December 2010
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December 27, 2010
FOR TO YOU THIS DAY IN THE
CITY OF DAVID A SAVIOR IS BORN AND HE IS CHRIST THE LORD. Luke 2:11
Many people would say
that it’s all over. Christmas has come and gone. Like the department
stores their trees are down and in the box once again. The presents
have been opened, used or returned and all the excitement is over.
But WAIT! It’s not over!
The day, the event, the celebration of His birthday may be past, but
it’s not OVER! If it is real, it is only beginning.
Jesus Christ came into the
world for us. He was born in a stable in Bethlehem for you and me. But
He lived His life of 30 some years here among us. The birth event is
past but the effects that His life, His death and His resurrection have
on us is only beginning. Every day because of Him we are forgiven.
Every day because of Him we are claimed as a child of God. Every day
because of Him we have His assurance that He is with us. Every day and
every day and every day…
It is my prayer today and
every day that the effect that Jesus’ birth has on you will influence
how you live your life and how you relate to those around you.
Blessings on your day, |
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December 20, 2010
IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME GOD
SENT FORTH HIS SON, BORN OF A WOMAN, BORN UNDER THE LAW TO REDEEM THOSE
UNDER THE LAW. Galatians 4:4-5
This is the week. If you
are not finished with your shopping, you only have 5 days left. I have
been finished with my shopping and my preparations a long time ago.
About three weeks ago I thought I was finished with everything that I
wanted to give my wife this year, when she looked through some items I
left laying on the table and asked why I bought it. She felt badly when
I told her that it was a Christmas present for her. The surprise was
gone.
There was quite a surprise
when God originally sent us the greatest Christmas present there was.
No one thought that the Savior of the world would be born as a tiny Baby
in Bethlehem.
But to our amazement He came
and gave His life for ours. That’s not the way we operate. We would say
that it’s not fair. But in His grace God poured out His wrath on His
Son, not us. In His love, Jesus died for us so we don’t have to spend
eternity in hell. And that is one of life’s most pleasant surprises.
But then God is in the surprise business.
Blessings on your day, |
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December 13, 2010
WHOEVER DOES NOT PRACTICE
RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT OF GOD, NOR IS HE WHO DOES NOT LOVE HIS BROTHER.
1 John 3:10
Do you know how many times a
day you wash your hands? Good Hygiene is important to good health.
Washing our hands removes the germs we pick up from people and places.
I try to wash my hands after every worship service before I go on to
something else. I shake hands with a hundred people. That’s a lot of
germs. I wash my hands when I get home because I have been all over
picking up germs off door handles, desks, chairs, and people. That kind
of practice is good for our health.
Practicing righteousness,
John says, is good for our spiritual health and relationship with our
heavenly Father. In other words you and I need to put our faith to work
in our lives. We need to follow the directives of the way our God
desires us to live. That especially shows up in the way we treat and
relate to our brothers and sisters.
God wants us to love and
care for, to help and serve people. As we put our faith in God our
desire becomes to do what the Father desires. As we draw closer to
Christmas I pray that we are helping and serving others, maybe giving up
our own desires to reach out and serve others.
Blessings on your day, |
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December 6, 2010
DO NOT BE CARRIED ABOUT WITH VARIOUS AND
STRANGE DOCTRINES.
Hebrews 13:9
We have been hearing a lot
about how unhealthy we are lately. Omaha is 142 out of 184 healthy
cities. Being overweight is a problem even in children. Our eating
habits and our exercising are being held up for us to change and work
on. We eat way too much junk food or fast food. And many people do not
have an exercise program that they follow. It seems like we have bought
into ‘various and strange teachings’ about what we can eat and how we
can simply be that couch potato.
Unfortunately we, at times,
have done the very same thing with various and strange doctrines that
are floating around in our culture and society today. It does matter
what you believe and in particular it matters in Whom you believe. It
does matter if there is Truth that is absolute out there. And it does
matter how you are going to get to heaven.
The real TRUTH is that we
are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. He is the only Way.
He came here to lay down His life for us to make heaven possible for
each and every one of us. Let me encourage you to place your trust in
Him alone.
Blessings on your day, |
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November 2010
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November 29, 2010
THROUGH HIM WE BOTH HAVE
ACCESS BY ONE SPIRIT TO THE FATHER. Ephesians 2:18
It was about this time last
year that we learned how a couple simply walked into a White House state
dinner without an invitation. By doing this they gained access to the
president of the United States, having their picture taken with him.
All of us wondered how in the world that could happen with all the
security and checks that people need to go through in order to gain
entry to those types of events.
St Paul reminds us that
there are no security checks, there are no screenings, there is no list
by which people see if we should be able to come into the presence of
the Living God and be able to talk with Him.
Paul says it’s because of
the Holy Spirit that we have access. It’s because of the fact that our
Lord Jesus left the throne room of the Father and came here as a tiny
Baby that enables us not only to have access to God but that has made it
possible for us to receive the gifts of forgiveness and eternal life as
well.
Christmas is coming and we celebrate what Jesus has accomplished for us.
Blessings on your day, |
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November 22, 2010
NOW IN MY PROSPERITY I
SAID, ‘I SHALL NEVER BE MOVED.’ Psalm 30:6
In re-reading the parable of
the Pharisee and the Publican I came to the realization that many times
I am that Pharisee. I judge people. I rejoice that I am not like
others. I set myself apart from those who are suffering and are in need
without realizing that in a second that could be me. I think that
events and circumstances could never happen to me. I forget that it is
only by the grace of God that I have what I have.
David in Psalm 30 was guilty
of that same kind of thought. He had everything going for him and
obviously he felt that nothing could change it.
But he quickly caught
himself and realized that for him also it was the grace of God that kept
him safe and enabled him to be in the position he was.
Let me encourage you today
to remember how dependent we are on the grace of God. Consider how
quickly tragedy can strike and our lives be changed.
So whether we have blessings
or trials, remember to give thanks to God for His grace and presence in
your life. Blessed Thanksgiving to you.
Blessings on your day, |
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November 15, 2010
LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE
BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER IN
HEAVEN. Matthew 5:16
I have been reading the
latest book about Dietrich Bonhoeffer. And I am impressed by his
theology, but more so by his influence on not just the German church but
upon the world not only at that time but still today.
And I wonder about the
influence and imprint that you and I are leaving today upon our world.
Surely our Lord Jesus Christ influences our daily lives. But can people
around us see His presence clearly in our lives?
Is it possible that people
who relate to us know that Jesus occupies our hearts?
We sometimes are slow to
speak a word about Jesus or to let people know how important He is in
our lives. But our Lord encourages us to “Let our lives shine…” Our
faith may be a very private matter, but at the same time it needs to be
public. People watch us. They know how we live: what we say and what we
do. Do those things reflect that Light of Christ that shines in us? I
pray that they do.
Blessings on your day, |
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November 8, 2010
IF YOU FORGIVE MEN THEIR
TRESPASSES, YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER WILL ALSO FORGIVE YOU. Matthew 6:14
Have you ever thought about
how difficult it is to really forgive? I mean forgiveness is not like
covering up an offense with a spray of Glade.
Forgiveness comes from the
heart. It says that even though the wound may still hurt, I am willing
to extend to you a hand of friendship and a word of letting it go.
Forgiveness is an unnatural
act. Deep in our hearts we would like to get even. We would prefer to
return the wound. We desire to lash out and hurt. But our God enables
us to let it go.
Remember Joseph whose
brothers sold him into slavery? He ended up in a foreign land not
understanding the language, not knowing his destiny, fearful and alone.
But through it all he understood that “God intended it for good.” I
wonder if he spent a couple of night planning on revenge? I wonder if
there was a time filled with hatred?
God enabled him to forgive.
He can do the very same thing for you. He forgives us and expects us to
pass it along to others. I pray that you can.
Blessings on your day, |
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November 1, 2010
APPLY YOUR HEART TO
INSTRUCTION, AND YOUR EARS TO WORDS OF KNOWLEDGE. Proverbs 23:12
Remember when phones were
for making phone calls. Today most phones, at least among young people,
are for texting. (I still use mine for making phone calls.) But the
whole application thing is becoming THE thing.
You’ve heard it: “There’s an
app for that.” The smart phone has become a storehouse of information
and data. From checking on the scores or the weather, to looking up
information on the net, to googling directions.
But of all the things that
you and I can learn and discover with an app on a smart phone, I must
say that in the Bible there’s also an ‘app.’ In fact there are a lot of
apps that we are missing.
Solomon wrote “APPLY YOUR
HEART… We would do well to follow his advice.
Apply our hearts to
knowledge and wisdom. Go on line to find out what God desires of us.
And then “APPLY OUR EARS… We would do well to not only hear what God
says but to listen to it and follow it in our lives.
Let’s work at applying God’s Word in our
lives. There’s an app for that.
Blessings on your day, |
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October 2010
|
October 25, 2010
I WILL HEAL THEIR
BACKSLIDING. Hosea 14:4
What a reception I
received a week ago last Monday. After therapy I decided that it was
time to start getting back into my routine at the office. But because I
had visited every classroom before I had surgery I decided that I should
visit them again, which I did. And in every classroom I received the
same reception. “Pastor’s back!”
I felt missed. It made me
feel good. I felt like even after 6 weeks the students had not
forgotten me.
I thought of how many
times we, as God’s people, for one reason or another leave or fall back,
or back off from our relationship with Him. And how He must miss us!
How He must long for us to return! How He must desire for us to come
back! He says that He will never forget us.
Our God waits for us. Our God longs for
us to spend time with Him. Our God desires our company. And what joy
it gives Him when we are there.
Blessings on your day, |
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October 18, 2010
I WILL OPEN THE WINDOWS OF
HEAVEN FOR YOU AND POUR DOWN FOR YOU A BLESSING UNTIL THERE IS NO MORE
NEED. Malachi 3:10
When I got back to my office
to begin getting back to work, I found it a mess. It seemed like it was
worse than when I left it. There was mail all over the place. Most of
that I was able to sort through very quickly.
There were notes and
messages that I was to return. And of course there are all those daily
and weekly things that need to be accomplished.
At first it seemed
overwhelming, but then I began to think – what a blessing it is to have
all this work to do. And what marvelous blessings God continues to
shower upon all of us. He certainly opens the windows of heaven every
day and pours down blessing upon blessing.
Let me encourage you today
to stop and think about some of those blessings that God has poured into
your life. Then give thanks for what He has done.
Blessings on your day, |
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October 11, 2010
AND WE KNOW THAT FOR THOSE
WHO LOVE GOD ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD. Romans 8:28
A tradition has begun at my
wife’s family reunion. We put puzzles together. The challenge is to see
how fast we can do it. We put a 1000 piece puzzle together in a little
over 3 and one half hours this past summer.
Since my knee surgery I have
begun to feel as though my days are like pieces of a puzzle. Some days
make sense and seem to fit together, but others don’t. Some days I have
all kinds of energy and others I don’t. I sometimes feel disconnected
from church and what is going on there because I haven’t really been in
my office for over a month. I attended Voters Meetings but had to leave
because I was getting too tired.
But I continue to rely on
God’s promise that it will work out. Things will come together and I’ll
get back in the swing of things. The pieces will fit and God will see
to it that it is good.
Blessings on your day, |
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October 4, 2010
OPEN MY EYES, THAT I MAY
BEHOLD WONDROUS THINGS OUT OF YOUR LAW. Psalm 119:18
This past week we have had
some gorgeous weather in Nebraska. Highs have been in the 70’s and lows
in the 50’s. Bright sunshine, beautiful blue skies, and the marvelous
colors of fall. The tree in my front yard as well as the bushes are all
turning this marvelous shade of red.
And yet I know there are
people who haven’t noticed. There are people who get up and go to work
and come home and do not get outside to enjoy it.
Too much of the time we are
preoccupied with the ordinary stuff of our lives. We have this ‘been
there, done that’ attitude.
Unfortunately the same thing
is true when it comes to some of the familiar stories that are recorded
in the Bible. It’s like we’ve heard that story.
We know what it’s about.
It’s no big deal. But just like with this beautiful weather it is a big
deal. For every time we hear a familiar story from Scripture there is
something marvelous that comes through.
Every time we read a story
we can learn something new.
The Psalmist is right – we
need to pray “O Lord, Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things…”
Blessings on your day, |
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September 2010
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September 26, 2010
JESUS SAID TO HER “MARY.” SHE TURNED AND SAID TO HIM IN ARAMAIC, “RABBONI!”
John 20:16
Do you like your name? I’ve
always liked my first name, but haven’t been all that thrilled about my
middle name. Yet I realize that in my family my name is unique. My
brothers and sisters had names of relatives. I do not. They continued
the family tradition of carrying a grandfather’s name, an uncle’s name,
a mother’s name, an aunt’s name. But I didn’t. My two names hadn’t
been a part of my family ever before.
I would imagine when our
Lord Jesus said “Mary” what a joy that was to hear. What would it be
like to hear Him speak our name? “Jane, I am watching over you.”
“Bernie, I love you.” “Sally, be assured you are mine.” “Terry, I am
with you.”
Know that in Baptism He claims you as His
own. And you, each of you, belong to Him. He knows your name. He
acknowledges you. And He loves you as His very special child. He
forgives you. And He guard and keeps you. You are indeed HIS!
Blessings on your day, |
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September 20, 2010
GRANDCHILDREN ARE THE CROWN
OF THE AGED, AND THE GLORY OF CHILDREN IS THEIR FATHERS. Proverbs 17:6
I remember that my father
was an amazing man to me. He was able to do most everything. He could
fix things. He worked hard. He was respected by many. And he knew so
much. Plus he was the fastest guy I knew. I was always proud of him.
Every where we went there was always someone who knew him. So I was
always ready to tell people about him.
But unfortunately I don’t
find that true of my life when it comes to my heavenly Father. I don’t
know what’s the matter with me? For my God is amazing. He can fix
anything. He knows everything. He loves me. He created me and He died
for my salvation. And I certainly am proud to be His child. But why am
I so hesitant to talk about Him with others?
I feel badly that I am not
such a good ambassador when it comes to my God.
But I rejoice that he still
claims me to be His own. He still wants me as His child. And He still
forgives me. He does all of those things and more for you. Rejoice in
the love of God today.
Blessings on your day, |
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September 15, 2010
LET YOUR GOOD DEEDS SHINE
OUT FOR ALL TO SEE, SO THAT EVERYONE WILL PRAISE YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER.
Matthew 5:16
I think we have all heard of
people ‘passing it forward.’ Like the person in a car in the drive thru
who pays for the person’s coffee behind them.
Or the guy who pays the bill
of the table next to him at a restaurant.
But I read where a Bible
study small group of men noticed that their waitress was a bit frazzled
as they ate their dessert over a cup of coffee. Finally one of them
asked if she were alright. Her response was “I’m okay, it’s just that
our dishwasher quit tonight and all of the servers are now serving AND
washing. It’s just a bit overwhelming…”
Well, this small group
finished their pie in a hurry and went to work; two washing dishes and
two cleaning up tables. When their waitress saw what was going on, she
asked “WHY? Are you guys doing this?” The man’s response was ‘because
you needed some help. We believe God’s love is better shown than just
talked about.”
In minutes this waitress was
telling everyone in the place about these special guys who were
demonstrating the love of God to them.
When was the last time you
stepped up and stepped out to help someone to demonstrate the love of
God to someone?
Blessings on your day, |
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There is no Thought
for the Week for September 6.
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August 2010
|
August 30, 2010
Pastor is out of the
office.
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August 23, 2010
THE WATERS HE CALLED SEAS.
AND GOD SAW THAT IT WAS GOOD. Genesis 1:10
Not too long ago there was
an unusual boat in the news. It was a boat completely made out of
plastic bottles. That might be one way to begin using our plastic
bottles. I read that 46,000 pieces of plastic float on every square mile
of ocean. In the Pacific Ocean there’s a floating pile of plastic that
is called “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.”
I am appalled at that!
Especially as I read the Bible and God says that we are to take care of
the world that He created. We have to admit that we have been doing a
terrible job of that.
But there is hope. More and
more people are thinking ‘green.’ You’ve heard the saying ‘Reduce,
Recycle, and Renew.’ We need to do more of that.
God saw the original
creation as good. It’s not so good anymore. But we can help make it
better. Please consider how you might do a better job of recycling. It
used to be that we had a 95 gallon can full of trash and a small
container of recyclables. Today the opposite is true. We have a 95
gallon can full of recycling materials and one very small bag of trash.
Let’s see if we can make
God’s world a better place to live.
Blessings on your day, |
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August 16, 2010
Pastor is out of town
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August 9, 2010
I AM NO LONGER WORTHY TO BE
CALLED YOUR SON. MAKE ME LIKE ONE OF YOUR HIRED SERVANTS. Luke 15:19
When I was in Seattle I
drove past a place where there were day workers standing around waiting
to be hired. I couldn’t help but think of the parable of the workers
that the master hired at various times of the day.
You remember the story, some
were hired in the morning, some at mid-day, some later in the afternoon
and then there were those who were hired with only one hour left in the
work-day. And they all received the same pay – a complete day’s wage.
The unhappy workers thought
they should get more because they were into comparisons forgetting the
fact that they got enough money to provide for their family and
themselves. It was a full day’s pay.
We’re like that. Sometimes
we compare things too. We compare what we get with others. We compare
and compare. But if you think in terms of spiritual gifts in connection
with this parable, everybody receives the gift of eternal life from God.
Should we get more than that if we have been part of the kingdom all our
lives? What more can there be? We will be in the presence of God. We
will be sitting at the banquet table.
That’s the gift that God
gives to us – ALL!
Blessings on your day, |
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August 2, 2010
BE DILIGENT TO PRESENT
YOURSELF APPROVED TO GOD, …RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH. 2
Timothy 2:15
You’ve heard the story about
the panda who goes into a café, orders a sandwich, eats it and then
pulls out a gun and starts shooting. When asked to explain himself, he
hands the waiter a poorly punctuated wildlife guide and tells him to
look up the description of a panda. It read “Panda.
Large black and white
bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves.”
Paul, by the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit, understood about punctuation, commas and periods, those
kinds of things. For as he encourages Pastor Timothy to be careful about
the Bible, so you and I need to be careful as well. How we read Holy
Scripture has a lot to do with our faith and our walk with our God.
If we see it, as it truly
is, the Word of God then we will treat it with reverence and care in
order to hear God speaking to us. Then we will spend time to sit and
listen to what our God says to us through it attempting not to read our
interpretation into it. Or not trying to listen from our way of
thinking.
Let me encourage you to
listen to what God is saying to you.
Blessings on your day, |
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July 2010
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July 26
THE GRACE OF OUR LORD WAS
EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANT. 1 Timothy 1:14
These are the days when
there are so many people who are filling out job applications. Hundreds
of them because of job losses. I remember reading about a man who was
filling out a job application and came to the question “Have you ever
been arrested?” He wrote ‘No.’
The next question, intended
for people who had answered “Yes” to the previous question, was ‘Why?’
The applicant answered it “I never got caught.”
Is that how we live our
lives? We’re okay as long as we don’t get caught?
There’s a lot of people
today who feel that way. And they can do this because in our
post-modern thought we get to make up our own truth and rules. So we
can live our lives any way we feel like it. And we’re okay as long as
we don’t get caught.
St Paul did not feel that
way. In writing to Timothy he was very much aware of his sins and his
guilt. He knew that he had disobeyed God. But in contrast to his guilt
was God’s grace. And Paul felt that it was EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANT for
him. And it is for you and me also. God’s grace never runs out, nor
can it. It is always more than enough to cover our sins. Never doubt
that.
Blessings on your day, |
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July 19
SAMUEL SAID
TO SAUL, “YOU HAVE DONE FOOLISHLY. YOU HAVE NOT KEPT THE COMMANDMENT OF
THE LORD.” 1 Samuel 13:13
This has been the season
when houses and sometimes whole towns just disappear because of
tornadoes. But there are towns that disappear for other reasons also.
There used to be a town in Oklahoma by the name of Picher. In the early
20th century it had 20,000 citizens. It was booming because of the
minerals there that were used in both World Wars.
But when the ore ran out so
did the town. It’s sort of like when Saul’s commitment to serve God
faithfully ran out he disobeyed. And as a result his kingdom came to an
end. God had plans for King Saul but he was not a man after God’s
heart. He did not do what God wanted. He did his own thing. He
disobeyed the command of God. And he was gone.
In our lives and our desire
to find success and prosperity we need to be careful about how we live
our lives. God desires us to serve Him. He wants obedience. Let me
encourage you to consider your life and see what you are doing.
Blessings on your day, |
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July 12
DO NOT BE
AFRAID OF THEIR THREATS, NOR BE TROUBLED. 1 Peter 3:14
Corporal Desmond Doss was
the first conscientious objector to earn the Congressional Medal of
Honor, the United States’ highest military award.
As a Christian he believed
that it was not right for him to kill others, but he wanted to serve his
country. He did so as a medic. At first he was ridiculed
during boot camp, but in May, 1945 on Okinawa he repeatedly risked his
life to rescue scores of wounded men. He earned the gratitude and
respect of his former critics.
As Christians we sometimes
are ridiculed for our beliefs and for our commitment to the way we live
our lives. But as we reach out to a hurting world let’s continue
to work on showing God’s love to others. Peter reminds us “Even if
you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed.”
Blessings on your day, |
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July 5
PRAY FOR
KINGS AND ALL WHO ARE IN AUTHORITY. 1 Timothy 2:2
In June 2009, 95 years old
Emma Gray died. For over two decades she had been the cleaning lady in a
big house. Each night as she did her work, she prayed for blessings,
wisdom, and safety for the man she worked for.
She worked for 24 years in
the same house, but the occupants of the house changed every four or
eight years. She offered prayers for President Eisenhower, Kennedy,
Johnson, Nixon, Ford, and Carter.
You and I need to be like
Emma Gray who continue to pray for our leaders and our elected officials
so that they carry out their duties according to God’s will. Paul urged
Timothy to pray for all in authority so that we may live a quiet and
peaceable life. God hears our prayers. And rest assured as Proverbs
says “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord..”
Blessings on your day, |
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June 2010
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June 28
THOUGH HE
WAS CRUCIFIED IN WEAKNESS, YET HE LIVES BY THE POWER OF GOD. 2
Corinthians 13:4
I ran across a question that
caused me to think. The question was: Can you turn any direction
without seeing a cross?
They are all over the
place. Everywhere you look, you see one. And that caused me to think
even more how an instrument of torture and death has become a symbol of
hope and life for us as Christians.
Christians are the only ones
who have this ‘strange’ symbol. All other religions have ‘nice’
symbols. The six pointed star. The crescent moon. The lotus flower. But
ours – a cross. However, a cross has simply two beams. One pointing up
to our God who is looking down upon us. And the other reaching out to
show us how much He loves us, enough to stretch out his arms so far to
be nailed to it.
Our God is a strange and
wonderful God who loves us. Our symbol reminds us of that. And it
gives us hope and joy as we follow in His footsteps.
Blessings on your day, |
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June 21
AND NOW
JUST AS YOU ACCEPTED CHRIST JESUS AS YOUR LORD, YOU MUCH CONTINUE TO
FOLLOW HIM. Colossians 2:6
Sunday was Father’s Day.
For some it was a day of joy but for others it was a day of regrets.
For some it was a day to celebrate and for others it was a day to fear.
What’s it take to be a good
father? What’s it mean to be a man?
Expectations of men and
fathers can be challenging and confusing to say the least. But we have
the best example of them all – in our Heavenly Father and in His Son,
our Lord Jesus.
The Father demonstrates what
it means to love, to be kind and tender-hearted and to be filled with
grace. The Son demonstrates what it means to be obedient and caring
about others, how to love and serve others, how to put them first in our
lives.
Let me encourage you men to seek to be
men of God. And to encourage you ladies to seek to encourage those men
around you to be like our Lord Jesus.
Blessings on your day, |
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June 14
THESE ARE A
SHADOW OF THE THINGS TO COME, BUT THE SUBSTANCE BELONGS TO CHRIST.
Colossians 2:17
Have you noticed how popular
those ‘reality shows’ are on television? Why is that we want to watch
how ‘real people’ ‘really live?’ Is it because our life is such a mess
that we want guidelines on how to improve? Is it because we want to see
that we are not alone in our reality? Is it that we want to see that
some people are worse off than we are? Or is it because we want to be
taken away for a few moments from our reality that is depressing?
Let me ‘bring you back to
reality.’ That’s not the way to find help.
It’s not the way to see what
life is all about. And it’s not good for us to rejoice and laugh at
others’ misfortune.
I would suggest the real way
to find help and joy is in Jesus Christ. He really came here to claim
us as His own and to show us how to live. He came to help in our
relationship with the Father. And He came to change us with His
forgiveness and grace. The truth of the matter is that He loves you
incredibly and wants what is best for you in your life today.
Blessings on your day, |
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June 7
REMEMBER
THAT YOU WERE SLAVES IN EGYPT AND THE LORD YOUR GOD REDEEMED YOU FROM
THERE. Deuteronomy 24:18
The other day there was a
cartoon in the newspaper about remembering. The man said something to
the effect that there are so many things that he cannot remember them
all.
That’s true for every one of
us. We are overloaded with information, too many events, too many
people, too many activities, that it is hard to remember them all.
At least once or twice a
week I find a note by my breakfast bowl reminding me that I need to do
something, something that my wife and I have talked about the night
before. She usually asks “Do I need to write you a note?”
And the answer is always
“YES.”
God knew that the Israelites
would get busy also. They would get focused upon things they had to do
and activities that they were involved in that He reminded them to
REMEMBER. Remember that you were slaves. Remember that I, the Lord,
redeemed you.
May I be that reminder for
you today. Remember the Lord your God.
Remember how He has blessed
you. Remember He has redeemed you. Remember Him and His love for you.
Blessings on your day, |
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May 2010
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May 31
BEWARE THAT
YOU DO NOT FORGET THE LORD YOUR GOD BY NOT KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS.
Deuteronomy 8:11
There’s a Far Side cartoon
that shows ‘Superman in his later years’ The elderly Man of Steel is
perched on a window ledge, ready to leap, but he looks back and says
‘Now where was I going?’
We don’t have to be old to
forget things. We forget things because we are busy and we have an
overload of information. But Moses warns us in some of his final words
to Israel ‘Not forget the Lord their God.’ He even alerts them to the
fact that when they get into the land and things are going well for
them, there will be this temptation to think how well and how much they
had done to get this far. And they will begin to drift away from God
and the place He desires in their lives.
The same thing is true for
you and me. When things are going well for us we tend to forget our
God. We go about our lives pretty much without Him.
But Moses’ words apply to
us. “BEWARE…!” Be careful. Stay focused. And stay in His Word,
because it is there that He strengthens us and keeps us close to Him. I
pray that you are spending time with Him every day in your devotions.
Blessings on your day, |
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May 24
YOUR RIGHT
HAND WILL SAVE ME. Psalm 128:7
With the World Cup soon
taking so much time on television I thought I would share with you an
interesting fact. No one was able to score on Edwin van de Sar,
goalkeeper for the Manchester United soccer team, for he kept the ball
from entering his team’s goal for 1,302 minutes, a world record in one
season. That means for almost 15 games of 90 minutes each, no one
scored. But in March of 2009 his record was ended.
Edwin van de Sar had good
hands. But God has the best and the safest hands there are. David says
in Psalm 138 “You will stretch out Your hand…and Your right hand will
save me.” We can be assured that we are in God’s hands and He will keep
us from spiritual danger and defeat. Nothing can separate us from Him
or take us out of His hands.
Be assured that God is with
you to watch over you and protect you with His hands. They are under
you to uphold you. They are around you to keep you safe. And they are
over you to bless you.
Blessings on your day, |
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May 17
WHAT IS MAN
THAT YOU ARE MINDFUL OF HIM, THE SON OF MAN THAT YOU CARE FOR HIM?
Psalm 8:4
Recently we have watched as
the oil slick moved northward on to the beaches of Louisiana,
Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. We saw birds covered with oil. We
saw fish and turtles that had died because of it.
And we have wondered how
could this happen. Why aren’t we a bit more careful with our
environment and our world?
But once again it proclaims
to each and everyone of us loudly and clearly how human beings use and
abuse, take advantage of and destroy the world that God has made and
given us to have dominion over. And of course, that leads us to the
question: Why is God so mindful of us and Why does He care so for us?
And Psalm 8 tells us that
the answer to those and many of questions lies in the character of God.
That’s who He is. That’s what He does. He loves us. And He created us
for His pleasure. And even though we screw it up so often, He continues
to forgive us and guide us in ways that will please Him. Please
consider how you might do a better job of that in your life today.
Blessings on your day, |
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May 10
HE WILL NOT
ALLOW YOUR FOOT TO BE MOVED; HE WHO KEEPS YOU WILL NOT SLUMBER. Psalm
121:3
We have been told that in
the United States most of us do not get the proper amount of sleep. I
can tell you that by Thursday evening of most weeks I feel tired. And
especially those weeks when I have like two or three meetings I am
really tired.
I used to wish that I could
get along on less sleep. But I know I can’t.
Recently I read that
giraffes need the least sleep of all the animals.
They sleep an average of 1.9
hours in 24 hours. They normally sleep somewhere between 10 minutes and
2 hours. I think about what I could get done if I would sleep only 2
hours a day.
But then I am always
reminded that my God never sleeps. He doesn’t need sleep. And as the
Psalmist says “He who keeps you will not slumber.”
That is comforting to know
that my God is constantly watching over me and watching out for me. He
never closes His eyes. He never takes His eyes off me. He is always
watchful.
Blessings on your day, |
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May 3
WAGE THE GOOD
WARFARE, HAVING FAITH AND A GOOD CONSCIENCE, WHICH SOME HAVING
REJECTED…HAVE SUFFERED SHIPWRECK. I Timothy 1:18-19
In our Monday Morning Bible study
we are going through the book of 1st Timothy. And we ran across this
verse. Paul warned Pastor Timothy about some people in his church that
were focusing upon ‘fables and endless genealogies.’ They were into the
wrong things and the wrong teachings.
In fact he names two individuals
who had actually shipwrecked their faith.
I read once that early on there
was a problem with compasses. The metal in the ships caused magnetic
readings that were false and many times led ships into disasters.
That’s why it is so important for
us to read Holy Scripture from a few good basic teachings. One of my
seminary professors used to say ‘where you go into the Bible is where
you come out.’ So if you start with the right understanding of God,
then that’s where you will come out. I pray that you are focused upon
the right things of God today.
Blessings on your day, |
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April 2010
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April 26
HERE IS NO
OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN AMONG MEN BY WHICH WE MUST BE SAVED.
Acts 4:12
All of us have gone to the
grocery store, but I have been asked to stop at the store on my way home
from the office only to get there and wonder about what I am supposed to
pick up for supper.
On the list I received was
condensed milk. First of all I had to ask where it was. Then when I got
to the aisle I noticed there were a couple of different brands and one
said ‘sweetened, condensed milk.’ Another said ‘Low fat condensed milk.’
Which was I supposed to buy?
Because I reasoned that my
wife is into helping my cholesterol and weight therefore I was supposed
to take the low-fat one. I was wrong.
I see people doing exactly
what I did when it comes to their relationship with our Lord. They walk
through the store of what they need to get into heaven and most choose
the wrong thing. “I should pick up a can of good works.’ ‘I need a bag
of doing the right thing.’ ‘I’ll take a quart of good intentions.’
HOWEVER, the Bible makes it simple. ‘You are saved by grace through
faith.’ THAT’S ALL WE NEED.
I pray that you know that
and believe that.
Blessings on your day, |
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April 19
HE HAS
REMEMBERED HIS STEADFAST LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS TO THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL.
Psalm 98.3
Do you sometimes forget
things? Or dates? Or places you need to be?
That’s a silly question, we
all do. Part of it is because of busy schedules. But we all forget
where we put our car keys. Or we forget to send that card or email to a
friend on their birthday. Or we forget to buy bread and milk after work
on the way home.
I forget the names of
people, and I am getting worse at it. But the strange thing is that
there are things and events that I can remember that have no meaning
whatsoever. I remember the stupid thing I said at a dinner party. Or
the dumb thing I did at a friend’s house.
All of that makes me rejoice
that we have the God we have, who remembers His steadfast love and
faithfulness to us, while at the same time because of Jesus Christ He
forgets our sins and failures. We have a wonderful God. And nothing
reminds us of that better than celebrating Easter. I pray that you are
continuing to celebrate His resurrection from the dead and all that that
means for you and your life.
Blessings on your day, |
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April 12
AND WE
BRING YOU THE GOOD NEWS THAT WHAT GOD PROMISED TO THE FATHERS, THIS HE
HAS FULFILLED TO US THEIR CHILDREN BY RAISING JESUS. Acts 13:32-33
The best national news that
I like to watch is usually on Friday evening because one or two of the
stations carry a feature entitled “Persons of the Week.” And they always
highlight some person or persons who have been doing GOOD. That is so
opposite of what the news has been all week, which is usually bad
sometimes going to worse and ending up as the worst news there is.
But last Sunday we
celebrated THE VERY BEST NEWS there was and ever will be – that our Lord
Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. There isn’t anything to top that.
Jesus is THE person of the week every week because of His willingness to
come to this earth and take our place under our sin and suffer for it.
But not only did He suffer for it, He also died and rose again – ALL FOR
US.
God truly has fulfilled the
promise! Jesus is alive and Risen! God loves you with an incredible and
amazing love. And we can rejoice in that GOOD NEWS!
Blessings on your day, |
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April 5
HE IS NOT
HERE. HE IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD JUST AS HE SAID. MATTHEW 28:6
Yesterday we celebrated the
resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We attended worship with great
joy. We saw some people that we hadn’t seen for a while. We worshiped.
We sang those hymns with gusto. Maybe we had a new dress or a new tie.
Maybe we were able to get together with family.
But we rejoiced in the fact
that Jesus is alive.
But today does that still
have some meaning for us? Are we still as excited as we were
yesterday? Or have our phobias returned? One of the Gospel writers
described the women as “saying nothing to anyone because they were
afraid.” They had a fear (a phobia) Another described them as
“trembling and bewildered.” Is that the way we approach life?
Jesus Christ has overcome
sin, death, and the devil for us. We are free to love and serve Him. We
are empowered to be His people. He has risen from the dead. Let’s
rejoice in that today and every day.
Blessings on your day, |
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March 2010
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March 29
YET IN ALL
THESE THINGS WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM WHO LOVED US.
Romans 8:37
Little Round Top was a focal
point at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania where Colonel Joshua Lawrence
Chamberlain and the men of the 20th Maine Infantry stood their ground.
It became one of the turning points during the Civil War. Had the
Confederate troops made it through Chamberlain’s men the war might have
been lost.
Good Friday is like that.
It was our last line of defense. There our Lord Jesus Christ fought for
our salvation. He took our sins to a cross, suffered horribly for them
and won the battle for us. He died in our place taking the punishment we
deserved. And as He stated “It has been finished!” The task is over.
The mission accomplished. Thus forgiveness of sins and eternal
salvation are ours.
And because of His victory
we are more than conquerors. We are winners.
We are in line to receive
the spoils, those things that Jesus earned for us. But it is only
because of Jesus. It is only as a result of His suffering, death and
resurrection.
As you observe Holy Week
this week remember to give thank to our Lord Jesus for all that He has
done for us.
Blessings on your day, |
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March 22
THOSE WHO
WERE NOT MY PEOPLE I WILL CALL MY PEOPLE. Romans 9:25
I find it interesting today
all the choices that we have when it comes to everything. And I mean
from the kinds of cereal we eat, to the colors of paint and to the items
on a menu at a restaurant. Choices. Choice. Choices.
The same thing is true when
it comes to our relationship with God. We believe that we can choose
whether or not to worship Him on Sundays. We believe that we can choose
to obey Him or not when it comes to certain areas of our lives. We
believe that we can choose to serve Him or not.
We can’t, however, choose to
be His people. That’s God’s choice. And I rejoice that He has chosen
to claim us as His own and make us His own. I rejoice that He has loved
us and sent His Son to die for us so that we could be His own. I rejoice
that He continues to keep calling us His own because I sin and I disobey
Him and I choose not always to honor Him with my life.
Let me encourage you to rejoice in His
choice of you.
Blessings on your day, |
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March 15
THE LORD IS
NOT SLOW IN KEEPING HIS PROMISE, AS SOME UNDERSTAND SLOWNESS. 2
Peter 3:9
Have you noticed how we
value SPEED today? I mean everybody wants things done yesterday. Email
and Facebook along with Fax and cell phones enable us to do a lot of
business and get a large amount of work accomplished.
Plus we want to be able to
lose weight fast. We want instant meals. We want people to complete
their assignments quickly. We want healing to take place almost
immediately. AND we cannot stand that driver going 3 miles an hour
under the speed limit!
Slow is a word in our
vocabulary that we don’t like. And we don’t like it because we are
always in a hurry. We always have to get some where and do something.
And so we pass that along to our God and we expect Him to take care of
things immediately.
But when it comes to His
return He is s l o w according to our standards.
And because He is we begin
to question Him and His actions. What’s going on? Why doesn’t He hurry
up and get here?
But remember in our rush
towards goals and deadlines – God doesn’t think like we do. He has a
purpose and that purpose is to give us a chance so that the most people
possible may spend eternity with us in heaven. May I suggest that maybe
we might help Him by telling as many people as possible about Jesus?
Blessings on your day, |
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March 8
WHEN YOU
PASS THROUGH THE WATERS, I WILL BE WITH YOU. Isaiah 43:2
I received car wash coupons
for Christmas and because I didn’t get around to using them, my wife
decided to use them. But I had to go with her the first time because
she wasn’t sure what to do. As I thought about her request, I concluded
that it is a little scary if you don’t know how to go about it. We went
together. I gave the attendant the coupon, made sure the windows were
rolled up, eased up to where I should go, put the car in neutral and my
foot off the brake. And the machine took over. At the other end we had
a very clean car.
Life can be like that. We
step into something and there are forces beyond our control taking
over. But as Isaiah records the word of our Lord “I WILL BE WITH YOU.”
When you pass through ‘the waters,’ When you go into the car wash of
life, When things happen, God goes with us.
And when you come out on the
other side – you can say with joy and confidence ‘Our God is faithful!’
And He is!
My encouragement to you to
day is to trust this God of ours. He loves you. He will see you
through anything. He will be with you.
Blessings on your day, |
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March 1
IN
THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. NOW THE EARTH WAS
FORMLESS AND EMPTY… Genesis 1:1-2
I find the ‘predictableness’
of the universe amazing. Weathermen cannot and do not predict the
weather with 100% accuracy. All kinds of pollsters cannot because they
are not able to predict the outcomes of so many things. And doctors
cannot and thus do not predict the outcome of medical procedures or the
effects of medicines.
BUT in one area scientist
can and do. For example: astronomers have predicted that Halley’s Comet
will return on July 28, 2061. Or they can tell us when the next solar
eclipse will be.
God has designed the
universe that way. He brought order out of chaos.
So when we launch a space
shuttle we can predict that if we aim it to be at this particular spot
at this particular time it will meet the space lab there.
Because of that we can
predict where we will spend eternity. Jesus said “Whoever believes in
me will have eternal life…” Thus whoever does NOT believe in Him will
NOT. There’s no guesswork with that. Thus if we want to spend eternity
in heaven we need to put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s that
simple. I pray that you do.
Blessings on your day, |
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February 2010
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February 22
AS LONG AS
THE EARTH ENDURES, SEEDTIME AND HARVEST, COLD AND HEAT, SUMMER AND
WINTER, DAY AND NIGHT WILL NEVER CEASE. Genesis 8:22
I don’t know about you but
there are people who are getting a little tired of winter, of the cold
and the snow, of the wind and weather. And yes, it seems like it has
been a long winter already.
But isn’t it wonderful that
our God has decreed that we have summer and winter, day and night? What
if it were ALWAYS winter? What if it were ALWAYS night?
I am so grateful that you
and I can’t change the weather, that we are not in charge of things like
that. I rejoice that our God is God and He is in control. And I love
the fact that He gives us the variety He does. But I know that there
are days when I need to remember that I can’t change the weather,
therefore there is no need to complain. So I accept day and night,
summer and winter as gifts from God to be enjoyed. And thus I give
thanks to Him that I still can enjoy them.
Blessings on your day, |
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February 15
COME TO ME,
ALL YOU WHO ARE WEARY AND BURDENED, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST.
Matthew 11:28
Naptime with children can be
a real hassle. But with adults it is something that we look forward
to. There is nothing like a nap. In fact NASA researchers have found
that a power nap – less than 30 minutes – increases brain power by
nearly 40%. You might feel lazy but actually you are boosting your
productivity with a short nap.
This says to you and me that
physical rest is important and needs to be more a priority with us. BUT
then how much more important and a priority does our spiritual rest need
to become?
Jesus said “Come to Me…”
That’s what we need to do. We need to go to our Lord Jesus and spend
time with Him. We need to take that spiritual ‘nap’as it were with our
Lord to be refreshed. I wonder how much increase in heart power and
faith power we would receive each day if we spent time with Him in His
Word listening to Him speak and receiving His grace?
I would encourage you to do
just that each day. So often I ask people on boards and committees how
their devotional life is going? Let me present that question to you:
HOW IS YOUR DEVOTIONAL LIFE GOING?
Blessings on your day, |
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February 8
I AM THE
VINE AND YOU ARE THE BRANCHES. IF A MAN REMAINS IN ME AND I IN HIM, HE
WILL BEAR MUCH FRUIT. John 15:5
The new iPad is out! But
before that was the cell phone, and iPod, laptop, pager. There are so
many ways to stay connected. And it was like 24-7. In some ways that
was good and in others it was bad. Some see a desire and even a craving
to be connected that at times becomes an addiction. Others are finding
that it is important to limit their uses of these devices to give them
some peace and quiet.
Jesus understands the need
to be connected, but He holds up the connection between Himself and us,
His branches. If we are connected then we bear much fruit. But if we
are not, if we are cut off, or if we cut ourselves off from Him, then
you know what happens. The branch doesn’t produce because the branch is
no longer alive.
Many people find it
important and necessary to have a daily connection called devotional
time with the Lord. It’s only when His life flows into ours that we are
able to produce the kind of fruit that He desires. I urge you today to
take the time to have that quiet and nurturing time with our Lord.
Blessings on your day, |
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February 1
WHATSOVER
IS TRUE,…THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS. Philippians 4:8
A lot of students do not
like true or false questions on a test or worksheet. To some it may
seem easier because you have a fifty-fifty chance of getting the right
answer. But sometimes the questions are worded in such a way that they
are very difficult to come up with the correct answer.
The prophet Isaiah makes an
interesting comment in 59:15. He says “Truth is lacking.” I wonder if
he were looking at our day and time? Did he know something about the
21st century? TRUTH is lacking today. In fact there are people who
keep saying that there is no such thing as TRUTH. But you know it’s
because many BELIEVE that there is no such thing as truth that we are in
the predicament that we are today. Because if there is no truth, then
there is no right and wrong. And IF truth is what I think it is or what
you think it is, then you or I can do anything we want. And that seems
to delight a lot of people in our world.
But Jesus tells us that “HE IS THE
TRUTH…” He is the Truth of God. He speaks the truth. He shows us the
truth. He is the standard of truth. And He asks us to live in His
truth. Paul encourages us to think about the truth, meaning accept it
and live it as we know it in Jesus Christ.
Blessings on your day, |
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January 2010
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January 25
THESE
(trials) HAVE COME SO THAT YOUR FAITH – OF GREATER WORTH THAN GOLD…- MAY
BE PROVED GENUINE AND MAY RESULT IN PRAISE, GLORY AND HONOR WHEN JESUS
CHRIST IS REVEALED. 1 Peter 1:7
We all know the value of
gold these days. It’s around $1200 an ounce. But I am wondering if we
know that gold is the densest of the precious metals.
It is the most beautiful,
workable and endurable metal in the world. An ounce of gold can be
beaten and flattened as gold leaf to cover about 200 square feet.
Gold needs to be refined and
worked so that it becomes the precious metal it is today. And so does
our faith. Refinement is a process God uses in our lives to prove that
our faith indeed is genuine and real. It’s a process that He uses to
help us focus upon what is really important for our lives, namely our
relationship with Him and His Son, Jesus Christ.
God considers our
relationship with Him to be far more precious than gold.
After all He uses gold in
heaven as paving bricks. He wants our presence with Him forever and
ever and that’s why He works so hard to get us there.
Things happen and are used
by God to keep us believing and focused.
Blessings on your day, |
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January 17
MAKE A
JOYFUL NOISE TO THE LORD, ALL YOU LANDS! Psalm 100:1
Recently I had a funeral
where the church was packed. I mean it was FULL!
After ward I thought
wouldn’t it be nice if it could be that full on Sunday morning to honor
our Jesus.
But I sometimes think that
same way when I watch a football game and the noise is so loud that I
cannot hear the announcers describe what is going on. People get
excited about football and basketball games. Just watch and you can see
it.
God and His goodness to us
can motivate us to freely express ourselves like those football or
basketball fans. I mean His love is so amazing and wonderful - that’s
it’s for us. Like the leaders of Duke University when North Carolina
comes to play, they encourage their fans “This is the game you’ve been
waiting for. No excuses. Give everything you’ve got.”
God deserves our greatest
excitement and amazement. Let’s hold nothing back when it comes to
praising and giving thanks to Him. He deserves all that we can give.
Give everything you’ve got! Make a joyful noise to Him.
Blessings on your day, |
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January 11
MY
GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU. 2 Corinthians 12:9
Every time I use my paper
shredder to destroy some personal information or our address on a letter
or something I think if only I could shred some of the memories I carry
around in my mind.
It would be nice to get rid
of the thoughts of those past sins or the reminders of the embarrassment
I caused myself by saying or doing something so stupid. And wouldn’t it
be nice to shred some of the memories of those hurts that people have
caused us?
But then I remember our God
has the best shredder of them all, for He promises that He forgets our
sins. In Jesus Christ they have been removed forever. They will never
be brought up against us. They will never be held against us. In the
cross and empty tomb they have been paid for and so they are gone.
His grace is all that we
need. His grace will enable us to forgive and let go of those hurts and
embarrassments. His grace will shred the guilt and pain. His grace is
all we need because He says that it is sufficient for everything.
Blessings on your day, |
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January 4
NOW, THEREFORE, SAYS THE
LORD, TURN TO ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH FASTING, WITH WEEPING, AND
WITH MOURNING. Joel 2:12
We are beginning a new
year. And what a time to do some checking on our lives and re-evaluate
what it is that we want. I must encourage you not to ignore the warning
signs.
I read about a man who
ignored the warning sign on the dash of his car.
On the way to work one day
the car kind of hesitated. Then the little red light came on. He
ignored it. He told himself that it was just a malfunction or
something. But the very next morning when the car wouldn’t start he
realized that he should have paid more attention.
As you begin 2010 I
encourage you to pay more attention to your spiritual life. How is your
relationship with the holy God of the universe? Are you on speaking
terms? Do you take time to hang out with Him? Do you listen to His
suggestions for your life? And do you sense that the two of you are
growing closer?
It’s a good time to check.
If your life isn’t going so well, maybe it’s time to check in with the
Father. Maybe it’s time to work on your relationship. Do you think He
should bless you when you ignore Him?
Blessings on your day, |
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