Grow Devotes | Grow Churches

Discernment and Seasons

“Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.” Hosea 14:9 NIV Do we discern or perceive the season we are in? Do we understand the purpose of it? Do we understand how to navigate through it? Do we clearly see who is to be a part...

Faith and Seasons

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” John 15:4 Faith is required as we navigate our seasons. Having faith involves believing, but real faith is much more than belief. Real faith is dependency on God, a reliance that goes into action. In John 15, verses 1-17, Jesus illustrates...

Seasons of Change

“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…” 2 Peter 3:18 Growth requires change. Just like the seasons of change we see in nature, God will take us through seasons of change as we grow. Change is good as we develop as individuals – spiritually, intellectually, skillfully, emotionally, financially, physically, and relationally. Collectively we should also want to develop – in ministry, community, business, family,...

God’s Way to Emotional Health

“Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.” Psalm 34:3 Part of God’s design for the human is to feel, or have emotion. Some may feel emotions more than others, but nonetheless, we have an emotional side. God’s intent for us emotionally was to be blessed; however, in a fallen world, emotions can become damaged, distorted, dysfunctional, depressed, to name a few. Jesus was sent...

Emotional Rehab

“The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” Psalm 34:18 When our youngest fractured her elbow, the doctor put her arm in a cast for six weeks. When the cast was removed, she couldn’t straighten her arm because it had been isolated for a long time. The doctor prescribed physical therapy. Therapy was painful for her. I remember her...

Ministry Includes Healing the Brokenhearted

“…He [God] has sent Me [Jesus] to heal the brokenhearted…” Luke 4:18 Jesus made it clear that His earthly ministry was not His own agenda, but it was obedience to His Father’s authority and commission. John 6:38 says, “…I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the one who sent me.” His sending had purpose. Therefore, healing the brokenhearted was GOD’S agenda. Leaders do need...

How to Heal How You Feel

“My soul melts from heaviness; strengthen me according to Your Word.” Psalm 43:5 When watching the development of a child through adolescent to adulthood gives us a good illustration of what spiritual growth will do for our soul. Children are often moved by how they feel, and emotions can be large and in charge of us through puberty. However, when we grow up, our decisions are made from our heart,...

Coping Vs Wholeness

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.” Psalm 43:5 The world can offer some help for the brokenhearted, some coping techniques, but only God can offer true healing and wholeness for the brokenhearted. He can actually remove pain and replace it with His joy, peace,...

God Created Emotions

“May the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless.” Galatians 3:15 People are not the same emotionally; however, it was God who created us with emotions as part of His design. Healthy emotions are tools to help us to communicate from a deeper place, to experience a fuller life, to connect with one another, to motivate ourselves and others,...

Honor What God Honors

“… abhor what is evil and cling to what is good.” Romans 12:9 Romans 12:9 says to abhor what is evil and to cling to what is good. I like to say, “Love what God loves, and hate what God hates.” To do that, we have to know what God considers to be right and wrong. What does God value? What does God honor? We can learn what God honors...

Honor Your Children

“And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4 Honor is a character trait that demonstrates itself on all levels of authority. Honor will value and respect our leaders in authority over us. Honor values and respects our peers. Honor values and respects the people underneath authority. We all would like to be considered to...

Honor Your Parents

“Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise: that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” Ephesians 6:2-3 There is a two-fold promise with the commandment to honor your parents – that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth. When our children were young, we taught them the importance of honoring their...

Honor Your Husband

“,,,Let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [that she noticed him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly].” Ephesians 5:33 Amplified God placed the husband in authority over his wife in the marriage relationship. It is good to clarify that God did not place the male gender in authority...

Honor Your Wife

“Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.” I Peter 3:7 The word for “weaker” has been translated from the Greek word “asthenes” which means weak, feeble, or sick. There has been more than one interpretation. It could refer to her physical strength, her weaker...

9 Ways to Honor Your Peers

“Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.” Romans 12:10 We should honor, or value, the people who are considered to be our peers, or those we have no authority over or under. They are our friends, our siblings, our co-workers, our neighbors, and our community. When we honor others, we are lifting them to the place of honor they belong in....