Ministry 167

06/11/2026

Wisdom From God

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
James 1:5 ESV

Life is full of decisions, and not all of them come with clear answers.

There are moments when we do not know which path to take, what choice to make, or how to handle the situation standing in front of us. We can gather advice, seek counsel, and weigh our options, but sometimes we still find ourselves unsure of what to do.

That is why James gives us such a simple and powerful promise.

When we lack wisdom, we can ask God.

Not only does God have the wisdom we need, but He is willing to give it. James tells us that God gives generously. He is not annoyed by our questions, frustrated by our uncertainty, or unwilling to guide His children. He delights in leading those who seek Him.

Too often we ask everyone else for advice before we ask God for direction. We turn to friends, social media, news articles, and opinions from every corner, yet neglect the One who sees the beginning and the end.

God may not always give us the answer we want, but He will always provide the wisdom we need to take the next faithful step.

Before making the decision, before choosing the direction, and before taking the next step, spend time asking God for wisdom. The One who knows all things is never confused by the questions you face.

06/07/2026

Faithfulness Before Fun

Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
1 Corinthians 4:2

There are times in life when we want to do one thing, but responsibility calls us to do another. We would rather spend the evening making memories, taking a trip, or enjoying a day with the family. Instead, we find ourselves working late, fixing problems, paying bills, and taking care of the responsibilities that God has placed in front of us.

In those moments, it is easy to feel like we are missing out. We see everyone else enjoying themselves while we are carrying the weight of obligations. Yet Scripture reminds us that God values faithfulness. Long before He calls us to great things, He calls us to be faithful in the things already in our hands.

Sometimes faithfulness looks exciting. More often, it looks ordinary. It looks like a parent going to work when they would rather stay home. It looks like paying the bills instead of buying the toy. It looks like fixing the truck so the family has food on the table. It looks like doing the right thing when nobody notices the sacrifice being made.

The fair will come around again. The rides will still be there. The memories can still be made. But there is something honorable about a man or woman who chooses responsibility over pleasure because they understand that others are depending on them.

God sees those moments. He sees the sacrifices that nobody else notices. He sees the long hours, the hard decisions, and the choices made out of love for others.

Faithfulness is rarely celebrated in the moment, but it is always noticed by God.

06/05/2026

A Hunger for God

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
Matthew 5:6

Everyone hungers for something.

Some hunger for success.
Some hunger for wealth.
Some hunger for recognition.
Some hunger for comfort.

Yet no matter how much of those things we gain, they never fully satisfy the deepest needs of the soul.

Jesus tells us that true satisfaction is found in a different pursuit. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled.

Just as the body craves food and water, the heart should crave God. There should be a desire within us to know Him more, to walk closer with Him, and to become more like Christ each day.

The problem is not that God is unwilling to satisfy us.
The problem is that we often fill ourselves with things that cannot satisfy.

The more time we spend in God's Word, prayer, worship, and fellowship, the more our appetite for Him grows. And the more we pursue Him, the more we discover that He alone is enough.

The things of this world may satisfy for a moment.
Only God can satisfy for a lifetime.

A hungry soul that seeks God will never leave His table empty.

06/04/2026

Strength Under Control

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
Matthew 5:5 (ESV)

Meekness is often misunderstood.

Many people think being meek means being weak, quiet, or afraid to stand up for yourself. But biblical meekness is not weakness at all. It is strength under control.

A powerful horse can be trained to respond to the slightest touch of its rider. The horse has not lost its strength. It has simply learned to submit that strength to a greater purpose.

The same is true for followers of Christ.

We all have moments when we want to react in anger, demand our own way, or prove ourselves right. Yet meekness chooses humility over pride and self control over revenge.

Jesus Himself was the perfect example of meekness. He had all power and authority, yet He humbled Himself and submitted to the will of the Father. He did not use His power to serve Himself. He used it to serve others.

In a world that celebrates pride, God honors humility.

The meek person is not the one who lacks strength. The meek person is the one who has learned to place their strength, abilities, and desires into the hands of God.

Real strength is not found in controlling others.
Real strength is found in allowing God to control you.

06/03/2026

Grief and Comfort

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
Matthew 5:4 (ESV)

Losing a father leaves a silence that is hard to explain.

There are certain voices you never expect to stop hearing. Certain phone calls you expect will always be there. Certain pieces of wisdom, strength, and presence that become part of your life for so long that it feels impossible to imagine life without them.

Grief has a way of showing up unexpectedly. Sometimes it comes in big moments. Other times it comes through small reminders, a memory, a song, a smell, or the simple wish to hear their voice one more time.

But Jesus reminds us of something powerful in Matthew 5:4.
God does not ignore grief.
God meets us in it.

The Lord sees every tear, every heavy moment, and every ache that words cannot fully describe. Mourning does not mean you are weak. It means you loved deeply.

And for the believer, grief is not hopeless.

Even in sorrow, there is comfort in knowing that God stays near to the brokenhearted. He carries us through the days when strength feels hard to find and reminds us that death is not the end for those who are in Christ.

Grief was never meant to be carried completely alone. Reach out to the people who love you. Lean on family, friends, and brothers and sisters in Christ. There are people who will sit with you, pray with you, cry with you, and help carry the weight during the hard days.

06/02/2026

06/02/2026

Private Worship

John 4:24 (ESV) says, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Private worship is where the fire is built.

What happens in public worship should simply be the overflow of what has already been happening in private with God. If there is no prayer life at home, no worship in the quiet places, and no time spent in God’s Word, then public worship can slowly become nothing more than a performance.

God is not looking for actors.
He is looking for worshippers.

The strength of your public worship will always be connected to the depth of your private worship.

Spend time with God when nobody else is watching.

06/01/2026

Here Am I, Lord

One of the hardest parts about following God is that He rarely shows us the whole staircase.
We want the full plan. We want the details. We want to know where the road leads before we ever take the first step. But faith does not work that way.

Faith moves before all the answers arrive.

That is why the quote has always been so powerful: Faith is taking the first step when you cannot see the whole staircase.

When God called Isaiah in Scripture, He did not lay out every detail of the journey first. He simply asked, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And Isaiah responded with one of the most powerful statements of surrender in the Bible:

Isaiah 6:8 says, Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’

That is real faith.

Faith says yes before knowing every detail. Faith trusts God even when the path looks unclear. Faith keeps walking when the staircase disappears into the darkness.

Some of us are waiting for complete understanding before we obey God. But often God is waiting for obedience before He reveals the next step.

You may not see the whole picture today. You may not understand how everything will work out. You may not know where God is leading you next.

But if God is calling you forward, take the step.

God has never failed His people yet, and He is not about to start with you.

05/29/2026

The Right Tool for the Right Job

This morning while working out of my truck, I reached for a wrench and realized something simple but powerful. Not every wrench fits every bolt. You can try forcing the wrong wrench onto the wrong bolt all day long, but it will only strip things out, damage something, or leave you frustrated.

You need the right tool for the right job.

And honestly, life can feel the same way sometimes.

We try to handle spiritual battles with fleshly reactions. We try to fix deep wounds with temporary solutions. We try to force doors open that God never intended for us to walk through. Then we wonder why everything feels difficult and exhausting.

But God knows exactly what tool is needed for every season of your life.

Sometimes God uses pressure to shape us. Sometimes He uses waiting to strengthen us. Sometimes He uses trials to build faith and character inside of us. What feels uncomfortable may actually be the exact thing God is using to prepare you for what is ahead.

Philippians 1:6 says, And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

God knows what He is doing. He knows what needs tightened, what needs repaired, and what needs replaced in our lives. And unlike us, God never reaches for the wrong tool.

So today, stop trying to force things in your own strength. Trust the hands of the Master. The God who created you knows exactly how to work on your life.