Devotion post change at least weekly

(week of May 13th) (worthy)

I’ve learned so much from watching birds. I live in the woods and we also have a pond, so birds are frequent visitors.

Watching the birds teaches me so much about God’s love and provision. A variety of birds visit our feeders, including juncos, nuthatches, cardinals, orioles, and hummingbirds.  When I study how far some of these birds travel each year, I marvel at how God sustains them. It’s a joy to scatter sunflower seeds to help meet their needs.

I’ve also seen graceful herons and colorful wood ducks visit our pond. A few times, a bald eagle has swooped over the pond to grab a fish for supper. In the winter, I regularly hear owls calling to one another in our woods. Each bird’s personality reflects a different aspect of God’s creativity.

All the birds I see or hear inspire me to praise God for the beauty of his creation.

Yet as wonderful as birds are, they pale in comparison to the importance we people have in God’s kingdom.

Jesus affirmed our value with this verse:

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.”

He continued, “So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:29,31 NIV

STRUGGLING WITH SELF-WORTH

We often lose sight of how valuable we are to God. Many of us see beautiful things in God’s creation and in other people. Yet we refuse to love ourselves in light of how God loves us. Some of us get stuck and struggle with feelings of low self-worth.

If you struggle with self-worth, let Jesus’ words bring you comfort today. Look at the birds outside your window today, and consider how wonderfully God cares for them. Then think about how much more he cares for you every day. How valuable you are to him.

Consider the great plans and purpose he has for you, in comparison to birds. Then step out in greater faith, trusting in the worth that Jesus places on you, rather than choosing a negative thought pattern.

As you meditate on the truth of God’s Word, you can begin to see your great value in God’s eyes. You can overcome feelings of low self-worth when you believe Jesus says you are greatly valuable to him. 

SARAH GERINGER

(week of May 5th) (Mothers Day)

Karen Barber

As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.  Isaiah 66:13

When Leah, our daughter-in-law-to-be, told me of plans for the wedding reception, she mentioned there would be a special time when, as the mother of the groom, I would dance with our son Jeff.

At first I thought, Oh, no, me out there on the dance floor with everyone watching!  But, as the time approached, I began to look forward to the dance. How special to have a few minutes with Jeff at the reception, perhaps the last few moments I’d get to spend with him before they left on their honeymoon and settled into their home in Colorado.

I imagined the profound and wonderful things I might say to Jeff during those moments.

The wedding festivities went by in a blur, and finally the time came for our dance. As I reached up to my son’s tall shoulder and he grasped my right hand, all of the things I’d planned to say to him evaporated.

Instead, I found myself asking with concern, “I noticed you’ve been so busy you haven’t eaten. Aren’t you hungry?”

“I haven’t eaten all day,” he admitted, “but it’s okay. They’re putting together a basket of food from the reception for us to take in the car with us.” 

Looking down at his shoes I asked, “Do your feet hurt?”

“No, they’re fine,” he answered.

Soon the dance was over, and my friend Charlene was eager to know what Jeff and I had said. When I repeated the conversation, I laughed. Out there on the dance floor, I had asked my twenty-three-year-old son, who was an Air Force officer and a brand-new husband, if he was hungry or if his feet hurt!

I sat down and took off my own too-tight shoes, then reconsidered my seemingly wasted opportunity. Perhaps it had been just right after all. During that dance, I had unconsciously performed my last act of mothering by revisiting my first.

When our children are newborns, our questions are always, “Are they hungry? Are they hurt?” And as they grow, these questions grow into prayers that fit each new stage of their lives: “God, fill them and comfort them.”

I put my shoes back on and made sure the basket of food was tucked into the backseat of Jeff and Leah’s car before Jeff’s college buddies started “decorating” it with plastic wrap. I was the one who borrowed the scissors from the receptionist so Jeff and Leah could cut the wrap to open the car door. After all, the need for parenting never really ends, not even with a final dance.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the generous hearts of mothers. And give me also a heart of love for all who are hungry and hurt.

(week of April 29th) (impatience)

(week of April 22nd) (why?)

“‘Now what have I done?’ said David. ‘Can’t I even speak?’” 1 Samuel 17:29 (NIV)

I hadn’t told anyone. I wasn’t going to tell anyone. This private conversation with God was too tender and raw to share. For hours, I had spilled out all my concerns to Him — begging for answers and desperately wanting the gnawing pain in my heart to go away.

The truth is I was deeply concerned and heart-broken about some things which happened earlier that day to make me question my calling. Things that made me wonder if my purpose in life had changed. Circumstances that produced full-on hot tears as I cried out to God throughout the day in discouragement.

Was God really concerned? Was my life’s calling about to take a sharp left turn that I wasn’t prepared for? How would I recover from this latest blow of hurt and disappointment? Instead of feeling purposeful, I stood in my kitchen with a sinking suspicion God was placing me on a shelf to collect dust for a while.

I knew God loved me, but honestly, I wasn’t feeling very loved at that moment. I felt as if Satan were throwing darts at me labeled: Forgotten. Invisible. Not good enough.

I imagine that’s the way a young shepherd boy named David must have felt centuries ago. Although the prophet Samuel specifically appointed David as the next king of Israel, many years would pass and many difficult things would happen before David made it to the palace. The ruling king, Saul, questioned him, and so did David’s older brothers. To the point where right before he killed a certain giant named Goliath, David even exclaimed, “Now what have I done? … Can’t I even speak?” (1 Samuel 17:29).

God had chosen, anointed and empowered David to be Israel’s greatest king in the Old Testament. Yet as we unwrap David’s story, we see how he was placed in many situations which were perfect environments for his doubts and uncertainty to take root and flourish.

Relentlessly, David was hunted by King Saul who vowed to kill him. He lived in caves, was constantly on the run and had his fair share of fierce battles against vicious enemies.

David must have had some hard days and sleepless nights where he, too, questioned his calling. I wonder if one struggle after another — one detour after another — one delay after another — caused David to examine his situation and ask God if He still planned to fulfill His predestined purposes in David’s life? Maybe there were even brief moments when he felt forgotten, invisible, not good enough?

God had begun a good work in David and He was faithful to complete it. The detours … the delays … were all a part of the journey that prepared him to reign as king. The palace would not have been possible if the destination to it would have been cut short.

Thankfully, we know David trusted God despite the enormous challenges he faced. And we get a glimpse of David’s thoughts as we read his words in Psalm 138:8, “The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.” (NKJV)

On that difficult day when I wept in deep discouragement, the Lord brought Psalm 138:8 to mind. It was like drinking a cupful of reassurance, allowing me to pause, take a deep breath and feel God’s tender presence wrap around me.

Those beautiful words were originally penned thousands of years ago by David, and yet they spoke truth right into my situation that day. Reassuring me. Comforting me. Rekindling my hope once again.

The same applies to you and me. God is forever faithful and will complete the work He’s begun in our lives. We have to trust Him — on good days and bad days. When doors of opportunity open wide and when detours delay us for a while. Every season has a purpose, and every part of God’s plan for our lives is good. He promises to perfect all that concerns us … today and for our future.

Heavenly Father, You are greater than any obstacle I face and Your love for me endures forever. Help me to follow You on good days and bad days. To trust You moment by moment. Even when my purpose seems vague or my calling appears far off in the distance. When my concerns begin to consume me, Your love will perfect each one with unfailing grace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

(week of April 15th) (His Sheep)

Judges 7:8-15

As inhabitants of a fallen world, we oftentimes face heartache, intimidation, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles. But as children of God, saved and secure in Jesus, we are never beyond the reach of the Lord’s encouragement. Sometimes it comes through Scripture or the timely words of a fellow believer, but God can also use circumstances to raise our spirits and increase our trust in Him.

This is exactly what the Lord did for Gideon, who was undoubtedly feeling anxious about taking just three hundred men to fight against the mighty Midianite army. God strategically positioned Gideon to overhear an enemy soldier recounting a frightful dream about being defeated by the Israelites. This unlikely circumstance assured Gideon that the Lord was at work in this daunting situation and would give them the victory.

God graciously used that incident to strengthen one man’s confidence in Him, and He encourages His children in similar ways today. The unexpected, hopeful circumstances that show up in our darkest moments are not accidents but precious assurance builders from the Lord. When we remember past evidence of His faithfulness, we can boldly face the future, knowing that God is always with us

Kia Stephens

1 Thessalonians 5:11

The Message

While sitting at my computer on a Saturday afternoon, I received an unexpected text from a friend.

In her message, she said the universally dreaded words no one wants to hear: “I have cancer.”

I was shocked to read those words from her. She was a mother of two, a devoted wife and successful in her career.

It seemed so unfair. I wanted to rewind to just a few months ago when we casually chatted about family. Unfortunately, her words and her present journey were irreversible.

Before I finished reading her text, I purposed in my heart to offer some type of encouragement. I was prepared to plan a visit, bring a meal or text a few kind (but inadequate) words, given her circumstance. As I scrolled through her lengthy message, I was soon blindsided by the encouragement she offered to me.

We hadn’t spoken in months, and she was undergoing chemotherapy. Yet her focus was on me. Unbeknownst to her, she shared the very words I needed to hear at the exact time I needed to hear them. Rather than responding immediately, I just sat and sobbed, tremendously impacted by the love of God I saw in her. She offered selfless, thoughtful and kind encouragement to me despite her medical condition.

This is the type of exhortation Paul, Silas and Timothy describe in 1 Thessalonians 5:11, which says, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” In Acts 16 and 17, we learn that Paul, together with his fellow laborers, wrote this letter to the people of Thessalonica after having been flogged, thrown into prison in Macedonia and forced out of Thessalonica.

At a time when Paul could have been discouraged by persecution and nursing his emotional and physical wounds, he was instead concerned for the Thessalonian believers. He modeled the personal and heartfelt encouragement he wanted them to offer others.

The believers were admonished to couple this encouragement with building one another up. The Greek word used here for “building” means “to build a house.” This single act of using our words to encourage and edify fellow believers is likened to building a structure: the universal church.

This type of purposeful encouragement is vital for a believer’s faith, both individually and collectively. For the believers in Thessalonica, this was especially true because they were a new church facing persecution from nonbelieving Jews.

A commitment to encourage others like this challenges us all to selflessly lift the countenance of someone else — no matter what we might be facing ourselves. As we offer soul-deep encouragement to others, we can trust that God, in His sovereignty, will encourage us.

This is the principle described in Proverbs 11:25, “… whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” (NIV). I saw this time-tested truth in my friend’s text message and in Paul’s letter to the Thessalonian believers. Through their noble examples, we are inspired to selflessly offer encouragement to others in the same way.

Dear God, please help me to offer heartfelt encouragement to others no matter what I may be facing. Help me to trust that as I refresh others, I will be refreshed. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY

Romans 15:5, “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.” (NIV)

(week of April 1st) (fool)

On April 1st, people “stretch” the truth and then announce “April Fools.” As Christians, we are to discern truth and know what the Bible says about fools. In Paul’s final letter to Timothy, he wrote about a man named Demas. But sadly, Paul did not “stretch” the truth, nor was there an announcement of “April Fools.”  Demas was a foolish man.

Demas Deserted Paul

“Make every effort to come to me soon; for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica;” (2 Timothy 4:9-10, NASB)

In this short text, there is a certain sadness conveyed by the apostle Paul. Paul was in a Roman prison, under the watchful eye of the Roman guard, and he greatly desired that Timothy would come soon. It is evident that Paul was aware that his time on earth was short (2 Timothy 4:6-8). Sadly, only Luke was with him (2 Timothy 4:11). because Demas had deserted him.

Who Was Demas?

Demas had been a cherished co-laborer with Paul, a co-worker in spreading the gospel message of Jesus (Philemon 24; Colossians 4:14). He seemed to be the real deal. but Scripture tells that at some point during Paul’s time in Rome, Demas had made it known that he “loved this present world.” And so he had departed from Paul and headed to Thessalonica.

The Greek word for deserted is “shamayim” and it speaks of “letting someone down.” In both the KJV and NKJV, the word is translated as “forsaken.”   Demas had forsaken Paul by leaving Paul because he “loved this present world.” Kenneth Wuest, a former Greek instructor at Moody Bible Institute, wrote that Demas “had set a high value on this present age.” The word for “world” is aion, and it can also be translated as “age.”  In that sense, it speaks of the aims, hopes, and aspirations that define the current time. 

A Lesson from Demas

This is a difficult passage, and also an alarming one. It reveals the lesson that this world, in which we live, can serve as a powerful tool of seduction that can actually draw a person away from the work of Christ. And this “love” of the “present age” can be even more inviting when conditions are not so favorable. 
 
After reading about Demas, these words from John’s first letter should come to mind:

“Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.” (1 John 2:15-16 – NASB)

 As John commanded those to whom he wrote, we learn that we must not love the world. John continues by telling of the temporal nature of the world, and also of its lusts that will one day be gone:

“And the world is passing away, and also its lusts” (1 John 2:17- NASB)

Foolish Demas

Demas turned his back on serving God, choosing rather to embrace the trappings of the world, the age in which he lived. He lost sight of the eternal blessings of Christ.  How foolish he was.  And so also are all people, of all ages, who deny the God of all creation, the Lord and Saviour of mankind, who gave His life so all might live.  There’s a verse in the Bible that speaks of such people.

Psa 14:1  The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good.

There are fools all around us, who reject the amazing love of God and the saving grace of Jesus.  On April Fools Day, and every day throughout the year, help foolish people to see the Lord our God, who is also their God.  He “is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Pet 3:9)  Help foolish people to become wise.

Prov 12:15  The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise.
Prov 3:35  The wise shall inherit glory, But shame shall be the legacy of fools.

Happy April Fool’s Day!

Did you pull any pranks?

Did anyone fool you?

Do you ever find yourself feeling like a “fool“?

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. -Proverbs 1:7

I love the book of Proverbs.  When I study it, I see two distinctly different paths to choose: the way of the wise or the path of the foolish.  Wisdom brings many rewards- victory, protection, blessing, and peace.  The foolish path, however, brings destruction.  Proverbs 1:ys, “For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of  fools will destroy them.”

So, how do you “get” wisdom?

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

This reverential SURRENDER to God, loving Him above all else…..this trust in Him and His ways, believing Him…..this SEEKING Him above all else is “the fear of the Lord.”

But, a “fool” does it “her own way.”  A fool is stubborn.  A fool is full of pride.  A fool “despises wisdom and discipline.”  And, Proverbs tells us that SINCE a fool continues to choose this path, refusing God’s direction, THEN “they will eat the fruit of their ways.” (verse 31)

Ugh.  I have had to eat this STUBBORN, REBELLIOUS “fruit salad”!

Verse 23 says, “IF you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.”

Oh, how I pray that I DO respond to God’s rebuke!  I want Him to pour out His heart to me and make His thoughts known to me!

So, HOW do I understand “the fear of the Lord”?

Thankfully, Chapter 2 in Proverbs teaches us this.

Finally, Paul tells us in Ephesians 5 to “be careful how we live- not as unwise, but wise, making the most of every opportunity…..don’t be foolish but try to understand what the Lord’s will is.”  Lord, I want to make the most of every opportunity you have planned for me!

Sweet friend, God wants to p0ur out His wisdom on us (James 1).  He doesn’t want us to be foolish, but wise.  He wants to lead us in the way of wisdom.  God wants us to search for His Wisdom, His ways….trusting Him.  He want us to be surrendered to HIS WAY.  He wants our hearts to be soft and pliable….teachable.  And, oh, the pain I could have spared myself if I just would have ASKED God and followed Him, instead of foolishly going my own way.

Father God, I love You!  Thank You that You so generously pour out Your Wisdom on me.  Thank You that You “give Wisdom to anyone who asks and that You give it generously.”  Lord, I see that the “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”  Lord, grow in me the “fear of the Lord!”  Lord, make my heart soft and teachable…..pliable.  Lord, give me such a DESIRE for Your Wisdom!  Father, I confess the foolishness of my heart! And, God, I thank You for Your forgiveness for the times when I have been so foolish.  Your grace is amazing.  I love You, Lord!  In Jesus’ Name we pray.  Amen.

(week of March 25th) (Easter)

Easter is a time when we celebrate God’s love and sacrifice for us. These meditations for the remaining days leading to Easter Sunday include reflections on Jesus’ death and resurrection. As you prepare your heart for Easter, find renewed meaning in these verses and insight from Billy Graham:

THURSDAY

Read: 1 Corinthians 15:35–43

As we approach the celebration of Good Friday, I’m reminded of the seven sayings of Jesus from the cross and the glory and the power in each saying.

Jesus was alone. He had come to His own, and His own did not receive Him. When He was being arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, we are told that “all the disciples deserted him and fled” (Matthew 26:56). The crowds who had so recently shouted, “Hosanna!” would soon shout, “Crucify him! … Crucify him!” (Matthew 21:9, 27:22–23).

Now even His loyal Twelve had left. And at last we hear Him cry out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). Not only had He been forsaken by His human companions, but now in that desperate and lonely hour, He—because He was bearing our sins in His own body on the cross—had been forsaken by God. Jesus was enduring the suffering and judgment of Hell for you and for me.

How can you show your gratitude to God for allowing His Son to endure the shame and suffering of the cross?

FRIDAY

Read: 1 Corinthians 15:44–49

Good Friday celebrates the day our Lord died for our sins on the cross. I have often sat by the hour and tried to imagine the agony and suffering He went through because of our sins. At one point He said from the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30). He meant that God had accepted His work on the cross as the penalty for our sins.

Christ’s death on our behalf is the reason God can forgive us and still be just. And His death teaches us the depth and breadth that there should be in our forgiveness of one another.

While that holy Friday was tremendous, it was only a prelude to Sunday morning when He was raised from the dead. Godly women had come to see His tomb, but angels made the glorious announcement, “He has risen!” (Luke 24:6). His resurrection guaranteed that we, too, will be raised, if we are believers and obeyers of His Word.

As you celebrate the truth that Jesus came from Heaven to redeem you, are you reflecting His likeness to those around you?

SATURDAY

Read: 1 Corinthians 15:50–54

From Genesis to Revelation, we are warned that “it is later than you think.” Paul writes to Christians in Romans 13:11–12: “The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

There are millions of people around the world who do not have peace at this moment because they have never found the secret of peace. Some of them may have riches today as a result of greed and covetousness; but their souls are lean, their hearts are cold toward God, their consciences are dulled, and their minds are blinded.

They need to know that there is a God of marvelous love who sent His Son Jesus Christ to this world. And as a demonstration of His mercy, Christ—who is the Prince of Peace—went to the cross to make a way for peace between God and mankind.

Are you living in the reality of Jesus’ victory over death? In what tangible ways can you share that victory with others so that they, too, can have life?

EASTER SUNDAY

Read: 1 Corinthians 15:55–58

Easter is a season of great gladness for those who know Christ. But for those who are without “the light of the knowledge of God’s glory” (2 Corinthians 4:6), there is nothing to rejoice over.

Jesus left us with the great hope and certainty that He is going to return to bring a new Heaven and a new earth where, we are told, there will be no more sorrow, trouble, or death for those who have believed and followed Him. There will be trouble, sorrow, and suffering for those who have neglected or rejected Him.

As Christians, our great task is to obey the command to tell the whole world about Christ crucified, buried, yet risen again. My prayer for you during this season of the year, when we meditate on our Savior’s great sacrifice for us on the cross, is that you will be filled with great peace and hope, because “He is risen!” That is the Good News.

As you follow Christ, are you obeying His command to tell others that He is risen indeed?

(week of March 18th) (mercy)

Mercy for Today

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22–23)

God’s mercies are new every morning because each day only has enough mercy in it for that day. God appoints every day’s troubles. And God appoints every day’s mercies. In the life of his children, they are perfectly appointed. Jesus said, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34). Every day has its own trouble. Every day has its own mercies. Each is new every morning.

But we often tend to despair when we think that we may have to bear tomorrow’s load on today’s resources. God wants us to know: We won’t. Today’s mercies are for today’s troubles. Tomorrow’s mercies are for tomorrow’s troubles.

Sometimes we wonder if we will have the mercy to stand in terrible testing. Yes, we will. Peter says, “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you” (1 Peter 4:14). When the reviling comes, the Spirit of glory comes. It happened for Stephen as he was being stoned. It will happen for you. When the Spirit and the glory are needed, they will come.

The manna in the wilderness was given one day at a time. There was no storing up. That is the way we must depend on God’s mercy. You do not receive today the strength to bear tomorrow’s burdens. You are given mercies today for today’s troubles.

Tomorrow the mercies will be new. “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9).

(week of March 11th) (Fruits of the Spirit)

Harvest season is a time of reward. The countless hours of work, the perspiration, the constant watering, the diligent guarding against threats, and even the dirt under the fingernails all become worthwhile when our gardens, orchards, and vineyards produce their crops.

The lifecycle of the plants in our gardens ensures satisfying and delicious results. But growth in our Christian lives is rarely as dependable and never as predictable as the fruit on our trees or the vegetables in our gardens. Despite the agonising work and the hours spent trying to cultivate maturity, we often perceive only minor results—or failure.

Paul’s imagery of the fruit of the Spirit describes Christian maturity with a clarity and vividness that makes us want to harvest those sweet juicy fruits. But why does it always seem just out of reach? No matter how hard we try, we never seem to attain the patience we expect or the peace we so desperately want.

What if our effort is the problem? In the pages that follow Dr. Con Campbell offers us a fresh look at the fruit of the Spirit and helps us understand who is responsible for growing it. We hope these ideas encourage you in your pursuit of Christlikeness.

• The Fruit of the Spirit
• The Fruit of the Spirit in the Orchard of the Bible
• Keeping in Step with the Spirit

Perhaps the fruit of the Spirit, like the gifts of the Spirit, are to be thought about in more corporate terms. While no one person will have all the gifts of the Spirit, the church as a whole certainly will. Maybe we should think that way about the fruit of the Spirit. I’m sure most, if not all, congregations exhibit all the fruit of the Spirit collectively. Perhaps that is what Paul was implying. He was after all writing to the church in Galatia. Far too often we read the Bible overly individualistically, in this case leading us to think that each individual ought to show all the fruit of the Spirit. But Paul may have been thinking in more corporate terms. He may have been sketching a picture of a gathering of believers, who together exhibit the characteristics listed in Galatians 5:22–23.

What is the fruit of the Spirit?

We’ve spent the last few moments considering what the fruit of the Spirit is not. Now it’s time to consider what it is. The simplest description of the fruit listed in Galatians 5:22–23 is that they are characteristics. Notice that they are not abilities (though many of the gifts of the Spirit involve abilities). They are not doing words. They are being words. Someone is gentle; someone is loving; someone is self-controlled. And yet, while this is true, being always leads to doing. This is one way the fruit of the Spirit intersects with how we act.

If someone is gentle, it will be evident by gentle conduct and manner. If someone is loving, it will be expressed in acts of love. If someone is self-controlled, it will be demonstrated in self-control. Perhaps that’s a subtle distinction, but it’s an important one. Being leads to doing. The Spirit isn’t interested in just changing certain behaviours— adding some and removing others; He is interested in changing who we are as people. Changed people do changed things. But the internal change has to come first. God doesn’t want us to be robots who always do the right thing but whose character is, well, robotic. God is after our hearts.

Something that is easy to overlook is the fact that most of the fruit mentioned is relational. Love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness are all about relating to others. What is love, if not extended toward others? I might say that I love jazz, which obviously is not a person. But that’s not the kind of love in view here. This love is relational, between two or more persons.

Peace is not about being in a peaceful Zen state in which nothing fazes us. The biblical notion of peace, or shalom, is a state of good relations between two or more parties.

Patience and kindness are obviously relational. Patience is primarily relational in that it has to do with tolerant forbearance of others. Kindness has to do with caring for others and looking out for their needs.

While goodness may be less clearly relational, true goodness is demonstrated in relationships. We might think of ourselves as a “good person,” but if we are always mean-spirited or angry toward others, our “goodness” is rather thin.

Faithfulness is always relational. It involves loyalty and commitment to someone. In the Bible, faithfulness is never abstract, like being obedient to a list of rules. Instead, faithfulness is always about our relationship with God. If we are faithful to Him, we will follow His commands. But just obeying the rules is not the point; obedience is an expression of faithfulness.

Gentleness is relational. Our interaction with other people demonstrates our gentleness. We might think of ourselves as “gentle” because we’re pacifists and wouldn’t hurt a fly and are always careful with delicate things. But if we treat people harshly, our gentleness is not a fruit of the Spirit.

The only two characteristics that are not obviously relational are joy and self-control. These seem to be more inward in the sense that they are not necessarily expressed in relation to other people. We can have joy without anyone else around. We can show self- control in private. But even these characteristics have relational applications. Our joy can be shared with others. And self-control often involves respecting the dignity of others and not infringing on their well-being.

The fruit of the Spirit has significant implications for our relationships with each other. This is a core emphasis of the godly life in Christ Jesus; we all need to get along with each other, showing love, patience, and kindness in all our interactions.

So, what do we do about this?

I’ve been making the case that Galatians 5:22–23 is not a to-do list. It’s indicative, not imperative. But surely there are implications for the way we live, right? Well, certainly. First we need to understand how the fruit of the Spirit fits in the big picture of the Christian life.

Immediately after the list, Paul says, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (GALATIANS 5:24). This verse relates to the “vice list” of 5:19–21. Notice that Paul does not say, “Don’t do these things.” Instead, he appeals to a deeper way of thinking. He appeals to a spiritual reality. If we belong to Christ Jesus, we have crucified the flesh. Now, remember that the vice list is introduced as the acts of the flesh. Flesh is the power that produces such practices.

But in 5:24 Paul says that the flesh has been crucified. It has been put to death with Christ. Because we belong to Christ Jesus, we are united with Him in His death. Spiritually, we have been put to death. We are no longer subject to the power of the flesh. This is so much more than a simple command to avoid certain behaviours. A radical change has taken place and we no longer belong to the realm of the flesh, enslaved by its passions and desires. We now belong to the realm of the Spirit.

In the following verse, Paul says, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (5:25). We live by the Spirit. We no longer live by the flesh; the Spirit is the power in the Christian life. We are under His authority and control. And if we live by the Spirit, then we are to follow the Spirit. To follow the Spirit, or to keep in step with the Spirit, means that we live our lives in a way that is consistent with Him. We learn what the Spirit wants us to be like, and we seek to be like that. We align our will with the will of the Holy Spirit. We get in sync with Him. Ultimately, that means we will desire to be marked by the fruit of the Spirit. We will want to be loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled.

But how is that different from treating the fruit of the Spirit as a to-do list? I’ve already argued that it’s a list of indicatives, not imperatives, and that’s certainly true. But the imperative comes in verse 25: We are to follow or keep in step with the Spirit. That’s different from treating the fruit as imperatives, because our wills are to be aligned with the third person of the Trinity. We are to cooperate with Him. If we do, He will produce His fruit in us. If we do not, we will remain immature believers, who look more fleshly than spiritual.

This means that the Spirit does not simply zap us to become the mature, godly believers He desires us to be. I suppose He could do that if He chose, but generally God chooses not to work like a microwave, but more like a slow-cook oven. As the Spirit slowly “cooks” us, it is our job to stay in the oven, as it were. We can’t cook ourselves, but we can allow God to do the cooking.

To understand more deeply what it means to keep in step with the Spirit, we need to think a little more broadly about Galatians as a whole. We turn to this now.

The Spirit in Galatians

Paul writes the letter to the Galatians because the Christians there had started to believe a different gospel. They had begun to think that Gentile (anyone who was not Jewish) Christians must follow Jewish customs in order to be truly Christian. Paul wrote to remind them that faith alone in Jesus Christ, not works of the law, saved them.

Paul introduces the Spirit in chapter 3 by asking if the Galatians received the Spirit by obeying the laws of Moses or by believing what they heard about Jesus.

He reminds them that Jesus redeemed them so they might be blessed by receiving the Spirit. God adopted them and sent the Spirit into their hearts as a sign of that adoption. As sons and daughters, they are free, not slaves. And since they are free, they shouldn’t turn around and make themselves slaves again.

But, Paul warns, this new freedom that comes from our adoption by God and the coming of the Spirit should not to be used to indulge our own selfish desires. Instead, the newfound freedom should be used to serve each other in love. Walking by the Spirit would help the Galatians not to gratify the desires of the flesh. The works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit are both obvious. It is easy to tell if actions are selfish or motivated by the Spirit. Since the flesh no longer controls them, they should live by the Spirit.

This brief synopsis of Galatians shows how the Spirit fits into Paul’s explanation of the Christian life, and therefore how we should think about the fruit of the Spirit. The Spirit is the sign of adoption into God’s family—He is the sign of freedom. Living by the Spirit is the answer to the problem that Paul set out to address. Do Gentile Christians need to live by Jewish customs? No! Followers of Jesus should live according to the Spirit.

Galatians in the Bible

What Galatians says about God and life for those who follow Christ intersects with some of the biggest themes of the Bible. The promises to Abraham (see genesIs12:1–3) are fulfilled in Christ, since people of all nations are blessed through faith in Him. The justice demanded by the law of Moses is satisfied in Christ’s crucifixion. In the book of Galatians, life under the law is contrasted to the new life under the Spirit. This new life is the result of a promise given long ago. The promise that the Spirit of God would dwell within His people is first given by the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel.

The promise in Ezekiel 36:27 is especially interesting for understanding the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5. In that passage the Lord says, “I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” We’ve already seen from Galatians that the presence of the Spirit is the sign of new life. Because of Christ’s death on the cross that paid the penalty for sin and our redemption through faith in Him, the presence of the Spirit in Christians’ hearts fulfils the first half of Ezekiel 36:27. But it’s the second half of the verse that connects most directly to the fruit of the Spirit. The Lord says He will put His Spirit within you and move you to follow His decrees and laws. In other words, the Spirit of God will enable the people of God to live His way.

The second half of Ezekiel 36:27 is fulfilled in the fruit of the Spirit. The Spirit brings forth love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in the lives of believers. And notice what Paul adds at the end of Galatians 5:23, “Against such things there is no law.” The point here is that if the Spirit is growing His fruit in your life, you will be living in line with the law of God. Christians are not bound by the law of Moses, but their lives will nonetheless live up to the moral standards set in the law. But this doesn’t happen through “law-keeping” or being good; rather, it will happen by keeping in step with the Spirit.

The fruit of the Spirit is part of the grand plan of God to enable His people to live in a way that pleases Him—living by the power of the Spirit. As members of God’s family—adopted sons and daughters—God shapes us to be like Him, and to bear the characteristics that flow from His own character. The fruit of the Spirit is nothing less than the culmination of centuries of promise and expectation that finds fulfilment as the result of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection. What a privilege to be Spirit-filled people!

We’ve explored what the fruit of the Spirit is (and what it isn’t) and why it matters. We turn now to consider how the fruit of the Spirit shapes Christian living.

It is wonderful to consider all that God has done for us in Christ and continues to do through the Holy Spirit. For all He has done, our responsibility is simple: Keep in step with the Spirit and resist the flesh. We are to cooperate with the work He is doing as we look forward to the day when the power of the flesh will be conquered.

One of the most important things the Spirit does is to point us to Christ. That means one way we can keep in step with the Spirit is to fix our eyes on Jesus. Let our daily thoughts and meditations return to Him time and time again. Let Him be the center of our thoughts, our imagination, and our desires. As we choose to follow Christ, to depend on Him, and to submit to Him, we will be keeping in step with the Spirit.

As we reflect on Jesus, we have opportunity to express our dependence on Him for all things, not least our salvation. He is the source of eternal life, and indeed of all life as the ruler and sustainer of the entire cosmos. Our prayerful dependence on Christ brings Him honour and is the right disposition of our hearts. All such reflection on Christ and expression of our dependence on Him is produced through the influence of the Spirit.

But we all know too well the reality that the Christian life is a struggle. While the Spirit does indeed work powerfully within us, the Scriptures exhort us to resist living according to the flesh. This assumes that we can still give ourselves over to the power of the flesh. We are not given the option of being passive. And so, throughout the Christian life, there is an ongoing tension between living by the Spirit and giving in to our own selfish desires.

A good daily prayer is to ask God for the strength to remain engaged in the struggle. There are only two ways the struggle can stop feeling like a struggle. The first is to die and be with the Lord. The second is to give up the struggle and give in to the flesh. This is the option we must avoid! So we need to be on our guard against feelings of hopelessness that discourage us to remain in the fight.

Though it will sometimes feel like it, our battle against the flesh is not hopeless. There are two major reasons for this: We are no longer under the authority of sin, and the Spirit is a deposit guaranteeing our future inheritance. Let’s explore these in turn.

We are no longer under the authority of sin. Paul develops this point in greatest detail in Romans 6. If we have died with Christ, we have been set free from sin (ROMANS 6:7). What Paul means by “sin” in Romans 6 is sin as a power, or ruler. The point he is making is that, by dying with Christ, believers have been released from sin’s power; we now live under Christ’s authority. Yet Paul appeals to the Romans not to put themselves under sin again (6:12–13). While sin is no longer our master (6:14), the pull to go on “obeying” sin is real and powerful. But Paul wants us to realize that we don’t have to give in.

The famous Welsh preacher D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones illustrated this struggle well. In 1865 the work of Abraham Lincoln and others to abolish slavery in the United States finally came to fruition. All slaves were declared free. Lloyd- Jones says to imagine you had grown up a slave in Alabama. One minute, you’re a slave. The next, you are free—legally, officially, and forever free. While you may now have your freedom, your internal grasp of that freedom may take some time to catch up to the reality. Imagine that one day you ran into your former slave-owner on the street, and he calls out to you, “Come here, boy!” At that moment, will you feel like a slave? I think you probably would. Your whole life, you’ve responded to him as your master. You’re conditioned to obey that voice. Every muscle and fiber in your body is inclined to obey.

But the reality is that you are free. You are not a slave. Your former master has no authority over you at all. He cannot tell you what to do, and you have no obligation to obey him.

Our struggle with sin is just like this. Sin once ruled over us, and our bodies were conditioned to obey its demands. It’s the way we lived our entire lives until we were set free by Christ. Now that we know spiritual freedom, our comprehension of it can take a while to catch up. Occasionally, sin calls out, “Come here, boy!” and our initial impulse is to obey. But in Christ we are no longer slaves to sin. We do not need to obey its call. And yet we will feel its pull and even struggle with our first reaction to give in to its demands. Even though we are free, we can choose to do what it says, even though sin has no right to tell us what to do.

And so, we live this life with an ongoing tension between the Spirit and our former rulers, sin and the flesh. We are to go on choosing the Spirit. We belong to Christ now, and His Spirit is powerful. Let us keeping step with the Spirit, and deny the illegitimate call of the conquered powers of sin and the flesh.

The second major reason our battle against the flesh is not hopeless is that it will one day come to an end. As Paul says in Ephesians 1:13–14, the Spirit is a seal marking the fact that we belong to Christ. And He is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance, until He finally redeems us. This means that the Spirit is the proof of our future. As the sign of the new age, we know that Spirit-filled people will one day be fully transformed, with new resurrection bodies, and we will be, once and for all, totally free from sinning.

Paul puts this in a similar way in Romans 8:14–17. Those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God, since He is the Spirit of adoption. In fact, the Spirit enables us to cry “Abba, Father,” and testifies that we are God’s children. The punch line comes in verse 17, “If we are children [of God], then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.” While we suffer with Him, we will also be glorified with Him. So we see that the presence of the Spirit in our lives points forward to a glorious future—a future without sin, suffering, or shame as the glorified children of God.

The tension between the flesh and the Spirit goes on until that day. But as we continue to live according to the Spirit, as we strive to keep in step with Him, and as we resist the call of the flesh, the Spirit will continue to produce His fruit in us.

Harvest time

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self- control, as well as other Christlike characteristics. The Spirit lives in us because new life has come in Christ, and we have been set free from slavery to the flesh, sin, and the law. He is the sign of the new age and is the seal of our membership in God’s family. The Spirit works in us to produce fruit that is in keeping with the family likeness, as we fix our eyes on Jesus, remain fully dependent upon Him, and seek to worship Him in all of life.

The fruit of the Spirit is not a to-do list to check off. The Spirit produces the fruit in us. Christianity is not a set of rules, nor is the Bible a manual for good living. Christianity is about a relationship with God the Father, through His Son Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

(week of March 4th) (40)

Forty Days in the Wilderness: Lessons from Jesus’ Temptation

Temptation is a familiar part of life for us all. If we’re honest, we can admit that it doesn’t take much to lead us astray when we let our guard down. Most of us give in far more easily than we’d like to admit. By nature, we’re more inclined to run in our own direction than to follow God’s lead. So what can we do to avoid temptation’s pitfalls and stay on the narrow path?

Just after warning his readers about the danger of drifting (Heb. 2:1–4), the writer of Hebrews answers this question by directing our gaze heavenward, encouraging us to reflect on Jesus’ own experience:

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (vv. 17–18)

One of the greatest examples we have of Jesus dealing with temptation is found in Luke 4:1–12, which chronicles Christ’s forty days in the wilderness and the accompanying temptations from the devil. When we read and study God’s Word, we should never dismiss Jesus as someone or something entirely otherworldly but instead learn from the one who is fully God and fully man.

The temptations Jesus faced are temptations we face. Yet He perfectly endured every temptation. He trusted God the Father unequivocally. He found the “way of escape” (1 Cor. 10:13). Although we can only strive toward, and not achieve, such perfection in this life, considering Jesus’ response to Satan in the wilderness can help us grow wiser and be better prepared when we face our own temptations.

When we read and study God’s Word, we should never dismiss Jesus as someone or something entirely otherworldly but instead learn from the one who is fully God and fully man.

When You Doubt God’s Provision

In Luke 3:22, at the moment of Jesus’ baptism, God’s voice came from heaven, declaring to Him, “You are my beloved Son.” In Luke 4, with Jesus now “led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days” (v. 1), we find the devil’s voice coming from hell, saying, “If you are the Son of God…” (v. 3, emphasis added). Calling God’s Word into question has long been Satan’s way: “Did God actually say…” (Gen. 3:1). It’s no surprise, then, that Satan begins his temptation of Jesus by insinuating that if God truly loved Him and was pleased with Him, things might be going a little better. His stomach might be a little fuller. Jesus should simply take matters into His own hands and make bread so He can eat.

Jesus answers Satan with a quote from the book of Deuteronomy: “Man shall not live by bread alone” (Luke 4:4; see also Deut. 8:3). In Deuteronomy, the manna God provided supernaturally was a reminder to Israel that they were ultimately dependent not on bread but on God, the Giver and Sustainer of life. Jesus therefore declares His dependence on His Father, who had promised to look after Him, even in the desolation of the Judean wilderness.

Scripture affirms God’s loving provision for us, too—but Satan calls God’s promises into question. Jesus, in His humanity, had to trust God’s provision rather than using His power to produce bread for Himself. He understood firsthand both the challenge and the comfort of what He’d soon teach in the Sermon on the Mount: “Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. … Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all” (Matt. 6:25, 32). We can trust, then, that the solution He gives us when we are tempted to worry—“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matt. 6:33)—is the same one He relied on.

When God’s Way Is Difficult

The devil knew that Jesus was seeking the kingdom of God on earth—so in his next attack, we seem him suggesting that Jesus should found the messianic kingdom by making a compromise with His tempter. Jesus knows the cost of mankind’s salvation will be high (Luke 12:50 ). Indeed, He will even plead with the Father to find another way, if possible (Matt. 26:39; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42 ). By bowing down to Satan, Jesus (so the devil says) will be able to rule over the earth without the struggle and suffering of the cross (Luke 4:5–7).

But Jesus responds again with Scripture: “You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve” (Luke 4:8; see also Deut. 6:13). In serving God only, Jesus takes the way of self-denying love and sacrificial death. He takes the narrow road (Matt. 7:13–14). The power Satan offers Him is not the kingdom of God at all but the kingdom of Satan. God’s kingdom will only come through His self-giving love on the cross.

Jesus emerged victorious despite the strongest attempts of hell to overturn God’s plan of redemption. Because Jesus has secured this victory and we are in Christ, His victory is our victory, and we can call upon Him in times of temptation.

The devil says to us, too, You don’t have to believe this stuff about the narrow road. You don’t have to take up your cross every day and follow Christ. Don’t worry about all that! I’ve got a whole way of getting things done that’s much nicer and easier. We may be tempted to bring about heaven with the tools of hell, but it won’t work. God’s kingdom will only come in God’s way—and God’s way is the path to Calvary. As Jesus said to His disciples, “Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it” (Luke 9:24).

When You Question God’s Faithfulness

Finally, in one last attempt, the devil leads Jesus to the highest point of the Jerusalem temple and urges Him to throw Himself down (Luke 4:9–11). Taking a cue from Jesus, Satan now employs Scripture, quoting from Psalm 91 , which begins, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High…” At the temple—the place that represented God’s protection and presence—he challenges Jesus to obtain a more definite proof of His Father’s care by forcing the Father to come to His Son’s aid. In doing so, Satan implies, Christ can show everyone how much He trusts in the promises of God’s Word.

God’s Word is perfect, but Satan likes to twist it so that it seems to say things it does not. Jesus knows and recognizes this, and so He quotes from Deuteronomy again, saying, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test” (Luke 4:12; see also Deut. 6:16). He doesn’t waver for a moment in His trust of God.

When we have Christ, when we have His Spirit indwelling and filling us, when we have His Word feeding and guiding us, then we have all that we need to face today’s temptations.

Just as he did with Jesus, the devil comes to us and asks, Why don’t you find out if God really is true to His promises? And we may meet people who are doing exactly that: ignoring God’s wisdom, spurning His commands, and expecting His promise of grace to spare them the consequences of their actions. They ask God to save them while neglecting the means of grace that He has so lovingly provided. That is putting God to the test. We ought to remember Jesus’ warning: “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand” (Matt. 7:26).

His Victory Is Ours

Jesus emerged victorious despite the strongest attempts of hell to overturn God’s plan of redemption. Because Jesus has secured this victory and we are in Christ, His victory is our victory, and we can call upon Him in times of temptation.

As Christ was full of the Spirit and full of the Word of God, so must we be. When we have Christ, when we have His Spirit indwelling and filling us, when we have His Word feeding and guiding us, then we have all that we need to face today’s temptations. May we resolve, then, to prepare ourselves for the temptations that lie ahead, that we might follow the example of Christ and arise victorious.

This article was adapted from the sermons “The Temptation of Jesus — Part One” and “The Temptation of Jesus — Part Two” by Alistair Begg.

(week of Feb 26) (content)

The Spiritual Discipline of Contentment
By Amanda Idleman 

“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” - Philippians 4:11-13

We’ve all probably heard the latter part of this passage….”I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” It’s a beautiful message of strength, help, and confidence from the Lord! However, the context of these words is so important to understand their message. Paul is explaining that he has endured lows, hunger, and need. It is in these trying situations that he was taught the discipline of contentment. It was then that he realized that he can do all things through the power of Christ. 

Not to rain on the parade of this beloved verse but the idea that we have to endure hardship to understand what it means to be content and provided for is not as exciting as just focusing on the promise that we'll always, almost magically, have what we need in Christ. 

Contentment from the bible is usually associated with moderation, a sense of God's guidance and readiness for obedience. The definition of contentment is the state of being satisfied or the source of satisfaction. How many of us find ourselves longing to be content with our lives, bodies, marriages, finances, circumstances, personalities, faith, and stories that we have been given? 

Contentment is a discipline, and it is hard. 
Envy, ungratefulness, comparison, and fear are the things that stop us from living with contentment. Contentment is not a static state of being. It's the active pursuit of the life God has just for YOU. It's being ready to be obedient to God’s guidance in every season. It requires laser focus on what God has for you without being distracted by what could be instead. Contentment means we have to abandon the pursuit of perfection and instead strive for God’s beauty and redemption in our lives. Seeing God’s beauty often takes a change in mindset and not circumstances. 

This may look like appreciating the way your body has served you even if it’s not in perfect shape, it can be choosing to show love to your husband even though you experienced many seasons of struggle together or focusing on the ways you are growing rather than obsessing over your failures. Letting go of the pride that says “I have to or I need to” can be one of the hardest things for believers to do. Yet, this is the type of surrender we are called to. Our lives are no longer our own, we are a new creation in Christ! 

Contentment is a posture. It’s being in the presence of God first before we pursue action. It’s strategic stillness in our lives so we can have the right focus. Contentment feels like a strong sense of faith that your life is only possible because you are connected to your Creator. It’s living as though He is your strength and portion!

Contentment is a gift. It often can be a fleeting feeling of rightness in a moment or a season. The enemy is always working to steal our peace and push into our minds another reason to doubt, fear, worry, or need. God gives us the gift of assurance, peace, joy, of knowing we are in his will and that we are loved. Even though it can be hard to find contentment in our lives, it is a good gift worth pursuing. 

Intersecting Faith and Life: 
Pause to consider how you can cultivate more contentment in your life. How can you better model for your children peace and enoughness in a culture that screams more, more, more! What words communicate that God is enough for you, that your life is His, and while you are always moving forward, you are never asked to strive. You just have to walk hand-in-hand with Him. That is all that is required of you. 

(week of Jan 22) (temptation) 

We are stewards of our time. God has given each one of us a little “chunk of eternity” called time. These golden moments of opportunity are doled out to us for our benefit and for God’s glory. If we use them wisely, they are woven by God’s omnipotent hand into the fabric of eternity. Henry Thoreau cautioned, “You cannot kill time without injuring eternity.” “He who has no vision of eternity,” said Carlyle, “has no hold on time.” “Only one life, ’twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last” is the sentiment of every man who desires to be a good steward of his time. We are entrusted with a small portion of the capital of time. If we invest it wisely, it will pay dividends throughout eternity.

Listen to this message from Billy Graham on using time wisely.

Lea este devocional en español en es.billygraham.org.

Prayer for the day

Take away my procrastinating nature—how easy it is for me to waste time. I want to be able to leave a legacy of time spent for You, Lord, because that is eternal.

(week of Nov 6th) (listen)

(week of Oct 30th) (belonging)

(Week of October23rd) (training)

Training in Godliness

(week of June 12th) (commitment) 

Billy Graham

Each generation becomes more addicted to the sedatives of life, to dull the pain of living. Oppressed by a sense of triviality and thwarted purpose, men find no great goal or commitment to draw them, and no inner stimulation to give meaning to their existence. Christ can save you from the bane of boredom. He waits to give you a fresh sense of direction and to take dissatisfaction out of your life. I talked recently with a man in my own community who was converted to faith in Christ. “I hadn’t known what to do with my leisure time,” he told me, “but now I have a sense of commitment and purpose that I never knew before.”

Prayer for the day

Even the smallest job I do today is part of my service to You, Lord. Help my heart to be so filled with Your Spirit I will rejoice whatever task is set before me.

(week of June 5th) (ungrateful)

by Billy Graham

Are you thankful no matter what? Look at the story of a man who had every right to be bitter—but wasn’t.

The next footsteps in the corridor, he knew, might be those of the guards taking him away to his execution. His only bed was the hard, cold stone floor of the dank, cramped prison cell. Not an hour passed when he was free from the constant irritation of the chains and the pain of the iron manacles cutting into his wrists and legs.

Separated from friends, unjustly accused, brutally treated—if ever a person had a right to complain, it was this man, languishing almost forgotten in a harsh Roman prison. But instead of complaints, his lips rang with words of praise and thanksgiving!

The man was the Apostle Paul—a man who had learned the meaning of true thanksgiving, even in the midst of great adversity. Earlier, when he had been imprisoned in Rome, Paul wrote, “Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:19-20, NIV).

Think of it: Always giving thanks for everything—no matter the circumstances! Thanksgiving for the Apostle Paul was not a once-a-year celebration, but a daily reality that changed his life and made him a joyful person in every situation.

Thanksgiving—the giving of thanks—to God for all His blessings should be one of the most distinctive marks of the believer in Jesus Christ. We must not allow a spirit of ingratitude to harden our heart and chill our relationship with God and with others.

Nothing turns us into bitter, selfish, dissatisfied people more quickly than an ungrateful heart. And nothing will do more to restore contentment and the joy of our salvation than a true spirit of thankfulness.

In the ancient world, leprosy was a terrible disease. It hopelessly disfigured those who had it, and it permanently cut them off from normal society. Without exception, every leper yearned for one thing: To be healed.

One day 10 lepers approached Jesus outside a village, loudly pleading with Him to heal them. In an instant He restored them all to perfect health—but only one came back and thanked Him. All the rest left without a word of thanks, their minds preoccupied only with themselves, gripped with a spirit of ingratitude.

Today, too, ingratitude and thanklessness are far too common. Children forget to thank their parents for all that they do. Common courtesy is scorned. We take for granted the ways that others help us. Above all, we fail to thank God for His blessings.

Ingratitude is a sin, just as surely as is lying or stealing or immorality or any other sin condemned by the Bible. One of the Bible’s indictments against rebellious humanity is that “although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him” (Romans 1:21, NIV). An ungrateful heart is a heart that is cold toward God and indifferent to His mercy and love. It is a heart that has forgotten how dependent we are on God for everything.

From one end of the Bible to the other, we are commanded to be thankful. In fact, thankfulness is the natural outflowing of a heart that is attuned to God. The psalmist declared, “Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving” (Psalm 147:7, NIV). Paul wrote, “Be thankful” (Colossians 3:15, NIV). A spirit of thanksgiving is always the mark of a joyous Christian.

Why should we be thankful? Because God has blessed us, and we should be thankful for each blessing.

Thank God for the Material Blessings That He Gives You

We seem never to be satisfied with what we have—rich or poor, healthy or sick. But what a difference it makes when we realize that everything we have has been given to us by God! King David prayed, “Wealth and honor come from you … We give you thanks, and praise your glorious name … Everything comes from you” (1 Chronicles 29:12-14, NIV).

Some years ago I visited a man who was wealthy and successful. He was the envy of all his friends and business associates. But as we talked, he broke down in tears, confessing that he was miserable inside. Wealth had not been able to fill the empty place in his heart.

A few hours later I visited another man only a short distance away. His cottage was humble, and he had almost nothing in the way of this world’s possessions. And yet his face was radiant as he told me about the work he was doing for Christ and how Christ had filled his life with meaning and purpose. I am convinced that the second man was really the rich man. Although he didn’t have much, he had learned to be thankful for everything that God had given him. Paul declared, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (Philippians 4:12, NIV). A spirit of thankfulness makes all the difference.

Are you constantly preoccupied with what you do not have? Or have you learned to thank God for what you do have?

Thank God for the People in Your Life

It is so easy to take people for granted, or even to complain and become angry because they do not meet our every wish. But we need to give thanks for those around us—our spouses, our children, our relatives, our friends and others who help us in some way.

I once received a letter from a woman who began by telling me how fortunate she was to have a kind, considerate husband. She then used four pages to list all his faults! How many marriages and other relationships grow cold and eventually are shattered because of the sin of ingratitude?

Do you let others know that you appreciate them and are thankful for them? The Christians in Corinth were far from perfect, but Paul began his first letter to them by saying, “I always thank God for you” (1 Corinthians 1:4, NIV). When a group of believers (whom Paul had never met) came out to greet him as he approached Rome, we read that “at the sight of these men Paul thanked God and was encouraged” (Acts 28:15, NIV). Thank God for those who touch your life.

Thank God in the Midst of Trials and Even Persecution

We draw back from difficulties, yet not one of us is exempt from some kind of trouble. In many parts of the world it is dangerous even to be a Christian because of persecution.

And yet in the midst of those trials we can thank God, because we know that He has promised to be with us and that He will help us. We know that He can use times of suffering to draw us closer to Himself: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (James 1:2-3, NIV).

When the prophet Daniel learned that evil men were plotting against him to destroy him, “he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before” (Daniel 6:10, NIV). The Bible commands, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV). Paul declared, “You will even be able to thank God in the midst of pain and distress because you are privileged to share the lot of those who are living in the light” (Colossians 1:12, Phillips).

I don’t know what trials you may be facing right now, but God does, and He loves you and is with you by His Holy Spirit. Cultivate a spirit of thankfulness even in the midst of trials and heartaches.

Thank God Especially for His Salvation in Jesus Christ

God has given us the greatest Gift of all—His Son, who died on the cross and rose again so that we can know Him personally and spend eternity with Him in heaven: “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15, NIV).

The Bible tells us that we are separated from God because we have sinned. But God loves us—He loves you, He loves me—and He wants us to be part of His family forever. He loves us so much that He sent His only Son into the world to die as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. All we need to do is reach out in faith and accept Christ as our Savior and Lord: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NIV).

Have you opened your heart to Jesus Christ? If not, turn to Him with a simple prayer of repentance and faith, and thank Him for what He has done for you. And if you do know Christ, how long has it been since you thanked God for your salvation? We should not let a day go by without thanking God for His mercy and His grace to us in Jesus Christ.

Thank God for His Continued Presence and Power in Your Life

When we come to Christ, it is not the end but the beginning of a whole new life! He is with us, and He wants to help us follow Him and His Word.

In ourselves we do not have the strength that we need to live the way God wants us to live. But when we turn to Him, we discover that “it is God who works in [us] to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13, NIV). Jesus promised His disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18, 20, NIV).

In many countries a special day is set aside each year for thanksgiving. But for the Christian every day can be a day of thanksgiving, as we are “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20, NIV).

(week of May 29th) (Good Cheer [optimism, confidence])

BE OF GOOD CHEER

(week of May 22nd) (song)

A pastor, thinking that he was being humorous, once introduced me, saying, “I’ve heard him eat and I’ve heard him sing, and I’d rather hear him eat than sing.”  It’s no wonder we have become intimidated when it comes to anything much but singing in the shower where no one can hear.

Yet the one who never sings is one who stifles the music soul which gives vent to the deep feelings within.  Actually, no language is more universal than that of music.  Whether it is a cowboy with his guitar, the sheepherder who sits on the back of the old pickup playing his harmonica, the aborigine who sits on the dirt floor of a hut and plays a nose flute made from the bone of an animal, or a great symphony whose combined musical voices thunder the 1812 Overture, music has a way of purging our emotions and expressing our hopes, fears, loves, and likes.

Many of us are intimidated by the professionals whose performances are nearly perfect, yet for those who give vent to the music within there is a great blessing.  Of the seven fine arts, music is considered to be the most heavenly in nature.  Among all races and peoples, singing has played a significant part in worship.  Surely God created man with a song in his heart that had to be voiced.  The book of Genesis links joy and singing together.  Anthropologists tell us that singing and dancing are among the most ancient expressions of humankind, and both were associated with worship.  Ancient singers became the historians telling the stories of their exploits and victories in song.

Musicians who sang or played instruments always preceded the Ark of the Covenant in ancient Israel.  The Old Testament admonishes, “Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints.  Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King.  Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp” (Psalm 149:1-3).

The book of James asks, “Is anyone happy?  Let him sing songs of praise” (James 5:13).  Paul links singing with the outworking of God’s Spirit in the believer’s life.  He says, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.  Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:18,19).

When John the Apostle has a vision of heaven, yes, he includes singing.  He says, “Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!’” (Revelation 5:13).

So you can’t carry a tune, right?  That doesn’t have to stop you from letting a melody rise from your soul.  Even individuals who were born deaf, having never heard a violin or a mother’s sweet song, still sing, tapping out the melody, striving to understand the rise and fall of the notes.  In the west, eight melodic tones form an octave, but in certain other areas–China, for example–the scale is different.  Yet every race and every group of people who have ever lived sing and enjoy music.

When people are blessed they break forth in song, and only in the darkest days of Israel’s history did they put away their harps, their voices silent.  In nature God has an uncountable number of musical refrains, all of which are meaningful, so no matter how you sound, use your voice and breath to praise God in song and to express the music He put in your soul. You are the better for it and so is our world.

(week of May 15th) (Intercessory Prayer of Jesus)

(week of May 8th) (it's not a given)

(say this simple sinner’s prayer from your heart:

Dear Lord,I know I’m a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness.I believe Jesus Christ is your only begotten Son. I believe that He died for my sins and that you raised Him from the dead.I want to trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Please guide me and help me do your will and fill me with your Holy Spirit. Thank you, Lord! In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen)

(week of May 1st) (the Heart)

Psalm 51

One of the most misleading pieces of advice you will hear is the recommendation to follow your heart. God says, “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick” (Jeremiah 17:9). We all enter life with a inclination toward sin and selfishness, and there is no way we ourselves can change this. Instead of trusting a sinful heart, what we really need is a new, clean heart, and only the Lord can give us one.

Our heavenly Father sent His Son into this world to die on the cross and pay the penalty for our sins. Only in that way could we be forgiven and receive a clean heart from which flow holy desires and ambitions. Through Christ, we are set apart for God, welcomed into His family as adopted children, and indwelt by His Spirit.  

Thanks to our new heart and the Holy Spirit’s empowering presence, we are enabled to live a righteous life of obedience to the Lord. Instead of living with a deceptive heart, we can now draw near to God in fellowship and understand the truth of His Word. With gratitude for our new heart, let’s rely on the Spirit’s power to help us discern error and make wise decisions.

Go deeper: Read about what it means to live a life of purity and holiness.

Lea este devocional en español en es.billygraham.org.

Prayer for the day

Father, give me purity of heart that in true humility I may serve and praise You.

(week of April 24th) (Born Again)

(

week of April 17th) (a Touch)

When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. (Matthew 8:1-3)

(Week of April 10th) (Resurrection)

If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:17)

Here are ten amazing things we owe to the resurrection of Jesus:

1) A Savior who can never die again. “We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again” (Romans 6:9).

2) Repentance. “The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel” (Acts 5:30–31).

3) New birth. “According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).

4) Forgiveness of sin. “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17).

5) The Holy Spirit. “This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing” (Acts 2:32–33).

6) No condemnation for the elect. “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died — more than that, who was raised — who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Romans 8:34).

7) Jesus’s personal fellowship and protection. “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

8) Proof of coming judgment. “[God] has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).

9) Salvation from the future wrath of God. “[We] wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10; Romans 5:9).

10) Our own resurrection from the dead. “[We know] that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence” (2 Corinthians 4:14; Romans 6:4; 8:11; 1 Corinthians 6:14; 15:20).

The resurrection of Christ brings hope. The late Emil Brunner once said, “What oxygen is for the lungs, such is hope for the meaning of human life.” As the human organism is dependent on a supply of oxygen, so humanity is dependent on its supply of hope. Yet today hopelessness and despair are everywhere. Peter, who himself was given to despair during the episode of Calvary, writes in a triumphant note, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again into a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

There is hope that mistakes and sins can be forgiven. There is hope that we can have joy, peace, assurance, and security in the midst of the despair of this age. There is hope that Christ is coming soon—this is what is called in Scripture “the blessed hope.” There is hope that there will come some day a new heaven and a new earth, and that the Kingdom of God will reign and triumph. Our hope is not in our own ability, or in our goodness, or in our physical strength. Our hope is instilled in us by the resurrection of Christ.

Read about the evidence of Jesus’ resurrection.

Lea este devocional en español en es.billygraham.org.

Prayer for the day

My hope is in You, my resurrected Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! May I never despair, as I remember Your triumph and love.

Billy Graham

(week of April  3rd) (fool)

On April 1st, people “stretch” the truth and then announce “April Fools.” As Christians, we are to discern truth and know what the Bible says about fools. In Paul’s final letter to Timothy, he wrote about a man named Demas. But sadly, Paul did not “stretch” the truth, nor was there an announcement of “April Fools.”  Demas was a foolish man.

Demas Deserted Paul

“Make every effort to come to me soon; for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica;” (2 Timothy 4:9-10, NASB)

In this short text, there is a certain sadness conveyed by the apostle Paul. Paul was in a Roman prison, under the watchful eye of the Roman guard, and he greatly desired that Timothy would come soon. It is evident that Paul was aware that his time on earth was short (2 Timothy 4:6-8). Sadly, only Luke was with him (2 Timothy 4:11). because Demas had deserted him.

Who Was Demas?

Demas had been a cherished co-laborer with Paul, a co-worker in spreading the gospel message of Jesus (Philemon 24; Colossians 4:14). He seemed to be the real deal. but Scripture tells that at some point during Paul’s time in Rome, Demas had made it known that he “loved this present world.” And so he had departed from Paul and headed to Thessalonica.

The Greek word for deserted is “shamayim” and it speaks of “letting someone down.” In both the KJV and NKJV, the word is translated as “forsaken.”   Demas had forsaken Paul by leaving Paul because he “loved this present world.” Kenneth Wuest, a former Greek instructor at Moody Bible Institute, wrote that Demas “had set a high value on this present age.” The word for “world” is aion, and it can also be translated as “age.”  In that sense, it speaks of the aims, hopes, and aspirations that define the current time. 

A Lesson from Demas

This is a difficult passage, and also an alarming one. It reveals the lesson that this world, in which we live, can serve as a powerful tool of seduction that can actually draw a person away from the work of Christ. And this “love” of the “present age” can be even more inviting when conditions are not so favorable. 
 
After reading about Demas, these words from John’s first letter should come to mind:

“Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.” (1 John 2:15-16 – NASB)

 As John commanded those to whom he wrote, we learn that we must not love the world. John continues by telling of the temporal nature of the world, and also of its lusts that will one day be gone:

“And the world is passing away, and also its lusts” (1 John 2:17- NASB)

Foolish Demas

Demas turned his back on serving God, choosing rather to embrace the trappings of the world, the age in which he lived. He lost sight of the eternal blessings of Christ.  How foolish he was.  And so also are all people, of all ages, who deny the God of all creation, the Lord and Saviour of mankind, who gave His life so all might live.  There’s a verse in the Bible that speaks of such people.

Psa 14:1  The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good.

There are fools all around us, who reject the amazing love of God and the saving grace of Jesus.  On April Fools Day, and every day throughout the year, help foolish people to see the Lord our God, who is also their God.  He “is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Pet 3:9)  Help foolish people to become wise.

Prov 12:15  The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise.
Prov 3:35  The wise shall inherit glory, But shame shall be the legacy of fools.

(week of March 27th) (darkness)

The world’s difficulty is summed up in the words, “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness understood it not.” The light of Easter is shining, but men refuse to turn to its healing rays for forgiveness, redemption, and salvation. Thus Christ is being rejected by the overwhelming majority of humanity today. As a result, men stumble on in spiritual darkness blindly toward destruction, judgment, and hell.

In the midst of the darkness and “void” at the creation of the world, God said, “Let there be light.” In your own mind-darkened, will-paralyzed, conscience-dulled soul, God can make the light penetrate and turn the darkness of your own life into day, if you will let Him. Many of you are living in spiritual darkness, confused, frustrated, disturbed, and fearful. Let the Light come into your heart by faith.

Read Anne Graham Lotz’s Bible study, “Putting Holes in the Darkness”

Lea este devocional en español en es.billygraham.org.

Prayer for the day

At Easter time, as nature breaks through into glorious re-creation, I am reminded of the glory of Your resurrection! I praise You, Lord Jesus, for Your light which shines through the dimness of my soul.

 

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“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5 (NIV)

I spent most of my childhood doing my homework in the dark under a burning gas lamp. As war erupted in my Middle Eastern country, we had electricity only eight hours a day, and then it was dark.

Not only was my country physically dark, it was also spiritually dark. My family experienced the effects of this darkness, as we were the only Christians in our village. When we shared the gospel with our neighbors, we received heavy persecution and death threats urging us to stop, or my father would be killed. I experienced darkness at my school as well, where I was bullied for my faith. Often, my heart sank deep within me as I felt the rejection from those around me.

Persecution was affecting my family from the outside, but from the inside, poverty was taking over.

We often lacked food and sometimes only had raw onion and bread for dinner. We lived in a small apartment with no furniture, couches or beds. I desired to have new clothes, dolls and toys, but we could not afford them, and I didn’t receive gifts on Christmas or my birthday.

Yet, my parents continuously encouraged me to be content and to keep my eyes on Jesus. Mom recited Psalm 23 to me every night before going to bed, and she taught me to pray and bring all my needs to God.

During this season of darkness, Christian resources were limited. Aside from finding other Christians to meet, a Christian radio station broadcasted two hours a day. My family desired to have access to the station, but we could not afford a radio. Being a family of prayer, we brought this need to God.

Then God pierced through our darkness.

Amid the war, poverty and persecution, I was given the gift of a beautifully wrapped shoebox packed by someone halfway across the world who wanted to show me God’s love.

My family gathered to open the shoebox. As I opened it, my heart was filled with joy! I found many things that were an answer to my prayers and reflected my innermost self so well. There were hygiene items, school supplies and many beautiful toys such as a slinky and a Beanie Baby.

As we rejoiced over each item inside the box, there was another surprise awaiting us. Inside the shoebox was a smaller box, and inside that box we found a mini radio!

Out of millions of boxes, God orchestrated that box to come specifically to my family with what we needed and had prayed for. That day, as I sat in our room holding my box, the darkness did not go away, but it was overcome by God’s light. Just as the Bible says in John 1:5, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

From that day forward, every time I turned on the radio, I was reminded that God is the God of details. In a unique yet ordinary way, He pierced through the surrounding darkness and showed me that I am seen and loved by Him, even when rejected by many.

There are times when darkness seems too overwhelming and blinds us from seeing God’s presence in our lives. The enemy uses many forms of attack to blur or even blind our vision of the One True Light.

But God is not deterred by the darkness around us.

Continue to seek God even when everything is dark. God is actively working behind the scenes. He is still the God of love, the God of peace and the God of answered prayers.

Heavenly Father, sometimes I am too overwhelmed by my situations and don’t see or feel You. Would You pull me into Your light and allow me to see You shine through my darkness? Help me trust what You’re doing in my life even when I do not know all the details. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY

John 8:12, “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” (NIV)

Ephesians 5:1-17

The culture in which we live is characterized by spiritual darkness. Sadly, even those of us who are believers become so accustomed to the dark that we feel neither shocked nor shamed by much of what goes on around us. Perhaps we see the sin but don’t acknowledge it as wrong, or maybe we just don’t notice it anymore.

One of those sins is sexual immorality. Throughout the Bible, we are warned of its dangers and told to abstain from impure behavior, lustful passions, and evil desires (Colossians 3:5). Though we don’t feel comfortable talking about it, we must consider what sexual immorality might look like today—whether it’s adultery, pornography, or relations outside of marriage—and be prepared to confront it.

While we cannot escape our dark society, God has provided everything we need to live in the light of our all-sufficient Savior, Jesus Christ. Through His indwelling Spirit, we are adequate to face every temptation and choose what is good and pleasing to Him.

If you have become comfortable in the darkness around you, ask the Lord to shed His light on your life to reveal any compromises or hidden sinful desires. Then receive His forgiveness and the power to walk in His ways.

(week of March 20th) (fear not)

We place our faith in countless people and things. We believe our legs will support us, so we get out of bed. We believe our brakes will enable our car to stop, so we drive. We believe our boss will pay us, so we show up for the job. When we have faith in something, our behavior is affected. We act out of faith.

The opposite of faith is fear. We can choose one or the other. Imagine a world in which car brakes only worked half the time. We would be terrified at every intersection. God is infinitely more reliable than the finest car on the market, but we don’t treat Him that way. Our faith seems to extend just beyond our ability even though God is able to do infinitely more than we can imagine (Ephesians 3:20). We hope for good when God promises the best.

God is able to do infinitely more than we can imagine.

Matthew 8 is full of the fulfillment of God’s promises in people's lives. If we really have faith that God works in these ways, it radically changes the way we live our lives. We are willing to address sin we’ve brushed under the rug because Jesus forgives and heals. We will step out and risk something for God because we know He’ll provide for us (Philippians 1:6). Faith like this eliminates fear because our faith is in a certainty: Jesus.

When we are afraid to address an area of sin in our life and be obedient to God’s call, it is because we doubt the truth of God’s promises. Our faith is limited by our need to believe we are better equipped than God to manage our issues. Fear of condemnation and failure overtake us. God offers freedom from fear through faith in Him.

Reflect:

• Does your faith in an unseen God propel you to action each day?
• In what area of your life are you doubting God’s promises?
• What part does God have for you to play in growing your own faith?

(week of March 13th) (your tongue)

Related Topics

• Self-Control
• Sin
• Integrity
• Success

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March 6th) (therefore)

4 Great Therefore's of the Bible

• Michael Kelleymichaelkelley.co
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(week of Jan 2oth) (freedom)

 The Declaration of Independence states that people “are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

But what is “liberty,” exactly? Is freedom based upon the country where you live, or can it have a deeper meaning?

Here are some key ideas from the Bible about freedom—including how to find true freedom in your life.

1. People have been searching for it for thousands of years.

The quest for freedom is a theme found throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. Just three chapters into the story of God’s creation, humanity gave up its freedom by choosing to rebel against God. From that time forward, the perfect freedom God created in the Garden of Eden was gone, and the long-term effects were both physical and spiritual.

The Old Testament of the Bible records how God’s people lost their physical freedom time and again as various empires overtook them (most notably the Egyptians, as recorded in the book of Exodus).

The loss of physical freedom was often tied to spiritual disobedience like worshiping false gods. But time and again, the one true God forgave His people and rescued them. When God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, He was foreshadowing the arrival of Jesus Christ, who came to free humanity from sin—the spiritual slavery that leads to death.

Today, many people are living in spiritual slavery without realizing it. They chase false gods of money, success, personal comfort and romantic love—only to realize they still have an emptiness that can’t be filled by any of those things.

>> Everyone worships something. Read Billy Graham’s short answer about the definition of an idol.

2. God’s answer to our loss of freedom has always been Jesus Christ.

When Jesus began his short period of ministry on the earth, He announced He was the One that God’s people had been waiting for since the fall of humanity. He did this by reading a particular passage from the book of Isaiah—a passage his listeners knew was referring to the Messiah, or the Savior of the world.

The words had been written hundreds of years earlier and spoke of a new freedom that was coming in the future. When Jesus stood up to read, He was saying the future had arrived. Liberty would come through Him.

“And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing’” (Luke 4:17-21, emphasis added).

>> Read Billy Graham’s short devotion, “Truth Brings Freedom.”

3. Jesus came to free us from death, sin and anything that enslaves us.

The core message of the Christian faith—the Gospel—is that Jesus Christ rescues us from the slavery of sin and offers true freedom in this life and beyond. This is what Jesus said:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

The Good News—the best news ever—is that faith in Jesus frees us from the death we deserve for sinning against God. It frees us from the punishment that would be inflicted upon us at the end of our lives for the evil things we’ve thought and done.

While Christ followers still battle with sin, they are no longer slaves to it. Through the power of Christ, His people can be set free from the bondage of greed, vanity, pride, pornography, addiction, abusive behavior, gluttony, selfishness—and any other sin under the sun. Here’s what Jesus said about the freedom He offers:

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32).

“Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:34-36).

>> Watch Billy Graham’s powerful message, “Truth and Freedom,” from his 1969 New York City Crusade.

4. God gives us freedom to choose our own path.

God created human beings, not robots. We don’t have to accept the freedom He offers us through Jesus Christ. He gives each person the free will to accept or reject His salvation. But the Bible warns that hell is a real place where real people end up when they knowingly reject the truth.

Likewise, those who choose Christ are not forced to obey Him at every turn. But God makes it clear: the best life is one that’s devoted to honoring Him. As the Apostle Paul explained to some of the first Christians:“’All things are lawful for me,’” but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12).
“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13).>> What is “the judgment,” and why did Jesus have to die for our sins? Listen to Billy Graham’s message.Final thoughts on freedomFrom cover to cover, God’s Word points to freedom in Christ. And God doesn’t leave us wondering how to grab hold of the freedom He offers. It starts with acknowledging our brokenness—and admitting we are slaves to sin. And it ends with choosing Jesus and following Him daily. Only He can break the bonds of slavery and lead us to true freedom, now and forever.(week of Feb 13th) (knowledge)

(week of Feb 6th) (Proverbs/Love)

Love Like That

“Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.” Ephesians 5:2 (MSG)

I’m not a softhearted poet. I’m not a people-pleasing idealist. I live with full-throttle ambition and no shortage of self-interest. I’m impatient and sometimes insecure. I jockey for position, and I like exclusive privileges. I can be judgmental, insensitive, petty and resentful. Oh, and I can be cheap and stingy.

But I want to love like Jesus.

Why? Because I know it’s the best way to live. When we love like Jesus, we’re lifted outside ourselves. We shed self-interest — with our spouse, our kids, friends, everyone. His brand of love sees beyond the normal range of human vision — over walls of resentment and barriers of betrayal. When we love like Jesus, we rise above petty demands and snobbish entitlement. We loosen our tightfisted anxiety and relax in a surplus of benevolence.

Most of all, the Jesus model of love inspires us in following the best way to live, “the most excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31b, NIV).

I want to love like that.

But can anyone really love like Jesus? After all, He raised the bar of love to extraordinary heights. Love your enemies? Walk the extra mile? Turn the other cheek? Seriously? This is love beyond reason, isn’t it?

Of course. And that’s the point.

To love like Jesus, we need to think and feel. We need reason and emotion. Both head and heart, working together. It’s the only way to bring perfect love into our imperfect lives.

Here’s the truth: When you open your heart, love changes your mind. Let that sentence soak in. Your mind can do an about-face and be transformed when it receives a divine impulse from your heart. You’ll experience a revolution in your thinking when you allow your heart to enter the conversation. It’s what Paul was getting at when he said, “You’ll be changed from the inside out” (Romans 12:1b, MSG).

If you’re seeking a reasonable love, you’ll miss out on an extraordinary love — that’s not cautious but extravagant. You’ll miss out on the power to find a love you didn’t know you had.

I’ve been on a long quest to know how the Ideal Model of Love could rub off on my imperfect life. And here’s what I’ve learned: Loving like Jesus is more obtainable than you might imagine. His teaching and example reveal at least five distinct and practical qualities of His love:

If you want to love like Jesus, you’ve got to …

1. become more mindful — less detached;
2. become more approachable — less exclusive;
3. become more graceful — less judgmental;
4. become more bold — less fearful;
5. become more self-giving — less self-absorbed.

Is this an exhaustive list of how Jesus loved? Of course not. But it’s a way to get an earthly handle on this heavenly ideal of love. Time and again, Jesus demonstrated these five qualities and spoke about them, not as unreachable ideals. These are doable.

Today’s key verse reminds us: “Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that” (Ephesians 5:2).

I’m optimistic about getting better at loving like Jesus. Why? Because this love isn’t illusive. It isn’t pie-in-the-sky. It isn’t out-of-reach nor relegated to untouchable saints. It’s real. Jesus gives us practical steps to love in extraordinary ways. He calls us to embody these five qualities. Are they difficult? You bet. But not insurmountable. Will you and I fail in living them out? Absolutely. But don’t be discouraged. For it’s in our failed attempts that we learn to better travel the most excellent way.

Lord, I want to love like Jesus. I want to love without being cautious or in order to get something. Help me give myself to others. Fill me with Your Spirit every moment of every day to love like that. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY

John 13:34, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (NIV)

Les Parrott

rebbekkamessenger

Rebbekka is a mother of two awesome boys and a wife to a super cool teacher. She works in children's, women's and youth ministry, and as a Development Director for Vision for the Children International. Her husband recently took a job in Germany where their family will live for two years. You can follow her blog to read about the ups and downs of moving the family abroad at travelingmessengers.com.

(week of Jan 23rd) (Nature)

To look into a microscope is to see another universe so small that only the electronic microscope can even find it. For instance, it is revealed that one single snowflake in a snowstorm with millions of other snowflakes is the equivalent of twenty billion electrons. Scientists are learning that the miniature world of a single living cell is as astonishing as man himself. God says that we can learn a great deal about Him just by observing nature. Because He has spoken through His universe, all men are without excuse for not believing in Him. This is why the Psalmist said, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God” (Psalm 14:1).

Prayer for the day

The infinitesimal beauty of Your creation speaks to my heart of the certainty of Your presence, almighty and everlasting God.

Billy Graham

(week of Jan 16th) (Gifts)

Christian devotion - Meditate

A hummingbird just zoomed past as I sit on our porch for my morning quiet time with the Lord. Sometimes I need that reminder of life being fleeting. It’s important to be aware of the moments which seem to zoom by us.

Being present in the present is truly a gift. It’s a gift we receive from our Father above as well as a gift we can give to those around us.

I am terrible about allowing my thoughts to wander even as I am listening to someone conversing with me…so much so that I catch myself glancing beyond them with both my eyes and thoughts. It’s really such a shame.

Focus.

Be aware.

Moments pass too quickly.

People pass too quickly.

My friend is beginning a journey of walking with their parent through the storm of cancer. Twenty-five years have now passed since my siblings and I walked that same path with our mom. She passed. In that journey though, God gave gifts – gifts of memories, gifts of time, gifts of being present, focused on her.

One of the gifts He gave was the gift of hummingbirds. We saw their shadows through the shades on the window behind her hospital bed. They drank from the flowers on her patio. God even sent one to drink from the roses placed on her casket at the graveside. Today, twenty-five years later, He still sends them to remind me. They remind me of her with sweet memories. They remind me to be present in the present.

Today.

This moment.

Each is a gift from God.

Who has He placed in front of us to share this moment with? Is it our toddler calling for attention? Is it a teenager needing a listening ear? Is it an elderly parent or friend wanting to share a bit of wisdom or a story? Is it our neighbor, coworker or even a stranger who needs to know they matter and are worthy of a moment of our time? Is it our spouse waiting to be reminded they are loved?

Today is passing.

This moment is passing.

People are passing.

Let’s make the most of this gift of the present.

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God which is why we call it the present.”

– Author unknown

Christian Devotion - Scripture

“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”   

– Jesus (Matthew 6:27)

“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”

– Paul (Ephesians 5:15-16)

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

- James (James 1:17)

Christian Devotion - Activate: 

(week of Jan 2) (rest)

Meet Joseph - Earthly Father of Jesus

Joseph obeyed God in the face of severe humiliation

By 

Mary Fairchild

Updated on May 06, 2020

(week of Dec 12th) (Trinity)

The Trinity and Prayer

 SCRIPTURE READING — EPHESIANS 3:14-21

I kneel before the Father. . . . I pray that . . . he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit . . . so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

—  Ephesians 3:14-17

As I pray to you, Father, in the name of Jesus, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, I thank you for giving me your love. Help me to share your love with others. Amen.

 Peter Hoytema

(week of Dec 5th) (Holy Spirit)

Who is the Holy Spirit? He is God, just as God the Father and God the Son are also God. We speak of them as the Trinity. You ask me to explain the Trinity. Our minds can but dimly grasp these great spiritual facts, because we are finite and God is infinite.

It may help to remember that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit have all existed from eternity. The work of creation was given to the Son and we are told that, “All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made.” But when you read the second verse of the first chapter of Genesis, you will find that the Holy Spirit was also there, moving upon the face of His creation. In time, the Son of God came into the world as a man, to redeem the world which He had created. After His death on the cross, and His resurrection, He went back to the Father in heaven.

During His earthly ministry His work and life were spent within a circumscribed area in Palestine. When He went back to heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to exercise a worldwide ministry. Today the Holy Spirit illuminates the minds of people, makes us yearn for God, and takes spiritual truth and makes it understandable to us. All over the world the Holy Spirit is wooing men to Christ, and He lives in the hearts of believers and helps us each day. To be Spirit-filled Christians is to be the kind of Christians that God wants us to be.

Read and share Billy Graham’s challenge for a floundering church.Prayer for the day

The knowledge of Your Holy Spirit living in my heart gives me comfort and strength, Lord Jesus.

The Holy Spirit

 SCRIPTURE READING — JOHN 14:15-31“The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of every­thing I have said to you.”

(week of Nov 28th) (thanksgiving)

(Kaitlyn Buchillon (young millennial))

Growing up, I’ve always heard people say that the key to happiness is being thankful, but I never understood why. It felt like another saying that was just tossed around from time to time, and it didn’t really mean anything to me. I knew that it was good to be thankful; I just didn’t know how it would make me happier. After all, being grateful doesn’t give you any extra presents, does it? ?

Lately, I’ve finally experienced what people mean when they say that being thankful makes you happy. Although I still don’t quite understand why or how it works, I know that it does. Whenever I stop and think about all the things I’m thankful for, I feel so much lighter and more cheerful. There are really so many things to appreciate in life! It makes the troubles that I have and the things I lack seem a lot smaller when I compare them to everything I do have.

Reflecting on all the blessings God has given us is such a great practice. By thinking about the things that you are thankful for, you might even discover that what makes you truly happy are things you’ve overlooked. In this thanksgiving devotional, I’ve compiled a list of some things you might be thankful for to help you get started. You might find it helpful to write down your list on a sheet of paper or type them up on your phone/laptop, as well as praying about them. You can also just think about it while you’re on a walk, eating a meal, or even in the shower, which will brighten up your day.

Before you read this list, I just want to say that I know I am considered very fortunate, and not everything here will apply to everyone. This is just a list for you to use as inspiration, but if you have anything else that is more specific to your life, that’s even better! Even if your life isn’t going the way you want it to right now and you don’t feel like there’s much to be thankful for, you can still go to God. He wants us to tell him about our worries along with our thanks. 

I’M THANKFUL FOR…

PEOPLE 

Family, friends, classmates, co-workers, neighbors, role models, teachers, bosses, leaders, celebrities, influencers, government leaders, doctors/nurses, etc

My examples – I’m obviously thankful for all my family, friends, teachers, etc, but I am really glad that I found Create and Go to teach me about blogging. I’ve learned so much and I find it really fun! I’m also thankful for the instagram accounts that inspire me for faith (misstarasun, christian_calligraphy_) and food (pickuplimes, mindfullymads_).

PLACES 

Home, room, school, work, the gym, nature, restaurants, places you’ve visited, etc

My examples – I love being in the kitchen (such a foodie haha) and I spend a lot of time there cooking, baking, and of course, eating! Or “trying” the recipes. There’s also Culver’s of course, and really any other restaurant.

MEMORIES & EXPERIENCES

Conversations, laughs, deep discussions, meals with others, games, vacations, parties, celebrations, concerts, holidays, entertainment, art, music, etc

My examples – I’m glad I’m able to eat more meals with my family due to covid and have a lot more movie/game nights, plus we also have a lot more inside jokes now:) I’m also super excited to celebrate my birthday, Thanksgiving & Christmas (all within a month!). And I also enjoy watching fun shows and listening to good christian songs.

GROWTH & LEARNING 

Physical, education, career, knowledge, self-esteem/confidence, relationships, health, hobbies, money (hehe), athleticism, artistic, spiritual, etc

My examples – I am thankful for my height right now but I still want to grow a bit more so my brother will stop calling me short:/ (I’m literally 5’8” which isn’t even short lol). I’m also more confident, and like I said earlier, I’ve grown closer to my family during quarantine.

BASIC NEEDS 

Food, water, home, electricity, warmth, technology, clothes, time, etc

My examples – One thing I hate is being cold. That’s why I am so grateful for heaters, fluffy blankets, and cozy sweaters. We also can’t forget about wifi – what would we do without it?

WELL-BEING

Physical health, mental health, safety, security, freedom, happiness, etc

My examples – I am thankful to be healthy and not have covid-19, or any other sickness. It is also such a blessing to live in a country where we have the freedom to say what we want and believe what we want. I can’t imagine being locked up for being a Christian (eek!).

THINGS 

Comfy clothes, a bed, phones, soap & shampoo, books, and anything important to you

My examples – pajamas, fluffy blankets, my phone & computer, my water bottle, my planner, our ninja blender (for smoothie bowls ofc), and anything pumpkin spice!

P.S. – my brother says he is thankful for socks

PASSIONS 

Art, performing, sports, music, writing, math, cooking, fashion, design, gaming, science, history, etc

My examples – I love being able to do all the things that make me happy such as dance, cook, bake, blog, and watch tv haha!

STRENGTHS 

Creativity, communication, teamwork, optimism, leadership, punctuality, being charismatic, open-minded, innovative, neat, persuasive, hard-working, etc

My examples – I  would consider myself a pretty positive, motivated, independent, and organized person, and I am happy that God gave me these strengths.

GOD! 

Of course, the most important thing is to be thankful for God.. Without Him, everything else would not be meaningful. There are honestly limitless things of God we could be thankful for, but here are some of mine.

My examples – It is so good to know that God is always there no matter what, listens to all my prayers, helps me know him more, helps me grow through challenges and read the bible, and of course, I’m thankful for His love

THANKFUL FOR GOD

Finally – thank God for giving you the ability to be thankful! It is truly such a gift to be able to count all our blessings. It is okay not to have everything you want, whether it’s a physical item or something like a passion/strength. This helps us feel more thankful for the things we do have. If we could have anything we wanted, we would not appreciate it nearly as much because it would be taken for granted (aka we would be spoiled). And we would probably start forgetting that these things are not as good as having God anyway! 

In 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, Paul says, “Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” His “thorn” helped him stay humble and remember that God is enough.

I am definitely trying to work on this. I am constantly reminding myself that God is more than enough for me. It is so easy to get caught up with everything we want, especially with Christmas just around the corner. With social media, it is also easy to compare what you have with others. I often see people who have a lot of friends, people who are going on exciting vacations, or really talented dancers (since I’m a dancer too). That’s when I have to stop myself and remember that I have Jesus, and that is better than anything else I could ask for.

All that to say, I still think God wants to give us what we want! Not everything we want, but he does want us to be happy. After all, the bible tells us, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.” (Mathew 7:7) Although he may not give it to us right away, or even at all, we can always ask God for what we want. We can also trust that whether he grants our wish or not, he has our best interests at heart. Most of all, He has given us Himself. What more can we ask for? ?

During Thanksgiving, let’s all try to keep God first in our mind. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 is a great verse for this.“Be joyful always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances.” I hope God will help all of us to be joyful, pray continually, and keep giving thanks no matter what!

Hope you liked this Thanksgiving devotional:) Happy Thanksgiving!  Kaitlyn Buchillon (young millennial)

(week of Nov 21) (Jesus is God)

(week of Nov 21st) (Jesus is God)

He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

John 1:2-3

John says without any doubt that Jesus is God. He declares that Jesus is the Creator of all things. This accounts for Jesus' strange and remarkable personality. He is the originator of all things. Eight times in the opening chapter of Genesis it says. And God said. God said, Let there be light, and there was light. God said, Let there be a firmament between the heavens and the earth and there was. God said, Let the earth bring forth trees and vegetation, and these sprang into being. The Son of God, was speaking into being what the Father had designed in that amazing mind of his.

Any scientist who studies in the natural realm is always astonished when he comes to see the complexity of life, the marvelous symmetry of things, what lies behind all visible matter, the molecules, the atom, the make-up of a flower or of a star. The obvious order, design and symmetry of everything is astonishing.

We have all wondered at what we have seen through some of the discoveries of science. All of that was in the thought of God, but it never would have been expressed until the Son said it; he spoke and these things came into being. So this amazing Man, Jesus of Nazareth, in the mystery of his being, was not only a human being here on earth with us, John says, but was the One who in the beginning spoke the universe into existence. He understands it; he knows how it functions; he is able to direct it, guard it and guide it. He spoke it into being.

Furthermore, John says, Jesus sustains it: Without him was not anything made that was made. He is essential to it; he is what keeps it going and holds it in existence. I have always been fascinated by the great linear accelerator that runs out into the mountains in back of Stanford University. This linear accelerator is a great atom-smasher, which takes energy that is developed at the beginning of that great tunnel and increases its speed constantly until it approaches the speed of light so that the energy particles smash into a target of an atom. Why does it take so much power to break loose what is in an atom so that scientists might investigate the electrons, the protons and other particles that make up that atom? Science has long asked that question, but has failed to come up with an answer to it. There is a force that they cannot describe or understand that holds all things together.

The Apostle Paul tells us Jesus is that force: He holds all things together (Colossians 1:17). Hebrews says, He is upholding the universe by the word of his power (Hebrews 1:3). That is why we cannot forget Jesus: we are held together here today by his word and his power. That is why we do not fall apart and blast into smithereens. Something holds us together, and that is from him.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you created all things and you sustain all things. I praise you for your power, wisdom and creativity.

(week of Nov 14th) (it's not easy)

Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.  Revelation 3:20

I was invited to speak at a school in Russia in a place where I’d never been before and I was immediately confronted with two questions:  Where is this place?  And how do I get there?

Strange as it may seem, most people plan on going to heaven when they die, but, according to pollsters, they haven’t the faintest notion about how to get there.  Question: If you stood at the door of God’s heaven today and knocked, and Peter met you at the door and asked, “Why should I let you in?” what would you say?  Tough question, right?  You know, it could happen.  You are planning on going there eventually, but what opens the door?

Some believe that their essential goodness is the key.  They believe that being a good person, basically a good family person, a good neighbor, honest (at least most of the time)—you know, the treat-your-neighbor-like-you-want-him-to-treat-you-stuff is what it takes to get you inside.  God, they reason, couldn’t say no to anybody who is better than most people.

Strangely enough, there are those who make no claim to being a Christian who are really much nicer, much more generous, and much friendlier than those who are supposed to be born again.  If you choose someone to share a deserted island with, it wouldn’t be your sourpuss neighbor who is a Christian; it would be the beer-drinking guy who tells off-color stories who really is a nice guy.  How would you explain that?

C.S. Lewis, the Cambridge University professor, faced the same issue. He said the answer is not how nice one person is and how sour the other is.  The real issue is how much worse the Christian would have been apart from the touch of God on his life.  That makes sense.

Others believe that their good deeds—their generosity, their voting the right ticket (whatever that means), their being a good neighbor—is all that it takes.  It’s kind of an extension of Argument One.  There’s nothing wrong with any of this, but the Bible says that all of our goodness—however nice that may be—falls short of breaching the distance between us and God.  Isaiah 59:2 says, “Your sins have separated you and God.”  Suppose you have to cross a chasm, a deep dark one in the mountains, and it is 25 feet across.  Now suppose that you are the athletic type and can jump 24 feet, 9 inches.  Is that good enough?  No!—in any language of the world.

Paul said pointedly, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  No exceptions. The word ALL leaves no loopholes.  Again Paul wrote, “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.  He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5).

Did you catch that word, rebirth?  It was the same analogy that Jesus used when He had a conversation with a man who was really a good man—generous, kind, and moral.  His name was Nicodemus.  The man was religious, too.  But Jesus told him that unless he was born again, he could not see the kingdom of God.

How do you get there from where you are?  Three simple steps:  1) Acknowledge your need of this relationship, which means you accept what Jesus did as God’s free gift.  2) Believe with all your heart that God will receive you on the basis of what Jesus Christ did long ago, not what you do. And 3) Confess Christ as your Lord and Savior.

Joining a church, being religious, being moral and good is admirable, but it isn’t the key which opens the door.

Resource reading: John 15:18-26.

(week of Nov 7th) (lie)

Bible Text: Revelation 21:8 | Speaker: Dr. Harold J. Sala | But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars–their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. Revelation 21:8

When a certain worker got too much money in his paycheck, he said nothing, thinking that he had indeed encountered some good luck. The comptroller, however, found his mistake and deducted the overpayment from the next check. This time, however, the worker loudly complained, “You made a mistake; you didn’t pay me enough money.” The comptroller said, “Look, last pay check, I overpaid you, and you didn’t say anything then. Now, why do you complain when I deducted the amount of the overpayment?” Embarrassed, the worker began to blush and replied, “Look, I can overlook one mistake, but with two mistakes I had to say something.”

Trying to save face is one thing, but saying things which maliciously hurt another person is quite another matter. If there is one thing that the Bible makes clear it is that God hates the individual who lies in a deliberate, pre-meditated attempt to defraud another person. Does it happen? Read the news. Listen to the testimonies of individuals who end up in court. Both individuals can’t be telling the truth.

Nearly 3,000 years ago, Solomon, who one time heard two women both saying, “This child is mine!” wrote, “There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him….” (See Proverbs 6:16-19). The second in this infamous list is “a lying tongue,” and the sixth is “a false witness who pours out lies.” The first disclaimer speaks of those who have made dishonesty a lifestyle. The second speaks of the one who lies about another person, usually resulting in personal gain. His lie is a deliberate attempt to hurt another person.

We usually commit this wrong by what we say, but we can do it by what we don’t say. Years ago the captain of a ship became a bitter enemy of the first mate, and he wanted him fired. He knew that the owner of the ship would never dismiss the first mate simply because he didn’t like him. There had to be justification, a cause for dismissal. He couldn’t say that the man was irresponsible or didn’t do his work properly so he decided to subtly undermine the man’s character.

Every morning the captain would write an entry in the ship’s log, and he began to make notations such as, “This first mate is sober today.” Or, “I am pleased that the first mate is not drunk today.” This practice continued week in and week out so that it appeared that most of the time the first mate was so inebriated that he could not properly fulfill his duties. Actually, the first mate was never drunk, but the one who read the log wouldn’t have thought that.

The owner of the ship read the log and almost dismissed the first mate, and then the truth came out.

When you know that a person’s character is being assailed, and you keep silent, you are almost as guilty as the one whose untruths become deadly arrows. Lying for personal gain is a common practice in offices, in corporations, in courtrooms, and in churches as well.

No matter how often it happens, it is a practice which God abhors, and those who practice this form of character assassination will not go guiltless or unpunished.

At times we lose perspective and think that getting ahead is the only thing that counts. Forget that, friend. Sooner or later, we stand in the presence of the Almighty and receive the due recompense of what we have done. The size of your car, your bank account, or your yacht doesn’t really matter, but what does count is how you played the game. God has His payday someday. Never, ever forget it! Resource reading: Psalm 37

Genesis 3:1-7

We’ve all occasionally fallen for a lie, whether it was something as trivial as false advertising or as serious as a scam that emptied a bank account. Whatever the trickery was, it can be traced back to the Father of Lies—Satan (John 8:44). And his most devastating deceptions are those that lead us into sin. This is why it’s vital to understand the devil’s pattern of deceit, which goes all the way back to the garden of Eden.

Satan’s first move was to entice Eve to doubt God’s Word, and his strategy was to ask, by means of the snake, “Has God really said … ?” (Gen. 3:1). People have been falling for this deception ever since. When they hear one of God’s clear commands, they rationalize that it’s not really what He meant or it doesn’t apply in their case.

Next, the devil directly contradicted God’s Word and impugned His character by denying that Eve would suffer any consequences for sin. Instead, the enemy promised her some amazing benefits if she’d eat the fruit. And this, too, is how he operates today.

When temptation comes, don’t believe Satan’s lies. Sin always has repercussions. Therefore, ask yourself if the temporary gratification of a wrong choice is worth suffering the consequences that are sure to follow.

Bible Text: Acts 5:3 | Speaker: Dr. Harold J. Sala  -Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?” Acts 5:3

The practice of dishonesty is the second taboo on God’s list of what He detests (See Proverbs 6:16-19). While God loves the sinner, He certainly dislikes some of his habits. Question: On a scale of 1-10, how honest are you? Would you say you are honest all of the time? Most of the time? Part of the time? Or whenever it suits your purpose?

If the truth were known, says a researcher, a lot of people are lying about telling the truth. Could he possibly be right? Have we become so self-serving that we feel little if any obligation to tell the truth, especially when we are saving someone’s feelings, or more importantly, our own reputation or face?

Ask yourself the following questions: 1. Do you, on occasion, copy software illegally? 2. Do you sometimes not tell all the truth to your husband or wife? 3. Do you ever take home supplies from the office? A few pens, a bit of left-over materials, an occasional tool–even if you intend to bring them back though you know you never will. 4. When you return home from a trip, do you ever find yourself forgetting (on purpose) to declare some overseas purchases when you get to Customs? 5. Do you make personal phone calls at work? 6. Do you occasionally fudge on your taxes or forget to declare income which you are quite certain cannot be traced?

A Gallup survey indicated that 69% of all people admitted to practicing some form of dishonesty. The vast majority of all those questioned admitted to lying, yet all researchers say that when it comes to admitting cheating–whether on your employer or your husband or wife–we all tend to see ourselves as better than we really are.

No wonder Proverbs 16:2 says, “All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.” Has lying become so common that we excuse it as being part of our humanness? Put another way, if religious convictions produce honesty in men and women, it’s time for a revival of old-fashioned beliefs and practices. When someone is caught in a lie, we tend to excuse it as “misinformation.” God, however, still calls it what it is–a lie.

Three thousand years ago, Solomon cataloged some of the human foibles and failures which God, in particular, doesn’t happen to excuse. The first in this infamous list of wrongdoing is pride. The second is “a lying tongue.” Why does God put this so close to the top of the list of habits which He literally despises? Let me put the question another way: Upon what is trust based in your own family? Honesty, telling the unvarnished truth– the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, as you affirm under oath when you go to court–is the very fabric of relationships.

Once you know that someone can look you in the eye and lie to you, you are never certain whether he or she means it when he says, “I love you,” or “You are the only one in my life.”

From God’s perspective, there is no such thing as a white lie. Either you are telling the truth, or you are lying. A man who is faithful to his wife 97% of the time is still an unfaithful husband. Likewise telling the truth most of the time will never satisfy the demands of a growing relationship.

A final thought: God never laid down guidelines for living, including the call to honesty, because He wanted to make you miserable or to inhibit your pleasure. He says that telling the truth is important because it is the only way relationships can survive. It always has been; it always will be. Think about it.

Resource reading: Acts 5:1-11

(week of Oct. 31st) (anger)

Anger Management

"Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires." James 1:19-20 (NLT)

I had been lied to, betrayed and hurt. I was angry, and thought I had every right to be.
Day after day, anger crushed my desire to forgive. Although I had asked God to fill my heart with mercy, my mental list of reasons I should be mad kept overriding my empty prayers.
It was as if voices in my head were arguing with each other. One tried to convince me I was correct in feeling angry; the other tried to persuade me that mercy was the right choice.
For months, the loudest voice was the one that aligned with my damaged emotions, and unfortunately the one I listened to. Yes, I have a right to be angry. Anyone would agree.
Listening to the voice of bitterness and unforgiveness, I started lashing out in my actions with impatience and unkindness. Oh, I could play the good-Christian-girl for a while, masking my feelings. But if something was said or done to trigger my suppressed hurt, hostility and resentment would catapult to the surface.
Reading our key verse from James one morning, I felt God urging me to realize the misleading direction my emotions were taking me, and damage they were doing. I couldn't help but notice how it says "everyone" should be slow to speak and slow to anger.
This truth from God's Word left no room for my excuses or righteous indignation, even though I felt like my anger was justified for being wronged. And then a few verses later, I read James 1:22: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" (NIV).
I knew that from a worldly perspective, I had every right to be angry. But from God's perspective, my anger was adding to the sin of the situation. My unforgiveness was keeping me from living out the reality of the Gospel in my own life-by extending the same mercy and forgiveness God has given me through Jesus.
Through the words of James, God softened my heart, making me aware that although I said I'd forgiven this person with my words, I had not forgiven with my heart and it was time to do so and move on.
In every area of life, including managing our most powerful emotions, God tells us to be quick to listen (to Him and others), slow to speak and slow to become angry. As we apply these practices in our relationships, we become 'doers' of His Word, not just 'hearers' and that leads to the righteousness God desires in each of us.
Dear Lord, please forgive me for harboring anger in my heart. Equip me with a supernatural ability to forgive those who have hurt me and to guard my heart when old emotions threaten to surface. Strip my heart of anger and replace it with joy. Thank You for Your mercy. Help me be more merciful because of You. In Jesus' Name, Amen. Tracie Miles

A Deadly Sin: Anger

 SCRIPTURE READING — JAMES 1:12-27

"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry. Ephesians 4:26

Dear God, anger is a powerful but scary emotion. Please heal any wounds I may bear because of someone else's anger, and help me to root out wrongful anger in my heart. Amen. Henry Kranenburg

(week of Oct 24th) (the past)

Many people seem to be haunted by their past. They nurse grudges and relive moments when they felt slighted. They remind themselves of ways they felt hurt by other people and have been mistreated. Others are mad at God because He may not have answered a prayer they prayed years ago.

In times like these, we need to remember the lesson Paul taught: the importance of letting go and forgetting. The fact is that we cannot change the past. So why would we worry about things we cannot possibly control or change?

Yes, it is important to learn from the past and not to repeat past mistakes. But the Bible reminds us we should not spend our lives looking back. Instead we are to press toward the “upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” It is a call to move forward.

We also need to be free from our past mistakes and sins. If we have asked God for forgiveness, He has forgiven them (1 John 1:9). David declared that He has removed our transgressions “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12). He literally has buried our sins in the depths of the sea.

Are you allowing things in your past to hold you back? Is your mind plagued by memories and mistakes? Have people said or done things that have wounded you? Ask God to help you move forward. Press onward!

(week of October 17th) (family)

A FAMILY IS LIKE MANY THINGS, perhaps most like a garden. It needs time, attention, and cultivation. The sunshine of laughter and affirmation. It also needs the rains of difficulties, tense moments, and serious discussions about issues that matter. And there must be spadework, where hardness is broken loose and planting of fresh seeds is accomplished with lots of TLC. Someone recently passed on to me suggestions for fifteen rows worth planting:

Plant four rows of peas: preparedness, perseverance, promptness, and politeness.

Then three rows of squash: squash gossip, squash criticism, and squash indifference.

Along with five rows of lettuce: let us be faithful, let us be unselfish, let us be loyal, let us love one another, and let us be truthful.

And three rows of turnips: turn up with a smile, turn up with a new idea, and turn up with determination.

And then? Well, from then on, it's simple. Water, weed, tend with care, and patiently watch your garden grow. Someday, like me, you'll look back and realize it was worth all the years of all the work and effort and prayer. Like a lovely garden, it will be a thing of grateful pride, of seasonal beauty, of daily sustenance.

“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.” 1 Corinthians 1:10 (NIV)

Family is supposed to look out for each other, but that doesn’t always happen. My daughter had a bit of a lisp, and some boys on the school bus were making fun of her. They’d tease her, call her names and mimic her talking with her lisp, of course exaggerating. Spit actually flew from their middle-school mouths to my little girl’s face!

She came home in a puddle of humiliation.

I wanted to climb aboard the yellow bus like a mildly deranged mama bear and have a swipe or two at those hooligans, but of course, I restrained myself. (I aspire to be sanely involved with my children’s conflicts.) I prayed for grace, forgiveness and wisdom, because the main instigator was my friend’s son. Yikes!

And the worst part — my son was a witness to what was happening to his sister.

“Sweetie, what did you do when those mean boys were picking on your sister?”

My usually reliable son averted his eyes and lowered his head.

“Nothing.”

Grrr. I wanted to jump out of my skin. But motherhood is all about gulping those deep breaths and praying those “Help me, now!” prayers. “Nothing? You watched your sister get spit on and you did nothing? Why? Help me understand.”

Before he could respond, I kept going (as I sometimes do):

“Honey, we belong to the same family — we are Bultemas. We stick together. Family doesn’t stand by and do nothing when our sister or brother needs help. Family members take care of each other.”

I was trying to teach my son about family, about unity and how to pursue it in our broken, hurting world.

The bus drama with my daughter sparked negative emotions in me, but it was also an opportunity to remember I am called to pursue unity, with bullies and moms of bullies, and with my brothers and sisters in Christ.

“Unity” is kind of a churchy word, but like Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:10, it just means agreeing with one another, with no divisions or conflict. “Division” in ancient Greek has a connotation of ripping or tearing fabric, so literally, Paul begged the church members in Corinth to not be ripped apart.

But … drama and conflict come up all the time — can I get a witness? It pops up with friends, kids, siblings and between husbands and wives. It flares on the playground, the workplace, the big yellow school bus.

We can’t avoid conflict, but we do get to choose how to deal with it. Do we make the rip worse, or do we do all we can to mend and heal?

When he wrote his letter, Paul knew the local church in this Greek city was a hot mess of overblown drama and bitter contention. Four cliques had formed — each was sure they were right, and everyone else was wrong. Church members were even suing each other!

I love how Paul writes with a pastor’s heart, using family language. At least 20 times, Paul addresses his “brothers and sisters,” his “adelphos” in Greek. His loving-yet-firm tone is one we might use if we were going out for coffee with a sibling or a friend who had lost their way. “Oh, friend … I love you, but this has got to stop.” Let “there be no divisions among you,” Paul writes.

No drama.

No he said/she said.

No spitting on each other.

No hurting each other!

Instead “… be perfectly united in mind and thought.”

Build each other up.

Gently, patiently, kindly.

At peace.

By the way, the instigator in my girl’s bus drama? With his mom’s encouragement, he came over and apologized, giving my daughter a gift card he bought with his own money. Grace ruled, and harmony was restored.

Life delivers many reasons to be at odds with our sisters (and our brothers). Let’s look for ways to be at one with them instead. Let’s also look for ways to be family to each other, to stand up for each other as dearly loved daughters and sons of a Good Father. Because family takes care of each other, always.Cindy Bultema

Father, help me see ways I can bring unity and peace in Your Name today. Fill me with Your love and grace in the midst of drama. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

(week of October 1oth) (Joy)

 “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” — John 15:11, NIV

Galatians 5 lists joy as the second fruit of the Spirit. Joy is a word that most people have probably heard at one point or another; however, not everyone understands the concept of joy or knows what it’s like to experience complete joy. As Christians, our joy is not found in our possessions or accomplishments; rather, it is found in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

What Is Joy?

“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” — Psalm 16:11, NIV

You may be wondering, “What is joy?” Many people confuse joy with happiness or an intense feeling of excitement. The Bible, however, emphasizes not happiness but joy. Joy is richer than happiness or excitement. Happiness can easily shift with a person’s mood and circumstances. Joy, on the other hand, does not depend on our feelings toward our situation, and thus, it is not easily shaken. In fact, joy is about how we chose to respond and the attitude we have.

Joy to the World: Our Greatest Joy

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” — Philippians 4:4, NIV

So where should we find our joy? We can find complete joy only in God. In many instances, the Scriptures direct us to find joy in our hope in God. For example, Psalm 16:11 mentions finding joy in God’s presence, Philippians 4 instructs us to rejoice in the Lord, and in John 15, Jesus tells us that He gives His complete joy to us.

It is important to cultivate joy in our lives, even when we are not feeling happy. This does not mean we should fake or hide our emotions. Instead, it means that we can chose to pursue Jesus and the joy we can find in Him in all of our circumstances.

Our relationship with Jesus is our greatest joy. He gave His life for us so that we could have a relationship with Him. He gives us complete joy, which we simply cannot find apart from Him. His joy is a gift that we can choose to accept and pursue no matter where we are in life and no matter our situation.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” — Romans 15:13, NIV 

Molly Howard

(week of October 3rd) (with you)

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 NIV

How comforting it is to know that wherever we go, God is there with us. Sometimes we find ourselves in situations and wonder if God is paying attention. We may feel so alone and even depressed. We can't feel God's presence, and we need His guidance and help.

Sometimes friends, spouses, and parents don't really understand what we are going through. But God does and He cares. God told Joshua to be strong and to have courage. Then He told him a wonderful truth: "The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Yes, that's right… wherever! We don't have to feel all alone. God is with us. He is working out the problems, and we don't even realize it.

But now ... the Lord who created you ... says: "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done. Isaiah 43:1-3, 13 NLT

God is with us, leading us, guiding us, loving us, providing for us -- all with His unlimited resources. What do we need? Do we need strength, peace, love, joy, or hope? He has it all. He is longing to pour out His favor and blessing upon us. We need to be open to Him and to trust Him. We need, by faith, to receive what He has for us. It is essential we realize how much He loves us and that He has a good purpose and plan for us.

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Ephesians 3:14-16 NLT

This Scripture is awesome. There is nothing that God doesn't know and can't do for us. He walks with us every moment of every day. We need to speak these Scriptures to our hearts. The devil can't stand it when we, in confidence, speak God's Word. It builds faith in us and gives us the strength to stand.

O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand! Psalms 139:1-6 NLT

Like David let us declare:

Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. Psalms 25:4-5 NLT

You can trust God. No matter what is going on in your life, He is there! God goes where you go.

So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. Hebrews 10:35-36 NLT Martha Noebel

Jeremiah 1:1-10

When was the last time you felt the presence of God in your life? We all long to experience Him abiding with us personally and intimately, and when we can’t sense His closeness, we may think something is wrong in our relationship. But that’s not necessarily true.

In the Old Testament, the Lord appeared to prophets like Moses, Jeremiah, and Isaiah to give them His messages for the people. Today, the revelation of God is available to us in His written Word. In addition, believers in Jesus Christ have also been indwelt by the Comforter—God the Holy Spirit is always with us, though we’re not usually aware of Him in an overt way. Sometimes we sense His presence to a greater or lesser degree, but this is not something we can orchestrate or manipulate.

Remember that we are called to walk by faith, not by experience. The Lord has assured us He will be with us always even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). So on those days when you can’t sense His presence, try to rely on this truth. It will sustain you with strength to serve, endurance for hardship, and comfort in suffering.  

(week of Sept 26th) (song)

A pastor, thinking that he was being humorous, once introduced me, saying, “I’ve heard him eat and I’ve heard him sing, and I’d rather hear him eat than sing.”  It’s no wonder we have become intimidated when it comes to anything much but singing in the shower where no one can hear.

Yet the one who never sings is one who stifles the music soul which gives vent to the deep feelings within.  Actually, no language is more universal than that of music.  Whether it is a cowboy with his guitar, the sheepherder who sits on the back of the old pickup playing his harmonica, the aborigine who sits on the dirt floor of a hut and plays a nose flute made from the bone of an animal, or a great symphony whose combined musical voices thunder the 1812 Overture, music has a way of purging our emotions and expressing our hopes, fears, loves, and likes.

Many of us are intimidated by the professionals whose performances are nearly perfect, yet for those who give vent to the music within there is a great blessing.  Of the seven fine arts, music is considered to be the most heavenly in nature.  Among all races and peoples, singing has played a significant part in worship.  Surely God created man with a song in his heart that had to be voiced.  The book of Genesis links joy and singing together.  Anthropologists tell us that singing and dancing are among the most ancient expressions of humankind, and both were associated with worship.  Ancient singers became the historians telling the stories of their exploits and victories in song.

Musicians who sang or played instruments always preceded the Ark of the Covenant in ancient Israel.  The Old Testament admonishes, “Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints.  Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King.  Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp” (Psalm 149:1-3).

The book of James asks, “Is anyone happy?  Let him sing songs of praise” (James 5:13).  Paul links singing with the outworking of God’s Spirit in the believer’s life.  He says, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.  Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:18,19).

When John the Apostle has a vision of heaven, yes, he includes singing.  He says, “Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!’” (Revelation 5:13).

So you can’t carry a tune, right?  That doesn’t have to stop you from letting a melody rise from your soul.  Even individuals who were born deaf, having never heard a violin or a mother’s sweet song, still sing, tapping out the melody, striving to understand the rise and fall of the notes.  In the west, eight melodic tones form an octave, but in certain other areas–China, for example–the scale is different.  Yet every race and every group of people who have ever lived sing and enjoy music.

When people are blessed they break forth in song, and only in the darkest days of Israel’s history did they put away their harps, their voices silent.  In nature God has an uncountable number of musical refrains, all of which are meaningful, so no matter how you sound, use your voice and breath to praise God in song and to express the music He put in your soul. You are the better for it and so is our world.

(week of Sept 19) (follow me)

Matthew 4:18-25

We might think it was easier for the disciples to follow Jesus than it is for us today. After all, they were able to experience His physical presence and learn from His example, whereas we can’t touch, see, or hear Him the way they could.

But Christ made provision for His work to continue after He left this earth: He promised the disciples a Helper who would never leave them—a Helper who would actually live within them (John 14:16-17). 

Today we, too, follow Jesus by hearing and heeding His indwelling Holy Spirit. In fact, there’s no better way to get personal guidance. As Jesus did for His disciples, the Spirit guides us each step of the way and teaches us the truths of God. But His work goes beyond that. The Holy Spirit transforms us from the inside out and enables us to serve and obey the Lord. He helps us discover God’s will for our life and shows how to walk in His path. All we have to do is follow. 

An essential requirement for following Jesus is sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s voice. And the more yielded we are to His guidance, the sharper our spiritual hearing will become. 

Matthew 4:19-22

“And immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him.” (Matthew 4:22)

Inspiration for this week’s devotional comes from a song from the Center for Worship Arts’ newly released EP, Canyon Worship. Download now from the iTunes Store.

Following Jesus. As a Christian culture, we throw this term around a lot. We say that we follow Jesus. But what does that really mean?

Throughout the Gospel, there are many stories of Jesus and people following Him wherever He went. When He traveled from city to city during His three years of ministry, not only did His disciples follow Him, but also crowds of people. The disciples followed Jesus the closest. They were His inner circle and give us a beautiful glimpse of what it looks like to surrender our lives to follow Him.

We get to see an inside look of how broken people follow Jesus. When we follow Him, we understand His perfection and our brokenness. However, the disciples were also broken people. They were people who asked questions about what Jesus was doing for no other reason than to get closer to God’s heart.

Matthew 4:22 highlights when Jesus called two of His disciples: “They left… and followed Him.” Not only did they leave their physical possessions and their emotional ties with their family, but they also left their comfort. They left their livelihoods. It was all worth giving up for the cause of Christ.

Sometimes when we say that we follow Christ, it comes with loopholes, ifs, ands or buts. We try to finagle our way into keeping our comfort and what we want out of life, but we also want to give it all to Christ.

But that’s not what we are called to do. Through the shadows, the highs and lows of life, we are called to follow Jesus no matter what. Just like the disciples, we can leave behind our comfort in the things of this world because the beauty and glory of Christ is more important than any of it. Paige Ferrari

(week of Sept 12) (promise)

Promises: A 30-Day Devotional | Studies | NewSpring Church     (click on link to open)

(week of  Sept 5th) (labor)

 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work.”

Exodus 20:8-10a NKJV

Did you know that the Labor Day holiday originally started in the late 1800’s? I can only imagine how excited the people were to take a day off from working. Some may have thought, “What a wonderful and new idea!” Created and implemented as a day of rest by those hard working blue collar laborers in New York City, this day continues to be one, that we as a nation, look forward to every September.

To put it rather loosely, Labor Day has become a man made American Sabbath day. A yearly day of rest from our labor, to say goodbye to Summer, to go camping, to gather family for a barbecue, and boy howdy, do us Americans look forward to our Labor Day weekend!

If you think about it, God has already created a special day for those of us who labor. As Christians our very own Labor Day doesn’t come only once a year, and it doesn’t only come on the first Monday of each September, that special day for us comes every seventh day of the week. If we are smart, we try very hard to honor it. We take that seventh day to stop from our labor and relax a bit. Our bodies weren’t created to run full steam ahead each and every day. We were created in His image, and if our God and creator, the great I Am himself rested from His labor on the seventh day, how much more so do we need that rest?!?

Friends, our bodies were made with Sabbath DNA. God placed this spiritual genetic matter within each cell that makes up our miraculous body. So today while you are taking an American Labor Day rest by traveling, painting your house, or doing yard work, remember that God had something even better for His children in mind… a weekly rest, a weekly time-out from our hard work.  A time-out from our labor, we all need it.

Remember friends, God didn’t make rest on the Sabbath day a gentle suggestion, He made it a command.

David Roberts
My favorite TV teacher is Chuck Missler. The other day he asked his live audience how many were saved. He was not surprised to see that most of the people raised their hands. What he said next was surprising to me as I guessed it was to those attending the conference. “Why are you saved? What did God save you for?” Dr. Missler went on to explain that the answer to that question for all Christians would be – their destinies. The situation we find ourselves in right now, if it is not our destiny, is our calling: what we do for a living before we reach our destiny.

The ultimate reason God saved us is, for most of us, something that will be realized in the future. That idea has greatly influenced my attitude toward my current job. I am a custodian at the apartment complex where my wife and I live. I feel in good company when I consider that Peter was a fisherman and Paul was a tent-maker. They help me put my present calling into perspective.

As I dust-mop and damp mop stairways and landings, basically working with my hands, I realize that my mind doesn’t need to be engaged as much as it used to be when I was a high school English teacher.  I remember during those years, dreaming of this kind of job.  I believed that if I only had the time, I could write more and study only what I wanted to instead of what I was assigned to teach. Now I have the time and the opportunity to pray, meditate, and get close to God.   I let Him point out things that He used to, in His mercy, let me get away with and now, in His greater mercy, convicts me of. He is using this time in my life to build His character in me—and whatever He may have for me in the future, will grow out of this new character as a building is grounded on a strong foundation.

On this Labor Day, don’t let anyone think of his or her job as less important than it is. Paul says in I Thessalonians 4:11 “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;” Does God have some big plans for you? I don’t know. Work at where He has you today, and do it all for His glory.  Leave everything else up to Him.

(week of August 29) (shadow)

What’s In Your Shadow?

Acts 5:12-16

Reference: As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. (Acts 5:15 NIV)

The work you are doing right now is important for the present, but it’s beneficial to stop every now and again and consider the impression you are leaving behind.

In our environmentally friendly world today we are often asked to think of the carbon footprint we are leaving behind. But our actions leave an impact on other people as well. Sometimes the effect brings blessing and life, but there are times when what we leave behind is dark and hurtful.

When the apostles continued Jesus’ ministry after His resurrection, they were having a huge impact on the world around them. Their impression was so immense that even the sick and the lame desired to be in Peter’s shadow, as what he left behind him was greater than a lot of other religious people put before them.

This is a great challenge for us even today. While we all strive to live the best life that we can, what are we leaving behind us? When everything is said and done, would people feel the benefit of being witnesses to the shadow we have left behind us?

Prayer: Lord, the impression You left on this world solidified our past and brought hope to our future. When it comes to living our life every day, may we consider the impact we could have on those we come to know. Amen.

What impact are you leaving behind you?

(week of August 22) (temptation)

Overcoming Temptation : a Biblical Perspective

For a Christian, success often means growing closer to God. A key aspect in this pursuit is the fight against temptation. So what can you do when you’re tempted? For the Christian wanting to overcome temptation to sin, consider these biblical strategies to grow in holiness before God.

For the purposes of this article, we will define temptation based on the Bible as anything that influences you to disobey God. Truly any situation you face in life will either promote your growth or promote your destruction. The determining factor is what you decide in your heart to do. Will you obey God and draw near to Him, or will you rebel against God and run from Him? You are not a passive victim here. Instead of choosing to sin, resolve to implement the following strategies to overcome temptation in your life.

Be Reconciled to God

According to the Bible, your first step in overcoming temptation is to turn to Him in repentance and faith. Acknowledge that only Jesus the Christ can make you right before God. He died in your place to satisfy the just wrath of God against your sin, and He rose from the dead to prove the debt was paid. 

You see, apart from Christ, all people are enslaved to sin. We obey sin’s desires and attempt to live apart from God’s righteous commandments. But “thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:17–18).

As a believer in Jesus, give thanks that “the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation” (2 Peter 2:9). How do you find that rescue? Turn away from sin and turn to God. Remember that “we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15–16).

Confess your faults to Him and commit to repentance each day. As a slave of righteousness, seek to please God in everything you think, say, and do. Pray for His protection and strength to endure the temptations you face daily.

Meditate on God’s Word

The unsaved world around you entices and even pressures you to follow along with its wickedness. The Apostle Paul highlights the essence of the battle and its solution: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

How can you “be transformed by the renewing of your mind”? By filling your mind with the word of God, the Bible. The psalmist said, “Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11). Remember how the Lord Jesus fought the temptations of Satan by repeatedly quoting the Scripture He had hidden in His heart (Matthew 4:1–11).

The Apostle Paul gives two parallel commands about spiritual growth: “be filled with the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18) and “let the word of Christ richly dwell within you” (Colossians 3:16). That is, as you fill your heart with God’s word, the Holy Spirit enables you to obey God’s commands. So, when you “walk by the Spirit … you will not carry out the desire of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).

Sin is deceptive: it promises what it does not give and gives what it never promised. Conquer deceit with the truth of God’s word. If you have a specific temptation that you frequently face, be sure to memorize scripture that confronts that sin directly. Also, rest in the knowledge that satisfaction and joy come from God Himself: “You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever” (Psalm 16:11).

Deny Ungodliness and Cultivate Godliness

This side of eternity, you will always be subject to temptation in some respect, for they are “common to man” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Watch yourself! Temptation succeeds when your heart is unprepared for it. So, “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts” (Romans 13:14). Take control of your lusts (or desires)—do not let them control you.

If you do find yourself in danger of sin, get out of there quickly! As a Christian, you are to “flee immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18) and to “flee from youthful lusts” (2 Timothy 2:22). Be like Joseph, who ran out from the adulterous advances of his master’s wife (Genesis 39:12). Escape from tempting situations, locations, and people. Do not yield to your ungodly desires and make every effort to subdue them for righteousness’ sake (Matthew 5:29–30).

You might need to abandon friendships with those who tempt you toward evil. Your relationships are serious. The Bible warns you, “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals’” (1 Corinthians 15:33). While you might be pointing these unsaved friends to God, take care that they do not lead you away from “seek[ing] first His kingdom and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).

Be Transparent to God and Others

Recognize that your sin is fundamentally directed against God. When his master’s wife attempted to seduce him, Joseph rightly protested, “How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9).

Agree with God that sin is wicked and deserves His punishment. After David’s compound sins of adultery and murder, he lamented before God, “I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge” (Psalm 51:3–4).

Tell God about your sin and the temptations that you have faced. Rejoice in His promise that when “we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Ask Him to help you succeed next time you face a similar situation.

Also, consider this blessing and warning: “He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion” (Proverbs 28:13). Confess your sin to God, but you might also need to confess your sin to others that you have offended. If you have repented of your sin, ask for forgiveness so you can be reconciled with one another.

You can also benefit from the encouragement of others who are seeking to honor God with their lives (Ecclesiastes 4:9–12). As you “flee from youthful lusts” you must also “pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22). Seek accountability with trusted partners and invite them to help you in your spiritual growth. 

Keep an Eternal Perspective

You are accountable to God. While you might be able to hide your sin from other people, know that “the eyes of the LORD are in every place, watching the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3).

Would you feel comfortable quenching your ungodly desire if Christ were with you at the time? And He is present with you through His Spirit. So, avoid sin and “do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption,” when Christ returns (Ephesians 4:30).

The preacher of Ecclesiastes exhorts you to shun a short-sighted “under the sun” mentality and instead to remember what happens in God’s eternity. He says, “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14).

Choose eternal rewards over temporal pleasure that is contrary to God’s plan for you. The long-term rewards of excellence and integrity are more than worth the effort!

I(week of August 15th) (women)

The priests made repairs [to the wall], each in front of his own house. —Nehemiah 3:28 (NIV)

One of Grandma’s evening rituals was sweeping. She’d begin in the kitchen, careful to capture every crumb, and end on the front porch, sweeping our welcome mat with vigor. Once I asked her why she swept the porch every day, even when it didn’t need it. She leaned on the handle of her broom and winked at me, as though she were sharing a secret. “If everyone would sweep in front of his own door, the whole world would be clean.”

I was much older when I realized Grandma wasn’t just talking about stray leaves and tracked-in sand. And now I remember her simple adage when I’m tempted to repeat what I heard about that single lady on the next block. Or when I complain about the neighbor’s dandelions. I recall it when I begin a rampage on “other people’s” kids. Or when I want to blame my mistakes on someone else. That’s when I check for crumbs at my front door. And taking my broom, I get back to the full-time job of keeping my own porch clean. Mary Lou Carney

Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. —Genesis 8:16 (NIV)

This morning the weatherman displayed the week-ahead calendar and every single square showed rain. Even now, there was a downpour outside.

I mopped the kitchen floor to remove my dog’s dirty paw prints. No matter how hard we tried to avoid tracking in mud, dirty floors seemed to be one certainty of spring. I had moved on to the rest of my least favorite chores—emptying the large kitty litter pans and scrubbing the outside of the kitchen trash pail—when my thoughts turned to the ark and Noah’s wife.

Exactly who was this nameless woman of extraordinary patience, courage, and perseverance? I wonder what it must have been like on the ark. I wonder how Noah’s wife coped when she looked out and saw no sun. Where did she fnd hope? When the second dove came back and she knew the end was in sight, how did she feel? Did she worry about what they would fnd after the storm?

My own housekeeping challenges were nothing compared to the diffculties and devastation she experienced, yet I was inspired by her strength and fortitude, and her ability to endure the trip and start over. It had once bothered me that she was not named, but now I realize that, perhaps, it’s because she is meant to represent mothers of families everywhere—because she holds hope and cares for those she loves.

Dear Lord, when I feel tired of cleaning up after a household of kids and cats and a dog in an exceptionally muddy spring, guide me to see that the abundance of dirt refects a house of blessings. Sabra Ciancanelli

“She answered God by name, praying to the God who spoke to her, ‘You’re the God who sees me! Yes! He saw me; and then I saw him!’ That’s how that desert spring got named ‘God-Alive-Sees-Me Spring.’ That spring is still there, between Kadesh and Bered. Hagar gave Abram a son.” Genesis 16:13–16 (MSG)

As a mom of two preschoolers and a baby, I felt invisible. No, I wasn’t the Disappearing Woman. It’s just that the creative, witty, fun-to-hang-out-with woman was hidden under my baby-food-stained T-shirt and baggy sweats. I still had a reflection in the mirror, but the woman who picked up scattered toys and washed peanut-butter fingers was unrecognizable. Unlike Hagar, I wasn’t in a desert, but there were times my sense of worth felt parched. Just like God showed up in Hagar’s time of need, He showed up in my life too. In a time when I felt unseen, God reminded me I was in His sights.

The angel of God found Hagar beside a spring in a desert, and God also led me to a spring of life: Jesus Christ. And through another story about a second woman at a spring—also unseen and unloved—God reaffirmed the only thing that could water my parched soul.

John 4:13–14 reads: “Jesus said, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again. Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst—not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life.’”

There are seasons in life when it seems no one understands or cares. Is the person in the mirror unrecognizable? Do you feel like no one is paying attention to you? That no one sees your needs or cares about the worries on your heart? It’s during those times Jesus sees us and He gives us what we need most: Himself. Tricia Goyer

(week of August 8th) (worship)

“Stop praying for stuff and start praying for God,” wrote pastor David Platt. “The primary point of prayer is not to get something—it’s to know Someone. When you go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father who is in secret, there is a reward awaiting you: intimacy with your heavenly Father through prayer.”

Learning to pray God-centered prayers is part of learning to worship Him. For purposes of our study, the focus in today’s reading is verse 15: “Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, LORD.” The point is that worship must be learned. A more literal translation renders the first phrase, “Happy are the people who know the joyful shout,” that is, who know what the shout means (it’s a call to worship) and how to join in.

One implication is that learning about God is the same as learning to worship Him. In other words, it’s impossible to learn about Him only with our heads. As we learn with our heads, we’ll be compelled to praise with our hearts! If we’re not worshiping, then we’re not really learning either. To do one is to do the other—and when we do, we’ll be “blessed” or “happy.”

So, what do we learn in this psalm about God? He’s loving and faithful (vv. 1–2). He makes and keeps covenants (vv. 3–4). He’s awesome, incomparable, far above all other heavenly beings (vv. 5–8). He’s sovereign and all-powerful (vv. 9–13). He’s righteous and just (vv. 14–18). These are not only truths to affirm, but reasons to celebrate (v. 16). Worshipers learn and rejoice and walk in God’s presence, all at the same time (see Ps. 119:7).

“The heavens praise your wonders, LORD, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings?” (Psalm 89:5–6).

What is True Worship? – Daily Devotional

Daily Devotional – The LORD does what is right, and He loves justice, so honest people will see His face (Psalm 11:7, NCV).

Friend to Friend

Worship is a word we often use but something we rarely experience. Oh, we say that we are going to a worship service each Sunday, but do we really encounter the living God or merely endure another weekly religious gathering? When was the last time you walked away from a worship service – changed forever – because God met you there? We misunderstand what true worship is and fail to recognize the requirements of worship.

A preacher, out for a walk, noticed a group of boys standing around a small stray dog.  “What are you doing, boys?” he asked. “Telling lies,” one young man explained. “The one who tells the biggest lie gets the dog.” The minister was shocked and said, “Why, when I was your age, I never even thought about telling a lie.” The boys looked at each other and their faces fell in disappointment. Finally, one young man shrugged and said, “I guess he wins the dog.” 

To worship God is to see Him – truly and honestly. No, we cannot actually see His face, but we can understand who He is, recognize His power, and acknowledge His sovereignty. True worship takes place in an honest heart.

Honesty is a rapidly disappearing attribute. Truth is hedged and masked. Integrity is compromised. “Mom isn’t here” our children say when we want to avoid the caller. We silently pocket the incorrectly counted change received in the drive-through lane. Untruths we label as “small white lies” punctuate our character until authenticity is forfeited. A life of integrity demands honesty. So does worship.

Worship is all about seeking the face of God. We cannot truly seek Him until we are willing to come before Him in absolute abandonment, completely and totally honest before Him. 

In the gospel of Luke, we find a woman who came to dinner at the home of Simon Peter. This woman came for one reason alone – she had heard that Jesus would be there. It was common knowledge that she was a prostitute with a terrible reputation. Everyone at the party – including Simon, the host – knew exactly who she was and what she had done. Simon would never have allowed, much less invited this kind of woman to enter his home. However, it was common knowledge that when a Rabbi was invited to someone’s house, others could stop by and listen to the conversation. A desperate woman, she came knowing that everyone at the party would recognize and judge her.  But her desire to meet Jesus was greater than her pride.

She came openly – hiding nothing. She came just like she was, a sinful woman. In other words, as my daughter would say, she was the “real deal.” No pretense. No hypocrisy. Just authenticity. She came with an honest heart and Jesus met her at that point of brutal honesty. As a matter of fact, He was waiting for her to come. He is waiting for us to come as well. The fact is that we will never experience the full power of true worship until we are ready to honestly confront and deal with the sin in our lives. An honest heart pleases God and is invited to worship Him.

Let’s Pray

Father, I confess that I do not truly understand what it means to worship You in the way that You desire, but I want to worship You. I want to come into your presence with complete honesty and transparency. My heart desire is to sit at Your feet. I lay down my pride and arrogance, confessing that without You, I am nothing. I praise You and love You, Father. Teach me how to truly worship You. 

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

(week of August 1st) (Blessed)

(week of July 25th) (Angels)

Demonic activity and Satan worship are on the increase in all parts of the world. The devil is at work more than at any other time. The Bible says that because he realizes his time is short, Satan’s activity will increase. But his evil activities are countered for the people of God by His ministering spirits, the holy ones of the angelic order. Christians should never fail to sense the operation of angelic glory. It forever eclipses the world of demonic powers, as the sun does a candle’s light. If you are a believer, expect powerful angels to accompany you in your life experiences. And let those events dramatically illustrate the friendly presence of “the holy ones” as Daniel calls them. Certainly, the eye of faith sees many evidences of the supernatural display of God’s power and glory. God is still in business.

Prayer for the day

When I am tempted by Satan, I will remember Your angels are around me, Lord.

(week of July 18th) (false prophets)

Jereamiah 23:16

This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.“

Correct and sound doctrine is crucial to salvation and growth in spiritual maturity. It comes as no surprise that God warns us many times in Scripture to be aware of false teaching. Christians need to be able to recognize false teachers in order to know when they are being led down a path that God did not intend. A false teacher is one who knows the truth but deliberately lies for some purpose. Jesus said in Matthew 7:16, “You will recognize them by their fruits.” We can know whether someone is founded on Jesus’ doctrine by that person’s “fruits”– by what he teaches. Is he teaching the same things Jesus taught? Is his doctrine the doctrine of Jesus Christ? Or is he twisting words and taking verses out of context to suit his own belief or benefit? This is why it’s important for us to read the Bible ourselves. It’s also important that we find a church that teaches directly from the Bible. Although, even then we still shouldn’t only rely on the church for instruction. In 2 Timothy 4:3-4 it states, “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” Let us pray for the gift of discernment to recognize when others try to lead us astray.

(week of July 11th)

A Fathers Pride

(week of July 4th)

“Once there was a man who was about to leave home on a trip; he called his servants and put them in charge of his property. He gave to each one according to his ability: to one he gave five thousand gold coins, to another he gave two thousand, and to another he gave one thousand. Then he left on his trip.”

Matthew 25:14-15 (GNT)