Heritage Christian Counseling Ministries

01/06/2026

Devotionals for Daily Living

Stephen, an Encouraging Leader full of Wisdom

Stephen is a great example of an encouraging leader. Because of his wisdom people were drawn to him. His encouragement motivated people to listen to the Holy Spirit in Him.

Acts 6:8 shows how people felt about Stephen. We read, “Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.”

In the midst of opposition, Stephen’s wisdom is powerful. We read in Acts 6:10, “But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.”

Wisdom is a gift from our God. Proverbs 2:3-9 teaches, “Make your ear attentive to wisdom and incline your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice.”

Action Point
That same wisdom Stephen received from the Holy Spirit is available to us, if we just ask.
(Tom Russell)

01/05/2026

Devotionals for Daily Living

Compassion

Zachariah was a prophet called to minister to the unmotivated inhabitants of Jerusalem after their return from captivity. Here they were, rather destitute and discouraged, but his job was to remind them that God had not forgotten His promise. Zachariah showed compassion to the people. He attempted to motivate the people by pointing them toward a future day when the glory of the long awaited Messiah would fill the holy place. Zachariah cared about the people and encouraged them rather than rebuking them for not having more vision and hope.

Zachariah had compassion for his people, which meant he recognized their suffering and took action to help. The Bible calls us in Proverbs 31:8, to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves and defend the rights of the poor and needy.” In doing so we are showing compassion to them.

Paul writes about God’s compassion in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Paul also speaks about it to the churches at Ephesus in Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

In the book of Lamentations 3:22-23 we read that His compassions never fail. “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Action Point
It is very important to examine your heart and seek God’s help if you are not feeling compassion for others, or God’s compassion for you.
(Tom Russell)

01/04/2026

Devotionals for Daily Living

Shame, A Tool of the Enemy

Shame is a painful feeling of humiliation associated with thinking there must be something wrong with me as a person.

Ed Welch, author of “Shame Interrupted”, unpacks shame in comparison to guilt this way. “Guilt’s message is, ‘I did something bad,’ and needs justification and forgiveness. Shame’s message is, ‘I am bad,’ and needs an identity shift and relational connection.” Whereas guilt often times is treated and healed with forgiveness, shame on the other hand, is as if it is “welded” onto our personality.

Scripture teaches us that we are joint heirs with Jesus. Paul writes in Romans 8:14-17, “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

It is important that we embrace that we are children of God. Because we share in Jesus’ suffering by receiving Him, we will also share in His glory.

Action Point
If we embrace that we are joint heirs with Jesus, how do we treat ourselves then as joint heirs with Jesus? Would that be different than how we currently treat ourselves?
(Tom Russell)

01/03/2026

Grieving the Holy Spirit

Oftentimes in life we feel as if we are walking into the wind. As Spirit-filled Christian’s, that feeling is produced by a number of different things that grieve the Holy Spirit.

An example would be what Paul writes in Ephesians 4:25, “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.” The Holy Spirit is grieved when these falsehoods and untruths occur.

Another way we grieve the Holy Spirit is found in verse 26, “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.” When we are angry it is difficult to see the fruit or evidence of the Holy Spirit‘s presence in us.

Verse 27 brings about a very important way that we can grieve the Holy Spirit, “Do not give the devil a foothold.” The devil attacks on the battlefield of the mind. If he deceives us we can begin to develop a way of thinking that is based on lies and drives us further away from the kingdom and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Another important way we grieve the Holy Spirit is with the words that come out of our mouths. It is difficult to see the presence of the Holy Spirit when our language is angry or inappropriate.

Action Point
It is important that we keep our hearts pure and seek forgiveness when we have grieved the Holy Spirit.
(Tom Russell)

01/02/2026

Devotionals for Daily Living

Aloneness

One of the more famous Christmas movies is about the Grinch who stole Christmas. The movie portrays how much the Grinch hated Christmas, but in reality it turns out that he didn’t hate Christmas, he hated being alone.

The Grinch isn’t alone in this feeling. Cigna researchers surveyed more than twenty thousand people and found:

* Nearly half of Americans report sometimes or always feeling alone (46 percent) or left out (47 percent).

* One in four Americans (27 percent) rarely or never feel as though there are people who really understand them.

* Two in five Americans sometimes or always feel that their relationships are not meaningful (43 percent) and that they are isolated from others (43 percent).

* One in five people report they rarely or never feel close to people (20 percent) or feel like there are people they can talk to (18 percent).

Loneliness is an ever growing concern in America, largely due to the culture we have developed. It is a culture that has discarded the church and consequently people distance themselves from close fellowship with God and His people.

Paul has the answer and shared it with the churches at Colossi in Colossians 3:1-4, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”

Psalm 139:7-10 echoes similar sentiments, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence. If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.”

Action Point
Our God promises to never leave us or forsake us. Paul encourages us to set our minds on things above. The Psalms tell us there is no place we can go to be away from His presence. Remember these things whenever you feel lonely.
(Tom Russell)

12/31/2025

Devotionals For Daily Living

Ambassadors

What is an ambassador? An important definition of ambassador is a person who acts is a representative or promoter of a particular body or activity.
Examples of ambassadors today that represent Jesus include the following:

Pastor Rick Warren, founder of Saddleback Church in Southern California. As his book, “The Purpose Driven Life”, grew in popularity to a point where it sold 25 million copies, Pastor Warren became a representative of Jesus to those who were promoting and reading his book.

Another great example of an ambassador is Dr. James Dobson. As his ministries, Focus On The Family, and then later his new ministry, Family Talk, grew, Dr. Dobson was regularly, representing Jesus to the world.

It is important to realize that our God has called us to be ambassadors for Him and His word. Paul writes in II Corinthians 5:18-20, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”

As God’s ambassador, what do people think or see as you do life? Does your life reflect the ambassadorship of representing God to people? Are you acting as an ambassador on social media? How about when driving? What about when you have been transferred on the phone inside a major corporation for the 4th time and they still can’t help you?

Action Point
It is important that we represent the God who loved us enough to send us His Son and give us a way out of our sin. Are we doing this? What has to change to represent the Father as His ambassador well?
(Tom Russell)

12/30/2025

Devotionals for Daily Living

Restoration

It is so encouraging and hopeful to know that there is grace and love for those who believe in the restoring power of Jesus.
Scottish Baptist and evangelist, Oswald Chambers states, “Jesus Christ became Incarnate for one purpose, to make a way back to God that man might stand before Him as He was created to do, the friend and lover of God Himself.”

We feel restored when we feel healed or like we’ve been returned to a previous state. Psalm 51:12 says, "Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit." It is so securing to think that if we have slipped, His steadfast love is still there.

Restoration with our Lord becomes a way to have intimacy with Him. His benefits are so redeeming and lead us to deeper love and compassion. The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 103:1-5, “Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

For the person who is hurting and in need of restoration, Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Action Point
Restoration is available to us because of the redeeming love of Jesus. If you are in need of it, do as Jesus said and come to Him.
(Tom Russell)

12/29/2025

Devotionals for Daily Living

We Have All Fallen Short

We have all, at times, felt like we weren’t good enough. It appears as though others are so much better than we are. There are better Christians, better spouses and better parents than us.

This is another way that the enemy attacks us, through deception. He tries to lie to us and tell us that we really are not good people. He tries hard to deceive us and keeps reminding us of the
memories of the sins we have committed in an incredible attempt to try and prove it.

Paul says these words of encouragement in Romans 3:23-26, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” What an incredible price Jesus paid when He shed his own blood for us.

Action Point
It is important to stand against, and be aware of, the lies that the enemy tries to tell us. It is also important to embrace that we all have fallen short of the glory of God.
(Tom Russell)

12/28/2025

Devotionals for Daily Living

His Eagle’s Wings

We are well aware of how life can be draining and stressful. It would seem as though we can simply run out of gas. We can feel drained physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

Isaiah 40:31 is a great help, “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” It is important to realize that if we wait on the Lord He will renew our strength. If we wait upon the Lord - ask His help in any situation, we will renew our strength. If we wait on Him we will run and not be weary.

The Hebrew meaning of the words “wait on the Lord” is to bind together, potentially twisting together like a three fold cord that appears to be one cord which others would call a rope.
When we are binding together with God through the Holy Spirit we experience the evidence of His Spirit in us.

Paul writes in Romans 8:10, “But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is life because of righteousness.” We have a future and a hope because of His righteousness in us.

Paul continues that teaching in Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.”

Action Point
Are we relying on His Eagles wings as He dwells in us?
(Tom Russell)

12/27/2025

Here is a great message from Rick Warren!

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)

12/27/2025

Devotionals for Daily Living

Joseph and the Law

Throughout Scripture the law is very present. The law is there to show us what is right. However, at times there is a higher law. A great example is the Good Samaritan. He knew that Samaritans and Jews despised each other, but he chose a higher law which was to help a person in need.

Joseph also could have upheld the law, but through an angel, saw the higher law. Joseph was a very respected member of his community. He was very aware of the law that he could have Mary put to death for becoming pregnant outside of their relationship. The law at the time would have supported it, but he did not do that.

Matthew 1:18-25 has this to say about the birth, “This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about. His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’”

There is the law and then there is the higher law. It is very possible that taking care of the needy, the sick and those who are in trouble requires the higher law, like Joseph followed when he protected Mary.

Action Point
It is important that we pay attention to the higher law. After all, like Joseph, the Lord calls us to it at times.
(Tom Russell)

12/26/2025

Devotionals for Daily Living

The Importance of Jesus Birth

When one thinks about how sin was forgiven by God in the Old Testament, it becomes such a blessing to know that God sent us His son, Jesus. What a sacrificial act of love! Where the Old Testament forgiveness of sin was about animal sacrifices and the shedding of blood, we are blessed in the New Testament with relationship with Jesus and accepting what He did for us on the cross.

However, the Barna Research Team reports that nearly half of all Americans believe that Jesus did live, but that He sinned like the rest of us.
We can be so thankful that the reason the Son of God appeared was fulfilled. I John 3:8 teaches, “The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.”

In John 4:25-26, John speaks of how the Messiah is coming and is here, “The woman said, ‘I know that Messiah (called Christ) is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.’ Then Jesus declared, ‘I, the one speaking to you —-I am he.’”

In John 1:15-16 John announces that the one who is coming has surpassed him, “John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, ‘This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.” What an incredible gift of grace that Jesus gave to us.

Action Point
What does Jesus’ birth mean to you? Is He just another philosopher, or is He the Son of God? Are you celebrating His birth?
(Tom Russell)