Tag: Be Present

Day 5 :: Living Stone of FAITH

Join us for the 12 Day YMCA Devotion Series – LIVING STONES: LEAD, CARE AND SERVE LIKE JESUS

How can we be ‘like Living Stones’ used by God to strengthen the presence of Christ where we lead?

Recently, 24 YMCA leaders with the OnPrinciple program visited 12 places throughout the Holy Land where Jesus taught about how to live and lead in God’s kingdom.

From this experience comes 12 spiritual leadership principles – or Living Stones – (inspired by 1Peter 2:4-5) that Christ-followers can embody as we are being built up to lead, care and serve everyone, like Jesus.

by Bruce Jeffery, Vice President of Community Action in YMCA of Greater Cincinnati

When Jesus showed up that night to the disciples walking on the water while they were in the boat, what was going through his mind about testing their faith? 

Jesus set an amazing example for his disciples, leading by faith through his belief that his Father in Heaven would protect him while walking on the water.

Jesus’ leadership shows us that stretching your faith in God is a crucial test we must all endure on this journey.

I think one way our faith is often tested is when we wrestle with turning over a situation or idea to God, and trusting that if it’s his will, believing it’s already done.

Not long ago I was in a boat on the sea of Galilee, and I couldn’t help to have many real-life fears. 

As a non-swimmer, I had the fear of, “Will the boat tip over?” “Will there be a storm like in the Bible to come while we are on the boat?”

Any number of thoughts came across my mind until I really sat and thought, “This is what the disciples felt.”

As I remember being in that boat, it’s powerful to imagine what it would have been like to see Jesus walk up towards the boat and calls to one of his disciples to test his faith.

While we were on the boat in Galilee listening to this Gospel story being read, it hit me, “Keep my eyes on Christ and there is nothing to be afraid of.”

Would I have been as courageous as Peter to step out of the boat? 

The story tells us that as the storm got worse, Peter took his eyes off Jesus and immediately began to sink.

I believe all of our faith has and will be tested, whether you are a seasoned Christian or someone who has just committed themselves to Christ.

Will we courageously accept the testing of our faith?

Or, will we lose sight of what Christ is doing in us and for us?

Would you pray with me? 

Dear God, forgive me for losing faith in you at times. I know that you are God and trust that what you’re doing in my life is for me. Help me to keep my eyes focused on Jesus Christ through the storm and strengthen me to be a living stone as I seek you more and more every day. Amen.

“They cried out because they all saw him and were terrified.

Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed,”

Gospel according to Mark, 6.50-51

This YMCA devotion series brought to you by onPrinciple – click here to learn more about it – a new leadership development program to strengthen the presence of Christ in the YMCA

Click here for the entire devotion series as a downloadable PDF booklet.

Click here to access entire devotion series on YouVersion

Day 4 :: Living Stone of HONESTY

Join us for the 12 Day YMCA Devotion Series – LIVING STONES: LEAD, CARE AND SERVE LIKE JESUS

How can we be ‘like Living Stones’ used by God to strengthen the presence of Christ where we lead?

Recently, 24 YMCA leaders with the OnPrinciple program visited 12 places throughout the Holy Land where Jesus taught about how to live and lead in God’s kingdom.

From this experience comes 12 spiritual leadership principles – or Living Stones – (inspired by 1Peter 2:4-5) that Christ-followers can embody as we are being built up to lead, care and serve everyone, like Jesus.

by Mike Bussey, Board Chair with Friends of the Jerusalem International YMCA

Having lived and worked in Nazareth for two years as a YMCA World Service worker, I often worshiped in Jesus’ home synagogue. 

It’s easy for me to reflect on what it must have been like in Nazareth when Jesus returned home following an extraordinary series of events in his life and new ministry.

Just months before, he had been baptized in the Jordan River, the heavens had opened, the Holy Spirit had descended on him, and he heard his Father’s voice say, ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you, I am well pleased.’

He was then led by the Holy Spirit into the Judean Wilderness where he endured forty days of fasting, prayer, and temptations, and then on to Galilee to begin His public ministry. 

News of his preaching and miracles spread throughout the region.

During all that was happening, Jesus must have looked forward to returning to his hometown to rest and for the opportunity to worship in His home synagogue.

As it turned out, the joy of returning to Nazareth soon turned into confrontation as his home  community questioned His legitimacy as He boldly read from the book of Isaiah, authentically proclaiming, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’

Nazarenes had known Jesus for nearly 30 years, most recently as a carpenter, and couldn’t understand what had changed since he’d left home just months before.

Was he being honest about his proclamation that the scripture had been fulfilled?

What had changed in Jesus’ life?

He had been filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered by his Father to honestly proclaim the kingdom of God, even if it meant creating discomfort among his friends and family.

As followers of Jesus, we have the same Holy Spirit dwelling in us, empowering us to spread the good news and to love and lead honestly and authentically like Jesus, even amidst opposition from those closest to us.

What kind of honesty is the Holy Spirit requiring of you as you seek to live and lead like Jesus in today’s world?

Pray with me: God, we thank you that you sent your same Holy Spirit to us so that we may fully and honestly be your people, authentic living stones wherever you call us to serve, like Jesus.

“Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.

He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.

He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom.

He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him.

Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.””

Gospel according to Luke, 4.14-19

This YMCA devotion series brought to you by onPrinciple – click here to learn more about it – a new leadership development program to strengthen the presence of Christ in the YMCA

Click here for the entire devotion series as a downloadable PDF booklet.

Click here to access entire devotion series on YouVersion

Caring Like Jesus Where You Lead: Join the YMCA Online Devotion Series

How can we be ‘like Living Stones’ used by God to strengthen the presence of Christ where we lead?

Recently, 24 YMCA leaders with the onPrinciple program visited 12 places throughout the Holy Land where Jesus taught about how to live and lead in God’s kingdom.

From this experience comes 12 spiritual leadership principles – or Living Stones – (inspired by 1Peter 2:4-5) that Christ-followers can embody as we are being built up to lead, care and serve everyone, like Jesus.

You are welcome to join me for this 12 day spiritual journey – click here for the whole series!

If you’ve been looking for a new kind of devotion, or needing to get restarted in spiritual reflection, you’ll enjoy these short and encouraging meditations on being in the Holy Land, standing and walking where Jesus lived, and how that shapes our lives today, here.

You can subscribe to these devotions and receive them as an email by going to to timhallman.org and enter your email address into the subscribe box.

At timhallman.org you can also find a link to access the devotions through YouVersion or a downloadable PDF booklet; it was originally published on Pentecost Sunday 2021.

Download the YouVersion app and search for Living Stones devotional or click here if you already use it

The YMCA devotion series is inspired by the writings of Saint Peter, and his urging Christians to imitate Christ as we are built up into a holy and sacrificial calling to love, care and serve those God puts in our life where you lead at work, home and in the community.

“As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like Living Stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

1Peter 2:4-5
Click here for downloadable PDF