Day 21 - "The Finish Line"

I remember training for a triathlon years ago. Now I have always been very competitive, so I thought I could win at everything I did. If you want to be humbled, compete in a triathlon against people 20-30 years older than you who have been doing this their entire lives. I was so worried about being first that I didn’t realize what a feat it was just to finish one of these races.

2 Timothy 4:7 says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

It’s not about being first. It’s about finishing. If you fought the good fight and you finished, that’s what God approves of. Just keep the faith. Don’t lose why you ran in the first place. You know it was hard to fight my way through my race when it came to swimming. I wasn’t the first out of the water but I made it to the next phase - biking. That’s when I thought I would win. I found out that people way older than me who started after me were incredibly faster than I was. The fact that I finished was a huge task. I realized why I was there. And it wasn’t to win that day. It was to finish.

As you have finished these 21 days of daily devotions, remember that you don’t have to be a theologian. You don’t have to be the fastest reader. You don’t have to be the deepest studier. You don’t have to have a ministry degree or be a pastor. This is about you and the Lord. It’s about finishing with Him. Let today be a day where you begin other things that you can finish. Maybe start a Bible reading plan or even a prayer routine. It doesn’t have to be like everyone else. Just focus on the finish in your walk with God. Also, take one day at a time getting there. It can be overwhelming to start new things. Just chip away at it but be challenged to stay consistent. That’s how we grow. That’s how we finish!


Prayer - “God, thank you for the past 21 days of drawing closer to you. I needed that in my life. I need you in my life. Give me the strength to finish what I start - especially when it comes to you. Amen.”

Day 20 - "Rhythms of Rest"

Did you know that (according to ourworldindata) Americans spend their time on many things other than rest? 251 minutes at work or education. 96 min of unpaid work. 122 min of housework and/or shopping. 57 min on personal care. 63 min on eating and drinking. 114 min of tv radio. 44 min seeing friends. 83 min on other leisure and the rest sleeping. It’s very difficult to find rest when we have so much going on. This can be a great distraction because we end up going God our leftovers. And we want to give Him our very best.

Matthew 11:28 says, “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.’ ”

God planned for rest from the beginning. On the 7th day God rested. He placed it in the rhythms of life. It should be a routine not an escape. Are you tired? And are you carrying some heavy stuff on you right now? The antidote is a closeness to God.

How do we come to Him? Well. Communicate. Pray. Worship Him. We can't get close to Him because we are too worried about the song we sang. We are too worried if we are going to say the right words in prayer. Just be who you are and do your best. If you don't know what else to say. Just say Jesus. If you don't know the words to say, just say Jesus. I'm going to tell you right now that if you only have one word in your vocabulary and you are carrying the heaviest of burdens and you are more tired than you ever have been. The best word you can say, is Jesus. That'll get you close to Him my friend. There's power in that name. Rest comes when you’re in His presence. Just like Mary and Martha. When Martha was so busy doing all the things in the house, Mary sat. She rested. She stayed in His presence.

So today, come to Him. If you are weary. If you are carrying some heavy stuff. He will give you to best rest. Don’t wait until you know you need it. Create a rhythm. Create a routine of rest. Make a pattern of being near Him.


Prayer - “Jesus, I need you more now than I ever have. I am here drawing near to you. You said if I did that, you would draw near. I am coming to you with all of my burdens. And I’m tired. I need you near me. Help me to lean on you and rest in you. Thank you Jesus. Amen.”

Day 19 - "Attitude of Servitude"

Abraham was the poster child for serving God. Serving isn’t as much of what we do as much as it is the attitude of the heart. There are several attitudes that he exemplified in the Bible, which serve as great examples for us when we serve.

Romans 12:1 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

You see, we are just to present ourselves to God. It’s not about what act of service we will perform. Let’s take a glance at Abraham. The first thing he did was go when God asked him to. There was no hesitation. We should be ready to go when God speaks without hesitation.

Another attitude was that he built an altar everywhere he went. The sole reason was sacrifice to God. He built something that God would approve of. What are you building for God today?

I love this one: Abraham positioned his tent strategically. Sometimes we get comfortable in one place when God is telling us to position ourselves in a new place. He’s not to the land that God will show him yet. But where he is currently, is moving forward through the land of Canaan. Sometimes we serve in a place where we didn’t want to stay. But when God sees your faithfulness He moves you to the next thing.

The last one is that he was willing to give up the most important thing in his life. Often when we have an excuse not to serve, it’s because our own priorities got in the way. He was willing to give up Isaac for God. What is that one thing that is hard to give up? Is it time? Is it someone? Is it materialism? Money? Let’s be ready to sacrifice anything for God. He just doesn’t want to compete with our priorities. He is the priority.


Prayer - “God, help me to not fit you in my schedule, but fit my schedule around you. You are my priority. Give me the attitude to serve you. Whether it be in a church, the community or at my workplace. Here I am! Send me! Amen.”

Day 18 - "The Sin Nature is Dead and Gone"

For a long time, when I read Paul’s words in Romans, “you are dead to sin,” I was confused. I thought he was saying I was somehow dead to sinful actions. And I’d think, But I still mess up, so how does that make sense?

Everything changed for me when I studied the Greek words Paul uses for sin.

In Romans, Paul uses two different words:
-Hamartia — a noun, referring to sin as a power or nature
-Hamartano — a verb, referring to acts of sin

When Paul says we are dead to sin, he is not saying we are dead to the ability to ever commit a sinful act. He is saying that through the new birth we have died to hamartia, the sin nature, the inner propensity to sin we inherited from Adam.

Through Christ, a radical change took place.

Scripture describes it as a circumcision of the heart, a cutting away of the old and the giving of a new one. The old identity that was enslaved to sin was removed, a new heart was given, and we were joined to the Lord. That means sin is no longer automatic, inevitable, or who we are at our core. We are now the righteousness of God in Christ.

What transformed my walk wasn’t striving harder to avoid acts of sin or fearing sin more, but recognizing what was actually true about me. Believing I was truly dead to the Adamic nature and genuinely alive to Christ changed how I lived.

I stopped relating to sin as something flowing from who I am and began seeing it as something foreign to my new identity. From that place, the Spirit began leading me from the inside out, not through pressure, but through truth.

We are not trying to manage a sinful nature anymore. That nature is gone. We may choose to walk according to the flesh or to be carnally minded, but a born-again believer is no longer IN the flesh. A permanent change took place at the new birth.

Our journey now is learning to live from the new heart we’ve already been given, led by the Spirit, grounded in truth, and rooted in our true identity in Christ.


Prayer - “God, help me to realize who I truly am in Christ. I take on this identity of being dead to sin. I am a new creation. I am no longer fearing every move I make but now I allow the Spirit to lead me in my daily walk. Though I make mistakes, I take on a new life that you have given me. Amen.”

Day 17 - "Your Words Have Power"

Words are powerful. They can build up or tear down, encourage or discourage, inspire or defeat. Proverbs 31:26 tells us that a godly woman speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction. This means that what you say—how you correct, how you comfort, how you encourage—it all matters more than you think.

Proverbs 18:21 says, “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.”

We must watch every word that proceeds out of our mouths. The tongue is a dangerous weapon that can be used for good or evil. Have you ever had someone tell you, “Think before you speak?” There have never been more true words spoken about the words that come out. We also know that words come out of the heart. So if we feel frustrated, before we speak something it is probably best to give that to God before we cause damage.

Think about the words spoken over you as a child. Did someone tell you, “You’re going to do great things,” or “I believe in you”? If so, you probably carried that confidence with you. But if you were told, “You’ll never be good enough,” or “You always mess things up,” those words likely left a mark too. Your voice is one of the loudest in your child’s life and others where you have influence. What you say has the power to shape their identity, their confidence, and even their faith.

Speak life over your children. Even when correcting them, remind them they are loved, valued, and capable.
When you feel frustrated or exhausted, ask God to help you choose words that build up rather than tear down. Your words carry weight. They can bring life and encouragement to your children. Let your voice be one that reminds them of who they are and who God created them to be.

Prayer - “God, help me to bridle my tongue when needed. Also help me to use it to build people up when needed. Give me wisdom on timing when to speak and when not to. I want to be a vessel for you God in everything I say. Amen.”

Day 16 - "More than Enough"

Every one of us has moments where we feel like we’re failing. The forgotten permission slip. The time you lost your patience. The days where exhaustion takes over, and you feel like you have nothing left to give. We constantly feel like we have to keep giving of ourselves to every aspect of our lives as well as others that pull on us. We feel like we have to be more for everyone. Here’s a fact: you aren’t enough for all of that. At some point you will get tired and it will be too much to handle. Here’s also a fact: He is more than enough!

2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Here’s the deal. When we can’t do it anymore, that’s when His power is made perfect. He has perfect power regardless, but it is made perfect in our weakness. When we acknowledge the fact that we can’t do it on our own, that’s the best time for His grace. It’s enough. It’s more than enough. There are no additives or anything we need to add on top. His grace is for the mom who doubts herself. It’s for the dad who feels like he’s not enough. It’s for the son who thinks he should be doing more. The good news? God already knew you wouldn’t be perfect, and He called you anyway. That’s the grace I love. That’s what I need daily. I’m just thankful I don’t have to do it on my own!

Keep this in mind: your weaknesses don’t disqualify you. They create space for God to show up. Instead of striving for perfection, start depending on His grace. When you don’t have enough patience, wisdom, or strength—He does.

Prayer - “Lord, thank you for your grace when I am not enough. Thank you that you are. I am blessed to know that you are so powerful when I am not. Help me to get out of the way so you can move in my situations. I boast in my weakness because you show up. Amen.”

Day 15 - "Raise Your Expectation"

I was raised that you didn't doubt the miraculous. I was raised that God can do whatever He wants, however he wants, whenever He wants with whomever He wants. Listen we have to stop apologizing for believing in miracles when they didn't happen. God will do it! For some of you, you're a miracle by simply being alive today!

Acts 5:15 says, “so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, (a)that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. “

So many were being added. And they had an expectation for the miraculous. You don’t lay a bunch of people outside without an expectation. The only expectation they had was healing. They didn't have an expectation on HOW it would be done. Sometimes we want God to do it, but we want to tell Him how it's supposed to be done. "God heal that blind man like you did before.” Jesus is like, “Naa. I think I may do it differently. I know you want me to heal the blind with my hands, but this time I’ll use some saliva.” Or when Lazarus had died. They wanted make sure you He it within 3 days otherwise his body will decompose. Wait. Jesus can't fix a decomposing body now? Jesus can't take a skeleton and put flesh on? You see, if God did it the way we thought He should do it, we would take the credit for the miracle. In fact when we pray for a miracle and it happens, we will make a bigger deal that WE prayed than the miracle GOD performed. It’s not about us and has never been. So today, let’s not lower our expectations of a miracle by injecting ourselves in the process. Let's elevate our expectations by letting God do what He wants to do. We just pray. Raise your expectations on what God is capable of doing this year!

Prayer - “God, I fully expect you to do miracles in my life. I am sorry for ever lowering my expectation on what You can do. I wholeheartedly trust you. Help me to not get in the way but to build my faith in what you are capable of. Amen.”

Day 14 - "Mindset for a Church"

Sometimes we can get caught up in the routine of church and forget that we are the church. We can get distracted and forget that the church is not a location or a building. It is a people. It is a living organism. Peter preached a message in Acts and about 3000 people got saved. And there were several things that these new disciples did that was vital to the church being the church.

Acts 2:42 says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

There are four things we see that will help us be a better church. In fact, these are mindsets that we should have. The first one is a devotion to teaching. The moment we stop learning is the moment we hold ourselves back. Teaching is growth. So they were so committed to growth, that they went all in. How committed are you to growing? What are all the ways in which you devote yourself to teaching? Is it a small group? Sermons? Bible study? Make sure you have growth in your life. I wouldn’t want to be the same person a year from now.

Fellowship is another mindset. Some people need others. Some people try to do life on their own. Doing life together helps you grow. When there are others around you growing the same why it just helps set you up for success.

Eating together was another mindset. This may seem like it’s not spiritual, but it is. There’s something special when we eat at the table as a family. You share something that you can’t share when you just have a regular conversation. It’s really an extension of fellowship that goes a little deeper.

The last one is prayer. Without it we don’t have communication with God. Without prayer there is no investment.

These 4 things can help a church become better. Somewhere along the line many churches chose the mindset of making people feel bad when they break rules, chose to be money hungry and made church more routine than identity. Let’s do better. Let’s get back to the basics.

Prayer - “God. Help me do my part to be the church. Help me keep my priorities in check when it comes to being the church. Help me to be devoted to discipleship, fellowship, breaking bread with others and prayer. Amen."

Day 13 - "Make Room"

When we make room, God replaces it with Him. With His blessings. His presence. The key is to remove what needs to go and make room. Do you remember the widow at Zerapath? Elijah asks this lady to give up the rest of what she had in order to make him so food. Here’s the catch - it was going to be her last meal. With all the emptiness she had in her kitchen, she was asked to give up the last of it.

John 15:2 says, “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”

If we have anything in us that is not of God, remove it so we can make room. If we are not producing the fruit of God, allow Him to prune us! The point is that we need to make room for His fruit instead of our fruit. That’s what the widow did. She not only made room in her pots but made room in her home for the prophet. Because of her faith, God overflowed her pots and she could not contain the blessings that God gave. It’s not that God doesn’t want to bless us. It’s that sometimes He is just waiting for us to act out our faith even when it doesn’t make sense.

Think of ways you can act our your faith even when it doesn’t make sense. Give up the things you love for the God that you love more. As you sacrifice even the things you think that you need, watch and see how God restores and blesses you beyond measure!


Prayer - “Dear Lord, remove anything in me that is not of you. And show me if there is anything I need to give up that you want me to. Just like Abraham took Isaac to the mountain as a sacrifice, I’m ready and willing to do whatever is necessary to show you how much we love you! Amen.”

Day 12 -"Get a Grip"

Jacob is about to change everything about his life. He is about to leave something behind that he has never left behind. He never had a true legacy but he’s about to. But before he can leave a legacy behind him, he’s got to get the people in his life out for now. And he’s got to get his stuff out. He needs to be all alone before God does something amazing in his life. In order to leave a legacy behind you, you have to move out the distractions. If you want to meet God you have to move out some things that you have a grip on, or that has a grip on you.

Genesis 32:26 says, “Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!”
But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

Jacob got into a wrestling match with the angel. He put a grip on him and would not let him go. He ended up with a hip out of socket but he didn’t let go. His grip ended up with a blessing. A legacy. His name was changed. Even though his hip was temporary altered, his destiny was forever altered.

Today, get a grip on God. Don’t let Him go until you have what you came for. God likes that. He likes that you are consistent. He likes that you won’t give up. We need more Jacobs to wrestle and get messy until a blessing comes. Whatever you are praying for today, get a tight grip on God and don’t let go until you see something happen! We are giving up too easily.

When he was touched, he was marked. He was changed. I’m willing to go through the pain to get to my purpose. If the pain of holding on means I am marked by Him then my grip is not loosening!


Prayer - “God, I need you to intervene in my situation. In my circumstance. In my family. In my life. I will not stop until you bless me. I need healing. I need freedom. I need restoration. I need breakthrough. God, I am not going anywhere. I am here for the long haul! Amen.”Day

Day 11 - "Step on the Gas"

Prayer really is an investment. There is nothing we pray that does not get heard. God hears it all and cares about it all. The important thing is to not stop. The important thing is to step on the gas pedal. If we stop praying, we won’t see healings. If we stop praying, forget seeing signs, wonders and miracles. If we stop praying, we cut off our communication with the One that can change things.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “…pray without ceasing…”

Pray without quitting. What the actual meaning of this is not in pray where you can’t do anything else. It means to be in a constant state of prayer. Always be ready to pray. To be consistent in your prayer life. Many think that if you wake up and pray for 4 hours at a time, then you will be a super spiritual hero. There’s no scripture to back that up. But there is this one we just read. It’s not about prayer chunks. It’s about a consistent prayer life that never stops.

Did you know that 1/3 of Americans never pray? That the decline of prayer since 2007 has gone from 68% to 44%? I don’t want to see what happens when we stop praying. We have to step on the gas, not let up.

What can you do today? What will you invest in your prayer life with God? What do you want to see happen in your life? What do you want to see happen in the community? Do you know how we get there? We pray.

Prayer - “God, shake us! Get us outside of our feelings and thoughts so we get passionate for you again. We need you more than ever. Help us to be a praying people again. Help us to truly acknowledge you in everything we do. We can’t do this without you. Amen."

Day 10 - "Change Your Clothes"

Who all has boys? Hands? I have two. Not sure if any of you have had to tell them to go back and change their clothes, but it seems like more of an epidemic than a simple ask. Summer is fun when they don’t have to go to school because laundry is limited. However, there is a cost. Maybe it’s the smell or maybe it’s just the lesson you try to teach them about staying clean. Either way, we have to regularly change our clothes. We all know why, without a deep explanation.

John 11:44 says, “And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

I love this part of the story. Of course the resurrection of Lazarus was amazing, but I love the part where they loosen his gravel-clothes. It was more than just clean clothes. It was about letting go of the covering that had him in the tomb. It was letting go what covered him in death. He was going to need some new clothes for being alive.

For us, what clothes are you wearing today? Do you need to change? What are you allowing yourself to be covered with? Does it represent the Almighty? Does it even fit? Or are we trying to clothe ourselves in something that we have no business wearing? If there is sin, loosen it. If there is anguish, loosen it. Think about what makes us stink and let it fall in the grave. It’s time to be alive.

Prayer - “God, help me to put off the old and put on the new today. My past is behind me and the future is ahead. I need renewed daily. God resurrect in my life the things that were dead and put to death the things that aren’t of you. I love you. Amen.”

Day 9 - "Do it God's Way"

It is hard to do something someone else’s way sometimes. When we use our own way, we are in control of it. However, there’s someone who has the best way. You know who! We see people in scripture often get distracted and do things their own way. When they veer off God’s way of doing things it just doesn’t work out. I think of Eve when eating the fruit. I think of Jonah heading to Joppa. I think of Saul sparing the spoils of the Amalekites. I want to highlight another story - Moses.

Numbers 20:8 says, “You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock.”

Moses, just do what you did before. Each time you trusted God, you did exactly what you did before. Except verse 11 shows a different side. He strikes the rock twice. Now water does come out. But remember, it’s not about if it will come out, it’s about how it came out. Moses disobeyed God. He misrepresented His holiness. He controlled things. He was angry. We find out in verse 12 he loses out on the promised land.

What does that mean for us? Three things:

It means that we cannot control how God pours out on us. God is going to get it done. He really doesn’t need us but He wants to use us - but His way. God said to speak to it not strike it. One meaning of the staff was that it represented the covenant with God. It’s almost as if Moses took that covenant and threw it on the ground. He got distracted.

It means that if we misrepresent His holiness, we don’t get the reward. We must be the best examples of holiness. We must show Jesus each and every day by the way we live our lives. If we don’t, we become a barrier for people to see Him clearly.

It means that it’s always better to speak than to strike. The Bible tells us to be angry but sin not. Don’t show our anger. Don’t show our frustration. It’s normal to have thoughts but it is different when we make the choice to put it into action.

Let’s choose today to do it God’s way! I want the promise. I don’t want to short change myself because I chose myself. I choose Him!

Prayer - “Dear Lord, give me the peace and strength to trust you in doing it your way. Keep me from anger when life frustrates me. Help me to represent you in the best way. Your way. The only way. I am done with control. I give it to you. Amen.”

Day 8 - “Say Goodbye”

Sometimes we have to say goodbye to some things that hold us back. There are many times that God wants to use us but we are held back by our fears, risk of failures and the unknown.

Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”

To be the church, we need to say goodbye to:

Downplaying your gifts. You are too special to think that you’re aren’t good enough. God given gifts have been put in you to be used.

Tolerated fear. We shouldn’t be okay with the fear of going all in with our faith. Just because it is new for us doesn’t mean we have to be afraid.

Misaligned assignments. We tend to miss God a lot for our own plans. It’s not about how we feel about it, but it is about obedience.

Tip toeing around what God is capable of. He is able! Able to do more than we can ask or think. We need to start believing for big!

The Past. Don’t allow past mistakes or past hurt define your today! Say goodbye to the wounds and turn them into scars.

Say goodbye so that you are emptied out and ready to be poured into today. Be ready for when God gives you an opportunity. You are about to make a great impact in this world because you said goodbye to some things!


Prayer - “God, get rid of the things that hold me back today and replace them with what you want. Activate the gifts you gave me. Get rid of my fear. Help me to never miss you. Help me to trust your ability. And help me get rid of the past I have been holding onto. I’m ready and willing. Amen.”

Day 7 - "Don't Quit in the Dip

I don't care how many times you've been defeated when that one victory comes that you needed. The amount of times I've been defeated only taught me something. I was just paying tuition! I was just getting my Master's Degree in my prayer life. How many of you have ever tasted victory? Have you ever seen the goodness of God. Have you ever seen God be faithful one time in your life? I believe that if you are defeated today God is about to show you what He can do. We're about to make God famous by trusting Him! Naaman did that. He was instructed to dip in the river seven times for his healing. I wonder how many of us quit in the dip before we reach the seventh one. Today, don’t quit in the dip! Keep the faith and don’t give up until you see victory!

2 Kings 5:14 says, “So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child, and he was healed!”

The things that God does might sound weird. Might be too simple for us to comprehend. He's not looking to put pressure on us to perform. He's just looking for obedience. Sometimes we make it even harder to become a member in a church than God does to make it into heaven. “Here take this 9 month course for your membership.” God's like, you want to enter heaven? Believe. We can complicate things can't we? God just wants us to be faithful. And faithful means even after the first dip. You think. It would be easy to give up after 4 or 5. This is stupid. nothing is happening. Let's just go I wasted my time. I wonder how many times you gave up right before you were about to see your miracle. I wonder how many times you gave in and God was right about the corner. You were tired at 11:59pm and ready to throw in the towel but God was waiting for the midnight hour to turn everything around. It's time to get bold in our obedience. Bold in our faith. And bold in prayer to see God move in our lives!

Prayer - “God, give me the strength to keep the faith when I feel like giving up. Help me to press toward the mark when I want to stop my race. I am believing for you to come through God! I am not quitting in the dip. I will move forward. I will trust you. Amen.”

Day 6 - "Your Name Has Changed"

We all know the story about the woman with the issue of blood. For 12 years she had a bleeding issue. But it wasn’t just that. We don’t know her name. All she is referred to by everyone is the woman with the issue of blood or woman with the blood issue. Where everything changed for her is when she made the decision to get closer to Jesus. She knew if she could just touch His garment she would be healed. She drew closer, her faith was strong and her name was about to change.

Luke 8:47-48 says, “Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

Not only did the woman get her healing, but her name was changed. Jesus didn’t call her the woman with the blood issue. He said, “Daughter.” You see? You came to Him because you are His. You are His son and daughter. Everyone else in the world may see you as the person with the issues. God sees you differently. Do you see what happens when you draw close to Jesus and fall at His feet? He calls you something different than everyone else has been calling you.
My encouragement for you today is no matter what “issue” you have been labeled as, get to the feet of Jesus. Grab a hold of Him and get what you have been praying for. Know this - You are NOT your issue! You are a child of God! Walk in the name change today. Walk in your purpose. Walk in you calling!


Prayer - “God, help me to see myself the way you do. Thank you for calling me a son/daughter. Thank you for allowing me to approach you at any moment. I am not my issue anymore. I am a child of God and I will walk in it. Give me the strength to not forget that when I am crawling through a crowd of problems. Help me to persevere. Thank you for my new name. Thank you that my name is not alcohol. It’s not anger. It’s not addiction. It’s not liar. It is son. It is daughter. Amen.”

Day 5 - "The Harvest Problem"

Anytime Jesus went and healed someone or spoke into someone’s life, it seemed like the pharisees were always there to criticize. In fact, Jesus was criticized for being around drunkards, prostitutes and tax collectors. Why would He do that? Why would He hang out with “them” instead of the religious leaders who knew the laws of God? While the religious leaders were looking at the harvest as a problem, Jesus was looking at the harvest as potential.

Luke 10:2 says, “He told them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Jesus was needed to inspire people to see the harvest not as a problem, but as a soul that could be rescued. So the harvest isn’t a problem, but the harvest does have a problem - a lack of laborers. Today, pray for someone you know that does not know Christ. Also, ask Him to put someone in your path each day. Be ready to labor by sharing the love of Jesus to every person you meet.

As you come into contact with the harvest, which is every person every day, I want to encourage you to do something. Be okay with inviting someone to your church. Invite them to a small group. Invite them to an event. Whatever it is that you have going on, bring someone with you. Statistically, people are more likely to attend a church with personal invitation. How easy is that? We can actually be apart of changing someone’s life just by invitation. Today, the harvest isn’t a problem even though it comes with it’s problems, addictions, baggage, etc. That’s why we give them Jesus. You may be the only Jesus someone experiences today.


Prayer - “God help me to see people the way you do. Help me to not look past people that are in need. Help me to always take time for the harvest. Count me as one of the few laborers Lord. Count me as saying what Isaiah said - ‘Here am I! Send me!’ I am ready for every person I come into contact with. Help me be Jesus in every situation. Amen.”

Day 4 - "Serve to See a Miracle"

I love the first miracle of Jesus. What I love about it is the fact that Jesus had not performed any up to this point, so there was nothing for anybody to go off of. The servants at the wedding were told just to do as Jesus tells them. What faith it must have taken for them. Think about it. The vessels were about 30 pounds. The cistern to get the water was probably not in the room and more likely a nice little hike to get to. They are asking for wine but Jesus tells them to get water. All the odds were against the servants to even participate. That is really the key isn’t it? It’s not always about understand but it is about participating.

John 12:26 says “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”

Those that serve Him gets honored. I can’t think of a better way to be honored than to participate and actually see a miracle take place. It wasn’t the master of ceremonies that got to see the miracle. He just tasted the best drink of the night! Somewhere between the vessels being filled with water and that cup hitting the lips of the ceremonies guy, that water turned to wine.

Today, understand that the greatest miracles can be experienced because you participated. There is no greater honor than to be a part of someone else’s healing when you prayed. What an honor it is to know someone that was blessed because you served God and them. Find a way to serve God this week. Find a way to serve at your church. Be a part of miracles taking place in people’s lives. Watch souls get saved. See lives changed. It’s amazing that God allows us to see these things and be a part of them. Serve with faith, even if you don’t understand what He’s asking.


Prayer - “God, we thank you so much for the miracles that are taking place in our lives. Give me the strength and direction to serve you in the best way possible. Give me an opportunity at my church, my work and even at home to serve you in all I do. I am expecting to see miracles take place as I participate in the mission that you called me to. Amen.”

Day. 3 - "Dig it Before You Build It"

When we build homes there’s always a foundation work that must be done before putting any type of structure up. There always has to be some type of digging involved. This process is done so that the site is prepared for the structure. If we don’t prepare for God, the structure won’t work quite right. If I don’t set the atmosphere of prayer in my home, chances are it’s not going to last when I want to do it. Today is about setting ourselves up for God’s provision. Isaac knew all about this.

Genesis 26:18 says, “Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the days of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died. And he gave these wells the same names his father had given them.”

There have been foundations laid before you that must be reopened. Many times we want God to provide for us and we question why we don’t always see it happen. It is possible that we were not prepared for it. It’s possible that we never dug a well to receive His living water. Today we want to focus our prayer on preparation and expectation for what is coming. If it is healing you need, dig a well of prayer. If it’s a move of God you seek, dig a well of revival in your heart. What can I do to prepare for what God wants to pour in my life?


Prayer - “God we thank you for your provision. We thank you that you want to give us all that you have for us to experience. If there is ever a time where we need you, it’s now. We need you to fill up the areas where we are lacking. God give us the faith we need. Give us the blessing we have been praying for. Give us direction to go through the door you want us to. We are preparing for you. Amen.”

Day 2 - "Clean Out"

It is hard to say goodbye to people we love. It is even hard to say goodbye to things we hold close. There are many things that have always been a priority to us. What are those things? Sports? Social Media? Friends? Career? Phone? It really could be anything. During this time of prayer and fasting, what is something we need to have a clean out on? What is something that needs to be cut out of your life so you can replace it with God or time spent with Him?

Ephesians 4:22-24 says, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

We starve our souls of things that replace God when we put off our old selves. We clean out the things that had us in one place. As the scripture reveals, we were deceived by our desires. Our own wants had us deceived that they were the most important things. Today we are being made new because we are changing the attitude of our minds. We are changing our mindset on what our priorities are. We put on that new self by exemplifying righteousness and holiness.

So what are some things we need to clean out in your life today as you pray and fast? What things need to be invited in your life? What are the replacements? Take a moment to focus on aligning your priorities where God becomes number 1 in all areas of your life.


Prayer - “God we thank you for showing us where some things we desire can also be distractions. We thank you that we have you as a replacement because you are who we desire most. Help us to stay on the path of making you first in all areas of our lives. We invite you into our daily routine as we remove anything in your way. We love you. Amen.”

Win the Moment

It’s extremely difficult to comprehend the entire year of goals and accomplishments we must face to reach success. Often times many fail or give up because we have planned something so big and never attain it. We don’t make it because we make a mistake and feel so behind on our goals that we drift away from that particular year’s vision. Here’s the good news - you CAN do this!

Matthew 6:34 says, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

If the Bible tells us not to worry about tomorrow, then the focus should be today. In fact, make it more simple than that. Let’s win the moment. Each day is filled with moments where we win or lose. If you win the moment, then you won’t feel like you failed the year when you make a mistake - and you will make mistakes. When you do, just start over for the next moment.

Let’s make it practical. Maybe you are trying to start a fast for 21 days and this is day 1. You may find yourself on day 5 struggling a bit. Let’s pretend that you break that fast. What is wrong with beginning again? Just win that next moment? Don’t give up everything just because you didn’t quite make it the first time. Same goes with prayer, bible reading and really anything in life. Don’t be afraid to begin again. Don’t be afraid to win the moment. Be encouraged today that you can make this one small step at a time. You can fast. You can pray. You can achieve the goals - one moment at a time. You CAN do this. We make mistakes and get back up again. Then we start our moment again. Win the moment!

Prayer - “God, I thank you for your grace that any time I make a mistake, you give me a reset. I pray for strength to win each moment. I pray for peace when I don’t. I pray for perseverance when I feel like giving up. Help me to win these moments with you God. In fact, it feels like I’m winning this moment right now. Amen.”