Couverture de Elevate Your Day with Andi and Brian Hale

Elevate Your Day with Andi and Brian Hale

Elevate Your Day with Andi and Brian Hale

De : Andi & Brian Hale
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Andi and Brian bring you daily devotionals to help elevate your day!

Copyright @1994-2026 Hale Broadcasting Christianisme Ministère et évangélisme Spiritualité
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  • From Self-Righteousness to God's Righteousness (Free Me From Me)

    From Self-Righteousness to God's Righteousness (Free Me From Me)
    Apr 8 2026
    From Free Me From Me by Ryan Wekenman What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.”“The venom of asps is under their lips.” “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. – Romans 3:9-26 ESV When you fall into the trap of believing you’re the center of the story, life becomes one giant competition. As though you can climb your way out of the hole if you can just move faster than others. How do you know if you have what it takes? If you are enough? Easy—you compare yourself with others. Who’s more moral? More spiritual? If you’re trending in the right direction, all is well. But you see the problem, right? And the unrelenting pressure self-centeredness creates? We’ll never be able to justify ourselves before God through our supposedly superior righteousness, because we don’t just sin; we are sinners. So, we don’t just need some good behavior; we need a Savior. Fortunately, we have one. The apostle John once wrote that God “loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10 NIV). The Hebrew word for “atonement” that John would’ve grown up hearing is kippur. It comes from a word that means “to cover.” A kippur doesn’t just pay the debt; it also purifies (or covers) the party involved. So John calling Jesus the “atoning sacrifice for our sins” is him saying, “Jesus covered it. He didn’t just forgive us; he made it right. How can he do that? Because of his sacrifice.” In the Old Testament, atonement was made through animal sacrifice. In a way, those sacrifices atoned for (covered) the sins of the people for the year. But of course, people kept sinning, and the system had to continue. Enter Jesus. And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. – Ephesians 2:1-10 ESV The writer of Hebrews said, “Unlike the other high priests, he [Jesus] does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself” (Hebrews 7:27 NIV). You can learn to outsmart comparison by getting really good at spotting it and refusing to go any further, instead turning back and fixing your eyes on Jesus, who is your atoning sacrifice. Today’s Truth Statement: I am created in the image of a self-sacrificial God.
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    9 min
  • Self-Image to God's Image (Free Me From Me)

    Self-Image to God's Image (Free Me From Me)
    Apr 8 2026
    From Free Me From Me by Ryan Wekenman And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush. And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” – Genesis 2:8-17 ESV The first two chapters of the Bible are glorious. In Genesis 1–2, God breathed his breath into us and called us good. At first, we were created beings who were content to put God at the center of the story and take our place as image bearers, but it didn’t take long for everything to unravel. Theologians call Genesis 3 “the Fall.” It was the moment sin entered the picture and created separation between us and God. But what really happened when Adam and Eve ate the fruit? The answer to that question is found in the lie the serpent spun. “God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5 NIV). Adam and Eve took the bait. Instead of trusting God’s design as image bearers, they decided to define their own rules. And in that moment, it was like a giant spotlight shone down on them, exposing their flaws and following them everywhere. As though they had become the center of the story, the headliner everyone had come to see. They put themselves at the center of the story and were so overwhelmed with their shortcomings that they overcompensated by going into performer mode: “They sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves” (Genesis 3:7 NIV). You might say they ran to the costume box and pulled out the only thing they could find for their performance—fig leaves. That’s the moment these devotionals are about. Because we replay that moment every single day. The spotlight comes on, we perceive that we are center stage, and we start singing for our supper. Of course, our fig leaves have become more robust. Some use money. Or success. Or status. Or knowledge. Or influence. Or humor. Or morality. Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory. Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. – 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 ESV You, me, Adam, Eve, and everyone else are attempting to put on such a spectacular performance that it merits the giant spotlight shining on us. And that is an awful lot of pressure. The only solution is to get out of the center of the story and remember our job is simply to reflect God’s image to the world. Today’s Truth Statement: I am created in the image of God.
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    14 min
  • Self-Centered to God-Centered (Free Me From Me)

    Self-Centered to God-Centered (Free Me From Me)
    Apr 7 2026
    From Free Me From Me by Ryan Wekenman

    But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. – 2 Timothy 3:1-5 ESV

    In today’s world, we have a self problem. We are created to worship God, but we are worshipping ourselves. We are created for community, but we are moving toward isolation. We are created in God’s image, but we are obsessed with self-image.

    It’s becoming increasingly difficult to stop thinking about ourselves. And ironically, all the talk about self isn’t helping us feel any better about ourselves—quite the opposite.

    When self is at the center, your own little kingdom is constantly under attack. Conflict threatens your self-image. Critique threatens your self-esteem. Mistakes threaten your self-righteousness. You take everything personally because everything feels personal.

    As a result, we end up with a world where everyone has thin skin but strong opinions. Self-centeredness is causing love to grow cold. It all feels eerily similar to Paul’s prophetic words to Timothy: “People will be lovers of themselves” (2 Timothy 3:2 NIV).

    But it doesn’t have to be that way.

    Jesus demonstrated a radically different approach to life. In a world of self-obsession, he spent his time serving. In a world of self-preservation, he laid down his life so we can go free. In a world fixated on self-image, he showed us what it looks like to be made in God’s image.

    I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. – John 15:1-8 ESV

    My thought is simple—if we can shift from having self at the center to keeping God at the center, it will change everything.

    For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. – Galatians 2:19-21 ESV

    Unfortunately, each of us has layers of residue from the old habits, beliefs, and pain in our past that move us toward putting self back at the center of the story. Those layers cause us to perform, compare, avoid, and control—the problems we’ll be getting at in the devotionals to come.

    Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 NIV). If we can escape from our self-obsession, we will no longer need to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders.

    Today’s Truth Statement: The self is not the center of the universe.
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    8 min
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