Category: Devotions

Christ-centered devotions for the everyday places where faith meets real life. Find biblical encouragement, practical wisdom, and reminders of God’s truth to help you grow in Christ, trust Him more deeply, and live out your faith wherever this season finds you.

  • Jesus Calms the Storm

    Jesus Calms the Storm

    Leslie’s youngest daughter, Vanessa, had been a very quiet and reserved child until she turned 14 years old. She began to date boys and skip school, all the while her mother and two older siblings were completely oblivious. It wasn’t until her grades began to slip that Leslie caught a glimpse that something was wrong. Their father passed away shortly after Vanessa was born, so Leslie was a single parent with three children and two jobs. She couldn’t believe the things the teachers were saying about her child, and after two years of struggling to help Vanessa to get back on track, Leslie was tired and still very worried about her youngest.

    She was so thankful that Vanessa had made it to her senior year, but her grades were not what they could have been. Vanessa had fallen deeply in love with Reggie, a boy that had barely made it through school himself. He foolishly used drug money to lavish Vanessa in the extravagant prom dress she wanted, and this had placed her whole family in jeopardy. When Leslie found out about it, she was beside herself. All too familiar with news stories about what happens when you mess with the wrong players, she hustled to come up with the money to make things right. The last few years had taken a toll. Her fears and anxiety were at an all-time high, and she was worried about what Vanessa might do next.

    Some of the issues that many of us are facing today are nothing like those of the past. Situations that we never once imagined can land on our heads in a blink of an eye, and life as we know it is forever changed. Troubles and challenges like the ones Leslie have faced with her daughter can bring life and death consequences. The emotional weight of continuing uncertainty is also a huge burden. It can feel as though our backs are against the wall, and there’s no way out, but this simply isn’t true. Matthew 11:28-30(NLT) tells us, “28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”” We need Jesus, plain and simple. He can and will take our burdens and replace them with his love and light. We must have faith in this.

    When we come to that big whammy of an issue in life, we must understand that it’s spiritual warfare. Ephesians 6:12(NLT) tells us, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” It is very easy to attribute our troubles to a flesh and blood individual, a person that comes against us and perhaps those we love. We think that if we can handle the person through our own solutions, we’ll be all set. But often, when we try to do this, we find that the person continues to plague us in other ways.

    Romans 8:7(NIV) says, “The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” A mind that is governed by the flesh will always look to the flesh for solutions. A mind that is governed by the flesh is consumed with fear and tied to responses dictated by fear. This creates an unstable foundation, and very little can be built on it. Jesus Christ is continually knocking at the door, asking to come into our hearts, minds, and lives in a greater way so that a sturdy foundation can be built on him. He’s the One with power and authority, and our trust in him allows us to use it.

    Our children learn faith or fear from us. They practice what they see us doing, both good and bad. If we don’t believe deep down that God is our salvation, that we have nothing to fear because He will provide and protect us, they will pick up on this. We must be ever aware that this can be a great hindrance in their lives.

    A carnal mind is hostile to God, because it is rebellious against fully believing and trusting Him. A spiritual mind is the mind of Christ. It is the mindset of faith and this is the mind that God requires us to have. There will be storms in life, on this we can depend. We will endure hardship, but the solution is Jesus Christ! He taught the disciples this, and they had to learn the spiritual reality of faith in Christ during scary situations. In Matthew 8:23-27(NLT), we learn about one of those times.

    This passage says, “23 Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. 24 Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26 Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. 27 The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!””

    The disciples were called by Jesus Christ to follow him. We have that same calling. He walked with them daily and taught them the Word of God. In Jesus, the disciples had the overwhelming privilege to witness the living Word of God up close and personally. They saw the miracles, power, love, authority, and truth that he demonstrated in his life. They witnessed the perfection of his walk on earth, but when they found themselves facing the storm, they forgot about that. This was no ordinary storm. It was sent by satan to destroy them, but Jesus Christ was asleep. He could sleep through the storm because of his faith in God, but many of us will not practice the peace and calm that he did.

    The disciples ran to Jesus Christ shouting “Save us!” How is it that they could run to him to be saved, and still be afraid? This was unstable thinking, because we cannot have faith and fear at the same time. Jesus straightened out the waves, and he straightened them out as well. He calmed the storm and demonstrated his power to help the disciples. He will do the same for us.

    We don’t have to hide the reality of our trials, troubles, and tribulations from our children and those we love. However, our faith in Jesus Christ must be louder than the problems we face. So often we show our loved one a mentality of disappointment, sadness, and defeat. We can’t fake it, and they know us better than anyone. They see our lack of faith because deep down, that’s what we’re feeling. We must renew our minds to God’s Word and have faith in Him. We must recognize that our very lives are a testimony of the love, power, and victory of Jesus Christ. God knew about the storm way before it occurred. He’s already solved it. All He requires from you is that you really and truly believe it. ■

    Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. 

    Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

    “Jesus Calms the Storm”, written by Sokie for findchristianman.wordpress.com. Copyright©2026. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

  • When Love Turns Sour

    When Love Turns Sour

    One of the lessons that we quickly learn as adults is that relationships require work, and sometimes lots of it. Most of us conclude that we grossly underestimated just how much work it takes to make a relationship last. When we’re dating, we might find ourselves being the one that makes an ample investment into the man’s life, and sometimes that investment isn’t equally reciprocated. Thinking about walking away is very challenging, but we must be clear that mishandling things at this vulnerable juncture is never wise. The love we had for this man can sour and turn to bitterness. When that happens, our own fellowship with God is in jeopardy. We lose the heart and authority to be an effective witness of Christ in the life of someone that we could have influenced and impacted profoundly for God’s Kingdom. This is dangerous, and we really need to think things through.

    In Luke 17:1-4(NLT), Jesus Christ taught the disciples, “1There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! 2 It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin. 3 So watch yourselves! “If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. 4 Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.”

    In this passage, “one of these little ones” is a person that God has predestined as one of His own. Some believe that he is referring to young children only, but Jesus is referring to all God’s children, especially those that are just getting started  in the Word and learning the Way. All of us are offended at some point, this is true, but Jesus warns that woe is the fate of someone that causes spiritual infants to become so offended in the faith that they fall into sin.

    Many of us claim to have our eyes so steadfastly fixed upon the Master, but when a man comes into our lives, some of us forget who we are. Meeting someone new and having a relationship with him is not a time to let our stand on the solid rock to slip, especially when we’re not clear about what we’re working with while dating. Our eyes must be fixed upon Jesus Christ no matter who is in our lives or what our agendas may be. God commands us in 1Corinthians 16:13(NKJV) to “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.” We can never let our guards down in a relationship. The love of Christ should be our first priority, and it must be the lasting witness we leave on anyone we meet.

    James 1:22(NLT) tells us, “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” We can be sure of one thing; the love of God in Christ never sours. If we’re unsure about that truth, we’re fooling ourselves. We’re obligated by Christ to love others with his brand of love, not our own. 1Corinthians 13:4 tells us that his love—real, true, authentic love—is forgiving, kind, keeps no record of being wronged and doesn’t demand its own way. If this isn’t the love we’re prepared to give to the man we desire, it isn’t the love we should expect to receive.

    It’s entirely possible that “One of these little ones” is the person we’re dating, and if we place our agenda ahead of God’s agenda for their lives, we’re not behaving like doers of the Word but deceiving ourselves. It’s our responsibility as believers to guard our hearts so that we don’t get out of pocket and change the trajectory of a man’s relationship with God. We must pray for this not to happen so that we are the kind of witnesses God is pleased with.

    Ephesians 6:11(NKJV) tells us, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” It would be naïve of us to think that the enemy will not try to make our hearts, or the hearts of our boyfriends, sour in our relationships. We should know that this is his target, and if we allow him to win in one relationship, we will most likely do it in others. God offers us a better way and it is to put on the whole armor that He provides. We must be diligent to renew our minds and put on the mind of Christ, so that if our hearts grow sour in any relationship we are blessed to cultivate, we will turn them to the sweetness of Christ through forgiveness, patience, and a desire to always put God first. ■

    Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

    Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

    “When Love Turns Sour”, written for findchristianman.wordpress.com. Copyright©2026. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

  • The Harvest is Great, but the Workers Are Few

    The Harvest is Great, but the Workers Are Few

    Matthew 9:37-38(NLT)
    “He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.””

    The word, “harvest” is a very good one, and a good harvest is a very beautiful thing. Harvest is connected to increase, and increase is what many of us are praying to receive in this season of our lives. Jesus Christ tells us in Matthew 9:38 to pray to the Lord that is in charge of the harvest, and he doesn’t stop there. He tells us exactly what we ought to be praying for. We should be praying that God will send more workers in the field. Jesus also makes it plain to us that our Heavenly Father is the Owner of the harvest, the fields, and the workers, and this is a very important piece of knowledge for us to have.

    During the time in which he walked the earth, in Matthew 9:37, Jesus Christ told the disciples that the harvest was great, but the workers that were needed to bring in the harvest were few. This is very much the condition of our time as well. There is so much confusion and despair in the world today. It’s chaotic and dark, with divisions and strife everywhere. People desperately need the kind of direction and guidance that our God can give, and it’s our responsibility and privilege to share the saving grace of our Father in Heaven. We might think to ourselves, “It’s not that many people out there that truly want to know about Jesus.” None of us can really say whether this is true or not, but even if this number is shrinking, as followers of Christ, it isn’t our concern.

    God is in charge of the harvest. He takes care of that. Our responsibility is to do as He has commanded. We must make sure that we haven’t missed a beat when it comes to following the Holy Spirit’s promptings, and that as laborers in God’s fields, we have used our span of influence to bless and uplift according to the Spirit’s direction. There should be no doubt in our minds that discipleship is extremely important to backing our faith and positioning ourselves to please God.

    Jesus Christ told the disciples in Mark 16:15(NLT), “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” This is the Great Commission, to share the Gospel, make disciples of those who want to accept Christ, and teach them so they can be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is how we partner with God, and 2Corinthians 6:1(NLT) says, “As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it.” When we have accepted the gift of salvation, we can’t ignore it by keeping it to ourselves. It’s the love of God in Christ! We are required to share it. This is the one crucial truth that many single believers miss.

    We must understand that a heart that is eager and diligent to carry forth the Great Commission is the same heart that God requires in a man and woman before they marry. The harvest, the field, and the workers all belong to our Heavenly Father, and 1Corinthians 3:9 tells us that we are both God’s workers and His field. So, it’s not about our agendas, it’s about God’s Will and plan. 1Corinthians 3:7 says that the one who plants aren’t more important than the One who waters. Our Heavenly Father is our everything! It’s all about Him, and when we commit ourselves to the work that He’s called us to do, we will witness a harvest in every area of our lives.■

    Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

    “The Harvest is Great, but the Workers Are Few”, written for findchristianman.wordpress.com. Copyright©2026. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

  • The Vision of Your Destiny

    The Vision of Your Destiny

    Silhouette of a woman lifting her hands in praise to God.

    Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)
    “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”

    Dating today isn’t what it was 50 years ago. The days when a couple decided to take their time and get to know each other before becoming more than friends seems like ancient history. Many single women say that the men they’re meeting simply aren’t interested in having a significant long-term relationship that leads to marriage. These women are wondering about their futures and if finding a compatible mate is something that is going to happen for them.

    We can’t hide from the reality that many Christian women have been praying a very long time to cross paths with the man God sends. They want to share their lives with a man that can love them genuinely and desires to spend his life with them. We need to get back to the basics of faith and remind ourselves that God is the One that has placed the desire for marriage in our hearts. Philippians 2:13(NLT) tells us, “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” It’s a challenge for many of us to trust that this desire comes from God, and this is one of the reasons that we try to control everything.

    Proverbs 16:9(NLT) says, “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.” We’ve tried many strategies to get us down that aisle on our wedding day, but many of those are out of step with God’s Will and plan. Our destinies belong to Him and He’s the One that has set them. When we try to place ourselves in a seat that belongs to Him alone, we set ourselves back instead of moving ourselves forward. This is one of the lessons that singleness teaches us.

    God wants you to be over the moon fulfilled and happy, and He wants you to have a healthy and loving relationship with someone that loves you like Jesus Christ loves the church. It’s also very important to our Heavenly Father that we partner with a man that is supportive of our union with Christ. This is a person that will help us to grow spiritually stronger, and we will help him do the same. The problem is that for many of us, this isn’t our priority. We’re more interested in things that have nothing to do with the quality of a man’s heart. Sometimes, we’re just looking for the wrong things, and we’re all too willing to accept the wrong things and people into our lives.

    This can never equal the destiny that God has set for us. The psalmist said in Psalm 138:8(NLT), “The LORD will work out his plans for my life–for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever.” We must get into the practice of praying more to receive the vision of the destiny God has planned for us than we pray about any other thing. Marriage for the rest of our days on earth is only a tiny sliver of a moment compared to the eternity we will spend with the Father. We need to prioritize the things of His Kingdom first. We must diligently seek God, not for what we can receive from Him, but we must seek Him because He is worthy to be sought. He knows the timeline of every detail of your marriage. It’s under His control. Trust this with all your heart and do all that you can to show our Heavenly Father that you are thankful and blessed to have a relationship with Him and a destiny that is anchored in the Lord Jesus Christ. ■

    Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

    “The Vision of Your Destiny”, written for findchristianman.wordpress.com. Copyright©2026. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

  • Be Ready for God’s Answer

    Be Ready for God’s Answer

    Purple abstract background with the words of 2 Corinthians 5:20 written across.
    2 Corinthians 5:20

    John 16:23-24 (NLT)
    “23 At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. 24 You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.”

    After the Christmas holidays were over, Sharon and Jason called it quits. Sharon consulted with her spiritual counselor who walks in wisdom regarding God’s Word. She wanted to know if she could’ve taken any actions to prevent the relationship from falling apart. Her counselor told her, “Whether he’s in your life or not, no matter what happens, you must trust God.” This was not the answer Sharon was looking to hear. She was prepared to go to spiritual battle to get Jason back, and the wisdom she had heard from this wise spiritual veteran didn’t convey the fight and urgency she felt her situation warranted.

    They had been together almost two years, and Sharon believed they were headed for marriage. When Jason told her that he wanted to take things slow without the pressure of marriage, it was her first inkling that he wasn’t as devoted as she initially believed. Ultimately, he walked away, and Sharon knew that he didn’t love her the way she had always wanted to be loved. She tried to accept it, but when the thought of being without Jason set in, having him back was the only way she knew to ease her pain.

    God doesn’t want any of His children to go through heartbreak. It can be devastating and once we spend a little time feeling the sting of it, we often sense an urgency to do whatever we can to make the pain go away. However, pining away over a man that doesn’t want to be committed isn’t the answer. Having faith in God is the right answer, and it will forever be the right answer.

    Psalm 146:3(NIV) says, “Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.” The wisdom of this verse isn’t telling us that we can’t ever trust people. It’s conveying the judgment and discernment we must demonstrate when it comes to understanding His omnipotence and omniscience compared to that of human beings. None of us possess the ability to give eternal life to another individual. We can’t save their souls or extend their years upon this earth. Only God has this power. Psalm 75:6-7(NIV) tells us, “6 No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt themselves. 7 It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.” If we get this twisted in a relationship, and we begin to think a man has the ability to take away our pain or give us more joy than what God has provided through Jesus Christ, we are dabbling in idolatry, and that is exceedingly dangerous territory.

    When we’re faced with heartbreak like Sharon is experiencing with Jason, of course we go to God, and we should. Psalm 147:3(NIV) tells us, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” If we trust Him with our brokenness, He will help us grow in wisdom and endurance so that we do not continually choose men that will hurt and leave us, but this is not what many of us want. We want the man that wounded us, even though he has not treated or loved us the way God wants us to be loved. It’s in this state of denial that some of us will ask the Father if He will bring the man back to us.

    As mature women, we have to know that if we ask our Great Big Wonderful God a question, He is going to answer us. Either through a spiritual counselor that is wise in His Word or through the voice of His Spirit, we will receive a Word that cuts through all the pain and administers truth. This is what Sharon received. It’s never about the man. It’s always about our level of faith and trust in God. It’s about how we’ve prioritized our relationship with Him during the times we were in a relationship with a man and without one.

    Our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, told us John 16:23-24 that we can ask anything in his name, and the Father will do it. This is God’s promise, but if we ask for a prayer to be answered in the name of Jesus Christ, it means that we’ve asked for a request that is according to God’s Will. Not our will, but God’s Will. We don’t get to tell God that we know what man is right for our lives. He tells us, and when we ask Him, we shouldn’t look for His answer to always be what we want to hear. We must be ready to hear that our commitment to Him must grow stronger, that we must have greater faith, and we need to be patient and surrender our will for His. ■

    Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

    “Be Ready for God’s Answer”, written for findchristianman.wordpress.com. Copyright©2026. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

  • The Prince of Peace

    The Prince of Peace

    words, Prince of Peace, Everlasting Father, Mighty God, Wonderful Counselor
  • Thankful and Blessed

    Thankful and Blessed

    words grateful, thankful, blessed
  • You Won’t Be Disappointed

    You Won’t Be Disappointed

  • Your Happiness in God Alone

    Your Happiness in God Alone

    God is my rescue

  • Let Your Love for God Be Genuine

    Let Your Love for God Be Genuine