Immeasurably More March 31, 2017

Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

What is your biggest dream? God longs to do more than that through you! The real question is whether or not you will believe it, receive it, share it and then give him the glory for it!

Thought for today: Do I trust God to fulfill my dream?

The Love Of God March 30, 2017

Ephesians 3:17-19(NIV)

17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 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, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Paul wants us to be solidly connected to each other in love. More than being able to understand all the unfathomable mysteries of the universe or the deep teachings of Scripture, knowing and sharing the love of Christ enables us to bring God's full blessing to others. While knowledge can be good, love is greater still. While power can be helpful, love is more helpful still. While experience can teach us many things, love teaches us to use what we know to bless. Let's be a people whose lives are lived in the environment of love. (cf. 1 Cor. 13)

Thought for today: Do I seek to know God beyond the physical?

Praying For Others March 29, 2017

Ephesians 3:16-17 (NIV)

16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,

What's the greatest thing we can do to bless those we love in Christ Jesus? What is the most helpful thing we can do when a brother or sister in Christ, or even a whole congregation of God's people is facing a major challenge from the Evil One? What is one of the greatest gifts we can give to our children or our parents as they seek to live for Jesus today? The apostle Paul just showed us. We can ask God to strengthen his people with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in their inner being. Then we can let them know that we have prayed this for them, and that we will continue to pray it until their storm is past.

Thought for today: Do I pray for others?

Intercession March 28, 2017

Romans 8:26-27 (NIV)

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

Most of us will face very difficult circumstances in our lives. When we do, we will likely feel that our prayers just bounce off the ceiling. Our words will seem empty and useless. We can't seem to verbalize what is on our hearts. We feel like our words are ineffective and insufficient. So what do we do? We trust this promise. We go to God in prayer! Even when we don't have words to say, we offer our hearts to him, trusting that the Holy Spirit takes those thoughts, emotions, and inarticulate frustrations to God. The Spirit makes our hearts known to God, interceding for us according to God's will. Even when we don't have words, the Spirit makes our needs known. What a tremendous reassuring grace!

Thought for today: What do I do when I can’t seem to pray?

Godly Suffering March 27, 2017

Romans 8:18 (NIV)

18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Is it worth it? Oh yes! It's more than worth it. We can't begin to imagine the glory God has in store for us. No matter how hard, bad, or painful our trip through this world may be, our future with God holds something incomparably better. Does that mean my difficulties are meaningless or insignificant? Absolutely not! But our future glory with God does mean that it is more than worth it to hang in, to be faithful, and to receive his glorious reward!

Thought for today:  Am I willing to hang on no matter the circumstances if God is directing me to?

Spiritual Connection March 26, 2017

Romans 8:16-17 (NIV)

16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Your Brother died and left you the family inheritance! That's the message here. Because we have God's Spirit, we are God's children. If we are God's children, then we are heirs of all that God has to offer us. We are co-heirs with Christ, whose death made our adoption into God's family possible. So if we have to put up with some hard times or some painful difficulties, we will not despair. We know the time is coming when we will inherit all the blessings of heaven!

Thought for today: Can I patiently wait on God?

None But The Righteous March 25, 2017

Psalm 37:16-17 (NIV)

16 Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked;
17 for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.

What do we want to be the basis of our security? Will it be what we can do, accomplish, achieve, earn, and hoard? Or will it be our God, who has shown himself faithful throughout generations upon generations? We get to choose! So what will be your choice? In what will you find your security?

Thought for today: Am I sure that God can and will?

Precious Memories March 24, 2017

Proverbs 10:7 (NIV)

7 The name of the righteous is used in blessings, but the name of the wicked will rot.

Sometimes the wisdom of God is short, succinct, and sweet for those who seek to do his will. I want my children and grandchildren to remember me with sweet thoughts because their dad, and granddad, sought to be righteous and love the Lord with all his heart. I refuse to live the kind of life that poisons the lives of those I touch and leaves rot in the heritage of my descendants.

Thought for today: How do you want to be known?

Personal Wealth March 23, 2017

Romans 11:33-36 (NIV)

33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?”
36 For from him and through him and for him are all things.
    To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Some things in Scripture don't need commentary, explanations, or elaboration; they just need to be spoken and believed. I encourage you to memorize this short passage of praise and keep it close to your heart, and let it come from your lips during all your times of difficulty as well as times of bounty and blessing.

Thought for today: Do I truly know God?  (not to question faith but to understand how God moves and works)

Wait On The Lord March 22, 2017

Psalm 37:6-7 (NIV)

6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

"Chill out!" we hear heaven say to us. Come into God's presence with dependent, yet confident, patience. But how can we? We know God will do what is right for us over the passage of time. The Bible is God's story (HIS-story); it is the great testimony that he is always faithful to his promises, gracious in his power to redeem, and generous with his love shared with his children. So come into his presence and be willing to be still... and patient... and trusting… and hopeful!

Thought for today: Can I patiently wait on God?

God The Father March 21, 2017

Romans 8:15  (NIV)

15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

How revolutionary. Just as Jesus prayed to God addressing him as "Abba Father," we too can speak so frankly and openly with God. "Ab-ba" are some of the earliest syllables babies spoke. The word "Abba" was used by very young children to speak intimately, respectfully, and openly with their earthly fathers. The Holy Spirit gives us that same privilege as God's children. We can call the Creator of the universe, the Great God of Israel, the Father of all peoples, the Almighty of eternity, Abba! Incredible.

Thought for today: Do I allow God to be a Father in my life?

God Of Eternity March 20, 2017

Isaiah 41:4 (NIV)

4 Who has done this and carried it through, calling forth the generations from the beginning?
I, the Lord—with the first of them and with the last—I am he.”

God is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. This is great comfort for us. We don't have to choose another deity in the course of our lives. We don't have to worry about our Father leaving us as prey for other gods. We don't have to worry about his Word becoming obsolete or outdated. He will be with us always.

Thought for today: Is my faith strong?

Words Worth March 19, 2017

Proverbs 10:21 (NIV)

21 The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of sense.

Righteous people have a way of blessing others with their words. It may be their word of encouragement, their carefully chosen speech, their advice full of wisdom, their message of comfort, their truth in teaching, or their faithfulness to their promises. No matter what form, the words of righteous people are a blessing. But fools don't listen to the righteous. They plot their own course refusing truth, wisdom, and godliness only to find their lives lost to meaninglessness and folly.

Thought for today: Is my word of value?

Commitment March 18, 2017

Psalm 37:5-6 (NIV)

5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.

How much do you trust the Lord? Better yet, how much of yourself have you entrusted to the Lord? We have focused the last several days on the promised blessings the Lord longs to give us. Yet in his wisdom, God has chosen to make the release of many of these blessings dependent upon our trust in him and our asking of him. As long as we grip the steering wheel of our life, it is hard to let God take us in the direction of his blessing and his will. I saw a bumper sticker recently that put it this way: "If God is your co-pilot then you had better switch seats!" Committing our way to the Lord is offering our lives to him to do his work, to receive his blessing, and to know his presence. So what are you waiting for?

Thought for today: Do I give my all?

Spirit Led March 17, 2017

Romans 8:14 (NIV)

14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.

Over the last two weeks we have been blessed to read a number of Scriptures that speak of the Spirit's work in our lives. In the last several days, we've celebrated being God's children. Now the two concepts come together in one glorious declaration: we are God's "sons," his children with full inheritance rights. We have not only been given grace, but we live as his children and enjoy the blessings of his eternal family.

Thought for today: Can I enjoy my blessings?

Baptized In Christ March 16, 2017

Galatians 3:26-27 (NIV)

26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

We are children of God, with all the rights of full heirs! Our faith, expressed in our baptism, declares to the world that we are God's children. We have chosen to be clothed in Christ and his righteousness and not depend on earning our own salvation. He is our salvation and hope. He is our life and strength. He is our older brother and Savior. He is our Lord.

Thought for today: Do I recognize my inheritance in Christ?

Fear Not March 15, 2017

Proverbs 29:25 (NIV)

25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

God's story through the history of his people, Israel, is one of triumph, protection, and faithfulness. God is with us. God cares for us. God hears our prayers. God longs to bless and protect us. God longs to strengthen and uphold us. Let's put our hope in him.

Thought for today: Where do I place my hope?

Trust I The Lord March 14, 2017

Proverbs 29:25 (NIV)

25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

Jesus told us not to fear other human opponents (Lk. 12:4-5). When we try to please others, when we fear what others may say or do to us, we place ourselves in a position of great vulnerability. Our lives no longer remain our own. We become captive to what others think, want, or threaten. We are only to trust the LORD and reverence him. In God is our safety, both now, and forevermore.

Thought for today: Is my faith strong enough for me to trust God over what I see and feel?

Spirit Of The Living God March 13, 2017

Romans 8:11 (NIV)

11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

If we belong to Christ, we know the Spirit of God lives in us (Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 6:19-20). Because of the Spirit's presence, we know that we are eternal! The Spirit is God's down payment guaranteeing that our future is with him (2 Cor. 1:21-22; 2 Cor. 5:5). What's more, even while we're living for Christ now, the Spirit gives us life in our physical bodies as we use them for God's glory (cf. Rom. 12:1).

Thought for today: Can I recognize the Spirit in my life?

Crying Out To God March 12, 2017

1 Chronicles 4:10 (NIV)

10 Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.

When our hearts are tuned to God's will and long to honor him, it is our Father's delight to bless us in mighty ways. So let's first set our hearts to do his will. Then, let's not be afraid to ask God to pour out his blessings on others. Then, let's also share with him the desires of our heart. Finally, let's not be surprised at the ways he blesses us!

Thought for today: Do I share my blessings?

Delight In The Lord March 11, 2017

Psalm 37:4 (NIV)

4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

As my heart delights in God, God's will, and God's purposes, I find an amazing truth at work: when I desire what God wills, God enjoys giving me the desires of my heart. An old hymn used the phrase, "'til I am wholly lost in Thee." When that happens, when our will is yielded to God and our heart delights to honor him, then God is longingly waiting for us to request the desires of our heart so he can bless us!

Thought for today: Do I delight in God?

Fruit Of The Spirit March 10, 2017

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

When the Spirit is alive in our hearts the character of God comes to life in our lives as the Spirit works to conform us ever more closely to the image and the character of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18).

Thought for today: Does my character reflect Christ?

Life In the Spirit March 9, 2017

Romans 8:3-4 (NIV)

3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

When the Spirit lives in us, we don't need a law to guide us. The Spirit produces the character that God desires and that is well beyond what any law would require (cf. Gal. 5:22-23). While the Law can teach us God's will and reveal to us what is sinful, the Law can't fix our sinfulness nor empower us to live according to God's will. The Holy Spirit, on the other hand, can cleanse, transform, empower, and inspire us to be what God calls us to be in ways no law can. Let's thank God for his amazing and wonderful presence in us through his Spirit!

Thought for today: I am led by the Spirit and practice active change or do I follow a set of rules that I bend, fracture and break?

Obedience March 8, 2017

John 14:23 (NIV)

23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

This chapter begins with Jesus promising that he is going back to heaven to prepare a place for us. Now, however, he wants us to know that we don't have to wait until heaven to be in the presence of God. As we love God and obey his Word, God comes and makes his home with us. Isn't it an amazing and gracious thought: God, the Creator of the Universe, the Holy One of Israel lives in me!

Thought for today: Can I recognize when I’m the presence of God?

Witnesses March 7, 2017

Acts 5:32 (NIV)

32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Of all the many gifts God gives, the gift of his presence in us through his Holy Spirit is among the most precious. The Spirit's presence makes us God's temple (1 Cor. 6:19). The Spirit intercedes for us according to the will of God when we pray (Rom. 8:26-27). The Spirit helps us overcome the pull of our flesh (Rom. 8:13-14). The Spirit gives us strength in our inner being (Eph. 3:16). In other words, the Spirit is at work to transform us to the character of Christ. Let's thank God for his holy presence in us through the Holy Spirit.

Thought for today: Does me acting on my will hinder the movement of the Holy Spirit in my life?

Blameless March 6, 2017

Psalm 119:1(NIV)

1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.

As Christians, we hear this passage a little differently than those who lived under the O.T. Law. We recognize that our blamelessness comes as a gift of Jesus' sacrificial death on the Cross. We know we are not justified by keeping the Law, but we are doing our absolute best to walk in the way of the Lord out of thanks for God's glorious grace. There is great blessing in doing the will of God. That blessing is not just in the future, but begins right now.

Thoughts for today: Am I living in my blessing?

No Condemnation March 5, 2017

Romans 8:1-2 (NIV)

8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

The law of Spirit and life is a great liberator! We are set free from the law of sin and death. Death has no mastery over us because of Jesus' resurrection. Sin has no claim on us because Jesus paid off our debt to sin on the Cross. We stand before God as his righteous children, free at last because of the work of our mighty Lord Jesus Christ. There is no condemnation in our future, only glory!

Thought for today: Do I fear death or see it as completion?

Repentance & Baptism March 4, 2017

Acts 2:38 (NIV)

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

A promise for all those everywhere: those who turn their hearts to God and are baptized fully trusting in Jesus as their Lord and Savior will be filled with God's Spirit and will be forgiven of their sins because of the mighty name and gracious work of Jesus Christ. So like the early disciples, let's share this grace so that the world can know that Jesus is not only Lord, he is also Savior and King for all who hear God's call and trust in him.

Thought for today: Have I turned my thoughts to God? How so?

Trust In God March 3, 2017

Psalm 37:3 (NIV)

3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

Having a place of permanence in the middle of life's uncertainties and having the assurance of God's provision are based on two very clear principles: trusting in the LORD and doing good to others. When we live by those two commitments, we learn to depend upon God in fresh new ways that bring us refreshment, hope, and new joy.

Thought for today: Do I allow God’s goodness to flow through me?

No Worries March 2, 2017

Psalm 37:1-2 (NIV)

1 Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.

Frustration and envy... hmmm, isn't that our reaction to those who are evil and yet seem to prosper? We're reminded to not let the apparent and short-lived successes of evil people derail our faith or dampen our spirits. Their victories are temporary, their wealth is like a flower that will wilt, and their life is like the grass which withers and is soon gone.

Thought for today:  Do I give up prematurely when I see others get ahead?

Unfailing Love March 1, 2017

Psalm 143:8 (NIV)

8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.

In nearly every disciple's life, there comes a time of loneliness and doubt. It seems as if our prayer requests just bounce off the ceiling and fall in broken pieces at our feet. God seems distant, hiding, asleep, or unsympathetic to our cries for mercy and help. Thankfully God gives us the Psalms. In the Psalms we can find words for almost all of life's ups and downs. It is nice when we are down to know that others have been there before us and have recovered their faith and vitality. But, there are just some moments in life when we need to have God's reminders of his love and guidance. This psalm, and these words are made for such a time. If the request is not relevant to your need, then please, pray these words for someone else. If, on the other hand, they speak to you then please, pray them for yourself!

Thought for today: Do I allow doubt and loneliness to prevent me from being a leader?