Posts with the category “devotional”

By Pastor Mike Adkins: John The Baptist's life was lived preparing for something he would never see completed. This oddly scares and excites me, but don’t ask me why.  Read More

By Guest Author | Ashley Piner: As a teacher, I’ve heard the term “lifelong learner” numerous times. I love the idea of continually learning new information and being able to apply it to my life or to help others.  Read More

By Meghen Haggard: How often are we quick to forget the truths about who God is? Not long ago, I was sitting among friends feeling very defeated and discouraged when one friend asked the group what God had been showing us through His Word and in our lives.  Read More

After trying to get pregnant for eight years, my husband and I conceived our second daughter, Annalee. As with most expecting parents, we spent a great deal of time discussing name ideas, researching meanings, and praying that God would lead us to the perfect name for our child.  Read More

By Guest Author | Megan Wamer: Every summer, I’m home on break from teaching. For me, this is when life slows down, and I can pay more attention to things around the home. Because we are outside a lot during the summer, I am usually trying to make sure the landscaping looks “better.”  Read More

By Pastor Scott Conner: This week has been extremely noisy for me. A little over a week ago, we woke up to a leak in our upstairs bathroom. Water had seeped into the floors and walls, causing a lot of damage to a first floor hallway and into the garage.   Read More

By Joy Kimbril: I can’t count the number of times I have heard a message about the armor of God; but as I was reading this passage the other day in my quiet time, I feel like the emphasis has been placed on the pieces of armor and not necessarily what they represent.   Read More

by Guest Author | Megan Wamer: Recently, I was a counselor at Opendoor Youth Camp, where the theme of our week was based on verses in Jeremiah. Much of what I want to share in this devotional with you comes from the speakers that week and notes I took.  Read More

By Miranda Braden: Nehemiah was afraid to appear sad in the presence of the king because cup-bearers were supposed to hide their emotions for the king's sake. To violate this was punishable by death.  Read More

By Elliotte Pearson (Elder): Recently I was out playing disc golf, an activity where I can enjoy some time with the Lord to talk through many things, when I felt like the Holy Spirit whispered a statement to me. He said, “Your position does not outweigh your function.”  Read More

OYC Devotional | Trust is a weird thing. From the moment we are born, we are actually forced to trust. A baby has no choice but to trust. Their entire existence is dependent on others taking care of them. They must be fed, held, put to sleep, and changed, because they do not have the ability to do it themselves.  Read More

OYC Devotional | Have you ever thought about trees? Probably not. That’s weird, right? (No offense intended to anyone who loves trees and thinks about them often.) Trees fascinate me. I love being in nature. Gazing up at towering trees truly takes my breath away. In California, there are trees so large you can literally drive a car through it.   Read More

OYC Devotional | When I was a kid, I remember thinking that all I wanted to do was grow up. I was the youngest of four siblings, and I would constantly look at them and see all the cool things they were able to do just because they were older.   Read More

By Theresa Golden: When we look around at the world today, we see evidence of war, not just the physical war that rages on foreign land but a spiritual war right here on our doorstep. This war wages against our culture, our families, our marriages, and our church. It threatens our children, our finances, even our minds. We have a responsibility not only to fight back but to wage war against the oppressor ourselves.  Read More

By Mary Beth Barefoot: What does it look like to be fully honest with God? Over the last few weeks, I’ve been reading and journeying through the book of 1 Samuel. This book is one that I’ve loved reading over the years because it’s chock-full of stories of hope, restoration, and miracles.   Read More

By Whitney Bailey: “Choices.” It was my only response. No second guessing but innate. It was the response I gave on a phone call I received from my dad. Upon answering, my dad went straight to the point, “What is my favorite word?”   Read More

By Pastor Nikki Bailey: Conflict is inevitable. It’s always there, prowling, ready to divide and destroy relationships. Whether at home with a spouse or kids, the workplace, church, nations, or with a close friend, it will rear its ugly head, and how we deal with it will always show the condition of our heart.  Read More

By Steve Miller: King David was known as “a man after God’s own heart.” I remember the first time I heard him described in this way; it was so inspirational to me. I wanted to be known like that too. I started asking myself, “How do I become a man after God’s own heart?” I had no clue! I prayed, “God, I want to be a man after Your heart. I don’t want to chase after anybody else’s heart other than Yours.”   Read More

By Pastor Tyler Braden: Father's Day brings a lot of emotions for me. Every year around this time, I can’t help but think about my story and my journey of discovering who my father was.  Read More

By Pastor Aaron Kennedy: Summertime is here, and with that comes new schedules for my boys and family, not nearly the hectic mornings that normally happen. As we approached summer this year, my oldest son Wes asked to begin working out with me. Honestly, I was a little shocked by the request.   Read More

By Guest Author | Ashley Piner: Has there been a time in your life that just felt like a huge mess? In these moments, life may feel turned upside down; and no matter what you try to do, it will just not turn around.   Read More

By Elliotte Pearson (Elder): Have you ever been on a trip and decided to take a guided tour? You know, one of these tours with a person that tells you Information about the location you are visiting.   Read More

By Rachael Wynne: The friendship we are privileged to have with Holy Spirit is so sweet. We have the honor of having a 24/7 best friend who is always for us and can help us walk through life. Just like any friendship, a relationship with Holy Spirit takes nurturing. We must invest in our relationship in order to strengthen it. Jesus sent us The Helper in order to empower us to live this life in a way that gives glory to God. So how do we invest in this friendship?   Read More

By Theresa Golden: Before I spoke a word, You were singing over me You have been so, so good to me Before I took a breath, You breathed Your life in me You have been so so kind to me  Read More

By Jake Haggard: Life is hard. Why does it seem like there is always something that is about to go wrong? Pain seems to hide around every corner of our calendar-driven life.   Read More

By Guest Author | Ashley Piner: Have you ever felt the Holy Spirit's presence so profoundly in your life that you sensed Him with every fiber of your being? One of the first times I experienced the Holy Spirit's power this intensely was one summer at my church youth camp around the bonfire.   Read More

By Pastor Scott Conner: By now you have heard the news that Opendoor Church is buying the Immanuel Baptist Church property in Greenville so that we can develop another campus. This is going to allow us to expand the spiritual footprint we can imprint on the land that God has placed before us.   Read More

By Pate Leigh: Obeying a prompt from the Holy Spirit can be one of the most difficult yet important things we can do in our spiritual life. There have been so many times in my life where I felt prompted to act on something.  Read More

By Guest Author | Megan Wamer: On the way to school each morning, I pray with my daughter over our day. One thing I pray is that we would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, that we would only say or do what the Holy Spirit would have us say or do.   Read More

By Elliotte Pearson | Elder: I am always amazed when the Holy Spirit brings fresh revelation to a scripture I have read so many times. Jesus, in Mark Chapter 2, is ministering to people in a house, and some men are trying to get their friend in to see Jesus.   Read More

By Miranda Braden: What do you wish you had learned about the Holy Spirit when you were young? Maybe it is just an attribute that you really wish you could have embraced when you were a child, or even in your twenties.  Read More

By Pastor Mike Adkins: When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. - John 16:13  Read More

By Miranda Braden: How do I keep it together when it feels like everything around me is falling apart? Scripture doesn't really go into the specifics on what Ruth was really longing for in her journey with Naomi. It could have been a husband, a baby, or just being able to feed her family from day to day.   Read More

By Guest Author | Anita Harrison: It may be because I’m older, or it may be because I see so many people who are hurting. But as we’ve gone through the book of Ruth, I have been drawn to the pain that both Naomi and Ruth experienced, how each of them walked through that pain, and how God was faithful, even in their pain.   Read More

By Christy Hubbard: The story of Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth is a beautiful account of a mother-in-law that cared for her daughters-in-law with a deep motherly love.   Read More

By Theresa Golden: When I was little, I loved reading and writing stories. It was a favorite pastime that I carried with me throughout my life. As a young girl, one of my favorites was the Nancy Drew series. I loved a good mystery, the suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat.   Read More

By Elliotte Pearson (Elder): Have you ever watched one of those detective shows where the cops bring in a suspect and start to question them? One cop comes in acting all angry and mad, throws chairs around, and gets into the face of the suspect trying to get a rise out of them. Then the partner comes in to save the day.  Read More

Guest Author | Heather Hamilton: In the book of Ruth, we read an account of how the Lord demonstrates His faithfulness to His undeserving people through the lives of Naomi and Ruth. Though only four chapters, this book is full of faith, hope, and kindness. Let’s take a look at two of the main individuals within the book of Ruth.  Read More

By Pastor Nikki Bailey: Patience, one of the Fruits of the Spirit, can seem like a four-letter word, can’t it? Don’t you just hate it when someone tells you to be patient?   Read More

By Mary Beth Barefoot: Have you ever had to take a bold step of faith? One of those steps that’s probably really scary, but an act of obedience all the same?   Read More