Category: Daily Devotion

Author: Pastor Andrew Farland

Jacob in the bible was blessed by God. But he also tended to run life on his terms. That was until God came to wrestle with him in the night. God wasn’t okay with Jacob running away from His purpose or trying to fulfil God’s plans in his strength. God knew that to crown Jacob, He first needed to cripple him so that he couldn’t run away.

After wrestling with Jacob all night, God caused the tendon of Jacob’s hip socket to become dislocated; the man Jacob, whose name meant “heel catcher”, now couldn’t scheme his way to a self-sufficient victory. God had brought him to the place of total surrender.

Here’s the lesson for us, me included:
Just like Jacob, we also tend to try to accomplish God’s plan in our strength and wisdom. But if we don’t surrender to God just like Jacob, he will be forced to touch our TENDON to change our TENDENCY. If we won’t slow down and let God move through us, He will.

God has a plan for your life, but you won’t fully walk in it until you surrender to Him. God’s not okay with that. He wants you to experience the fullness of His plans. God wants His best for you so bad that He will slow you down if necessary so you can’t “run” your life anymore.

Surrender to God or become surrendered by God.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you. [James 4:10]

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

Author: Pastor Andrew Farland

At the feeding of the 5,000, the Bible says Jesus broke the bread and gave thanks! Notice the bread was so broken that it got multiplied.

In your life, you might be facing that same brokenness. What you didn’t realize was that God is using that brokenness to multiply blessing and nourishment into the lives of others. Many will feed off your testimony. They will see what God has done for you, so be filled with new hope!

Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. [Matthew 14:19-20]

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

Author: Pastor Andrew Farland

When it comes to reading God’s word, does it get overwhelming? Does it feel like God has laid a heavy burden on you? Do you experience the pressure of obeying every commandment?

Take a deep breath and know this isn’t uncommon for many believers.

When we try to obey all the rules without fully knowing who God is, truthfully, it can seem that way! It is essential to have a personal revelation of Who God is. Who He wants to be to you.

Earlier, the same thing happened to God’s people in the book of Exodus. But God needed to show them something important. The Great Exodus marked the deliverance of God’s chosen people from extreme slavery!

It was also the time that God revealed a new part of who He was to His chosen people, calling Himself Yahweh. Yahweh refers to himself as a God of relationship, covenant and fullness. So, in this context, 10 commandments’ were given to us.

God did not burden His people. He provided them with a code to live by so they could PROTECT THEIR FREEDOM!

When you receive something of value you need, order in place to not squander it. God’s law is synonymous with His grace and His love for YOU! A God who saves, delivers, grants and protects-contextual proof that God’s Law! is meant for our benefit!!

Today, God wants you to be free. That is the reason He created guidelines and commandments. They are there to guide you and not to punish you! They have been put in place so that you won’t fall away and fall victim to the evil one.

Know that today! God loves you enough to reveal Himself to you. He loves you enough to make sure! You know who He is and what He expects! God isn’t a closed book. He’s an open book with unfolding revelation of His deep love.

“I don’t want your sacrifices-I want your love; I don’t want your offerings-I want you to know me.” [Hosea 6:6]

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

Author: Pastor Andrew Farland

Are you naturally a risk-taker, or are you usually very cautious? Do you weigh every option before making a decision? or, jump in and deal with the consequences later?

I’ll admit, I don’t like to take risks. I prefer to choose whatever the safest, most reasonable option might be. The more I think about it! I realize my risk is caused, by a fear of failure. I would rather be confident that I’ll succeed than try something new that might not work.

God wants me to live differently than that. He wants you to live differently, too.

Operating in faith means that failure is to overcome by love. God sees mistakes as growth opportunities. He sees failure as an event that strengthens us. God wants you and me to take big, risky steps of faith that force us to rely on Him instead of our confidence. If we try and fail? His love is greater than our failures and, He welcomes us to get back up and try again.

God wants you to take risks.

He’s inevitably going to stir something inside of you. It may be a vision to build God’s kingdom in your community or another country. He may require you to uproot your family and move to a place where you can be more effective for Him.

In the Old Testament, God asked a man named Abram to pick up his entire family and livestock and move them to an undisclosed location. God told him, “I need you to move. I’m not going to tell you where you’ll end up, but I want you to move to a place where I can use you to accomplish my purposes in the world.”

Amazingly, Abram agreed to go and became one of the utmost examples of faith the world has ever seen. Abram didn’t know where he would end up before he moved. And that’s the way God likes it.

God will always bless commitment. If you’re willing to step out on faith and take a big risk for Him, He will bless you, stretch you, and grow you into the person that God created you to be.

Still scared? Imagine you’re a trapeze artist swinging from side to side. If you fall, you won’t hit the ground because there is a net underneath you. God is the net. When you take risks, He will be there to catch you. When you fall, He’ll be there to help you get up.

So, what are you waiting for? Start moving and watch what God does with your commitment to Him!

“Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

Be encouraged today because God is with you.