A Proactive And Productive Search June 30, 2018

Matthew 6:33  (NIV)

33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Seek! That is the focus word in this verse. This word is a robust word, describing a passionate pursuit of something to make it our own. The Kingdom, and the righteousness of those in this Kingdom, is not our wish, our hope, our dream — it is our passion. We will pursue it at all costs. We will pursue it with passion. This will be our consuming effort until we make it our own, or better yet, find it our home!

Thought for today: Do I actively seek God and his purpose in/for my life?

God’s Remembrance June 29, 2018

Psalm 37:28 (NIV)

28 For the Lord loves the just
    and will not forsake his faithful ones.

Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed;
    the offspring of the wicked will perish.

God is committed to his people. He loves justice, and those who pursue it. He will not forget his people, those who seek to honor him by displaying his character in their lives. God has promised that he will honor his promises to his people and preserve them with his protecting power, forever. As God has promised elsewhere, "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you!"

Thought for today: Do I hold God in mutual thought and esteem?

Character Building June 28, 2018

Proverbs 10:6  (NIV)

6 Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
    but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.

Righteousness brings us great blessings. Violence becomes its own vile reward, bringing to those who use it what they have done to others. So what's our choice? Blessing or violence? Encouragement or a foul mouth? So what's the real choice? Letting God define character and not someone else.

Thought for today: Do I consider what builds and shapes my character?

No Fear June 26, 2018

Proverbs 3:25-26  (NIV)

25 Have no fear of sudden disaster
    or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 for the Lord will be at your side
    and will keep your foot from being snared.

What guards your heart from fear? Only one protector is sure and faithful, his name is the LORD. He is our confidence and protector. As Paul said so powerfully long ago, prayer and the Holy Spirit are our assurance of God's deliverance. Either we will be delivered from death to serve God powerfully or we will be delivered through death to share with him in eternity. We will not be snared when our fate and future remain in God's hands!

Thought for today: Do I confess my fears to God or do I pretend that they don’t exist?

Faith With Works June 27, 2018

Matthew 25:37-40  (NIV)

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

When we help those who can't help themselves — those who have gotten themselves in trouble, those who have been falsely accused, those who are facing death — we are helping Jesus himself. What would Jesus do? He would be helping someone find God out of their hopelessness and despair.

Thought for today: Do I show the goodness of my God into action?

No Worries June 25, 2018

Matthew 6:25  (NIV)

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

Food and clothing are some of the biggest worries of our human existence. They have been for centuries. God reminds us, however, that no matter how important these may seem to be in our world, life is really much bigger than these things and God wants us to trust that he will supply them when we trust in him.

Thought for today: Do I know of and trust in God’s supply?

God’s ‘s Plan June 24, 2018

Psalm 73:23-26  (NIV)

23 Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart
    and my portion forever.

In times of confusion, we can take comfort that while we may not understand everything while here on earth (read Psalm 73:1-22), God will be faithful. Everything we have and know here on earth is subject to decay, but our relationship with the LORD is our strength forever. He will not abandon, fail, or forget us.

Though for today: Do I understand the permanence of God’s plan?

The Cross June 23, 2018

Romans 6:23 New International Version (NIV)

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Our sin earns us death. God's grace gives us life. The difference between these two extremes? The Cross of Christ which spans the chasm of our sin and brings us to the mercy, forgiveness, and redemption of God!

Thought for today: Do I fully understand and appreciate the need for and purpose of the cross?

God’s Desires June 22, 2018

Proverbs 18:22  (NIV)

22 He who finds a wife finds what is good
    and receives favor from the Lord.

Several great truths are taught us in the opening chapters of the Bible. First, we are made in God's image, both male and female. Second, we are made to be different (male and female). Third, we are made to bless each other and be complements of one another. Fourth, a husband and wife were made to leave their families of origin and build their lives together (Gen. 1:26-2:25). To find a spouse for life, one created by God in his image, is to find what is truly good and what God truly desires.

Thought for today: Do I understand what God desires of me?

Respecting Elders June 21, 2018

Proverbs 6:20  (NIV)

20 My son, keep your father’s command
    and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

So often today, we discount the wisdom of those who have come before us and who want to share with us the collective wisdom that was handed down to them by their predecessors. Let's be especially attentive over the next few weeks of those who are older and have proven themselves faithful. At the same time, let's remind our children and our grandchildren how important obedience is to God, especially the obedience of children to their parents.

Thoughts for today: Do I respect the lives and lessons of my elders?

Sharing/Giving June 20, 2018

Luke 6:38  (NIV)

38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

God is the God of all grace! (1 Pet. 5:10) He loves to give, bless, and empower. One of God's chosen ways to do these three things is through us; he wants us to be conduits of his blessing. Like the faithful stewards in the parable of the talents (Matt. 25), when we are faithful in generously and faithfully using what he has given us to administer, he blesses us with more to use to help others and bring him glory. As we give, share, and bless, God continues to supply us with more than we can imagine! (see 2 Cor. 9:6-11 & Eph. 3:20-21)

Thought for today: Do I share to my fullest potential?

Blessed Assurance June 19, 2018

Psalm 31:19  (NIV)

19 How abundant are the good things
    that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you bestow in the sight of all,
    on those who take refuge in you.

Out of this psalm which begins in desperation, we find a crescendo of faith. While things may seem bleak, God will not abandon his children. Those who reverence God will not be forgotten. Far from ignoring his children, God has stored up his goodness which he will generously pour out on them to show that they are his. Those who take refuge in him will be protected and blessed. For those on this side of Jesus' resurrection, this promise of blessing and vindication take on added depth and meaning as well as deeper assurance!

Thought for today: Do I KNOW that God will take care of me?

Talk Is Cheap June 18, 2018

1 John 3:18 (NIV)

18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

"Talk is cheap." "Actions speak louder than words." Let's show our love for our family, our friends, and brothers and sisters in Christ by the way we live and what we do for each other.

Thought for today: Does my care and compassion live beyond my words?

To Know Is To Love June 17, 2018

Ephesians 1:17  (NIV)

17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

One of the best things we can pray for each other, and for ourselves, is that we might better know God. The Holy Spirit helps us better know God (1 Cor. 2), worship God (John 4), and speak to God (Rom. 8). Let's ask God to use his Spirit to help us know him, not just know about him. God is not only the Almighty Creator of all things; he is also our Father who cares about us deeply.

Thought for today: What do I truly know about God?

Temptation June 16, 2018

Jeremiah 6:16  (NIV)

16 This is what the Lord says:

“Stand at the crossroads and look;
    ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
    and you will find rest for your souls.
    But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Temptation is a choice between the old path (God's will for us) and a new path provided by Satan. So often Satan's path is presented to us as a shortcut to happiness, prosperity, and accomplishment. However, this path leads us away from God and the blessings he longs to give us. Let's not be like the people of God in Jeremiah's day who refused God's way and said, "We will not walk in it." The outcome of their choice was their own destruction.

Thought for today: Can I recognize and resist temptation ?

God’s Will June 15, 2018

James 4:15  (NIV)

15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

While I like to have choices, and I like to be responsible for my own decisions, I am truly thankful that God allows me to submit my life to his will and place my trust in him. The Father is at work in me to do his will (Phil. 2:13) and to work for my best good (Rom. 8:28). I gladly acknowledge that my plans are subject to his will. I am appreciative that my goals and successes are in his hands. I gladly proclaim that what lies ahead for me can be summarized by one phrase: "If the Lord wills!"

Thought for today: How do I know I am in the will of God?

Separation? June 14, 2018

Romans 8:35-37 New International Version (NIV)

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

More than conquerors! What a great phrase. In Christ, this is who we are: more than conquerors. No hardship, enemy, physical disaster, not even death, can separate us from Jesus. Once our lives are joined to Jesus, our future is tied to him (Col. 3:1-4).

Thought for today: Do I know the power that I possess super powers because of prayer?

Purposeful Offerings June 13, 2018

Romans 6:13  (NIV)

13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.

This long verse boils down to a very simple message: We are to glorify God by what we do with our bodies. We were dead in our sin, but God has made us alive through our participation with Jesus in his saving death, burial, and resurrection. How can we go back to the hideous sins that master us and lead us to death? We shouldn't! We mustn't! And by God's gracious help, we won't. Our commitment to live for his glory and the power of the Holy Spirit will help us live for him!

Thought for today: Do I glorify God with my actions?

Stain Removal June 12, 2018

Psalm 103:12  (NIV)

12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Praise and thank God our Father. He doesn't just forgive our sins; he removes them from us completely!

Thought for today: Do I make confession a regular practice in my life?

Sacred Plans June 11, 2018

Jeremiah 29:11  (NIV)

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah was telling God's people that 70 years after the devastation, God would deliver and restore them. Despite the fact that they had repeatedly abandoned God, he would not abandon them or his promises to them. He would be faithful. In fact, God was planning and preparing a bright future for them. This promise also reminds us that no matter how deep our own personal gloom may seem, God does have plans for us. He will keep his promises to us. He will deliver and bless us. We can have a vibrant hope and a bright future because of his faithfulness and our trust in his Son, Jesus, who delivers us from every foe.

Thought for today: Do I trust God to deliver no matter what my situation looks like?

Fully Clothed June 10, 2018

Isaiah 61:10 New International Version (NIV)

10 I delight greatly in the Lord;
    my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
    and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
    and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

This is God's promise to his people after their Messiah comes with healing and power to bless them with the Lord's favor. In many ways, this is our promise as Christians. We do rejoice greatly because God has delivered us from law, sin, and death through the coming of our Savior and Lord. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, as God's children we are clothed with Christ (Gal. 3:26-27) and given garments of salvation and robes of his righteousness.

Thought for today: Do I allow the clothes “to make the man”?

Cleansing Confession June 9, 2018

1 John 1:9 New International Version (NIV)

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Confessing our sins means that we view our sin the same way that God does — the same revulsion and disdain for them. This kind of confession opens our hearts to the flood of heaven's grace (see Psalm 51). God shares with us the sweet liberation from sin that Jesus purchased at Calvary; our sins are not only forgiven, but we are purified. We are no longer sinners and the stain of that sin is removed as well. We are clean, perfect, and without spot because of God's purifying grace (Col. 1:21-22). Now let's live in a way that is reflective of this incredible gift!

Thought for today: Is confession a consistent part of my prayer life?

Ultimate Humility June 8, 2018

Micah 6:8 New International Version (NIV)

8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God.

Sometimes what we need to do is very simple and plain, isn't it? I need to handle those around me justly — practicing patience and dealing with others in fairness, without partiality. I need to practice mercy — blessing others in need with what they don't deserve but so greatly need. I need to walk humbly with my Abba Father — knowing that without his grace and help I will fail.

Thought for today: Do I show grace and humility when dealing with others?

No Hide, Diligently Seek June 7, 2018

Matthew 7:7 New International Version (NIV)

7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

God wants us to seek his blessings. This is not because he wants to manipulate our lives, but because he longs to bless us and have us know the gifts in our lives come from him. So let's seek his presence, his grace, and his blessing.

Thought for today: Do I seek God or do I diminish/cheapen my blessing as luck?

Totally Trusting June 6, 2018

Proverbs 3:5-6 New International Version (NIV)

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight

Trust. It can't be half-hearted. Either it is full trust or it is clouded with suspicion. So as we face the everyday challenges of life, or as we look for answers in deep and difficult problems, let's put our full trust in the LORD. Let's ask for his wisdom and guidance as we make our choices. Let's give him praise for the good in our life and seek his blessing for the days ahead. Why? Because he longs to bless us with life, both now, and forevermore.

Thought for today: Can I allow my trust/faith to be blind because I know God’s nature?

New Portions June 5, 2018

Psalm 103:5 New International Version (NIV)

5 who satisfies your desires with good things
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

God is a God of renewal and blessing. His desire to renew and bless us is not just a desire to bless us once with our salvation. God desires to bless us daily. His steadfast love is new every morning as he faithfully pours out his blessings (cf. Lam. 3:23). But more than just giving us what we want, he satisfies us with good things. He brings us what we need and what truly fills our emptiness.

Thought for today: Do I know how to appreciate the blessing of being in the moment?

Grace Personified June 4, 2018

Romans 6:3-4 New International Version (NIV)

3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

Baptism is far more than getting wet or checking off another thing on our obedience to do list. You see, what saves is Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection (1 Cor. 15:1-5). God has given us the incredible grace (Rom. 6:1,14,15) of being able to share in Jesus' saving work through faith and experience it in baptism (Gal. 3:26-27). We die to the old way of life and bury it in the past. It no longer holds us. This death is the death that matters most. Raised to a new life, our life is now joined to Christ and his future becomes our own (cf. Col. 3:1-4). The life we now live is to glorify God and to live with him forever. That means the Gospel is not just something preached; it is something we experience by grace.

Thought for today: Does my life reflect my faith in the goodness of God in both good and bad?

Looking Before I Leap June 3, 2018

Proverbs 16:3  (NIV)

3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
    and he will establish your plans.

The real question behind this promise is very simple: How do I define success for my plans? The answer is very simple as well: bringing glory to God for his grace (see Eph. 1:6, 12, 14). Committing our works and plans to God means surrendering them to God's will (James 4:13-15), trusting that God will be glorified in them (Col. 3:17), and recognizing that it is not in our power to properly guide our own steps (Prov. 16:9). God longs to bless us and empower us — not for our own selfish ambition (James 3:16), but for our eternal good (Rom. 8:28) and God's glory. Like Jesus, when we commit our plans and works to the Lord, we are saying, "Not my will, Father, but yours be done!"

Thought for today: Do I seek God before I make decisions?

Love Thy Neighbor June 2, 2018

Galatians 6:2  (NIV)

2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

This is just another way of saying, "Love your neighbor as yourself!" Jesus came to bear our burdens and carry away the stain and pain of our sin. (Read Isaiah 53 for a powerful description of God's Suffering Servant, a passage quoted in the New Testament in reference to Jesus.) He now asks us to live redemptive, in practical ways, toward those around us. More than just praying, or asking what we can do to help, we are called to serve, minister, and assist others who are burdened.

Thought for today: Do I give my all when I help others?

Abusing Grace June 1, 2018

Romans 6:1  (NIV)

6 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?

Grace doesn't mean that we are sloppy with sin. We have died to sin when we surrendered our lives to the Lordship of Christ. We don't want sin, or its power, to have control over us. We don't want to take lightly the awful cost Jesus paid to cover our sin. The apostle Paul uses the strongest language possible ("By no means!" is way too tame a translation: "God forbid!" "Unthinkable!" "Abomination!" would all be much more accurate.) As those saved by grace, we realize that sin is more than breaking a divine command. Sin is making light of Jesus' love for us by choosing our sin over his sacrifice. Sin is rebelling against the Father who paid such a high price to adopt us into his family. Sin is breaking our Father's heart because we are choosing our sin over our love for him. Finally, sin is choosing our own will rather than God; a choice that leads us down a path of self-destruction.

Thought for today: Do I believe that my habitual bad behavior can/will be excused and forgotten with prayer?