Devotional

Paul faced incredible hardship for his faith—beaten, shipwrecked, and hungry—yet remained unashamed of the gospel. Today's Christians face different pressures: social rejection, awkward silences, judgment from family. While our challenges pale compared to Paul's suffering, we're often more hesitant to stand firm. The gospel's transformative power remains unchanged, challenging us to remember what we represent and find natural opportunities to share our faith boldly.

Discover how true spiritual transformation happens when we stop talking and start listening in prayer. Like tuning a violin to perfect pitch, we don't create change through effort—we align ourselves with God's divine frequency. When we practice stillness before God, anxiety loses its grip, wisdom emerges naturally, and our relationship with Him deepens from transaction to true communion. Learn the sacred discipline that brings peace, perspective, and divine insight to your pr

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."  - John 10:27 Recently, my wife and I were at the drive-in theater where...

Yesterday I prayed about my frustration, asking God to change my attitude. A split second later, I was mentally onto the next problem. I realized I was like those people who dominate conversations—I wasn't letting God get a word in. Our minds operate like radios stuck between stations, full of static. True prayer means learning to listen after we speak. Jesus modeled this by withdrawing to quiet places. This week, try sitting in silence for 30 seconds after praying.

I'm pretty sure my animated discussions with thin air could land me a spot on the improv mime team. Yesterday, I caught myself delivering a passionate monologue to my empty living room about a frustrating encounter. Complete with hand gestures and award-worthy delivery to an audience of air. But these performances aren't helping—they're making me more worked up. If I'm already talking, why not redirect that conversation to Someone who can actually help?

They say your smartphone is the hand you don't wash. That device we carry everywhere mirrors something troubling about our spiritual lives: the sin we've grown so accustomed to that we've forgotten it's even there. How comfortable have you become with certain sins? Most of us carry some transgression that has settled into our routine, becoming as familiar and unnoticed as our phone. Thomas à Kempis observed this spiritual blindness centuries ago: sin accumulates in ordinary m

Thomas à Kempis warned that delaying prayer blocks heavenly consolation. Like a desert traveler who drinks immediately upon finding water, we should turn to prayer without hesitation when our souls feel parched. Scripture calls us to seek God while He may be found. When we postpone prayer, we choose spiritual dehydration while living water flows nearby. Prayer should be our first response, not our last resort, positioning us to receive divine comfort and strength.

What if the greatest freedom you could experience came not from doing whatever you want, but from binding yourself completely to God's service? On this Independence Day, as we celebrate liberty, it's worth remembering what our Founders understood - that true freedom flows from a higher source. They recognized our rights come not from government but from our Creator. Real freedom isn't independence from all authority—it's choosing the right authority to serve.

Growing up, I would hear "Remember, patience is a virtue." I was struck by Thomas à Kempis's insight into patience and suffering. He says the better you dispose yourself to suffer, the more wisely you act. True suffering must consider the virtue of patience and the One who will reward it. Scripture reveals patience as a reflection of God's nature. The Lord is patient with us, not wanting anyone to perish. Jesus modeled patience, waiting thirty years before ministry and enduri

In Gladiator, Proximo advises Maximus: "Win the crowd, win your freedom." This worldly wisdom contrasts sharply with Christ's way. Thomas à Kempis writes, "Jesus has always many who love His heavenly kingdom, but few who bear His cross." How often do we embrace Jesus's blessings yet waver when hardship comes? Jesus doesn't call us to please crowds but to follow Him through suffering. By embracing Christ's cross daily, we win something far greater than approval—we win His King

Moses whispered as he faced the barren rock. Suddenly, honey streamed from stone—sweetness from an impossible source. This powerful image reveals God's ability to transform barren places into blessings. Like Moses, we discover spiritual sweetness in hardship when we look beyond temporal things. Our difficulties push us to release our grip on things that don't last and reach for the eternal sweetness God offers. Where is your "rock," and what sweetness might God bring from it?

What if we secretly want to keep our stains? On Good Friday, we confront our reluctance to let Christ truly wash us white as snow.

God transforms us like a blacksmith forges metal—through fire and water into something glorious. Experience the spiritual refinement process this Lent.