Faith Builders Devotional

Daily Devotional

April 12 - April 18 2026

Apr12

Sheep Or Goat?

Matt 25:32
32	All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. NKJV Coming from America, we learn to be quite individualistic. We are less into being a group and more into following the American dream of being successful, have a nice place to live, nice family, good job, and so forth. In Japan, I have noticed the people from the Kansai (Osaka) area are more individualistic than the Kanto (Tokyo) area. Being individualistic, it is easy to forget a lot, as you tend to be pretty focused on self. That is especially true if you don’t know the Messiah. We tend to want to do our own thing and not really be limited by the people and sometimes even the authorities around us. We have to realize that good or evil we will all be judged. In the Word, there are a couple of different types of judgments. We see this in Matthew 21:35-46, the Judgment of the nations, and another judgment in Revelations 20:11-15, the Judgment of the wicked. As an American raised on a farm, I find it quite interesting that Jesus talks about sheep and goats. If you have ever raised these animals you will can really see why he chose to explain using these two animals. Goats are wonderful animals. From elementary school in Oregon, I raised them for milk, sold the baby goats for money, and had a wonderful time showing them at the county and state fairs. My older brother and sister raised horses, but I noticed that horses were not as profitable. As a matter of fact, horses were great to ride but required a lot more food and attention as they were bigger animals. There are many types of goats. I had goats called Nubian goats with long floppy ears that evidently originated from Egypt, as well as Alpine goats with ears that stand up, that are originally from the Alps mountain areas of Europe. I even had goats that had no ears at all called LaManche goats, that I researched as originating from Spain. I learned many things from taking care of these animals. Goats are smart, but they are almost too smart as they tend to always get themselves in trouble. They chewed away at fences, learned to wiggle through their pens, chewed bark off trees in their pastures, and in some cases even figured out how to open latches. If they left the security or their barn and their field, there was a danger that they could get attacked by other animals, such as dogs or raccoons and the like. Sheep on the other hand, tend to be a little bit more submissive. When I first got sheep, by trading two goats, I first thought they were stupid animals because I was so used to goats. They seemed to easily frighten and were more reliant on me to take care of them. However, they actually were good animals producing wool that people have been using to clothe themselves for generations. They follow their shepherd very well and submit to their owners. Both sheep and goats are good as animals to raise. They are just different and our Lord notes those differences. As I read that Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats in judgment it is really clear to me why He contrasts these two animals. Goats are always getting in trouble. They don’t really seem to trust their owners, while sheep are dependent on their shepherd and know that He will take care of them. Are you a sheep or a goat? Are you dependent on Him or are you always looking to do things differently and find yourself in trouble? I want to be totally dependent on Him. He will guide you and He will direct you. Psalms 23:1-3 says
1	The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2	He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
3	He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake.

Apr13

Babbling Away

2 Tim 2:16
16	But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. NKJV You’ve got a great church. You see the anointing on the pastor as He ministers each Sunday. You feel the presence of God strong as you enter in to worship with the other members of your church each Sunday. People are getting excited and momentum is building as you tell people about Jesus and what He has done for you. Many new people are coming to the church each Sunday as their friends at your church are sharing the goodness of God with the people around them. Good things are happening! These are the signs of a healthy church. I strongly encourage you to be a part of a healthy church and help however you can to build up your local body of believers. We have got to remember that some people are never going to be happy. Even if everything in the church is going very well, they will find a reason to complain. They’ll complain, “Pastor doesn’t do this” or “Pastor doesn’t do that”, “The worship leader had too much makeup on” or “The music was too loud”… They will find and nitpick whatever little things they can. Not because the church is bad, but because they are not happy and they want to pull other people into that unhappiness. What are we to do? In Timothy we are told to shun profane and idle babblings. What is shun? We are to turn from, get away, avoid, don’t even associate with this talk, this gossip, this negativity. You know negativity is contagious, it rubs off on others. The hard part is these people may start out as your friend. They may be very positive to start but if they allow negative thoughts to become negative talk, and negative talk to become negative action, then they are condemned. That’s right, condemned. I believe that is exactly what happened with Jesus’s friend Judas. He started out right, but somewhere along the line he went negative. He allowed his thoughts to become talk, and finally talk became action. Remember in John 12:4-6 when the woman broke the bottle of perfume and anointed the Lord’s feed with it? Judas started complaining and babbling about it being a waste. There were some other issues going on as the Word says,
4	But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said, 5 "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it . When you go negative it is easy to start going deeper into other things. I am convinced Judas started out right, but he is an extreme example of how negative thoughts went to negative talk, which ended up in negative action. It cost him his life. People don’t want to be around negative gossips. They want to be around positive and encouraging people. Thousands came around Jesus each day. God is light. In Him is not a speck of darkness or negativity. When people at church or even at your workplace come to say something negative about the pastor, the leaders, the boss, the manager, shun them. Get away from them. Stay positive. There may be things to deal with at your church, school, or company. However the most important thing you can do first is pray and commit it to the Father. Get the angels working on your behalf in the situation. Ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom in the situation. If it is something that needs to be dealt with, then after your got God’s perspective on the situation you can be a positive source or even force in making sure things get taken care of God’s way. Maybe you yourself are a source of useless uncontrolled negative talk. If you were taken to court for babbling (talking uncontrollably), is there enough evidence to convict you? If so, it is time to turn things around. God is very forgiving for a time, but you have to repent and turn from those ways.

For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. NKJV

If you look at religion, you will find it is a system of beliefs that are trying to work to get to something. As a Committed Christian, you should not be religious. You should have a relationship with the Creator. Religion ideally is trying to work its way to God, by doing good things and trying to be good people. However, no matter how good you are, no matter how many good works you do, there is absolutely no way you can work your way to being right before God on your own. We need Jesus. The Bible says that the only way we can be rescued from death and eternal separation from God is through Jesus. This is grace.

Once you get the idea of grace, there is nothing like it. Yahweh the Father rescued us through the work of Jesus on the cross. There was nothing we could do by ourselves. However, that does not mean that we are not accountable for our actions as believers.

In 1 Corinthians 3, we get probably the best feel for the judgment for the things we have done. Yahweh is watching everything we are doing and will reward us accordingly in His Kingdom. John F. Dakes in the Dakes Study Bible says, “All will be rewarded in according to their works. Rewards are not given according to success of labor, but according to the motive and faithfulness and service” (Matthew 6: 2,5,16).

If you read through the chapter, you will see that this chapter is talking about works, clear and simple. Works are the things that you and I are doing every day for the Kingdom. By the time you get to the end of the chapter, you see that those who believe will be saved AND we will be judged according to our works. Evidently, everything we do will be judged by God’s fire. There are two types of works; wood, hay, and stubble, and gold, silver and precious stones. Our works that are like wood, hay and stubble will be burned up and disappear. Works that are like gold, silver, and precious stone will stand the heat of the fire and will remain.

Before God, what is it that you are doing? Are you helping people? Are you a loving person filled with compassion or always in a hurry? Are you willing to make time to encourage someone? Are you a giver or just always trying to take something for you? Do you spend time with your spouse and children or more time entertaining friends or business clients?

God wants to and will bless you so that you can be a blessing. Are you?

Apr15

Put Your Praise On

Isa 61:10
10	I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. NKJV If you are expecting someone to make you happy, you never will be. If you think getting married with make you happy and fulfilled, you will be disappointed. If you think having children with your spouse will make you happy, you will be surprised at the work involved. If you are not happy by yourself, then you will never be happy with anyone else. Every morning do you just get up out of bed and go to work? No. You have to get up wash your face, eat breakfast, and put your clothes on. For a believer, if you want to be happy, you have to learn to put your spiritual praise on. You put your praise on just like you put your clothes on. You decide and you do it. Just like with clothes, YOU pick what you are going to put on. If you pick up doubt or depression, you will be doubtful and depressed all day. Isaiah says, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God”. Remember 1 5:23 says we are a spirit, we have a soul, and we live in a body. We are a three part being. Then remember our soul-area is made up of our mind, will, and emotions. The connector between the mind, will, emotions, and your spirit is your attitude. You have to decide that you want to worship Him. You have to decide whether it is a rainy day, or a gorgeous day, that you will praise Him. You have to decide even if you are broke and without a job, that you want to praise Him. You set the tone, because it is your attitude that makes the difference. Isaiah 61:3 says,
3	To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness… You put on spirit of praise, not your neighbor. It is your choice. Many of us are affected by what surrounds us. Seattle is a city of much rain, drizzle, and cloudy days. They probably have ten words to describe rain because there is so much of it. However, that makes for beautiful greenery. For some people, it is a negative. The dreary weather 9 months of the year must have something to do with the high suicide rate in the area each year. Bad weather can be depressing and evidently that affects people. In this case, even to the point of taking their own life. That is not God’s plan. God is light. He is joy. He is peace. He is wisdom. Wow! He is life! As long as we live in this lost world, and until Jesus comes back, we have to learn to put our praise on. We have to set our attitude each day and not be affected by the people, the weather, or anything around us. Just as we get dressed in the morning, we need to put on our praise clothes each day. If we don’t praise Him, the rocks will cry out. I am not going to lose to any rock. What about you? Have you put your praise on today?

Apr16

Your Life, Your Faith

Matt 9:29-30

Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you." 30 And their eyes were opened. NKJV

Have you asked why God doesn’t do something in your life? Have you ever heard of people having something bad happen to them and saying, “It must be God’s will”. They think that just because they repented and turned to Jesus, that everything that happens to them is God’s will. What is this? I’ll tell you what it is, it is completely wrong!

God does not control you like a puppet. He does divinely act on your behalf, however this is the minority of the time. This is why we are told to pray. If you are not praying, you can also certainly be assured that nothing will happen. If you aren’t believing, you can bet that things won’t happen. Just because something happens to you, your friends, your family, even if they profess to be believers; that does not mean it was God’s will.

I spend most of my time studying the Word in the New Testament, because that is where we live, in NT times. That does not mean I don’t claim the promises in the Old Testament as well. I grab God’s promises in both the Old and the New. You should too.

One of the things I have noticed is how Jesus healed people. He healed people according to their faith. If they believed that they could be healed, they would be healed by His touch, or even theirs. If they were filled with doubt and unbelief, then nothing would happen. Of course, that was just what they expected… nothing.

There are many times when Jesus prayed for people and said “according to your faith”. There is something to that, as you see Him say that several times. We see that with the woman who had internal bleeding and touched His clothing and was immediately healed. We also see it with these two blind men. They were following the Lord because they had faith to be healed. They were healed. Jesus told a leper (Luke 17:19) “Your faith has made you well."

Are you getting it? You want to be a good parent? Be a parent by faith. You want to be healthy? Each natural foods and live by faith. You want to healed of some disease? Believe in faith and you will be healed. Miracles are not based on just the faith of the people praying for you. They are based on much more. They are based on you and YOUR faith!

There is a famous evangelist in the United States who is very well-known for healing. Thousands of people get healed in their meetings every year. I noticed that he does not just start a meeting telling people to come up so He can pray with them. He starts with worship and music and just thanks God for His goodness and the people sing and shout praises to God. Then he shares the Word of God so that people can realize that God’s will for them is good. Their faith is built up. Then after all that, then they start praying for healing. The people are ready, they are prayed for and then their “faith makes them well” by the power of God. Hallelujah! If you want the power of God in your life, you’ve got to have strong faith.

How strong is your faith? Do you have mood swings, feeling happy one day, and down and sad another? As a believer, every day should be an up day for you. Believers should be emotionally stable, and a light to their neighbors. How we live should be how Jesus lived. Remember in Habakkuk 2:4, it tells us exactly how to live-
But the just shall live by his faith.

Let’s live by faith and expect great things. Our God is an awesome God! Just like good things come from good people. Great things come from our great God. Want to see more of God in your life? Apply faith every day and watch things change.

Apr17

Get Through the Right Gate

Luke 13:24

"Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. NKJV

It is very tough for me when I think that not everyone will choose to repent and turn to God through Jesus the Messiah. This awesome gift of life that started when we were born into this world will continue on and on in His presence even after our current bodies die. Jesus promised us life and He promised it would be abundant. Wow! The life that my children live is so much better than the life that I lived at their age.

My family did not have much when I was young. As children, we had to work during the summer break of school to be able to buy our new school clothing and supplies in the fall. It was exciting for me to wear that new school shirt (I usually got two) and get my annual school pictures taken in the first couple weeks of school. We would get up very early in the morning and get on a bus provided by the local Japanese-American strawberry farmer. Those cold early mornings in summer, going into that farm’s field of strawberries is unforgettable. It seemed like the field went on and on. I would be on my knees with my flat (box to fill with strawberries) pushing it along and filling it up with berries as I picked the row I was assigned. In the morning, the dew on the bushes would soak my jeans. It was such tough work but I certainly learned the value of money and working hard.

These days my children have instant access to information. They don’t have to do such hard work to buy their school clothing or supplies and have a very rich and abundant life. They have pretty much everything they want, and if they need anything they can ask their parents. (Thought, we don’t promise to buy them everything). It is good to work, but as a kid it is really better to be able to focus on your studies. In life, your education can really determine your future. I am believing for an abundant life for my children so I want them to work hard on their education not in the berry fields. However, good things take work. Not everyone is willing to work.

It is the same with spiritual things. Repenting from the wrong and turning to God is a natural decision. Why would anyone turn from the light? Well, some people just make bad decisions. Some people just go to the darkness. No matter what some people get, they just waste it.

Living a life as a follower of Jesus is not easy. It is like paddling a canoe upstream against the flow of the river. The world and everyone is heading in one direction, but you are going the other. They tell you things that go completely against the Word of God. The world says, “Take good care of yourself. You are number one.” The Word says, “Love your neighbor as yourself”. Putting others before self takes work. But boy is it worth it!

Just remember, the gate into heaven is a narrow one. No, all religion does not lead to heaven. Actually, no religion leads you there. It is only relationship with our creator. If the gate were wide open accepting people and their sin as is, heaven could not be the perfect place it is. God is perfect so without Jesus we cannot enter in.

Apr18

All Wrapped Up

2 Tim 2:4

No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. NKJV

Have you ever talked to an old friend and before you knew it, you were caught up in some scheme? I did a lot of work in telecommunications. I was very familiar with call centers and customer service. A friend in the same field that I have known as bit quite a bit entrepreneurial called me saying, “Spencer let’s get together for a coffee. I have a great business idea that I want to discuss with you”.

When I met with him, he started trying to sell me on some multilevel marketing (MLM) products that he had signed up to distribute. I was so disappointed because I should have known it was a scam and not lost my time meeting him. I lost respect for the guy in the end, but the experience reminded me of how easy it is to get entangled in something before you know it.

As a Committed Christian, it is really easy to get tangled up in the world’s mess. If you have ever dated an unbeliever, you will know what I am talking about. Just plain old relationships can take time if you have to deal with people who are emotionally unstable. The Word encourages us not to get tangled up with these types of people or in the affairs of life.

It is great to do business, but if your business takes you out of your church, you will likely fall away from God. If you are not regularly attending church each week, then it is doubtful you are a Christian. Sounds tough, but I heard this from a pastor. Pastors see the spiritual state of their church families very clearly.

One of my Bible teachers in Tulsa, who pastors, talked about a couple that wanted to start an aviation business. They were attending his church. They were very committed to church, got connected and started to really prosper as they got into the Word. They started their business and things were going well.

With time they began to ‘get busy’ and 2 days (Wednesday and Sunday) at church each week became one. Then their Sunday attendance became sporadic. They let the things of the world cloud out their judgment. They were all wrapped in their business, but not in God. In the end the couple ended up losing their business and divorcing. God doesn’t bless you just to let you end up defeated and beat up in the end. But we cannot let our business, our friends, clubs, or anything us start taking away our time we would normally spend in God’s house and with His people.

If something is taking you away from God’s plan, then change things. Don’t continue to fall away from God. Draw closer to Him, go after Him, seek Him. If something starts to pull you away, then cut back on it, or cut it off. If you allow yourself to get wrapped up and tangled in the things of life it could pull you away from God. Nothing is worth the relationship we have with the Almighty God.

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