Today’s ODB piece by Bill Crowder, The Source of Impact, reminded me of a statement I’ve come across more than once: “God doesn’t call the equipped; He equips the called.” While Peter and John may have lacked the education, the training, and the pedigree that was normally associated with preaching, teaching, and ministering, they certainly didn’t lack the power or the authority to do so. The time they spent with the “stone rejected by the world” had prepared them and the Holy Spirit had empowered them to do such things in Jesus’ name.
That He uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things is consistent with a God who chooses the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and the weak things of the world to shame the strong (1 Cor 1:27). To be used by God is not a matter of our ability, but our availability. The only difference between being “not able” and “notable”[1] is a space that becomes filled by our spending time in His presence.
That reminds me of another statement I’ve heard before: ”Wise men seek Him.”...
[1] Thomas Jefferson referred to France's Assembly of Notables as the "not ables."
Monday, December 13
Monday, November 29
What's In Your Hand
A friend recently questioned my exhortation that men of God should carry their Bible's to church. He felt that I was encouraging men to be religious and legalistic. So I explained myself further...responding that he would be exactly right if I was simply asking men to put their Bible on display, as if carrying a Bible to church was somehow an indication of their holiness. But that is not the case...
Today's devotion asks the question, "What's in your hand?" and I could not help but think of my Bible. Throughout the Scripture, the Word of God is referred to as our "seed." Seed that, when planted, will always bring forth a good harvest.
We are called to be sowers of the Word, and we need to go forth with our "bag of seed" in hand...ready to plant.
So...What's in your hand? The incorruptible, imperishable, living Word of God! There is power in the Word...go forth and sow it!
Today's devotion asks the question, "What's in your hand?" and I could not help but think of my Bible. Throughout the Scripture, the Word of God is referred to as our "seed." Seed that, when planted, will always bring forth a good harvest.
We are called to be sowers of the Word, and we need to go forth with our "bag of seed" in hand...ready to plant.
So...What's in your hand? The incorruptible, imperishable, living Word of God! There is power in the Word...go forth and sow it!
Saturday, November 27
A Saturday View of Black Friday
If the 70 years or so of life here on Earth is all there is, we would live as though it is all there is. We would have no need for grace, let alone allow ourselves to be changed by it.
We would measure success by the size of our homes, the price of our cars, and the amount money we have in the bank. We would bust through the doors of stores at 4 in the morning (after standing in line for 3 hours) to get great deals on more stuff, even though we already park our cars in the driveway because our attics and garages are already full of stuff. On the way there, we would be joined by countless others doing the same thing. We would drive past numerous other people, also up all night because they are hungry, homeless, or grieving.
I wonder what might happen if only half of the time, money, attention, and effort that Christians devote to Black Friday were used to proclaim the gospel, minister to those in need, and otherwise show the face of Christ in our increasingly Godless American culture. Will we ever know as long as so many Christians lead lives that are largely indistinguishable from those who do not claim to follow Jesus? Sadly, most Christians will seek a good deal with far more fervor than they will seek the heart of God.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 states, “…if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ….” Looking at how so many brothers and sisters in Christ respond to Black Friday, it is clear that the god of this world is blinding a good number of believers too.
We would measure success by the size of our homes, the price of our cars, and the amount money we have in the bank. We would bust through the doors of stores at 4 in the morning (after standing in line for 3 hours) to get great deals on more stuff, even though we already park our cars in the driveway because our attics and garages are already full of stuff. On the way there, we would be joined by countless others doing the same thing. We would drive past numerous other people, also up all night because they are hungry, homeless, or grieving.
I wonder what might happen if only half of the time, money, attention, and effort that Christians devote to Black Friday were used to proclaim the gospel, minister to those in need, and otherwise show the face of Christ in our increasingly Godless American culture. Will we ever know as long as so many Christians lead lives that are largely indistinguishable from those who do not claim to follow Jesus? Sadly, most Christians will seek a good deal with far more fervor than they will seek the heart of God.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 states, “…if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ….” Looking at how so many brothers and sisters in Christ respond to Black Friday, it is clear that the god of this world is blinding a good number of believers too.
Tuesday, November 16
Diligence Pays
In today's ODB piece, "Daily Diligence," David C. McCasland reminds us that Christ provides us with the example and the means to live and minister with power and excellence.
When facing a challenge or undertaking anything of importance, I often hear a voice inside my head telling me, "You can't do it." In the past, that voice would serve to discourage, diminish, or derail my efforts. I still hear that voice of doubt from time to time, but through diligence - consistent, focused, earnest effort to discern the will of God for my life - I have learned from where that doubt comes, and am learning how to overcome it.
As a result, I've taken on more things than I could have ever imagined, including some things I truly can't do on my own. By spending quality time in the presence of God, becoming armed with the truth of His Word and seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit, I am coming to understand that "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" (Phil 4:13).
There is indeed power, wonder-working power, in the precious blood of the Lamb!
When facing a challenge or undertaking anything of importance, I often hear a voice inside my head telling me, "You can't do it." In the past, that voice would serve to discourage, diminish, or derail my efforts. I still hear that voice of doubt from time to time, but through diligence - consistent, focused, earnest effort to discern the will of God for my life - I have learned from where that doubt comes, and am learning how to overcome it.
As a result, I've taken on more things than I could have ever imagined, including some things I truly can't do on my own. By spending quality time in the presence of God, becoming armed with the truth of His Word and seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit, I am coming to understand that "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" (Phil 4:13).
There is indeed power, wonder-working power, in the precious blood of the Lamb!
Tuesday, November 9
Self-imposed limitations
Whether it is self-control, self-restraint, self-help, self-improvement, self-development, self-discipline, or the like, any exercise starting with the prefix "self-" is going to be limited. The limiting factor is identified in the prefix.
Sure, a person with enough determination and/or talent can make remarkable gains and orchestrate what some would consider a good life. But such a life pales in comparison to a life in grace and doesn't lead to eternal life. Who possesses enough self-sourced goodness to not be bent toward selfishness or to at least occasionally satisfy his or her carnal appetites?
The key to victory is found in Jesus, Who by "His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust." (2 Peter 1:3-4).
Sure, a person with enough determination and/or talent can make remarkable gains and orchestrate what some would consider a good life. But such a life pales in comparison to a life in grace and doesn't lead to eternal life. Who possesses enough self-sourced goodness to not be bent toward selfishness or to at least occasionally satisfy his or her carnal appetites?
The key to victory is found in Jesus, Who by "His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust." (2 Peter 1:3-4).
Wednesday, November 3
It Can Never Happen To Me
Our reading today is taken from Psalm 30 and it is a powerful message: God is there to help us in our weakness…even when we have sinned against Him.
I would like to recommend that you read about the incident that potentially led to David’s plea for help. Take the time to Read 1 Chronicles 21:1-30.
A little background: The devil tempted David to take a census (v1). And although David knew that it would not be pleasing to God, and against the counsel of his military commander, he took it anyway. Now, there were consequences for his sin…but consider the mercy of God as you read the story. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
“My God, please help us to always be mindful of our total dependence on you. You are a God of love and mercy. And even when we make mistakes…You are there to pull us out!”
I would like to recommend that you read about the incident that potentially led to David’s plea for help. Take the time to Read 1 Chronicles 21:1-30.
A little background: The devil tempted David to take a census (v1). And although David knew that it would not be pleasing to God, and against the counsel of his military commander, he took it anyway. Now, there were consequences for his sin…but consider the mercy of God as you read the story. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
“My God, please help us to always be mindful of our total dependence on you. You are a God of love and mercy. And even when we make mistakes…You are there to pull us out!”
Tuesday, October 26
Declaration of Dependence
As I read today's Daily Bread, I felt the need to offer the Lord a prayer of repentance for my dependence on "self." If you struggle at times in this area, as I do, I would ask that you embrace this prayer for yourself.
"Father, your Word tells me that if I confess my sins, then you are faithful and just to forgive me of my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I confess to you now that there are areas of my life that have not been totally given over to you...areas where I have relied on my own intellect or my own talents and abilities. Please forgive me for that weakness and open my eyes to the pride of self deception that allows me to believe that I can do anything apart from You.
I admit that I am weak in this area and pray for sensitivity to the conviction of the Holy Spirit when I fall short. Help me to embrace my weakness knowing that where I am weak Lord, You are strong."
"Father, your Word tells me that if I confess my sins, then you are faithful and just to forgive me of my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I confess to you now that there are areas of my life that have not been totally given over to you...areas where I have relied on my own intellect or my own talents and abilities. Please forgive me for that weakness and open my eyes to the pride of self deception that allows me to believe that I can do anything apart from You.
I admit that I am weak in this area and pray for sensitivity to the conviction of the Holy Spirit when I fall short. Help me to embrace my weakness knowing that where I am weak Lord, You are strong."
Wednesday, October 20
Code Breaker
John 1:1-5
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning.
3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
Even people that don't read the Bible have probably heard this at one time or another and it's a verse that I have heard quite a few times and as I go back to my earliest memory of hearing this I recall it sounding like a bunch of double talk. It was code for something but I didn't have the code breaking tool then one day in a Bible study the teacher said replace "word" with "Jesus". WOW now that makes sense but why not say that from the beginning, well that's a rabbit trail that I leave for another chapter.
Today in my time with God I was nudged back to these verses and I know now that when God nudges me I need to move and then be still because he will reveal another code breaking secret.
"God, I'm ready for that"... I'm always ready for that... and He revealed it and now I'm saying Thank you Lord ... Thank you for loving me so much that you knew I needed another angle on a truth that you have and I need to plant it deep in my heart. Do you want to know what that truth is? Today's truth to the "Living Word" for Jimmy Thomas is this, God is the beginning, the beginning of everything, He created everything, the hills, the ocean, the light, the creatures and you and me. That's the power that He has.
Satan tells lies and deceives, that the power that he has. He can't stop the tide from coming in and going out, he can't stop the sun from irising in the morning and setting in the evening, he can't make the mountain go into the sea. And yet we give him more focus that we do the One that created it all.
All that to say this ... God wants me to focus on and share what He, the creator of the universe, lover of my soul and someone that wants to call me friend, has done and wants to do. Yes there are bad and unfortunate things that happen and it lays heavy on our hearts but we serve a God that's bigger that all the trouble and wants to hold our hand and get us through the storm to the shores of his blessings.
Go out today, stop, take a deep breathe and spend a few minutes taking in the beauty of what our God has created, be still and bask in His goodness.
If you got this far, let me say thanks for taking the time to read this and I pray that in some way this touches you.
Be Blessed,
Jimmy
Tuesday, October 19
Understanding What is His
Today's ODB, "Hoarding or Helping", helped reaffirm in me the concept of God's economy, something it took me a long time and some painful lessons to learn.
Once guided by worldly wisdom, I lived life as an endless quest to accumulate things. The aim of my life was to pursue and possess as much of the things I thought were important - money, status, rank, acclaim, security - as I could get my hands on. I might still be on that quest had I not experienced a sudden, unforseen loss of just about everything I had considered important.
It took the loss of those things to help me learn that everything I once had wasn't really mine to begin with. Learning to live without those things wasn't pleasant at first, but helped me understand I could live without them and realize I had overestimated their importance. God used this experience to humble me and to give me a greater understanding of His grace through which all worthwhile things come. My circumstances for a time were such that I could only count on His grace, for His grace was all I had. It turned out to be more than sufficient.
I have since experienced restoration of material blessings, but know my good fortune is not attributable to anything other than the grace of God. As such, I have come to view nothing as my own. I live my life quite differently than before - not perfectly, but determined to use the things He has given me to glorify Him. I've learned that I cannot outgive God, and the more time, talent, and treasures I give back to Him, the more of Him I get. That's a lopsided trade if there ever was one!
I don't give because I get, but I get because I give. I don't understand why it works this way, but I know that it does. Thanks be to God!!
Once guided by worldly wisdom, I lived life as an endless quest to accumulate things. The aim of my life was to pursue and possess as much of the things I thought were important - money, status, rank, acclaim, security - as I could get my hands on. I might still be on that quest had I not experienced a sudden, unforseen loss of just about everything I had considered important.
It took the loss of those things to help me learn that everything I once had wasn't really mine to begin with. Learning to live without those things wasn't pleasant at first, but helped me understand I could live without them and realize I had overestimated their importance. God used this experience to humble me and to give me a greater understanding of His grace through which all worthwhile things come. My circumstances for a time were such that I could only count on His grace, for His grace was all I had. It turned out to be more than sufficient.
I have since experienced restoration of material blessings, but know my good fortune is not attributable to anything other than the grace of God. As such, I have come to view nothing as my own. I live my life quite differently than before - not perfectly, but determined to use the things He has given me to glorify Him. I've learned that I cannot outgive God, and the more time, talent, and treasures I give back to Him, the more of Him I get. That's a lopsided trade if there ever was one!
I don't give because I get, but I get because I give. I don't understand why it works this way, but I know that it does. Thanks be to God!!
Sunday, October 17
"Thy will", not "my will"
The author of Saturday's ODB piece, Julie Ackerman Link, writes about a very important subject - the misuse of the words of the Lord. To twist and bend the word of the Lord to achieve our own ends is sin unless somehow our selfish desires be in perfect alignment with those of the Lord.
We must rely on the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and not our own wisdom to discern what God is saying to us through His written Word lest we stumble, or worse, cause another to stumble. As I dwelled on this matter a bit, I was reminded of a story told about Abraham Lincoln.
In 1864, portrait artist F.B. Carpenter spent considerable time with Lincoln, having been commissioned to paint a portrait of the President. He chronicled his time spent with Lincoln in an 1867 book, Six Months in the White House. Carpenter recalls an interesting encounter Lincoln had with a clergyman who visited the White House during that time:
We must rely on the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and not our own wisdom to discern what God is saying to us through His written Word lest we stumble, or worse, cause another to stumble. As I dwelled on this matter a bit, I was reminded of a story told about Abraham Lincoln.
In 1864, portrait artist F.B. Carpenter spent considerable time with Lincoln, having been commissioned to paint a portrait of the President. He chronicled his time spent with Lincoln in an 1867 book, Six Months in the White House. Carpenter recalls an interesting encounter Lincoln had with a clergyman who visited the White House during that time:
No nobler reply ever fell from the lips of ruler, than that uttered by President Lincoln in response to the clergyman who ventured to say, in his presence, that he hoped " the LORD was on our side.". "I am not at all concerned about that," replied Mr. Lincoln, " for I know that the LORD is always on the side of the right. But it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I and this nation should be on the LORD'S side."Wise words from a wise man.
A Little Faith Made a Big Difference to Chilean Miners
I received this in my e-mail this morning and HAD to share. It is worth the read to see how a LITTLE FAITH MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE in the lives of the Chilean mine collapse survivors. It never ceases to amaze me that a God who can do anything gives His faithful servants the opportunity to play a role in His miracles.
Hi all,
I just received an update from a fellow staff member of Campus Crusade regarding some interesting things that have happened with the Chilean miner rescue:
You've probably been following the rescue of the Chilean miners. I want to tell you the story behind the story. Most of the world will not know this story until we're gathered around the banquet feast in heaven. I love it when true followers of Jesus embrace the opportunities he gives.
If you have watched the news, most of the miners are wearing a t-shirt with the logo from the Chilean flag. The t-shirts were a gift from Campus Crusade for Christ Chile. Over the last couple of weeks, they received MP3 players with the audio version of the JESUS Film and the Bible in audio format. Here is the note from our Campus Crusade national director, Christian Maureira:
Probably you are watching on TV the rescue of the miners and also maybe you noticed a T Shirt they are wearing. All those T Shirts are a gift from Campus Crusade for Christ Chile. In the front you can read “Gracias Señor, Thank You Lord” and on the back; the Psalm 95:4 "Porque en su mano están las profundidades de la tierra, y las alturas de los montes son suyas" “In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.”
Also, on one sleeve we put The Jesus Film Project image, and on the other sleeve Cruzada Estudiantil y Profesional para Cristo (CCC) image.
The idea was to glorify our Lord with all this and also to express our love and concern for them by giving them the JESUS Film audio and portions of the Bible in audio through the MP3s.
They received many gifts but they decided to wear our T Shirts and we praise God for this.
I am writing you in order you can be informed because the Chilean TV says that 1,000,000,000 of people in this moment are watching the rescue. Blessings from Chile, Jesus is my inspiration.
-Christian Maureira, National Director, CCC Chile
Hi all,
I just received an update from a fellow staff member of Campus Crusade regarding some interesting things that have happened with the Chilean miner rescue:
You've probably been following the rescue of the Chilean miners. I want to tell you the story behind the story. Most of the world will not know this story until we're gathered around the banquet feast in heaven. I love it when true followers of Jesus embrace the opportunities he gives.
If you have watched the news, most of the miners are wearing a t-shirt with the logo from the Chilean flag. The t-shirts were a gift from Campus Crusade for Christ Chile. Over the last couple of weeks, they received MP3 players with the audio version of the JESUS Film and the Bible in audio format. Here is the note from our Campus Crusade national director, Christian Maureira:
Probably you are watching on TV the rescue of the miners and also maybe you noticed a T Shirt they are wearing. All those T Shirts are a gift from Campus Crusade for Christ Chile. In the front you can read “Gracias Señor, Thank You Lord” and on the back; the Psalm 95:4 "Porque en su mano están las profundidades de la tierra, y las alturas de los montes son suyas" “In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.”
Also, on one sleeve we put The Jesus Film Project image, and on the other sleeve Cruzada Estudiantil y Profesional para Cristo (CCC) image.
The idea was to glorify our Lord with all this and also to express our love and concern for them by giving them the JESUS Film audio and portions of the Bible in audio through the MP3s.
They received many gifts but they decided to wear our T Shirts and we praise God for this.
I am writing you in order you can be informed because the Chilean TV says that 1,000,000,000 of people in this moment are watching the rescue. Blessings from Chile, Jesus is my inspiration.
-Christian Maureira, National Director, CCC Chile
And there is even more to the story. From a previous message from our National Director Christian Maureira. It is a bit long, but oh so glorifying to God who planted an idea into Christian's soul and a plan unfolded that brings glory to God in front of the eyes of 1 billion people.
Hello team and friends!
I want to share with you about the last two very intense weeks as we have worked on the project to take the Word of God and the JESUS audio version to the mine, but it has really be worth the effort as it is food for the soul. This long history of the miners that is now passing 2 months has been without doubt the longest survival experience for people trapped underground.
This all started on the 5th of August when the San Jose mine collapsed because of the exploration in the mine. The news was not good as it was only 6 months after we had experience the very large earthquake and tsunami. With a population less than other countries in the world problems like this seem much closer to you and much more like it is part of your own family.
After two weeks without news from the miners we could only think the worst. The government had made every effort, but it was reasonable to think that the miners were lost, above all considering the distance where they were located, some 700 meters (2014 feet) deep with a difficult future to be rescued. But God had other plans and 2 days later (the 17th day), contact with them was made. Obviously we were all very happy and we celebrated the miracle that all were alive.
As Campus Crusade, God guided us to think about how we could help these men and this was how we took the initiative to contact some churches in the North, leaders and authorities about sending the JESUS audio into the mine. It wasn’t easy in the beginning because of some apathy in the Christian leadership and a lack of a sense of urgency, together with the restrictive control of the rescue team but, God in His sovereignty provided that we were able to gain contact with the daughter and the brother of one of the three Christians that were trapped there.
During several weeks, I was in contact with them, and I explored the possibility of sending them audio material. Finally, I traveled to the mine with 33 MP3’s containing the JESUS audio version and an ample portion of the Bible. I was there for 2 days and we sent the MP3’s through each family members that were there.
Jose Samuel, my contact in the mine (father of Hettiz and brother of Gaston) is an extraordinary man who has really surprised me. The psychologists that are giving help from the surface have recognized that he has been a tremendous emotional and spiritual support for the rest of his co-workers.
He sent me a letter that grabbed my attention for his incredible clarity of thought. For example, some parts of the letter are:
· “I want to express my appreciation for this great blessing for me and my co-workers, it will be very good our edification” (He is talking about the MP3’s)
· “I am well because Christ lives in me”
· “We have prayer services at 12 a.m. and 6 p.m.”
· “I ask all of you for pray not only for us here, but for all the lost people in the world”
· At the end of the letter he signed off with Psalm 95:4 “In his hand are the depths of the earth, and mountain peaks belong to him”
This all started on the 5th of August when the San Jose mine collapsed because of the exploration in the mine. The news was not good as it was only 6 months after we had experience the very large earthquake and tsunami. With a population less than other countries in the world problems like this seem much closer to you and much more like it is part of your own family.
After two weeks without news from the miners we could only think the worst. The government had made every effort, but it was reasonable to think that the miners were lost, above all considering the distance where they were located, some 700 meters (2014 feet) deep with a difficult future to be rescued. But God had other plans and 2 days later (the 17th day), contact with them was made. Obviously we were all very happy and we celebrated the miracle that all were alive.
As Campus Crusade, God guided us to think about how we could help these men and this was how we took the initiative to contact some churches in the North, leaders and authorities about sending the JESUS audio into the mine. It wasn’t easy in the beginning because of some apathy in the Christian leadership and a lack of a sense of urgency, together with the restrictive control of the rescue team but, God in His sovereignty provided that we were able to gain contact with the daughter and the brother of one of the three Christians that were trapped there.
During several weeks, I was in contact with them, and I explored the possibility of sending them audio material. Finally, I traveled to the mine with 33 MP3’s containing the JESUS audio version and an ample portion of the Bible. I was there for 2 days and we sent the MP3’s through each family members that were there.
Jose Samuel, my contact in the mine (father of Hettiz and brother of Gaston) is an extraordinary man who has really surprised me. The psychologists that are giving help from the surface have recognized that he has been a tremendous emotional and spiritual support for the rest of his co-workers.
He sent me a letter that grabbed my attention for his incredible clarity of thought. For example, some parts of the letter are:
· “I want to express my appreciation for this great blessing for me and my co-workers, it will be very good our edification” (He is talking about the MP3’s)
· “I am well because Christ lives in me”
· “We have prayer services at 12 a.m. and 6 p.m.”
· “I ask all of you for pray not only for us here, but for all the lost people in the world”
· At the end of the letter he signed off with Psalm 95:4 “In his hand are the depths of the earth, and mountain peaks belong to him”
This is a very motivating story, lets continue to pray for the salvation of these souls. Thanks for being part of this. Christian Maureira, ND CCC CHILE
What a story! What a God!
Patti Culver
Faculty Commons Ministry
"But through love, serve one another" - Galatians 5:13
Thursday, October 14
A Helping Hand
Oh, the value of a virtuous woman! The Proverb tells us her worth is far above jewels.
It goes on to tell us that her husband will have no lack of gain. In other words, his life is richly blessed because of the godly character of his wife. But don't miss that little phrase in the middle...the heart of her husband trusts in her.
This godly woman is released to completely fulfill HER role because her husband has fulfilled HIS role! This husband has obviously covered her, blessed her, nurtured her, and encouraged her to be all that god has called her to be. I am so thankful for my godly wife, but I must constantly ask myself...am I doing my part?
Have you told your wife lately how important she is to you? Have you encouraged her? Have you let her know how much of a blessing she is to you?
I would like to encourage all of us that are married to speak words of life and encouragement over our wives. Do it continually and watch her blossom!
It goes on to tell us that her husband will have no lack of gain. In other words, his life is richly blessed because of the godly character of his wife. But don't miss that little phrase in the middle...the heart of her husband trusts in her.
This godly woman is released to completely fulfill HER role because her husband has fulfilled HIS role! This husband has obviously covered her, blessed her, nurtured her, and encouraged her to be all that god has called her to be. I am so thankful for my godly wife, but I must constantly ask myself...am I doing my part?
Have you told your wife lately how important she is to you? Have you encouraged her? Have you let her know how much of a blessing she is to you?
I would like to encourage all of us that are married to speak words of life and encouragement over our wives. Do it continually and watch her blossom!
Monday, October 11
Keep Your Eye on the Ball
One of baseball’s all-time greatest hitters, Ted Williams, said one of the keys to his success was his ability to visually track the ball all the way to the bat. It makes sense that if you want to hit the ball squarely you have to see it.
Similarly, if we aim to be like Jesus we have to keep our eyes on Him. Just as a random swat at a moving object like a baseball is unlikely to result in a foul tip let alone a home run, random thought and self-generated behavior are unlikely to result in anything remarkable happening in our lives. In Matthew 14:28-29, seeing Jesus standing on the shore beckoning him to “Come,” Peter defied the physical laws of physics and walked on water. But as soon as Peter took his eyes off of Jesus he found himself under water.
What is possible if we learn to keep our eyes on Jesus? I must admit that I haven’t kept Him in view long enough to be able to answer that question. But, with respect to the scripture reference of today’s piece (Colossians 3:1-10) I’m dying to find out.
Similarly, if we aim to be like Jesus we have to keep our eyes on Him. Just as a random swat at a moving object like a baseball is unlikely to result in a foul tip let alone a home run, random thought and self-generated behavior are unlikely to result in anything remarkable happening in our lives. In Matthew 14:28-29, seeing Jesus standing on the shore beckoning him to “Come,” Peter defied the physical laws of physics and walked on water. But as soon as Peter took his eyes off of Jesus he found himself under water.
What is possible if we learn to keep our eyes on Jesus? I must admit that I haven’t kept Him in view long enough to be able to answer that question. But, with respect to the scripture reference of today’s piece (Colossians 3:1-10) I’m dying to find out.
Sunday, October 10
Here or There
Today’s ODB piece, Popularity, brought me back to a discussion that took place in a small group meeting last week about how difficult it can be to walk in continual faith. Among the things that make it difficult are the opinions and responses of others who do not share our faith. Having strong convictions about anything, let alone Christianity, is something that makes many people uncomfortable.
Jesus was undaunted by what others said or thought of Him. He was guided by the spirit rather than by the words, desires, and reactions of others, and tells us that living our faith will lead to interpersonal strife: “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:34).
As followers of Christ, we will often be regarded as different and even unpopular by those who do not share our understanding and beliefs. But our faith has its rewards: “everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven” (v 32). I don’t know about you, but I’d prefer to be honored in heaven than on earth.
Jesus was undaunted by what others said or thought of Him. He was guided by the spirit rather than by the words, desires, and reactions of others, and tells us that living our faith will lead to interpersonal strife: “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:34).
As followers of Christ, we will often be regarded as different and even unpopular by those who do not share our understanding and beliefs. But our faith has its rewards: “everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven” (v 32). I don’t know about you, but I’d prefer to be honored in heaven than on earth.
Thursday, October 7
October Men's Meeting
What a great time of food and fellowship at our October Men's Meeting! A huge Thank You goes out to the cooking team for preparing such a wonderful meal. It is my understanding they cooked 135 steaks for this event...along with baked potatoes, green beans, coleslaw, and brownies.
A special thanks to Jimmy Thomas for unselfishly stepping up and facilitating the Cornhole Tournament. We had 50 teams participate in this event and and it was no easy task to oversee and announce all of the pairings. I don't think anyone anticipated the tournament lasting quite as long as it did...but at 10:30pm Josh Sanders and Don Genco defeated Guy Stuckey and Iler Stoe for the title. I believe everyone who participated had an absolute blast.
Our plans are to have another one of these fellowship events in January (an Oyster Roast). I received a lot of positive feedback and would like to encourage our leaders to follow up with new men they may have met at the event. Thank you, men, for being faithful to the call of Jesus Christ on your lives!
Tuesday, October 5
The Right Help
But in my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears. (Psalm 18:6)
Think about that for a moment…the God of the universe hears our cry for help. What a blessing to know that we are not traveling through this world alone…the Lord is watching over us, ready and waiting to respond in our time of need.
Verse 16 tells us, He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters.
Guys, if you have a need in your life or a situation that seems too much for you…lift up your voice and petition your heavenly Father. He loves you and is ready and willing to rescue you from that trouble.
Think about that for a moment…the God of the universe hears our cry for help. What a blessing to know that we are not traveling through this world alone…the Lord is watching over us, ready and waiting to respond in our time of need.
Verse 16 tells us, He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters.
Guys, if you have a need in your life or a situation that seems too much for you…lift up your voice and petition your heavenly Father. He loves you and is ready and willing to rescue you from that trouble.
Friday, October 1
Amazing Testimony
Take the time to listen to this woman's testimony. You won't be the same after you do. It comes in 2 parts.
Gianna Jassen - Part 1
Gianna Jassen - Part 2
Gianna Jassen - Part 1
Gianna Jassen - Part 2
Wednesday, September 29
Come Back
Galatians 6:1 says it this way: Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2 Share each other's burdens, and in this way fulfill the law of Christ. (NLT)
Man of God, do you know someone that has been overcome by sin? If so, you should lovingly help that person get back on the right path. Inviting that individual to next week's Monthly Men's Meeting might be an excellent opportunity for you to gain entrance into his life! Pray about it, and let the Lord lead you.
Man of God, do you know someone that has been overcome by sin? If so, you should lovingly help that person get back on the right path. Inviting that individual to next week's Monthly Men's Meeting might be an excellent opportunity for you to gain entrance into his life! Pray about it, and let the Lord lead you.
Tuesday, September 28
"Forks and Spoons"
Last Saturday morning, during the weekly breakfast session with the guys, the discussion strangely turned to fancy table settings. Eric said he didn’t understand how someone decided the fork went on the right side, and the knife on the left (or was it the fork on the left and knife on the right?) and that the spoon would be on one side or the other. Mark confessed he didn’t know what to make of the series of spoons arranged above the plate. Tim admitted being confused by the tiny forks that are sometimes included in the mix.
As cavemen, none of us could comprehend why anyone would fuss over such things. We all agreed that the only tool you need to eat your food is a knife, but a fork is a good thing to have too. A spoon, while not essential sometimes comes in handy. We also decided that these utensils don’t need to be in any particular place, just within reach. We concluded that having several versions of forks and spoons, each with an assigned purpose and place, was simply nonsense.
The Holy Spirit, as always, was in attendance that morning and He weighed in on the subject, as well. He didn’t disagree with our findings, but as He is apt to do, He turned our discussion inward. One of my fellow cavemen asked, “Are there any unnecessary ‘forks and spoons’ in our lives that we insist be present, but could be considered nonsense by others?”
As I’ve considered that question, I’ve identified several firmly-established ideas, behaviors, and tendencies that need to be examined. At best, these things give importance to the unimportant. Worse, they have the potential to confuse, frustrate, intimidate, and alienate people I care about.
Dear reader, I would appreciate your sharing any scriptures that could provide direction, perspective, and encouragement. Thank you and God bless you.
As cavemen, none of us could comprehend why anyone would fuss over such things. We all agreed that the only tool you need to eat your food is a knife, but a fork is a good thing to have too. A spoon, while not essential sometimes comes in handy. We also decided that these utensils don’t need to be in any particular place, just within reach. We concluded that having several versions of forks and spoons, each with an assigned purpose and place, was simply nonsense.
The Holy Spirit, as always, was in attendance that morning and He weighed in on the subject, as well. He didn’t disagree with our findings, but as He is apt to do, He turned our discussion inward. One of my fellow cavemen asked, “Are there any unnecessary ‘forks and spoons’ in our lives that we insist be present, but could be considered nonsense by others?”
As I’ve considered that question, I’ve identified several firmly-established ideas, behaviors, and tendencies that need to be examined. At best, these things give importance to the unimportant. Worse, they have the potential to confuse, frustrate, intimidate, and alienate people I care about.
Dear reader, I would appreciate your sharing any scriptures that could provide direction, perspective, and encouragement. Thank you and God bless you.
Monday, September 27
Create "Free Space"
I love Henry Nouwen's description of Hospitality as, "...creation of a free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy..."
I pray that, as leaders, we work hard at creating "free space" here at MGM...not so that we can change the men of our church and community, but to offer them enough space so that God can change them.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Love your neighbor as yourself. God will do the rest!
I pray that, as leaders, we work hard at creating "free space" here at MGM...not so that we can change the men of our church and community, but to offer them enough space so that God can change them.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Love your neighbor as yourself. God will do the rest!
Saturday, September 25
Got Faith?
Simply saying I have something doesn’t necessarily mean I have that something. If I profess to have faith in something but don’t live like I faith, do I have faith?
God’s Word reveals a glorious future to those who profess to believe that Jesus Christ suffered and died to make that very future possible. Yet, many believers live lives barely distinguishable from the lives of those who have yet to know the promises of God.
Hebrews 1:1 says, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” To have faith, then, is to be sure and certain of what God promises. This means those of us who profess to have faith have a choice to make. We can learn to live as though God’s Word is true, or we can continue to live without the assurance and certainty that His Word provides. The choice we make has profound consequences not only in our lives, but also in the lives of those we are given the opportunity to influence.
If we choose to believe God’s Word is completely true, we can have faith in a glorious future, giving us a totally new perspective on life. We don’t have to live as though this is all there is, because it isn’t. So, “let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).
God’s Word reveals a glorious future to those who profess to believe that Jesus Christ suffered and died to make that very future possible. Yet, many believers live lives barely distinguishable from the lives of those who have yet to know the promises of God.
Hebrews 1:1 says, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” To have faith, then, is to be sure and certain of what God promises. This means those of us who profess to have faith have a choice to make. We can learn to live as though God’s Word is true, or we can continue to live without the assurance and certainty that His Word provides. The choice we make has profound consequences not only in our lives, but also in the lives of those we are given the opportunity to influence.
If we choose to believe God’s Word is completely true, we can have faith in a glorious future, giving us a totally new perspective on life. We don’t have to live as though this is all there is, because it isn’t. So, “let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).
Friday, September 24
Obey The Call
So much of Jesus’ teaching and so many pages of devotionals have been about answering the call to follow Him – to “Obey the Call.” This requires two things of us: hearing the call and obeying the call.
Hearing the Call
With the understanding that God, being God, can get anyone’s attention any time He pleases, He usually waits patiently for us to respond to His subtler efforts to reach us. To hear His quieter call, I have to be close enough to hear it. If I’m not close enough, it isn’t because He moved farther away from me. He’s always been there, it’s just that I’ve managed to be somewhere else.
I will also hear Him better if I’m familiar with His voice and His manner of speaking. If I haven’t spent quality time with Him, how can I know what He sounds like and how He tends to express Himself?
Even if I have managed to get within range of His voice and have started building a relationship with Him, if He is just another thing vying for my attention – just part of the rest of the noise that is my life – I’m probably not going to be able to hear Him often, if at all. If I am to hear God, I must be intentional about it, regularly making time for Him, and just Him.
Obeying the Call
Assuming I have drawn near to Him, have become familiar with Him, and have consistently spent time with Him, I have increased my chances of hearing Him. If I am now hearing Him, the second thing comes into play – obeying Him.
Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). That He literally gave His life for the sake of those who follow Him is not only worthy of obedience, but a manner of leading in which obedience is the only proper response.
My spirit engages at His call, but my flesh resists. It is a battle worth waging however: Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27-28). That’s not just another promise…that’s God’s Word!
Hearing the Call
With the understanding that God, being God, can get anyone’s attention any time He pleases, He usually waits patiently for us to respond to His subtler efforts to reach us. To hear His quieter call, I have to be close enough to hear it. If I’m not close enough, it isn’t because He moved farther away from me. He’s always been there, it’s just that I’ve managed to be somewhere else.
I will also hear Him better if I’m familiar with His voice and His manner of speaking. If I haven’t spent quality time with Him, how can I know what He sounds like and how He tends to express Himself?
Even if I have managed to get within range of His voice and have started building a relationship with Him, if He is just another thing vying for my attention – just part of the rest of the noise that is my life – I’m probably not going to be able to hear Him often, if at all. If I am to hear God, I must be intentional about it, regularly making time for Him, and just Him.
Obeying the Call
Assuming I have drawn near to Him, have become familiar with Him, and have consistently spent time with Him, I have increased my chances of hearing Him. If I am now hearing Him, the second thing comes into play – obeying Him.
Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). That He literally gave His life for the sake of those who follow Him is not only worthy of obedience, but a manner of leading in which obedience is the only proper response.
My spirit engages at His call, but my flesh resists. It is a battle worth waging however: Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27-28). That’s not just another promise…that’s God’s Word!
Thursday, September 23
Cutting Remarks
How many times has our mouth gotten us in trouble? James 3:7-9 says, “All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.”
Obviously the "tongue" is a difficult member to manage...but what we need to realize is that it’s really not an issue of the mouth…it’s an issue of the heart! Jesus states it very clearly: "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks" (Luke 6:45). As men of God, we need to be extremely careful of the things we allow into our hearts (minds) because they can become words at any moment.
So how can we get our words right? We must first get our hearts (minds) right. It is absolutely essential for us to fill our thoughts with God's Word…meditating on it day and night. That's why Paul tells us in Romans 12:2 that we should not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Obviously the "tongue" is a difficult member to manage...but what we need to realize is that it’s really not an issue of the mouth…it’s an issue of the heart! Jesus states it very clearly: "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks" (Luke 6:45). As men of God, we need to be extremely careful of the things we allow into our hearts (minds) because they can become words at any moment.
So how can we get our words right? We must first get our hearts (minds) right. It is absolutely essential for us to fill our thoughts with God's Word…meditating on it day and night. That's why Paul tells us in Romans 12:2 that we should not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Tuesday, September 21
Navigation
Today’s scripture (Isaiah 30:15-22) speaks of God’s desire to have His people turn away from their ways and find rest in Him. But Israel, as though she knows better, made her own plans. Sounds like the story of my life!! Does it sound familiar to you, too?
The scripture says, “the Lord longs to be gracious to [Israel]… and “waits on high to have compassion on [her]” (v18). If only she stilled from her willfulness enough to hear the voice of the Lord, she would find the very thing she looks elsewhere for. Three millennia later, nothing much has changed.
It may be even harder today to hear the Lord than it was back in the days of Isaiah. We live in a culture that provides nearly constant stimulation and countless new ways to entertain ourselves, unfavorable conditions for simple prayer and meditation, let alone a disciplined, focused relationship with God.
Clearly, God wants to bless us, but we have to be in position to be blessed. If we are somewhere other than where He wants us to be we cannot reasonably expect Him to honor our waywardness.
Do whatever it takes to hear Him. If you are not sure where to start, ask your pastor or a mature Christian for ideas. Next, do what you are supposed to do, and go where you are supposed to go. This may require you to change, but in the end it will be worth it because you will be positioning yourself for His blessings, which will outweigh any reward this world could possibly provide.
The scripture says, “the Lord longs to be gracious to [Israel]… and “waits on high to have compassion on [her]” (v18). If only she stilled from her willfulness enough to hear the voice of the Lord, she would find the very thing she looks elsewhere for. Three millennia later, nothing much has changed.
It may be even harder today to hear the Lord than it was back in the days of Isaiah. We live in a culture that provides nearly constant stimulation and countless new ways to entertain ourselves, unfavorable conditions for simple prayer and meditation, let alone a disciplined, focused relationship with God.
Clearly, God wants to bless us, but we have to be in position to be blessed. If we are somewhere other than where He wants us to be we cannot reasonably expect Him to honor our waywardness.
Do whatever it takes to hear Him. If you are not sure where to start, ask your pastor or a mature Christian for ideas. Next, do what you are supposed to do, and go where you are supposed to go. This may require you to change, but in the end it will be worth it because you will be positioning yourself for His blessings, which will outweigh any reward this world could possibly provide.
Monday, September 20
Faith and Trials
If we always knew what to do, we wouldn’t need faith. If everything was easy, we wouldn’t need God. Without trials, I doubt I’d know either. Because of them, I have come to know both.
Sunday, September 19
The Gift of Forgiveness
One of the things I struggled with early in my walk with Christ was the naïve idea that those who professed to be Christians would think, act, and live better than those who weren’t Christians. When I didn’t automatically act better and saw that sometimes others didn’t either, I remember feeling no small degree of sadness. I think deep down I had hoped if others were better people for being Christians, I too, could become a better person for being one.
What I learned is that Christians are not exempt from failing. We fail often and we fail a lot of in the same ways as non-believers. The thing that makes Christians different is not our inability to fail. The difference is that we are forgiven. But we don’t always live as though we are forgiven.
Forgiveness is a miraculous gift that opens the door to so many other gifts we can claim as believers. Receiving the gift of forgiveness allows us to transcend our past, overcome the grip of sin and shame, and experience a life of unrealized freedom, power, and possibility. But without receiving and experiencing forgiveness, we don’t really know how to forgive ourselves or others. As a result, our view of ourselves and others remains tethered around what we’ve done and what others have done to us rather than what He has done for us. That is a difference that makes all the difference.
Forgiveness is so important that God allowed His own Son, to die a slow painful death so we could receive it. If you have not already done so, learn to receive God’s forgiveness. What you experience will be life-changing and will help you learn to forgive others. Then put on your seatbelt because you’ll be going somewhere.
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." - Ephesians 4:32
What I learned is that Christians are not exempt from failing. We fail often and we fail a lot of in the same ways as non-believers. The thing that makes Christians different is not our inability to fail. The difference is that we are forgiven. But we don’t always live as though we are forgiven.
Forgiveness is a miraculous gift that opens the door to so many other gifts we can claim as believers. Receiving the gift of forgiveness allows us to transcend our past, overcome the grip of sin and shame, and experience a life of unrealized freedom, power, and possibility. But without receiving and experiencing forgiveness, we don’t really know how to forgive ourselves or others. As a result, our view of ourselves and others remains tethered around what we’ve done and what others have done to us rather than what He has done for us. That is a difference that makes all the difference.
Forgiveness is so important that God allowed His own Son, to die a slow painful death so we could receive it. If you have not already done so, learn to receive God’s forgiveness. What you experience will be life-changing and will help you learn to forgive others. Then put on your seatbelt because you’ll be going somewhere.
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." - Ephesians 4:32
Friday, September 17
To the Contrary...
Today’s lesson tells about the life of golfer Byron Nelson, who in the prime of his career, left golf behind to pursue other goals. Breaking from the crowd isn’t an easy thing to do, but Mr. Nelson had other plans for his life and risked criticism and being misunderstood to pursue them.
I used to work in the investment business. A familiar goal of investing is to “buy low and sell high.” But interestingly, human nature leads most people to “buy high and sell low.” Most people would have better investment results if they did the opposite of what their “instincts” tell them to do. One particular investment approach, called “contrarian investing”, seeks to capitalize on this aspect of human nature. A contrarian investor will look at what crowd is doing, and then do the opposite. If the masses are selling a particular stock the contrarian would consider buying it, or if a particular stock was being bought, the contrarian would look at the possibility of selling it.
Christian living is similar to contrarian investing. Often the Christian life is “upside-down” when compared to what much of the world is doing. Consider, for example, the instructions of Romans 12:20: “…If your enemy is hungry feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink…”. Or how about Matthew 10:38-40: “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Being a Christian often requires us to do things that appear different from, or even foolish to, the rest of the world. Like Mr. Nelson, we must have the courage to pursue our convictions. Not just for our own sake, but for Christ’s sake.
Here are some scriptures to encourage you:
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. 1 Cor 1:25
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will. Rom 12:2
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matt 10:38-40
But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. Matt 19:29-30
I used to work in the investment business. A familiar goal of investing is to “buy low and sell high.” But interestingly, human nature leads most people to “buy high and sell low.” Most people would have better investment results if they did the opposite of what their “instincts” tell them to do. One particular investment approach, called “contrarian investing”, seeks to capitalize on this aspect of human nature. A contrarian investor will look at what crowd is doing, and then do the opposite. If the masses are selling a particular stock the contrarian would consider buying it, or if a particular stock was being bought, the contrarian would look at the possibility of selling it.
Christian living is similar to contrarian investing. Often the Christian life is “upside-down” when compared to what much of the world is doing. Consider, for example, the instructions of Romans 12:20: “…If your enemy is hungry feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink…”. Or how about Matthew 10:38-40: “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Being a Christian often requires us to do things that appear different from, or even foolish to, the rest of the world. Like Mr. Nelson, we must have the courage to pursue our convictions. Not just for our own sake, but for Christ’s sake.
Here are some scriptures to encourage you:
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. 1 Cor 1:25
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will. Rom 12:2
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matt 10:38-40
But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. Matt 19:29-30
Tuesday, September 14
Do you know Him?
Today’s lesson affirms just how well God knows us. How well do we know Him? It is hard to trust anyone before you really know them – even God.
If we fully trusted the Lord we would not know fear, anxiety, worry, impatience, or a host of other annoying conditions we’d be better off without. The extent to which these things are present in our lives provides a good indication of the degree of understanding of our Creator and the degree of faith we have in Him.
Is ours a life based on what is seen or is it based on faith?
What is seen is ever-changing and temporary - here today is gone tomorrow. But God and His Word are never-changing and everlasting – here today and tomorrow!
Faith grows out of our understanding of God. Understanding God comes from knowing His Word, which identfies Jesus “the author and finisher of our faith” (Heb 12:2). By knowing God’s Word and growing in Christ, we come to understand and lay claim to the promises of God. Standing on the promises of God means we won’t end up twisting in the winds of fear, anxiety, worry, and impatience.
“Laying claim to what is ours starts by our giving Him claim to what is His.” – ge via the Holy Spirit
If we fully trusted the Lord we would not know fear, anxiety, worry, impatience, or a host of other annoying conditions we’d be better off without. The extent to which these things are present in our lives provides a good indication of the degree of understanding of our Creator and the degree of faith we have in Him.
Is ours a life based on what is seen or is it based on faith?
What is seen is ever-changing and temporary - here today is gone tomorrow. But God and His Word are never-changing and everlasting – here today and tomorrow!
Faith grows out of our understanding of God. Understanding God comes from knowing His Word, which identfies Jesus “the author and finisher of our faith” (Heb 12:2). By knowing God’s Word and growing in Christ, we come to understand and lay claim to the promises of God. Standing on the promises of God means we won’t end up twisting in the winds of fear, anxiety, worry, and impatience.
“Laying claim to what is ours starts by our giving Him claim to what is His.” – ge via the Holy Spirit
Sunday, September 12
Just Another Sunday
Today's scripture (Acts 2:41-47) describes a church I'd like to be part of were it to exist today. I've not traveled to other parts of the world, but I wonder if in places that have nothing close to the material blessings of America the Christian church might more closely resemble the one being described. The excitement, the presence, the power, the passion! I can't say I've ever considered selling all my possessions and using the proceeds to benefit all, as anyone had need, but that is what happened in those first days. Oh, what a difference a couple of thousand years can make!
Still, I am blessed to attend a church where I can encounter God in a unique way through corporate worship, learn about God and the truths of His Word, and engage in fellowship and mutual encouragement with other believers. Yet, on many weekends, I have to overcome an attitude of indifference about attending church. This indifference is pure selfishness, centered around whether I will experience anything worthwhile by attending. I always do experience something worthwhile every weekend, so why do I wonder whether or not I will?
It is because there is a part of me that should be dead that still lives. And where it lives, God does not. It lies, it distorts, it ignores truth, it seeks ease and pleasure, and it places its own needs above the needs of all, including God. Through the love of Christ, the Word of God, and the power of the Holy Spirit, it is dead. It only comes back to life when I take my eyes off of Jesus.
Still, I am blessed to attend a church where I can encounter God in a unique way through corporate worship, learn about God and the truths of His Word, and engage in fellowship and mutual encouragement with other believers. Yet, on many weekends, I have to overcome an attitude of indifference about attending church. This indifference is pure selfishness, centered around whether I will experience anything worthwhile by attending. I always do experience something worthwhile every weekend, so why do I wonder whether or not I will?
It is because there is a part of me that should be dead that still lives. And where it lives, God does not. It lies, it distorts, it ignores truth, it seeks ease and pleasure, and it places its own needs above the needs of all, including God. Through the love of Christ, the Word of God, and the power of the Holy Spirit, it is dead. It only comes back to life when I take my eyes off of Jesus.
Saturday, September 11
Overcoming Evil
Julie Ackerman Link (the author of today’s message) closes her piece with words worth repeating:
“Evil gets all the headlines, but God’s goodness is stronger, and He wants us to use it on His behalf to overcome His enemy.”
When evil arrives at our doorstep, we want to shrink from it or retaliate against it. Evil is part of the world in which we live, but by following the One Who has overcome the world we too can overcome the world and the evil in it.
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” -John 16:33
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” -2 Cor 12:9
“If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” 1 Pet 4:14
“And we know all things work together for good to those who love God, to those called according to His purpose.” Rom 8:28
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” -Rom 12:21
Disciples who are filled with God’s goodness are part of His battle plan against evil.
“Evil gets all the headlines, but God’s goodness is stronger, and He wants us to use it on His behalf to overcome His enemy.”
When evil arrives at our doorstep, we want to shrink from it or retaliate against it. Evil is part of the world in which we live, but by following the One Who has overcome the world we too can overcome the world and the evil in it.
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” -John 16:33
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” -2 Cor 12:9
“If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” 1 Pet 4:14
“And we know all things work together for good to those who love God, to those called according to His purpose.” Rom 8:28
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” -Rom 12:21
Disciples who are filled with God’s goodness are part of His battle plan against evil.
Thursday, September 9
Commanded to Love
Of the many things that continue to defy my understanding, love is by far the most elusive. I used to try to figure it out, and every time I thought I might be getting closer to knowing what it was, I would experience it in another way or to a greater degree. I found it to be an ever-expanding concept. My every effort to understand love only confirmed that it could not be understood.
The author of today’s message asks, “How can God command us to love?” To me, the answer is pretty clear: God commands us to love because (1) He is love, and (2) we were created in His image. Failure to grow in love represents a failure to pursue the very reason for which we were created. God made us to love. In Jesus He showed just how much He loves us and at the same time, gave us the perfect model of love.
Dismissing all the emotionally-derived versions of “love” that pervade our culture, the Bible tells us God is love (1 John 4:8), and that we are made in His image (Gen 1:27). It follows, then, that as I grow closer to the image in which I was made, I grow in love. Love isn’t something I do. It is something I become as I pursue God. As I experience God in a greater way, I experience love in a greater way, as well. And just as the mind can’t begin to comprehend all that God is, the mind fails to comprehend all that love is. John (4:4) reminds us that “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” Pursuing God (who is love) and love (who is God) is a fully spiritual endeavor. Our feeble mental abilities are useless.
The author of today’s message asks, “How can God command us to love?” To me, the answer is pretty clear: God commands us to love because (1) He is love, and (2) we were created in His image. Failure to grow in love represents a failure to pursue the very reason for which we were created. God made us to love. In Jesus He showed just how much He loves us and at the same time, gave us the perfect model of love.
Dismissing all the emotionally-derived versions of “love” that pervade our culture, the Bible tells us God is love (1 John 4:8), and that we are made in His image (Gen 1:27). It follows, then, that as I grow closer to the image in which I was made, I grow in love. Love isn’t something I do. It is something I become as I pursue God. As I experience God in a greater way, I experience love in a greater way, as well. And just as the mind can’t begin to comprehend all that God is, the mind fails to comprehend all that love is. John (4:4) reminds us that “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” Pursuing God (who is love) and love (who is God) is a fully spiritual endeavor. Our feeble mental abilities are useless.
Wednesday, September 8
Wholesome Words
Today’s lesson is about the power of words. Proverbs 18:21 states, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Considering this, one of the most frequent and important decisions we will make each and every day is choosing the words we use.
In today’s scripture, Paul urges us to use words that build rather than destroy: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Eph 4:29). He also tells us not to “grieve the Holy Spirit” (v30). The words we use not only allow us to relate to others, but also reveal something about ourselves. What does our choice of words say about us?
An important step in maturing in Christ is to harness the power of the tongue, using words that build up others and provide a vivid example of God’s grace at work in a life. I confess that I have some work to do in this area. Too often I use words and/or a tone of voice that fails to reflect any measure of the abundant grace God has poured into my life. This must change, and through prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit, I believe it can and will.
“Be a fountain, not a drain” – Rex Hudler, former Major League Baseball player
In today’s scripture, Paul urges us to use words that build rather than destroy: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Eph 4:29). He also tells us not to “grieve the Holy Spirit” (v30). The words we use not only allow us to relate to others, but also reveal something about ourselves. What does our choice of words say about us?
An important step in maturing in Christ is to harness the power of the tongue, using words that build up others and provide a vivid example of God’s grace at work in a life. I confess that I have some work to do in this area. Too often I use words and/or a tone of voice that fails to reflect any measure of the abundant grace God has poured into my life. This must change, and through prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit, I believe it can and will.
“Be a fountain, not a drain” – Rex Hudler, former Major League Baseball player
Tuesday, September 7
Follow the Instructions
I can so relate to today’s devotion concerning the importance of following instructions. So many times I have acted on the belief that I can do things my own way, without referring to guidance from the creator – whether it is the creator of the shelving unit I’m trying to put together, the cake I am trying to bake, or the life I am trying to live. Failing to even refer to, let alone follow the instructions, I ended up with damaged shelves, a cake that did not rise, and a life that became unmanageable.
Jesus gives us clear instructions (in addition to being the perfect model) for living our lives. He tells us that it won’t be easy, “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Mat 7:14). A Christian who is earnestly “following the instructions” risks being misunderstood and may appear foolish to the world, but to overcome the world, doesn’t it makes sense that one might have to look and act differently from it?
Having spent much of my life without the instructions, then a good part of my life refusing the instructions, I’ve finally decided to follow Jesus. My only regret is failing to arrive at this decision much sooner.
Jesus gives us clear instructions (in addition to being the perfect model) for living our lives. He tells us that it won’t be easy, “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Mat 7:14). A Christian who is earnestly “following the instructions” risks being misunderstood and may appear foolish to the world, but to overcome the world, doesn’t it makes sense that one might have to look and act differently from it?
Having spent much of my life without the instructions, then a good part of my life refusing the instructions, I’ve finally decided to follow Jesus. My only regret is failing to arrive at this decision much sooner.
Sunday, September 5
Always There
The other day the devotion talked about loop holes and I agree with John... that is a method to exercise our selfishness but today in the book of Psalm David cries out to the Lord and the Lord is always faithful to hear our cries. In the service last night (Saturday) Pastor Mike used an illustration that many times we lean on God but only enough that if He were to not catch us we could catch ourselves. The truth is that when we do this we are not trusting in God and the reasons for not fully trusting God needs to be sought out so healing can begin. My guess is that many of us are in place that it's very difficult to fully trust God and so the journey continues.... when we call out to Him, He hears us and when we trust in Him He guides us.
"I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Mark 9:24
Friday, September 3
Loopholes
Lawyers and accountants are paid handsomely for finding loopholes that allow their clients to evade the intent of statutes, contracts, or obligations. "Finding a loophole" means to exploit imperfections in language such as ambiguities or omissions to justify unexpected and undesired behavior. Like little Jenna in todays lesson, we all have tried at at one time or another to use a loophole to “wriggle off the hook” and have our own way.
To a heart operating out of human goodness, even the Word of God can appear ambiguous and incomplete and thus be used to justify one’s own ends. But it is not scripture that is unclear and incomplete, it is the man who has yet to pursue his potential in Christ. Through Jesus Christ, a heart comes to operate out of God’s goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit a man gains understanding of and obedience to the will of God.
In Christ, there is no ambiguity, no omission, no confusion…God has closed the loop.
To a heart operating out of human goodness, even the Word of God can appear ambiguous and incomplete and thus be used to justify one’s own ends. But it is not scripture that is unclear and incomplete, it is the man who has yet to pursue his potential in Christ. Through Jesus Christ, a heart comes to operate out of God’s goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit a man gains understanding of and obedience to the will of God.
In Christ, there is no ambiguity, no omission, no confusion…God has closed the loop.
Thursday, September 2
Silence, Please!
Being still is difficult in a culture that wants to appeal to our senses 24/7/365. There is always something to see, there is always something to do. We are busier than ever. Busy with what? How easy it is to get sucked into a vortex of busyness, getting so caught up doing this thing or that thing that we end up living without the real thing. How else could it be that in a culture where people can amuse themselves so cheaply and easily, so many still find themselves bored and unfulfilled?
Today's scripture (Psalm 46) points to something greater than anything else we strive for. The author suggests there is something vitally important to be found in stillness, in quiet, in solitude, in rest; but unless we learn and choose to be still, be quiet, be alone for a spell, and put our feet up for a bit, it will likely elude us.
Be still enough today to know He is God.
Today's scripture (Psalm 46) points to something greater than anything else we strive for. The author suggests there is something vitally important to be found in stillness, in quiet, in solitude, in rest; but unless we learn and choose to be still, be quiet, be alone for a spell, and put our feet up for a bit, it will likely elude us.
Be still enough today to know He is God.
Wednesday, September 1
The Person of the Bible
What perfect timing for today's ODB piece (thanks God!) as we take on the challenge of growing in Christ through regular intake of God's Word. Therein lies the key to unlocking every potential God has placed in each of us. If I can just get myself to look at the text, then anything becomes possible.
Tuesday, August 31
Common Language
What an annointing Paul was under to so graciously and lovingly share the truth as an alternative to the lost and confused citizens of Athens who had erected an altar "to an unknown god." Though ignorant and confused, the Athenians were striving to grasp and worship something beyond themselves and Paul graciously offered them the truth of the God he knew. He didn't raise their fear and animosity of everyone by telling them they were wrong. Instead, testifying in truth and love, he won some converts right away and planted seeds that would yield a later harvest.
Some of you may remember Tom and Joan Beak who attended Cathedral for several years until they moved to Ecuador last fall. Many years ago, the Beaks began serving as missionaries in Africa. Tom shared that in the early days of their ministry they made a number of mistakes, not the least of which was an overriding insistence on preaching the gospel above all else. After nearly a year had gone by there was little to show for their efforts. They had very few converts and were little regarded or accepted by the people there. As Tom cried out in anguished prayer the Lord told him to start digging wells. Tom didn't understand why the Lord told him this, but tired of banging his head against a wall, he was obedient. He and Joan started digging wells. Several months later, after they had dug a number of wells, some leaders among the locals approached the Beaks and said they had never seen anyone like them. The locals had seen many missionaries come and go, but Tom and Joan were different, rolling up their sleeves and working tirelessly and selflessly to bring an improved quality of life to the villagers. The village leaders knew the Beaks were Christians and wanted to know more about what motivated them to travel to a distant land and work so hard for the benefit of others. Now the people were ready to hear about Jesus...because they had seen Him. The Beaks' ministry yielded dozens of churches and thousands of conversions to Christ. Often, people to need see a sermon before they are ready to hear one.
Blessings...greg
Some of you may remember Tom and Joan Beak who attended Cathedral for several years until they moved to Ecuador last fall. Many years ago, the Beaks began serving as missionaries in Africa. Tom shared that in the early days of their ministry they made a number of mistakes, not the least of which was an overriding insistence on preaching the gospel above all else. After nearly a year had gone by there was little to show for their efforts. They had very few converts and were little regarded or accepted by the people there. As Tom cried out in anguished prayer the Lord told him to start digging wells. Tom didn't understand why the Lord told him this, but tired of banging his head against a wall, he was obedient. He and Joan started digging wells. Several months later, after they had dug a number of wells, some leaders among the locals approached the Beaks and said they had never seen anyone like them. The locals had seen many missionaries come and go, but Tom and Joan were different, rolling up their sleeves and working tirelessly and selflessly to bring an improved quality of life to the villagers. The village leaders knew the Beaks were Christians and wanted to know more about what motivated them to travel to a distant land and work so hard for the benefit of others. Now the people were ready to hear about Jesus...because they had seen Him. The Beaks' ministry yielded dozens of churches and thousands of conversions to Christ. Often, people to need see a sermon before they are ready to hear one.
Blessings...greg
Rescued
A great message for each of us today..."for it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God..."
Welcome
Welcome to the new MGM Men's Ministry blog. It is our prayer that you will use this site to enhance your daily bible reading and assist others in their growth by sharing comments as you feel led. God bless you. Enjoy!
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