Be Incredible

Scripture:

"To each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good …. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and [God] gives them to each one, just as he determines."  (I Corinthians 12:7)

Thought for the day:

I’m guessing that most of you are familiar with the Pixar movie: The Incredibles. If you haven’t seen it, the story is about an apparently ordinary family named Parr, they, like us are caught up in all the routine - same ol’ same ol’ - that mark most of our lives. However, when a mysterious phone call comes in, Bob Parr finds himself drawn back into a world he had left 15 years ago when the Superhero Relocation Project sidetracked him from his previous career of "saving lives and battling evil on a daily basis."

Bob not only finds that he still has more heroism in him than he knew, but he also discovers that his wife and children do, too. His wife, Helen, is actually "Elastigirl." Daughter Violet has this amazing force-field power. HIs son Dash has lightning speed, and even baby Jack-Jack has a power all his own! The realization hit them that every one of them is amazingly gifted, and that when they pool their gifts together, they can accomplish things that are simply “Incredible."

The body of Christ, and the families that are part of it, are like this, says Paul: "To each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good …. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and [God] gives them to each one, just as he determines." 

Your gifts and graces are blessings from God to be used for the common good! 1 Corinthians 7:7 indicates that everyone has a gift of some sort. 

Prayer for the day:

Most gracious and generous God, reveal the gifts you have bestowed upon me so that I can be the incredible person you intended me to become for the common good. Amen.

Forbear

Scripture:

“I will listen to what the Lord says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants - but let them not turn to folly.” (Psalm 85:8)

Thought for the day:

Maybe you’ve heard the story of Telemachus… 

Telemachus was a monk who lived in the 4th century. He felt God saying to him, "Go to Rome." He was in a cloistered monastery. He put his possessions in a sack and set out for Rome. When he arrived in the city, people were thronging in the streets. He asked why all the excitement and was told that this was the day that the gladiators would be fighting and killing each other in the coliseum, the day of the games, the circus.  

He thought to himself, "Four centuries after Christ and they are still killing each other, for enjoyment?" He ran to the coliseum and heard the gladiators saying, "Hail to Ceasar, we die for Ceasar" and he thought, "this isn't right." He jumped over the railing and went out into the middle of the field, got between two gladiators, held up his hands and said "In the name of Christ, forbear." 

The crowd protested and began to shout, "Run him through, Run him through." A gladiator came over and hit him in the stomach with the back of his sword. It sent him sprawling in the sand. He got up and ran back and again said, "In the name of Christ, forbear." The crowd continued to chant, "Run him through." One gladiator came over and plunged his sword through the little monk's stomach and he fell into the sand, which began to turn crimson with his blood. One last time he gasped out, "In the name of Christ forbear." 

A hush came over the 80,000 people in the coliseum. Soon a man stood and left, then another and more, and within minutes all 80,000 had emptied out of the arena. It was the last known gladiatorial contest in the history of Rome.

Hear those words: “In the name of Christ, forbear!” Are you one who is warring, be it with weapons or words? When we are, we condemn ourselves to a life of imperfection; a life without peace. So where do we find the courage to forbear? Where do we find a sacrificial “peace that passes all understanding”? David writes: “I will listen to what the Lord says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants - but let them not turn to folly.” (Psalm 85:8)

Lasting peace, heart-penetrating peace, peace that is far more than the absence of violence, it is a peace born out of a relationship with God. May those with ears, listen.

Prayer for the day:

Dear God, if I am in a war of words with myself or another, if i am participant in violence of any kind against those whom God has created. Grant me a heart-penetrating peace! Amen.

Rejoice with those who rejoice!

Scripture:

“Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load.” (Galatians 6:4-5)

Thought for the day:

Craig Groeschel points out that: “When we resent God’s goodness in other people’s lives and ignore God’s goodness in our own life…” we do God, others, and ourselves a huge injustice that borders on sinfulness!  Now, I know that few if any of us want to think that simply desiring something that is possessed by another is wrong. Nor do we go so far as to say that we resent God for all the good others have… No, if we are going to resent God, it is going to be for what we don’t have….” 

If you are anything like me, it is easy to think about all of things we don’t have but would like to have…. 

I remember when the first iPhone came out… I was irate at the lines of people waiting for hours to get one. I was not always kind in my assessment of the early birds because I knew that I was going to have to wait years to get one and by then I would be 2-3 models behind the rest of the world. It wasn’t fair! Not that I was bitter or anything… 

I have even compared myself to other pastors. He preaches better than I do, not fair! She relates to people more effectively than I do, lucky duck!  He is more gifted in administration than I am.

Groeschel points out that “when we look at other people comparatively and competitively, we’re not seeing them as our brothers and sisters. We’re not loving them more than we love ourselves, and we’re definitely not seeing them as God sees them.”

Romans 12:15 teaches us a better way: “rejoice with those who rejoice, and mourn with those who mourn.” 

So how do we do that? Well, Groeschel will tell us that, “If the grass is greener in someone else’s yard, maybe it’s time to water your own.” 

When was the last time we actually sat down and took stock of our own blessings?

When I stop to think about it, there is nothing in this world greater than what God has already given me.

Prayer for the day:

Gracious God, help me to realize the magnitude of Your blessings in my life. Enable me to see people as You see them. Amen.

A Little Bit Goes A Long Way

Scripture:

“Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it.” (Romans 12: 2 in The Message)

Thought for the Day:

You’ve probably heard the story: “A young teen, Cade, was invited over by friends to watch a movie, one just released on DVD and rated PG-13. Cade begged his mom to let him see it. His mom asked him her usual questions, “Buddy, is it a good movie? One that won’t hurt your Christian walk?” 

Knowing it had some less than appropriate scenes, Cade shuffled from one foot to the other and searched for the right words. Not wanting to lie to his mom, he tried to walk on the edge of the truth. “Well, it’s not as bad as a lot of movies,” he said enthusiastically. “And all my friends have seen it. There’s only a little bit of bad stuff in it.” 

He held his breath, awaiting his mom’s final verdict on his movie-going fate. His mom smiled and said, “Well, of course, honey. As long as there’s only ‘a little bit of bad stuff in it.’ “ Cade was stunned! Before she changed her mind, the grateful teen bolted for his room, texted his friends the good news, then lost himself in his favorite iPad game. 

Now if you’re a parent, you probably already know that Cade’s mom had something up her sleeve. 

She headed to the kitchen and started implementing her plan. Selecting her son’s favorite brownie mix from the pantry, she added the requisite water, eggs, and oil, stirring the mixture together in a big white bowl. While the oven preheated, Cade’s crafty mom strolled into the back yard for her secret ingredient. 

Searching carefully in the grass, she scooped up something that their dog Ginger had recently left behind. She returned to the kitchen, stirred in a teaspoon of Ginger’s secret ingredient, poured the thick, chocolate batter into a nonstick pan, and set the oven timer for twenty minutes. Just as she pulled the brownies from the oven, Cade bounced down the stairs right on cue. “Do I smell my favorite brownies?” he asked with excitement. “You bet!” his mom said, smiling. After letting them cool for a few moments, Cade’s mom cut into the warm brownies and plopped a large one on his plate. Just as his fork hit the plate, she stopped him, and mentioned casually, “Just so you know, I added a special ingredient this time.” She paused without cracking a smile. “I put a teaspoon of Ginger’s poop in your brownies.” 

“What?!” Cade shouted, immediately disgusted. “Mom, are you crazy? Why’d you do that?” he choked while pushing his plate away. Cade’s mom went to the fridge and poured her son his usual glass of milk. “Don’t worry, buddy. I didn’t put a lot of poop in the brownies. There’s just a little bit of bad stuff.” 

He rolled his eyes, but she’d made her point and served it up home-style. Cade realized he wouldn’t be seeing the movie. The moral of this story? A little bit of poop goes a long way.

Prayer for the day:

Dear Lord, help me not to be so comfortable in my surroundings that my attention towards Your will and Your way is forgotten. Amen.

Forgive others

Scripture:

“…if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15)

Thought for the day:

If you have prayed the the Lord’s Prayer, you have prayed: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Do you realize that every time one prays that prayer, that person is giving God permission to withhold from that person the divine forgiveness all people desperately need for salvation? The decision to hold a grudge, to retain the sins of another against them, carries consequences.

The magnitude of that prayer continually humbles me, because I have come to realize that I am putting my own life on the line every time I pray it. So why continue to pray it? Well, my prayers for others may or may not change those whom I pray for, but my prayers will always change me. I want my heart to be renewed, I want my heart to be made whole, I want my heart to reign true in God’s love.

Let’s face it, we get no promises about this life other than “God is with us” throughout anything and everything we face. In most cases, I think we would all agree that life is uncertain. Eternity is not! The day is coming when we will stand before the Lord God Almighty and it will be determined what was required of us. Did we act justly? Did we love mercy? Did we walk humbly with our God? We will never be more like God than when we forgive.

Prayer for the day:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, as we also have forgiven those who have sinned against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For your’s is Kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever. Amen

Confidence in Christ

Scripture:

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. (2 Peter 1:3-4)

Thought for the day:

I came across this story in my files and but don’t remember where I got it:

On July 15, 1986, Roger Clemens, a pitching ace for the Boston Red Sox, started his first All-Star Game. In the second inning, he came to bat, which w he hadn't done in years because in the American League's pitchers don’t have to bat. Well after a few practice swings he stepped up to the plate a waited for a pitch from Dwight Gooden, the previous year’s Cy Young award winner. Gooden wound up and threw a white-hot fastball past Clemens.

And with an embarrassed smile on his face, Clemens stepped out of the box and asked the catcher, Gary Carter, "Is that what my pitches look like?" "YEAH!" replied Carter. Well Clemens quickly struck out, but then he went on to pitch three perfect innings and was named the game's most valuable player.

He later said, that moment was a reminder to him of how overpowering a good fastball is, and it that renewed confidence allowed him to pitch with far greater boldness. 

Sometimes we forget that upon our acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we receive the Holy Spirit within us and that grants us a hugely powerful witness. Believers have been transformed! “All are in Christ Jesus” All called to be saints - holy, and anointed before God BECAUSE of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Do you realize that joy and the power and the privilege that comes with that statement? Rejoice in the Lord, always!

Prayer for the day:

If We Confess...

Scripture:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Thought for the day: 

One of my favorite sayings as a kid was: “What momma doesn’t know, doesn’t hurt me!” My mom is not to be trifled with. She is probably the most patient, forgiving woman on the face of this earth, but she has “eyes in the back of her head, and ears that can hear a pin drop a mile away.” My mother loves her kids, she cares for us immensely, comforts us incredibly, and defends us to the hilt. But if she caught us treating someone poorly, do something we weren’t supposed to do, or saying things we weren’t supposed to say, we had to watch out! Trouble was coming our way and it was coming like a freight train.

My mom had little tolerance for hurtful words or harmful actions against anyone and she wasn’t afraid to discipline us.

I quickly learned that “what momma doesn’t know, doesn’t hurt me!” And I tried hard to get around the pain of disobedience.

How many of us try to talk ourselves into believing that “What God doesn’t know, doesn’t hurt us?” We like to think that hiding our sin makes life easier. 

Proverbs 28:13 disagrees: “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”

Is it time to try a more excellent way? Are you willing to confess your sin before God? If your heart’s desire is to clean out the contamination in your life, you will need to confess what has stained your soul.

Confessing to God is fairly easy and essential, but it is incomplete. James 5:16 says, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed”.

Now, we aren’t called to share our every transgressions with everyone we meet. God will bring people into our lives who can help with our healing. It might be a faith-filled friend or mentor, a more mature believer, or a pastor, whoever it is, the key is to realize that sin tends to become habitual very quickly and the chances are extremely good that you will need God’s help and the help of God’s people to find your way clear! 

Prayer for the day: 

Dear God, I am not the person you created me to be. Help me! Heal me! Place the right people in my life to hold me accountable to the faith I have proclaimed in You. Amen.

Our Best Is "YES!"

Scripture:

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)

Thought for the day:

I don’t usually get people hanging out in the kitchen waiting for me to put the last touches on the presentation of an exquisite meal so they can dive in; on the other hand, my wife is often creating a masterpiece meal the moment she wakes for a meal.

You see, I can envision the perfect meal. I can hunger and thirst for it.  I can picture the meat cooked to perfection; I can imagine the most complementary side dishes; I conceive an incredible dessert to finish the meal. But I can’t make it. I’ve tried! If that perfect meal is happening in our house, it is my wife is making it. She is the master chef. My best is: “YES!”

If my wife says, “Do this,” (in preparation for the masterpiece meal) I do it; if she says, “Do that,” I do it. Oh, I may grumble, but I know that obedience to the one who is able, is the only way I am going to satisfy my hunger and thirst for that perfect meal.

That means that while she is shopping, I may be sweeping the house. 
When she is cooking, I may be setting the table…
When she is exhausted after the meal, I will be doing the dishes… 

Enjoying a perfect meal requires me to remember that my desires are not the lynchpin to perfection, rather I have to give in order to receive.

The same goes for our faith! It isn’t so much eternity in heaven that makes our faith journey so wonderful, it is the journey itself.

When we hunger and thirst for righteousness, we acknowledge that there is a master in our life, one upon whom we are totally dependent to get us to perfection. That master, is Jesus Christ.

Our hunger and thirst along the way encourages us to make the changes necessary in our lives to allow for that image of perfection to manifest itself. Our best is “YES!” “Yes, Lord! I am here to do that which you want of me so that I can enjoy your perfect presence.”

That what this life is all about. It is about preparing ourselves for perfection. Preparing ourselves for that glorious transformation as God’s people means, embracing the yoke of obedience. Do what God needs us to do in preparation for the divine masterpiece. So, when Christ calls us to forgive others, our best is “YES!” When Savior calls us to love others, our best is “YES!” When Jesus says: “Feed my sheep,” our best is “YES!”

Prayer for the day:  

Savior God, help us to prepare for perfection by embracing the yoke of obedience as we seek to say, “YES!” to all that you require of us. Amen.

Purify My Heart

Scripture:

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” - James 4:8

Thought for the day:

In his book, Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer said: "Only those who have surrendered their hearts completely to Jesus that he may reign in them alone. Only those whose hearts are undefiled by their own evil—and by their own virtues too…” will know purity of heart.

The journey to live as God intended us to live, is a journey towards single-minded devotion to God. It begins when we ask ourselves if the God we are worshipping is big enough and good enough to warrant our full attention and fidelity?

Have no doubt, the power, prestige and wealth that are so important in our world today, only serve to separate us from our loyalties towards ourselves, each other, and especially God.

If you want single-minded devotion of body, soul, mind, and spirit, practice the works of piety: read, meditate and study the scriptures, pray, fast, and attend worship regularly. Practice a healthy lifestyle, and share your faith with others.

Furthermore, practice the works of mercy by doing good works, visiting the sick, visiting those in prison, feeding the hungry, and giving generously to the needs of others.

But remember, a pure heart is not solely about your relationship with God… it is also found in your faith relationship with others.

Clarence Jordan when speaking about the Sermon on the Mount said: “NOW when [people] attempt to live a double-life spiritually, that is, to appear pure on the outside but are not pure in the heart, they are anything but blessed. Their conflicting loyalties make them wretched, confused, tense. Having to keep their eyes on two masters at once makes them cross-eyed, and their vision is so blurred that neither image is clear.”

If you want single-minded devotion to God through body, soul, mind, and spirit, you should also share the sacraments, find someone of faith to hold you accountable to your expression of faith, and participate in bible studies…

If you want the blessings of a pure heart, you should also seek justice, work hard to end oppression and discrimination, and address the needs of the poor.

Our “purity in heart” towards God, is manifest in our treatment of everyone else. We are filled with joy because we are filled with the One who is our “All-in-All” and therefore no worldly thing, no other worldly praise can compare. Thus, we are angry with no man, and the peace that passeth all understanding is ours with God and others.

Prayer for the day:

Almighty God, purify my heart! May I alway approach You and others with the humility of divine servanthood. Amen.

Morning Has Broken

Scripture:

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Thought for the Day:

Do you remember the words to the last verse of “Morning Has Broken?”

Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning! Born of the one light Eden saw play! Praise with elation, praise every morning, God’s re- creation of the new day! 

I have always sung that song as a celebration of creation. We have an extravagant Lord who cannot be outdone! Through the power of the resurrection, all of creation has been transformed, changed, renewed! Through the power of the resurrection, we have been transformed, changed, renewed. We have been re-created!  Made like the new day dawning. It is in the newness of each day that the light shines and the darkness is unable to overcome it. 

Oh, we have all felt the loneliness of hurt and heartache darken our day…
We all know the darkened days of ignorance and unknowing…
We all know the sense of abandonment when we can’t find our God…

And sometimes, when the darkness is especially thick… we think ourselves content to simply see the stars. But let’s not short-change ourselves!  God’s act of re-creation, the resurrection of Jesus, Christ, casts out all darkness! It cannot overcome us! 

We don’t have to accept, we don’t have to settle! When we embrace in our hearts the Good News of God’s peace… the darkness turns to the morning! God works a miracle of transformation! Our differences and diversities fade away. Our fear is gone! Sin and death are no more!

We experience the dawning of a new life. God’s re-creation of a relationship with us is complete.

While we were still weak, at the right moment, God showed his love for us, Paul says: “Christ died for ungodly people.” (Ro. 5:6-8)

That Christ died for our sins is in line with the scriptures, he was buried and rose on the third day (1 Co. 15:3)

My Lord what a morning! Use your senses…. smell the presence of God, hear the presence of God, see the presence of God, taste the presence of God, feel the presence of God… 

Know that God is here and “there is nothing in heaven or on earth or under the earth that is capable of separating you from God’s love in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Ro 8:32)

Prayer for the day:

Creator God, even as you re-created each new day, create within me the dawning of a new life and new love for Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Buying Time

Scripture:

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…” - Ecclesiastes 3:1

Thought for the Day:

A man came home from work late again, tired and irritated, to find his 5 year old son waiting for him at the door.

"Daddy, may I ask you a question?"

"Yeah, sure, what is it?" replied the man.

"Daddy, how much money do you make an hour?"

"That's none of your business!  What makes you ask such a thing?" the man said angrily.

"I just want to know.  Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?"  pleaded the little boy.

"If you must know, I make $20.00 an hour."

"Oh," the little boy replied, head bowed.  Looking up, he said, "Daddy, may I borrow $10.00 please?"

The father was furious.  "If the only reason you wanted to know how much money I make is just so you can borrow some to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight  to your room  and go to bed. Think about why you're being so selfish. I work long,  hard hours every day and don't have time for such childish games."

The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.

The man  sat down and started to get even madder about the little boy's questioning. How dare him ask such questions only to get some money. After an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think he may have been a little hard on his son.  Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $10.00, and he really didn't ask for money very often.  The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door.

"Are you asleep son?" he asked.

"No daddy, I'm awake," replied the boy.

"I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier," said theman.

"It's been a long day and I took my aggravation out on you. Here's that $10.00 you asked for."

The little boy sat straight up, beaming.  "Oh, thank you daddy!" he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow, he pulled out some more crumpled up bills.

The man, seeing that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, then looked up at the man.

"Why did you want more money if you already had some?" the father grumbled.

"Because I didn't have enough, but now I do," the little boy replied. "Daddy, I have $20.00 now. Can I buy an hour of your time?"

 Is there someone in your life do you need to spend some more time with? Friend? Spouse? Child? Sibling? Savior?

- Author Unknown
Prayer for the day:
Dear God, if I am neglecting any of the relationships you have placed within my life, please give me the time, energy, and interest in rekindling them. Amen.

Charged Up and Ready to Go!

Scripture:

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge —that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” - Ephesians 3:14-19

Thought for the day:

I have two portable cellphone chargers that I use in emergencies when my cellphone battery is running low and an electrical outlet is not available. Though I don’t need them often, it is comforting to know that I have “backup” energy when my phone needs it the most to remain connected.
Well, I needed it and it functioned wonderfully! Later that night, I plugged it in to recharge and when I came back to it in the morning, it still wasn’t charged. I made sure that I had plugged the charger completely into the outlet; I checked the cord to make sure wasn’t frayed or damaged; I even checked the outlet to make sure that it was working properly. I couldn’t find anything wrong. The charger should have charged! Upon closer inspection, I realized was using the wrong the connector cord. The connector fit into the charger but it didn’t match and so there was no electrical exchange and thus no “charging” took place. Shortly after I began using the proper connector cord, the charger was once again ready to “back me up!”

We all come across times in this crazy world when our faith resolve seems to be “running low.” Hopefully, it doesn’t happen often because we are intentional about staying “plugged in” to body of Christ. Nevertheless, when life gets away from us and we get away from God, is our “backup” ready to recharge us?

There are a lot of ways in which we appear to be engaged and connected with God. However, God gave us the community of faith, the church. When we engage and connect with God through the body of Christ, through worship, fellowship & accountability groups, scriptural study opportunities, service options and such, we can be sure that we are “recharging” our “backup” for those times when we are at risk of losing our connection to Christ.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, help me connect or reconnect to the body of Christ so I might guard against those days in which I find myself stymied by a “low energy” faith. Amen.

Yes or No?

Scripture:

“A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’”“All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy.” - Luke 18:18-23

Thought for the day:

“To meet the Messiah in a yes-or-no encounter forces us to examine and to admit what we hold absolute, which is exactly what happened to the rich young ruler long ago. Jesus had - and still has - a disturbing way of putting everything into a different perspective. In his presence we cannot get by with “almost” or “maybe” or “later.” A confrontation with Jesus is always a rigorous examination of the “musts” of our life. It is not unlike sifting through the ashes after a fire has destroyed our home and the possessions of a lifetime. In that aftermath we slowly relearn what we actually keep and what we value most. Or it is not unlike lying in the intensive care unit of a hospital after a massive coronary. In the silent darkness of early morning, we ask where all the hurrying and demanding, all the striving and spending bring us - at last.”

— From Meeting the Messiah by Donald J. Shelby

Prayer:

Gracious Savior, give me the courage to examine and admit what I hold absolute, even when it humbles us in the knowledge that we are not who you wish us to be. And then give me strength to say “thy will be done.”

We've A Story to Tell

Scripture: 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” - John 3:16-17

Thought for the day: 

As I browsed the newsfeeds and Facebook, it grieves my heart to see just how focused the masses are on “all that is wrong with the world.” Don’t misunderstand me, there are injustices and evils that need to be brought to light and the struggle against both can never wane! We, as Christians with God’s help, must constantly strive to “make a difference, transform a life, and build the kingdom of God. 

However, we are a people of the Word, and the Word, while it acknowledges sin and separation from God, is primarily the story of “all that is right within the world.” Ours is a story of victory snatched from defeat; our is a story of salvation in the midst of condemnation; ours is the story of the one true God who “so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (Jn 3:16)  

It is so easy to get caught up in the heartache brought on by the brokenness of our world. Given the opportunity to focus “all that is right with the world,” on the story of: God with us, makes for a much better day!

H. Ernest Nichol wrote a hymn back in 1896 called “We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations”  that speaks to the story…

We’ve a story to tell to the nations, that shall turn their hearts to the right,
a story of truth and mercy, a story of peace and light.

We’ve a song to be sung to the nations, that shall lift their hearts to the Lord,
a song that shall conquer evil and shatter the spear and sword, and shatter the spear and sword.

We’ve a message to give to the nations, that the Lord who reigneth above that sent us his Son to save us,
and show us that God is love, and show us that God is love.

We’ve a Savior to show to the nations, who the path of sorrow hath trod,
that all of the world’s great peoples might come to the truth of God, might come to the truth of God. 

Refrain

For the darkness shall turn to dawning, and the dawning to noonday bright;
and Christ’s great kingdom shall come on earth, the kingdom of love and light.

Prayer for the day:

Gracious God, please instill within me the joy of your incredible salvation story and give me the desire to share that story wherever and whenever you deem it necessary. Amen

Multi-tasking

Scripture:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind…You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” - Matthew 22:37-39

Thought:

I like to think of myself as a multi-tasker, able to juggle many experiences without losing focus. I walked into my office, looked around and was instantly depressed. It is a mess! In an instant I realized that multi-tasking is not gift, it is politically correct terminology meaning “unorganized and/or unfocused.” In fact, studies show that in most cases, multi-tasking impairs performance.

I think that humanity has always struggled with issues of multi-tasking. We are constantly being distracted from that which is important and as “stuff” piles up… well… we become overwhelmed.

The wonderful thing is that God gets it! God isn’t one to pile it on. In fact, God is pretty adamant about wanting us to focus on that which is most important.

“You shall have no other gods before me.” - Deuteronomy 5:7

In other words, nothing is more important than our relationship with God, so we shouldn’t get so carried away with politics, career, the accumulation of wealth, or whatever else tempts us to forget who we are and who’s we are.


That said, God knows us all too well, God knows that we will not resist temptation and God, in his infinite love for us, gives us an opportunity “scratch the itch” of multi-tasking:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind…You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” - Matthew 22:37-39

Prayer:

Dear Lord, we are constantly struggling and juggling the distractions in life that keep us from focusing on you. Give us the means to narrow our focus so that you and others always come first. Amen.

Trust and Obey

Scripture:

“As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, ‘Have mercy on us, Son of David!’ When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, ‘Do you believe that I am able to do this?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; and their sight was restored.” - Matthew 9:27-30

Thought:

There is an old hymn entitled, Trust and Obey with the lyrics indicating, “…there is no other way to happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” Sometimes I find those words providing me a gentle joy; other times I simply find them tiring.

Well, I was reading a tidbit written by Joan Puls, from Every Bush Is Burning, that basically said our willingness to trust and obey is dependent upon our relationship with God. So insisting that someone trust God when that person has no relationship with God is wasted energy. Calling for obedience to God without the intimacy of divine experience is a fool’s request. 

Puls goes on to say: “Obedience is the offspring of a deep and intimate relationship between our own hearts and the God who embraces us and who shares with us a joyous delight in and passionate concern for all of creation. When God is the one in whom we live and move and have our being, then our spirits will reverberate and our lives echo that limitless love.” 

In the ebb and flow of faithfulness, what might we do to continually grow a closer, more intimate relationship with Jesus so that trust and obedience are byproducts of a joy-filled faith rather tiring chores for a demanding God?

I believe that expressions of limitless love born out of our own intimate relationship with God are, hands down, the best way to find joy in our own lives and to encourage others to explore a relationship with God built first on trust and then on obedience. 

Prayer:

Gracious God, I know that you can do all things! Grant me the will to joyfully express your limitless love to everyone I encounter today.  Amen.

Sin Dwells Within Me, Cleanse Me

Scripture: 

“I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” - Romans 7:18b-19

Thought for the day: 

A few years back there was a news article about Burger King’s Twitter account being hacked into by someone who began posting (rival company) McDonald’s information. The hacker then went on to post racial epithets, references to drug use, and obscenities. Obviously a rough day for Burger King as the terrible image of the restaurant being projected to the public wasn’t real!

As I was remembering Burger King’s misfortune, I began to realize that the image we project to the public often isn’t real either. Why? Because our lives have been hacked, not through social media but through sin. Sin colors our view of creation, constructs controversy over our true values, and ultimately ruins our reputations. Like the apostle Paul, hacked by sin we “do not understand (our) own actions. For (we) do not do what (we) want, but (we) do the very thing (we) hate.” 

While sin can never change the fact that we are God’s children, nor can it change the immensity of God’s love, it does change our relationship with God.  It does change how we perceive ourselves and how we perceive and are perceived by others. The blessing is that, if you are reading this post, it isn’t too late to address your misfortune. Regain control over the sin that has breached your life through a renewed focus on the security one finds in a relationship with Jesus Christ. 

Prayer for the day: Heavenly Father, sin dwells within me and I do not do the good I want to do. Cleanse me from all unrighteousness and free me to serve you fully.  Amen.

Commit To The Eternal

Scripture: 

"Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” - Luke 12:15

Thought for the day: 

Last week I was asked to “sell my soul” to Verizon wireless for two more years so that I could upgrade my cell phone. I really wanted a new iphone but in the end I just couldn’t justify upgrading a phone that works perfectly fine and meets my “needs” if not my desires. 

Anyhow, it got me to wondering about how willing we are to “sell our soul” for things. I made a two year commitment to a cell phone company so that I could have instantaneous access to others and they to me (at least within the realm of the “most reliable network.”) 

We all make these commitments... Whether it is a two year commitment to a cell phone company or a five year commitment to a bank for financing reliable transportation or something else... What have you “sold your soul” to receive? How often we commit our current resources well into the future for something that is temporary. 

Jesus told this parable: "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions." Then he told them a parable: "The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, 'What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?' Then he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God." (Lk 12:15-21)

What commitment have you made to God? As members of the United Methodist Church we have publicly committed to: a) Confess Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. b) Believe in the Christian faith as contained in the Old & New Testaments. c) Promised to live a Christian life and d) to uphold the United Methodist Church with one’s prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. 

How are you doing with your commitment to God? Is it time to upgrade your commitment? Is now the time to reallocate your current resources of time, talent, and tithe from those things which are temporary to that which is eternal? 

Prayer for the day: Merciful God, as I review the commitments I have made, I know that I have not been faithful. In my life, help me to first attend to that which is eternal. Amen.

God Sightings

Scripture: 

“Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. - Ezekiel 1:28

Thought for the day: 

I found a devotional in my library that I haven’t noticed in quite sometime. The book is called: God Sightings: Learning to Experience God Every Day.  I don’t know how it first came to be in my library  but I am grateful to have it. The book has started me on a path of intense scripture reading, prayer, and contemplation that I haven’t done, for personal enrichment, in quite some time. I am finding new life in old scriptures. Coming alive once again are the stories of Abraham, Isaac and that rascal, Jacob. Psalms and Proverbs are revealing secrets that I didn’t remember existed in God’s Word. Insights into the tenacity and audacity of those early fathers of our faith are coming to me that I had never before realized. 

I must confess having felt that one thing most people feel but fear to verbalize: There are times when faith can feel kind of “ho hum”. The God Sightings authors use the words: “dry, dusty, grounded in principles rather than passion.” Well, now that I have once again been encouraged to start looking for God in everything... Guess what? I’m seeing God in everything! 

An early drive revealed the sun cresting the trees as I came across an old barn. The world was aglow with sunlight! The bright red of a newly painted roof was so warm and vibrant as it radiated the morning light. The weather worn walls hinted at shades of darker pigments, streaks of reds, oranges and browns contrasting beautifully as the entire structure was framed by the shimmering green foliage that God used as a backdrop beneath a crystal clear blue sky. 

Simply breathtaking! It was a God sighting that caused me to stop and offer praise and a prayer. How many times I have driven past that place and never noticed anything remotely special... But on this day, after having been primed for the presence of God, God showed up in a glorious array of splendor. 

Are you primed for the presence of God? Or... Are you kind of “ho hum” about seeing the great things God is doing.

Are you excited to see the blessings in your life? Or... Has your faith become “dry, dusty, grounded in principles rather than passion”? 

I hope you see God every minute of every day but if you don’t... let me tell you that you’re missing out! Go back to the beginning. Go back to the Word and start reading it with new eyes and new expectations. Go back to God in prayer and let the divine sink deep into your heart as you begin to embrace the expectancy of hope and holiness, forgiveness and freedom. Go back and begin again to witness the profound and yet simple truth: Love is the constant expression of God and if you choose to look... you WILL see God! 

Prayer for the day:

Dear Lord, open my eyes that I may see the expressions of love you have for me. Amen.

Live in Awe of the Almighty

Scripture: 

“Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens.” - Psalm 8:1

Thought for the day:

I remember the first time I went “elkin’” in Benezette, Pa. I had never witnessed elk in the wild and I was amazed! The beauty of creation was right there for all to see and folks came from all around to pay homage to these magnificent creatures. 

Two things caught my attention quickly: first, I was amazed at the audacity of some people who were trying vainly to “call” the elk. The pathetic attempts to “speak” elk made me chuckle as I pondered what an elk might think of those people. The second thing that amazed me was the lack of respect some people had in their approach to these animals. Yes, they are beautiful! Yes, they are magnificent! They are also wild and unpredictable! Signs were everywhere telling people to stay on the paths and keep their distance, yet there were a few people roaming through the woods, even attempting to feed the animals. Dangerous...

At any rate, I begin to think that perhaps this is how we treat God. We make our pathetic attempts to speak with the Creator of all things and I sometimes wonder at the audacity of my prayers. Yet God chooses to answer me. Occasionally, I find myself treating God as if he were a lapdog: cute, cuddly, even controllable. I sometimes forget that, in the words of Chris Tomlin, our God is “indescribable, uncontainable, all powerful, untamable, incomparable and unchangeable” and yet God covets our attention. Amazing!

Nonetheless, let us never forget that our God is not to be toyed with. We must always approach the Lord of Life with humility and respect, remembering that the presence of God is, in itself, an act of majestic grace. 

Live in awe of the Almighty in all that you do, remember always just how wonderful and how marvelous our God really is and then pay him homage with all that you are and all that you have.

Prayer for the day:

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! Empower my life to pay homage to you with all that I am and all that I have. Amen.