“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38

Many believers who have known the Lord for years face spiritual stagnation. They say, “I’ve been a Christian for so long. I know the Bible so well. I go to church every week. What’s wrong with me?”

I can tell you what’s wrong. They need an outlet for their inlet. If you don’t have an outlet for what you are taking in, then you will stagnate. The truth of God’s Word was not designed to be hoarded, but to be shared. And the more you give out, the more God gives to you.

Proverbs 11:25 says, “The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.” The Bible is saying that if you want a full soul and a rich life, then give freely of what you have…be it time, talent, or treasure.

It’s a radical thought, and it flies in the face of what we hear today—especially in our touchy-feely, narcissistic culture in which we’re all trying to help our wounded inner child and build our self-esteem.

Jesus was saying, “Want to find life? Then lose it. Deny yourself.” This means we stop focusing on ourselves and start thinking about other people and their needs. Then we will find what we’ve been looking for all along—not by searching for it, but as the byproduct of a life that is properly aligned with God

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man, this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”  Mark 10:27

We loved to dream when we were children. Whether it was hitting a homerun in the bottom of the ninth inning to win the championship game, becoming the first female president, or being the first to travel to the farthest point of outer space, we had no limits to our dreams.  Sadly, though, somewhere along the road of life, many of us stop dreaming. We trade the imaginations of our childhood for the fears of adulthood. We’re afraid that if our dreams are too big or too grand, then they won’t come true. The reason we have those fears is because we rely on ourselves to accomplish those dreams.  Jesus, however, encourages us to leave the shallow waters of fear and enter into the deep waters of faith—the deep waters of big dreams. We cannot rely on any human, including ourselves, to accomplish our dreams. While other people may be vehicles to help our dreams become reality, it is ultimately up to God. God is bigger than anything you can ever dream. It’s time to step out on faith and allow God to show you what he can accomplish in your life! 

Lord, Thank you for making the impossible possible in my life. Help me to step out on faith and trust that you are bigger than my dreams. I don’t want to settle for the repetition of daily living; I want to live in the deep end and in the adventure that you have planned for my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“Who despises the day of small things?” Zechariah 4:10

Faithfulness. That’s one consistent quality we can see in the lives of men and women God used in the pages of Scripture. We read in 2 Timothy 2:2, “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (italics added). And Jesus said, “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much” (Luke 16:10).

Right now, you may be at a place in life where nothing seems to be happening. You might be thinking, Lord, come on! Use me. Call on me. I’ll turn this world upside down for You. But the Lord may be saying, “My son, My daughter, you’re not ready yet. I have to prepare you first.” Be faithful to do what He has set before you today to the best of your ability.

That’s what Stephen did. Acts 6 tells us that his job was to serve tables. Notice the church leaders didn’t say, “Stephen, go out and do miracles and then go preach the gospel to the Sanhedrin. While you’re preaching, a guy named Saul of Tarsus will hear you. He ultimately will be converted, and will become the greatest preacher in the history of the church.” Instead, Stephen waited on tables. And as the Lord found him faithful in the little things, He gave him more responsibility.

You can never be too small for God to use; only too big. We need to be faithful in what God has set before us. Because if we’re not faithful in the little things, then we won’t be faithful in greater things either.

But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Matthew 13:23 

Believers who produce spiritual fruit aren’t like the seeds sown on the wayside that Jesus spoke of in the .

These symbolize people who never seem to grasp the Word of God. Nor are they like the seed sown on rocky soil, representing those who are rootless, allowing emotions to overpower obedience. Nor are they like the seed sown among thorns, signifying those who hear God’s Word and plan to keep it, but gradually let worldly pursuits choke it out.

True believers hear God’s Word and keep it. They respond decisively and promptly to what God shows them. They hear the message, internalize it, and make visible changes in their lives.

Outward changes don’t save us, but if we really are saved, there will be changes. Works don’t save us, but if we really are saved, there will be works. And if there are no changes in our lives outwardly, then there have been no real changes inwardly.

Have there been changes in your life? By “changes,” I don’t mean having a number of Bibles in your house in various colors to coordinate with different outfits. Nor do I mean having a bumper sticker with a Christian slogan on your car or a collection of church bulletins. What I do mean are changes to the extent that someone could look at your life and recognize you as a Christian.

If people were to look at your life today, what would they see? Would they see evidence of Jesus Christ living inside of you? Or would they see the same old you? The choice is up to you.

When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. Matthew 13:19

The book of Acts describes the transformational moment when Saul of Tarsus met Jesus Christ on the Damascus road. The Lord told him, “I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me” (Acts 26:17-18).

They told me I couldn’t do that anymore, because I was letting him run wild. They said, “The problem is that he is too ‘doggy.’ ” They went on to explain how he needed to be reminded of who his master was. They said I needed to get him on his leash and use a muzzle device. I started using it, and I found that it did work. I would just pull on his muzzle a little bit and he couldn’t go after that rabbit. He had to go where I wanted him to go.  After awhile, I took the muzzle off. Now he no longer needs that device. I am the master, and he is the dog. He just goes where I go.

We can be like that with God. We say, “Here is what I want to do, Lord. You come with me.”  But God says, “That is not the way it works. I want you to be more like Me. I want you to get in step with Me. I want you to go where I am going.” When we do, we are living the Christian life to its fullest.

Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.  1 Peter 4:10

I’M not a highly-educated theologian, but I have the love of Christ in my heart, and occasionally I have some spare time. God calls on us to serve others whenever possible. So I volunteer at my church, giving clothes to the needy and food to the hungry. I feel good knowing that I am serving a vital purpose in our church community.  When we love and serve our neighbors, we show our devotion to God. Good deeds may or may not require much time. In a short time, we can be good and faithful servants. A seemingly small act may stay in the heart and mind of another person for years to come. Even more important, when we extend a hand to someone who needs help, we do the work God calls us to do.

Lord, thank you for the blessings you have given each of us. Let us open our hearts and turn to our neighbors, passing along the blessings you have given us. We give glory to you, Lord Jesus and pray as you taught us, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”*

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.  1 Chronicles 29:11-12

Some people seem to push everything else aside and dedicate their lives to getting more and more things. They want their possessions, their pile of Skittles, to grow bigger. Now, God doesn’t say that having things is bad. In fact, he wants us to experience the joy of our surroundings. But an extreme attitude towards accumulation of stuff is called greed. It’s this attitude that causes us to miss out on so much of the life God has in store for us.  But when we acknowledge the reality that God is the one who blesses us, it causes us to break free from the chains of greed and materialism. 

To live the sweet life and be in God’s favor, you need to realize that you are a manager of what you have been given, not an owner. Every one of us is here to simply be good stewards of the things God has entrusted to us. Because when we realize that, we discover the freedom to let those things flow through us so that we can in turn be a blessing to others.

Dear God, Help me to better manage my life by turning everything over to you, giving you everything I have—my job, my relationships, my finances, and whatever else I’m holding on to. I want to be faithful in the little things, so that I can be entrusted with even more in order to glorify you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5

Everywhere I look this time of year, I see lights: flashy lights adorning the mall and streets, the steady glow of candlelight during our Christmas Eve service, and the dazzling lights of outside decorations.  Of all the lights at Christmas, however, I am most drawn to the white, twinkly lights on our Christmas tree.   A tradition I’ve enjoyed for years is to sit in my favorite chair in the darkened living room with only the illumination of the Christmas trees lights. I let the trees’ lights remind me of the brightest light of all, Jesus Christ.   The Bible includes numerous references to light.  As you read these verses, think about how Christ has been a light this past year, or think about what kind of light you need this Christmas season.  Let Christ’s light chase away any darkness as you bathe in the splendor of His light.

 As the creator of light, allow God to create light in your life. (Genesis 1:3)

When you are fearful, let His light make you brave. (Psalm 27:1)

 If you need direction, His light will show you the way. (Psalm 119:105)

 When you are in a difficult situation, God’s light makes the rough places smooth. (Isaiah 42:16)

 Do you feel ashamed or guilty?  Accept Christ’s light of forgiveness. (John 3:19)

 Chase away the darkness of hopelessness, loneliness, despair, aimlessness, confusion, hurt, or anger as you follow Christ, the Light of life. (John 8:12)

 Be a witness to Christ’s light by the way you live your life. (Matthew 5:16)

 Dear Lord, Thank You for Your Light.  Renew my hope, joy, and trust in You, as all the Christmas lights remind me that You are the Light of the world. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy . . . be glory, majesty, power and authority.  Jude 1:24-25

During the holiday season, I sat down and put together a 1000-piece holiday puzzle. I took pleasure in assembling the colors and pictures to resemble the image on the box. To my dismay, when I was trying to finish my puzzle, I discovered one piece was missing. The puzzle was flawed. I was so disappointed that I was ready to throw it away, to abandon the puzzle and to start another one. But then I looked at it again and decided to keep it. It was still a beautiful picture, and I was not going to throw it away because it was not perfect.

I think God sees us in the same way. Each of us has the potential to become who God intends us to be, but we come up short. We are all flawed. I am thankful that when I sin or fall short of God’s hopes and expectations, God does not become discouraged and abandon me. God still sees our value and refuses to throw us aside. Rather, God saves us through Jesus Christ!

Loving God, thank you for overlooking our flaws and for loving us despite our shortcomings. Amen.

“Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, ‘God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.  Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? … You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what He said.'” Luke 1:42-45

Have you ever said “yes” to God for what you believed was the assignment of a lifetime?  When you said “yes” did you know you would never be the same again? I love the story of Mary – young, sweet, innocent Mary – who accepted the assignment of her lifetime.  I can only imagine what she was thinking when the angel Gabriel announced she would give birth to the Son of the Most High.  Mary was also given details of how this son would be conceived.  Without hesitation her response to this assignment of a lifetime was, “May it be to me as you have said” Luke 1:38.

Mary did what most women do when something “big” happens, she ran to tell a gal pal. I wonder if she ran out of fear or excitement about what she had just experienced. Perhaps she ran to hide until she could get a handle on the situation. Or maybe she needed a hug from someone that loved her and could assure her that everything was going to be all right.

Scripture tells us she “hurried” on a 5-6 hour trip to Zechariah and Elizabeth’s house – a  place of refuge. When she arrived at their home, her cousin Elizabeth’s words confirmed that Mary indeed had been chosen to give birth to the long awaited Messiah. “In a loud voice she exclaimed: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!  But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!'” Luke 1:42-44.   This was Mary’s moment.  All that she believed of what the angel had spoken was affirmed.  In response, Mary praised God, saying, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name” Luke 1:46-49.  Has something like this ever happened to you? Has the Lord spoke to you through His Word and prayer and in your spirit you sensed Him telling you something that seemed outrageous? Has He asked you to say “yes” to an assignment that would change your life forever? You shook your head to loosen the cobwebs and push out anything possibly obstructing your hearing. You walked around bewildered for a couple days, wondering if you really heard right.  You replayed the scenario in your mind to get a clearer picture of the experience, but still could not get a handle on it.  Then out of the blue you received confirmation. God used a pastor, scripture, song, friend, family member, or a situation to confirm the word He spoke to your heart. If so, like Mary, have you responded with a song of praise to the Lord?

Is God speaking to you today about accepting a divine assignment? Is this devotion confirmation of your own “Mary moment”?  Or, maybe you are still waiting on your lifetime assignment.  God gives each assignment in His perfect timing.  Let’s stay close to Him and His Word so we will be ready to say “yes” when He speaks.

Dear Lord, I celebrate with You the assignments you have for me, big and small. I reflect today on the “Mary moments” I’ve had.  With fear, trembling, and excitement, I wait on the next one.  You are a right-on-time God.  Thank You for choosing me to be part of Your story.  With each assignment, help me to respond like Mary by saying, “May it be to me as you have said.” In Jesus’ Name, Amen.