the responsibility of privilege #rttbros #nightlight

the responsibility of privilege #rttbros #nightlight

Human Becoming #RTTBROS #Nightlight Finding God in the PassionflowersReading: Psalm 46:10 – "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."You know, I've got this tendency that keeps tripping me up. I become what I call a "human doing" when God is calling me to be a "human being," or better yet, a "human becoming." Let me tell you what I mean. A few years back, something small happened that made a big change in my life. In the midst of the hustle and hurry of ministry and raising a massive family, I found myself driving by and walking past some of the most beautiful moments in God's creation. I started to notice things I'd been missing: sunrises painting the sky in colors that could only come from the Master's hand, sunsets that reminded me God was still in control when the day was done. Flowers blooming in fields, children playing in the park with that carefree joy we all used to know, pets playing fetch with their families. A storm rolling in with all its power and majesty, the wind blowing through the trees like God's breath over creation. Family dinners around the table sharing the events of our day, those ordinary moments that turn out to be the most sacred. And quiet time with God in the morning, where He speaks peace to my troubled heart.I'd been blowing by all of these amazing things, these gifts from God's hand, in order to rush to the next thing on my list.Standing there one morning, finally paying attention, it hit me: I'd been so busy doing God's work that I'd forgotten to be with God. I was like Martha in the kitchen, clanging pots and pans, while Mary sat at Jesus' feet. And you remember what Jesus said? "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part" (Luke 10:41-42).The Psalmist got it right: "Be still, and know that I am God." Not "be busy and prove you're useful." Not "be productive and earn your worth." Just be still. Be present. Be with Him.Because transformation doesn't happen in the blur of busyness. It happens when we slow down enough to let God's presence shape us, mold us, change us. It's in those divine interruptions, those ordinary moments made holy, where we stop being human doings and start becoming who God created us to be.So here's my question for you today: What is God putting in your path that you're rushing right past? What moment is He asking you to stop and notice? Because I promise you, the divine presence you're looking for isn't waiting at the end of your to-do list. It's right here, right now, in this very moment, if you'll just slow down long enough to see it.Let's pray: Father, forgive us for being so busy doing things for You that we forget to be with You. Teach us to slow down, to notice, to be present in the moments You give us. Help us become human becomings, shaped by Your presence in the journey. In Jesus' name, Amen.#Faith #BeStill #ChristianLiving #DailyDevotion #PresenceOfGod #SpiritualGrowth #RTTBROS #NightlightBe sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out.https://linktr.ee/rttbros

Our Doubts Are Traitors #RTTBROS #Nightlight"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." — 2 Timothy 1:7You know, William Shakespeare wrote something that has stuck with me for years. One of his characters says, "Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt." Shakespeare wasn't a theologian, but he understood something profound about human nature.Doubt is a traitor. It whispers in our ear just when we're about to step out in faith. And here's the thing, that voice of doubt isn't just our own insecurity talking. The enemy knows that if he can keep us doubting, he can keep us from attempting the very things God has called us to do.I think about Peter walking on the water. He's actually doing it, defying gravity, moving toward Jesus. But then Matthew 14:30 tells us, "But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me." The doubt crept in, and suddenly what had been possible became impossible in his mind.Satan doesn't have to defeat us if he can just get us to defeat ourselves. All he needs to do is plant a seed of doubt, and watch us talk ourselves out of the very thing God is calling us to do.Think about all the "almosts" in your life. The ministry you almost started. The person you almost witnessed to. How many of those were stopped not by actual obstacles, but by the traitor of doubt?Here's what God says: He hasn't given us a spirit of fear. He's given us power, love, and a sound mind. That means when doubt shows up and starts whispering its poisonous lies, we have the authority to reject it.What would you attempt for God if you knew you couldn't fail? Even if we stumble like Peter, Jesus is right there to catch us. Don't let doubt rob you of the good you might win. Step out in faith and watch what God can do when you refuse to let fear have the final word.Let's pray: Father, forgive us for letting doubt talk us out of what You've called us to do. Give us courage to step out in faith and trust Your power more than we fear our weakness. In Jesus' name, Amen.#Faith #OvercomingDoubt #ChristianLiving #DailyDevotion #TrustGod #BiblicalWisdom #SpiritualGrowth #RTTBROS #NightlightBe sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out.https://linktr.ee/rttbros

Fresh Word Of God #Rebuild #Nightlight #RTTBROS #Obey #BIBLESTUDY

Ruined To Rebuilt #RTTBROS #Nightlight #Repent #Rebuild #restorarion When Ruins Become Rebuilding"Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah." — Ezra 1:2You know, I've been sitting with Ezra chapter 1 lately, and there's something powerful happening in these verses. The temple in Jerusalem has been destroyed for seventy years. That's a lifetime. An entire generation grew up never seeing the glory of God's house, only hearing stories about what used to be.But here's what gets me, and it's something I heard recently that I just can't shake: when your life lies in ruin from the lies that ruined you, it's time to rebuild.The temple didn't fall because of some random act of nature. It fell because God's people believed lies, lies about who God was, lies about what really mattered, lies that led them away from truth. And now, all these years later, God says through a pagan king no less, "It's time to rebuild."I've been in ministry long enough to know that most of us have some ruins in our lives. Maybe you believed the lie that you weren't good enough. Maybe you believed the lie that this sin wouldn't really hurt anyone. Maybe you believed the lie that God couldn't use someone with your past, so you've been sitting on the sidelines.Here's what I love about this passage: God didn't wait for the Israelites to clean up the mess first. He stirred up the heart of a king, provided the resources, and said, "Now, let's build."Rebuilding always starts with a decision, but it continues with God's provision. The Apostle Paul wrote: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). That's rebuild language right there.Maybe you're looking at the ruins in your life today, thinking it's too late, too far gone, too damaged. But friend, if God could bring His people back from seventy years of captivity and rebuild His temple, He can rebuild whatever lies in ruin in your life.The ruins don't define us, the rebuilding does. And rebuilding always starts with returning to the truth. It's never too late to start again.Let's pray: Father, thank You that You are the God of rebuilding. Where lies have created ruins in our lives, help us to hear Your voice calling us back to truth. Give us the courage to start rebuilding today. In Jesus' name, Amen.#Faith #Rebuilding #ChristianLiving #DailyDevotion #TrustGod #BiblicalWisdom #SpiritualGrowth #RTTBROS #NightlightBe sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe, it helps get the word out.

Handle The Scandal #Submission #Obey #Meekness #Nightlight #RTTBROS

More On Meekness #RTTBROS #Nightlight

Monkey Hand #RTTBROS #NightlightScripture: "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." — Matthew 16:25You know, I heard a story once about how hunters in some parts of the world used to catch monkeys, and it's stuck with me for years because it says so much about human nature.They would take a coconut, drill a hole just big enough for a monkey's hand to slip through, and put some rice or fruit inside. Then they'd secure the coconut to a tree. The monkey would reach in, grab the food, and make a fist. But here's the thing, that fist was too big to pull back through the hole. All the monkey had to do was let go of the food and he could pull his hand out and be free. But he wouldn't. He'd sit there, holding onto that food, even when the hunters came. His freedom was literally one choice away, but he'd rather lose everything than open his hand.I think about that monkey sometimes when I look at my own life. How often do we hold onto things so tightly that we lose our freedom? Maybe it's a relationship that's become unhealthy, but we can't let go. Maybe it's a job that's consuming us. Maybe it's money, or reputation, or control over our kids' lives. We grip these things with white knuckles, and all the while, we're the ones becoming trapped.Jesus said something that seemed backwards to his disciples: "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it" (Matthew 16:25). That's the paradox of the Kingdom. The tighter we hold onto our lives, our plans, our stuff, the more we actually lose. But when we open our hands and surrender it all to Him, that's when we find real life.I'm too soon old and too late smart on this, but I've learned that God never asks us to release something without giving us something better in return. But we've got to trust Him enough to open our hands first.So here's what I want you to think about today: What are you holding onto so tightly that it's keeping you trapped? When we hold onto anything more tightly than we hold onto Jesus, we've already lost it. But when we surrender everything to Him, we find that we never really lose anything that matters.Let's pray: Father, show us what we're gripping too tightly. Give us the courage to open our hands and trust You with the things we're afraid to lose. Help us remember that You are better than anything we could hold onto. In Jesus' name, Amen.#Faith #Surrender #ChristianLiving #DailyDevotion #TrustGod #BiblicalWisdom #SpiritualGrowth #RTTBROS #NightlightBe sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out.https://linktr.ee/rttbros

Strength Under Control #Nightlight #RTTBROS #Meekness #Relationships #Unity

Blind To Blessing #RTTBROS #NightlightBlind to BlessingIn every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18About 3,500 years ago in the wilderness of Sinai, the Israelites witnessed the most spectacular miracle in human history. God parted the Red Sea, they walked through on dry ground, and the Egyptian army that had pursued them was swallowed up by the waters. They saw walls of water standing on either side of them as they crossed. That's the kind of thing that should stay with you forever.But just three days later, they were complaining. And about a month after their miraculous deliverance, they actually said they wished they had died back in Egypt. They told Moses, "Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full, for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger" (Exodus 16:3).They had trained their minds to search for problems, and when you're looking for bad things, no surprise, you find what you're looking for. Even when really good things happen, you discount them or find fault with them. You essentially become blind to blessing.The Israelites had manna from heaven, bread that literally fell from the sky every morning. They had water from a rock. They had the presence of God with them in a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. But their negative mindset kept them from seeing it. They were looking through a filter of discontent, and it colored everything.I've seen this in my own life. There have been seasons when I was running on empty, when it seemed like everything that could go wrong did go wrong. And in those seasons, if I wasn't careful, I could focus so much on what wasn't working that I completely missed what God was doing. I remember a time when a friend came by and blessed my family out of the blue with some money. It left me speechless, and that does not often happen to me. It was God's way of tapping me on my shoulder and saying, "Don't worry, I got this." But if I had been consumed with my problems, I would have missed that moment of grace.Here's what Paul teaches us: "In every thing give thanks." Notice he didn't say "for everything," he said "in everything." We don't thank God for the hard things themselves, but we thank Him in the midst of them because we know He's still on the throne, still taking care of His kids, still providing in supernatural ways.The Israelites finally made it to the Promised Land, but it took them 40 years for a journey that should have taken 11 days. Why? Because they couldn't see past their complaints to recognize God's faithfulness. Don't let that be your story. Train your mind to see His hand, to recognize His provision, to count your blessings. Start searching for blessings instead of problems, because I promise you, you'll find what you're looking for.Today's Growth PrincipleGod is always working in your life, but if you train your mind to hunt for problems, you'll miss His hand of blessing and provision.#Faith #Joy #ChristianLiving #DailyDevotion #TrustGod #BiblicalWisdom #SpiritualGrowth #RTTBROS #NightlightBe sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out.https://linktr.ee/rttbros