Grow Devotes

“For the Lord God will help me; therefore I will not be disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint…” Isaiah 50:7   When Jesus walked out to the disciples on the sea, Peter said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Peter was asking for supernatural ability to do what his Teacher was doing. Jesus replied, “Come.” Peter stepped out of...

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28   There have been times when it seemed like my life was on hold. Even though God had given me a dream for the future, my situation did not appear to be moving forward. I questioned why God didn’t seem to be fulfilling His...

“…so He made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.” Jeremiah 18:4   God is faithful to take us into a new season of life, but there are times when preparation is necessary for us to move forward. Seasons of preparation occur throughout our life, preceding new levels in our relationships, influence, contributions, ministry or career. God has purpose in everything, including the...

“…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” II Corinthians 3:17b   If a relationship is healthy, there is trust, and because of trust, there is liberty. When I trust you, I don’t feel the need to control you. Also, if our relationship is healthy, then it is full of life, and life produces what is good. It produces peace and security, blessing and grace, joy and favor,...

“…the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32   To have God’s freedom in our life, we need to recognize and observe boundaries that are pleasing to Him. Healthy boundaries are not meant to control us, but to cause us to live in freedom.    There are boundaries set in the Bible. In the Bible, God reveals Himself and the lifestyle that He fashioned us for, a lifestyle patterned after...

“…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run…” Hebrews 12:1   Some of the best advice I’ve heard was from a sassy preacher’s wife in south Louisiana. She was speaking to a group of women about getting free from a past offense. Her advice: “Build a bridge and get over it!” Her point was that freedom is sometimes as simple...

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free…” Galatians 5:1a (NASB)   What is a primary reason that a person doesn’t feel that they can be who they really are? Fear! Why can’t they do what they want to do? Fear! What holds them back from having what they want to have? Fear! What are we so afraid of that we let fear keep us from being ourselves?   ...

“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance…” Ephesians 1:11   “In Christ” is a term that describes our position of surrender to Jesus Christ, making us one with Him.  This coupling union makes it possible for us to be reconciled back into relationship with God.   In Ephesians 1:11, Paul writes that in our union with Christ, we have obtained an inheritance. An inheritance is a possession received after...

“[God] raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:6   “In Christ” is a term that describes our position of surrender to Jesus Christ, making us one with Him.  This coupling union makes it possible for us to be reconciled back into relationship with God.    God made us to sit together with Jesus in the heavenly places. Obviously we...

“…if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” II Corinthians 5:17   When the Bible mentions being “in Christ,” the reference is to our position of surrender to Christ, a spiritual position that makes it possible for us to have a restored relationship with God. It’s a family position with God as our Father, and with us...

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…” Galatians 2:20   “In Christ” is a term that describes our position of surrender to Jesus Christ, making us one with Him.  This coupling union makes it possible for us to be reconciled back into relationship with God. One aspect of being in Christ is through identification. Identification is when a person...

“He will take of Mine and declare it to you.” John 16:14 God will communicate with us through an inside leading or an inside knowing, and sometimes God will speak to us through an inside voice. Similar to the leading and the knowing, the voice is known in our heart; however, the inward voice gives specific words from God. In our spirit, words are suddenly known, a distinct message that...

“… you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:17   One way that we follow God is through the leading he gives us in our hearts, a knowing in our spirit whether something is right or wrong. Another way that we can know something from God is when He drops information into our hearts, information that we didn’t have on our own, but...

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Romans 8:14   Do you want to know God? Do you want to hear His voice, know His will, and follow His leading? John 4:24 says that God is a spirit. Genesis 1:26 says that we have been made in His image and likeness; we are spirit beings, children of a spiritual God....

“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” Ephesians 4:7   There is a Greek word translated “join” in Acts 17:4 that means that God assigned certain people to be part of Paul’s ministry by lot, or allotted by God. To allot means, “to divide or distribute by share or portion, to set apart.” In the Old Testament, the Jews would cast...