The Daily Devotional Blog

Do you want to continue getting even more of the goodness of God -- even more of God's blessings? Well, continue operating in the gift He's given you, because your gift will make room for you. Your gift is whatever it is you do without really trying -- the gift God has given you. As we continue doing our thing --staying in our anointed (special God-given area) and remain committed to it, then God will bless it. What am I saying? I'm saying we just need to honker down, keep doing that thing we were born to do, keep doing that thing that blesses others, and people will be positively impacted by it. We won't have to brag, boast or jump up and down to be seen either. God will see us and everything will fall into place automatically. James 1 :17 says, "every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." So there you have it. When we continue on with God's gift He'

Follow along with blog post/transcript below. "I believe aspiring leaders must be careful to watch our attitudes, comments, and mind-sets, because we can quickly fall into the error of dishonor" (Casto, page 154). Now, those words apply to me straight up. I have not been delivered from that area and I am still a WIP (Work in Progress). Yes, I admit that honestly and that's the truth about that. I need to closely watch my attitude and my mouth sometimes, but I'm happy to report I am much better than I was. Can I get an amen on that?  This chapter is about God doing a great and new thing regarding His people. And that involves you and I. The chapter delves into leaders who need to have an open mind about the new generations God is raising and the changes that come with it. On page 160, Casto tells a story about a church in which the parents prayed for their children to become followers of Jesus and the parents wanted them to diligently serve in the church. Wel

Do you know God is with you? It's true. It may sometimes seem you're alone, but you're never alone. He walks with us all the time. The question is, do we walk with Him? If we do, then our walk, our burdens, our life, becomes easier to bare. We know certain things in life are challenging. Yet we must stay centered on keeping Christ first in our life no matter how difficult things get. At some point in everybody's life, struggle will come and no one is immune. Life will happen to every soul on this earth. That's a fact and since that's the case, then why not have a companion by our side every second of the day? Doesn't it make sense to do that?  Anybody can walk with God, because He gives us what is called free-will to walk in His righteousness. That means we are free to make our own decisions and God will let us. I don't know about you, but I rather have Him direct my paths than go at it alone. With Him ordering my steps, it doesn't mean I will

Has anyone ever told you, your words have power? If not, I'm coming to tell you to start believing that they in fact do.  Proverbs 18 :21  says,  "death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits."  So, I hope you are being careful about how you speak over your life and are careful of what you entertain regarding what others say to you. I take positive self-talk seriously especially at this point in my life. I've been through enough ups and downs, that I have made a conscious choice to trust what God has to say over my life more than what any man has to say. And I do, not under any circumstances, let nonsense in. How about you? Are you at that place in your life? If not, there is still hope. There is still hope for all of us to get what God has for us. Just remember, it starts with thinking positive, speaking positive, and acting positive. Accept nothing less than that. I'm not talking pie in the sky, I'm talking ab

Daily Devotional Podcast. Follow along with blog post. Well are you? Are you an overcomer? Have you climbed up mountains? Clawed out of valleys? Made it through fires? In other words, have you been through anything that has been so challenging that's it made you better, faster, and stronger? It's made you the person you are today? If so, that makes you an overcomer. Yes, that makes you a trooper. That makes you an inspiration. Yes you, because you made it through and you are able to stand strong today. That's right, you never gave up, you didn't  throw in the towel, and you never waved the white flag. And for that I admire you greatly. I love a champ. I love a winner, and I love a warrior.  It encourages me when I hear about a person who could have given up, but refused to do so. Doesn't that encourage you too? And I respect a person who gives God the glory for everything they've gone through.  John 16 :33 says, In the world you will have tribulatio

Daily Devotional Podcast. Follow along with blog post. "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours" ( Mark 11 :24).  Do you believe it? Listen, when we believe God has more for our lives, we will receive all He has for us. We have to start asking and praying for what it is we want. Do you do that? Do you pray and ask God for what it is you want in your life? It's amazing how many people don't. Do you know the Lord will give you the power to get all the blessings He has for you? He will. It's about believing though. It's about faith. And it's about action.  He gives us the ability to do things naturally and He comes in and He does the rest -- He does the things that are too big for us to do. Do you believe it? We have to believe He's going to do it. Whatever that it is for you and I, because it's all about faith. It really is and it's not overrated. I'll ask again

Daily Devotional Podcast. Follow along with blog post. "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much" ( Luke 16 :10). That scripture   reminds us not to despise or fret over the little things -- over the things that start small. God will ensure the low in the world becomes high. And God will ensure that the last will become first and the first will be last. Sometimes what starts out small is really a big thing that just hasn't happened yet. What do you see? It's all about your faith and what you visualize. Yes, you have to see it even though you don't see it? You understand? Hebrews 11:1 speaks to that. Did you know that everything we see that is big today one day started out small? And it doesn't matter if it's a person, place, or thing, it had to start from nothing. It didn't just exist from something big. So, if you're on to something continue it and d

Daily Devotional Podcast. Follow along with blog post. Past, present, future. It doesn't matter what happened. It doesn't matter what is happening now. And it doesn't matter what will happen, God is ordering our steps. When we follow Him, He ensures our steps are made perfect. It's when we get off course that we usually mess things up. There is only one way to win and that is with God on our side. He can defeat the things we can't. Yes, God can make ways out of no ways. He can turn what the enemy did to His people, around for His glory. Do you believe it? I certainly hope so, because faith is the key that unlocks the door to victory.  That gives me solace and hope for a future for God's people. God has a plan. None of us can figure it out completely and that's ok. We don't have to know everything. We just have to trust God and live (fully) in knowing there are some things we will never know the reason for. But I thank God that there is only one

Follow along with blog post/transcript below. "God is looking for those who serve with or without recognition and do it as unto the Lord. Why should we serve? Because we love Jesus!" (page 143). I wasn't sure where Casto was going with the title of this chapter, Donkeys That Lead to Destiny, but it all came together. In 1 Samuel 9 :3 Saul was told to by his father to go find the donkeys, which were prized back then since donkeys were the family's livelihood. Saul had a good attitude about such a huge task and he served his father willingly. He was eventually rewarded by God for such a servant's heart and he met the Prophet Samuel while out looking for the donkeys and the rest is history -- Saul was anointed by Samuel and became the first king of Israel. It was a set-up by God. Now I ask you this: What if Saul wasn't willing to go to look for the donkeys? What if he was unwilling to serve? Hmmmmm. I think we would all know what would have happened. He

It's great to be able to look up towards heaven, isn’t it? It’s great to be able to look up towards heaven when you know God’s got your back. It’s great to be able to look towards heaven when it seems like there's a lot coming at you. Yet know this: there is a God you can count on. When it seems you made one step forward and two back, you know there’s God waiting to catapult you into a new dimension. Yes, God is great all the time and all the time God is great. Thus, we can look towards heaven, because God is there. He sits on high so we need not ever look low, ever. Jesus was only in the grave for 3 days remember? See  John 2 :18-22.  So don't look low, because He can't be found there. Yes He will lift us out from lowly darkness, but He doesn’t dwell there. So, again I say, look high towards heaven and cast your cares only on the Lord. He cares for you  ( 1 Peter 5 :7).  That's enough to rejoice and be glad about. And our faith will make it so that God will po

Isn’t it great to be covered by God’s grace? We all make mistakes, right? We all fall short. The only perfect one is Christ, so, we have to stop that thinking that we can't make mistakes, that we’re perfect, that we are unforgivable, and that we can't we mess up. Listen, we have to stop being so hard on ourselves, especially when God isn't hard on us. I know how it is to live in regret over mistakes and bad decisions. So, I'm coming to you to tell you, just don't go there. I wasted so many years going there -- being there -- not moving in certain areas of my life, because I beat myself up about certain things. Don’t waste a minute of that. Ok? We have to move on and we have to move up. So, I've come to tell you, for years I did that and for years I've been out of that. So, I'm not going back, because God knows we’re human and He’s already forgiven us for what we did or didn't do. He’s that smart. He's God. That’s why He's the one and only

Daily Devotional Podcast. Follow along with blog post. Do you know God sees and hears you? He hasn’t forgotten about you. It’s true. Have you ever heard, the teacher is always quiet during the test? Well, guess what? God might be silent right now, but He knows what He’s going to do and He’s waiting for the right time to move. His timing is impeccable. So stay faithful, God is present. He sees you and He hears you.  Romans 8 :28 says, "and we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."  God is sometimes quiet when we're going through the challenging times of life -- those times in life that test us to see what we're about. He knows our purpose and He knows who He's called for what. Will we trust God or give up what He has for us? Are we going to stand strong and come out on the other side or are we going to throw in the towel? Which way will we have it? It's our c

Daily Devotional Podcast. Follow along with blog post. Do you know one of the many great things about God is that He loves you for you. Yes, He loves all of us no matter the state we're in. We can't do anything that will change that. Isn't that great? It's just awesome to be loved unconditionally like that. Yet, it's much different with man. With man, it's hot one minute and cold the next. Don't let that get you down though. It's part of life. The best thing to do is focus on the love God shows us and when we do that, we can love others as He does. We won't live in hate, because hate won't exist in us. Isn't that great? It really is.  So I've come to encourage you to remember what the Lord God says about you. In Jeremiah 1 :5 He says,  “before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” God gets you -- God understands you -- God made you -- God loves

Daily Devotional Podcast. Follow along with blog post.  You want energy? Then let me tell you, you can have it. There's no energy looking back though. And yes I'm telling myself that more than anybody, because I used to look back all the time it seemed. Every turn around I was thinking too long about the things I couldn't change and I had to finally face it that I had to look on those things as learning lessons. Nothing more, nothing less. And today I can look ahead with faith and expectation of brighter days. I can look ahead with a bold walk. I can look ahead by walking with energy. Energy's important moving forward, because we can move with purpose and determination. Greater is in front of us, therefore we can walk energetically. Remember in  Genesis 19 :26  when the Lord told Lot's wife not to look back? Well, He's telling us the same thing today.  Yes, I've come to tell you to walk with your countenance -- your spiritual expression -- up, n

Daily Devotional Podcast. Follow along with blog post. Do you know that carrying out the mission and assignment God has for us is like flying an plane? Yes, because it takes precision, focus, and strength. And we can do it, because that’s what God birthed in us to do. Yes, we can't fly planes necessarily, but we can carry out the mission God has for us. That's what I'm saying.  There are many reasons why pilots have to be physically fit (as well as, emotionally and mentally fit). It's a demanding job, but can you imagine if they weren't in tip top condition, there mission would not be accomplished? Finishing goals and carrying out our God-ordained life’s purpose is demanding. It's not for the give-up-easy people. Starting, continuing, and finishing something isn't for the person who wants quick results. It's for the person who is the most fit to survive to the end -- to stay with the mission until mission-accomplished just like those pilots fl

Daily Devotional Podcast. Follow along with blog post. If you've been reading my blog/devotional or listening to my podcast, you know I'm on this losing weight thing, but it's not the weight you may think. It's not about losing lbs. It's about losing dead-weight -- getting rid of the people who mean me no good. People who may be good people, just not good for me -- not good for my life. You follow what I'm saying? That's what I'm on lately. Sometimes we have to do that and it's not that anybody has doing anything wrong. It's just that when people are on different life trajectories, then something has to give. And the weight has to shift. You understand what I mean?  Listen, sometimes we get to the point where we have to put ourselves first and let the chips fall where they may. Everything will work out. It's about loving ourselves and taking care of ourselves. We can't do that with anything that is too taxing on us, right? So

Do you know God will help you win your battles? That's what he did for David in  1 Samuel 30 :8  when David consulted God regarding an impending battle he needed direction. One such time was when David wanted to know if he should pursue the enemies who set fire to his camp and kidnapped he and his army's wives and children. David asked the Lord if he should pursue them and if he would overtake them. God told him to pursue and that he would indeed overtake them and succeed in rescuing all their families. David followed the Lord's orders and of course he won. He called upon the Lord for direction, particularly when he was needed direction about going into battle and he came out victorious. He got everything back plus some. That's what happens when we seek God, He will ensure we win.  Don't we all need help for certain battles and challenges in our lives? Well, when we consult God, He will direct our paths and He will ensure we get the victory. That's what t

Follow along with blog post/transcript below. In chapter 8 Casto starts right out the gate by saying, "I hope to give you a solid definition of what authority is and how honoring it can benefit your life and put you on the God-track of destiny." (page 118) I think you can surmise that this chapter is about having a covering of authority over us and it's also about staying under cover or hidden, shall we say, while serving under leadership until the Lord dictates otherwise, especially before we go out into the deep. For me myself, I have my pastor; my accountability person; my minister friend; and my spiritual and business coach. Yes those are the people I consider leaders in my life and they are the people who are helping me develop into the person God would have me to be until the "big reveal." Those people in my life are mentors and are people who know how to get a prayer through. We all need at least one person who has a strong relationship with the

Do you know that when life is coming at us fast, we can still rise and shine like a diamond? And there will be honor for us if we do not grow weary and give up.  Isaiah 61 :7 "Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land and everlasting joy will be   yours."  So, it's about rising and shining like a diamond. It is. So just in case you're heart is heavy today, I've come to encourage you to not let what happened or didn't happen stop your flow. Don't let the enemy win. He has wreaked enough havoc in the lives of God's people and he shall harm no more. God is still mighty and He's still on the throne. He will give us the strength we need when we ask Him. We have to go Him. He wants us to shine. He wants us to have the glow of God on us. Remember in  Exodus 34:29-35  when Moses came down from Mount Sinai? He had the glo

Daily Devotional Podcast. Follow along with blog post. Today I'm looking ahead; walking ahead, and talking ahead. You know what that means? It means my sights are towards tomorrow -- towards the future. Why you  may ask? Well that's simple. My philosophy is this: As long as we keep walking towards the Light -- towards the positive, we will get where God has for us to go, so why not keep walking forward, right? Why not look forward to tomorrow? Tomorrow is not today and it's not yesterday, so let's at least have the mindset that it offers beautiful and splendid things. If we're not there yet, at a minimum, we have to have the attitude that things will get even better than they are now or have been. I your life is just the way you'd have it to be today that's awesome for you. I love it. Just keep praising, worshiping, and thanking the Lord for it.  Proverbs 4 :10-12 says,  "Hear, my son  [and daughter] , and accept my words, that the years of you

Daily Devotional Podcast. Follow along with blog post. Staying power equals: Perseverance, bounce-back, strength, push-through, determination... Remember, Joshua? He had staying power. He was one of the courageous spies Moses' sent into Canaan and who wasn't intimidated by any giant he may have encountered ( Numbers 13 ). He eventually became Moses assistant, because of that attitude.  Joshua 1:9   commands us to be strong and courageous, to not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord our God is with us wherever we go. That means we can be calm amidst a raging and raving storm. It doesn't matter what happens, good or bad, we can handle the pressure and not blow up. With staying power (resilience, bounce-back, strength, push-through, determination...we can withstand anything, because God is with us. And when God is with us, who can against us? Nobody.   

Daily Devotional Podcast. Follow along with blog post. In the story of the blind man in John 9 when Jesus healed him from his blindness, the story actually has a deeper meaning besides just being a story of a miracle. Yes, it's a fact that Jesus makes the impossible possible in order to show people who He is. That was His main purpose for healing the blind man. But in the story some people didn't believe Jesus healed him. They still doubted and continued to operate in their disbelieve. They even sent for the blind man and questioned he and his parents, only to still continue in their ignorance of Jesus. They ended up throwing the blind man in the streets when he didn't let up in telling them it was really Jesus who had healed him. When Jesus heard they had thrown him out, Jesus asked him if he believed in Him and the blind man said he did. In verses 39-41, "Jesus then said, “I came into the world to bring everything into the clear light of day, making all the d

Daily Devotional Podcast. Follow along with blog post. You ever heard the verse that, 'without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him?' It comes from Hebrews 11 :6 and let me tell you that if you want some big things to change and some big things to happen in life, you're going to have to put some faith on it. Yes, you're going to have to put some faith on those unbelievable things you want to come to you. It doesn't matter what they are, faith will get you there.  And what comes after having unwavering faith, is putting some big action behind that faith -- behind those words. Yes, speaking it into the atmosphere is great, but there must be more that comes with it.  Hebrews 11 :1  says that  faith is the assurance of things we want to happen that we have not seen yet. In other words if we "see" it and believe it, then the proof will be i

Daily Devotional Podcast. Follow along with blog post. Yes, God did it again. He made a way when I didn't know what would happen. We can never doubt Him, because He's the God of all-things-are-possible-for-those-who-believe. That's why He's God all by himself. So, just in case you may be thinking, God won't make a way out of no way, think again. He can and  will  open the flood gates for what it is you want in your life. And He will part the Red Sea for you too. Oh yes He will. I remember a time when my nights were long and depressing and I felt alone, but God moved in my life and I'm stronger, faster, and better today. If you are in that place right now, know this: God is awesome and God will do it for you. Yes, He will make a way out of that dark place for you. Don't you give up your faith. Utter some words to Him right now to let Him know you hear Him, you feel Him, and you sense Him. Then His power will come where you are and you will too, bec

Do you know the way we feel is a choice? Yes, it's true. We can choose to be thankful, be happy, be joyous, and rejoice! in the Lord.   That's right, you have a godly right to do so. Rejoice means happiness, joy, gladness, delight, elation, jubilation, exuberance, exultation, and celebration. How awesome is  that ! I love it. We have much to rejoice for, because the Lord has us here for a reason. We should rejoice and be glad in that.  I know how it is not to rejoice, but after I got out of my dark place of regret I came to realize that we all can rejoice even when negative situations and challenges confront us. Yes, there will down times, because we're human. Yet, having joy and rejoicing means we don't have to remain in that state. We can draw our strength from God even when chaos can be going on around us. Yes, we can have a calm and "rejoicing" spirit.  "And there you shall eat before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your hous