Drinking The Cup

by Curt Dodd on September 15th, 2025

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42) I want to talk to you today about what it means to drink the cup that is the will of God for your life. Each of us is given a metaphorical cup by God, and this cup is a representation of God’s will, plan, and purpose for your life. And it is our responsibility as followers of Jesus to drink from... Read More

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Don’t Worship Your Pastor

by Curt Dodd on September 14th, 2025

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!” Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll... Read More

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Don’t Shy Away From Shedding Tears

by Curt Dodd on September 13th, 2025

You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? – Psalm 56:8 When is the last time you shed tears and shared them with other people? You didn't do it for an act; they just came. Tears say, “I care.” Don't think that the Christian life has to be lived without tears. Don't think that for a moment. Tears are very important. As one person said, “Tears are t... Read More

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Don’t Miss Out

by Curt Dodd on September 12th, 2025

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (John 1:10-13) When Jes... Read More

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Don’t Let Your Love Grow Cold

by Curt Dodd on September 11th, 2025

“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” – Matthew 24:9-12 In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus is talking to Hi... Read More

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Don’t Forget

by Curt Dodd on September 10th, 2025

“My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me. I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam. My people, remember what Balak king of Moab plotted and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.” – Micah 6:3-5 It’... Read More

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Ready for Their Questions

by Curt Dodd on September 9th, 2025

"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." (1 Peter 3:15) Have you noticed that people ask the deepest questions during their most difficult seasons? When the unexpected happens - job loss, illness, relationship breakdown, natural disasters - sudden... Read More

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Don’t Be Discouraged In Waiting For Your Miracle

by Curt Dodd on September 8th, 2025

“As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Two blind me were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!’ The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!’” – Matthew 20:29-31 As another year comes to an end, mos... Read More

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Don’t Abuse Your Free Will

by Curt Dodd on September 7th, 2025

“Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,” (Matthew 24:12) One gift that God has given you as a human being is free will. Because He has given you free will, God will never make you do something. He will not force you to do something, even if the thing you’re going to do is not what He wants you to do. He will abide by your personal will. However, God allows you t... Read More

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Don’t Stay On The Sidelines

by Curt Dodd on September 6th, 2025

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. (1 Corinthians 9:24) If you’ve ever played sports, you know how frustrating and almost painful it can be to be stuck on the sidelines when you want to be playing in the game. No one wants to get benched. Everyone wants a piece of the action. They want to be contributing to aid the t... Read More

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Do You Need To Get Up?

by Curt Dodd on September 5th, 2025

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. – 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 There are a lot of peo... Read More

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Do You Love The World Or Do You Love The Lord?

by Curt Dodd on September 4th, 2025

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” – 1 John 2:15-17 Yesterday we talked about the different... Read More

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Do You Love God’s Word and His People?

by Curt Dodd on September 3rd, 2025

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. – 1 John 5:13 John wrote his three epistles so that you and I could know without a shadow of a doubt that we know Jesus, we understand the gospel, and we have a personal relationship with our Savior. If you read through first John, the author gives us seven questions to answer. T... Read More

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Our Real Enemy

by Curt Dodd on September 2nd, 2025

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12) I was watching the news the other night, and I found myself getting frustrated with all the political division and chaos in our world. I started thinking about all the people I disag... Read More

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Do You Live for the World or for God?

by Curt Dodd on September 1st, 2025

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. – 1 John 5:13 Yesterday, we started talking about the seven questions we can derive from John’s first epistle to see where we are in our relationship with Jesus. If you missed yesterday’s devotional, I would encourage you to go back and read it. But for now, we’re going to ask th... Read More

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Do Angels Exist?

by Curt Dodd on August 31st, 2025

“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” - Hebrews 1:14 Have you ever wondered if angels exist? Or, taking it one step further, have you ever had an encounter with someone and wondered if the person was actually an angel? Many of us, because this issue is extremely subjective and experiential, have a tendency to not really talk about it much. Howeve... Read More

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Diving Into God’s Word

by Curt Dodd on August 30th, 2025

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) As you pursue Jesus and grow in your relationship with Him, the enemy is going to use whatever he can in this world to try to deceive you and steer you down the wrong path. That ... Read More

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Distraction-Free Time

by Curt Dodd on August 29th, 2025

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:6) The world we live in is filled with distractions. Everywhere we look, something or someone is begging for our attention. Our phones are constantly buzzing. The TV is chattering in the background. Our desks at work are covered in to-do l... Read More

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Did God Really Say That?

by Curt Dodd on August 28th, 2025

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You wi... Read More

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Dealing With Doubt

by Curt Dodd on August 27th, 2025

“If you can, will you heal him?” Jesus says, “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:23-24) Yesterday, we talked about what it looks like to pray in faith. Praying big prayers can be scary, especially when what you’re asking for seems impossible. But we serve a big God ... Read More

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Demolishing Strongholds

by Curt Dodd on August 26th, 2025

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5) A few years ago, I was talking with a church member who was struggling with an addiction. He s... Read More

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Craving Spiritual Milk

by Curt Dodd on August 25th, 2025

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. – 1 Peter 2:2-3 As we look at today’s key Scripture passage, we see there is an analogy of being a child and having a desire for spiritual milk. The Scripture says, “Like newborn babies.” There is an interesting word used here in this passage, and that w... Read More

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Conversion and Conversation

by Curt Dodd on August 24th, 2025

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. (Romans 10:9-10) There are two things that need to be true of your life in order to truly know the Lord. The first is that you must have ... Read More

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Control Your Heart

by Curt Dodd on August 23rd, 2025

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (Proverbs 4:23) When there is trouble in your life and my life, we have a tendency to focus on that. We think we can work through it by mental-emotional gyrations. We dream about it, talk to our friends about it, and dwell on it. We devote a lot of verbiage to it. Because we are worrying about it, Jesus is saying, “Don't let y... Read More

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Connection To A Burden

by Curt Dodd on August 22nd, 2025

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. – James 5:16-17 Have you ever listened to someone pray and thought, “Wow, that was a power-packed pr... Read More

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Confidence and Calling

by Curt Dodd on August 21st, 2025

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. – James 5:16-17 Yesterday, we began talking about how to pray powerful prayers. We discussed how the... Read More

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Commitment To The Church

by Curt Dodd on August 20th, 2025

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:10) If it was important for Jesus to identify with the local church and partner with them, don't you think it is important for you too? Many people, especially in our culture today, are faithful attendees. However, there is no commitment to a particular local church... Read More

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First Yourself, Then Your Gift

by Curt Dodd on August 19th, 2025

And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. (2 Corinthians 8:5) My wife asked about a friend we hadn't seen in years. "Whatever happened to that jacket he borrowed?" I laughed. "You know, I completely forgot until now. I guess I'll never see it again." Notice how differently we feel about things based on who has them. W... Read More

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Coming Home

by Curt Dodd on August 18th, 2025

But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. – Luke 15:32 I grew up in a family where I had three sisters, one who was nine years older than me, and two who were younger. After I got saved, I shared Jesus with my sisters because I wanted them all to know Christ. The sad story was that one of my little sisters got involve... Read More

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Christ The Solid Rock

by Curt Dodd on August 17th, 2025

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your path. – Proverbs 3:5-6 Let me tell you a story about Edward Mote. He is not a household name today. He was a cabinet maker by trade, who was born into a family of tavern owners in the late 1700’s. His family lineage was alcohol, but at age 15, he came to fait... Read More

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Choosing Joy In The Midst of Worry

by Curt Dodd on August 16th, 2025

“Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:4-7 Everyone has something they’... Read More

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Choose To Be Faithful

by Curt Dodd on August 15th, 2025

Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Revelation 2:10) Difficult seasons will come in your life without a doubt. There’s no avoiding them. You might face seasons that are difficult physically, financial... Read More

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Changed By Christ

by Curt Dodd on August 14th, 2025

“But it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I h... Read More

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Celebrate God’s Provision

by Curt Dodd on August 13th, 2025

“Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath p... Read More

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Walking Unaware

by Curt Dodd on August 12th, 2025

Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. (Luke 24:13-16) Have you ever looked back on a difficult season and suddenly ... Read More

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Busyness and Intimacy

by Curt Dodd on August 11th, 2025

I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. (Revelation 2:19) Do you find yourself serving God more than you spend time with Him? Do you often get so busy doing things for the Kingdom that you fail to make time to sit with the King? It is possible for a church or a believer to be so full of activity and service th... Read More

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Bought Back

by Curt Dodd on August 10th, 2025

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) Let me tell you a story about a little boy, years and years ago. The boy made a little small sailboat. He worked on it and worked on it. He painted it and put little sails on it. He made it his very own. Finally, the day came when he went to a huge ... Read More

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Boldly Standing For Christ

by Curt Dodd on August 9th, 2025

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20) I used to love to snow ski. One time,... Read More

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Blaming Others Is Not The Answer

by Curt Dodd on August 8th, 2025

“Then the man and his life heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’ He answered, ‘I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.’ And he said, ‘Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree tha... Read More

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Big Responsibilities

by Curt Dodd on August 7th, 2025

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) Regardless of where you are in life right now, odds are you have a large responsibility. If you are a student, you have a responsibility to con... Read More

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