Council Fire

Intertribal Life Ministries
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Council Fire is a podcast and book set of daily devotionals written by Indigenous followers of Jesus across North America. It's a year long journey through Scripture and story. Council Fire is a collaborative project between Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.

  1. 3h ago

    The Seed Was Planted

    “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20 (NKJV) The first time I heard about God was when I was five years old. There were missionaries visiting our community who were holding a summer Bible club for kids, right next door to our house. I heard the singing and I was curious, so I went to check it out. That was the first time I heard that there was a God who created the world, and that He was present throughout the whole universe. I couldn’t believe it. I thought, “No, it’s impossible to be everywhere.” (I guess I was too young to comprehend what even grown-ups can’t understand!) It was not until the summer of 1975 that missionaries were back in our community. August 9th is the day that I accepted the Lord into my life. God had planted a seed in my heart and, in His plan, He chose me! I thank God for all He has done in my life, and what He is continuing to do as I mature in the Lord. I am very grateful that I listened to God’s call, beginning at the very young age of five. To my brothers and sisters in Christ who have taught me and are continuing to disciple me in my walk with the Lord . . . thank you for giving to the Lord; I am a life that was changed! To my brothers and sisters in Christ who are discipling others . . . keep going. It makes a difference. Do not grow weary in doing good. The seeds you are planting will make a difference. I am proof. Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for all that You have done in my life. Help me to be bold and to share the Good News of salvation with my family and friends. In Jesus’ name. Amen. – Linnette Ducharme McKay   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

  2. 1d ago

    What Does Scripture Say About Gluttony?

    “The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 14:17 (NKJV) Pastors may condemn the consuming of alcohol, but seldom mention that gluttony—excessive eating—is also a sin, according to Scripture. Some even tout those after-church luncheons at “all you can eat” restaurants where people pile their plates with high-calorie food and generous desserts . . . then select a diet soda as their beverage. What many Christians do not realize, though, is that God regards the over-consumption of food as a sin. Regarding overeating, the prophet in Ezekiel 16:49 (NKJV) states: “Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom . . . pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.” In this case, the prophet lists overeating as second to pride, which God hates. Scripture also warns, “Do not mix with winebibbers, or with gluttonous eaters of meat. For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags” Proverbs 23:20- 21 (NKJV). In his epistle to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul warns, “I have told you often . . . that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things” Philippians 3:18b-19 (NKJV). While Proverbs 28:7b (NKJV) states that “a companion of gluttons shames his father.” Gluttony is also idolatry. And while modern physicians link overeating to obesity, the likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and other health issues and their dangers were first revealed through Scripture! “And put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite” Proverbs 23:2 (NKJV). Our Father in Heaven, help us to practice moderation in our food and drink. In the name of Jesus, our Savior and Lord. Amen. – Kiki BelMonte-Schaller   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

  3. 2d ago

    When You Reject . . .

    “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:8 “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” 1 Corinthians 14:33a “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6 “The Lord protects the unwary (innocent); when I was brought low, he saved me.” Psalm 116:6 “Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.” Psalm 115:3 (NIV) When you reject God, you reject His love, His peace, His truth, His protection, and Heaven. This means that, when you die, you are going to a place where there is no love, no peace, no truth, no protection, and it is a place that is not Heaven! You will never sleep and you will never rest again. Right now, it is your sin that separates you from God. You need to ask Jesus to forgive you of your sin and ask Him into your heart. Let that relationship with Him begin today! “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved” (Romans 10:9-10). Then you will be allowed into Heaven because your name is written in the Book of Life. He will not reject you because Christ dwells within you! “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth . . . He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:1a,4). Thank you, Jesus, for saving me. Amen. – Peter Constant   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

  4. 3d ago

    Fifth Gospel

    “And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.” Titus 2:7 “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12 (NLT) We, as Christians, have this great task. Every day, it is about being an example for our Lord. I have told our youth in Sunday school that they are like the fifth gospel. “We have Matthew, Mark, Luke, John . . . and you [put your name here] are the fifth!” Our friends and family who don’t know the Lord have no idea of Jesus. How are they going to know Jesus if our lives aren’t showing Him to them? It’s by how we talk, act, dress, react! If we talk filthy and don’t care if our words hurt someone, they won’t see Him. If we disrespect authority, they won’t see Him. How we react to situations is important (I know I’m guilty of this). We need to first think about what is taking place, be quick to hear, and slow to speak. If we’re talking about Jesus to our friends and family, but are acting in the way of the world, we are sending mixed messages. We have to make up our mind about who we are going to serve, because the enemy is busy trying to get us to be like the world. When we are living for the Lord, we have the peace and joy that only He can give. He’s there to help us every minute of the day and night. When we receive Jesus, one of our goals should be to reach others for Him . . . and how we live our lives will speak volumes to them. Remember to ask God to help you let His light shine through you. – Pat Hall   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

  5. 4d ago

    Distraction, Discouragement, and Determination

    “I am engaged in a great work, so I can’t come. Why should I stop working to come and meet with you?” Nehemiah 6:3b (NLT) Nehemiah is a Bible book that can teach us much about true leadership. Nehemiah was a cupbearer to King Artaxerxes, and one day he heard how things were not looking good back in Jerusalem, the home he and his people had been taken from. The city walls had been torn down, the gates burned and the people were in disgrace. He sat down and wept and mourned for his people while fasting and praying to God for days. God gave Nehemiah a burden and a purpose: to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. Amazingly, King Artaxerxes, by God’s will, gave Nehemiah permission to return to Jerusalem to begin this project. Yet, it wasn’t without discouragement. Neighbors tried to stop the rebuilding by laughing, mocking, intimidating, and even hiring a false prophet to try to discredit Nehemiah. Does this sound familiar? Doesn’t it seem like when we are wanting to do God’s will, our enemy Satan wants to discourage, intimidate, distract, mock, and discredit us in all kinds of ways? Nehemiah’s story doesn’t end there, and it doesn’t with us, either. In 52 days, Nehemiah and his team finished the wall! And God is not finished with us. God wants to do His will through us, and we must do it! Despite our enemy’s antics, you can be sure that, as He was there for Nehemiah, He will be there for you. Of course, Nehemiah didn’t like all the trouble, but it made him all the more determined to get the job done. So let us not stop the work that God has called us to do. As Nehemiah said, we can also say, “They (the enemies) realized this work had been done with the help of our God” (Nehemiah 6:16b, NLT). – Myrna Kopf   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

  6. 5d ago

    God’s Presence & Power

    “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) I watched this year as the summer season morphed to fall. It happened quite abruptly, as the September snow fell on the green leaves and grass of an ecosystem that wasn’t quite ready for it. It was an epic battle between the trees trying desperately to stay green, but the cold white snow was having none of that argument. I knew who the ultimate winner would be. Welcome to winter (before spring makes a comeback)! Some of life is predictable (like seasons) but, then again, some of it is definitely not! Some of life is within our control but, then again, much of it is not! Most of us prefer an expected outcome as opposed to uncertainty. But often, it’s not our choice. How do you and I handle situations that we didn’t count on occurring? Isaiah 41 speaks to a couple of responses that we can have. The first is fear. We often default to that tendency to fear the realm of the unknown and what we don’t understand. God’s Word reassures us that He is with us, and we don’t need to fear—the same reassurance that He offered Moses, Joshua, Gideon, and David when they were afraid. When we don’t know what’s ahead, we can rest, knowing He’s with us. The second is dismay . . . “Oh no, not this!” This comes when we see the situational outcome and it’s not what we think should happen. The doctor’s diagnosis, the job layoff, the miscarriage, the car accident, the friend’s betrayal—they all have the same common denominator of unwelcome news. When what happens is what we didn’t want, “I am your God” assures us of His power and control. God’s presence and power will see us through every situation we face in this life! – Kene Jackson   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

  7. 6d ago

    I Give You This Charge

    “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:” 2 Timothy 4:1 (NIV) The punctuation (the colon) that appears after “this charge” informs us that something is to follow. What follows is verse two: “Preach the word!” “Charge” means to affirm solemnly, and to do it motivated by strong personal interest. Paul was saying to “thoroughly witness,” or “thoroughly testify” the Word of God. He definitely was not saying, “You can be sloppy with the Word,” or “People are busy, so you can skip that part.” Paul was saying, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). The Lord asks us to be bold when an opportunity arises for us to speak His Word. Yes, there will be scorners and opposition, but His Word says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). God asks us to be strong and willing, and to believe that He’ll never forsake us! That’s what Paul was saying to Timothy. When we share and explain even a small portion of the Bible, even a single verse, God will speak volumes through us! Just as He was with Moses and the Prophets, He’ll be with you! You can depend on God’s Holy Spirit to share His truth and wisdom. “God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10). Just imagine, while we’re testifying the Word of God, the Holy Spirit will reveal a very deep truth from God. But, had we not been willing to speak God’s Word, we would have missed the opportunity! – Ernie McDougall   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

  8. Oct 25

    Moose in Trouble

    “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:17 (NKJV) Some men from Binche Whut’en Reserve (Dakelh tribe, also known as Carrier) went out to rescue a moose that had been stuck for five days in the middle of the ice-covered lake. The moose was scared and exhausted from continually falling through the ice and trying to get back up again. Here are some comparisons I see: The Binche men saw the moose’s death to be inevitable—God saw death in store for people who have sinned (all of us) . . . Binche men left their homes to go to the lake—Jesus left heaven to go to earth . . . Binche men wanted to save the moose—God wants to save the people He created . . . The moose was fearful and unable to move—as people, we often can’t escape our fear, pain, and anxiety. The Binche men risked their lives to lead the moose safely to shore— Jesus gave His life so we can have eternal life . . . Binche men guided the moose from lake to the shore—Jesus is our Guide from earth to heaven . . . The Binche men never gave up on the moose—Jesus never gives up on us . . . The moose had to put its trust in the men—we must put our trust in Jesus Christ as Savior. God, thank You that I can put my trust in You. Thank You that You left heaven and came to earth to save me. I don’t want to be like the scared moose in trouble—I want to live a full life free from fear. Thank You for being the Way, and for being our Guide. Amen. – Shannon Menelaws-Laier   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

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About

Council Fire is a podcast and book set of daily devotionals written by Indigenous followers of Jesus across North America. It's a year long journey through Scripture and story. Council Fire is a collaborative project between Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.

Information

  • Creator
    Intertribal Life Ministries
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    300
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Intertribal Life Ministries
  • Show Website
    Council Fire