“Look! I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter, impetuous nation that marches across the earth’s open spaces to seize territories not its own.
Then they sweep by like the wind and pass through. They are guilty; their strength is their god. Look, his ego is inflated; he is without integrity. But the righteous one will live by his faith.”
‭‭Habakkuk‬ ‭1:6, 11‬, 2:4 HCSB‬‬

When Habakkuk cried out to God about the injustice and oppression swirling around him, he clearly was terrified and took his case before the Almighty for answers. After validating Habakkuk’s worst nightmare regarding the Chaldeans’ strength and ruthlessness, Sovereign God summarized the worst attributes of their character: guilty of much and not reconciled to God, worshippers of their own strength, inflated egos, and lack of integrity. God even warned Habakkuk things would get worse before they got better.

Ugh! That’s not very encouraging, is it? But this is the reality you and I walk in each day. But God, in His goodness did not stop there; He shines light in the darkness with the hope that those who are reconciled to Him by faith in Christ will not just exist but know true life in the midst of that storm! Are you existing or thriving?🚦

#thrive. #charactermatters. #integrity #reconciled #faith #stoplightdevotionals #devotionals

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

An age old question pondered by many a Christian is that of wanting to know God’s will for their lives. He tells us clearly He created us for good works, and He Himself has already prepared those good works for us in advance when we were still just a twinkle in His eye. Our challenge is to walk so closely with Him we can discern which good works are set apart for us individually. We walk in those works when we embrace them with joy as they come to us, bringing glory to our Creator. Are you positioned to recognize His calling for you?🚦

“And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

From weekend retreats complete with ropes courses to guided picture-painting events to 15 minute purposeful games, companies and organizations across the country widely host team-building activities that result in more cohesive, more productive work are environments. In fact, team building activities are critical to the success of companies, giving them a competitive edge.

Followers of Christ are in the midst of a massive team-building event as we are being built together into the kingdom of God. Learning how to treat brothers and sisters in Christ, how to live in unity in the Spirit, and how to worship God corporately prepares us for an amazing, joyous experience in heaven. Are you an active participant or merely a bystander?🚦

#teambuilding #corporateteambuilding #teambuildingactivities #kingdomofGod #Christfollowers #unityofSpirit

““Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but don’t notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself don’t see the log in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck in your brother’s eye.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:41-42‬ ‭HCSB‬

Victorian era art connoisseurs used brass viewing tubes a little smaller in size than a TP roller to hone in on small areas of larger works of art. This helped them better appreciate all the intricacies of fine paintings, although, without a doubt that some critics were looking for flaws.

Do you find yourself doing this with others…putting their behavior under a microscope how to find their faults and problems? Christ calls us instead to turn the viewing tube to ourselves, asking God to reveal our own sin that blocks our vision and keeps us from seeing others through a lens of grace.

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭51:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬🚦

“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
Matthew 28:19 HCSB

Are you living inside a safe bubble which requires of you little risk or sacrifice? Christ calls you to step outside that comfort zone to follow Him and to tell others the great news of Salvation and new life in Him. To experience this life of meaning and purpose you must step into the unknown in faith as He lights your path just enough to see only the next step.

“There is nothing worth living for, unless it is worth dying for.” ~Elisabeth Elliot
“How should we then live?” ~Francis Schaeffer

“I was made a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of His power. This grace was given to me–the least of all the saints!” Ephesians 3:7-8a

You’ve told yourself countless times you are not good enough for God to accept you, to use you in any way for service for His work. After all, if people at church only knew what kind of person you REALLY are, all the terrible things you’ve done and mistakes you’ve made, they would surely think twice about even asking you to volunteer to help out at that outreach event.

Paul was right there cheering on members of the Sanhedrin as they stoned the Apostle Stephen. But who did God choose to yank out of a life of murdering Christians to turn and preach to people the good news of Jesus? That’s right–Paul! Just as God gave Paul a new heart when he turned to faith in Christ, He changes you from the inside out and gives you a new life with a new purpose. God doesn’t NEED you to accomplish His work, but He chooses to use you and others. Find your joy in serving Him.

“For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free — and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭12:13‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

Just as sin is the great equalizer, making all of us equally distant from God, separated by a great divide, Christ came as the great reconciler, bridging that gap, giving us all equal access to relationship with the Father. He sees us through the lens of the Savior who cleansed us from sin, not as Male or female, black or white, Catholic or Protestant, Democrat or Republican. Let us walk in peace with our brothers and sisters in Christ.🚦

“I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on paths they have not known. I will turn darkness to light in front of them and rough places into level ground. This is what I will do for them, and I will not forsake them.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭42:16‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

Have your dreams been shattered, shaking your faith? You may be on a road not of your choosing. You were cruising life on a good path, maybe a few bumps, but still it was good. All of the sudden the road took a sharp turn into foreign territory. Loss of a job. Chronic illness or health decline. Break up of a relationship. Your child is struggling. You feel alone and afraid.

Could it be this detour is really the road you were meant to be on? If you keep looking back at what you’ve lost rather than on what you have, you miss out on what God has for you in this moment. God doesn’t promise easy, but He promises to be right their with you. Stop fighting, and experience His presence.He is with You.🚦

“When you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed in Him, you were also sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. He is the down payment of our inheritance, for the redemption of the possession, to the praise of His glory.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1:13-14‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

What an amazing gift of hope! The moment you placed your faith in Jesus Christ as payment for your sin, for all those times you missed the mark, GOD PAID YOU with the the immediate indwelling of the Holy Spirit as a promise of the heavenly riches to come! Not only do you receive this Comforter and Counselor, but you also receive in Him the down payment on your inheritance as the child of the King. Cherish now that hope of the incredible riches to come in the heavenly realms.🚦

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 2:13 NIV

Sin separates us from God. What is sin? The Greek word for sin is an archery term that means “missing the mark.” Imagine you miss the mark in word, thought or deed only 3x/day. Over the course of 70 years that is more than 70,000 times! You simply can’t be good enough to make up for that. Aren’t you glad Jesus bridged the gap made by your sin so that you could have a relationship with God? Have you received this free gift?🚦