Instagram story viewer> @kylelance> Tagged

Kyle Lance

@kylelance

1.4K

followers

1761

following

Jesus loves you!
Proverbs 17:22
@daybreakdevotion
Avid Disney Lover
You are loved!

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

“By the Word of the Lord, the heavens were made, and all the stars by the breath of His mouth.” – Psalm 33:6

Many kids experience awe at some point in their childhood. Their first trip to Disney World, their first glance at a Toys “R” Us, or the joy of watching bubbles float through the air. There’s just something special about seeing that sense of awe and wonder in someone’s eyes.

When I was a kid, I consistently found that awe and wonder in a TV show: Scooby-Doo: Where Are You? It captivated my attention, kept me guessing, and always left 4 year old me (and subsequently 31 year old me) with that feeling of awestruck wonder.

Think about what brought you that feeling when you were younger and what brings you that feeling today. Go outside and simply look at His creation. In the midst of everything happening around us, rest in the peace of His majesty. Rest in His radiance, His mercy, and His grace.

And find a mirror, too. Look at those around you, because just like the sun and the skies, you were created by the same God, with intention and Kingdom-revealing purpose. You are a precious, intricately crafted creation, and people can see that wonder in who you are. They see your quirks, your nuances, and the things that make you different. And the source of the hope, love, and light you carry is Jesus.

In this world, be the light that the darkness cannot overcome. Be the hope that others can cling to. Be the confidence that cannot be shaken. Be the creation of God that you are, and stand firm in knowing that He will continue to leave others in awe and wonder through His creation, His Word, and you.

6

0

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9

I struggle with trying to be perfect. Perfect in every big decision, every small decision, in my relationships with others, in every single area of my life. But a realization continues to hit me, and I wanted to share it with you this morning: We will never be perfect. We are flawed, sinful individuals who are going to fail, who are going to mess up, and that is okay, because it reminds us of our desperate need for a Savior every single day.

I’m learning that we don’t have to earn His love through perfection or how well we look the part. His grace meets us in our weakness, and He knows us better than we know ourselves because He created us and has never left our side.

The only perfect individual who will ever live is King Jesus. So I continue to put my faith and trust in Him, knowing He comes for the broken, the sick, the hurting, and the imperfect, because that’s what we all are. We don’t have to have it all together to come before Him. His grace is sufficient, even when we fall short.

Let us lay our insecurities, every circumstance, our desire for control, and every doubt and anxiety at His feet. Let’s stop striving for a perfection we will never attain and start resting in the grace that has already been extended to us. May He turn our weaknesses into reminders of His strength and our surrender into opportunities to shine His light into the darkness.

Hallelujah.

6

0

“Then they spit in His face and struck Him; others slapped Him.” — Matthew 26:67

Rejection.

I was 4 years old at Disney World (I have a lot of stories from this trip). I was so giddy to ride the Tower of Terror, ready to experience the thrill, until I was told I wasn’t tall enough to ride it. I was upset, and I had experienced one of my first encounters with rejection.

Maybe you had a similar experience in your life. Maybe you still face rejection today, like so many of us do. Or maybe you live with that fear of rejection, even when it hasn’t happened yet. We feel like we cannot measure up to the world’s standards, that we won’t fit in with the people we want to fit in with, that we don’t look the part, or that we are a burden to those around us.

And then I take one look at this passage.

Our Savior, beaten, scorned, spat on, mocked, and rejected, even by those who refused to recognize Him as Lord and Savior, and yet, He gave His life for them.

That unconditional, unrelenting love doesn’t enhance our fear of rejection, it destroys it.

You see, Jesus invites us to bring our fear of rejection, our doubts, our scars, and our hurts before Him. He doesn’t demand that we become who we think we need to be before we come to Him. He wants us as we are, always.

So this morning, bring all of those things before the Father, before the King who gave His life for you and me, for every single person around us. Open up your heart this morning and watch panic, fear, and chains fall at the mention of His name.

You don’t belong to those fears. You belong to Him.

Hallelujah.

5

0

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” — Jeremiah 33:3

What if we woke up this morning with only what we thanked God for yesterday?

You see, so often we can treat prayer like a lifeline on a game show, something we reach for only when we’re in a desperate situation. We can take prayer for granted, and I know I’ve been guilty of this many times myself.

But we must remember what happens when we pray.

When we pray, we invite God into our circumstances. We experience His presence, find peace in His promises, grow in trust, learn to surrender, and discover joy in His faithfulness. We pray for healing, miracles, breakthrough, and life change, trusting that even when the answer looks different than we expected, our God is still working.

Because we’re talking to the God of miracles. The Provider. The Protector. The Physician. Yahweh.

He is worthy of our devotion, our gratitude, our praise, and our worship. Prayer was never meant to be just another item on our to-do list. It is an invitation to draw near to the Father, and it should become our first instinct rather than our last resort.

So, spend some time with the Father this morning. Thank Him for the blessings He has graciously given you. Thank Him for the people He has placed in your life and for the opportunities still to come. Bring Him your worries, your hopes, your questions, and your praise.

Give Him the honor and glory for all He has done, all He is doing, and all He will continue to do.

Before you rush into everything this day holds, take a moment to remember the One who holds it all.

Make prayer your first response today.

3

0

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:”- Ecclesiastes 3:1

They say the best things in life are worth waiting for, right? Whether that be marriage, having kids, agonizingly waiting for the final season of Stranger Things like we did, there are sometimes when waiting can be hard, but sometimes that thing you’re waiting on is a funnel cake.

Several years ago, at an event for the 4th of July, I got in line for this incredible delicacy. One catch though, it took me over an hour to get to the front of the line and secure the funnel cake. But in the waiting, I met some people was standing in line with, Josh and Lauren, a couple from Spartanburg, South Carolina. I got to know them, strike up conversation about how they met, their livelihoods, and their story.

And in that hour as we moved slowly but surely through that line, I wasn’t worried about time, or hurrying through, I was right where I needed to be. How often do we get like that in our lives? We feel like we have to hurry into a season, a relationship, that new place, get a job, and move into life faster than we are ready for.

This morning, remember we are right where we need to be. We aren’t behind, we aren’t early, we are exactly where His plans for us have brought us to. We are in the season, the place, the community we are in for a purpose, His purpose, His glory, His name to be known. So don’t wish away time, don’t feel like you have to make it all happen right now, take time to bring your heart to peace, and trust in where you are going because the Lord will be right by our side in this day, this season and every moment and breath to come.

Welcome the interactions with strangers, the people you are walking through this season with and everything in between, don’t let time pass you by, enjoy today, where He has you, not where your mind thinks you have to be.

5

0

“But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him: The LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.” — 1 Samuel 16:7

October 19th, you know what that means: We sit only 12 days away from Halloween.

It’s fun seeing people dress up as Minecraft monsters, Buzz Lightyear, space cowboys, and even the occasional spooky skeleton. Why am I talking about Halloween, though? Because that’s the one day we are supposed to wear a costume, but how many of us are stuck in one of our own design right now?

How many of us are trying to be someone we are not to appease others? How many of us are going through the motions with God and trying to play the part instead of having an actual relationship with Him?

I have been guilty of both at one point or another. I think it’s easy to forget who created us sometimes, with social media demanding attention and trying to fit in with those we love.

We have to remember that God created us with purpose, with intent, to glorify Him. We were not created to seek the approval of the world; we were created to worship the King.

He is not moved by perfection or how well we look the part. He is our Creator who knows our hearts, who knows what we will bring to Him in prayer before we even ask. He wants us as we are, not as we want to be.

Let us be surrendered to His ways and trust Him daily, not just when we need Him most. Let us love our Father the way He loves us, unconditionally, and let us put the costumes we put on away.

Let us be who He created us to be: Authentically, unashamedly, His.

Hallelujah.

4

0

“Do everything in love.”- 1 Corinthians 16:14

If today was our last day here in earth, how would we spend it? Would we try to take our wrongs and make them right? Would we try to do all the things on our bucket list in a day? Would we spend it with the ones we love? See, that is a reality we face daily, and there is a sad tragedy within it. So many are leaving this earth daily without a relationship with Jesus. So many are leaving without knowing there is a Savior that died for them, who loves them, who is with them in every season and who gave His life for the weight of our sin. Let us take urgency with our words and actions, we never know who may be watching us, who may need encouragement from us, who may need to see Jesus through our lives as a testimony. And it doesn’t stop there. For those we know, for those we love, tell them you love them, tell them how much they mean to you and how they have impacted your life. Cherish the moments you get to spend with them, hold them close, and thank the Lord for all that He has done and will continue to do. I am so thankful to be able to do life with you and see you continue to accomplish things, grow and step in who God has made you to be. Go out there and encourage someone today, tell those around you that you love them because tomorrow is never promised.

5

0

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”— Psalm 27:14

Mobile ordering, it has become the new way life when it comes to ordering food. Whether it’s Chick-fil-A, Taco Bell, Zaxby’s, Chipotle, Moe’s, McDonald’s, you name it, we can order food right from our phones and have it ready within minutes.

But how many of us treat prayer like a mobile order? I know I’ve been there. I pray for something and expect God to answer within minutes, when in reality, that prayer may take a decade to be answered. If we were explicitly told that we would have to wait that long for a prayer to be answered, would we still faithfully pray that same prayer?

We live in a society that prioritizes instant gratification, but our relationship with God calls us to trust Him even when we don’t see immediate results. Prayer isn’t about placing an order and expecting God to deliver on our schedule. It’s about continuing to seek Him, even when we don’t know how long we’ll have to wait.

But what happens when the answer doesn’t come when we want it to, or when God’s answer looks different from what we prayed for? Will we still trust Him? Will we remain faithful even when we don’t understand what He’s doing?

Waiting on God doesn’t mean He’s forgotten you, and an unexpected answer doesn’t mean He’s abandoned you. We may not always understand His timing or His plan, but we can continue to seek Him and trust His heart through it all.

Whatever you’ve been praying for, don’t give up on seeking God simply because you haven’t received the answer you hoped for. Be faithful in the waiting, trust Him when the answer is different than expected, and remember that our faith isn’t dependent on getting the answer we want, but on trusting the One to whom we pray.

3

0

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”- 2 Peter 3:18

A few years ago, I planted a rose bush in my front yard. I was hopeful and eager to see what it could grow into, and a few months later we have our result: A blossoming rose bush in bloom. Now, I’m not a gardening expert by any means, but I knew I would have to nurture it and give it proper care for it to grow. Maybe you’ve tried your hand at gardening, an indoor or outdoor plant, and had the same task, but for something to grow, you have to give it proper care and attention. How many of us have let our daily walk with God go unattended? Are we nurturing other areas of our lives, but not our relationship with Jesus? I know I have been in seasons where that is my reality. In those seasons, I kept looking for God to show up when I’m not giving Him the proper time He is worthy of, and letting His word, His truth and His love grow me. Peter’s words here are a charge, to continue growing in Christ, to continue seeking wisdom, truth, hope in Jesus’ name, by giving Him time in pursuit, in prayer, in worship, in all that we do. So let us do that, let us be a generation that relentlessly pursues the Lord. Let us surrender to Him, watch Him grow us from within and watch Him grow those around you too, pray for growth in their life, push them to Jesus, push them to grow, and watch it spread all around us like wildfire. Let our relationship with Jesus always be in bloom, not something we plant every now and again and simply hope for the best. Nurture it, give it time, and see what God will continue to do in our lives.

3

0

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”- Galatians 2:20

When you think of the word “Surrender”, what comes to mind? The song by Cheap Trick from 1978? Giving up your hiding spot in hide and seek when you were a kid? Surrendering to the desire for coffee? Whatever the case may be, let’s talk about surrender in a different light. What does surrender to God look like? That means giving up our wants and desires in favor of His plans for our life. It is surrendering to a call on your life in ministry, to be a nurse, a teacher, a mechanic, wherever He calls us. It means laying down our insecurities, our failures, our hurts, our doubts and fears at His feet and giving it all to Him. Surrender to God and His will is not 50%, 5% or even 99.9%, it is 100%, unconditional, trusting surrender. So this morning, whatever we may be holding onto, let’s lay it down, let us surrender to the One who knows what we are facing before we even encounter it. Surrender to what He has for us today, tomorrow and every single moment.

3

0

“On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable.” - 1 Corinthians 12:22

One of my favorite musicals/movies of all time is Wicked. I won’t put a whole plot synopsis and recap here, but I want to focus on the character of Elphaba. Growing up, she is cast aside and lives in the shadow of her younger sister, Nessarose. She feels unloved, unwanted, and like a burden. Elphaba is constantly fighting for attention, affection, recognition, and to feel loved.

How many times have we been in a similar spot to her? Wanting to feel validated, appreciated, seen, heard, valued, and reminded that we matter. Wanting to feel loved without having to compare our lives to everyone around us.

It’s easy to fall into that comparison trap, but remember this today: Comparison is the thief of joy. There aren’t 10 versions of you out there roaming the earth, not even two. There is only one you, fashioned for this time and this life we have been given. The beauty is that you were created with purpose, with love, and with intention by a Creator who knitted you together intimately. His love for you never wavers and never changes. His love is steadfast, eternal, and will always be with you.

In 1 Corinthians 12:22, Paul reminds us that the parts of the body that seem weaker are indispensable. Just because you feel overlooked, less important, or like you don’t measure up to someone else doesn’t mean you don’t matter. You don’t have to be the loudest voice in the room, receive the most recognition, or have someone else’s gifts to make a difference.

Elphaba’s story reminds us that our perception of ourselves doesn’t always reflect our significance. Don’t let comparison convince you that you’re less than someone else, and don’t let feeling unwanted make you forget that you are deeply loved by the Creator who made you.

You don’t have to try to be someone else to have a meaningful place in God’s story. Stop measuring your worth against someone else’s, embrace who God created you to be, and remember that you are loved, you are valued, and you matter. You may not see how all the pieces of your story fit together yet, but trust the Author who is still writing it.

5

2

“So then, this is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.”- Matthew 6:9

A few years ago, my friend Brandon and I had a season of intense prayer. We would have nights where we would each pray for extended periods of time, sometimes one of us would fall asleep while the other one was praying, but I wanted to focus on a key aspect today: His Name. Elohim, El Shaddai (God Almighty), Yahweh, Jireh, Prince Of Peace, Protector, the Physician, Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father, Emmanuel, Abba. Each Name of the Father revealing a different part of His character, of His nature, of His love, of His power. In that season, we would call Him by these names in prayer, and we discovered more about His nature with every passing day. The more we learn about someone, the closer to them we become, the same thing applies to our relationship with God. What Name of our Father is on your heart today? In this season, who is our Lord to you? Your Redeemer? Your Healer? Choose a name of God from scripture today and worship Him for being that in your life. I pray we never lose the wonder and awe of our God, His names say it all.

5

0