Orphanages of Kenya, 775 SW Bonnett Way, Ste 120, Bend, OR (2026)

02/18/2025

“I am the Lord your God who upholds your right hand, who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you’.”
(Isaiah 41:13)

Fear of the Future
by Larry Burkett

Christians cannot truly serve God and live in fear of the future. Many of the decisions God’s people make on a day-by-day basis are motivated by fear of the future, not by trust in God.

For instance, many people stay with jobs they dislike because they fear change. This is particularly true with those who are 40 and older. Society has convinced us to a large degree that those over 40 are past their prime. What nonsense this is! It runs totally contrary to God’s intention.

Fear of the future causes Christian families to scrimp and sacrifice for the elusive day known as retirement.

Often the total focus of the earlier years is toward the eventual day when “we can relax and enjoy ourselves.” Unfortunately, the same fear that necessitated the hoarding for the retirement years forces further sacrifices—“just in case.”

I don’t mean to imply that planning is not God’s will; obviously, it is. But when a Christian looks inside and finds primary attitudes of fear and worry, bo***ge has occurred. Ask God to deliver you from that bo***ge.

Daily Scripture Reading:
Leviticus 8-10

02/17/2025

“The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread? The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?”
(Psalm 27:1)

What If?
by Larry Burkett

Our anxieties and worries usually are not related to the lack of things but, rather, to the loss of things. One of Satan’s favorite tools is the question, “What if?”

Dedicated Christians get trapped in fear: the “what if ” of extended illness, retirement, disability, unemployment, economic collapse. God wants us to consider these things and even plan for them, within reason; but, a Christian must consciously reject the attitude of fear.

Fear is the antithesis of trust; therefore, if we live in fear of the future, we suffer from the problem of not putting our trust in God. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t plan for the future, but if we live in fear it means that we have taken on a responsibility that belongs to God.

If other people see us living lives of fear, we lose our witness. Don’t get trapped in fear. Father, help me to remember that You are my light and my salvation—my deliverance.

Daily Scripture Reading:
Leviticus 5:14-7:38

02/16/2025

“In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.”

(Proverbs 21:20 NIV)

Delayed Gratification
by Chuck Bentley

Being able to delay gratification is a sign of contentment. For example, if you have worn carpet but can wait to replace it until you’ve saved the money, you are delaying gratification.

Another example is the Marshmallow Test. Give a marshmallow to a child and offer more marshmallows on the condition that she will wait 20 minutes before eating the first one. Most children don’t pass the test and eat the first marshmallow before the time is up.

The world convinces us that if we desire something, we should have it now. If you buy into this philosophy, you won’t be content until you have a particular item in your possession—even if it means buying it with credit. But having a relationship with God should give you contentment regardless of your circumstances.

The apostle Paul wrote, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11-13 NIV).

When you’re having difficulty delaying gratification, remember that whatever you buy will only be new for a short time. And, in a matter of weeks, you’ll probably be thinking about buying something else.

Things quickly lose their significance and their luster. It is better to be content with knowing Christ because “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 NIV).

Daily Scripture Reading:
Exodus 39-40

02/13/2025

“He has given freely to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be exalted in honor.”
(Psalm 112:9)

Sharing Out of Obedience
by Larry Burkett

Many of the decisions we make in our Christian lives don’t make sense to the world. Therefore, we make them because of a commitment to God’s Word–in other words, out of obedience. We must predetermine that if God defines a course of action in Scripture, we will follow it.

Attitudes play an important part in sharing with others. Have you ever given to someone resentfully? I have and almost immediately realized I had given up more than money.

Anyone who gives willingly receives a blessing that comes only with true love. God will honor your attitude more than the amount.

Remember, when you give to meet the needs of others, you give to God. He doesn’t need the money; He’s allowing us to share in His work.

When God places the needs of others on your heart and you supply those needs, that’s obedience. But I’d like to emphasize that sharing from obedience differs from giving the tithe.

The tithe is given in recognition of God’s ownership; obedience is sharing with those in need, out of a conviction that they should not be deprived.

I read somewhere that when you give of your possessions you give little, but the real gift is giving of yourself.

Pray for direction in your giving.

Daily Scripture Reading:
Exodus 35-36

02/11/2025

“Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
(Matthew 6:21)

What Do You Stand For?
by Larry Burkett

The question often is asked, “What do Christians stand for?” The answer the world would give is, “Not much other than what we do.”

The sad part about it is that most people really want to know a personal God, but because of their desires they make gods out of material possessions and worship them instead. Time, energy, and money all are spent on the wrong things.

We have the only hope to offer a generation that is without hope, and yet we’re spending the majority of our time pursuing vain things.

Our energies are so depleted in accumulating bigger homes, businesses, cars, computers, and retirement plans that we don’t have much time to see that our priorities are out of order.

We can stand for accumulating things, or we can stand for building the kingdom of God.

Daily Scripture Reading:
Exodus 30-31

02/10/2025

“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.”
(Matthew 6:33)

Seek His Kingdom
by Larry Burkett

The admonition to seek first the kingdom of God is given by the Lord as a contrast to worrying about material possessions. I believe there never has been a generation of Christians so caught up in worry about possessions as we are.

We have a greater abundance available on a day-by-day basis than any previous generation. Most of us have machines that reduce the daily household labor required, our children are well-clothed and well-educated, and life expectancy is more than God’s promise of three score and ten.

We have insurance plans, retirement plans, unemployment plans, and disability plans. Yet, we are so caught up in making more money and buying bigger and better things that we have lost most of our thrust to reach the unsaved world.

As I read through God’s Word, it keeps asking the same fundamental question: “Are we seeking first the kingdom of God?”

If we are going to spend an eternity in God’s presence and only seventy or so years on earth, we should be more concerned about what we will receive than what we are getting now.

Daily Scripture Reading:
Exodus 28-29

02/08/2025

“Whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you he shall not lose his reward.”
(Matthew 10:42)

Get Involved
by Larry Burkett

Be certain when you give that you are not using a gift of money to avoid a larger responsibility.

It may be that God desires your physical involvement as well. In other words, don’t just give your money; give of yourself.

I know a Christian who helps to care for the poor in a major city. By caring, he not only gives money but also gives of himself by establishing thrift shops for the poor in the downtown ghetto areas.

Those shops supply clothing, furniture, food, and other necessities to the poor at prices they can afford. Although his time is limited, like everyone else’s, he does it out of obedience to God and love for others.

He says that, often, when he contacts other Christians to help, the vast majority would rather give a little money to God’s work than to get personally involved.

In today’s Scripture verse, Jesus was saying that we must be involved in giving— including our time—if we don’t want to lose our rewards.

Daily Scripture Reading:
Exodus 22-24

02/07/2025

Whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever.”
(1 Peter 4:11)

The Call of God
by Larry Burkett

Some have been called by God to go into full-time Christian service, but they weighed the call against the cost and rationalized that they could serve God best where they were.

Others clutter their lives with so much materialism that they never have time to listen to God. The desire for more “things” overwhelms them and the call to Christian service is shelved until “a better time.”

We can all give thanks to those committed saints, from the apostles forward, who did not feel that fame and success in the eyes of the world were as important as God’s blessings.

Without fear of contradiction, I can say that one day each of us will grade 100 percent of our success or failure on the basis of our service to Jesus Christ and nothing else.

I trust that each of us will hear Him say, “Well done, My good and faithful servant.”

Daily Scripture Reading:
Exodus 19-21

02/06/2025

“You are the salt of the earth.”
(Matthew 5:13)

You Are Salt
by Larry Burkett

Salt has two major purposes: to season and to preserve.

Seasonings make things taste better and they become more palatable. When other people look at us, as Christians, they should see love, kindness, joy, and peace—pleasant things that make life more palatable.

Preservatives keep things from spoiling. When I was a boy, we raised hogs, and after butchering them we would smoke them and then cure them in salt. Since we didn’t have much refrigeration then, the salt would preserve the meat.

We must preserve the truth by telling others about the Lord and by providing a light for those who are looking for the truth.

When things in our society start to “go bad,” we must preserve life by making the Gospel message known. It will preserve life for all eternity.

I challenge you to be salt in your home, your church, and your community.

Daily Scripture Reading:
Exodus 16 – 18

02/05/2025

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.”
(Galatians 6:7)

Sowing and Reaping
by Larry Burkett

Most Christians are familiar with the principle of sowing and reaping as it applies to giving–though few really believe it.

That same principle applies to sharing time in the Lord’s work. Just as God can multiply the fruits of our labor, He can also multiply the use of our time. Any good administrator knows that ten minutes spent in productive planning is more valuable than two hours spent in confusion and frustration.

Therefore, one of the first things a busy, frustrated, overworked Christian needs to do is to dedicate the best part of the day, week, month, and year to the Lord.

To do so will mean reordering priorities at work and at home to allow for time alone with God.

No other goals are going to be meaningful until the first and most important one is settled: your relationship with God.

Daily Scripture Reading:
Exodus 14 – 15

02/04/2025

“You will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
(Luke 14:14)

Time Out
by Larry Burkett

Most Christians would never refuse to do God’s will; it’s just that the timing is not right.

When God calls us, He wants obedience first and excuses last. We have allowed the urgent things of this society in which we live to overshadow the important things.

That fact is neither new nor unique to our generation. In fact, Christ witnessed it in His walk and predicted it for us. He gave a parable of God’s calling to follow Him. People were invited to a dinner, but most were far too busy to attend right then. They wanted to be a part of what was happening but had a great many responsibilities. The result was that others were chosen in their places.

We all, to a greater or lesser degree, suffer from being too busy to serve God. Some are so busy doing things for God they fail to do the things of God.

Does this description fit you? Ask God to help you set your priorities in the right order.

Daily Scripture Reading:
Exodus 12 – 13

02/03/2025

“No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
(Luke 9:62)

Consider the Cost
by Larry Burkett

Service to Jesus Christ is demanding. It may actually mean that we will have to work as hard for God’s kingdom as we do for earthly riches or, perish the thought, even harder.

Few salespeople consider it an imposition on their time to talk about their product line. Being a success at anything requires dedication, training, and perseverance.

It would be a very foolish company that trained its sales force to expect success on every call. Just one turndown and they would give up, considering themselves failures.

Jesus knew that not everybody would serve God, and most might not even want to. Some would like to have a foot in both worlds. They are willing to be called Christians, provided they can pick the times and places to serve.

However, Jesus Christ said that only total service to God would yield peace and blessings within His will.

“What will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:26).

Daily Scripture Reading:
Exodus 9 – 11

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