Ames Christian Church

Ames Christian Church Our mission: Love God, Love Others, Make Disciples.

Exodus 14:21–22“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea… and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground.”M...
06/05/2026

Exodus 14:21–22

“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea… and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground.”

Moses did not fully experience the power of God at the burning bush.

He experienced it after obedience.

The Red Sea parted after Moses stepped forward. The miracles came after surrender. The journey began after faith responded.

Many people want to experience God while remaining spiritually comfortable. But throughout Scripture, God’s people encountered Him most deeply when they obeyed Him.

Obedience positions us to witness what only God can do.

The Christian life was never intended to be passive. God invites us into a living relationship where we walk with Him daily and watch Him move in ways beyond human ability.

You may not know where your obedience will lead. Moses certainly didn’t. But one surrendered “yes” changed history.

And somewhere on the other side of your obedience may be someone else’s deliverance, healing, encouragement, or salvation.

Today, take the next step God has placed before you. Small acts of obedience often lead to life-changing encounters with God.

Prayer:
Lord, help me obey You fully. Teach me to trust You one step at a time and let my life become part of what You are doing for Your kingdom. Amen

: Proverbs 3:5–6“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…”When Moses said yes to Go...
06/04/2026

: Proverbs 3:5–6

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…”

When Moses said yes to God, everything changed.

He could not stay in Midian tending sheep and also lead Israel out of Egypt. Obedience required adjustment. Following God often means changing our plans, priorities, schedules, comforts, and sometimes even our identity.

We love the idea of God using us, but we often resist the changes that come with being used by Him.

God’s invitation always requires surrender.

Noah had to build. Abraham had to leave. Peter had to step out of the boat. Moses had to return to Egypt. Every major move of God in Scripture involved someone adjusting their life to align with God’s will.

The problem is not usually hearing God. The problem is that obedience costs something.

Yet every adjustment we make for God opens the door to deeper intimacy and greater purpose.

Today, ask yourself honestly: Is there anything in my life that I know God is asking me to surrender or change?

Prayer:
Father, give me a willing heart. Help me adjust my life to Your will instead of asking You to adjust to mine. Teach me to trust Your way above my own. Amen

Exodus 3:11“But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’”Every b...
06/03/2026

Exodus 3:11

“But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’”

Every believer eventually comes to a moment of decision.

For Moses, it was the burning bush. For us, it may be a calling, a step of faith, an act of forgiveness, a ministry opportunity, or a moment where God asks us to trust Him beyond our comfort zone.

This is the crisis of belief.

Will we trust what God says even when we feel unqualified? Moses immediately began listing reasons why he could not do what God asked. Fear, insecurity, doubt, and uncertainty flooded his mind.

Yet God never answered Moses by boosting his self-confidence. Instead, God pointed Moses back to His presence:

“I will be with you.” — Exodus 3:12

Faith is not believing in ourselves. Faith is believing that God is enough.

Many times, the greatest obstacle to obedience is not ability—it is surrender. The crisis comes when we must decide whether God can truly be trusted.

Today, if God has been stirring your heart about something, stop focusing on your weakness and start focusing on His faithfulness.

Prayer:
Lord, help me trust You when fear rises up in me. Give me courage to believe that You are enough, even when I feel inadequate. Amen

Exodus 3:4“When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’”The ...
06/02/2026

Exodus 3:4

“When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’”

The burning bush was more than a miracle. It was an invitation.

God did not merely want Moses to admire Him from a distance. He called Moses by name because He desired relationship. Throughout Scripture, God reveals Himself as personal. He speaks. He leads. He invites.

Before God ever gave Moses an assignment, He gave him His presence.

Sometimes we become so focused on “What does God want me to do?” that we miss the greater question: “Do I truly know Him?”

God’s work always flows from relationship first. Ministry without intimacy becomes exhausting. Obedience without relationship becomes religion. But when we walk closely with God, obedience becomes an overflow of trust and love.

Moses drew near to the bush, and God spoke. Many people want God to speak while staying at a distance. Yet often, clarity comes when we lean in closer.

Today, spend time simply being with God. Not asking for answers. Not rushing ahead. Just drawing near.

Prayer:
Father, draw me closer to You. Help me desire Your presence more than Your direction. Teach me to know Your voice and walk closely with You. Amen.

John 5:17“My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.”One of the greatest truths we can lear...
06/01/2026

John 5:17

“My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.”

One of the greatest truths we can learn is this: God is not distant, inactive, or absent. He is always working. Before Moses ever saw the burning bush, God was already moving behind the scenes. He had heard the cries of His people. He had a plan. He had a purpose.

Sometimes we think we are waiting on God to begin moving, when in reality God is waiting for us to notice where He is already at work.

The Lord is constantly drawing people, opening doors, softening hearts, arranging divine moments, and preparing assignments for His people. Christianity was never meant to be simply believing in God from a distance. It is an invitation into relationship and partnership with Him.

Moses was tending sheep on an ordinary day when he encountered an extraordinary God. Often, holy moments begin in ordinary places.

Today, ask God to open your eyes. Where is He already moving around you? In your family? Your church? Your workplace? Your community? He may already be preparing your next step of obedience.

Prayer:
Lord, help me recognize where You are already at work. Open my eyes to Your movement around me and give me a heart that desires to join You in what You are doing. Amen

John 15:2“Every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”Devotional:Pruning feels co...
05/29/2026

John 15:2

“Every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”

Devotional:

Pruning feels counterproductive.

Branches are cut back. Growth is trimmed away. Things that appear healthy are removed.

Yet every gardener knows pruning is not punishment.

It is preparation for greater fruit.

Sometimes God lovingly removes things from our lives:
Distractions.
Wrong relationships.
Prideful ambitions.
Comfort zones.
Habits that hinder spiritual growth.

At first, loss can feel confusing. We may not understand why certain doors closed or certain seasons changed.

But God sees what we cannot see.

Pruning creates room for healthier growth.

Not every closed door is spiritual attack.
Sometimes it is loving correction from a wise Father.

God is more concerned about lasting fruit than temporary comfort.

Reflection:

Are there areas of your life God may be pruning for your spiritual growth?

Prayer:

Lord, give me wisdom to trust You when You remove things from my life. Help me grow into the person You desire me to become. Amen.

“Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand…”Devotional:Clay does not shape itself.The potter applies pr...
05/28/2026

“Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand…”

Devotional:

Clay does not shape itself.

The potter applies pressure with careful hands, molding and forming the vessel for its purpose. Sometimes the clay must even be broken down and reshaped before it becomes useful.

God works patiently in the lives of His people.

There are seasons where we feel stretched.
Moments where plans change unexpectedly.
Times where God redirects us when we thought we already knew the path.

Yet the Potter sees the finished vessel even when the clay does not.

We often focus on the discomfort of the shaping process while God focuses on what we are becoming.

The hands that shape us are not cruel hands.

They are loving hands.

Hands marked by nails.

Reflection:

Where might God be reshaping your life or priorities right now?

Prayer:

Father, help me remain soft in Your hands. Shape my life according to Your purpose and not merely my comfort. Amen.

1 Peter 1:6–7“…so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which perishes though refined by fire…...
05/27/2026

1 Peter 1:6–7

“…so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which perishes though refined by fire…”

Devotional:

Gold is refined through fire.

The heat removes impurities and separates what is valuable from what is worthless. Without the fire, the impurities remain hidden.

God often works similarly in our spiritual lives.

Trials reveal things we did not know were there:
Fear.
Bitterness.
Pride.
Self-reliance.
Unforgiveness.

The fire is uncomfortable, but it reveals what needs surrendered.

Nobody enjoys difficult seasons while walking through them. Yet many believers can look back years later and realize the hardest seasons were also the holiest ones.

Some prayers were learned in the valley.
Some faith was built in the waiting.
Some maturity only came through tears.

The fire was not meant to consume you.

It was meant to refine you.

God does not waste pain when it is surrendered to Him.

Reflection:

What has God revealed in your heart during difficult seasons?

Prayer:

Lord, refine me. Burn away what does not belong in my life and shape my heart to reflect Christ more clearly. Amen.

2 Corinthians 4:8–9“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed…”Devotional:The olive tree can survive intense he...
05/26/2026

2 Corinthians 4:8–9

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed…”

Devotional:

The olive tree can survive intense heat, dry weather, and rough conditions. But nobody fully sees the value of the olive until it enters the press.

Inside that olive was oil the entire time.

Pressure simply revealed it.

There are things God has placed inside believers that often remain hidden until difficult seasons arrive.

Perseverance.
Faith.
Wisdom.
Compassion.
Endurance.

Easy seasons can make us comfortable. Hard seasons often make us dependent upon God.

When everything is going smoothly, it is easy to rely on ourselves. But when life becomes uncertain, prayer deepens. Worship becomes more genuine. Scripture becomes more precious.

Pressure has a way of driving us closer to God.

Even Jesus walked through this symbolism. Before the cross, He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane — a name that literally means “olive press.”

Before the redemption of the world came the crushing.

Jesus understands pressure.
He understands sorrow.
He understands surrender.

And because He walked through it, He walks with us through ours.

The press does not mean God has forgotten you.

Sometimes it means He is drawing something deeper out of you.

Reflection:

How has hardship drawn you closer to God in ways comfort never did?

Prayer:

Father, help me remember that pressure can reveal the work You are doing inside me. Strengthen my faith and teach me to depend upon You. Amen

John 12:24“Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit....
05/25/2026

John 12:24

“Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”

Devotional:

In biblical times, olives were harvested by hand and carried to a press. Massive stones would roll over them repeatedly until the oil began to flow. The process was messy. Heavy. Relentless.

Yet the pressing was not meant to destroy the olive.

It was meant to release what was valuable inside it.

Sometimes life feels like that.

Pressure comes from every direction. Responsibilities pile up. Relationships strain. Finances tighten. Unexpected disappointments arrive. And somewhere in the middle of it all we ask, “God, why is this happening?”

But what if the pressure is not proof God abandoned you?

What if the pressure is part of God sanctifying you?

Sanctification is the lifelong process where God shapes us more into the image of Christ. Most of us want spiritual growth, but growth often comes through stretching seasons instead of comfortable ones.

The olive does not produce oil sitting comfortably on the branch.

The oil comes through the pressing.

Sometimes God uses pressure to reveal pride.
Sometimes He uses hardship to deepen compassion.
Sometimes He uses waiting to strengthen faith.

The very thing you wish would disappear may be the place where God is doing His deepest work.

Do not confuse pressure with abandonment.

God is still working in the press.

Reflection:

What pressure in your life might God be using to shape your character right now?

Prayer:

Lord, help me trust You in the pressing seasons of life. When things feel heavy, remind me You are producing something valuable inside of me. Amen.

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73718

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