Before the Lord

Most of us read Scripture daily — but are we actually meditating on it? George Muller compared the difference to water running through a pipe versus food nourishing the body. In thisepisode, we explore what it means to slow down, invite the Spirit into your reading, and let the Word take root. If your Bible reading feels routine, thisone’s for you. Subscribe to receive Before the Lord devotionals...

We evaluate our circumstances through the lens of happiness — if things are going well, we're good. If not, we complain and ask God to change it. But what if God isn't primarily working to make you comfortable? What if He's working to make you holy — and the circumstances you wish would change are the very tools He's using to shape you? That shift changes everything. Subscribe to r...

Most of us treat prayer like a task — check it off before the day starts. But Paul describes something different: an ongoing conversation that doesn't end at amen. Be diligent. Be watchful. Be thankful. What if the thing God laid on your heart this morning was preparation for something you haven't faced yet? That's watchful prayer — and it changes everything. Subscribe to receive Befor...

Anxiety hit — and it wouldn't lift. After praying and seeking counsel, I found the fear behind it: history repeating itself. What the Lord revealed wasn't a formula. Two pivots — one toward Him, one toward holiness. Paul told Timothy: God already gave you a spirit of power, love, and self-control. Past tense. The question isn't whether you have what it takes — it's whether you'...

Nobody likes suffering. But Peter doesn't say to brace for it — he says you're called to it. In this episode, we dig into 1 Peter 2:21 and what it means that Christ left His suffering as an example to follow, not a warning to avoid. If you've ever wondered whether the cost of obedience means you've taken a wrong turn — this one reframes the whole picture. The adjustment isn't t...

Ever let a word slip and immediately wish you could take it back? We've all been there. But what if the problem isn't your mouth — it's what's behind it? In this episode, we dig into Colossians 3:8 and what Paul really means by "obscene talk." Spoiler: it's not just about curse words. It's about what your language reveals about the condition of your heart — and what to do when frustration takes ov...

You had a great quiet time this morning. By lunch, you'd forgotten all about it. Sound familiar?"Set your mind on things above" sounds simple — until your day actually starts. In this episode, we dig into Colossians 3:1-2 and unpack why Paul's command isn't about trying harder to think spiritual thoughts. It's about something most of us have completely overlooked — and it...

Jesus is in the boat. The storm is raging. And He's asleep. So the disciples wake Him — but what comes out of their mouths isn't a prayer. It's an accusation: "Don't you care that we're dying?"In this episode, we dig into Mark 4:37-38 and the difference between crying out to God in faith and accusing Him of indifference. If you've ever been in a season where God f...

You've probably spent a lot of energy thinking about the words you shouldn't say. But when was the last time you thought about the words you should? In this episode, we look at Proverbs 10:11 and what it means for your mouth to be a "fountain of life." Most of us are focused on taming the tongue — avoiding the sharp comment, biting our lip. But there's a whole side of our wor...

God doesn't just cut away what's dead. He cuts back what's growing. That's the part nobody talks about. In this episode, we dig into John 15:2 and why God prunes branches that are already bearing fruit. If you've ever had something good taken from you and couldn't understand why — a relationship, a season, a comfort you thought was fine — this one might reframe everything....

Most Christians don't choose darkness. They just quietly drift toward the shadows — the private compromise, the hidden struggle nobody sees. And they call it "managing."In this episode, we look at 1 John 1:5-6 and what it actually means to walk in the light. It's not about being perfect. It's about being honest — and the surprising thing that happens to your fellowship with G...

The Spirit is already in you — the question is whether you're letting Him work. In today's devotional, we look at John 16:7 and why the Holy Spirit isn't a distant force but God as close as your next breath. Follow Coram Deo on Facebook and Instagram for daily encouragement. Subscribe at blakescrawford.com/sign-up

God's word was never meant to stop at your ears — when it reaches your heart, it moves your feet. In today's devotional, we look at James 1:22 and what happens when faith becomes mechanical and obedience becomes optional. Follow Coram Deo on Facebook and Instagram for daily encouragement. Subscribe at blakescrawford.com/sign-up

You don't have to keep building on something that was never meant to hold you. In today's devotional, we look at Luke 6:47–49 and the invitation to tear down what was built on broken ground and rebuild on the only foundation that will never fail — Christ Himself. Follow Coram Deo on Facebook and Instagram for daily encouragement. Subscribe at blakescrawford.com/sign-up

Your mind is either working for you or against you — there's no middle ground. In today's devotional, we look at Philippians 4:8 and why you cannot consistently think wrong thoughts and live a right life. Follow Coram Deo on Facebook and Instagram for daily encouragement. Subscribe at blakescrawford.com/sign-up

Don't make your plans and then ask God to bless them — include Him from the start. In today's devotional, we look at Proverbs 19:21 and the difference between inviting God into your plans and actually surrendering them to Him. Follow Coram Deo on Facebook and Instagram for daily encouragement. Subscribe at blakescrawford.com/sign-up

The company you keep quietly shapes the person you become. In today's devotional, we look at Proverbs 13:20 and why walking with the wise isn't accidental — it's a daily, deliberate choice for yourself and your family. Follow Coram Deo on Facebook and Instagram for daily encouragement. Subscribe at blakescrawford.com/sign-up

You can't microwave a deep relationship with God. In today's devotional, we look at Mark 1:35 and why knowing Him requires what it has always required — consistent, intentional, unhurried time in His presence. Follow Coram Deo on Facebook and Instagram for daily encouragement. Subscribe at blakescrawford.com/sign-up

Holiness isn't perfection — it's direction. In today's devotional, we look at 1 Peter 1:15–16 and what it means to be set apart for God. You can't white-knuckle your way to a clean heart, but you can turn toward the One who makes you clean. Follow Coram Deo on Facebook and Instagram for daily encouragement. Subscribe at blakescrawford.com/sign-up

What does it look like to stop writing your own story and start living into God's? In today's devotional, we look at Romans 12:1–2 and what it means to live with Him, under His authority, and for His glory. Follow Coram Deo on Facebook and Instagram for daily encouragement. Subscribe to receive devotionals in your inbox at blakescrawford.com/sign-up

Your old nature says curse them. Your new nature says bless them. In today's devotional, we look at Romans 12:14 and why blessing those who hurt you isn't weakness — it's Christ-centered love, and it's the key that unlocks the prison of bitterness. Follow Coram Deo on Facebook and Instagram for daily encouragement. Subscribe at blakescrawford.com/sign-up