January 30, 2018
Always
Ephesians 4:2
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

This verse is awesome and contains excellent reminders and words to live by. But I do have a problem with one of the words in here and it isn’t patient, gentle or humble; it’s “always.”

Sometimes we reserve our best for strangers and save our “real” selves for our family.  It’s ironic how we can automatically be kind to casual friends, workmates, and acquaintances who aren’t invested in us at all but be quick to blow up at our close family members – the ones who happen love us most. Why is that?

I don’t know why, but I do know that is why this verse begins with the word “always.” We are not meant to have two personalities. I shouldn’t greet friends at church with a warm smile and hug after screaming at my kids for the whole car ride there. I must ask God to help me when I’m stressed, frustrated and disappointed not to take it out on those around me. If I can manage NOT to show this side of me to strangers and casual acquaintances with my finite amount of will power, just think of how much more God will enable me with his unlimited power!

For God is (always) working in you, (always) giving you the desire and the power to (always) do what pleases him. (Philippians 2:13 – I added some words)

Dear God,
Thank you that because of YOU and YOUR generous power and strength available to me, I do NOT have to be two people. Thank you for giving me humility, gentleness, patience and love for everyone, especially for the ones who love me the most. Thank you that you allow me to be like your Son, Jesus, in whose name I pray, amen.

January 29, 2018
It’s Not What You Think
Mark 9:35
He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”

Many people have a false concept of Christianity. They think we are every kind of social phobic there is and that the Bible we read and live by is full of hate speech. They couldn’t be more wrong. If Christians truly hated certain groups of people, why would we ever share the Gospel with them? The Good News could possibly save them from sin, death and eternal punishment! That doesn’t sound like hate and ignorance on the part of Believers, it sounds to me like the unbelieving portion of society are the ignorant ones.

But even the original followers of Jesus didn’t understand what was going on at first. They assumed that being in Jesus’ circle would mean great things for themselves personally.  Jesus had to tell them their purpose and explain to them that He himself (the One who actually IS God) is serving and not being served.

“You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28)

Those who follow Jesus take on HIS purpose:
*Be different.
*Serve others.
*Give up our own lives meaning our own way of living in exchange for living the way HE has shown us in order that MANY will come to him too.

It’s not what you think. The Disciples were not going attain status, power and glory for themselves, and Christians are not an exclusive club of hypocrites and bigots. We are simply living how God directs us to live through his Word and sharing Jesus with others so as many people as possible can be saved from their sins like we have been saved from our sins. And that is something an unloving, ignorant bigot would never ever do.
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Dear God,
Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, to show us how to live and teach us what to do. Help me to be different, serve others, and give up my way of doing things in exchange for yours. Your way is good, kind, merciful and full of love and forgiveness, and I am so thankful and glad to be part of your Eternal Family! I pray today for our loved ones and the loved ones of my Christian friends who have misunderstood or ignored you. Help them turn their hearts toward you and be saved from their sins just like you did for me! I love you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

January 23, 2018
Two Facts
James 1:5
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

There’s 2 facts that immediately pop out at me when I read this familiar passage. First, we need wisdom.  And second, God is generous.

The first one is ironic because we don’t like to admit we need wisdom. We prefer to make our own decisions and clean up our own messes. But God doesn’t intend for us to do that. He isn’t being judgmental in telling us we need wisdom, he’s actually being kind to tell us this because we automatically think we don’t need it. Jesus makes it really clear to us that we don’t need to worry about solving all our own problems when he says, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

And here’s where God’s generosity comes in: Rest in exchange for burdens.  Only someone truly generous at heart would do all the heavy lifting in a relationship without being resentful or sarcastic. In fact, James 1:5 goes on to say that God does NOT make fun of us for asking for help.  He will not rebuke you for asking.

I’m so thankful for God’s generosity towards me. I’m so glad he has pointed out to me that my ideas are not remarkable and I possess no amazing problem solving skill on my own – not to make me feel bad but to help me out. I need his wisdom, and I need his rest. And because of his character, not because I’m so great, he generously gives me both.
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Dear Lord Jesus,
I take you up on your offer to give me rest and to let me learn from you and to take on your burdens which are actually not burdensome at all. I appreciate that you don’t mock our weakness or lord over us. I thank you for your kindness, your gentleness, your forgiveness, your love, and your generosity. I love you and pray in your name, amen.

January 22, 2018
Time for Jesus
Matthew 7:7-8
Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Rob was teaching yesterday at church and spoke about how Jesus invites us to follow him, and then doesn’t make it impossible to do so. EVERYONE who asks receives. EVERYONE who seeks finds. EVERYONE who knocks is invited in! Rob also corresponded the truths in Matthew 7 with Psalm 119:37...

Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; give me life in your ways.

Maybe the reason people don’t receive, find, and enter is because they are asking and seeking and knocking on doors of their own liking and understanding. Our human nature enables us to chase after things that actually do not matter even though they seem so important to us and all the other humans we know (popularity, validation, and financial security to name a few).

But Jesus recommends this for all Believers: Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (Matthew 6:33)

If we look at our professions and pass times as secondary, then we will not be chasing worthless things. If you’re a dentist, be a follower of Jesus who also happens to be a dentist not the other way around. I’m a Believer who also happens to be a wife and a mom. I’m not a housewife who is a Christian on the side; I am a Christian who takes care of her family. We take Jesus with us everywhere we go rather than do all our stuff and then hope there’s time leftover for Jesus.

Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank you for all you do so that you could be with me. Help me not to pursue things that prevent me from being with you and receiving the rich, full life you have planned for me. I love you and thank you and pray in your name, amen.

​January 15, 2018
Teaching From Experience
John 8:31-32
Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Yesterday at church, Rob was teaching from Matthew 4 and pointed out that when Jesus was experiencing temptation in the wilderness for 40 days, he only used the same resources available to us. He didn’t join with any of Satan’s suggestions to seek comfort and survival at all cost. He allowed himself to be tested like a person would be tempted so that I would know that he actually does know I how feel when I feel tired, hungry and desperate.

Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested. (Hebrews 2:18)

So when Jesus says follow me and remain faithful to my teaching, he’s not saying it as mentor with no experience. He’s saying so as one with experience who mentors.

When I worked as an elementary school teacher, I could recognize instantly an administrator who was formerly a classroom teacher compared to one who never taught in a classroom. I would appreciate and value advice and constructive criticism from the former but not the latter. One has been in my professional shoes and the other has not. What good is advice, suggestions and comments from a person who has no idea or concept of my professional experience?

Jesus has my experience and then also offers me his! He combats temptation by accurately quoting scripture, so I can too. (Matthew 4) He taught what is right, trustworthy and good because he teaches the Word of God. But he also taught from personal experience, so he himself is right, trustworthy and good!
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Lord Jesus,
Thank you for all of your experiences so that you could identify with mine. Thank you for truly knowing what I need every day and teaching me to be quieted, content and thankful. Thank you that you identify with me and graciously allow me to be able to identify with YOU and experience your amazing joy, peace and comfort that is never dependent upon my personal comfort or circumstances. You are great and greatly to be praised, and I love you and thank you and pray in your name, amen.

January 11, 2018
Our Great Rescuer
Psalm 118:5
In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free.

We usually feel “free” when a certain circumstance is finally over. A person could be stressed over unemployment, illness, or debt, and then feel a tremendous burden lifted when they get a job, a cure, or a ledger in the black. But, people typically have more than one thing that stresses them out, so waiting for one circumstance to change won’t alleviate the stress we have in other areas. That’s where we do the best we can to mask it with drugs & alcohol, toxic relationships, overworking, or irresponsible spending. We are well aware that these distractions will only create more stress down the road, yet we willingly do them anyway.

But God is so considerate that he sets us free with an actual physical feeling of a burden being lifted off our shoulders and a pit being removed from our tummies even if our circumstances don’t change. I know this not only from God’s Word but also from personal experience.

From a Christian who tried to fix her own messes, I highly encourage everyone to pray instead. Just simply tell God what you’re worried about, and when you worry about it 5 minutes later, tell him again. Take God with you everywhere you go in the form of millions of tiny conversations, singing worship songs in your head, and recalling scriptures (even paraphrased) that you know.  I can’t tell you when it will happen our where you’ll be when it does, but he will set you free. And you will feel free even if your circumstances haven’t changed, because you’ll remember that you already ARE free! 

If the Son sets you free, you are truly free. (John 8:36)

When we realize that God didn’t send his Son to rescue us from the scariest  and most distressful thing  possible (facing punishment and death) in order for us to be stressed out by something else, we gain a healthy perspective about our worries and a meaningful prayer life, and our attention shifts from our great troubles to our Great Rescuer!
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Dear God,
Thank you for rescuing me from sin and death, and rescuing me every day ever since – even from things I haven’t yet realized you’ve rescued me from. You are so thoughtful and kind to allow me to live freely and FEEL free. Thank you that Believers are not defined by our various circumstances; we are defined by your wonderful Son, Jesus, who has made us free, and I pray in his name, amen.

January 10, 2018
Thoughts on Holiness
1 Peter 1:15-16
But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

I don’t think any Believer reads this instruction and asks, “Why?” I think we read it and ask, “How?” You must be holy because I am holy... But God already IS holy. How am I to get that way?

The wonderful answer is that God doesn’t expect us to develop holiness ourselves. He expects us to trust and believe in his Son, Jesus. Our holiness is Jesus. The only way for me to be holy is to have Jesus’ holiness. Jesus simply makes us holy because of who he is. The only way to be holy in everything I do is to have Jesus with me in everything I do. I cannot respond to a holy God with holiness; that means I can’t respond to him without Jesus.

1 Corinthians 6:9 explains how we “got” holy...

But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

There’s nothing we do to “get” holy; believing in Jesus makes us that way. And following Jesus for life keeps us that way.

Ok, so I didn’t make myself holy, but because I have been made holy, how does a holy person live?  Pastor Rick Warren points out that “mature” people live life by their commitments not their feelings. And holy people do too.

“The difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is that successful people are willing to do what unsuccessful people don’t feel like doing. They develop habits. They stay committed...If the only time I pray and read my Bible is when I feel like it, the Devil makes sure I never feel like it.” (Rick Warren, Daily Hope 1-2-18)
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Dear God,
Thank you for being holy. Thank you for making me holy through your Son. Thank you for not requiring me to make myself holy because we both know me well and know that would be impossible. Thank you that I am qualified to enter into your kingdom and your goodness and a relationship with you because of faith. I believe in your Son, Jesus, who died for my sins, forgiven me, restored me to you and made me holy. Help me to live today by these firm convictions and not by my feelings. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

January 9, 2018
Small Bite Sizes of Life
Matthew 6:34
So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

I’ve tried many times to simplify my life. Only looking at today’s agenda and even breaking that up in to sections of the day ease the feeling of being overwhelmed or easily distracted. “Be where you are” and “You have what you need for right now” are my personal little mantras, and they are biblical. Today’s trouble (today’s schedule) really is enough for today. But because I do keep a calendar, and because I do like being prepared, it is easy to get swept away with trying to tackle tomorrow’s tasks today. If I do that, I shouldn’t be surprised by the frustration, worry and anxiety that follows.

God really does give me what I need every day. He’s consistently faithful to make sure I have what I need the moment I need it. Give us this day our daily bread. Check. And forgive us our debts... check... as we forgive our debtors. This one seems tricky as I often can’t pre-picture kindness towards a person who has wronged me, but I have never known God to forget to fill me with mercy and love for others when I’ve needed it. So, check.

Worry comes when I forecast what I need ahead of the time that I need it. That’s why Jesus says not to do that.
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Dear God,
Thank you for who you are. You are my Great Provider! Thank you for teaching me about worry and for requiring me only to take small bites of life at a time. Thank you for helping me manage my time, and thank you for never neglecting to give me and my family exactly what we need when we it. Help me to be where I am today instead of projecting about tomorrow, and help me be content with what I have. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

​January 2, 2018
Wise Living
Psalm 90:12
Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.

Wasting time isn’t wise; that’s lesson #1. Life is short, so is the lesson!

Here’s what Proverbs 3 says about wisdom...

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
Then you will have healing for your body
and strength for your bones.
Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with the best part of everything you produce.
Then he will fill your barns with grain,
and your vats will overflow with good wine.
My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline,
and don’t be upset when he corrects you.
For the Lord corrects those he loves,
just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.
Joyful is the person who finds wisdom,
the one who gains understanding.
For wisdom is more profitable than silver,
and her wages are better than gold.
Wisdom is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.
She offers you long life in her right hand,
and riches and honor in her left.
She will guide you down delightful paths;
all her ways are satisfying.
Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
happy are those who hold her tightly.
(Proverbs 3:5-18)

Did you notice that wisdom is a tree of life and it offers you long life in her right hand? Isn’t that God’s brand of irony? It’s wise to know that life is short, but a wise person is blessed with long life. Whoa! And we know that the wisest thing a person could ever do is believe in Jesus and be blessed with eternal life!

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17

Dear God,
Thank you for wisdom, thank you for life, thank you for godliness, and thank you for your Son, Jesus, who leads us to all of these things and in whose name I pray, amen.

   

​January 1, 2018
Bring on the New
2 Corinthians 5:17
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

Lots of people just received a new coffee pot, a new bike, and even new socks that were wrapped with great anticipation and expectation and placed under a Christmas Tree. We are all enjoying new things today that we received last week. New things we didn’t have before given to us by people who love us and want good things for our lives.

The parallel I’m about to make is so obvious that I won’t even state it except to say... I LOVE NEW THINGS! I’m still using the coffee pot I got last year, I love riding my bike that was bought for me in love and I am currently wearing the last pair of fuzzy socks that my daughter was able to score from Target for me with warm, cozy joy! I also LOVE knowing that every day with Jesus is also NEW. It’s a new day that hasn’t happened before full of new opportunities for me to act and respond to the world at large with love, hope and godliness. Forget all that I did wrong yesterday, last month, and last year. “The old life is gone.” The only one who can make me dwell on any of it is ME.

I LOVE NEW! And I’m so thankful for all the newness God brings to my life and heart not only every new year but even every single new day. Good NEWS!

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. Lamentations 3:22-23

This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Dear God,
Thank you for new things that have served to remind me of how you make things new and good in my life every single day. Thank you for the hope, love, forgiveness and grace that you shower me with so I can practice showering it on others as generously as you share it with me. Help me embrace being a new person every single day this year. I love you so much and thank you for your Son, Jesus, in whose name I pray, amen.
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-Janys Murphy
gettheWordout