Detoured by Purpose

21/08/2024

Peace and Joy 🌴

15/08/2024

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Peace be still.

10/08/2024

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Keep the faith!

05/08/2024

“Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

31/07/2024

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
‭‭Joshua‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“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 ‭28‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

31/07/2024

YouVersion Bible App (07/31/2024)

Immeasurably More

What’s the boldest prayer you can think to pray? Or the most incredible thing you can dare to imagine?

Did you know that God can top it?

Paul said it like this:

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

You know those quiet dreams in your heart? God put them there. You know that ache for something better than this broken world? God gave you that desire. You know the deepest longings of your soul? God knows how to fulfill them.

Like Paul said, God can do more than we ask or imagine, but we also must remember the second part of his words: according to his power at work within us.

It’s all God’s power and His plan. But He has invited us into it.

So what’s our part in this process?

We can give glory to Him—knowing that it’s Him who gives us the desire and power to do what pleases Him (Philippians 2:13). He created us, loves us, and has entrusted us with sharing His message with the world.

We can submit ourselves to His plan—knowing that it’s all God, but He chooses to work in and through His people to accomplish His purposes. He doesn’t need us to be perfect, He just wants us to be willing.

We can trust Him with the process—knowing that He is good, righteous, worthy, strong, and eternal. We don’t have to know all the answers because we already have Him, and He can do more than we can ask or imagine.

30/07/2024

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Detoured by Purpose is a lifestyle brand where the mission is to encourage individuals to seek God and to live in their God-ordained purpose. This channel is an audio-visual extension of our website blog feature. We will produce devotionals, bible chats, and other content to glorify God and spread t...

07/06/2024

YouVersion Bible App 06/07/2024

The Peace of God for Anxious Hearts

Many of us struggle with anxiety over our future, finances, career, or personal health. Scripture tells us that while there are some things that are within our control, most things in life are outside of our control. So more often than not, we spend time worrying about things that we have no control over.

Scripture tells us that trust in God should fill the gap between reality and what we desire. We should not be anxious about the things we cannot control, but rather we should submit everything to God in prayer. He alone has control over the unknown.

That is why the writer of Psalm 4 says that he will lay down at night in peace, free from anxiety and worry. Even though the writer is surrounded by danger, he places his trust in God. That leads him to sleep peacefully and safely.

Spend some time considering your own heart. Are you anxious or filled with worry? Meditate on God’s power and sovereignty. Ask Him to fill you with His peace and assurance that He is in control of your future. Continually remind yourself of the promises that God has given you in Scripture.

26/03/2024

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09/03/2024

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God is near.

No matter what we face, we can always seek our unchanging God.

We just need to call on Him in truth.

Praying with truth requires recognizing our own brokenness. That means we need to accept and acknowledge that there is nothing we’ve done that makes us worthy of talking to the Creator of the universe.

God draws near to us because He is good, kind, merciful, and humble. And we call on Him in truth when we humbly submit our will to His and genuinely delight in Him.

This doesn’t mean we need to call on Him perfectly—we can’t. We simply need to come as we are, and acknowledge our deep need for His grace, mercy, and love. You don’t need to have your life together. You don’t need to be free from anxiety, depression, or fear. In whatever moment you find yourself, God wants you to honestly and intentionally talk to Him.

And even though we might not always sense that God is near, the Psalms remind us that God will come to anyone who calls out to Him. God’s presence is not reliant on our feelings or our perception of circumstances—He is near whether we realize it or not.

So today, come as you are to the God who loves you. Draw near to God, and allow Him to draw near to you.

15/01/2024

14/01/2024

YouVersion Bible App “Cling to God’s Promises”

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What do you think about?

The thoughts you fill your mind with are crucial because what you cling to influences your worldview.

If you choose to dwell on God’s promises, you start to recognize God’s blessings during uncertain times. Trusting that God will redeem your present pain equips you to walk forward in faith and keep on fighting.

Isaiah 12:2 reminds us that we belong to a God who is faithful to keep His promises. This God rescues us and fights for us. So when we belong to God, we have nothing to fear—all we need to do is cling to God and wait on Him to act.

So as you walk forward today, reflect on some of God’s promises, and let them transform the way you think:

God will sustain you. (Psalm 55:22)

God’s peace will guard your heart. (Philippians 4:7)

God delights over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17)

God will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. (Psalm 32:8)

God is your refuge and strength, your help in times of need. (Psalm 46:1)

In all things, you are more than a conqueror because God loves you. (Romans 8:37)

God will never leave you or forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

God’s perfect love casts out all your fear. (1 John 4:18)

Nothing can separate you from God’s love. (Romans 8:38-39)

God’s not done with you. God’s not done with you. God’s not done with you. (Philippians 1:6)

05/01/2024

Anchored by YouVersion
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If you’ve spent any time on a boat in the ocean, you know what it feels like to look up from the water, and suddenly realize you’ve drifted off course.

Without an anchor, there’s nothing to hold you in place.

Likewise, the ever-shifting waves of the world’s opinions can feel just as fluid and unsteady as the sea. When a storm rages, it can feel impossible to discern what’s up from what’s down—much less recognize God’s will.

In his letter to believers in Rome, where cultural trends were just as wobbly as ours are today, the apostle Paul wrote this:

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So how can you renew your mind with the right stuff? How can you test and approve God’s will? Here are a few ideas:

Keep listening. You can know the story of God and understand the heart of God by reading or listening to His Word. You’re more susceptible to lies when you do not know the truth. But when you’re anchored to Truth, lies lose their power.

Keep talking. As honest and raw as possible, keep talking to God throughout your day. Ask Him your hard questions, come to Him with your burdens, and worship Him for His goodness, as well as the goodness you see around you. Communication with your Creator keeps you anchored to your Creator.

Keep learning. You can stay curious while also filtering what kind of information you put into your mind. You can pay attention to what you’re watching, what you’re listening to, and who you’re allowing to speak into your life.

You can resist drifting by anchoring yourself to the Truth—the words that come from God Himself.

04/08/2023

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Planning Ahead

Think about your upcoming plans for the day, week, year, and beyond.

Maybe you want to start a business.

Maybe you want to raise a family.

Maybe you want to write a book.

Maybe you want to travel the world.

Maybe you want to start a ministry.

Maybe you want to volunteer in your city.

Maybe you want to plant a garden.

Maybe you want to pay off debt.

Scripture tells us …

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭19:21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Making plans isn’t a bad thing. In fact, the Bible tells us that we will harvest what we plant (Galatians 6:7), so we should be diligent—not lazy—to wisely prepare for the future. But we must simultaneously hold those plans loosely, because God knows the full picture of our lives.

God is always working in and through His people, giving them the desire and power to do what pleases Him (Philippians 2:13). But sometimes, we require rerouting. Sometimes what we want isn’t in His plan.

But even when we don’t get what we’ve hoped for, He always has our good and His glory in mind.

Jesus modeled how to surrender His own plans by literally giving His life up for us—for our freedom. And, even though it wasn’t easy, our lives and our futures look different because God’s purpose prevailed.

So today, make a list of some of your plans and dreams. Then hold your hands out in front of you, and visualize giving all of your dreams and plans over to God. Picture all of those plans evaporating from your hands. Then, ask God to show you which plans He wants to give back to you and if there are any new dreams He’s longing for you to receive.



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18/06/2023

Happy Sunday 🌺

We hope you have a blessed and favorable day!

16/06/2023

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Be the Example
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Have you ever felt too young—or too old—to do something important? Too small for a big job? Too inexperienced to contribute something meaningful? Too underqualified to make a real difference?

In the book of 1 Timothy, which is a God-inspired letter from Paul to his “son in the faith,” Timothy, Paul equips and encourages Timothy in things like doctrine, leadership, and living out the ways of God. He writes:

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”
‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

If you’ve ever felt too young, remember that God has purposefully put you here, at this specific time in history. He desires to use your passion, drive, vision, energy, and ideas to magnify His glory. You see things from a unique vantage point, and that is a great thing.

If you’ve ever felt too old, remember that God has purposefully put you here, at this specific time in history. You have grit, wisdom, leadership, and the gift of life experience. You see things from a unique vantage point, and that is a great thing.

You are never too young, or too old, to be used by God.

No matter your age, God has empowered you to love Him and to love others, and to live a life that points people to Him. How can you do that? You can set an example—in the way you talk, in the way you act, in the way you love, in the way you live out your faith, and in your purity.

You can be the example.

You can represent Him.

29/05/2023

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Detoured by Purpose is a lifestyle brand where the mission is to encourage individuals to seek God and to live in their God-ordained purpose. This channel is...

05/05/2023

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How to Combat Pride

“I’m fine.” “I’ve got this.” “It’s my problem—not yours.”

We all want to be known, but sometimes it feels easier to hide behind masks of self-sufficiency. We might tell ourselves that we don’t want to burden others with our problems, but what we’re really saying is that we believe we can (and should) handle everything alone. This may feel self-protective, but it’s a form of pride that isolates and weakens us.

Pride is simply having a view of ourselves and our abilities that doesn’t align with reality. It’s one of the most effective methods the devil uses to isolate us because it makes us believe we’re better off alone.

So how do we combat it? The apostle Peter advises us to “clothe” ourselves in humility (1 Peter 5:5). We do this by caring for others, watching over others, and accepting the authority and wisdom that others offer us (1 Peter 5:1-4). This requires mutual vulnerability, trust, and authenticity.

Treating others with humility teaches us how to respond to Jesus.

Jesus knows what we need, and God wants us to cast our anxieties onto Him—but giving Him our concerns, hurts, hardships, and heartbreaks is an act of vulnerable surrender. We cannot do this unless we first acknowledge our need for Him.

When Peter says to “cast our cares” on God, he’s telling his readers to come openly and honestly to God so that at the proper time, He can deliver them. God opposes anyone who thinks they don’t need Him, but He shows endless grace and love to those who seek Him (1 Peter 5:5).

So take a few moments right now, and reflect on your current concerns. What do you need to bring to God? Visualize handing Him all of your worries, and envision receiving His peace in return.

29/04/2023

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Dying to Live

Dying to ourselves can feel like a bad thing. Most people want to exalt, applaud, and promote themselves.

But in God’s kingdom, dying to ourselves is essential.

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me.”
Galatians 2:20 NIV

A lump of clay cannot become a work of art unless it is shaped into something else. A container of paint cannot be used for a masterpiece unless it is first poured out. A carbon deposit must change in order to become a diamond. A caterpillar must give up its old way of life in order to become a magnificent butterfly.

The invitation to die is actually an invitation to live.

When we give our lives to God, we’re choosing to surrender our plans, our desires, and our gifts. And that can be hard. But we also know there is something better—and Someone better—on the other side.

God can realign our plans, reshape our desires, and repurpose our gifts for His glory.

The apostle Paul, the author of Galatians, knew firsthand the life-changing power of Christ. Christ’s power radically transformed Paul from someone who persecuted believers, into a passionate follower of Jesus.

Because of that experience, Paul knew that the only way to live was by surrendering every area of His life to Christ. And that’s why he invites us to do the same.

Jesus couldn’t have been resurrected without first being crucified—and the same is true for us.

So what do you need to give to Jesus today? What behavior, habit, or thought do you need to “crucify”? Come as you are to Jesus, and give Him permission to transform and renew your life.

01/04/2023

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Choosing Him

Making decisions is hard.

When we attempt to make the perfect decision, we can often find ourselves stuck in indecision. And while we should always prayerfully discern our next steps according to God’s Word and His ways, sometimes we overcomplicate things.

In his first letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul was addressing an issue about food, regarding what they should or shouldn’t eat. So Paul took some of the pressure off Christians by saying:

“So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” ‭‭
1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:31‬ ‭NLT‬‬

While this passage was originally about food, the principle can be applied to any area of life. Whatever choice you make, do it to glorify God. In this way, you will keep your conscience clear.

Whether you’re preparing a meal or making a business deal. Whether you’re playing sports or building houses. Whether you’re leading a team or raising kids. Whether you’re crunching numbers or caring for the vulnerable.

No matter what you do—the core desire should be to love God and love others, and every decision should exemplify that love. So today, ask yourself: Does this decision honor God? Is this choice full of integrity? Can others see His character shining through my life? Will my decisions draw people closer to God, or pull them away from Him?

No matter what situation we’re in, God has given us His Word, His Spirit, and His people to help us discern our next right thing. So when making decisions, let’s seek to honor God to the best of our ability, and then trust Him with our choices.

20/03/2023

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A Heart That Follows God

When we plant apple seeds, we expect an apple tree to grow. It’s the seed and the roots that decide what kind of tree grows in the soil.

Similarly, when we belong to God we expect goodness and righteousness to grow in our lives. It is the fruit of our actions that tells us what kind of seeds we’ve planted.

One of the ways we can identify the work of God in our life is by watching what type of fruit we produce. A sign of a growing and godly life is a heart that desires to live and act in accordance with God’s Word. Only someone who has spent time with God will produce that type of action in their life.

John cautions us to be mindful of what type of fruit our lives produce. When we truly belong to God, and we spend time with Him, our lives will naturally produce goodness and right living.

The goal is not to be prideful about how many good deeds we do, but instead, to cultivate a heart that wants to selflessly do good to others in the name of Jesus. We may not be perfect, but our hearts should desire to follow God.

Take a moment to think about your thoughts and actions over the past week. Do they reflect a heart that has been in a close relationship with God? Think of some steps you can take to create regular rhythms of spending time with God.

20/01/2023

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Daily Surrender

What does it mean to be humble in our relationship with God?

There are three things that the apostle James mentions that can help us: submit to God, resist the devil, and draw near to God.

Submit to God.
Submitting to God means coming under His authority. Rather than living according to our own desires and ways of living, we should submit those things to God and live according to His desires and standards.

In order to truly submit to God, we must first recognize that His ways are better than ours. We must recognize that He knows better than we do. We must also believe that He has our best intentions in mind. He cares for us.

Resist the devil.
The devil desires to keep us from our relationship with God and cause us to stray from God. When we resist him by God’s strength, he will flee from us.

Draw near to God.
The best way to submit to God and resist the devil is to draw close to God in our relationship with Him. Not only does He promise to draw close to us, but He will also give us strength and grace to endure every trial.

Take a moment to think about your own life. Are there parts of your life or plans that you haven’t surrendered to God? Every day is a new opportunity to submit ourselves to God and to draw near to Him. So right now, think of ways you can make these things part of your daily habits.

26/12/2022

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An Abundance of Blessing

Do you pray for God to bless you? We probably spend most of our time in prayer asking for God to bless things in our life, or asking God for things that we need. And we should. Jesus even tells us we should.

We know that all good things come from God. That means that we don’t truly own anything we possess. It is all a gift from God and ultimately should be used for Him. All of our money, talents, and resources are opportunities to give back to God and others.

2 Corinthians 9:8 says that God is able to abundantly bless those who are generous in using their time and resources to do good things for others. This verse isn’t saying that God will bless us unconditionally. The two verses before this one, in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, talk about how we should be cheerful givers in everything we do.

Paul is saying that God blesses us—not so we might have comfortable lives—but so that we would be selfless in giving back to God and others.

There are many ways that we can give back to God and others. We can start by regularly tithing to our local church, which is an investment in the kingdom work God is doing through local believers. We can give generously to those who are in financial need. We can also be generous with our time, talents, resources, and anything else we can use to serve God and serve others.

Next time you pray for God to bless you, take some time first to think about how you are helping others. If giving feels more like an obligation and not like an opportunity, consider how you can take steps to change that perspective and give regularly. And then—watch how God blesses you as a result of your joyful generosity.

11/12/2022

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Worship With Joy

Worship is the act of praising God for who He is and what He has done for us. Throughout Scripture, the act of worship is a central act of the Christian life.

As Christians, we have received so much from God. Through Jesus we have received salvation and grace. We now have a new life in Christ and we’re secure for eternity. All of this has been given to us freely.

Our response back to God for all of these things should be worship. Praising Him for His goodness and mercy, and thanking Him for the things He has done for us.

We often think of worship as singing songs to God. And within this form of worship, we can do things like clap our hands, pray to God, or raise our hands in awe of Him.

But, singing songs is not the only form of worship. We can worship God in every area of our life. We worship God through prayer and gratitude. We can also worship God by being in awe of nature and His creation.

As the writer of Psalm 47 says, shouting out to God and worshiping God comes from the joy within our heart. As we consider the greatness and goodness of God, as well as everything He has given us, we worship Him out of the joy within us.

Take some time today to intentionally worship God. You can begin by thanking Him for His faithfulness and goodness, or any of His other attributes. Express your gratitude for the things He has done in your life and the things He’s given you. Find a place in nature where you can sit in awe of God’s creation. And next time you worship God through singing, clap and dance to express the joy in your heart.

28/11/2022

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Fulfillment of God’s Promises -

In the Old Testament, while the nation of Israel was scattered across the land in exile for their disobedience, God was still actively working through the prophets to speak to His people. And in Isaiah 40, God tells Isaiah to comfort the people because God will return to save them.

The people of God were called to prepare themselves for the return of the Lord. It was foretold that there would be a prophet who would lead the way for God in the midst of the wilderness.

This wilderness imagery is important because God had previously led His people out of Egypt through the wilderness. This was the place of God’s great deliverance of Israel, and also the place of God’s next great deliverance. The nation of Israel looked forward to the day when God would return to lead them again.

In Matthew 3:3, we find Isaiah 40:3 quoted as John the Baptist is in the wilderness preparing the people of God for the coming of Jesus. John is the voice calling out, asking the people to turn from their ways and prepare for the coming King.

Jesus arrives after John the Baptist and begins to announce the arrival of the Kingdom of God. The long-awaited promises of God from Isaiah and the other prophets are fulfilled in the ministry of Jesus.

When we read Isaiah and the Gospels together, we learn how God continues to be faithful to His people. He follows through on His promises. He doesn’t leave His people, but rather He makes a path through the wilderness to bring them new life.

Take some time to think about your own life. Consider how God has been faithful to you. He made a way to bring you into a relationship with Him. And He will continue to be gracious and faithful to follow through on His promises to you.

26/11/2022

A reminder. Happy Sunday

26/11/2022

26/11/2022

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A Prayer of Blessing

The Old Testament is full of various types of prayers. There are prayers of blessings, which requests good on someone’s behalf, and prayers of vindication, which seeks harm for someone who does something unjust. Numbers 6:24-26 is a specific prayer of blessing that was said on Aaron’s behalf, as he was the priest for the nation of Israel.

This blessing represents an ideal condition for someone who follows God. The first part of the blessing is for protection. Because God is all-powerful, He is our ultimate Protector. He is the only one who can truly protect us from evil.

The second part is a prayer for grace from God. For God’s face to shine upon someone is for the favor of God to be on them. But for this to happen, we need to be in relationship with God. We ought to spend time with God each day learning from Him and receiving grace from Him through His Spirit.

The last part of the blessing is for God’s face to turn towards us. This means that God is looking out for our good. When God is watching over us, protecting us, and giving us the gift of His presence, we can truly be at peace. There is nothing we can do to earn God’s favor because He gives it freely.

The primary way that God blesses us today is through a relationship with Jesus. When we have faith in Jesus, our future is eternally secure in Him. After we begin a relationship with Jesus, the Holy Spirit lives within us and empowers our new life. God’s grace, favor, and protection are all available to us.

Take some time to pray this prayer of blessing from the book of Numbers over yourself. Then pray this prayer over someone else. Thank God for His favor on your life and the gift of salvation. Thank Him for being your protector and provider through every season of your life.

20/11/2022