27 September 2017
Rinse & Repeat
Matthew 6:33
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Seek. Live. Receive.

Seek...
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)
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For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:8)

Live...
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

For to me, living means living for Christ... (Philippians 1:21)

Receive...
When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.  Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! (Matthew 6:7-8)

So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. (Luke 11:13)

Rinse & Repeat... (as in do it over and over again!)
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)  
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Dear God,
I am so glad you provide everything I need for today, not only spiritually but also always physically too. Thank you for knowing what I need before I even ask for it and for never withholding a single good thing from me. I love you so much and thank you in Jesus name, amen.

​19 September 2017
Sentence Enhancers
Ephesians 4:29
Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

Don’t use foul or abusive language... Abusive language doesn’t ever help make a point; it only makes the hearer defensive and mad. What is trying to be conveyed won’t be received because of the intimidating words being used. And foul language is usually mixed in with abusive talk for effect, but the only effect it has is only to further alienate the listener from the speaker. So if the speaker is trying to make an appeal, even if it’s a good one, it will only come across as angry when all that is used is some fightin’ words.


​Spongebob Squarepants mistook foul language for “sentences enhancers.” It’s funny because ever since Eddie Murphy and lots of other comedians and entertainers started raising the profanity bar by using curse words as adjectives, and adverbs, and all sorts of parts of speech they weren’t previously used for, these “sentence enhancers” have now become part of society’s daily lexicon. Foul language is present all the time now in pubic, on tv at any hour now, movies, books, and pretty much everywhere; there is little escape from it. Swear words are not only reserved for abusive speech anymore. They are everywhere now, even in my own mouth.
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​But the book of Ephesians gives great and important reminders that foul language isn’t for me. Not only will it never help me “enhance” a point, it’s simply unbecoming for a Follower of Jesus. This Ephesians passage is at the tail end of chapter 4, and Paul is going to elaborate on this idea even more in the next chapter with the following:
*Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ.
*Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.
*Don’t fool yourself into thinking you can excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.
*Don’t participate in the things these people do.
*Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.
*It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.
*The Light makes everything visible, so don’t waste your life.
(Ephesians 5:1-14 paraphrased)

Paraphrased scripture is a much better addition to my speech than those all too common “sentence enhancers” that fail to enhance anything at all!
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Dear God,
Help me to watch what I say. Immorality and swear words are everywhere these days. I can hear it even in my own house when my neighbors are yelling at each other in their backyard. There is literally no escape. I’m so thankful that you can protect my heart and mind as well as help me be vigilant about not joining in with the culture of the day where “sentence enhancer” are just so common now. I do want to live a life filled with love, simply speaking truth, and not talking about shameful things or wasting words. I love you and thank you for your ways, and I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

15 September 2017
Trusting in God’s Love
1 John 4:16
We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.

I clipped this note from David Guzik’s commentary from 1 John 4 about human responses to God’s love...
1. Some respond with a sense of self-superiority (“I’m so great, even God loves me!”).
2. Some respond with doubt (“Can God really love even me?”).
3. Some respond with wickedness (“God loves me, so I can do what I want”).
4. God wants us to respond by knowing (by experience) and believing the love God has for us.

The first 3 responses hinge on what the person does. The last reaction hinges on reflecting what God has done. So, of course, the last response best for our hearts. But how do we address the first 3 when we come across people who mistakenly have these responses to God’s love?

1. I’m so great, even God loves me! Believers know this is an unbecoming thought for one who follows Jesus. Romans 3:10-12 clearly points out that no one is righteous, and no one does good, not a single one. That’s why we need Jesus in the first place. Only believing in him is how God declared that a person is righteous and good.

But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
(Romans 3:21-24)

2. Can God really love even me? Yes! Some people who live with regret and shame, or who were raised by unforgiving parents struggle with God’s love and acceptance. But 1 John 3:18-20 assures us he loves us unconditionally, because no matter how we feel inside, God is bigger than those strong feelings!

Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.

3. God loves me, so I can do what I want. Paul answers this statement with a question: Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Believers must consider themselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus... Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.
(Romans 6:1-2,11&13)

4. God wants us to respond by knowing (by experience) and believing the love God has for us. Believers live with what Jesus’ friend, John, calls eager expectation, and that is how we accurately live in God’s love, because we confidently expect him to do what he promises!

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.
(1 John 3:1-3)
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Dear God,
Thank you that I know what love is because you invented it and chose to share it with me. You love me just how I am, and I am so thankful that I didn’t have to jump through any arbitrary hoops to receive your love. I’ve enjoyed reflecting on your love this morning and the fact that I can confidently trust your love! I love you so much, and I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

​13 September 2017
Being Compassionate
1 Peter 3:8
Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.

I love clear directions from Scripture. I actually do need to be told to be compassionate and humble because, honestly, it doesn’t come naturally. We think these things come naturally because we collectively experience bursts of them. For example, right now everyone in the country is sending money, supplies, and well wishes to hurricane victims, there isn’t anyone who isn’t teary-eyed at famine relief commercials, and on 9/11 we were all New Yorkers. Basically, during any major crisis collective compassion seeps out, but it’s because these catastrophic events could happen anywhere to anyone, we relate to the suffering we see because it could’ve happened to us. But what about being compassionate toward someone that has absolutely nothing to do with me?

There are some unattractive people out there with some unattractive lives. I typically do not put myself in their shoes because I don’t relate to them and have made none of the life choices they have. I don’t have sympathy or empathy for them because I don’t do what they do. But they still need compassion, don’t they? There’s people who have mistreated me and my family; it’s easy to just write them off. But they still need compassion, don’t they? I’m not encouraging indulgence, just compassion.  Compassion means encouraging the struggling to follow Jesus more and more. Compassion means I don’t want anyone to die in their sins no matter how badly they’ve wronged me or someone I love. Compassion has nothing to do with me or putting myself in someone else’s shoes. Compassion has everything to do with being concerned for others even when their concerns are not mine.

When Jesus heard what had happened (His cousin, John the Baptist, had just died), he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
(Matthew 14:13-14)

Dear God,
I want to be just like your Son, Jesus, who is compassionate to all. Help me not to be compassionate only when I have empathy and sympathy but all the time. Help me to truly be concerned for others like you’ve instructed and like Jesus is all the time, and it is in his name I pray, amen.
  

​11 September 2017
Something from Nothing
Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV)
I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

This is an appropriate verse for today considering it’s the memorial day of September 11th. When unexpected, dramatic, intense tragedy strikes, what can we do? Answer: Nothing. There are some problems that are just to huge. Trusting others to intervene, even our big, bold US government, certainly doesn’t help like it should. We seem to be in more danger today than the day of the initial tragedy after the government got involved. Honestly, that makes us feel even more helpless, doesn’t it? When people put their hope in something that fails to deliver, we actually feel worse than before.

But those who bypass all the strength of the world and put their hope in the One, True, Living God don’t live in a state of helplessness. We are not surprised by tragedy because Jesus told us to expect it.

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.
(John 16:33)

And when we are overwhelmed by threats to our safety, underemployment, bad medical test results, relationships gone wrong, unsaved family members and even catastrophic weather, we only have one option: Trust God. It sounds so Christiany and even ridiculous to say that, but it’s true. He can provide and protect like no other because of how he is described – The Maker of Heaven and Earth.

When God made the heavens and the earth, he used no pre-existing materials. He is the only One who can make something from nothing. And he still does. He shields us from our enemies, puts food on our table even when there’s no money in the bank, sustains us in our illnesses, changes hearts and minds of people we thought would be lost forever, and replaces, restores, and rebuilds more than just material items after a horrible storm.

Praise the Lord! For he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.
(Psalm 28:6-7)
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Dear God,
It is a relief to pray to you when I think about my family and friends in harm’s way of hurricane weather right now. I can’t do anything about from all the way over here; even if I send money, you can make sure it gets to someone who needs it. I get overwhelmed when I think of how our government handles its duties, overwhelmed when I think of my friends who are sick, mistreated, and unsaved. But you are not overwhelmed by any of these things, and that makes me glad. You use all our tragedies as opportunities for us to pray, trust you, and tell others that you still make something out of nothing. Thank you for being the Maker of Heaven and Earth, and I pray in your Son’s name according to your good will, amen.

​8 September 2017
My Mentor
Psalm 143:10
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.

People choose their mentors. If someone is pursuing business they will find a successful person in that field to learn from and imitate. Same is true for most professions. People will even seek out mentors in order to improve their relationships too. A young woman might want to spend time with someone who is a wife and mom to see what that life looks like as she enters those phases for herself. A person seeking a mentor is looking for someone specific, not just any ol’ mentor will do.

Jesus is my mentor. That sounds obnoxiously super spiritual, but I’m serious. I’ve thought this out carefully and I want to learn from him and imitate him on purpose. I want to learn to do the things that will make me more like him. 

God chose for everyone who is a Believer to be like Jesus...
For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. (Romans 8:29-30)

God intends for all Believers to be like his Son, Jesus. But I’ve known some people who have a hard time accepting this gracious truth, and it impacts their faith immensely. Jesus is the mentor God gives, but he is also the mentor I choose; I really do want to be just like him, and I’m so glad he not only shows me but also helps me in my pursuit.

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
(Philippians 2:13)
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Dear God,
Thank you for your Son, my Mentor, my Savior, my Guide, and my Friend. Thank you for enabling me to learn from him and imitate him, and help me to do this more and more. I appreciate your gracious gift of a perfect mentor and I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

7 September 2017
Don’t Show Your Thong Anymore
Colossians 1:28
So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ.
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We’re not saved by what we do; that’s obvious. God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8). However, how will anyone know we belong to Christ if there is not obvious change in who we are and what we do?

Romans 10:14-15 not only applies to telling people about Jesus but also about the discipleship that follows...
But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!

So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ... There are things that are unbecoming for a Believer to say, do, and wear, and unbecoming places for them to go because we represent Jesus. We don’t shun people who do certain things; we reach out to them and share Jesus with them, but we don’t share in the behavior anymore.

For example, several years back a new family began attending our church. They were coming out of druggie lifestyles, and they were so excited to follow Jesus. The wife, however, needed to gently be taken aside after a few weeks when we noticed she kept accidentally exposing her undergarments during the greeting time because of her very short skirts. Now, wearing shorts (super short) skirts doesn’t mean a person is evil at all, but if you have a new heart and a new life because of Jesus then THAT is what you want people to see in you not your fancy, sexy, lacy thong. We want people to see Jesus in us so they can have HIM too! Furthermore, we want to keep learning more and more about him, and encourage other Believers to do the same, so our relationship with him keeps growing and grows into perfection.
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Dear God,
Thank you for the Good News that saves me and for the continuous journey that furthers my relationship with you. Thank you for loving me just like I am, and for showing me places in my life where I can be more like your Son, Jesus, in whose name I pray, amen.