Fasting Devotional – Day Ten Tuesday, January 20, 2026 Title:  David Surrenders Revenge Text:  1 Samuel 24; 26 Written by:  Jennifer Bogan   Thoughts: In I Samuel 24 ,  David is hiding from King Saul, who is trying to harm him. Saul unknowingly enters the cave where David and his men are hiding. David has the perfect chance to get revenge, but he refuses to hurt Saul. Instead, he secretly cuts off a piece of Saul’s robe to prove later that he spared his life. When Saul leaves

Fasting Devotional – Day Nine Monday, January 19, 2026 Title: Hannah Surrenders her Desire Text: I Samuel 1-2 Written by: Bonnie Winthrop   Thoughts: 1 Samuel 1-2 teaches us about Hannah, the wife of Elkanah, who not only suffered from her inability to bear a child, but also from the relentless mocking of her heart-breaking circumstance, by Peninnah, Elkanah’s other wife. Amid her misery and longing, she calls out to the Lord in desperation, vowing to Him that if He would gra

Fasting Devotional – Day Eight Sunday, January 18, 2026 Title: Ruth Surrenders her Future Text: Ruth 1-4 Written by: Sarah Hale   Thoughts: Ruth was the loyal daughter-in-law of Naomi. Naomi and her husband Elimelek along with their two sons had relocated to Moab. While living there both sons married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. As time passed Naomi’s husband as well as her two sons passed away. When it was time for Naomi to return to Bethlehem, she encouraged both Orpah an

Fasting Devotional – Day Seven Saturday, January 17, 2026 Title: Gideon Surrenders His Fear Text: Judges 6-7 Written By: Brian Lambert   Thoughts: Surrender often begins in the quiet places where fear, insecurity, and self-doubt hide. Judges 6–7 introduces us to Gideon not as a bold warrior, but as a fearful man threshing wheat in a winepress—hiding from the Midianites and trying to survive unnoticed. Yet in Gideon’s weakness, God speaks one of the most surprising declaration

Fasting Devotional – Day Six Friday, January 16, 2026 Title:  Surrender at Sinai Text: Exodus 19-20 Written by: Teresa Gatlin    Thoughts: Surrender is often misunderstood as weakness. When the words, “I surrender” are spoken, we often think of surrendering to an enemy or opponent, giving oneself up to the power of another. In most cases this would be a negative thing, but holy surrender is not giving ourselves to an enemy, it is finding freedom in letting go and submitting t

Fasting Devotional – Day Five Thursday, January 15, 2026 Title: Surrender at the Red Sea Text: Exodus 14 Written by: Kelly Lambert   Thoughts: Reading Exodus 14, I can feel the panic in the moment. Israel is free, yet freedom suddenly feels dangerous. The Red Sea is in front of the Israelites, and Egypt is behind them, and there is no clear path forward. They cry out to God, but fear quickly turns into doubt and complaint, a response that most of us can understand. They had a

Fast Devotional – Day Four Wednesday, January 14, 2026 Title:  Moses Surrenders His Excuses Text: Exodus 3-4 Written by: Wayne Hale   Thoughts: At age 80, the angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a burning bush that wasn’t actually burning up. When Moses approached the bush, God called him by name from the bush. As Moses came closer, God said, "Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground." God then told Moses He had seen the misery of His people in Egypt, and

Fast Devotional – Day Three Tuesday, January 13, 2026 Title: Jacob Surrenders Control Text: Genesis 32:22-32Written by: Todd Houston   Thoughts: As a bit of history, Jacob was born to Isaac and Rebecca and was a twin to his brother Esau.  Jacob had a history of taking advantage of situations, like when he made a deal with Esau for his birthright over a bowl of soup.  Later, he deceived his blind father to get the family blessing.  Both of these situations caused severe tensio

Fast Devotional – Day Two Monday, January 12, 2026 Title: Hagar Surrenders her Despair Text: Genesis 16; 21:14-21 Written by: LeChelle Smith   THOUGHTS : We can learn a great deal about God’s grace and mercy though Hagar and her despair.   She not only had to endure this type of pain once, when Sarai mistreated her but again when Abram sent her away.  Hagar showed her surrendering by obeying the very people who mistreated her.  While she did run away initially due to her mist

Fasting Devotional - Day One Sunday, January 11, 2026Title: Abraham Surrenders Isaac Text: Genesis 22Written by: Brian Lambert   Thoughts: There are moments in the life of every believer when faith is no longer theoretical - when trust must move from confession to obedience. Genesis 22 brings us to one of the most profound pictures of surrender found anywhere in Scripture: Abraham placing his promised son Isaac on the altar. Isaac was not just Abraham’s child; he was the tang

For many, Christmas is full of joy - lights glowing, familiar songs playing, tables full of food, filled with laughter. But for others, the season arrives with a quiet ache. An empty chair. A silent phone. Traditions that now feel heavy because someone is missing. Grief has a way of intensifying during Christmas, and if you’re feeling that weight, you are not alone—and you are not failing. The Christmas season has a way of magnifying loss because it reminds us of what once wa

Each December, our homes, neighborhoods, and cities come alive with colorful lights. We hang them on rooftops, wrap them around trees, and place them in windows as a sign that “Hope has come!” But Christmas light is more than a seasonal decoration, it is a reminder of a deeper truth: God sent Jesus as the Light who breaks through the world's darkness (John 1:9, NKJV). And because Christ lives in us, we now carry that same Light into every environment, conversation, and relati

The mission of God has always been bigger than any one church, culture, or country can fulfill alone. From the moment Jesus commissioned His disciples to “go into all the world” (Mark 16:15), He invited us into a Kingdom that knows no borders. Kingdom partnerships remind us that we are part of a global family—who share the same Father, the same gospel, and the same mission.

Happy Thanksgiving! As the holiday season officially begins, our calendars will soon fill with gatherings, meals, shopping lists, travel plans, and year-end responsibilities. But before the whirlwind sweeps us away, Scripture invites us to pause and embrace something far more powerful than the hustle and hurry: Intentional Gratitude . Gratitude is more than a feeling. It’s a spiritual discipline. A way of seeing. A practice that forms our hearts to recognize the presence, goo

I'm not sure if you've noticed, but the culture around us is changing. Many of our neighbors look different than we do, speak a different language than we do, and live a different lifestyle than we do. A recent study shows over 300 different ethnicities and 200 different languages spoken in the Greater-Houston Area. As our friend, Dr. Ralph Neighbour says, "The whole world has come to Houston!"

One of the greatest threats to a believer’s calling is not the world outside us, but the mindset within us. A victim mindset quietly convinces Christians that they are powerless, stuck, unable to change, and unable to make an impact. And when we feel powerless, we stop participating in the mission of God.

As followers of Christ, we are called to live in the light of the gospel—to  share  its life-changing power in our everyday interactions, including our families, friends, neighbors, coworkers - our “oikos” (Greek for household, or circle of influence). However, despite the clear command of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20), many Christians are hesitant to share the good news. Today, the message of the Gospel is more urgent than ever. The world is hungry for hope, and the

Every day as I engage with people, whether it's a phone call with a church member, an encounter with a counseling client, or a simple conversation with a friend, I see an underlying theme: many people are insecure, they question their significance, and are uncertain about their purpose. There’s the young professional who wonders, "Does any of this matter?"   There’s the stay-at-home parent asking, "Am I making a difference?"  And the older adult wondering, "Are my best days o

Once Jesus unveiled the values of Kingdom life in the Beatitudes, He immediately gave His followers a mission: “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:13–14, NKJV). In other words, Kingdom culture was never meant to stay inside the church—it was designed to infiltrate the world . Why Kingdom Culture Must Be Lived Out If church culture is about gathering , Kingdom culture is about going . Jesus’ followers are called to bring His reign into fami

When Jesus climbed the mountainside and began teaching the crowds, He had a purpose. It wasn't to give the people a list of motivational sayings. It was the beginning of a revolution. The Beatitudes  (Matthew 5:3-12) mark the inauguration of a new way of life —a Kingdom way. The Beatitudes: The DNA of the Kingdom “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God." (Matt. 5:9, NKJV). Through every statement, Jesus redefines what it means to be blessed, su