“After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile.” – Genesis 41:1

In our high-speed, no wait, immediate gratification 21st Century American culture, we get frustrated if we have to wait for two weeks. Yet, after God helped Joseph interpret the dreams of two high Egyptian officials, giving him the opportunity to build and “work his network”, Joseph still had to wait two more years in an Egyptian prison for the next step in God’s plan to unfold. Two years!

Can you imagine having the faith and patience to wait two years? In prison? Joseph certainly thought that helping Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer would be his big break, but then…nothing. The man completely forgot Joseph existed. And Joseph had to wait for two years. Because it wasn’t yet the right time.

We doubt God, grow frustrated with Him, and question His love, presence, goodness, and even existence when forced to wait for the answers to our prayers. However, the Bible is consistently clear: God moves on His timetable, not ours. His patience is infinitely greater than ours, as is His wisdom and understanding. While we think in terms of hours and days, God thinks in years and centuries.

It’s helpful to recognize those places in the Bible where faithful waiting is demonstrated, because they help us to stay patient and faithful as we wait for God’s next step in unfolding the plan for our lives. God is present with you. God has a plan and it is good. Rather than doubting God because He doesn’t move on your timetable, learn to love and pursue God as He helps you wait to move on His!

NOTE: While Pastor Brian is on sabbatical, we offer this devotional which was originally published on January 20, 2021.

“But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” – Genesis 39:21

We might be inclined to become confused, frustrated, discouraged, and angry with God about being wrongly imprisoned. Joseph was imprisoned based on the false testimony of his master’s wife. However, Joseph’s time in prison was a key element of God’s unfolding plan to bless him personally, save the line of Messiah from starvation, save the nation of Egypt from starvation, and grow the family of Israel into a nation with whom He would one day covenant in the Wilderness. God’s plan of redemption for the entire world passed through that prison cell!

In the midst of an Egyptian prison, God was faithfully with Joseph, showing him steadfast love and blessing him. The Bible is very clear, that as followers of Christ, God won’t exempt us from hard times, injustice, and suffering. However, He will be with us through those hard times, faithfully loving and blessing us.

When we feel trapped in the prisons of life (literal or metaphorical), we shouldn’t merely focus on praying for release. We should learn to see and hear God’s voice in our ongoing trial. We must seek to grow in our awareness of His faithful presence, because He’s promised He is always with us. We should also be looking for the signs of what God is doing or will do with our time of suffering for His glory. God’s will may well be hard, but it’s also good, for He is good, kind, merciful, and faithful.

NOTE: While Pastor Brian is on sabbatical, we offer this devotional which was originally published on January 19, 2021.

“Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” – Matthew 9:13

Thank you, Jesus!!! You came for us! We’re all sinners and none of us are righteous by our own efforts (despite what we may think sometimes). Jesus came for us and through His death and resurrection He makes us righteous by God’s grace through faith in Christ alone.

We who follow Jesus must remember this truth well. Our greatest responsibility is to likewise call “sinners” – those who don’t know Jesus. We must be extending the mercy and love of God to those who are most vulnerable, confused, and spiritually lost. We must be investing our time and resources in those most unlike us.

We must never let our preferences and passion for religious practice fill our minds and hearts to a greater extent than the needs of those outside the church to learn about Jesus. We must have a greater heart (evidenced by money spent, time invested, emotion expressed, and energy expended) for the eternal fate of those outside Christ than we do for the spiritual comfort and well-being of those already in the family of God. This turns traditional church life upside down, but it’s why Jesus came and we must be about His business!

NOTE: While Pastor Brian is on sabbatical, we offer this devotional which was originally published on January 10, 2020.

“Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring.”
– Proverbs 27:1

We’re definitely feeling the truth of this verse today! We really don’t know what this day may bring or what tomorrow might be like. Or the day after tomorrow. Or the day after that. As followers of Jesus, let us neither boast about nor be anxious about tomorrow.

Instead, let us trust in God Who is sovereign over all things (Revelation 4:11). Let us trust that God will work all things together for good for those called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Let us trust that God brings eternal good out of the darkest of times. Let us trust that while He causes nations to rise and fall (Job 12:23), the gates of Hell will not prevail against His church (Matthew 16:18).

Let us trust and then let us pray. Let us become faithful in prayer to a much greater extent than ever before. Let us truly set down our foolish pride and comical imaginings about our “strength” and lean in total dependence on the One Who is truly strong. Let us take every anxiety to God in prayer and experience His supernatural peace in crazy times (Philippians 4:6-7).

Finally, let us act out of love for the good of God’s Kingdom in Jesus Christ. In Matthew 6:25-33, Jesus carefully explains why we should not be anxious about anything. God loves and cares for His people and doesn’t want us to be paralyzed by anxiety. Replace your anxiety with action for God’s Kingdom as verse 33 teaches, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

NOTE: While Pastor Brian is on sabbatical, we offer this devotional which was originally published on November 3, 2020.

“But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’” – Matthew 13:29-30

The parable of the wheat and the weeds gives insight one of the most challenging questions Christians ask in times of injustice and suffering – why does a all-good, all-knowing, and all-powerful God permit evil people to continue to exist in and amongst His people?

The answer isn’t that God is unaware – He clearly knows the weeds are present. The answer isn’t that God is powerless – He could pull the weeds any time He desires. The answer is that God permits the weeds to continue growing for a time because in His perfect wisdom, He knows that pulling them too soon could cause greater spiritual harm to the wheat (His people).

As much as the weeds cause evil and pain, their sudden removal from this world for judgment would somehow cause greater harm. On this, we should simply take Christ’s word for it, for there are many things we’re simply incapable of understanding in your finite nature. One obvious way, of course, is that in God’s grace, weeds can actually be transformed into wheat through faith in Jesus Christ. God in His perfect wisdom and goodness permits the weeds to continue growing for a time and we must trust Him.

However, make no mistake – ultimate justice is coming for every weed and every stalk of wheat. Judgment Day will come when Christ returns and those who are weeds will be cast into eternal punishment away from God and His people. Followers of Jesus will be blessed with eternal joy in God’s presence. In the meantime, there will be weeds in the world, in your community, and in your life. Know that Jesus is with you every step of the way and grow in His strength to be an excellent and fruitful stalk of wheat. #FollowJesus