And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. - Luke 15:5 (NLT) Finding the perfect gift is the mission we all face this Christmas season. Regardless of who it's for, we put up with angry crowds, cold temperatures, and the stresses of trying to make our paychecks look like Jesus feeding the 5,000 with a couple of fish and a few loaves. With all of the secret Santas, gift exchanges, cousin Eddies, and Christmas parties, we can get so busy that we

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. - Luke 2:7 (KJV). When I think about the miracle birth of Jesus, I think about the humility it took for the Creator of the universe to step out of heaven into the middle of a mess. I'm not talking about the condition of the world, even though the world was a mess, too. What I'm talking about is the mess that's usually associa

I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours . - Mark 11:24 (NLT). Trust is such a tricky thing. It's something we demand from everyone, yet we rarely give it to anyone. Throughout our lives, most of us have been lied to, cheated on, talked about, stolen from, and done dirty by the people we trusted the most. The world has taught us one thing for sure: you can't trust just anybody. It's hard to believe without trust. Apa

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. – Romans 8:11 (KJV). The promise of an eternity with Jesus is enough. The promise that when this mortal life is finished, we can lay down all of the sickness and pain would be enough for any of us to put up with our old bodies for a few years on earth. If that was all Jesus had to offer, th

No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. - Isaiah 54:17 (KJV). Jesus never promised us a problem free life after we surrendered our lives to Him, and no one said living for God is easy. Some days it feels like we are under constant attack and the whole world is conspiring against us. T

But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. - 2 Corinthians 11:3 (NKJV). The devil is a liar. He uses fear, shame, guilt, and discouragement to separate God's sheep from the protection found in a life spent with Jesus Christ. The wolf knows sheep are most vulnerable when they're alone and separated from the herd. He starts by whispering lies in our ears that begin to take over

27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. 28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. - Galatians 3:27-28 (NLT). What's your identity? Who you think you are matters. In a world of he, she, they, and them, who we think we are matters and it says a lot about the person behind the identity. Shevon and I encounter a lot of people who simply don't know

Who has believed our message? To whom has the LORD revealed his powerful arm? - Isaiah 53:1 (NLT). Whose message are you going to believe? There are conflicting messages in the world we live in. On one side, there's a message of faith, hope, and love. On the other, the message consists of fear, doubt, and hate. So, whose message are you going to believe? Whose message are you allowing your children to hear? We live in a world of instant news and social media influencers at

For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. - 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NLT). When God spoke life into existence, He began by simply saying, 'Let there be light.' The word let means to not prevent or forbid; to allow. We serve such an omnipotent God that He created this entire universe by simply speaking it into existence. He allowed it, He didn't prev

Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. - Psalm 62:1 (NIV). Are you feeling tired all the time? A lot of us do. In...

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. - Psalm 73:26 (NIV). Failure comes in many...

So Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to a room in the palace beneath the treasury, where he found some old rags and discarded...

Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it....

So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. - 1 Corinthians 9:26 (NLT). Where is your walk with Jesus going? Are...

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it...

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." - Philippians 4:13 (KJV). Philippians 4:13. One of the most quoted...

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall...

11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 ...

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us," -...

" I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours ." - Mark 11:24 (NLT). Prayer...