Posts with the category “devotional”

By Pastor Aaron Kennedy: Sacred Delay is the time between hearing God speak something and seeing it come to pass. It is waiting with purpose instead of doubt. It is believing God is working even when we can’t see it. It is patience in action.  Read More

By Whitney Bailey: A Prophet and a prostitute. As beautiful and compelling as the story of Hosea is, so powerful that it has inspired books and movies, relating to those two livelihoods has been a challenge for me.  Read More

By Pastor Aaron Kennedy: Quality over quantity. I think it is ingrained in our culture that we think that quantity is the goal, but what I’ve come to realize is that this mindset isn’t just untrue; it can also be destructive.   Read More

By Pastor Mike Adkins: Israel had power, prosperity, and religious activity, but their altars were empty. Not empty of ritual, but empty in their hearts.   Read More

By Pastor Scott Conner: Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.   Read More

By Pastor Aaron Kennedy: This week we are going to discover three ancient practices of connecting with God. The question I get asked most often is how do I hear from God? This week I hope to give you some ways in which I have learned to dial up His voice in my life.  Read More

By Rebecca Alfred: “They sell the innocent for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals. They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed...” Amos 2:6–7 (NIV)   Read More

By Pastor Aaron Kennedy: “Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man.” – ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬  Read More

By Melissa Pearson: What kind of legacy are we leaving? I recently attended the funeral of a friend’s father. During the service, the speaker shared what his life’s theme song would have been. That got me thinking. What would mine be? What song would encapsulate the story of my life?  Read More

By Pastor Aaron Kennedy: “We are not what we devour but what we digest.” – Unknown In a time when we constantly consume content, information, and opinions, I can’t help but wonder: how much are we truly digesting and applying?  Read More

By Joy Kimbril: As we read through the Old Testament, we know the nation of Israel goes through cycles with their relationship with God. First, they praise and worship Him for delivering them from their previous situation. But as they enjoy the blessings of His deliverance, they begin to forget who provided those blessings and begin to worship other gods, giving them the credit for what only God did.  Read More

By Pastor Aaron Kennedy: After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.” – John 21:15 NLT This moment in Peter’s life, I believe, changed everything.   Read More

By Theresa Golden: In the book of Joel, God sends a swarm of locusts that devastates the land. Crops are gone, joy is depleted, and normal life grinds to a halt. But beneath the devastation is a divine invitation: “Wake up!” (Joel 1:5) The disruption wasn’t punishment for the sake of punishment. It was a call to return, to reflect, to remember what really matters.   Read More

By Melissa Pearson: “How long must I put up with this wicked community and its complaints about me? … You will all drop dead in this wilderness! Because you complained against me, every one of you who is twenty years old or older and was included in the registration will die.” – Numbers 14:27, 29 NLT  Read More

By Pastor Aaron: This week, I wanted to do a two-part series on “waiting.’ The first part was on Saul. You can see it here: The Hardest Gap. Today, I want to look at two verses on David’s journey of waiting and how it was much different than that of Saul.  Read More

By Mary Beth Dunn: Have you ever felt trapped by the belief that you’ve done too many bad things for God to love you anymore? I know that I definitely have. This misunderstanding of God's vast love for me affected my later teenage years and much of my twenties.  Read More

By Pastor Aaron Kennedy: The hardest gap is the time in between God saying something would happen and the time it actually happens. This week, we are going to look at two stories in Scripture and how God uses time to get out of us what needs to be gotten out and also uses time to put into us what needs to be brought into maturity.  Read More

By Guest Author | Ashley Piner: Do you ever read the Bible and just sit in awe of how God uses the inspired authors to communicate His message? I love how the Psalms are beautifully poetic, while Romans and Jude are epistles, letters full of doctrine and encouragement.  Read More

By Theresa Golden: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33 NIV Recently, I was talking with a friend about some big decisions they were facing. As we discussed the pros and cons of staying where they were or making a big change, I found myself saying something that has been on my heart a lot lately: “No matter what you choose, it’s going to be hard. You just have to choose your hard.”  Read More

By Pastor Aaron Kennedy: Once, Nelson Mandela spoke about a prison guard who said to him, ‘Do you know that I have the power to have you killed?’ Mandela responded, ‘Do you not know that I have the power to go to my death freely?’   Read More

By Guest Author | Rachel Edwards: Micah 6:1-8 (NIV)In Micah 6:1-8, God speaks through the prophet Micah and brings a legal case against Israel. He reminds them of the things He’s done for Israel, including delivering them from Egypt, providing leadership, and protecting them.   Read More

By Pastor Aaron Kennedy: “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you...."  Read More

By Theresa Golden: “Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders. Let me walk upon the waters wherever You would call me. Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander, And my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my Savior.”  Read More

By Meghen Haggard: “Then he said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.” –Exodus 3:6   Read More

By Pastor Aaron Kennedy: Samson is one of the amazing and fun stories in Scripture. For three chapters in Judges, we read of Samson’s exploits, how he single-handedly beat the Philistines. They hated him but could seemingly do nothing to him.   Read More

By Steve Miller: Discerning the voice of the Holy Spirit can be difficult. When I was younger, I grew up in churches that rarely talked about the Holy Spirit. We believed in Him, but we didn’t really talk about Him. We knew He existed, but most of our focus was on God the Father and God the Son.   Read More

By Pastor Aaron Kennedy: David has some strong words for whatever he is facing. While scholars have debated the exact circumstances behind this Psalm, the overwhelming opinion is that this was written in the height of his betrayal by his son Absalom.   Read More

By Jake Haggard: NO PAIN, NO GAIN! You have probably heard the phrase before. It may remind you of a Marine Corps drill sergeant screaming at a private on the obstacle course, or a football coach in pre-season workouts attempting to get the team ready for the season, or perhaps, the dreaded spin class instructor who always seems to be in far too good of a mood to burn calories.  Read More

By Guest Author | Megan Wamer: When reading Matthew 4:1-11 about the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, I have to admit that I've never paid much attention to verse one: “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil.” The phrase “led by the Spirit” stands out to me.  Read More

By Pastor Aaron Kennedy: It’s hard to put into words the power of these versus. John was a really big deal. He had so many followers and had impacted countless people. Known as the Baptizer, his ministry was massive, and he rubbed shoulders with some of the most influential people of that day. John’s impact was undeniable.  Read More

By Elliotte Pearson [Elder]: He who finds a wife finds a GOOD thing and obtains favor from the Lord… Proverbs 18:22 Guys, have you ever heard this verse before? Maybe your wife has reminded you of it, or you've heard it quoted in church. Have you ever stopped to consider that your wife is a gift?  Read More

By Theresa Golden: We all love gifts, especially surprise gifts from the people we love. What is it about gifts that make them so special? Maybe it’s the thoughtfulness behind the gesture or the excitement of receiving something new.   Read More

By Pastor Mike Adkins: Before Pentecost, Peter was uncertain, impulsive, and afraid, denying Jesus when it mattered most. But after Pentecost, empowered by the Holy Spirit, he stood boldly, preached with clarity, and led thousands to Christ. What changed? The presence and power of the Holy Spirit.  Read More

By Whitney Bailey: BOJANGLES. Welcome to the South. We have three kids who are always hungry, and Bojangles Bo Berries are some of our favorites. One day, we were headed home from a long trip and stopped at Bojangles to go inside and eat.   Read More

By Pastor Aaron: “So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the Lord.” – Joshua 9:14 NLT This verse gets me every year in our Bible Reading Plan. If you know, then you know. If you don’t, let me fill you in with the Cliff Notes version.  Read More

By Guest Author | Anita Harrison: I don’t fly often, but when I do, I like to take a direct, nonstop flight. I think most of us are like that. We want to get somewhere the quickest and most efficient way possible. We’re often like that in our journey through life too.   Read More

By Pastor Aaron Kennedy: “So above all, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are. Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring of life.” – Proverbs 4:23 TPT I think one of the best questions we can ask ourselves is: “How is my heart?”   Read More

By Guest Author | Tanner Hoyt: “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” – Galatians 5:22-23 (NSFL)  Read More

By Joy Kimbril: As a Christian, I am so thankful for Easter. I am thankful that my God rose out of the grave and is constantly working on my behalf. Going into Easter this year, I read through the book 40 Days of Decrease by Alicia Britt Chloe.   Read More

By Pastor Aaron Kennedy: This is one of the most familiar scriptures; but as I was preparing for Easter this year, I kept being drawn back to it over and over again. As I began digging into it a little more than I have in the past, I discovered some things about sheep in my research that I didn’t know. One of those is sad, disturbing, and funny all at the same time!  Read More