Moments With God

Moments With God This page will be devoted to both written and verbal devotionals.

05/26/2026

Moments with God, May 26

Matthew 7:21 (NKJV) [Jesus said,] 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” John 13:13-15 (NASB) [Jesus said,] 13 “You call Me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord’; and you are correct, for so I am. 14 So if I, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.15 For I gave you an example, so that you also would do just as I did for you.”

Imagine I recently graduated from college with my teaching degree. Proud of my achievement, I decide to become an “influencer” in the field of education. I begin to visit schools, interview teachers, and hang out with students. I build up a repertoire of information, and I begin to share it online. My following grows as does my experience. Before long, thousands consider me to be an expert on teaching and seek my advice on what changes need to be made to improve our educational system. I learn to talk the talk without every walking the walk, and it is paying off until I am asked, “How you ever taught a class yourself?

As crazy as this scenario sounds, in today’s world it is very possible to accomplish this feat without ever having to have taught a single class. We often get caught up in appearances and followings. Jesus experienced this phenomenon as well and felt the need to address it. Simply having the appearance of following Jesus, saying the right words, performing religious ceremonies, and speaking from our knowledge will never gain us entrance into the kingdom of heaven. Such outward appearances were a problem in Jesus’s time and remain so today. Jesus clearly states that our obedience in doing His will and doing as He did is what touches His heart. He came to earth as a living example for us to follow, not for us to debate. Thankfully, when we choose to follow His example, we will never walk alone. The Holy Spirit is always present to strengthen, guide, correct, and encourage us.

05/25/2026

Moments with God, May 25, Memorial Day

John 15:13 (NASB) [Jesus said,] 13 Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends.

One of my favorite series is Band of Brothers. I have watched it several times, not because it is exciting, but because I watch men live this word that Jesus said. The sacrifices that those men and so many others made for friends and for us, total strangers, never ceases to touch my heart. From what I learned, they faced extreme danger because they believed in a higher calling than their personal well-being. They sought to stamp out an evil that plagued the world. They were more than conquerors.

On this Memorial Day, may we take the time to give thanks to those, throughout our history ,who gave their lives that we might live in freedom. So many knew they would not be returning home, yet they never gave up. It is humbling to think that our lives were worth their lives. On this day, we honor them and give thanks to Jesus for His sacrifice and for all who died for our freedoms. May we learn from them to value the lives of others and to remember that Jesus’s words were meant for all of us. While we may never be asked physically to lay down our lives for others, may we be willing to follow Jesus and wash one another’s feet in love, faith, and humility.

05/24/2026

Moments with God, May 24

John 10:3-4 (NASB) 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep listen to his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he puts all his own sheep outside, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.

One trait that separates my wife from others is her laugh. Truly, the joy of the Lord is her strength. She loves gatherings because she never meets a stranger. Thus, she would visit with anyone anywhere as if they were old friends. It would not be long before we were separated. However, I quickly learned that despite the separation, I could always locate her by her laugh. She was always laughing, and her laugh was so distinct that others would say, “There’s Carol.” I would know that laugh anywhere

No matter who we are or where we are, we are besieged by a plethora of voices giving us directions on how to live our lives. They claim to know the truth, yet those truths differ. They will even proclaim to know the proper way to serve Jesus so we should follow them. We all are like sheep who have gone astray. To find our way, we are to listen to the voice of our Shephard. John states that Jesus’s sheep know His voice because it is the voice of truth. It is the voice that challenges, corrects, guides, teaches but never condemns. It is a voice birthed in love. It is the voice that will never contradict itself or change its mind. That voice comes to us through the Holy Spirit, and there can be no mistaken it. For a long time, I did not recognize His voice because I did not truly know my Shepherd. Now, no matter where I am or what I am doing, I can hear the Spirit’s voice just as clearly as I can hear Carol’s laugh. The Spirit will lead us in the direction we are to go.

05/23/2026

Moments with God,May 23

Psalm 40:2 (NKJV) 2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps.

When raising a child, parents surround the child with love, nourishment, and protection. As the child grows, the parents begin to instill in the child what is safe and what is not. The warnings of what is in the world signify the parents’ desire that the child navigate the world safely. When the child begins to interact with the world, the parents never cease to offer guidance, counsel, and forgiveness.

David’s description of his relationship with God mirrors the raising of a child. No matter our age, when we first come to Jesus, we are a new creation, a child in the faith. David’s words depict a life of growing and maturing in the Lord. First, Jesus rescues us from that horrible pit filled with darkness and sin. He does what we cannot and frees us from the pit by forgiving us. Next, He puts us on the solid rock of His Word. He demonstrates that it will never be shaken and will never fail us. Finally, He gives us the Holy Spirit Who abides in us and guides us through life. His guidance will never leave us or lead us astray. Truly, we are the children of God, and He is our Father.

05/22/2026

Moments with God, May 22

Judges 8:24-27 (NIV) 24 And he said, “I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring from your share of the plunder.” (It was the custom of the Ishmaelites to wear gold earrings.) 25 They answered, “We’ll be glad to give them.” So they spread out a garment, and each of them threw a ring from his plunder onto it. 26 The weight of the gold rings he asked for came to seventeen hundred shekels, not counting the ornaments, the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian or the chains that were on their camels’ necks. 27 Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family. Jeremiah 45:5 (NIV) 5 Should you then seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them. For I will bring disaster on all people,” declares the Lord, “but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.’”

God called Gideon a mighty man of valor while Gideon was hiding in the bottom of winepress for fear the Midianites. Gideon was threshing wheat for food and feared the Midianites would see him and steal his bounty. Gideon, understandably, inwardly scoffed at the Lord’s description. However, the Lord had plans for this man hiding from the enemy. Later, God ordered Gideon to reduce the army that was raised from 32,000 to 300 so Gideon would know that God in command. Gideon obeyed the Lord and routed an army much larger than his.

God chooses the foolish, weak ones of this world to confound and make as nothing the wise and strong. Gideon’s story is an amazing example that God chooses us not for who we are at the time but for who we can be in Him. If a man who hides out of fear can become a mighty man of valor, God can use each one of us to accomplish the impossible. When this happens, we must continue to work out our salvation and be on the guard against pride. Gideon’s request for rings may not seem that unreasonable considering what he had done. However, God had already rewarded him with a victory. Gideon made the ephod (which was worn by priests) to glorify himself and not God. That ephod later became an idol and stumbling block for Israel for many years to come. When Jesus empowers us to do great or small things, may we never seek the glory, for it is not our doing but His.

05/21/2026

Moments with God, May 21

Isaiah 45:22-23 (NKJV) 22 “Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other. 23 I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath. John 4:24 (NIV) 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Before coming to Christ, I engaged in many discussions about God. Those discussions never questioned God’s existence. Instead, they centered on God’s nature. One person stated he saw God as sitting on His throne and arbitrarily crushing people with His thumb. Another saw God as a divine “clockmaker.” He did create the earth, but, after that, He just sat back and let “nature take its course.” In another conversation, my friend saw God as a domineering Lord Who loved being served, honored, and worshipped. Thus, He demanded we be subservient.

Two main points about this devotion. First, we see how gracious the Lord is because He did not strike us dead for being so flippant when discussing Him. I took part in these discussions, and I never argued differently. Yet, God never removed His hand from me. He saw me as a clueless child who needed Him. Second, God Himself states that every knee SHALL bow before Him, and every tongue WILL confess He is God. At first, one might think that God demands such acts from each of us. He is God. However, He also states that we will worship Him in truth and in spirit. When the end comes and the darkness defeated, the truth will be known by every person who ever lived. All will know Jesus is the Christ, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. It is this truth that will cause every knee to bow. It is this truth that will open every mouth in acknowledgement of the Messiah. We will either bow and confess in this life, or we will do so at the judgement. One leads to eternal life; the other to eternal death.

05/20/2026

Moments with God, May 20

Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV) 12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

During a time of prayer, one person may ask for prayer for a health issue. Another is experiencing a financial crisis that is creating stress. A young couple seeks advice on starting a family. The pastor is dealing with doubt about his ability to lead Jesus’s church. A recent graduate, despite appearances of confidence, is fearful of what the future holds. Even though each person is seeking the Lord Jesus and sincerely desires to walk that narrow road, the individual paths they are traveling differ.

Paul’s states that we are to continue to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Our salvation is not defined a specific moment but by a lifetime or working out that salvation. Because we are unique creations of God, our lives are also unique and complicated. We can face similar challenges but how we are to walk that out may differ. Thus, we do not pattern our walk with Jesus after another. We can learn from one another, but Jesus remains our Guide. Working out our salvation has nothing to do with legalism; instead, working out our salvation is seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit every day of our lives. It is cultivation our walk to produce good fruit the same way we cultivate a garden. We do so with fear and trembling. That fear is a deep respect for God and a deep desire not to stray. Paul’s words explain that our walk with Jesus is truly a relationship with the risen Christ and His living word. What a blessing that we have such a vibrant, alive, dynamic, and growing relationship with Jesus.

05/19/2026

Moments with God, May 19

Psalm 119:33 (NKJV) 33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, And I shall keep it to the end.

Cooking is a skill that I never acquired. If alone, I would fix something that could be cooked in one pan or in the microwave. My wife, on the other hand, is an excellent cook who loves to try new recipes. I go along as long as they do not include onions. Well, one day I decided to help in the kitchen. I felt confident as I had the recipe in front of me. Carol watched me and was constantly offering advice, but I told her I was good. I proudly finished the strawberry dish, placed it in the refrigerator, and claimed I was a cook. Unfortunately, when it was time to serve the dish, it was a mess. I should have listened to Carol as she tried to show me the way to fix the recipe.

The psalmist, a wise person, did not ask the Lord, “O Lord, teach me Your statures.” He understood that simply learning the Lord’s statutes was not enough. Learning the statutes without understanding usually results in one’s keeping the statutes according to his/her understanding. It would mirror my cooking that dish without understanding. Therefore, the psalmist asks the Lord to teach HOW to keep those statutes. How does one love one’s enemies? How does one humble himself/herself? How does one not worry? Knowing the Word is not the same as living the word. Therefore, Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit to show us the WAY of God’s statutes, so they become the living word in our lives.

05/18/2026

Moments with God, May 18

Psalm 23:1-3 (NKJV) 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.

Bible stories have always fascinated me. However, when I stopped looking at those amazing events as stories and saw them as God’s speaking to me, the Bible became personal because those events were there to teach and encourage us. When the 10 spies convinced the people that entering the promised land was impossible, they wanted to return to Egypt. In His anger, God was ready to strike them all dead for their stubbornness. Moses, Aaron, Joshua, and Caleb fell on their knees to seek God’s forgiveness. Moses told God Egypt and the other nations would claim that God was not able to keep His promise to bring them into the land when He had promised (Numbers 14:15-16). For His sake, God chose to relent.

I believe most people, even if not attending church, know the 23rd psalm. I do not remember ever intentionally memorizing it, but I could always recite it. This psalm came from David’s heart and reflected his relationship with God. David is defining what a life with Jesus truly is. In verse 3, David states that God leads us in the paths of righteousness FOR HIS NAME’S SAKE. This reminds me of His decision not to destroy Israel when they rebelled. Jesus has “promised” all who believe in and follow Him will enter His kingdom. He will not lose one person that the Father has given Him. He forgives, rescues, renews, empowers, comforts, guides, and heals us for HIS name’s sake. We will never deserve such kindness and love. We receive them because not one word of His will ever fall to the ground. Again, this is not a pass to live life any way we want. Instead, it is the promise that He will always be present to guide us in the way we are to go and to lift us up when we fall.

05/17/2026

Moments with God, May 17

Romans 8:1-2 (NIV) 1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

I have mentioned in the past that the FBI “visited” me when I was in college. I was shocked when they stated I had broken the law, not just any law but a federal law. I had been using my military ID card to access Tinker Air Force base, which was illegal since I was no longer considered a dependent. When they asked me to turn over my ID card, I explained that I did not know I was not to use it. Though that was the truth, my actions condemned me.

For all who walk with Jesus, Paul’s words are an assurance that we will never be condemned. “Condemn” means “a legal decision of guilty in a criminal case; often with the ensuing punishment understood.” Our enemy, as he did with Job, is constantly accusing us before God day and night of engaging in sin (Revelation 12:10). Jesus, however, defends us and declares us innocent because of His shed blood. Only Jesus could live a sinless life. We cannot. Thus, we will all stumble and fail at times. When we do and the enemy condemns us, Jesus stands before God the Father to declare us innocent. That does not mean there will not be consequences, but the sentence of eternal death (separation from God) will not stand. This is never an excuse to sin intentionally, but it is an assurance that we are currently living the eternal life now. When I explained to those FBI agents that my father had left us when I was in high school and, thus, had no one to explain to me about the limit on the ID card, they dropped all charges and left. It is difficult to explain the relief and peace I felt as they walked out the door. That is the relief and peace that only Jesus offers to those who truly believe in Him and follow Him.

05/16/2026

Moments with God, May 16

Isaiah 53:3 (NKJV) 3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

Carly Fiorina became the first female CEO of a Fortune company, Hewlett-Packard and, as such, garnered much attention and praise. The press was positive as Fiorina seemed to be a perfect fit for the company. However, over time, doubts began to grow as Hewlett-Packard was faced with problems under her guidance. HP was heavily criticized for bypassing sanctions by selling products to Iran through foreign subsidiaries. Then, following a merger, 30,000 employees lost their jobs while tens of thousands of others were encouraged to take pay cuts. In addition, Fiorina faced immense backlash for her “executive compensation” in the face of the layoffs. Eventually she was forced to resign after six years.

People abandoned Fiorina because of her seemingly poor leadership and business decisions. Her accolades eventually became cries for her dismissal, which seemed understandable. Isaiah, prophesying about the coming Messiah, foretells that the Messiah will be despised and rejected; however, unlike Fiorina who made mistakes, the Messiah will be despised because He chose to be a “Man of sorrows” who was “acquainted with grief.” Not wanting to be associated with a “failure,” the people will abandon Him and refuse to show Him any respect, gratitude, or compassion. Had we lived during that time, we, also, would have turned away from Him instead of following a “disgraceful” king. Jesus did this for us that we might have a new life in and through Him. He alone is worthy of our praise, obedience, and devotion.

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