Rest Begins With an Invitation — “Come to Me
Devotional week 49
Imagine someone standing at the edge of a river after a long, tiring journey. Their bodies ache, their hands tremble with weariness. Before them flows fresh, clear water, clean and ready to drink. But instead of kneeling to take a deep, refreshing drink, they fumble with shaking hands or try to scoop water into a cracked, broken container. The water is right there, but they are too tired, distracted, or caught up in their routine to actually pause and drink.
Excellence for God’s Glory
Devotional week 48
As a college student or young professional, you are likely thinking about grades, promotions, and building your future. But have you ever stopped to ask: How far would I go to glorify God through my work or studies? Proverbs says that those who are skilled in what they do will serve kings. That is a powerful reminder—excellence opens doors, and God honors it.
Excellence Beyond Recognition
Devotional week 47
For most of my career, I believed that my work was a reflection of my character and capabilities, and that if I worked hard enough, my excellence would speak for itself. I took pride in being dependable, diligent, and thorough. But over time, I realized that the more I did, the more was expected. I became the person everyone turned to for the tasks no one else wanted, often taking on too much, overcommitting, and burning out — all in the name of excellence.
Doing Ordinary Work Exceptionally Well
Devotional week 46
Many times, we imagine excellence as something that only shows up in big achievements or visible success. Yet most of life happens in the small and ordinary. Proverbs 22:29 reminds us that being skilled in our work, showing care, diligence, and competence, does not go unnoticed. God honors those who develop and steward the abilities He has given them.
Excellence in Work as a Testimony of Faith
Devotional week 45
Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot about doing our work with excellence. This is a topic that can cause some confusion if not properly understood. I believe that working with excellence can — and should — be done by keeping a few important points in mind.
Communicating Across Cultures
Devotional week 44
Right from the start the message of the gospel has been communicated to people from different cultures. On the day of Pentecost many jews and proselytes from the diaspora where gathered in Jerusalem and heard the disciples speak about the wonderful works of God in there own language! Thus they could understand what was said to them. Language is the most important tool of communication, but it's not the only thing we need to consider when sharing the good news to someone from a different culture; we also need to take into consideration their worldview and cultural customs.
My Voice and His Word — Communicating Like Jesus in a Digital Age
Devotional week 43
As long as I can remember, I always felt misunderstood. This has not changed much in the last couple of years, but my relationship with God did. I am much more secure in who I am, the way God made me, and I am not longing for everyone to understand me, but my people, the ones I love and the ones that work with me or serve in our community, that's a different story.
Communicating with Purpose: Reflecting Christ at Work
Devotional week 42
Christ is called the “Word” because He is the living Word of God, through whom the Father reveals Himself, creates, and communicates with us. In John 1, the Greek term Logos shows that Jesus is the perfect revelation of God’s character and will, the agent of creation, and the purpose that gives meaning to life. When He became flesh, the Word made God’s love visible and accessible, showing that in Christ, God speaks to us personally and transformatively.
When Words Travel Too Fast
Devotional week 41
Today, while watching a YouTube video on how to grow beetroot in tropical climates, I noticed something I had seen before but never really thought about. The creator had written in the video description: “Please keep your comments respectful.” I have come across this in other videos, but this time it caught my attention because I thought How complicated relationships have become that even a simple gardening video needs rules for communication! I assumed everyone watching was like me, only there to learn more about growing beetroot! But clearly, that is not always the case.
Christ Made the First Move: Choosing Peace in Conflict
Devotional week 40
Conflict in the workplace is almost unavoidable. Performance reviews, deadlines, personality clashes, or misunderstandings can easily stir up tension. A friend of mine once came home bitter and discouraged. She had just received a surprisingly low score on her performance review. Shocked, she asked her supervisor why, but the answer was not clear. Feeling treated unfairly, she rejected the review and requested an inquiry that involved higher management.
Biblical Wisdom for Resolving Conflict and Living as a Peacemaker
Devotional week 39
We are living in a country where direct conflict is avoided as much as possible. If someone has an issue with another, it is often spoken about with a third person who carries the message. The difficulty is that the problem usually remains unsolved—it’s simply passed on.
The Price of Peace
Devotional week 38
A friend once said during our house church gathering, “For any place where there is peace, someone has paid the price for it.” That statement jolted me awake. At the time, I was having a hard time with a fellow postgraduate student in the campus “family house” where I lived. We both followed Jesus, yet we did not get along well.
Conflict Resolution – Applying Christian Principles to Resolve Workplace Conflicts
Devotional week 37
I tried to live a life conflict-free, but then realized that issues never get solved and someone always feels like their opinion did not matter. We all view scenarios from our perspective, our culture, and our personality type.
But as followers of Christ, we are called to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9), reflecting His heart in how we handle disagreements.
The Power of Relationships
Devotional week 36
During my first training on tentmaking, I heard something that really surprised me: the number one reason people come to Christ is through relationships, friendships between those who know Jesus and those who do not yet know Him.
Growing Through Difference
Devotional week 35
“I know what it is to feel out of place,” says Michael, a Christian businessman who recently moved to another country to open a company. “I have walked into meetings where my accent marked me immediately as a foreigner. I have seen polite smiles fade when my way of doing things didn’t match the local culture. Some days I wonder if I will ever belong here.”
When Culture Clashes with the Cross
Devotional week 34
The world is a fantastic place, displaying the wonders and riches of so many different cultures. This is how God intended it to be. John describes in the book of Revelation how, in the New Jerusalem, the nations will bring their glory and honor—their splendor and riches—into the city (Revelation 21:24–26.). Can you imagine the colors, sounds, smells, and noises we will take in on that day? But until then, we live in a world where culture has been infested by sin, and traditions can be harmful—yes, even outright evil like the burying of children alive to appease the gods.
United We Stand, Divided We Fall
The phrase "divide and conquer" appears early in the Bible. In Genesis 11, at the Tower of Babel, humanity was united in purpose but driven by pride. Together, they sought to make a name for themselves, reaching the heavens without God. The outcome? The creation of languages—not as a blessing, but as a barrier. A divider that scattered people and disrupted their shared ambitions. Fast-forward to today: misunderstanding, suspicion, and division still afflict us…
Sent but Not Strangers
Devotional week 33
I was sitting in a coffee shop enjoying my coffee when a lady approached and said, "Do you know that you are called for the nations?" I answered with an annoyed, “Yes,” hoping the lady would go away and not start another conversation about my so-called "calling". Fortunately, she did not get the hint, and the conversation we had convinced me that I had to pray and think more seriously about how I understood the Great Commission.
Planted, Not Misplaced
Devotional week 32
I had never left my home state in the South before. So when I moved to the North for the first time, it felt like stepping into a different world. The journey was long and dusty. The roads stretched endlessly. The weather was dry and hot, unlike the green, humid South I was used to. Then came the food — different textures, different tastes. Everything felt unfamiliar. I missed home almost immediately.
The Gift We Often Resist
Devotional week 31
Sometimes, receiving feedback feels like a slap, sudden, uncomfortable, and difficult to accept. Our first instinct might be to defend ourselves or walk away. But in Psalm 141:5, David invites us to see correction differently. He describes it as a kindness, as something valuable and healing, like fine oil. That is a very different way of thinking.