WHATEVER HAPPENED TO PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY?

Posted on January 29, 2026 by Kirk's Devotional Journal

EXODUS 20:4-6: “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.” NLT

OBSERVATION: In the classic days of Saturday Night Live, when they were focused more on comedy than political ideology, there was a memorable character who made frequent appearances that was unforgettable. It was the comedian Don Novello, and the character was Father Guido Sarducci.

One bit I will never forget was the time Father Guido, upset that he had been passed over once again in becoming a bishop, decided he was going to teach the church a lesson. He would start his own church called the People’s Catholic Church and name himself the Pope.

To sell this new church, he began to list all the changes he would make. One unforgettable line was, “In the People’s Catholic Church, we don’t have the 10 Commandments, we have the 10 Suggestions.“ This line never left me. It made me laugh for sure, but the more I think about it, this is exactly what has happened with the 10 Commandments. Our present culture has disregarded these commands and, with them, has also thrown away personal responsibility.

The Children of Israel had just been rescued from slavery. In Egypt, they did not have the freedom to choose or do what they wanted to do. There was no liberty for a slave. Each day was lived under the iron fist of the Egyptian army who enforced the will of Pharaoh on their lives. When the government has this kind of power over one’s life, a person gives up and quickly becomes a puppet. We recently witnessed how easy it is to control an entire nation as we experienced the Covid 19 ordeal in 2020.

How would these newly freed slaves behave? What would they do with all this newfound freedom? The 10 Commandments were given, not as a means for God to control His people. The 10 Commandments were given to guide His people as they learned to exercise personal responsibility. No longer would they be ruled with a sword and a spear. God would guide them by His Word.

The Children of Israel were now being called to a life of worship and personal responsibility.

Personal responsibility has become a dirty word in our culture. We live with a victim mentality. It is always someone else’s fault for the ills we face. It is someone else or something else that is to blame. I really don’t have a choice. I am a victim of my circumstances and my environment. Personal responsibility is not mine. It has been taken away from me by others.

The truth is that we are responsible for our actions and our choices. The 10 Commandments do not begin with a focus on our horizontal responsibilities. They begin with our vertical responsibility. If we neglect our responsibility to worship the One true God, then we will also neglect all of our responsibilities within society.

Personal responsibility begins with worship!

God’s mighty judgments against Egypt were a judgment against all the false gods they served. It was as much a lesson for the Israelites as it was a judgment for the Egyptians. One by one, God judged the gods of the Egyptians, and probably many that the Israelites secretly served. When He brought Israel out of Egypt with His mighty hand, the very first thing He commanded them was to worship Him and Him alone!

Paul, in the first chapter of Romans, outlines what happens when we turn away from the one true God. When there is no fear of God, there is no respect for persons. When there is no respect for persons, there is no need for personal responsibility. It becomes my way or the highway. We lie, cheat, commit sexual immorality, steal, covet, show disrespect, and kill. And, all the while we are doing these things, we blame someone else.

As a culture, we have embraced Father Guido Sarducci’s 10 Suggestions!

There is a consequence when we ignore the 10 Commandments. God spells it out clearly before He even gets to our personal responsibility toward others. If we do not worship God as Creator and Lord, if we embrace other gods and follow our sinful desires, we will reap the benefits of these sins and pass this misery on to our families, even to the third and fourth generation!

“…I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.”

Yet, when we submit ourselves under the mighty hand of God, when we receive His free gift of salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and when we are filled with the Holy Spirit of promise, we come under the blessings of His covenant, and the curse of our irresponsibility is broken!

“But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.”

Personal responsibility is no longer something that we ignore or run from. Rather, it is the expression of a changed heart to a Holy God. Personal responsibility flows from a heart that is transformed by His unfailing love. The 10 Commandments are no longer a list of negatives that I can’t do. They become a list of expressions of how transforming love responds to others. I honor my parents because I am being transformed by God’s love. I protect my neighbor because it is the expression of God’s love working through me.

I embrace personal responsibility because I am embraced by the Love of God!

1 John 2:4-6: “If someone claims, ‘I know God,’ but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.” NLT

All great revivals in human history have been followed by a revival of personal responsibility. We no longer hide or justify our sin. We own it, confess it, and receive Jesus’ forgiveness and cleansing. The love of God is poured out upon us by the Holy Spirit, and our natural response to this is to obey God’s Word – out of love! This is why love is the greatest of all!

Only when we are captivated once again with the love of Jesus Christ will we rediscover and embrace our personal responsibility.

Heavenly Father, bring revival to your church once again! Set our hearts on fire to worship You and give You first place in our lives. Give us a heart for the lost and a desire to serve our neighbor through Your love. May we joyfully take on the mantel of personal responsibility so that we can give You glory and light the way for others who are lost in the darkness, leading them to the cross of Jesus Christ!

In Jesus’ Name!

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WHERE AM I GOING?

Posted on January 27, 2026 by Kirk's Devotional Journal

MARK 4:35-40: “As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly, the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” NLT

OBSERVATION: Where am I going? This is a question that we face over and over again throughout our lives. It is a question that changes throughout the seasons of life. When we are young, we wonder, “What will I do when I grow up?” When we are old, we wonder, “What will I do now that my career is over?” No matter what stage of life we find ourselves in, we wonder…

Where am I going?

The Christian life is a call to walk by faith and not by sight. It is a call to learn obedience even when the path is unclear. It is a call to trust the Lord in all situations. Many times, as we walk with the Lord, the road we find ourselves on is not the road we had imagined. There are twists and turns, obstacles, and the direction becomes unclear. The disciples had heard Jesus say, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake,” but now they were faced with a storm that threatened their lives. At this moment, they wondered…

Where are we going?

To make matters worse, Jesus was sound asleep at the back of the boat, resting with His head on a cushion. As the wind and waves rose around them, Jesus’ words were quickly forgotten. They did not remember His command. They only focused on the storm. Jesus knew where He was going, so He could rest in the full assurance of the Father’s protection. The disciples could only see the turn of events, and this literally rocked their world!

As I ponder this familiar account in the Gospel of Mark, I am reminded of a wonderful statement from David in the book of Psalms.

Psalms 37:23-25: “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread.” NLT

David, toward the end of his life, looks over all the paths that he has traveled. As he does, he recalls the faithfulness of God. The believer does not wander aimlessly through life. The Lord directs the believer’s very steps. The Lord is actively interested and involved in every detail of our lives. When you and I stumble along the way, the Lord sustains us; He holds us by the hand. In all the stages of life, He guides, He sustains, and He provides!

Jesus was confident in God’s promise that He was going to cross over to the other side. This is why Jesus could rest in the midst of the storm. The disciples (and we) struggle with what we see more than resting in what God has promised. We allow the tyranny of the immediate steal the peace of His promise. When we remember God’s faithfulness, when we focus on His promise, when we are anchored in His unfailing love, we hear the words…

“PEACE BE STILL!”

The wind and the waves we are facing are stilled. His presence fills our hearts with blessed hope and assurance. We may not know where we are going at the moment, but we know that He is guiding us and that He has not forgotten us. We too can rest in the storms of life as we walk in His peace that surpasses all human understanding.

This morning, I find myself in the boat, wondering where I am going. There are storms raging and temptations to focus on the uncertainty of this life. Yet, when I look closer, I see Jesus. In His eyes, I find the faith and strength to rest, trust, and sail on. He is charting the course of my life (and yours)! He knows exactly where He is leading me. His faithfulness will both sustain me and bring me to shore! The writer of Hebrews reminds me,

Hebrews 2:8-9: “You gave them authority over all things.” Now, when it says “all things,” it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all things put under their authority. What we do see is Jesus, who, for a little while, was given a position “a little lower than the angels,” and because he suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.” Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone.”

I may not always see or know the destination around the next turn in the journey of life. Yet there is one thing that is always sure…

“I SEE JESUS!”

Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding me that You are guiding every step that I take. Your faithfulness, provision, and promise are guiding me through every season and storm of life. Open my eyes and fill my heart with faith. In every circumstance, around every turn, through every storm, help me to remember…

“I SEE JESUS!”

In Jesus’ Name!

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IS GOD STILL SPEAKING TODAY?

Posted on January 23, 2026 by Kirk's Devotional Journal

PSALMS 29:3-9: “The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea. The God of glory thunders. The Lord thunders over the mighty sea. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars; the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon’s mountains skip like a calf; he makes Mount Hermon leap like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord strikes with bolts of lightning. The voice of the Lord makes the barren wilderness quake; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord twists mighty oaks and strips the forests bare. In his Temple, everyone shouts, “Glory!” NLT

OBSERVATION: Is God still speaking today? Is He speaking to me? Is my heart open to hear His voice? Is He speaking every day, or is His voice only heard once in a great while? Am I hearing…

The Voice of the Lord?

I want to hear from God! I want to hear His voice! I want to know what God is calling me to do! Yet, many times, I am unaware of what He is saying. It does not seem like He is speaking, or at least, I do not hear Him. As I read Psalm 29, I am struck with this phrase…

The Voice of the Lord!

If one were to ask David, ” Is God speaking?” David would reply, “God is speaking all the time!” The problem is not whether or not God is speaking. The problem lies with me. Am I listening? David hears God’s Voice in everything!

  • The Lord speaks through the thunder!
  • The Lord speaks through the lightning!
  • The Lord speaks through the majesty of nature!
  • The Lord speaks through the majesty of creation!
  • The Lord speaks through the earthquake!
  • The Lord speaks through the mighty wind!

THE LORD IS ALWAYS SPEAKING!

As I open God’s Word each morning, from my chair, I look out on the 14th fairway of the golf course we live on. Each morning, I take for granted the wonderful sights I see. There is the beautiful grass, palm trees reaching toward the sky, beautiful flowers on the deck outside my house, and a constant, wonderful array of wildlife that parade in front of our glass slider.

I can sit here, morning after morning, wondering – “Is God going to speak to me today?” And, all the while, He is speaking. The problem is that I take for granted the wonders in front of me, and I do not hear His voice. As I am typing these thoughts, a beautiful flock of Ibis just flew by my window. God is speaking! The sun is shining bright, and the grass is glimmering in the sunlight. God is speaking! I open His Word, and I read – “The Voice of the Lord…”

GOD IS SPEAKING!

There is an adage – “Take time to stop and smell the roses!” We can improve on this adage by saying, “Take time to stop and hear the Voice of the Lord!” Paul writes in the opening chapter of the book of Romans,

Romans 1:20: “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” NLT

God speaks through His Word. God speaks through the still small voice of the Holy Spirit. God speaks through other people. And, every day God is speaking through the wonders of His creation and all that is taking place in front of me. So many times, I am looking for a specific word, and I miss the majestic word that God is speaking all around me. It is not always a word that tells me what to do. Many times, it is just a reminder to give thanks and to worship the One who has created all things and holds all things in His hands!

Psalms 29:9-11: “…In his Temple everyone shouts, ‘Glory!” The Lord rules over the floodwaters. The Lord reigns as king forever. The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.”

Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding me today that You are always speaking! I choose to pause, look at all the wonder Your voice proclaims, and shout – “Glory!” May my life continue to give You praise as You reign. Give Your people strength, and bless our lives with Your peace!

Can you hear it?

THE VOICE OF THE LORD!

In Jesus’ Name!

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HOW CAN I DO THAT?

Posted on January 21, 2026 by Kirk's Devotional Journal

EXODUS 4:10: “But Moses pleaded with the Lord, ‘O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.” NLT

OBSERVATION: Have you ever been asked to do something by the Lord and you wondered, “How can I do that? I am not qualified. I don’t have the skills. Many other people could do it better.” Yet, you know that God has called you, and you are faced with the question,

Will I trust God or succumb to my own fear?

When we think about the fathers of our faith, we forget that they were mere humans just like us. Have you ever read a biography and thought, “Wow, my life does not measure up to that!” Yet, the Bible does not only record the highlights of a person’s life. It also records their honest struggles, doubts, and mistakes. Such it is with the life of Moses.

Imagine for a moment that you were on a walk in the country, and you encountered a burning bush. Suddenly, God speaks to you from this bush and calls you to do something that was once in your heart but that you had failed to do out of fear. When God meets you, you have been in hiding for almost a lifetime. This is what happened to Moses as he met God at Mt. Sinai.

God not only met with Moses at the burning bush, but He also met Moses with His calling and His provision. Think about this.

  • The Lord revealed His covenant name to Moses.
  • The Lord turned Moses’s staff from a mere shepherd’s staff to the Rod of God.
  • The Lord gave Moses a total of three miraculous signs to prove to the nation of Israel that God had met him.
  • The Lord called Moses to go to Pharaoh and demand that God’s people be allowed to go into the wilderness to worship Him and to offer sacrifices.

What more could Moses need? Moses, as a young man, had desired to come to the aid of his fellow Israelites. Yet, out of fear, after the event with the Egyptian, Moses fled to Midian, where he tended sheep for 40 years. All of his upbringing in Egypt, all of his dreams as a young man, had died in the wilderness. Now, God was resurrecting his dreams, calling him once again, confirming his call with miraculous signs, and how does Moses respond?

“…O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.” Exodus 4:10 NLT

How does God reply?

Exodus 4:11-12: “Then the Lord asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.” NLT

It would be wonderful if the story took a turn there. However, Moses continues to doubt. He continues to ask God to use someone else. By now, if you are like me, you are thinking. “Wow, Moses! What is wrong with you anyway? What else do you need?”

The wonderful thing is God did not give up on Moses, and He does not give up on us. Someone has wisely said, “Where God guides, He provides.” God could have simply moved on from His call to Moses and chosen someone else. This is not what happened. God gave Moses his brother Aaron as his spokesman and helper. The Lord met Moses at the point of his weakness with the provision needed to fulfill His call for Moses’ life!

This is the Gospel! This is the Good News! None of us was seeking God. None of us feels adequate to serve God. Yet, God reaches down to us with the gift of Jesus Christ for our salvation and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit for our provision. God not only calls us, but He also saves us, equips us, empowers us, encourages us, and works through us!

“Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 NLT

“Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” Philippians 2:12-13 NLT

Dear friend, what is God calling you to do? Whatever it is, He has already lined up all the provisions you need to fulfill this call. When God called Moses, He did not ask him to be something he was not. God simply said to Moses, “What is in your hand?” The Lord took what Moses already possessed and empowered it for the work He was calling him to do. And, whatever Moses lacked, God also provided.

The hardest part of obedience is the first step. Right now, the Holy Spirit is reminding you of a step the Lord is calling you to take. It is not an accident that you are reading this post. If God can use a fearful shepherd hiding in the wilderness of Midian, He can use you and me.

All we need to do is take the first step!

“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.” Philippians 4:19-20 NLT

In Jesus’ Name!

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AM I READY FOR HEAVEN? (A Believer’s Checklist)

Posted on January 19, 2026 by Kirk's Devotional Journal

MATTHEW 25:22-23: “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!” NLT

OBSERVATION: As a believer, how do I get ready for heaven? We don’t often think about this because we are so focused on living. To go to heaven means this life will have come to an end, or Jesus has returned. I am so focused on living that I don’t take the time to think about what happens after I die.

This year, my wife and I will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. How could this young couple, aged 20, be facing such a milestone in life? When someone older tells you to enjoy your life because the years will fly by, listen – they know what they are talking about. For our 50th, we want to take a special trip, a trip to remember! We are both of German descent, so we decided to take a trip to Germany.

I have been to Germany once on a business trip. That hardly qualifies me to plan a trip to Germany. So I started doing my research. I reviewed a myriad of travel options, including tours and cruises. I read countless reviews from those who have taken a trip to Germany. I want to be fully prepared for this once-in-a-lifetime trip! It would be foolish to pack our bags and go without the necessary preparation.

Yet, that is what so many do in this life. They live their lives for the moment without any consideration or preparation for the destination of a lifetime – Heaven! I am not talking about non-believers. I am talking about born-again believers! Our life might last for 80 years or more, but what is that when compared to eternity? If heaven will be our forever home, shouldn’t we be prepared before we go?

I have heard so many people say things like – “Oh, won’t it be great to get to heaven where we will worship around the throne forever and ever!” This is a pretty naive view of heaven. God is not preparing us for an eternity of standing before His throne singing. God created Adam and Eve to be productive. He is preparing us to be productive in our eternal life with Him! I don’t know what we will be doing in heaven, but I know it will not be singing for eternity.

Worship is so much more than that!

We worship God when we use the gifts that He has given us! This is the meaning of the parable of the talents. It is not how many talents we receive in this life. It is how we employ them. Are we so busy living our lives that we never use the talent or talents He has given us, thinking, “I’ll get to that someday!” Do we devalue our talents because the scope of our work is less than that of others, so why bother? Or, do we use our lives and talents to bring glory and honor to the Lord?

I was moved to reflect on the man with two talents. He did not neglect them because the other servant had five. He did not gloat because his fellow servant received only one. Rather, he engaged the talents he received for the glory and honor of his master. This is our call in life. It is not to have the biggest house or the most money. The one with the most toys at the end of their lives is not the winner. The one who lives for the glory and honor of the Lord and employs his or her talents for the Kingdom of God is the winner.

This is the one who is prepared to go to heaven!

You may have one talent, two talents, or more. Yet, regardless of what you have received, the call is the same. It is to use your talent(s), your life, and all that God has given you to bring glory and honor to His name and to proclaim the Kingdom of God. This is the only way I can be prepared for heaven. It is the only way I can be assured of hearing these words,

“Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!” Matthew 25:23 NLT

Jesus does not say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant, you are done now, here is your resting place.” No! Jesus says, “You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities!” I don’t know what these responsibilities will be, but I want to be ready! Everything I have worked so hard for in this life will be someone else’s when I die. Only the investment I make in using the talents God has given me to love and serve others will prepare me for heaven!

Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times when I have looked at the gifts and opportunities You have given me and have been tempted to lay them aside because I felt they were insignificant or not needed. Grant me, Your grace, to see every opportunity to share the love of Jesus Christ and use the gifts You have given, as both a privilege and Your preparation for my eternal destiny in heaven. Help me, at the end of my life, hear You say…

“Well done, my good and faithful servant…Let’s celebrate together!” Matthew 25:23 NLT

In Jesus’ Name!

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WHEN THE TITLE FADES…

Posted on January 14, 2026 by Kirk's Devotional Journal

MATTHEW 20:25-28: “But Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” NLT

OBSERVATION: What happens in life when the title fades? The job I connected my identity to no longer exists. The children I raised have all grown up and have lives of their own. The dream home I built has been sold, and I have moved into smaller quarters. The church I pastored has a new pastor, and I am simply a part of a congregation.

When the title fades…do I fade with it?

This was the thought that rushed to my heart as I read this familiar account in Matthew. The context of Jesus’ words was the disgruntled reaction of 10 of His disciples to the request of James and John’s mother. James and John’s mother had asked Jesus if her two sons could sit on His right and left hand when Jesus came into His Kingdom. Naturally, like any mother, she believed her two sons were the best of the bunch!

How did the rest of the disciples react? They were downright angry! What nerve! What gall! “What about me?”, they thought. What will my title be? What will my position be? I want a purpose! I want a favored position! I want to be noticed!

I WANT A TITLE!

How did Jesus respond? He leveled the playing field. There would be no titles, no hierarchy, in the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God would not model itself after the world. The disciples of the Kingdom would not vie for position. They would not seek recognition. They would not fight for the spotlight.

The disciples of God’s Kingdom would SERVE!

Jesus used two words to identify the disciples of His Kingdom. The first word is servant. This was a common term for one who waits on tables. It was a common person who ran errands for those more important than themselves. It was not a title any Jew wanted to take for himself, and surely not the title that James and John’s mother wanted for her two special sons!

The second word was slave! This was one of the most repugnant titles to a Jew that one could give them. They had been slaves under the rule of Babylon for 70 years and now found themselves subjugated under Roman rule and occupation. No Jew wanted to identify with a slave. This was the lowest title one could receive!

Yet, these are the two titles that Jesus said identified a true disciple of the Kingdom of God. They were really more than titles. They were the calling of a disciple of the Kingdom. We are to be just like Jesus. We are to do what Jesus did. He is our Lord and Master. Therefore, we need to model our lives completely after His. Jesus then reminded His disciples why He had come to live among them.

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28 NLT

There will come a day when our earthly titles will all be laid down. I will retire from my job. My children will all be grown up and moved out of the house. I will no longer be accumulating in life but will find myself divesting of a lifetime of achievements and possessions. I will no longer be the pastor of a church. I may even no longer be a husband or a wife as I say goodbye to the one whom I spent my lifetime loving.

I will no longer have a title.

BUT I WILL STILL HAVE A PURPOSE!

My purpose and calling will still be the same. It will be to help and serve my Lord Jesus Christ and others. I can always help and bless someone. I don’t need a title to do this. All I need is an open heart and a willingness to walk in the footsteps of Jesus! There is always someone with a need. There is always someone to comfort. There is always someone who needs encouragement.

When I find my purpose and identity in helping others, I discover my purpose and calling in being a disciple of the Kingdom. I also discover something else equally important. I discover my value and fulfillment as a human being. I was created to serve! I was created to love! I was not created to accumulate or seek recognition!

I was created to serve, to be a bond slave of Jesus Christ, my Lord!

Last year, during our annual 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer, I felt the Lord speak these four words to my heart. “PROMOTE JESUS…HELP PEOPLE!” Toward the end of the year, I started to forget these words. I found myself tempted again to promote myself (much like James and John). Now, as we are in our 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer, I am brought full circle.

Helping others is my purpose. Helping others is my calling. It is not to be noticed. It is not to gain a title or win an award. It is to live for the honor and glory of my Lord Jesus Christ. It is to be a happy servant, a faithful slave, of the Kingdom of God, and like Jesus, give my life to others. It is to…

PROMOTE JESUS…HELP PEOPLE!

Father, grant me the grace to lay down my life, as Jesus laid down His, and serve others willingly, joyfully, and fully!

In Jesus’ Name!

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THE POWER OF CONSECRATION…

Posted on January 12, 2026 by Kirk's Devotional Journal

GENESIS 35:1: “Then God said to Jacob, ‘Get ready and move to Bethel and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother, Esau.” NLT

OBSERVATION: What is consecration? This is a word that we do not use very much in our modern English language. Yet, it is a Biblical word and a very important principle in our walk with the Lord.

Webster’s 1828 English Dictionary defines consecration as:

“The act or ceremony of separating from a common to a sacred use, or of devoting and dedicating a person or thing to the service and worship of God, by certain rites or solemnities. Consecration does not make a person or thing really holy, but declares it to be sacred, that is, devoted to God or to divine service.”

God was calling Jacob to a deeper level of consecration. When Jacob had fled from Esau, the Lord met him at Bethel and repeated the covenant that He had made with Abraham and Isaac. Jacob then fled to Haran, where he served his uncle Laban for 20 years, was married to Leah and Rachel, and had many sons and daughters.

After leaving Haran, Jacob feared meeting his brother Esau, whom he had tricked, stealing his birthright. God intervened and protected Jacob by giving him favor with Esau. Each of them had too many possessions and livestock to live in the same area. God was moving Jacob to the next level of consecration in his life as He called Jacob to return to Bethel, where the Lord had first met with Him.

Jacob understood this was more than a call to change locations. God was calling him to the very place where He had revealed His covenant with Jacob. Jacob had dreamed of the ladder reaching up into heaven and the Lord proclaiming His promise to Jacob,

Genesis 28:13-15: “At the top of the stairway stood the Lord, and he said, ‘I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants. Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions—to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day, I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.” NLT

So, being called back to Bethel was no ordinary thing. Jacob knew this, and he knew that it required him to take inventory of his life and his family. So Jacob called his family together and gave them these instructions.

Genesis 35:2-4: “So Jacob told everyone in his household, ‘Get rid of all your pagan idols, purify yourselves, and put on clean clothing. We are now going to Bethel, where I will build an altar to the God who answered my prayers when I was in distress. He has been with me wherever I have gone.” So they gave Jacob all their pagan idols and earrings, and he buried them under the great tree near Shechem.” NLT

I find this amazing and convicting at the same time. How could Jacob and his family, after meeting with the one true God at Bethel, slip back to acquiring idols and practices that they knew must be let go of before they could approach God once again? Then it hit me. This is exactly what happens in our lives. We may not mean to acquire things that pull us away from God and His calling, yet it happens. We trudge through life, and all of a sudden, we find we are encumbered with the weights and sins of life that keep us from running the race that is set before us.

Consecration is needed!

Like David, we need to pray,

Psalms 139:23-24: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.“ NLT

This is a prayer of consecration. This is a call to clean house. This is the call to ask the Lord to reveal to us the weights and sins in our lives that we are unaware of. When God calls us to moments of consecration, it is not because He is displeased with us. Rather, it is because He wants to do so much more in us. He is calling us to a deeper dimension of fellowship with Him. He is calling us into His presence, and we need to lay aside everything that would encumber us from entering.

This is what Jacob and his family did. This is what I need to do. When Jacob and his family obeyed the Lord’s call to consecration and when they traveled to enter into His presence, we see the blessing of consecration in their lives.

Genesis 35:5: “As they set out, a terror from God spread over the people in all the towns of that area, so no one attacked Jacob’s family.” NLT

God’s protection went with Jacob and His family as they traveled to Bethel. God’s call was confirmed in Jacob’s life. And God reaffirmed both His covenant and promises to Jacob, now called Israel!

Genesis 35:9-10: “Now that Jacob had returned from Paddan-aram, God appeared to him again at Bethel. God blessed him, saying, “Your name is Jacob, but you will not be called Jacob any longer. From now on, your name will be Israel.” So God renamed him Israel.” NLT

From Jacob, the deceiver, to Israel, a Prince with God! When God calls us into a deeper level of consecration, it is always so that He can draw us into His deeper purposes and blessings for our lives.

There is power in consecration!

Lord, this morning, I pray as David prayed. Search me, know me, and reveal anything in my life that You are calling me to lay aside so that I can walk into Your purpose, will, and blessings for my life! Father, I come to You, through the blood of Jesus Christ, to find Your grace and mercy needed to consecrate myself anew!

Draw me closer to You, I pray.

In Jesus’ Name!

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JESUS PRAYED!

Posted on January 8, 2026 by Kirk's Devotional Journal

MATTHEW 14:22-23: “Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.”

OBSERVATION: What is the most important thing that Jesus did in His earthly ministry? When we read the Gospels, our attention is drawn to the miraculous. Jesus healed the sick, cleansed lepers, opened the eyes of the blind, raised the dead, fed over 5000 with two loaves and five fish, walked on water, calmed the seas, and cast out demons. That is pretty exciting stuff! The one thing we seldom focus on is…

Jesus Prayed!

Imagine how the Logos of God, who lived in complete fellowship with the Father and the Spirit from all eternity, felt when He humbled Himself, became a man, and dwelt among us. Jesus longed for the intimacy He had in heaven. Jesus did not spend time in prayer simply to ask for things as we so often do. Jesus sought a quiet place where He could be alone, to listen to the still small voice of the Spirit, and have intimate communion with the Father.

Matthew, chapter 14, provides two great examples of Jesus praying. Powerful events proceeded from these times of intimacy with the Father and the Spirit. When Jesus learned that John the Baptist had been killed, He sought a quiet place to pray. Jesus loved John and no doubt wanted to hear from the Father. As He prayed, the multitude found Him, and what proceeded from this time of prayer was the feeling of the 5000.

After feeding the 5000, Jesus once again sought a place where He could be alone and commune with the Spirit and the Father. Everything Jesus did proceeded out of His prayer time with the Spirit and the Father. In the Gospel of John, Jesus proclaimed,

John 5:19-20: “So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished.” NLT

Jesus came to do the will of the Father. Jesus laid down His glory and heavenly attributes when He became a man. He was fully God but was no longer omnipresent or omniscient. Jesus grew in wisdom and stature as He abided in the Word, walked after the Spirit, and prayed. It was in the times alone with the Spirit and the Father that Jesus was empowered, equipped, and directed to know and do the will of the Father.

After Jesus finished praying, following the feeding of the 5000, the next thing we read about is Jesus walking on the water! The disciples were struggling in the boat against the wind and the waves. In all of this external confusion, Jesus comes in perfect peace, walking on the water. Peter joins Him, struggles with his faith, is rescued by Jesus, and Jesus enters the boat, calming both the wind and the sea.

Is it any wonder why the disciples, when they were alone with Jesus, said,

Luke 11:1: “Once, Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” NLT

The disciples recognized that the power of God was manifested in Jesus’ life following His times of prayer with the Spirit and the Father. What they didn’t recognize was that the manifestation of God’s power was not the result of what Jesus asked for but the outflow of Who He was with! This is evident in Jesus’ answer to the disciples when they asked Him how to pray.

Luke 11:2-4: “Jesus said, ‘This is how you should pray: “Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. Give us each day the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.” NLT

Jesus’ prayer life began and ended with worship and communion with the Father through the Spirit! Other manuscripts and accounts add, “…but deliver us from evil, for Yours is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, forever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:13, NKJV). It is proper and Biblically accurate to ask for our needs in our time of prayer with the Father. However, the lion’s share of our prayer should be to worship and listen to the Father rather than only ask for our needs!

This is how Jesus prayed!

This is how I need to pray!

Father, forgive me for making my time with You a time primarily to ask You for what I need. Help me to refocus my time of prayer to listen to the still small voice of Your Holy Spirit, speaking through Your Word, and hear what You want me to do. May the times I come apart to pray be filled with these words…

“Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, in me…as it is in heaven!”

In Jesus’ Name!

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THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION!

Posted on January 4, 2026 by Kirk's Devotional Journal

MATTHEW 10:32-33: “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.” NLT

OBSERVATION: What is the most important question in life? What is the one question that will determine your eternal future? What is the question that is answered more by how you live than by what you say? Let me share a story with you that will shed light on this question.

I was invited to join a man from our church in a prison ministry that he was involved in. It was really a full circle for me. When I was 19 years old and attending college, I participated in a prison ministry. I would go to the prison with my guitar, share some songs, and a short message. That was a lifetime ago. I had not set foot in a prison since those early years.

The prison I visited was not a maximum security prison. It was holding inmates whose sentences were about to end. They were facing release and entering society once again. We did not go to conduct a worship service and give testimonies. We went to walk in the prison yard and talk with the inmates one-on-one. I felt completely out of my comfort zone.

I am not a big guy. I am 5′ 9″ tall. I look like someone who goes to church. How could I relate to any of these men? Yet, this is why I was here. I pushed myself to begin talking with some of the inmates. What I learned next surprised me.

The inmates were used to having Christian groups talk with them. When I was sharing with one young man, he answered every question I asked him with perfect Sunday School answers. He claimed that Jesus was his Savior and that he read the Bible. He was going to be released soon and was confident he would do better this time around.

As I spoke with him, I prayed. I needed the Holy Spirit to guide me. I sensed he was telling me what he thought I wanted to hear. Then I was prompted to ask him the most important question of life. It is not, “Have you prayed and asked Jesus to be your Savior?” The most important question is,

“Is Jesus your Lord?“

He looked at me a bit puzzled. I asked, “Do you know what a Lord is?” He shook his head, “No.”The conversation changed. I was able to share with him the importance of giving everything to Jesus Christ, to let Jesus be the ruler and king of his life. Was Jesus Lord (ruler, king) over every decision in his life? Did he seek God’s guidance for every decision he made through the Word of God?

Was he confessing Jesus as Lord in both what he said and what he did?

I then had the privilege of sharing with this young man how I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord. I was religious, but I was living for myself. I needed to give everything to Jesus. I needed to begin living for Jesus. The atmosphere changed. He listened intently. I then asked him the most important question of life.

“Do you want to surrender to Jesus as Lord of your life?”

Would Jesus be Lord of all his decisions as he waited for his release? Would Jesus be Lord of all his decisions as he walked through the gates back into society? Would Jesus be Lord when he was greeted by old friends who would quickly try to pull him back into his old way of life? Would Jesus be Lord in how he spent his time once he was free?

Would he confess Jesus as Lord before all men?

Confessing Jesus as Lord is more than a confession from our lips. Jesus made this very clear.

Matthew 7:21: “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.” NLT

This young man bowed his head, confessed his sins, and asked Jesus to be Lord of his life!

Before anyone begins to object, saying – “Wait a minute! We are saved by grace, through faith, not by our works!” While that is correct, the flip side of the coin is also true. Salvation is more than saying a prayer. It is surrendering one’s life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. This is denying ourselves and taking up our cross to follow Him. True surrender to Jesus’ Lordship will bring visible change in the way we live. It is not only the confession of our mouths that God is interested in.

It is also the confession of our actions!

This is more than what we do. It is WHO we do it for? It is not a call to an external display of false piety. Rather, it is a call to a humble life, devoted to God, and evidenced as we serve others and give glory to Jesus Christ as Lord. It is seeking first His Kingdom, His Righteousness, and His Glory!

One day, we will all give an account for how we have answered the most important question of life. What will my answer be? Will my life confess Him before men?

“Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33 NLT)

Heavenly Father, help me to live my life, surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and confessing by my words and my actions that Jesus is Lord!

In Jesus’ Name!

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JUST SAY THE WORD!

Posted on January 2, 2026 by Kirk's Devotional Journal

MATTHEW 8:5-8: “When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, ‘Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.’ Jesus said, ‘I will come and heal him.’ But the officer said, ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed.” NLT

OBSERVATION: Just say the word! This is one of the most powerful statements in the Bible. This is not just my opinion. Listen to what Jesus said after this Roman officer spoke these words.

Matthew 8:10: “When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” NLT

Why did these four words impress Jesus so much? What do these words have to do with faith? The Roman officer was convinced of both the identity of Jesus and the authority of Jesus. This was amplified by what the Roman officer said after these four words.

Matthew 8:9: “I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” NLT

If the soldiers under his command would respond to his command, surely heaven would respond to Jesus’ command. Unlike so many, the Roman officer did not need to “see” Jesus do something. He took Jesus at His word. Jesus’ word was sufficient for him. This is why Jesus marveled at his faith.

Many today confuse the truth of this Scripture. For some reason, we have inverted the understanding of this passage. We have begun to put faith in what we say rather than in what God says. An extreme distortion of faith is the teaching that what we proclaim, we will receive. This is not what we are to glean from this account.

The Roman officer did not place his faith in his request or his confession. His faith was solely anchored on what Jesus said. He did not need Jesus to come to his home to believe. He only wanted to hear Jesus’ words and Jesus’ command. As the Messiah, the Son of God, Jesus fully represented the Father and all the power of heaven. That is why the Roman officer could say…

“Just say the word!”

We don’t have the privilege of having Jesus physically present with us today. Yet, we have the Holy Spirit living within us. And, we have the Word of God in our hands and in our hearts. Whenever we are in need or face great difficulty, all we need to do is place ourselves prayerfully before God’s Word and ask the Holy Spirit to…

Just say the word!

This is not a call to treasure hunt promises in the Bible that say what we want to hear. This is a call to seek the still small voice of the Holy Spirit speaking through the Word of God in the moment of our need and to reveal His will for that moment. This is the difference between the “logos” Word and the “rhema” Word of God.

The “logos” Word of God is the entire revealed and written revelation of God in the Bible. The “logos” of God never changes. There is one interpretation of the “logos” of God. This interpretation of God’s Word remains the same even though my circumstances or needs change. God’s Word stands as the ultimate source of truth in all matters of faith and practice.

God never changes! His Word never changes!

Yet, the Word of God is living and active. The “rhema” Word of God is when the Holy Spirit breathes upon the Word and gives us a personal application for our individual situation. This does not change the interpretation of God’s Word, but it makes the application personal and living. It is as personal and living as Jesus’ interaction with the Roman officer.

The question before me today is, am I willing to believe God’s Word and stand on it without any other change in what I see, feel, or hear? Am I like the Jews who cried out, “Show us a sign!”? Or, am I like the Roman officer who responded to Jesus…

“Just say the word!”

I don’t want to use the Word of God to manipulate God into doing what I want Him to do. Rather, I desire the Word of God to speak to my heart, to change my life, so that I can do what He wants me to do. I am not seeking the promises of God. I want to seek the God of the promises. Running to His Word, opening it each day, I am positioning my heart as I cry out…

Just say the word!

Paul prayed for the gift of revelation. Revelation is not discovering something new or something that we decide on our own. Revelation is when God unveils the unchanging truth of His Word in our hearts so that we can clearly see, hear, and obey Jesus.

Revelation is Jesus!

Ephesians 3:16-19: “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”

Heavenly Father, as I open Your Word each day, help me to see, hear, and obey Jesus! Open my understanding to know how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is! Help me to believe as You…

Just say the word!

In Jesus’ Name!

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