Family Life Church Porterville

09/06/2026

08/30/2026

God Guides Our Life by YouVersion Bible

Have you ever faced something unexpected? Maybe it was a surprise that brought you joy, or a tragedy that greatly affected your life. All of us experience moments in life that we don’t anticipate.

Even though unexpected things will happen, we still plan and dream for how our lives will go. We may have plans for our future education, or plans for specific relationships in our lives. But we can’t fully plan for the unexpected—since we cannot know the future. We don’t even know what might happen in the next few minutes.

We learn in Scripture that God is all-knowing, which means He knows everything that will happen everywhere in the world. He has complete knowledge of every event and action that happens. More than that, He is also sovereign, which means He has ultimate control over everything that happens in the world.

That means that even though we make our plans, God is ultimately the one who directs our steps. He has the power to change the direction of our lives, as well to as guide us into what’s best for us.

Take some time to think about the dreams and plans that you have for your life. Have you ever submitted those plans to God in prayer? This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t make plans for your life, but rather, whatever you plan should not come before God’s plans for your life.

Take a moment to ask God to direct your steps. Ask Him to reveal any desires or plans that are not from Him. Submit your plans to God so that you’ll be open to follow Him wherever He leads you. Thank Him for His goodness and grace in guiding your life.

08/28/2026

Steady and Unchanging by YouVersion Bible

In an ever-changing, always-moving, constantly-shifting world, we can count on the unchanging nature of God.

Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the author of Hebrews said it like this:

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭13‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT

A title for the three distinct parts, or “Persons” of God, is the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And the Son—Jesus Christ—is the purest reflection of the Father, who never changes.

When you unpack the stunning mystery that is God made flesh in the Person of Jesus Christ, you’ll notice that He said audacious things like: “I and the Father are one,” (John 10:30) “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father,” (John 14:9) and, “Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” (John‬ ‭17‬:‭5‬)

John described Jesus as the Word: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬)

God said of Himself, “I the Lord do not change...” (Malachi 3:6) This unchanging quality is called the immutability of God. 

From generation to generation, God is the immovable rock where we can firmly plant our faith.

God cannot lie. He cannot be unjust. He’s always good. He’s always faithful. He’s fully perfect. He’s self-sufficient. He’s continuously steady and constant, enduring and everlasting.

If your world has been rocked, or if everything around you seems to be shifting, or if it’s challenging to tell what is solid rock and what is shifting sand, you can trust in, count on, and place your hope in Jesus.

He’s not only your righteous Savior, but He’s also your unchanging God.

08/26/2026

The Greatest Commandment by YouVersion Bible

In Matthew 22:37, Jesus said: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

This verse is a powerful reminder of the greatest commandment, calling us to a wholehearted devotion to God. It challenges us to examine the depth and sincerity of our love for Him, urging us to go beyond following the rules of religious traditions and to cultivate an intimate, all-encompassing relationship with our Creator.

Loving God with all our heart means that our emotions and desires are aligned with His will. It means that we prioritize Him above all else, allowing His love to shape our affections and guide our decisions. When we love God with all our soul, we are committing our very being to Him. Our identity, purpose, and existence are rooted in His love, and we find our true fulfillment in living for His glory.

To love God with all our mind is to engage our intellect in the pursuit of knowing Him more deeply. It involves meditating on His Word, seeking His wisdom, and allowing His truth to transform our thoughts and perspectives. This holistic love for God is not a one-time event but a daily, intentional choice to surrender every aspect of our lives to Him.

Reflecting on this commandment, we are reminded that our love for God should be evident in every area of our lives. It should influence how we interact with others, how we spend our time, and how we use our resources. As we grow in our love for God, we become more attuned to His presence and more responsive to His leading.

Today, let’s surrender our hearts, souls, and minds to God. Let us seek to deepen our relationships with Him, knowing that as we do, we will experience the fullness of His love and the abundant life He promises. Amen.

08/25/2026

Creating a Heart of Gratitude by YouVersion Bible

One of the most powerful emotions is gratitude. If we can find ways to be thankful and grateful throughout our life, we will find the power and emotional strength to walk through some of life’s hardest seasons.

It’s not always easy to find ways to be thankful and grateful. But, one of the things Scripture teaches us throughout the Psalms is that there is always something to be grateful for.

The Psalms teach us various songs and poems for every season of our life. But more than that, they also teach us how to cultivate a heart of gratitude and worship towards God.

We belong to a God who loves us and cares deeply for us. God’s love and goodness will never end. Psalm 100:5 praises God for these things:

“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Through Psalms like this, we can begin to build a habit of gratitude towards God and all that He has done. We can thank God for what He has done in our lives, what He is currently doing, and what He will do in the future as we follow after Him.

Because God is always good, loving, and faithful, there is always something we can be grateful for—even in the midst of difficult seasons of life.

Take a few moments today to strengthen the habit of gratitude in your life.

- First, begin by thanking God for who He is: that He is good, faithful, and loving towards you.
- Next, thank God for all that He has done. Thank Him for the good things in your life, and that He has walked with you through the hard times.
- Lastly, thank God for all He will continue to do in the days and years to come. He is trustworthy!

08/23/2026

The Most Important Thing by YouVersion Bible

When Jesus was asked by the religious leaders about the most important commandment, He quoted Deuteronomy 6:5. This verse contains one of the key commands in all of Scripture...

“Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”
Deuteronomy 6:5 NIV

We were created to know and to worship God, as well as to make Him known.

Life is full and schedules are busy, but the most important thing is that we love God with everything we’ve got. If we’re successful but don’t love God, we’ve missed the most important thing. If we’re healthy but don’t look to Him, we’ve still missed it.

God instructed the Israelites in Deuteronomy to constantly keep this command in their hearts and minds. They made physical reminders to help them remember to love God in everything they did. They taught this command to their children as the foundation of all other commands in Scripture.

Take some time to consider your life as well. Is loving God your primary motivation? Spend some time thinking about how good and merciful God has been in your life. Maybe create a physical reminder that you’ll see every day—to help focus your thoughts and heart on loving God.

Remember that God loves you more than you could ever imagine. The best motivation to love God is to constantly remember how much He loved us first.

08/22/2026

Grace and Truth in Jesus by YouVersion Bible

For many centuries, the nation of Israel awaited the coming Messiah who would bring the Kingdom of God and make things right in the world. Despite pain, persecution, and setbacks, they persevered because their hope was grounded in the promises of God.

Israel’s wait was finally over when the Messiah, Jesus, arrived. However, Jesus did not come in a grand procession, or with a large army behind Him. He arrived quietly in the stillness of the night, as a baby, in a little town called Bethlehem.

But in a surprise twist: this newborn was not only the Messiah who would free God’s people from their sins—but God Himself. John tells us that “the Word was God” (John 1:1). The Word exists eternally, but for a time took on human form and lived among people.

Jesus began His earthly ministry in the most humble way—by coming as a baby. But, it’s through the person of Jesus that we see the glory of God. Paul says in Colossians, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9).

The miracle of Jesus being born is that He was fully God and fully human. Jesus came from the Father’s glory, but took on human form so that He could live His life on our behalf.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14

Jesus’ ministry on earth can be categorized by these two words: grace and truth. Jesus gave grace to people through the forgiveness of sins. But He also brought truth through His teachings and announcements. 

All of us who believe in Christ have received both grace and truth from Him. We have been given a second chance at life because of the forgiveness of our sins, and we are saved from eternal separation from God because of the truths we believe.

Thank God for sending His Son to earth as a baby. Spend some time in prayer thanking Him for the grace and truth that you have received.