<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:googleplay="http://www.google.com/schemas/play-podcasts/1.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Michael Eley, Jr.]]></title><description><![CDATA[Rev. Michael Eley, Jr., M.Div. is a pastor, educator, and mentor leading Friendship Chapel Baptist Church in Wake Forest, NC. He blends theology, leadership, and innovation to shape disciples, empower students, and impact the community.]]></description><link>https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com</link><image><url>https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zlyH!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7b83334a-ad19-4578-ab9f-6802bc1739a8_3344x3344.jpeg</url><title>Michael Eley, Jr.</title><link>https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com</link></image><generator>Substack</generator><lastBuildDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:52:12 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><copyright><![CDATA[Michael Eley, Jr.]]></copyright><language><![CDATA[en]]></language><webMaster><![CDATA[michaeleleyjr@substack.com]]></webMaster><itunes:owner><itunes:email><![CDATA[michaeleleyjr@substack.com]]></itunes:email><itunes:name><![CDATA[Michael Eley, Jr.]]></itunes:name></itunes:owner><itunes:author><![CDATA[Michael Eley, Jr.]]></itunes:author><googleplay:owner><![CDATA[michaeleleyjr@substack.com]]></googleplay:owner><googleplay:email><![CDATA[michaeleleyjr@substack.com]]></googleplay:email><googleplay:author><![CDATA[Michael Eley, Jr.]]></googleplay:author><itunes:block><![CDATA[Yes]]></itunes:block><item><title><![CDATA[4/14/26 Devotional: Do You See It? ]]></title><description><![CDATA[1 Corinthians 10:13: ...God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out...]]></description><link>https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/p/41426-devotional-do-you-see-it</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/p/41426-devotional-do-you-see-it</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Michael Eley, Jr.]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:12:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/youtube/w_728,c_limit/pyj76HFhGzA" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="youtube2-pyj76HFhGzA" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;pyj76HFhGzA&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/pyj76HFhGzA?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><h2><strong>Day 1: It&#8217;s Time for a Reset</strong></h2><p><strong>Scripture Focus:</strong> 1 Corinthians 10:12</p><p>There are seasons where movement becomes so constant that awareness becomes compromised. You are active, productive, and engaged, yet disconnected from yourself. Fatigue clouds discernment. You miss what is right in front of you.</p><p>The warning from Paul is clear. If you think you are standing, take heed. Exhaustion can disguise itself as effectiveness. Busyness can become a subtle form of idolatry.</p><p>Reset is not optional. It is spiritual discipline. Rest recalibrates your ability to see clearly, think soberly, and hear God accurately. When you stop, you regain sight.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>What has your pace caused you to overlook in this season</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>God, help me to slow down enough to see clearly, think wisely, and respond faithfully to what You are doing in my life</p><h3><strong>Day 2: Light in Dark Places</strong></h3><p><strong>Scripture Focus:</strong> 1 Corinthians 10:13</p><p>You do not always begin with clarity. Sometimes you begin in darkness.</p><p>Like your escape room experience, the assignment starts without full visibility. You are forced to move, search, and trust. What you need is present, but it is not immediately obvious.</p><p>God does not always illuminate the entire room. He gives enough light for the next step. Each clue builds on the last. Each movement reveals more.</p><p>Faith is not full visibility. It is progressive revelation.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>Where is God giving you just enough light for your next step</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Lord, give me the discipline to move with the light I have and the faith to trust You for what I cannot yet see</p><h3><strong>Day 3: You Are Closer Than You Think</strong></h3><p><strong>Scripture Focus:</strong> 1 Corinthians 10:13</p><p>Confusion does not mean failure. Difficulty does not mean distance.</p><p>In the middle of your process, it can feel like nothing is connecting. The pieces seem random. The pressure increases. Time feels like it is running out.</p><p>But perspective changes everything. What felt disconnected was actually coordinated. What felt delayed was actually developing.</p><p>God&#8217;s message is consistent. You are closer than you think.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>What situation in your life feels confusing but may actually be coming together</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>God, strengthen my confidence in Your process even when I cannot yet see how everything fits together</p><h3><strong>Day 4: Watch What You Worship</strong></h3><p><strong>Scripture Focus:</strong> 1 Corinthians 10:7</p><p>Idolatry is not always obvious. It is not just statues and images. It can be patterns, priorities, and people.</p><p>When anything consistently takes the place of God in your attention, affection, or dependence, it becomes an idol. Even productivity can become misplaced devotion.</p><p>Paul&#8217;s warning is not abstract. It is practical. What you prioritize reveals what you worship.</p><p>Alignment requires honesty.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>What has been receiving your attention before God</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Father, realign my heart so that You remain first in my life above every demand, distraction, and desire</p><h3><strong>Day 5: God Always Provides a Way Out</strong></h3><p><strong>Scripture Focus:</strong> 1 Corinthians 10:13</p><p>The promise is not the absence of testing. The promise is provision within it.</p><p>God does not remove every challenge, but He ensures that every challenge has an exit. The issue is not availability of escape. It is recognition of it.</p><p>Just like in the escape room, the final answer was present before you realized it. The solution required you to look again, think again, and trust the guidance given.</p><p>At Calvary, God already solved the ultimate equation. Jesus plus the cross plus sacrifice equals forgiveness.</p><p>The way out has already been established.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>Where might God already be providing a way out that you have not yet recognized</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>God, open my eyes to the way You have already made for me and give me the faith to walk in it</p><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[4/7/26 Devotional: A Disciple in the Shadows ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Luke 23:52 NRSV- This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.]]></description><link>https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/p/4726-devotional-a-disciple-in-the</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/p/4726-devotional-a-disciple-in-the</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Michael Eley, Jr.]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 07 Apr 2026 12:09:38 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/youtube/w_728,c_limit/-IgG4vWiuac" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="youtube2--IgG4vWiuac" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;-IgG4vWiuac&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/-IgG4vWiuac?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><p></p><h2><strong>Day 1: There Is Room at the Cross</strong></h2><p><strong>Scripture Focus:</strong> Luke 23:50&#8211;53</p><p>Calvary stands as both a place of suffering and a symbol of invitation. The cross was not reserved for a select few but opened for all. The reality of Jesus&#8217; sacrifice confronts us with grace that does not discriminate. No matter your past, your struggle, or your current condition, there is room.</p><p>Easter is not about performance or presentation. It is about positioning your heart before God and asking an honest question about your life.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>Is my life aligned with what pleases God or what comforts me?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Lord, thank You for making room for me at the cross. Search my heart and align my life with Your will. Remove anything that is not pleasing to You and draw me closer to Your purpose. Amen.</p><h3><strong>Day 2: What Kind of Disciple Am I</strong></h3><p><strong>Scripture Focus:</strong> Luke 23:50&#8211;51</p><p>The question is not whether you are following something. The real question is what you are following. Joseph forces us to examine the nature of our discipleship. He followed Jesus, not loudly, but faithfully.</p><p>Discipleship is not about visibility. It is about loyalty, conviction, and identity. You must know who you serve.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>Who or what is shaping my decisions and direction right now?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>God, help me to be a true disciple. Strengthen my conviction and keep me grounded in You. Let my life reflect that I know who I serve. Amen.</p><h3><strong>Day 3: Righteous Resistance</strong></h3><p><strong>Scripture Focus:</strong> Luke 23:51</p><p>Joseph was part of the council but refused to agree with their injustice. He teaches us that proximity to power does not require participation in wrong.</p><p>You can be in the room and still stand apart. You can have influence without compromise. Faithfulness in difficult environments is a mark of mature discipleship.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>Where is God calling me to stand firm instead of staying silent?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Lord, give me courage to stand for what is right even when it is uncomfortable. Help me to remain faithful in every space You place me. Amen.</p><h3><strong>Day 4: God Removes Confusion</strong></h3><p><strong>Scripture Focus:</strong> Luke 23:53</p><p>Joseph placed Jesus in a new tomb. This was intentional. It ensured clarity. There would be no confusion about what God was about to do.</p><p>God does not operate in ambiguity when it comes to His promises. He establishes conditions that reveal His power unmistakably.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>Do I trust that God is working with clarity even when I cannot see the outcome?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Father, thank You for being intentional in every detail. Help me to trust Your process and Your precision. Even when I do not understand, I believe You are making things clear. Amen.</p><h3><strong>Day 5: Resting in His Hands</strong></h3><p><strong>Scripture Focus:</strong> Luke 23:55&#8211;56</p><p>The women rested not just because of the Sabbath but because they trusted whose hands Jesus was in. That is the essence of faith.</p><p>You can rest in uncertainty when you trust God&#8217;s sovereignty. What looks like an ending is often preparation for resurrection.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>Am I truly resting in God&#8217;s control or trying to carry what belongs in His hands?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>God, teach me to rest in You. When life feels uncertain, remind me that You are in control. I place every burden into Your hands and trust You with the outcome. Amen.</p><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[3/8/26 Devotional: Don't Make Me Turn Around]]></title><description><![CDATA[Isaiah 38:1-6 NRSV- "I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life"]]></description><link>https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/p/3826-devotional-dont-make-me-turn</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/p/3826-devotional-dont-make-me-turn</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Michael Eley, Jr.]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 08 Mar 2026 22:24:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/youtube/w_728,c_limit/fFs1G9_-9Pk" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="youtube2-fFs1G9_-9Pk" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;fFs1G9_-9Pk&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:&quot;3525&quot;,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/fFs1G9_-9Pk?start=3525&amp;rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><h2>Day 1: Prayer Powers Everything</h2><p><strong>Scripture:</strong> Isaiah 38:2<br>&#8220;Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord.&#8221;</p><p>Prayer is not supposed to be a last resort. It is meant to be the power source of our lives. Many people pray only when problems appear, but Scripture shows that prayer is meant to shape our identity and direct our decisions. When prayer becomes instinct rather than obligation, our lives begin to move in step with God&#8217;s presence.</p><p>The truth is simple. If we can do something without prayer, we are quietly suggesting we can do it without God. But when we begin our days, decisions, and challenges with prayer, we acknowledge that we need divine help.</p><p>Prayer is the place where heaven touches earth. It is where burdens shift and where God begins to move in ways we cannot see yet.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>What area of your life have you been trying to manage without inviting God into it through prayer?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Lord, teach me to depend on You first. Help prayer become the foundation of everything I do. Shape my instincts so that I seek You before I seek solutions. Amen.</p><h1>Day 2: Turn to the Wall</h1><p><strong>Scripture:</strong> Isaiah 38:2<br>&#8220;Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord.&#8221;</p><p>When Hezekiah received devastating news, he did not call a meeting. He did not gather advisors. He turned his face to the wall and prayed.</p><p>Turning to the wall symbolized removing distractions. It meant that even though the room was full of people, the moment had become personal between him and God.</p><p>There are moments when explanations cannot help us and opinions cannot fix what we are facing. In those moments, we must know how to retreat into the secret place and talk to God.</p><p>Faith grows when we develop the discipline of turning toward God before we turn toward everyone else.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>When difficult news comes into your life, who or what do you turn to first?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>God, help me learn the discipline of turning toward You first. In moments of pressure, fear, or uncertainty, remind me that Your presence is my refuge. Amen.</p><h1>Day 3: When Desperation Meets Faith</h1><p><strong>Scripture:</strong> Isaiah 38:3<br>&#8220;Remember now, O Lord, I implore you&#8230;&#8221;</p><p>Hezekiah&#8217;s prayer was raw and honest. He reminded God of the life he had lived and cried out in desperation. This was not arrogance. It was faith expressed through vulnerability.</p><p>Kings did not beg, yet Hezekiah did. In that moment he realized that his crown, his throne, and his authority could not save him. Only God could.</p><p>Prayer often becomes most powerful when we stop trying to appear strong and begin speaking honestly with God. Desperate prayers are often the prayers that open the door for divine intervention.</p><p>God is not intimidated by our tears or our honesty. He welcomes them.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>Have you allowed yourself to be fully honest with God in prayer about what you are carrying?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Father, give me the courage to bring my real burdens to You. Help me trust that You hear my cries and see my tears. Amen.</p><h1>Day 4: When God Turns It Around</h1><p><strong>Scripture:</strong> Isaiah 38:4-5<br>&#8220;Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah&#8230;&#8221;</p><p>Before Isaiah could leave the palace, God interrupted him. The same prophet who walked in with a message of death had to turn around with a message of life.</p><p>Prayer changed the situation. The verdict shifted because heaven responded.</p><p>This passage reminds us that human announcements are not always the final word. Doctors may speak. Situations may look sealed. People may predict outcomes. But God still has authority over every situation.</p><p>When prayer reaches heaven, God has the power to interrupt the narrative.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>Where in your life do you need God to interrupt the story and turn something around?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>God, I believe You are still able to turn situations around. Where doors look closed and outcomes seem fixed, remind me that Your power is greater. Amen.</p><h1>Day 5: Bad News Is Not the End</h1><p><strong>Scripture:</strong> Isaiah 38:6<br>&#8220;I will deliver you&#8230;&#8221;</p><p>The story of Hezekiah teaches a powerful truth. Bad news does not mean the story is over. Prayer has the ability to move situations into God&#8217;s hands.</p><p>When the prophet returned, the message had changed. What began as a death sentence became a promise of life and deliverance.</p><p>This is the confidence believers carry. Circumstances may shift, but God remains able to deliver. What looks final on earth is not final in heaven.</p><p>Sometimes the news that frightens us most becomes the moment where we see God&#8217;s power most clearly.</p><p>Remember this truth: God still delivers.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>How would your faith change if you truly believed that God can transform even the worst news?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Lord, strengthen my faith when I face difficult news. Help me trust that You are still able to deliver and that my story is still in Your hands. Amen.</p><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[2/16/26 Devotional: It's a Different World]]></title><description><![CDATA[Hebrews 13:8 NRSV - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.]]></description><link>https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/p/21626-devotional-its-a-different</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/p/21626-devotional-its-a-different</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Michael Eley, Jr.]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 16 Feb 2026 13:00:37 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/youtube/w_728,c_limit/hsnEFAOLekg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="youtube2-hsnEFAOLekg" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;hsnEFAOLekg&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:&quot;5273&quot;,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/hsnEFAOLekg?start=5273&amp;rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><h2><strong>Day 1: Sacred Spaces for the Soul</strong></h2><p><strong>Scripture Focus:</strong> Hebrews 13:8</p><p>There are places God intends to restore you. The world often demands performance, vigilance, and emotional armor. But God designed spaces where you can finally exhale. Home should be peace, not pressure. Church should be formation, not performance. Community should be affirmation, not survival.</p><p>Healing rarely begins in public. It begins where you feel safe enough to be honest.</p><p>Christ remains steady even when environments are unstable. Because He does not change, restoration is always available.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>Which space in your life needs to become sacred again?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Lord, bring peace to the places where I live and healing to the places where I serve. Let my life have spaces where my soul can rest in You. Amen.</p><h3><strong>Day 2: The Church That Forms Us</strong></h3><p><strong>Scripture Focus:</strong> Hebrews 13:8</p><p>The church is not meant to distract you from reality but to prepare you for it. A healthy church feeds your mind, strengthens your spirit, and sends you back into the world with clarity. Faith is not escape. Faith is formation.</p><p>God designed a body, not isolated believers. Growth happens through connection, correction, and encouragement. The same Christ who sustained believers before us is sustaining us now.</p><p>You do not just attend church. You are shaped there.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>Is your faith being formed or merely maintained?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>God, shape my mind and heart through Your truth. Help me grow beyond comfort into maturity. Amen.</p><h3><strong>Day 3: Gratitude Requires Commitment</strong></h3><p><strong>Scripture Focus:</strong> Hebrews 13:8</p><p>Anything that helped form you deserves more than memory. It deserves investment. Gratitude is not nostalgia. Gratitude is responsibility. We preserve what preserved us.</p><p>Faith works the same way. We cannot celebrate God&#8217;s past faithfulness while neglecting present obedience. The unchanging Christ calls for consistent devotion.</p><p>What shaped you should now be strengthened by you.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>Where do you celebrate blessings that you are not helping sustain?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Father, move my gratitude from words into action. Teach me to honor what has poured into me. Amen.</p><h3><strong>Day 4: When Cycles Repeat</strong></h3><p><strong>Scripture Focus:</strong> Hebrews 13:8</p><p>History moves in patterns. Progress meets resistance. Opportunity meets restriction. Outrage fades into forgetfulness. The world changes its appearance but often repeats its struggles.</p><p>Our hope is not in the stability of society but in the stability of Christ. The gospel was never built on predictable circumstances. It was built on an unchanging Savior.</p><p>Because He remains the same, our faith does not depend on favorable times.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>Are you placing your hope in changing conditions or an unchanging Christ?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Jesus, anchor my faith beyond circumstances so I trust You in every season. Amen.</p><h3><strong>Day 5: The Same Yesterday Today Forever</strong></h3><p><strong>Scripture Focus:</strong> Hebrews 13:8</p><p>God does not improve because He was never lacking. He does not decline because He cannot weaken. Christ&#8217;s character, authority, and promises remain intact across every generation.</p><p>The One who carried those before you is carrying you now. The One sustaining you will sustain those after you.</p><p>Times will shift but your foundation does not.</p><p>We endure change because we belong to the unchanging.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>Where do you need to trust God&#8217;s consistency instead of fearing uncertainty?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Unchanging Savior, steady my heart in a shifting world. Help me live with confidence in Your faithfulness. Amen.</p><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[2/1/26 Devotional: I'm Proud of Us]]></title><description><![CDATA[Deuteronomy 7:6 KJV For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.]]></description><link>https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/p/2126-devotional-im-proud-of-us</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/p/2126-devotional-im-proud-of-us</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Michael Eley, Jr.]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 02 Feb 2026 13:03:35 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/youtube/w_728,c_limit/utkHJJvYP6U" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="youtube2-utkHJJvYP6U" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;utkHJJvYP6U&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/utkHJJvYP6U?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><p></p><h2><strong>Day 1: When Identity Precedes Achievement</strong></h2><p>Before Israel possessed land, they possessed identity. Before victory, there was affirmation. God did not build their confidence on conquest. He built it on covenant.</p><p>Many of us were taught to earn pride. Perform well. Achieve more. Impress someone. Then maybe you will hear approval. But God reverses that order. He speaks worth first. He names you holy before you feel whole. He calls you chosen before you see evidence.</p><p>Identity in Scripture is not a reward. It is a starting point.</p><p>If you build your self understanding on applause, you will always need another performance. But if you build it on divine declaration, you can stand steady even in obscurity.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>What part of my identity still feels performance based instead of covenant based?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>God, retrain my heart to live from who You declared me to be. Let my obedience flow from security, not insecurity. Amen.</p><h2><strong>Day 2: The Cost of Being Minimized</strong></h2><p>There is a subtle violence in constant minimization. It may arrive disguised as humor, sarcasm, or cultural norm. Over time it erodes dignity. When you are repeatedly reduced, you begin to reduce yourself.</p><p>You start shrinking your voice.<br>You temper your brilliance.<br>You settle for survival instead of flourishing.</p><p>God does not speak to His people in a way that diminishes them. He does not affirm by accident. His words are deliberate. Holy. Treasured. Set apart.</p><p>Affirmation is not flattery. It is formation. What you consistently hear about yourself shapes what you consistently believe.</p><p>You were not created to live on crumbs of validation.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>Where have I internalized minimizing messages about myself?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Lord, uproot every lie I have believed about my worth. Replace it with Your truth and restore my dignity. Amen.</p><h2><strong>Day 3: Freedom from Borrowed Approval</strong></h2><p>There is exhaustion that comes from chasing affirmation. It is the fatigue of trying to be enough for people who are still unsure of themselves.</p><p>When you are unclear about God&#8217;s pride over you, you will overwork for human applause. But when you are settled in His affirmation, striving loosens its grip.</p><p>If God calls you holy, you do not need to dilute yourself for acceptance.<br>If God calls you chosen, you do not need to compete for belonging.<br>If God treasures you, you do not need to beg to be valued.</p><p>Divine pride produces quiet strength. Not arrogance. Not self obsession. Just steady confidence rooted in whose you are.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>Whose approval currently has too much influence over my peace?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Father, detach my confidence from unstable sources. Anchor my identity in Your unchanging voice. Amen.</p><h2><strong>Day 4: Healing Generational Memory</strong></h2><p>Deuteronomy is spoken to a people with history in their bones. They carry trauma, displacement, and stories of oppression. God does not ignore that history. He interrupts it.</p><p>He speaks a new name over them.</p><p>Many of us carry inherited narratives. Stories of limitation. Cycles of scarcity. Wounds that shaped how our families saw themselves. Systems attempted to define worth by restriction rather than calling.</p><p>But God&#8217;s declaration outruns history.</p><p>You are not merely the survivor of what tried to break you. You are the continuation of what God preserved. You are evidence of sustaining grace.</p><p>Identity from God does not erase history. It redeems it.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>What generational narrative needs to be replaced with God&#8217;s declaration over me?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Lord, rewrite the story I have been carrying. Let Your word over me be stronger than every inherited limitation. Amen.</p><h2><strong>Day 5: Love as the Final Word</strong></h2><p>Scripture makes something clear. Israel was not chosen because of size, strength, or superiority. They were chosen because they were loved.</p><p>This is where pride becomes holy rather than hollow. It is rooted in love.</p><p>There is nothing you can add to make God love you more. There is nothing you can subtract that makes Him love you less. His love is not a response to your perfection. It is a reflection of His character.</p><p>When nothing else could stabilize you, love lifted you. When circumstances tried to rename you, love held you. When shame whispered, grace answered.</p><p>The final word over your life is not what you survived. It is what God declared.</p><p>Holy.<br>Chosen.<br>Beloved.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>Do I live as someone trying to earn love, or as someone already lifted by it?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Jesus, let Your love be the loudest voice in my life. Teach me to move through this world as someone already affirmed by heaven. Amen.</p><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[1/25/26 Devotional: STEADY]]></title><description><![CDATA[Isaiah 54:2 (NIV) &#8220;Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes."]]></description><link>https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/p/12526-devotional-steady</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/p/12526-devotional-steady</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Michael Eley, Jr.]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 26 Jan 2026 14:30:39 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/youtube/w_728,c_limit/QZzUC2OU-AE" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="youtube2-QZzUC2OU-AE" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;QZzUC2OU-AE&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/QZzUC2OU-AE?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><h2>DAY 1</h2><h3>Theme: When God Stretches He Steadies</h3><p><strong>Scripture Focus:</strong> Isaiah 54:2</p><p>Ice makes travel dangerous not because there is no road but because there is no traction. Without traction, motion becomes instability. In the same way, God refuses to release acceleration where there is no steadiness. He is a God who stretches and steadies at the same time. He grows His people in two directions at once, farther and deeper. Farther requires cords. Deeper requires stakes. Farther increases reach. Deeper increases retention.<br>If God stretches influence, He also strengthens foundation. Because revival without reinforcement is only temporary.</p><p><strong>Reflection:</strong><br>God prepares the believer for enlargement by giving stability beneath the surface. He brings depth before He brings visibility so that what He sends can be stewarded without collapse.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>Where do you sense God calling you to grow farther and where do you sense Him calling you to grow deeper?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Lord, prepare my life for expansion. Give me traction where I have been slipping and strengthen me where I have been unstable so I can carry what You are sending. Amen.</p><h2>DAY 2</h2><h3>Theme: Lengthen Your Cords</h3><p><strong>Scripture Focus:</strong> &#8220;Lengthen your cords&#8230;&#8221;</p><p>Lengthening speaks to reach. Cords determine radius. They define how far a tent can extend before tension becomes breakage. Many believers do not lack calling, they lack capacity. Before God fills space, He commands reach.<br>Lengthening requires vision, because you cannot extend beyond what you are able to perceive. It requires risk tolerance, because cords stretch under tension before they form space. It demands relational reach, because expansion often pulls you into partnerships beyond your comfort. And it requires strategic adjustment, because old cords rarely serve future assignments.</p><p><strong>Reflection:</strong><br>Lengthening begins when we stop managing where we have always been and start preparing for where God is sending us. Growth requires inconvenience.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>What area of your life or ministry requires lengthening for God to send more?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Father, stretch my vision, my capacity, and my willingness. Increase my reach so that I do not become the limitation to what You desire to do through me. Amen.</p><h2>DAY 3</h2><h3>Theme: Stretching into Assignment</h3><p><strong>Scripture Focus:</strong> Philippians 3:13-14</p><p>Lengthening shifts us from comfort to calling. It enlarges our thinking, responsibility, collaboration, and influence. It pulls us into spaces where our dependence on God increases and our previous systems are no longer sufficient. This is how God graduates believers.<br>Stretching is not punishment, it is preparation. God sends tension before He sends territory because territory without tension would produce presumption. Lengthening forces faith to develop capacity.</p><p><strong>Reflection:</strong><br>What God enlarges, He expects you to engage. Expansion is both invitation and accountability.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>What new territory is God pulling you toward that requires you to abandon familiarity?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Lord, give me grace to stretch beyond comfort and obedience to step into the places You are preparing for me. Let my reach match Your assignment. Amen.</p><h2>DAY 4</h2><h3>Theme: Strengthen Your Stakes</h3><p><strong>Scripture Focus:</strong> &#8220;Strengthen your stakes&#8230;&#8221;</p><p>Stakes secure what cords extend. They are buried beneath the soil, unseen and uncelebrated, yet without them a tent becomes a casualty of the wind. Stakes represent doctrine, discipline, character, systems, accountability, governance, and discipleship. They are not glamorous but they are essential.<br>Strengthening requires depth, discipline, structure, and maintenance. What God expands must be reinforced or growth becomes collapse and revival turns to exhaustion.</p><p><strong>Reflection:</strong><br>Stake work is quiet work. It happens beneath the surface. God builds leaders from the inside out so that visible increase does not destroy them.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>What internal or structural areas need strengthening so that you can retain what God gives?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Lord, anchor me. Strengthen what is buried beneath the surface. Establish my character, discipline, and structure so I can hold what You are growing. Amen.</p><h2>DAY 5</h2><h3>Theme: Steady Enough to Sustain</h3><p><strong>Scripture Focus:</strong> 1 Corinthians 15:58</p><p>God is lengthening and strengthening His people so that their increase is sustained. He is not interested in short-term fruit or temporary visibility. He is building believers and ministries that can hold revival, steward growth, and influence generations.<br>To be steady is to be stabilized by doctrine, disciplined in practice, accountable in leadership, structured in function, and rooted in discipleship. God sends expansion to those He can trust with retention.</p><p><strong>Reflection:</strong><br>The question in this season is not only how far can you reach, but how deep can you hold. God prepares builders, not merely receivers.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>How is God making you steady enough to sustain the weight of the next season?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Father, make me steady. Secure what You have expanded. Let my life, my ministry, and my influence reflect durability and faithfulness in every season. Amen.</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[1/18/26 Devotional: Lace Up Your Boots]]></title><description><![CDATA[Isaiah 54:2 (NIV) &#8220;Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes."]]></description><link>https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/p/11826-devotional-lace-up-your-boots</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/p/11826-devotional-lace-up-your-boots</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Michael Eley, Jr.]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 19 Jan 2026 00:54:07 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/youtube/w_728,c_limit/JhO-kwULuWw" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="youtube2-JhO-kwULuWw" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;JhO-kwULuWw&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/JhO-kwULuWw?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><h2><strong>Day 1: Enlargement Begins With Expectation</strong></h2><p><strong>Isaiah 54:2 (NIV)</strong><br>&#8220;Enlarge the place of your tent&#8221;</p><p>Enlargement is God&#8217;s invitation to imagine beyond where you currently are. It is the work of expectation. It is the widening of faith. God tells a barren, humiliated, recovering people to enlarge before they have anything to fill the space with. This is the order of the Kingdom. God commands us to see in faith what will one day be seen in full. Enlargement is not hype. Enlargement is not fantasy. Enlargement is expectation rooted in redemption. We enlarge because we believe that God actually has a future with our name on it. We enlarge because Christ has already made room for us through His suffering in Isaiah 53. When God enlarges us, He does not ask us to prove ourselves to Him. He asks us to trust Him.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>What area of my life is God calling me to enlarge in expectation before I see results?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Lord, give me the courage to expect more, believe more, and prepare for more. Help me enlarge my faith to match what You have already secured for my future. Amen.</p><div><hr></div><h2><strong>Day 2: Stretching Requires Execution</strong></h2><p><strong>Isaiah 54:2 (NIV)</strong><br>&#8220;Stretch your tent curtains wide&#8221;</p><p>Stretching is where enlargement becomes visible. Enlargement opens the space. Stretching fills the space. Stretching is the transition from intention to execution. It is the work of participation. Crystal clear vision means nothing if we refuse to stretch into it. Stretching challenges comfort. Comfort tells us survival is enough. Comfort blocks stewardship and suffocates destiny. Comfort lets us shout over a word but never build from a word. If God says enlarge, stretching is the proof that we heard Him. God blesses participation because participation honors the future He has for us. When we stretch, we cooperate with heaven.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>Where is God calling me to stretch beyond convenience into full obedience?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Father, help me move from thinking to doing, from seeing to stretching. Empower me to execute what You have shown me and to live out what You have spoken. Amen.</p><div><hr></div><h2><strong>Day 3: Elimination Makes Room for Destiny</strong></h2><p><strong>Isaiah 54:2 (NIV)</strong><br>&#8220;Do not hold back&#8221;</p><p>Elimination is the uncomfortable work of removing what keeps us stuck. It is difficult to stretch while still holding on to fear, procrastination, perfectionism, excuses, or delayed obedience. Many believers enlarge in their imagination and stretch in their planning but never enter because they refuse to eliminate. God says do not hold back because destiny requires clearance. God is not only calling us to add. He is calling us to subtract. He is calling us to release what cannot enter the next chapter. If we will not eliminate, we will not experience expansion. The cross removed the barrier. Resurrection created the space. The Spirit empowers the building. Our task is to eliminate what keeps us from obedience.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>What must I eliminate in order to stop holding back from what God is calling me to do?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>God, reveal what must be released for me to walk in Your future. Remove the fear and hesitation that hold me back and teach me to obey without delay. Amen.</p><div><hr></div><h2><strong>Day 4: Vision Cannot Remain Passive</strong></h2><p><strong>Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)</strong><br>&#8220;For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord...&#8221;</p><p>Vision is never passive. Vision demands action. Visionaries see whole and discover in part. Visionaries make the most out of the least because they understand that heaven never gives a full blueprint, only enough to start. Executors stretch the plan but visionaries stretch the possibilities. God is raising visionaries who understand that waiting seasons are not wasted seasons and that small beginnings are not final chapters. Futures do not materialize by wishing. The Kingdom is not built by spectators. God blesses participation because vision without obedience is fantasy. God is inviting us out of the safety of survival into the risk of stewardship.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>Where have I been passive with a vision God intends for me to act on?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Lord, awaken my vision and energize my participation. Do not allow me to settle for imagination without obedience. Grant me holy momentum. Amen.</p><div><hr></div><h2><strong>Day 5: Lace Up Your Boots</strong></h2><p><strong>Matthew 11:12 (KJV)</strong><br>&#8220;And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.&#8221;</p><p>There comes a moment where passive days must end. Shrinking days must end. Waiting days must end. Small days must end. The call to lace up your boots is a call to move into the future with force, conviction, and holy aggression. This is a setup year and God is sending you somewhere. There are children to raise, souls to win, strongholds to break, communities to serve, dreams to build, and ground to take. Christ has done the heavy lifting. The believer gets to do the holy building. We can no longer afford to hold back. Destiny is too costly. Purpose is too weighty. God has invested too much for us to remain idle. Lace up your boots, put on your backpack, and step into what God has already prepared.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong><br>What step is God calling me to take right now that faith requires and comfort resists?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Jesus, I refuse to hold back. Strengthen my hands for the work. Sharpen my faith for the journey. Lead me into the territory You have assigned to my life. Amen.</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[1/11/26 Devotional: About that Action]]></title><description><![CDATA[Isaiah 54:2 (NIV) &#8220;Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes."]]></description><link>https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/p/11126-devotional-about-that-action</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/p/11126-devotional-about-that-action</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Michael Eley, Jr.]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 12 Jan 2026 01:01:36 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/youtube/w_728,c_limit/cRh2zL3VY14" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="youtube2-cRh2zL3VY14" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;cRh2zL3VY14&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:&quot;4343&quot;,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/cRh2zL3VY14?start=4343&amp;rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><p><strong>DAY 1 &#8212; New Year vs New Season</strong></p><p><strong>Isaiah 54:2 (NIV)</strong><br>&#8220;Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.&#8221;</p><p>Crossing into January does not guarantee a new season. Seasons shift when God releases revelation, alignment, and movement. Without a renewed framework, a believer can celebrate the calendar while staying trapped in the same cycle. Every season change in Scripture involved instruction and responsibility. God invites us to confront the patterns that kept us from stretching. This year is not about hype or countdowns or fireworks. This year is about capacity and obedience.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong> Where do you sense God challenging you to confront patterns that kept you from stretching last year?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Lord, here is my new year, but more importantly here is my mind and my habits. Break cycles and patterns that keep me from stretching into what you have for me. Prepare me for true seasonal change. In Jesus&#8217; name, Amen.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>DAY 2 &#8212; Expectation Is Not Arrogance</strong></h3><p><strong>Zechariah 4:10 (NIV)</strong><br>&#8220;Who dares despise the day of small things&#8221;</p><p>God honors small beginnings, but God expects progression. Stewardship has evidence and the evidence is growth. Growth is not arrogance. Growth is expectation. It is what happens when faith meets responsibility. God will not enlarge what we refuse to prepare for. The call to enlarge is God challenging us to build capacity for what He already intends to fill.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong> What area of your life have you been excusing instead of expecting and stewarding?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Lord, replace excuses with expectation. Give me grace to steward what I have and faith to believe for what you are sending. Increase my capacity and align me with growth. In Jesus&#8217; name, Amen.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>DAY 3 &#8212; Enlargement Starts With You</strong></h3><p><strong>Isaiah 54:2a (NIV)</strong><br>&#8220;Enlarge the place of your tent&#8221;</p><p>God will not stretch beyond the level we prepare for. Enlargement begins internally long before it becomes visible externally. Israel was told to enlarge while barren, humiliated, and displaced. The command contradicted their condition because the enlargement was not only for them, but for the generations after them. This pushes us beyond selfish thinking. We do not enlarge for comfort. We enlarge for legacy.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong> What actions can you take this week that benefit the next generation and not just your present moment?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Lord, make me a vessel of legacy. Stretch my vision beyond what is convenient and into what is generational. Reveal how you desire to use my life today to bless who is coming after me. In Jesus&#8217; name, Amen.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>DAY 4 &#8212; Stretching Is Execution</strong></h3><p><strong>Isaiah 54:2b (NIV)</strong><br>&#8220;Stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back&#8221;</p><p>If enlargement is about expectation, stretching is about execution. Bedouin curtains defined the space of the tent. Without curtains, enlargement becomes theoretical. Many believers praise the idea of a larger tent but never stretch the curtains. They admire growth instead of contributing to it. Talkers admire space while executors inhabit it. The Kingdom advances on action, not admiration.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong> Where have you been praising vision without participating in execution?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Lord, remove passivity from my life. Make me a doer, a builder, and an executor. Give me strength to match my confession with action. Do not allow me to talk about the work without joining the work. In Jesus&#8217; name, Amen.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>DAY 5 &#8212; I Am About That Action</strong></h3><p><strong>James 1:22 (NIV)</strong><br>&#8220;Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.&#8221;</p><p>The Kingdom needs executors. God equips those who stretch. The same God who enlarges is the God who strengthens. The same God who gives vision is the God who gives provision. There are communities to transform, souls to reach, leaders to develop, and systems to confront. The assignment is too urgent for talkers. Talkers create division. Executors stretch the curtains of vision. This is the year to stop admiring what God is doing and start participating in what God is doing.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:</strong> What action will you take this week that proves you are stretching rather than just talking?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:</strong><br>Lord, put conviction in my spirit and motion in my hands. Make me an executor who brings solutions, carries vision, and advances your Kingdom. Strengthen my faith to move and my courage to act. In Jesus&#8217; name, Amen.</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[1/4/26 Devotional: You're Thinking Too Low]]></title><description><![CDATA[Isaiah 54:2 (NIV) &#8220;Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes."]]></description><link>https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/p/youre-thinking-too-low</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/p/youre-thinking-too-low</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Michael Eley, Jr.]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:32:31 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/youtube/w_728,c_limit/5pIS-bMs_lA" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="youtube2-5pIS-bMs_lA" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;5pIS-bMs_lA&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/5pIS-bMs_lA?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><h3><strong>Day 1: A Holy Recalibration</strong></h3><p>This new season is not about hype or routine. It is about alignment. God allowed you to survive last year not just to celebrate endurance, but to reposition your direction. Before God expands anything around you, He recalibrates something within you. This moment is an invitation to pause, reflect, and realign your life with God&#8217;s purpose.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:<br></strong>What areas of my life need alignment before I ask God for expansion?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:<br></strong>God, thank You for keeping me. As I step into this new season, align my heart, my mind, and my priorities with Your will so I am prepared for what is next.</p><h3><strong>Day 2: This Is Your Year to Move</strong></h3><p>God did not bring you into this year to remain on the sidelines. The clarity you received was not just for comfort but for commission. This season calls for movement, intention, and obedience. Faith without action keeps potential dormant.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:<br></strong>Where has God already given me clarity that I have not yet acted on?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:<br></strong>Lord, give me the courage to move from intention to obedience. Help me step fully into what You have already revealed.</p><h3><strong>Day 3: Stretching Requires Faith</strong></h3><p>Thinking small often feels safe, but safety can become a ceiling. God is calling you to stretch your mind, your capacity, and your faith. Stretching may feel uncomfortable, but it is evidence that growth is happening.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:<br></strong>What fears have kept me from stretching beyond what feels familiar?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:<br></strong>God, stretch my faith beyond fear. Help me trust You with growth that requires more of me than I am used to giving.</p><h3><strong>Day 4: Make Room Where You Are</strong></h3><p>God did not ask for a new tent. He asked for an enlarged one. Expansion does not always require relocation. Often it requires faithfulness right where you are. What you have is enough when placed in God&#8217;s hands.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:<br></strong>How can I make room for God to move without waiting for perfect conditions?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:<br></strong>Lord, teach me to work with what I have and where I am. Help me create space in my life for what You want to release.</p><h3><strong>Day 5: Write the Vision</strong></h3><p>Vision turns expectation into preparation. God calls you to see before you see. This is the moment to stop drifting and start declaring direction. When you write the vision, you position yourself to steward what God sends.</p><p><strong>Reflective Question:<br></strong>What God sized vision do I need to write down before this week ends?</p><p><strong>Prayer of the Day:<br></strong>God, give me vision that stretches my faith and demands my obedience. As I make room, I trust You to send the increase.</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://michaeleleyjr.substack.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>