A Personal Journal of Grace and Discipleship
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,who loved me and gave himself for me.” - Galatians 2:20
From the blog
The Exchanged Life: Finding Freedom and Wholeness Through Spirituotherapy
In a world filled with competing counseling models, it’s not uncommon to find contrasting views on what “biblical” or “Christian” counseling truly means. Searching for answers can feel overwhelming, and the terms alone—“biblical counseling” versus “Christian counseling”—can spark endless debates on how, or whether, secular counseling methodologies fit within a Christian framework.
Ezekiel 46: Worship and Inheritance: Order, Honor, and Access
In Ezekiel 46, the prophet continues his vision of the restored temple, this time focusing on the role of the prince and the people in worship. The emphasis here is on structure, reverence, and consistency. The prince—representing leadership—is not above worship but is central to it. His participation is not optional or symbolic; it’s required, deliberate, and visible. Worship is not simply a private act of devotion—it’s a public demonstration of alignment with God’s order, a visible prioritization of His presence.
Psalm 6 – When Tears Float the Bed but Joy Anchors the Heart
David’s cry in Psalm 6 reveals a heart torn between physical weakness, emotional sorrow, and a longing for God’s response. His words feel painfully raw—sleepless nights, eyes swollen from tears, and a heart worn thin. Yet in the midst of the anguish, David isn’t merely lamenting—he’s appealing. He doesn’t try to impress God with righteousness or logic. Instead, he pleads his frailty, God's loyal love, and the simple truth that the dead do not praise. What begins as groaning ends in confidence. Not because circumstances change, but because David becomes certain that God has heard.
A Wedge between the Spiritual and the Material
E. Stanley Jones confronts a subtle yet deeply rooted error in church history—the artificial separation between the spiritual and the material. He points to the moment in Acts 6 when the apostles, facing practical ministry needs, delegated “serving tables” to others in order to focus on “prayer and the ministry of the word.” While this may appear spiritually wise on the surface, Jones suggests that it unintentionally introduced a dualism—a hierarchy in which spiritual ministry was elevated and material service was diminished.
Cut to the Heart
Today’s devotional from Ray Stedman brings us into the electric moment at Pentecost when Peter's bold proclamation of Christ’s resurrection hits the crowd like a thunderclap. These weren’t outsiders; they were the very people who had shouted for Jesus’ crucifixion just fifty days earlier. And now, in a sweeping turn, Peter declares that the same Jesus they rejected has been made “both Lord and Messiah.”
Risen with Christ
Today’s devotional by A. B. Simpson beckons us into the sunrise of resurrection living. Simpson reminds us that the risen Christ does not wait for us to climb toward Him—He’s already present before the dawn, joyfully greeting us with His triumphant “All hail!” Just as He met Mary on that first Easter morning, He longs to meet us in the freshness of every new day.
The Letter Versus the Spirit
This devotional from Day by Day by Grace draws a striking contrast between two ways of living: one based on external observance, the other flowing from inward transformation. Bob Hoekstra uses Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 3:6 to contrast life under the letter of the law with life in the Spirit. The first is rule-driven, demanding righteousness without providing the power to live it. The second is relationship-based, empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit, who supplies all that is needed to live in union with God.
Judgment Through Love
In today’s reflection, Oswald Chambers brings us back to the sobering truth that salvation originates in the heart of God—not in human striving or emotion. It’s not something we generate or even fully comprehend. Experience may alert us to salvation’s presence, but it does not define it. Salvation is God's eternal purpose made visible in Christ, and when we proclaim the gospel, we’re not offering comfort or counseling—we’re revealing the truth of God, allowing the Holy Spirit to expose hearts.
Old Rejected, New Accepted
Today’s reading from Miles Stanford takes us deep into the spiritual principle at the heart of resurrection life: the necessity of death. Just as a seed must die before it bears fruit, so too must we embrace our co-death with Christ in order to live in His resurrection power.
Christ Walking Out of Death
Today’s devotional by Witness Lee paints a bold and beautiful picture of Christ’s resurrection—not as a dramatic rescue but as a walk through and out of death’s prison. It connects the release of Joseph from the dungeon with the resurrection of Jesus, not as one being delivered by others, but as One who entered the prison of death voluntarily—and walked out in divine authority.
Exposing the Lie: When the Soul Leads the Show
T. Austin-Sparks opens Chapter 6 with a penetrating examination of deception as the prevailing condition of fallen humanity. He outlines that from Eden onward, man has lived under a lie—not merely having believed one, but having been constitutionally reoriented to operate from the soul rather than the spirit. This soul-life, disconnected from God, becomes the very ground by which Satan perpetuates his work of deception.
Colossians 2
In Colossians 2, Paul addresses the believers in Colossae and Laodicea, emphasizing the importance of unity in love and the full assurance that comes from understanding the mystery of God—Christ Himself. He warns against deceptive philosophies rooted in human tradition and elemental spiritual forces, which can lead believers astray. Paul asserts that in Christ dwells the fullness of deity, and through union with Him, believers are made complete.
The Chosen People of God
E. Stanley Jones offers a stirring reminder that the Holy Spirit was not given solely to religious leaders, but to all who belong to Christ. At Pentecost, the Spirit descended on 120 people—men and women, not just the Twelve. This wasn’t a trivial historical detail—it was a radical, Spirit-driven affirmation that no one in Christ is “less sacred” than another.
Jesus the Christ
Today’s devotional by Ray Stedman highlights the matchless reality of resurrection power — not as a concept, but as the very energy of God that raises the dead and brings life to what is hopeless. Ray underscores the sharp contrast between man’s futile attempts to evade death (like cryogenic freezing) and God’s unmatchable act of raising Jesus in full life, vitality, and glory.
The Weight of a Straw
Today’s reflection by A. B. Simpson brings our attention to the subtlety of spiritual warfare. Satan doesn’t always come at us with overwhelming attacks. Sometimes, he simply tosses a straw in our path — and if we’re not discerning, that tiny obstruction can cause a fall.
Tablets of Stone versus Human Hearts
Today’s devotional by Bob Hoekstra explores the beautiful contrast between the old covenant written on lifeless stone and the new covenant written on living hearts. Under the old covenant, the law was etched externally — a perfect but unreachable standard, exposing humanity’s need for a Savior. Holiness was declared but not imparted; the commandments could convict but could not transform.
Vicarious Intercession
Oswald Chambers draws us into the holy tension of intercession—not as a place for emotional appeals or sentimental alliances, but as a sacred arena where self is reckoned crucified and God's redemptive interest reigns.
Fixed Position
Today’s reflection by Miles Stanford invites us to reject the instability of chasing spiritual highs and to instead remain fixed in our position in Christ. The core message is that the victorious Christian life is not an experience, nor is it defined by an emotional breakthrough or isolated crisis of surrender. Rather, it is a Person—Jesus Himself—living His life in and through us moment by moment.
Speaking According to a Vision
Today’s devotional by Witness Lee invites us into the tension of waiting. It reveals the remarkable faith of Joseph, who dared to interpret the dreams of others with boldness and clarity—even while his own dreams remained unfulfilled. His story whispers a powerful truth: vision doesn’t require fulfillment in order to be true.
Firsthand and Equal: The Calling of the Seventy
E. Stanley Jones draws our attention to a beautiful moment in Luke’s Gospel when Jesus corrected the disciples' creeping exclusivity by sending out seventy others—ordinary laypeople—two by two into every town He planned to visit. The Twelve had begun to see themselves as a spiritual elite. They quarreled about who would be greatest, silenced others ministering in Jesus' name, and even wanted to call down fire on the unwelcoming Samaritans. But Jesus, rather than rebuke with words alone, issued a course correction through action: He appointed seventy others to go ahead of Him, giving them the same commission and authority as the Twelve.
All People
In this powerful moment from Acts 2, Peter stands before a curious and skeptical crowd, stirred by the sudden, strange scene of believers speaking in different tongues. Guided by the Holy Spirit, he doesn't defend or argue—he simply explains reality. The crowd saw emotion and thought: drunkenness. But Peter points to Scripture and clarifies: this is not intoxication—it is fulfillment. Joel’s ancient prophecy is unfolding right before their eyes.