Tag Archive for: devotional

Throwing the Perfect Pass | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotion

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Do you often get disappointed by people? Are you frustrated with certain people? Have you gotten lazy or fallen into some negative habits in how you speak to the people you love, and to people in general? Maybe its time to raise your standards…for yourself, not others.

Game Plan:

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”   Ephesians 4:29 NIV

Time Out:

Are you a person of high standards and high expectations?  OK.  But, are your standards and expectations mostly about how other people treat you?  The key to great relationships and thriving in life is to demonstrate high standards in how you speak to and treat other people.  It’s way more successful, and less frustrating, to build your expectations around what you can control…how you consider, speak to, encourage and build up other people.

Remind yourself every morning to be an investor in relationships, not a consumer.

Go Deep:

Go to the notes section of your phone or laptop, or get a pen and paper out. Write down three standards for how you want to treat and speak to people. Remind yourself every morning to be an investor in relationships, not a consumer. Stop expecting perfection from other people. Expect more from yourself…more kindness, more truth and more encouragement

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Drop Desire for Dignity | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Videvo

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You probably have some lingering pain or bitterness over being snubbed or disrespected.  This story and message is about how to break free from the pain and chains of having to please, impress or get the credit in life.

Game Plan:

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”   Philippians 2:5-8 (ESV)

Time Out:

If the only perfect man in history didn’t get any dignity when he first left this world, perhaps we should let go of our desire for “dignity”.  Do you strive to get credit, significance and approval?  Does it bug you when you don’t get what you think you “deserve”?  Consider what Jesus, God Himself, gave up and endured so that we could be rescued and healed by His love.

If the only perfect man in history didn’t get any dignity when he first left this world, perhaps we should let go of our desire for dignity.

Go Deep:

Have a talk with God and attempt to adequately thank Him for what Jesus sacrificed and endured for you.  Think about each of the areas in life that you complain about.  Decide to drop your self-centered quest for credit, dignity and praise.  This is all about humility.  As you humble yourself, you will treat others better.  You’ll serve and lead like Jesus.  You are and will be significant in His eyes…the true audience that matters.

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Good at the Shootin’ Part (Unconditional Love) | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Videvo

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You know how good it feels to be accepted and affirmed when you don’t feel like you deserve it. There is a way to spread this good feeling…and it’s not by wanting or begging people to treat us like that. Read on about how you can be revolutionary.

Game Plan:

“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another…if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:10-12, 19 (ESV)

Time Out:

Some of us (like me) love pressure, competition and seeing how well we can do. And…some of us don’t like the pressure of competition, always being measured. Regardless of our style, when it comes to love, none of us want to continually have to earn our acceptance. Being loved, accepted and affirmed without condition is a most awesome and needed thing.

Are you able to step out of your own shoes and become the giver of that sort of love and acceptance? If you can, you will be a deep blessing to others. You’ll profoundly improve your relationships…and that will turn out well for you as well.

Go Deep:

The power to affirm, accept and love people in this unconditional way is beyond us. It’s supernatural. It’s God’s love. God’s track record proved His love for us by having Jesus sacrifice himself for us while we were still rebellious, selfish and proud.

Stop taking God’s love for granted. Think about how He initiated unconditional love. Decide who needs your affirmation, acceptance and love…regardless of how they perform.

Start with your spouse and your children. Be radical like God. Love and accept one another unconditionally, apart from performance and measurements.

A hug, a kiss, a note, an encouraging word, an “I love you”, or forgiveness…be creative, be generous.

Live that love today… an unconditional, relationship-based value system.

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Turning Pain into Gain | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotional

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Is there something unfair and painful in your past? Someone you’re angry at? This story can help you reframe your outlook and improve your future.

Game Plan:

But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.”   Genesis 50:19-20 (NLT)

Time Out:

Life includes terrible things that have happened to us…even brutal things that people have done to us. Not many of us have it worse than Joseph, though. He modeled a powerful principle that can help us:

Never treat people like the enemy. Never view God as the one who gave you a raw deal. 

Remember that bad originates with Satan. God can still turn things for good when we avoid vengeance and trust God’s bigger purposes.

Go Deep:

Ask yourself: Who am I still blaming? Who am I mad at?

Let it go. Forgive them.

Set yourself free to fulfill your positive destiny?

Ask God to show you the good you can create despite, or even because of, the past.

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God’s Take on the “Blitz” | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotion

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Stock market woes…waiting for a cancer biopsy to come back…fired by your company…life’s a blast isn’t it?  Now’s a good time to look at the bigger picture in life.  Let’s see what God says and does about blitzes.

Game Plan:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” ~Jesus – John 16:33 (ESV)

“And not only this, but we also rejoice in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”   Romans 5:3-5  (NASB)

Time Out:

Last week the Dow dropped 500 points.  My family faced a small surgery for early melanoma this month.  Marriages of several acquaintances have separated recently.  What’s your list of tribulation, trouble, and trials?  We’ve all got them.  But we don’t all have God’s perspective on them.  Jesus faced worse than us and He told us to seek Him, anchor in Him, and persevere in getting closer to Him.  Is your goal in life to have good circumstances… or great joy in God?  Are you putting trust in your situation… or your Savior?

Go Deep:

Start a conversation with God today. Ask Him to help you better grasp the magnitude of what Jesus did for you. His love is measured by the size of the blitz He took for us on the cross. He turned history’s worst injustice into our greatest victory. Thank God for your troubles and trials. Ask Him how you can know Him better and become more like Him. Use your trials as a bridge to encouraging other people.

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“Responsibility…Who, Me?” | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotion

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We’ve all been in situations where we hope no one notices how we dropped the ball or failed other people. Here’s a story about losing a game and making things worse in the post-game interviews. Responsibility is much easier to swallow when we take it upfront, rather than when it’s pinned on us later by others

Game Plan:

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” James 5:16 (ESV)

“Then the sailors said to each other, ‘Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.’ They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. So they asked him, ‘Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us?’ … ‘Pick me up and throw me into the sea,’ he replied, ‘and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.’”   Jonah 1:7-12  (NIV)

Time Out:

Jonah, the dude who jumped on a ship to escape God’s assignment and ended up in a fish, finally figured out he could not avoid responsibility. Has it been good or bad for your character to slip into the shadows or distract people from noticing your mistakes and failings? Has it been good or bad when you hid from responsibility? Taking responsibility and blame up front works out way better than hiding or waiting. Getting accused by others, losing trust, and damaging relationships isn’t worth the temporary relief that comes from deflecting blame.

Go Deep:

Are you willing to improve? Grab the responsibility and apologize immediately in the most important places – with your spouse, with your kids, with your teammates. Say What? “Hey, this is on me. This was my responsibility and I fell short. I apologize. Please forgive me.”

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The Log in Your Eye | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotion

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A caution…I’m using an intense and extreme example. There is never a cause or justification for any person to be unfaithful to their spouse. But, the principle of examining yourself first has great power to initiate healing.

Game Plan:

“Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:1-4 ESV)

Time Out:

How often does blaming, complaining or criticizing someone else improve our relationship with them…especially when we ignore our faults in the relationship?

When someone you care about let’s you down, it’s easy to assume the worst about them and assume the best about yourself. We tend to ignore faults and responsibility in ourselves, when there is someone else we can point at. How has that approach of blaming, complaining or critiquing worked out for you? Would you agree that this approach actually prevents us from improving ourselves and the relationship?

Go Deep:

Want a better life? Try the radical and powerful path of humility Jesus taught – examine yourself first and apologize first…regardless of the other person’s failing. Since people respond best and relationships heal fastest when we work on our self first…let’s drop our pride and become wise. Big or little, let’s take that log out of our own eye before we dump the blame on the people we care about.

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The Power of Vision | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotion

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Do you feel shackled by some problem, disadvantage or disability?  Is it your child or spouse who feels the chains of limitation?  A friend or teammate?  Check out this story about a powerful form of encouragement…vision.

Game Plan:

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing… And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” (I Corinthians 5:11, 14, ESV)

Time Out:

A dyslexic boy’s inability to read well affects his schoolwork and the opinions of classmates. But his mom sees beyond the surface problems to her son’s intelligence, his potential, and his future. She converts her vision into optimism, which becomes encouragement to her son. It creates in Him determination, overcoming and thriving.

More than 300 years earlier, Jonathan Swift also faced serious limitations, a sickly Irish boy raised by a single mom. But, in part, through his mother’s vision and encouragement, he went on to author Gulliver’s Travels. He also penned this classic secret to a life of epic encouragement:

“Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.”

When people are weak, they lose confidence. When they are fainthearted, they often become idle. When idle, they feel even weaker.

The solution is hope, which comes through encouragement. Encouragement comes from vision—seeing the big picture, knowing someone believes in you. The best way to show belief in someone is to help him or her see God accurately. Then you can help them see themselves accurately—their value, their potential, and their future.

Go Deep:

Make today, this week, and this year about encouragement—about vision!

Read the ultimate story…God’s story.  Revel in His extravagant, overcoming and unending love. Take heart from the victorious and redemptive conclusion to His story.  Become the vision-caster for those you love, and those in need of encouragement.  Help them see their future, not just their challenge.

Speak of God’s love for your son, daughter, spouse, or grandchild.  Describe to people their gifts and talents, the value of their life and the unique impact they can have on others.  Paint the picture of trials turning into triumphs.  Pass on the power of vision.

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Big Failure…Big Rejection | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotion

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Think about a when you failed big-time…or were rejected deeply. The feelings were intense. The pain was high. If you’ve been there, you’ll identify with this story about getting flattered, then benched, then rejected. Watch and remember that there is more to the equation of life than performance.

Game Plan:

“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.  Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.  But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:6-8, NLT)

Time Out:

Worldly judgment – praise and rejection – are based on the external. What’s on the surface? What’s the performance? How much have you allowed conditional and performance-based assessments to impact your identity and sense of dignity? How much have you judged and treated others through the conditional, performance-based equation? Contrast the performance of us humans…with the unconditional, relationship-based love of God as demonstrated in Christ.

Go Deep:

Set yourself free from the small, damaged, view of yourself that you’ve picked up from society’s measuring system. God made you. He made you for a purpose. God values you. He showed it through Christ.

Make a shift in how you see, speak about, speak to and treat other people. Be the antidote to a conditional, performance-based value system. See value. Speak value. Show Love.

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Tony Dungy Coaches on a Plane | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotion

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Do you keep your radar on for people that are going through tough stuff?  Or do you tend to get so busy and occupied with what you’re reading, listening to or watching that you sometimes miss connecting with people…people who you could encourage? Take the lead from Tony Dungy.

Game Plan:

“…in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense [or explanation] to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15, ESV)

Time Out:

No matter their appearance, everyone has tough stuff in their life. We’ve all got back-stories. How often do you share your story or ask about the deep and difficult stuff in other people’s lives? Remember that everyone needs encouragement. Hope is in short supply in this world, but God is a limitless source of hope.

Go Deep:

Let’s take a tip from Coach Tony Dungy who pulled back from what he was doing on an airplane to take an interest in a young man going through a blitz.  Remember that God put us here to discover his love and make it known to other people.  A great way to be open to connecting with people is to pray before you go anywhere.  “God, give me your radar and your interest in people.” 

Ask caring questions, and then get ready to give people the reason for the hope that carries you though life and its blitzes.

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