and you must choose…Will you obey? Or will you turn away and pretend you never saw it? If you ignore that pull inside of you for long enough, the tension becomes too much to hold. The easiest way out is to stop reading. To break the habit. And there’s the hang-up.

The good news is that this is a hang-up that you can overcome with God’s power! When you take even one small step to live out what God is prompting you to do through his Word, you are changed! 

• How do you anticipate this hang-up affecting you?

• What is one thing from God’s Word that you can put into practice today?

Read from James 1:22-25 and Matthew 7:24-27 as you think about what it means to build a habit of reading his Word and putting it into practice.

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Daily Devotion
Creatures of Habit: Study
Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:1-11
Study: The Hunger of The Habit 

We all know what it feels like to be hungry. The need for food is basic to human survival. But we also hunger for more than just food. Our world is filled with non-stop advertisements for things that promise to satisfy our hunger for purpose, belonging, and worth. Many of these promises are empty lies that leave us feeling sick to our stomachs. Even the best and most satisfying things that this world offers, though – like fulfilling work and loving relationships – are merely appetizers. They aren’t the main course. We crave something more…a hunger to know God and to be known by God.

Jesus knew hunger too.  

“After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry” (Matthew 4:2). In this pivotal moment, Jesus was physically weak, and Satan the tempter approached Jesus with a proposition. Satisfy your hunger with bread. In fact, take these stones and make them bread. If you really are powerful enough, that is.

Jesus did not take the bait. Instead, Jesus quoted scripture. He recalled a time when the Israelites were hungry too. They had been wandering in the desert, discouraged and in need of food. But, when they needed it most, God came through. Nourishment rained down from heaven. Manna. And everyone got the exact portion they needed. When they could not satisfy their own hunger, God provided and taught them a truth that we all need to learn…“Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:3b). 

The manna was more than just food. It was a manifestation of what we truly all hunger for: the presence of God. The manna was evidence that God was with his people. He had not abandoned them. He had not forgotten them. He saw them and gave them their portion every morning. As we study the Word of God, we will encounter this same truth. God is with us. He has not forgotten us.

Our hunger for the presence of God is satisfied in the Word of God.

• What are you hungry for in life right now?

• Do you recognize your hunger for God? 

• On a scale of 1-10, where is your spiritual appetite right now?

Read Deuteronomy 8:3 and Matthew 4:1-11, remembering that His Word provides daily nourishment for our souls and reminds us of who He is and who He has created us to be.

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Daily Devotion
Creatures of Habit: Study
Job 38:1-21; Psalm 119:1o5-112
Study: The Humility of The Habit 

Charles Spurgeon said, “As well might a gnat seek to drink in the ocean, as a finite creature to comprehend the Eternal God.” We will never understand or completely grasp all of scripture. Which makes this a humbling endeavor. But humility can actually increase our appetite to grow in our habit of study. Because, the more you know, the more you realize you don’t know, and the more you see the need to grow. 

In Job 38:3-4 God speaks to Job and says, “Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundations?” 

Harsh? Uncaring? Hardly! It is humbling. And there is actually great comfort in humility. This whole thing does not rest on you. God is in control. And God sees all and is working it all together for GOOD. Humility leads us to understand that we have no answers for God, but he has answers for us. 

In Exodus, God led the nation of Israel by a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night. He illuminated their path through his light. In Psalm 119:105-112, we also read of the Word of God as a light. God is illuminating our steps so that we don’t get lost or lose our footing in the darkness. The Psalmist acknowledges that God’s Word is a light, but ALSO makes the commitment to follow the light.  

There is humility in acknowledging that your life should follow God’s light.

There is only One who can give orders to the morning. And it is not you or me. In scripture we meet our God, the Creator and Sustainer of it all. 

So how are we to proceed in this world? One step at a time, letting the Word of the God be a lamp for our feet, and a light on our paths. Humbly trusting that God is with us, every step of the way. 

• In what area of your life are you trying to give answers to God, instead, of searching for answers from God?

• In what area of your life have your strayed from God’s guiding light?

Consider the gift of humility as you read Job 38:1-21 and Psalm 119:105-112.

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Daily Devotion
Creatures of Habit: Study
2Timothy 3:16-17; 1Timothy 5:18; Luke 10:5-7
Study: The Holiness of The Habit 

A godly life is always grounded in God’s Word. The apostle Paul writes to a young man named Timothy and says, “All Scripture is God-breathed.” Paul is saying that Scripture comes from the mouth of God not the mind of men. When he writes the word “Scripture” he is talking about the Old Testament Scriptures and he says they are God breathed. What does that mean for the New Testament Scriptures? In 1 Timothy 5:18, Paul quotes the words of Jesus in Luke 10:7 and calls them Scripture as well. It is important to understand that all of Scripture, the Old and New Testaments alike are God breathed. When you obey Scripture, you are obeying God. If we are going to live godly lives then we have to make sure that we don’t get the last word, our friends don’t get the last word, but God’s Word gets the last word.

God’s Word should have the last word on everything.

Paul continues to say that Scripture is useful. When you create a habit of study you are not studying a collection of old, outdated literature, but the Word of God that is useful for your life today. It is useful for salvation. 2 Timothy 3:15 says, “and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”  

The word of God is useful for teaching you and training you in righteousness. The Word of God is useful for bringing conviction and correction to our lives. The Word of God will train you how to live a godly life and then bring conviction when our lives get off course. It is useful to equip us for every good work.

The servant of God is equipped by the Scriptures from God.

All of this is only possible if we apply the Word of God. It is important that we don’t look at the Word of God and forget what it says, ignoring the call to live it out. If we want to live a godly life then we have to read, understand, and apply the Word of God in our lives. 

Information plus application leads to spiritual transformation.

• What is one thing you need God’s Word to teach you?

• What is one area of your life where God’s Word is not getting the last word?

Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 1 Timothy 5:18, Luke 10:5-7 and let God’s Word have the last word.

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Daily Devotion
Creatures of Habit: Study
John 17:1-5
Study: The Hope of The Habit 

If we were doing a word association activity, I bet “hope” wouldn’t be the first word you thought of when I said “habit.” Well, you might think, “I hope I can actually do this habit.” But that’s not quite what we’re talking about. 

You have made it seven days into forming or reforming your habit of study, and maybe you have experienced it for yourself already, or maybe not. But let’s be clear. There is hope in studying the Word of God! How is this possible?

In the Word of God we find that we are not alone. As we read the Bible we begin to see ourselves in these unexpected stories and characters. We are not alone in our pain, questions, fears. Many before us have felt and done the same. And there is a pattern to how God moves in these stories. The pattern is love. 

In the Word of God we find a big story that we are a part of. In the Bible we come into a story that has a beginning and an end. Have you considered the hope in that alone? We do not live in chaos, though to be sure it feels like chaos at times. The beauty of the beginning of Genesis is the idea that our world was created with order. And at the opposite end of the Bible, Revelation reminds us that there will be a time when God makes all things right again. The Alpha and Omega, the One who holds the beginning and the end, is making all things new, and we get to be a part of the story, here in the middle.

In the Word of God we meet Jesus! Jesus changes everything. Jesus, the Anointed One, the Messiah. Jesus is our hope, and we get to know Jesus in God’s Word. And not just the parts that talk about his birth, death, and resurrection. Jesus is everywhere. The whole Bible is soaked with Jesus. 

• How would your life be different if you were full of hope?

• How does hope affect your ability to continue in this habit of study?

Studying the Word of God gives you hope for your life. This habit can change the rhythm of your life and the fabric of your heart. You are not alone, there is hope! Read John 17:1-5 and be filled with hope!

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Daily Devotion
Walking in Patience: Fruit of the Spirit
Hebrews 6:11-12; 10:36
How To Receive Your Heart’s Desires

What are the desires of your heart? In other words, what do you secretly dream about, visualize or imagine?

Maybe you desire to be married or have children. Perhaps you’ve always desired to start a ministry or a business. Or what about financial freedom and abundance? Is that your dream? Whatever the desires of your heart, it’s never too late to receive them. No matter how old you are or how long you’ve been waiting—you can live the life you’ve always dreamed of.

But here’s where most Christians get hung up. They have a desire, pray for it, maybe even have the faith to receive it…but only for a while. When time ticks away, they grow weary and start to give up.

That’s where the fruit of patience comes in. Hebrews 6:12 tells us how important patience is in the faith equation (see today’s reading). Patience is likely one of the most difficult fruit of the spirit to develop, but it’s required to receive from God. 

Most people think patience is sitting and waiting without getting frustrated, but that isn’t quite it. Patience isn’t passive—it’s very active! Patience is persevering in your faith, which means you aren’t letting anything or anyone talk you out of what you’re believing for. And while you’re waiting, you obey God’s commands all along the way.

Patience is defined in the dictionary as “the quality that does not surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial.” Patience is divinely designed to undergird all the other fruit of the spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23. It keeps the other fruit of the spirit working so that even when we’re under pressure, we don’t give up and quit.

If you want to see the desires of your heart, develop the active fruit of patience. Persevere in faith, don’t waver from your position—remain obedient, continually grow in God, and above all—Don’t. Give. Up.

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Daily Devotion
Walking in Patience: Fruit of the Spirit
Prov. 14:29; Eph. 4:2; Prov. 16:32
The Most Potent Fruit

Fruit is much more potent after it’s been developed. If you pick a peach too soon, for example, it isn’t useful for anything. It has to be left on the tree to fully ripen in order to fulfill its purpose. 

That’s how it is with patience. When we receive Jesus as Savior and Lord, it’s present within us, but it’s like a green peach—it’s mostly in seed form. For patience to fulfill its purpose, it has to develop to the point where we can partake of it. It has to be cultivated and watered with the Word of God.

How do we do this? 

By studying and meditating on the Word concerning patience. This will help you strengthen that fruit so that it’s operating powerfully in your life. Then, when something in life comes up (and it will come up!), you’ll stop and think before you allow yourself to become short-tempered or hasty in speaking. 

The fruit of patience is empowering. It keeps you from damaging your relationships and speaking out of emotion. It protects you from saying something foolish and harming your reputation. That’s a big deal because once words have been spoken, you can’t get them back. You can apologize for them, but they’ll still be out there in the minds of the people who heard them, and they can continue to cause damage. 

Patience can prevent that damage from ever taking place! It can save your marriage. It can save your friendships. It can prevent you from becoming exasperated at work and reacting in a way that may cost you your job.

Don’t let the fruit of patience stay green on the tree of your life. Develop it and water it with the Word. Pray in the spirit and practice, practice, practice! You’ll love the results you see.

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Daily Devotion
Walking in Patience: Fruit of the Spirit
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Patience in Action

We’ve talked about how patience activates and keeps our faith moving until we receive from God. Today, we’re talking about what patience looks like in action. 

Let’s remember that patience is also mentioned in THE love verse of the Bible (see today’s reading). What does love have to do with faith and patience? Everything.

Patience includes enduring wrong and ill-treatment without anger or the desire for revenge. It means enduring with people as much as it means enduring through a trial. Love, joy, faith, patience—these are all interconnected. If one is missing, the others won’t work right, and you’ll be left wondering why you aren’t getting a manifestation. Patience springs from love. The Bible says, “love is patient” (1 Corinthians 13:4).

So, if you want to have patience that fuels faith, you’ve got to be walking in love and showing patience to those around you. That means your life will reflect the following: 

• You don’t snap at people when they frustrate you. 

• You don’t make critical or rude remarks to others. 

• You are not easily angered. 

• You assume the best about others. 

• You don’t respond impatiently in stores or on the road. 

• You are a patient spouse and parent. 

• You don’t become frustrated by the passage of time in any given situation. 

• You don’t expect Christians to be perfect. You have patience with their spiritual growth, just as God has patience with you. 

• You have patience at all times and in all situations.

Lester Sumrall said, “Long-suffering (patience) is love on trial, love refined and selfishness conquered.” So, if you struggle with patience, you’re struggling with love. And if you don’t have patience working in you, you are not going to reveal a Christlike image to the world.

This week, set a goal to respond patiently. (Yep, you’re going to have plenty of opportunities to practice!) Then, have a game plan. Holding your tongue, counting to 10, deep breathing, praying in the spirit—whatever it takes. And don’t beat yourself up if you miss it. It takes practice! But you will get it. We’re rooting for you.

“.”

—

Daily Devotion
Walking in Patience: Fruit of the Spirit
1Timothy 6:12; Mark 11:24
Receiving a Miracle

If you need a miracle, the most crucial time in your faith life is the time that passes between your prayer and the manifestation of what you’re believing for.

It’s the time when things are being set in motion in the spirit realm, and yet, in the natural, everything still looks the same. It’s the time you’re most tempted to get discouraged and say, “Nothing is happening! I’ve been believing for this for a long time now, and it hasn’t come. I give up.”

The one thing that will keep your faith moving and your promise coming toward you is the fruit of patience. It gives you the ability to wait without wavering—to never give up. Patience is what keeps believing God—even when symptoms persist or time keeps passing. 

Patience is one of the keys to receiving a miracle. You don’t generally get miracles by just having faith for a few minutes and then caving in. You have to “fight the good fight of faith” (see today’s reading).

If you want to see the supernatural happen in your life, you can’t be like the man who described himself as having “a lot of faith, but not much fight.” You need faith that’s aggressive—faith that teams up with patience to pack a one-two punch that puts the devil on the run and brings the impossible to pass!

If you’ve been on the verge of giving up on your miracle—don’t. Get back in the ring. And this time, bring patience with you.

“.”

—

Daily Devotion
Walking in Patience: Fruit of the Spirit
Luke 8:15; 2 Corinthians 6:3-7
A Testimony of Patience

On our Believer’s Voice of Victory broadcast years ago, we shared an interview with a family that revealed just how crucial remaining fully persuaded—and patient—can be. 

Their son had been in an accident that had severed his spinal cord. His neck was broken in four places and his ear was cut off. He died six times on the operating table, and though they were able to revive him, he went into a coma.

The doctors said he’d never regain consciousness, and if he survived, he’d be in a permanent vegetative state. (Whenever you receive a bad report of any kind, know that you are at a spiritual crossroads—what will you choose?)

This family chose to stand on God’s Word for the boy’s healing. They prayed and agreed that he would live and not die and declare the works of the Lord. Now, here is where patience came in.

For 28 days, they continued to believe and declare the Word over him. For 28 days, even though it looked like nothing was happening, they put faith and patience to work. On day 29, the boy’s spinal cord was miraculously put back together. He came out of the coma and kept getting better until he was totally healed and restored. We showed a video of him running a marathon!

What would have happened if that family had gotten discouraged and quit believing God on day 10 or day 23? 

Nothing. That boy would have stayed in the coma and never recovered. That family wouldn’t have gotten their miracle because when faith quits, the miraculous quits. 

Patience takes you through the hard places and gets you to victory. Be inspired by this testimony of faith, and think about it the next time you need patience to see a miracle in your own life.

“.”

—

“

Daily Devotion
Walking in Patience: Fruit of the Spirit
Philippians 1:11
Patience Is Jesus on Display

One of the most important things about showing patience is that it is one of the most powerful ways to show Jesus to those who don’t know Him.

While others might let the cashier know they’ve had it with the long wait, the patience of Jesus shows love and kindness to that person and outshines the rest. When impatient, inconsiderate people tailgate and honk at slower drivers, your calm and considerate demeanor is a glowing example of Jesus. It makes people stop and wonder why you’re so different.

Patience puts Jesus on display!

What stands out even more is when we are patient with our own difficult circumstances. When we’re standing and believing God for promotion, but we don’t get upset when another is promoted first, we’re displaying supernatural patience and faith that is very attractive to the world. When we are believing for healing and seem to sparkle and smile through symptoms that would defeat others, we send a strong message of who Jesus really is.

How do we get there?

As we consistently fellowship with Him by spending time in prayer and in the Word, we’ll bear the fruit of His patience almost unconsciously. Others will start to see it in us, most likely even before we do, and be touched by its sweetness. And they’ll be more receptive to the gospel (see today’s reading).

This week, endeavor to let Jesus be on display in your life, as you show patience in situations where most others would not. Your life is your testimony!

.”

—

“

Daily Devotion
Walking in Patience: Fruit of the Spirit
Ephesians 6:4; 1Peter 3:1-2 1Cor.16:14
Patience in the Family

Patience goes a long way in a marriage and in parenting. In fact, it is an essential ingredient in a successful family environment.

Marriage brings two imperfect people together as one, and if you’re married, you know it takes work! Patience on your part will do wonders for your relationship. Whenever you’re tempted to be irritated with your spouse’s habits or failings, be patient instead. Turn your attention toward their good qualities. Then, focus on ways you can become a better husband or wife. (There’s plenty to work on in both parties!)

Work to respond in love to your spouse. That doesn’t mean you don’t share your feelings—open communication is vital to a healthy relationship. But when you do, do so with love and patience, not animosity.

The same is true with children. Love will always involve discipline and correction, but these should always be done with patience and love. Little ones and teenagers, in particular, require a special grace. Ask God to help you to be a patient parent and work to develop the fruit of patience in your parenting. In modeling this for your children, you’ll find they respond better to you and will naturally display patience themselves.

God shows so much patience to each one of us, and it blesses Him when we share that patience with those around us. If you find you’ve been impatient with your spouse or children, spend this week focusing your prayer and quiet time with the Lord on developing the fruit of patience in your family. It’s an investment worth making.

.”

—

Daily Devotion
Love: Fruit of the Spirit
2John 1:6; John 13: 34-35
The Most Important Thing

We hear a lot of talk about love these days and what people think it should be. But the reality is, few people really know what love is. Even Christians seem to be confused about it at times. But they don’t need to be. The Word of God reveals what love truly is, which is the result of the Holy Spirit living inside us. That’s why it is called a fruit of the spirit in Galatians 5:22. In fact, love is the most important fruit because it is the foundation of all the others.

God outlined what love looks like so clearly, we have no excuses! All we have to do is follow it, and we’ll be walking in love. 

This is so important for us to know, especially these days, because as the world around us grows more sinful, people are becoming more and more confused about love. They think doing anything that feels good is love, and they even think justifying sinful lifestyles is love. 

Nothing—absolutely nothing—is more important than learning to walk in the fruit of love. So, study the Manual God has given you. It will teach you how to make the love of God that was placed inside you when you were born again show up on the outside. As you act on God’s Word, His love will be perfected in your life, and others will see Jesus in you.

“.”

—

“

Daily Devotion
Love: The Fruit of the Spirit
1 Corinthians 13
What the World Needs Now

Remember the song that says, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love”? Secular songs are usually way off base, but this one was nearly right. 

What the world needs now is God’s love. 

The world is starving for the love of God. Every person has been created with a desperate need for divine love. They search for it in countless ways, but there is only one way they’ll ever be fulfilled.

What’s the solution? 

You are! As a born-again Christian, you are an open door into the love of God for the people with whom you come in contact. You have the power and the privilege to love them with the God kind of love. Is it easy? No. It’s the same way Jesus loves you, and it’s living inside you. But it takes practice! It takes a cultivating of the fruit of the spirit inside you. 

When you are patient, kind, not rude, not envious, not boastful, and you forgive quickly and don’t gossip, you stand out! And you’re demonstrating the love of God to those around you.

You can love so deeply and so well, people will know just by watching you that you’re a disciple of Jesus. They’ll literally find His love in you…and that’s what they’ve been looking for all along.

.”

—

“

Daily Devotion
Love: Fruit of the Spirit
Psalm 27:4-8; Matthew 6:33;5:44
When Your Love Walk Is Tested

Love, joy, peace, goodness, and kindness are all supernatural expressions of the character and presence of God who lives inside us. When we yield to them, the Holy Spirit enhances and strengthens them in us to become a river of living water that flows out of us to help bless others! 

But… even though you have a fountain of love springing up in your spirit, you still live in a world with…people. And people are a guarantee that you’ll still go through some tests and trials. The devil will see to that! 

He will constantly tempt you to step out of love and into strife, unforgiveness, or offense. But you don’t have to be a victim of these attempts to steal your fruit. God says no matter what temptation you face, He will always give you a way out of it (1 Corinthians 10:13). 

That means, all you have to do is stand on God’s Word and resist the devil, and he will have to flee from you. You can actually stand in front of someone who is screaming at and accusing you, and make a decision not to be offended. Yes, it’s possible! And it is so freeing.

How can you get to this place?

By spending regular time with God in His Word and in prayer. Praise and worship are powerful weapons, too. They really shut down the devil. The more time you spend with the Lord, the easier it will be for you to respond in love to any situation—even when people are being unlovely, unreasonable, irrational, or all three.

The best part?

You’ll be a happier, healthier person and be pleasing to God in the process.

.”

—

“

Daily Devotion
Love: Fruit of the Spirit
Psalm 27:4-8; Matthew 6:33;5:44
When Your Love Walk Is Tested

Love, joy, peace, goodness, and kindness are all supernatural expressions of the character and presence of God who lives inside us. When we yield to them, the Holy Spirit enhances and strengthens them in us to become a river of living water that flows out of us to help bless others! 

But… even though you have a fountain of love springing up in your spirit, you still live in a world with…people. And people are a guarantee that you’ll still go through some tests and trials. The devil will see to that! 

He will constantly tempt you to step out of love and into strife, unforgiveness, or offense. But you don’t have to be a victim of these attempts to steal your fruit. God says no matter what temptation you face, He will always give you a way out of it (1 Corinthians 10:13). 

That means, all you have to do is stand on God’s Word and resist the devil, and he will have to flee from you. You can actually stand in front of someone who is screaming at and accusing you, and make a decision not to be offended. Yes, it’s possible! And it is so freeing.

How can you get to this place?

By spending regular time with God in His Word and in prayer. Praise and worship are powerful weapons, too. They really shut down the devil. The more time you spend with the Lord, the easier it will be for you to respond in love to any situation—even when people are being unlovely, unreasonable, irrational, or all three.

The best part?

You’ll be a happier, healthier person and be pleasing to God in the process.

.”

—

“

Daily Devotion
Love: Fruit of the Spirit
Ephesians 5:2; Colossians 3:14
Take a Love Checkup

If you want to see a huge turnaround in any area of your life—cultivate the fruit of love. It really is the key to everything you want and need in life. Just being nice isn’t going to cut it. You’ve got to cover all the bases to make it work.

How can you do this? By giving yourself regular love checkups. The measuring stick? First Corinthians 13. Let’s give it a try. As you read the following verses, stop at each one and ask yourself, “Am I doing this with every person, every time?” Take the time to meditate on how you can improve in each area. Ready…go…

Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails… (verses 4-8, AMPC). 

How did it go? If you made it to the end without at least three or four areas to improve on, go back and try again! No one is perfect, and there will always be areas that need work. That’s just the way it goes. But continual effort to cultivate the fruit of love in your life will be worth the effort. 

If you really want to become an expert, write this verse on a 3-by-5 card and tape it on your mirror, or put one in your Bible or anywhere else where you’ll see it daily. Then, speak it out loud. Some people like to include their own name in place of the word love. 

The results of walking in love are worth the effort. God planned it that way 

.”

—

Daily Devotion
Love: Fruit of the Spirit
1 John 2:5-10
Disobedience Is Dangerous

Sometimes people think God’s commands are just suggestions, but they aren’t! Everything God instructs us to do is for our good. And that includes in the area of love.

You see, when we don’t obey God, we open ourselves up for the devil to have a field day in our lives. And, even worse, we block the countless blessings God is waiting to shower on us.

Let’s take a look at two of the places He commands us to love.

Romans 13:8 (NIV) says, “…whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.” That means not loving others is breaking God’s law. And, of course, let’s not forget John 15:12, which says, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” 

Disobedience is dangerous! Just as when we obey God’s Word, we experience victory and live as overcomers, when we disobey Him, we experience defeat. We step out of the light and start stumbling around in the darkness. That’s not a safe thing to do. We want to stay protected and on the victory side. We want to walk continually in God’s power and manifested presence by communing with Him in His Word and keeping His command of love.

Next time you think about lashing out at someone or letting envy get the best of you, ask yourself this, “Am I willing to put my blessings and victories on the line right now for this one moment?” Most likely, the answer will always be no. 

“.”

—

“

Daily Devotion
Love: Fruit of the Spirit
1 John 3:21-23
Love Is Protection

Keeping yourself in the love of God is the key to everything when it comes to living a victorious Christian life. It enables you to walk in all the other fruit of the spirit and keeps the door open for them to continue to flow.

Without love, you’ll never be able to have joy. You’ll be too self-centered and get upset every time something doesn’t go your way or someone doesn’t treat you right. 

But when you walk in love, you’ll be able to rejoice—no matter what happens! You’ll be kind to those who do you wrong and oppose you. You’ll pray for people when they betray you. You won’t reciprocate harsh words for harsh words.

When you do those things, you automatically position yourself to receive God’s supernatural protection and deliverance. You’ll be able to ask Him for anything you need and be sure He’ll answer. (Today’s reading tells you why.)

Really, when you walk in the love of God, you’re the one who benefits the most. His love is so powerful and strong, it will enable you to overcome any situation. It will make you more than a conqueror in every area of life by keeping you in constant contact with God. And that’s the greatest harvest of all.

.”

—

“

Daily Devotion
What is God Like
Leviticus 20:7-8; Exodus 31:13
God Is Holy

In fact, God wants you to be different — and not just in personality and personal likes and dislikes. But to understand how each of us are called to be different, we can first see how God is different.

God calls us to be different, set apart for a greater purpose.

One of the names for God is Jehovah-M’Kaddesh, which means “the God who sanctifies” (Leviticus 20:7-8, Exodus 31:13). Sanctification is a big, churchy word that means to set apart or separate. Often, the words holy and hallow are used in place of sanctify. We cannot make ourselves holy, so God did that for us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. He calls us to be different, set apart for a greater purpose, like He called the people of Israel to be different from the world around them:

“‘Keep all my decrees and laws and follow them…You must not live according to the customs of the nations I am going to drive out before you…I am the Lord your God, who has set you apart from the nations” (Leviticus 20:22-25).

Leviticus was a lawbook for the Israelites to follow. It showed God’s people what He was like, who He wanted them to be, and how He wanted them to live. It would have been easy for the Israelites to adopt the practices and beliefs of the surrounding groups: pagan worship, violent laws, human sacrifices, and more. But God wanted the Israelites to be different, not in opposition to those people, but examples of a better way to live in relationships with others and with Him (Leviticus 22-24). He wanted them to be different.

He wants the same thing for us today. Following Jesus is a counter-cultural way of life that invites outsiders to belong and transforms us the closer we are to Him.

Reflect:

• What does God’s desire to sanctify us (or set us apart for a greater purpose) say about who He is and what He’s like?

• How does knowing you are set apart by God change the way you act toward yourself or others?

• What is something you believe God has set you apart to do or accomplish?

.”

—

“.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood

“I strongly believe that the power of food has a fundamental place in people’s homes that binds us to the best things of life.”

— Leo Wood