Hey You Good Devotional

James 1:26 Today we gather around the Book of James. And as I sat with this letter in my own study this week, something caught hold of me and would not let go. When James tells us to bridle the tongue , I had always heard it the way most of us hear it " atch your mouth." Mind your manners. Don’t say the wrong thing in the wrong room. But that is not quite what James means. To bridle the tongue is...

Scripture: 1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10–11), 22–30, 41–43 There are seasons of life when we want God to show up in a way we can recognize . Not because we don't believe. Not because we have forgotten what God has done. But because sometimes life has been so heavy, confusing, or uncertain that we need some reassurance that God is still here. That's what makes 1 Kings 8 so powerful.

For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes beheld my unformed substance; in your book were written all the days that were formed fo...

There are moments when the Word of God comforts us, and there are moments when it confronts us. This was one of those confronting moments. The people had gathered together after years of exile and the completion of Jerusalem's wall. For the first time in a long time, they were hearing God's Word read aloud. As they listened, they began to cry. They weren't weeping because life was difficult. They...

Exodus 14:13–14 Good morning. Have you ever found yourself in a season where the future felt unclear? A season where the plans you carefully made no longer seemed to fit the life you were living? You weren't necessarily in crisis, but you were carrying questions. You were doing your best to trust God while quietly wondering, "Lord, what's next?" Israel knew that feeling.

HOW ARE YOU DOING? ...HOLDING TO HOPE There are seasons in life when these three commands feel impossible. How do you rejoice when you're still waiting? How do you remain patient when the pain seems unending? How do you keep praying when heaven feels silent? SONG: DeWayne Woods; Let Go

When do you lose your Joy? Nehemiah 8:10 reminds us that we should have joy. That there are moments when we don't have to grieve but rather let the emotion be to celebrate and have joy. Get your joy back, it is our strength. Song: The Joy of the Lord is my Strength by Douglas Miller

Song: Already Here by Brian Courtney Wilson A God Who Keeps His Word 2 Samuel 7:27-29 "For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, 'I will build you a house'; therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you." (v. 27) There are moments in life when prayer feels difficult. The weight of disappointment, unanswered questions, and...

Prayer Faithful God, thank you for your steadfast love that never ceases and your mercies that never come to an end. Thank you for sustaining me through every season of my life. When I am tempted to focus on what is missing, remind me of all the ways you have carried me. Help me to greet each day with confidence, knowing that your mercy is new every morning and your faithfulness never fails. Amen.

Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20 "When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted." — Matthew 28:17 One of the most comforting verses in all of Scripture is tucked into the middle of the Great Commission. Matthew tells us that when the disciples saw the resurrected Jesus, they worshiped Him—but some doubted. Let me read this again…But some doubted. What would you do differently today if you bel...

We live in a world that celebrates the solo story. The self-made person. The need for individualism. We have been quietly taught that needing other people is a weakness and that the strongest faith is the one that stands completely alone. Because all we need is us and God, right? But when the Holy Spirit showed up on Pentecost, God didn't send a memo to one person. God filled a space. The detail t...

Scripture: "And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge... but have not love, I am nothing." — 1 Corinthians 13:2 Beloved, can I sit with you for a minute? I need us to talk about something we don't say out loud, especially not in church. Because we have a habit, and most of us have been on both sides of it at some point. We have learned how to say something that...

Remember Jesus will Stay with you. "As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, 'Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.' So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened...

It is Wednesday of Holy Week and one of the hardest question to ask yourself. during Holy Week is what did you sell out Jesus for? When were the times that you consciously and unconsciously chose to go another way? Song: Pray & Quiet Time by DappyT Keys

How do you handle your dead end situations? Paul shows us that people are always watching how we handle our delays, detours, and dead ends. They are consistently looking to see if we move in hope or hopelessness. Paul shows us even when you no longer have words...Have a song. Song: Watch Ye Saints: By C. Anthony Bryant

How long will you waver? Elijah's question echoes at every crossroad.

THIS WEEK ON OUR LENTEN JOURNEY WE RECOGNIZE, WE NEED REST!! . 1 Kings Elijah tells God, I have had enough. It is in this moment that Elijah gets a snack and a nap! This is the moment when God can whisper. Are you ready to rest so God can speak to you.

Ruth 1:16 says acknowledges that Journey partnership is not convenient. It is an intentional commitment to stand in someone else's valley. Is there someone in your circle of influence that you know if you just took the time to valley travel with them...Generational transformation can happen? What is God telling you to do? Song: Rely on you by Callie Day and Issac Caree

This is like New Year all over again. Ash Wednesday is a reminder that we are but dust. Dust. Dust that doesn't carry baggage. Dust that doesn't worry. We are lumps of complicated dust and at the end of this world. We return back to it. So will you allow your Dust to be used for the purposes of God? Song: Magnificent and Holy - Israel & New Breed

Scripture: Revelation 3:15-16 "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth." You know that feeling when you're driving home and suddenly realize you don't remember the last ten minutes of the drive? Your body went through all the motions—turning the wheel, che...

Scripture: Matthew 6:6 - "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen." Let's talk about prayer space today. Not just physical space, but the kind of space your soul needs to actually connect with God. Jesus was intentional about this. He withdrew. He went to the mountain. He slipped away early in the morning. He found places where He could be fully...

Pay attention to Jesus's invitation here. He doesn't say, "Come away and pray." He doesn't say, "Come and tell me everything that happened on your mission." He says simply: Come away and rest. The disciples had just returned from their first missionary journey, full of stories and experiences. Surely they had much to report, much to ask, much to say. But Jesus knew something they didn't yet unders...

Scripture: Luke 14:28-30 (NIV) "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, 'This person began to build and wasn't able to finish.'" It's January. Ash Wednesday is still weeks away. So why are we t...

Here's what Jesus knows that we sometimes forget: what He's calling us toward is always better than what He's asking us to leave behind. The security we're clinging to is false security. The comfort we're protecting is keeping us from the joy and purpose we were created for. When Jesus says, "Follow Me," He's not just asking us to give something up—He's inviting us into the adventure of partnering...

If the church is just a social club, we’ve missed Jesus. If we’re protecting the wealthy and silencing the wounded, we’ve missed Jesus. If we can quote bylaws but can’t practice love, we’ve missed Jesus. Let’s make this personal: What is Jesus asking you to let go of? What part of your image or power or comfort is keeping you from deeper healing? And what will it take to make our churches sanctuar...