Category: Over The Hump

Have you ever squeezed an orange? No matter how hard you squeeze it, orange juice comes out because that’s what’s inside.

The same is true of us. When life puts pressure on us—through stress, persecution, disappointment, defeat, or relational conflict—what comes out of our mouths reveals what’s truly in our hearts.

Words That Tear People Down

“You’ll never measure up.”

“I don’t believe in you.”

“You’re a disappointment.”

“You’re bringing our team down.”

“You’re worthless.”

Words That Build People Up

“God has a purpose for your life.”

“I believe in you.”

“You’re valuable to our team.”

“I believe God is working in you.”

“You’re deeply appreciated.”

Jesus said, “What you say flows from what is in your heart.”

Our words are not just sounds; they are the overflow of our hearts. If our hearts are filled with anger, bitterness, pride, jealousy, or unforgiveness, those things will eventually come out in our speech.

But if our hearts have been transformed by Christ and filled with His love, joy, peace, grace, and truth, our words will reflect His character.

Proverbs 18:21 says:

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”

Don’t miss that!

Listen closely: Every day you have a choice. You can speak words that wound or words that heal. You can criticize or encourage. You can tear someone down or remind them of who they are in Christ.

I’m often reminded:

“Hurt people hurt people.”

The good news is that Jesus doesn’t just tell us to control our tongues—He changes our hearts.

Spend time with God by reading His Word, praying, and allowing the Holy Spirit to shape you so that your heart becomes more like His.

Because when your heart changes, your words begin to change too.

Today, before you speak, text, or email, ask yourself:

• Are my words bringing life?
• Do they reflect the heart of Christ?

Choose to be a person whose words encourage, build up, strengthen, forgive, and speak hope.

Progress, Not Perfection!

After all, what flows from a redeemed heart will always point others to the One who redeemed it.

 

It was New Year’s Day, 1929. Georgia Tech played the University of California in the Rose Bowl. During the first half, Georgia Tech’s running back fumbled. Everyone scattered for the football. Center Roy Riegels saw the football and immediately picked it up. Chaos ensued as Roy made a mad dash 65 yards toward the goal line. The only problem? He was running in the wrong direction!

His teammate, Benny Lom, tackled him just before he scored for the opposing team. “Wrong-Way Roy” landed just feet from the goal line. He later said, “If I could have dug a hole in that turf, I would have covered my head and not appeared again.”

In a similar way, we’ve all met “Wrong-Way Roys” in life—people sprinting full speed, yet heading in completely the wrong direction. They don’t even realize it until it’s almost too late.

I’m reminded:

“The people you choose to surround yourself with will determine the quality and direction of your life.”

The Bible gives us a perfect example in Jonah, a man who literally ran from God. God gave Jonah a clear assignment:

“Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it.”

Nineveh was Israel’s brutal enemy. Horror stories about its cruelty circulated like wildfire. To Jonah, the thought of warning those people—let alone offering them mercy—was repulsive. So instead of obeying, he bought a ticket on a ship sailing in the exact opposite direction, hoping to leave God and the mission behind.

But you can’t outrun God!

Back to Wrong-Way Roy.

At halftime, Roy sat in the locker room with his head in his hands, devastated. He knew he had failed. He knew he had blown it. He knew he had let himself, his coaches, his teammates, and the fans down. However, his coach walked over, put a hand on Roy’s shoulder, and simply said:

“Roy, get up and go back. The game is only half over.”

Jonah’s story echoes this beautifully. After being thrown into the sea, God didn’t leave him to drown. Instead, He sent a great fish to swallow him. For three days and three nights, Jonah sat in darkness, smelling like the inside of a fish and replaying every bad decision.

Yet even there, God was with him.

When Jonah finally cried out in repentance, God commanded the fish to vomit him onto dry land, right at the shoreline near the city of Nineveh. A fresh start. A second chance.

That’s the heart of a merciful God!

Listen closely: God doesn’t cancel you when you run in the wrong direction. He doesn’t write you off after your worst failure. He doesn’t shelve you. As long as you have breath in your lungs, the game isn’t over.

God is still saying to every…

“Wrong-Way Roy”

and

“Runaway Jonah,”

“Get up. Turn around. Change direction. Your story isn’t over.”

Stop staring at your mistakes. Look instead to the cross, where Jesus paid for every wrong turn, every act of rebellion, and every failure.

Repent. Turn around today. God’s mercy is greater than your detour.

His grace is bigger than your worst decision.

You can start over.

You can fulfill God’s purpose.

The God who rescued Jonah from the belly of a fish is the same God who’s ready to give you another chance—right now.

Lock eyes with Jesus today and run toward Him. He is waiting with arms wide open just for you.

 

Recently, I read a story about a young boy named Michael who was shooting rocks with his slingshot. He could never hit his target. As he returned to his grandma’s backyard, he spotted her pet duck. On impulse, he took aim and let the stone fly. It struck the duck right between the eyes, and the duck died.

Michael panicked and quickly hid the duck in the woodpile. When he looked up, he saw his sister, Emma, watching. She had seen everything but said nothing.

After lunch that day, Grandma asked Emma to help with the dishes. Emma replied, “Michael told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today. Didn’t you, Michael?”

Then she leaned over and whispered, “Remember the duck.”

So Michael did the dishes.

What choice did he have?

For the next several weeks, he found himself at the sink again and again. Sometimes it was his turn, but many times it was because Emma would simply whisper, “Remember the duck,” whenever he protested.

Finally, tired of carrying the burden and being controlled by his secret, Michael decided that any punishment would be better than another day of washing dishes. He went to Grandma and confessed that he had killed her duck.

“I know, Michael,” Grandma said as she gave him a big hug. “I was standing at the window and saw the whole thing. Because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you were going to let Emma make a slave out of you.”

Listen closely: In a similar way…

One of the greatest struggles you will face as a believer is seeing yourself the way God sees you. Too often, you define yourself by your failures, mistakes, and regrets, while God defines you by your relationship with His Son.

Lean into what God’s Word says about you in Romans 8:1:

“So now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Do not miss that.

Because of God’s amazing grace, your sins have been forgiven through the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. When God looks at you, He doesn’t see your past or your mistakes—He sees the righteousness of His Son because you are in Christ.

It is important not to confuse condemnation with conviction.

• Condemnation comes from the enemy (Satan) and tells you that you are guilty, worthless, and beyond hope. It pushes you away from God through shame and fear.
• Conviction comes from the Holy Spirit. It is full of grace. It lovingly points out sin, not to condemn you, but to lead you to repentance, restoration, and a closer walk with Christ.

As God’s child, you can rest in His amazing grace, knowing that you are fully seen, fully loved, completely forgiven, and eternally accepted.

Instead of living under the weight of condemnation—“remember the duck”—you are called to walk in the freedom that Christ has already secured for you.

Embrace God’s grace today!

 

We live in a culture that celebrates self-sufficiency. We say, “I’ve got this,” “I’m strong,” and “I don’t need anyone.” However, Scripture and life itself prove the opposite. When the storms hit, when grief crushes your soul, when temptation feels overwhelming, or when doubt and despair close in, trying to stand alone is a recipe for failure. It’s not a matter of if—but when.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, on the eve of His crucifixion, Jesus faced the greatest trial of His earthly life. The weight of humanity’s sin, the agony of the cross, and the separation from God the Father pressed down on Him until His soul was overwhelmed with sorrow.

In that moment of raw vulnerability, the Son of God did not go it alone. He intentionally brought Peter, James, and John—His inner circle of disciples—close to Him. He asked them to stay, watch, and stand with Him, yet they fell asleep. The lesson is that even Jesus sought community at His lowest point.

Do not miss that!

Jesus, who was perfect and never sinned, still sought the presence of trusted friends in His darkest hour. How much more do we, who are weak and flawed, need the same?

Without trusted, meaningful relationships, we become easy prey for the enemy. Isolation breeds discouragement, distorted thinking, hidden sin, and eventual collapse. When life gets hard (and it will), lone rangers fall.

God designed you for community. You are stronger together. The same Jesus who invited His closest friends into His pain also calls you to build deep, honest, trusted relationships with people who will:

• Pray with you.

• Speak truth to you.

• Hold you accountable when you’re tempted to compromise.

• Encourage you when you feel like giving up.

These aren’t casual acquaintances. They are brothers and sisters in Christ who love you enough to walk with you through “Gethsemane seasons.”

Listen closely: Don’t wait until crisis hits to build your inner circle. Start now. Invest in a few trusted believers who are committed to following Jesus.

Be vulnerable. Share your struggles. Ask hard questions. Offer the same support in return. Join or form a small group. Find a trusted accountability partner. Make time for authentic relationships, not just surface-level church attendance.

If Jesus prioritized community in His greatest hour of distress, we have no excuse to live an isolated life.

 

Let’s face it: most people struggle with the same doubts. We question our abilities, our failures, our past mistakes, our lack of experience, our qualifications, our age, and our shortcomings. We wonder whether God can really use someone like us.

Yet throughout Scripture, God consistently chooses ordinary people who feel inadequate. The reality is that He often does His greatest work through people just like that.

Moses stuttered and doubted his ability to speak. Jeremiah doubted because of his age. Peter doubted because of his countless failures. Gideon doubted because of his weaknesses.

The common thread is this:

“God never asked them to be qualified before He called them.”

“God rarely calls the qualified; He qualifies those He calls.”

Please don’t miss those truths!

Doubt has a way of distorting our identity. It causes us to focus on our weaknesses, limitations, and insecurities rather than on God’s power and promises.

When God called Gideon to deliver the people of Israel, Gideon immediately listed all the reasons he wasn’t the right person for the job. He saw himself as weak, insignificant, and unqualified.

But God saw something completely different.

Before Gideon ever voiced his doubts, God called him a “mighty warrior” (Judges 6:12).

God was not speaking to who Gideon was in that moment; He was speaking to who Gideon would become through His presence and power at work in his life.

Listen closely. Instead of praying,

“God, use me,”

a better prayer might be:

“God, make me usable.”

A usable heart is humble, surrendered, faithful, available, teachable, and willing to trust God beyond its own limitations.

God is not looking for perfection; He is looking for availability.

When doubt whispers, “You can’t,” faith responds, “God can.”

The difference between Gideon’s fear and his victory was not newfound confidence in himself—it was confidence in the God who promised to be with him and who called him by name.

What doubts are keeping you from stepping into what God has called you to do?

Are you focusing more on your limitations, comfort, or inabilities than on God’s ability?

Stop doubting and begin trusting.

 

Too often, people want God’s favor in their lives without God’s authority.

They want His blessings without His commands.

They want open doors while living a life of disobedience.

However, God is not a “genie in a bottle” who exists to grant our wishes whenever we call on Him. He is Lord, and His favor flows through a life surrendered to Him.

When we read this verse, it is important to notice what Jesus commends before He mentions the “open door.”

The open door was not given randomly. It was the result of a faithful relationship surrendered to Him.

Jesus points to three qualities in the church at Philadelphia that positioned them for the door that only He could open.

Don’t miss these three!

1. “Limited Strength”

Jesus acknowledged that they had “little strength.”

He did not rebuke them for their weakness. He honored their faithfulness in the midst of it.

God is not looking for people who have it all together. He is looking for people who will trust Him when they don’t.

The kingdom of God has always advanced through people who understood their dependence on Him.

The door God opens is not based on your ability—it is based on His power.

2. “Kept My Word”

Jesus said, “You have kept My word.”

This is where many believers struggle. We want God’s promises, but we resist His instructions. Yet obedience will always be the hinge to blessing.

My friend and national treasure, Ike Reighard, says:

“Great doors of opportunity swing on the tiny hinges of obedience.”

Keeping God’s Word means obeying when it’s difficult, trusting when it’s uncomfortable, and remaining faithful even when compromise would be easier.

The church at Philadelphia was not perfect, but they were committed to God’s truth. They did not pick and choose which commands they would follow. They honored His Word—all of it—even when it cost them something.

God entrusts greater opportunities to those who have proven faithful and who keep His Word.

3. “Not Denied My Name”

Jesus also commended them because they had “not denied My name.”

In a culture that pressured them to compromise, they stood firm. They refused to be ashamed of Christ.

Today, denying His name may not always happen with our words. Sometimes it happens through our actions, our silence, our compromise, or our desire to fit in.

Those who experience God’s “open door that no one can shut” are often those who remain faithful to Him when it would be easier not to.

Listen closely. Notice the progression:

• They had limited strength.

• They kept His Word.

• They did not deny His name.

Then Jesus opened a door that no one could close.

Do not miss that!

The open door was not the cause of their faithfulness; it was the result of it.

If you are waiting for God to open a door in your life, do not focus solely on the door. Focus on being faithful right where He has planted you.

Trust Him in your weakness.

Obey His Word completely.

Stand unashamed of His name.

When God opens a door, no person, obstacle, criticism, or opposition can close what He has ordained.

God sees your weakness, yet He honors your obedience and faithfulness by opening doors that no one can close.

Remember…

It may not be “your door,” but it’s “His door.”

Have you ever felt the weight of mounting pressure while facing an important life decision—knowing that one wrong choice could have devastating consequences?

In moments like these, fear can cloud our judgment, urgency can overpower wisdom, and emotions can push us to act before seeking God’s counsel and direction.

Like Saul in 1 Samuel 13, we often find ourselves caught between panic and patience, struggling to trust God when circumstances seem to be falling apart around us. Yet it is in these critical moments that our faith is truly tested—not by what we see, think, or feel, but by whether we will remain obedient to God despite the pressure.

Saul’s downfall did not begin with rebellion. It began with fear.

The pressure was mounting. His army was leaving. The enemy was advancing. Samuel had not yet arrived. In Saul’s mind, delay felt dangerous. Silence felt threatening. Waiting felt irresponsible.

So Saul acted.

His explanation reveals the dangerous progression that often leads us away from obedience:

1) Fear of Urgency

“I Saw”

Saul said, “I saw that the men were scattering.”

What he saw around him became louder than what God had spoken to him.

Fear thrives in what we see:

• Shrinking numbers
• Limited resources
• Unanswered prayers
• Delayed promises
• Uncertain outcomes

Faith says:

“Even if things are falling apart around me, I will not abandon the promises of God or what He has told me.”

Sometimes the greatest act of obedience is simply refusing to panic.

2) Impulsive Actions

“I Thought”

Saul continued, “I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me.'”

What began in his eyes moved into his mind.

Fear, when left unchecked, fuels imagination. And imagination, when left unchecked, leads to impulsive decision-making.

When emotions become our counselor, wisdom is usually dismissed.

Impulsive actions are often born from assumptions rather than surrender.

Just because something makes sense logically does not mean it is aligned spiritually.

3) Consequences of Disobedience

“I Felt”

Finally, Saul said, “I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”

His feelings became permission.

Not every action done “for God” is approved by God.

Poor decisions can carry deep consequences. What seems like a small compromise in the moment can become a turning point in your life, influence, and leadership.

Believers are not called to be led by fear, assumptions, or emotions. We are called to be led by God.

Listen closely: In every season of pressure, remember that fear distorts what you see, impulsive thinking corrupts what you believe, and unchecked emotions can lead you into disobedience.

Saul’s mistake was not simply offering a sacrifice—it was allowing urgency to replace his trust in God. When life feels overwhelming and decisions carry heavy consequences, God is not asking you to panic; He is asking you to remain faithful.

True faith is revealed when you choose obedience under pressure.

“I Saw. I Thought. I Felt.”

There’s a big difference between being a baseball “fan” and being a true “follower” of a team.

A fan wears the jersey on game days. They know the stats, discuss trades, celebrate victories, and post highlights online. But when the season gets hard, when the team starts losing, or when following them becomes inconvenient, many fans quietly fade away. Their loyalty is emotional, casual, and comfortable.

But true followers are different.

True followers stay committed through losing streaks and rebuilding seasons. They follow the draft. They know the minor league prospects. They show up and post up when it’s cold, inconvenient, expensive, or disappointing. Their loyalty changes how they spend their time, money, energy, and attention. They don’t just admire the team from the stadium seats; they are invested. They are all in!

Jesus confronts us with that same distinction in Luke 6:46.

Many people are fans of Jesus. They like His teachings. They admire His compassion. They may wear the label “Christian.” They attend church when it’s convenient, quote Scripture on social media, or speak positively of Him in conversation.

But admiration is not discipleship.

A fan of Jesus wants inspiration.

A follower of Jesus wants transformation.

A fan knows about Jesus.

A follower obeys Jesus.

Jesus is not looking for spectators in the weekend church crowd, cheering occasionally while living however they please the other six days of the week. He calls disciples onto the playing field, people willing to trust Him, surrender to Him, lock eyes with Him, walk with Him, and follow Him even when it’s inconvenient or costs something.

That’s why this verse is so piercing.

Jesus says, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ if you refuse to do what I say?”

The title “Lord” means master, authority, leader. And He said it twice. Our obedience reveals whether those words are genuine or merely religious language.

Following Jesus means loving our enemies when it’s hard.

Forgiving when we’d rather hold a grudge.

Serving instead of demanding.

Giving instead of clinging.

Trusting Jesus when the storms of life are relentlessly blowing.

Fans applaud Jesus when it’s convenient.

Followers obey Jesus because they belong to Him.

Listen closely: In the kingdom of God, there are no bleachers for fans. Jesus never called you to simply wear the jersey or cheer from the crowd. He called you to lock eyes with Him, take up your cross daily, and follow Him.

What would it look like for you to let His words actually lead in the area you’ve been holding back?

This verse isn’t about calling you out. It’s about bringing you into an intimate relationship with Him, where “Lord” isn’t just something you say. It’s something you live under every day.

So be honest with yourself. When it matters most, who is actually leading your decisions?

The encouraging truth is that Jesus never asked for perfection, but He does ask for surrender.

Real followers stumble, fumble, and struggle, but they continue pursuing obedience because their hearts are committed to Him.

Today is a good day to ask yourself: Am I simply a “fan” of Jesus… or am I truly “following” Him?

1. Your inner life is your highest priority!

The phrase “above all else” places emphasis on what deserves the greatest attention. In biblical language, the “heart” is not just emotions; it includes thoughts, desires, motives, convictions, and will.

The Principle:

• Your character matters more than appearances.

• What you allow into your mind and spirit will shape your life.

• Spiritual and emotional health should be protected intentionally, not passively.

Success, relationships, and decisions are all downstream from the condition of your heart.

2. The heart must be guarded intentionally!

“Guard your heart” is active language. A guard watches carefully, sets boundaries, and protects against threats.

The Principle:

• Be selective about the influences, voices, and environments you are listening to and spending time in.

• Monitor bitterness, pride, envy, fear, or unhealthy desires before they take root.

• Build habits that strengthen wisdom, truth, and integrity.

• Get an accountability partner.

Hearts drift when left unguarded. Protection requires awareness and discipline.

3. Your actions flow from your inner condition!

“Everything you do flows from it” describes cause and effect. Thoughts and inner beliefs eventually shape speech, choices, relationships, and direction in life.

The Principle:

• External behavior often reveals internal condition.

• Long-term transformation starts internally, not externally.

• Healthy roots produce healthy fruit.

Takeaway for the day:

Proverbs 4:23 is ultimately about alignment: protect the source (your heart), because the source determines the stream.

Blessings today!