So Fresh & So Clean December 31, 2018

John 3:3 New International Version (NIV)

3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.

"Fast away the old year passes..." But we can be new and fresh and clean (cf. 2 Cor. 4:17). Kingdom people are those who have been born fresh and new through the power of the Spirit and the grace of God (cf. John 3:3-7; Titus 3:3-7; John 1:11). So as we close out the old year, with its good things and bad, achievements and failures, successes and disappointments, let's approach the New Year as Kingdom people. God's mercies are new every morning and our lives can be made new everyday by the Holy Spirit who lives in us. Yes, we have been born again. But each sunrise offers us the opportunity to be made new, to live in a fresh new way, as God's grace rekindles our hopes and the Holy Spirit makes us new as we trust in Jesus our Lord.

Thought for today: What do I expect from God for the New Year and what can He expect from me?

Child Of God December 30, 2018

John 1:12 New International Version (NIV)

12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

Isn't it incredible that we are called children of God!? But that is exactly what we are! (cf. 1 John 3:1-3) We are God's children. Our Father created the universe with its billions and billions of planets. Our Father paints a new sunset every day and chases away the darkness every morning. Our Father not only loves us, but claims us as his own and will bring us to his eternal home. Why? Because we heard his message in Jesus. Because we received his grace offered in his Son. Incredible! Glorious! Grace!

Thought for today: Can I approach the things of God expecting to be awed?

Unwelcomed December 29, 2018

John 1:11 New International Version (NIV)

11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

Jesus came to his own things — the world he had created and the land he had promised his people — and his very own people didn't receive him. Sometimes we are blinded by our desires and dreams for Jesus and we really miss what he wants for us and from us. Let's not let the following be true in our lives. "Jesus came to me, but I wasn't ready to receive him. I had other things I wanted to do and other things I wanted to experience before I fully surrendered my heart to him." Each time we put off surrendering our will to Jesus, each time we push him away as Lord, we allow our hearts to harden and it becomes easier and easier to push him away. Now, while our hearts are still attentive to his grace, let's renew our commitment to him afresh and completely offer him hearts and lives for his glory and grace.

Thought for today:  Am I open to receiving the gospel?

Get The Message December 28, 2018

John 1:18 New International Version (NIV)

18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

Jesus is God's greatest message. He not only proclaims and declares God's love, mercy, and grace, he has made it known. Only Jesus can display God to us fully, for he is one with the Father. Yet when we "see" Jesus ministering in the Gospels, we see God. If we want to know how God feels about us, all we have to do is look at how Jesus ministers to others. If we want to know what God would do for us, we can notice what Jesus does to bless others. Jesus is our window to the Father's heart. So as this year winds down, and as you stand in the afterglow of Christmas, why not make a commitment to get to know Jesus better in this coming year by spending more time with him in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). If you do, you will better know God!

Thought for today: How much time do I spend in the word?

Behold The Glory December 27, 2018

Luke 2:20 New International Version (NIV)

20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Can you imagine the shepherds returning to their flocks after the night they had? They had seen God's glory. They had experienced the presence of angels. They had seen the newborn King, the promised Messiah, the Savior of the world. Even more amazing, it was just as they had been told. As amazing as the angel's words of announcement had been, they were gloriously fulfilled. In addition to all that Jesus was at the moment of his birth, he is also the absolute answer to God's greatest promises and the greatest assurance that God keeps his word. Incredibly, God had chosen shepherds, unnamed to us and unimportant to their peers, to be the witnesses and participants in God's glorious story of salvation. It is our Father's way of reminding us that no matter who we are, Jesus came for us because we are important to him!

Thought for today:  Do I really understand the magnitude of the promised Christ?

The Perfect Gift December 26, 2018

Luke 2:14 New International Version (NIV)

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

There is only one proper response for God's gift of Jesus — our praise and adoration. God's love, grace, favor, blessing, forgiveness, mercy, and salvation come to us through the incredible gift of Jesus. How can we not praise him? How can our hearts remain still and voices remain silent before such an incredible God? They can't, or won't, at least right now! Let's see their refusal as our reminder that we need to reach as many as possible before every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus is Lord to the glory of the Father!

Thought for today: How do I say thank you for any gift?

Lineage December 25, 2018

Luke 2:11 New International Version (NIV)

11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

Look at all this verse tells us. Jesus is a descendant of David, the eternal king of promise. He is Savior of all peoples. He is Christ, the Messiah, the promised hope of Israel. He is Lord, ruler of all creation and master of our lives. The real question is whether we have decided that Jesus means all those things to us today. If he is not your Savior today, why not let him be? And if he is, then with whom do you need to share his grace?

Thought for today:  Do I give much thought to my connection, lineage of believers that lead me to Christ?

Fear Not December 24, 2018

Luke 2:10 New International Version (NIV)

10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.

Don't be afraid! What can cast away all fear in the presence of God's glorious messengers? The joy of knowing that God has come to earth to bring an end to sin and Satan's curse and to bring salvation to all people! Fear must not master our hearts when we know that God has broken through every barrier to reach us with his overwhelming grace.

Thought for today: Do I see my commitment to Christ as a burden ?

Basics Baby Boy December 23, 2018

Luke 2:6-7 New International Version (NIV)

6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Jesus entered our world in the most normal of ways for a child: the time came, his mother gave birth, he was wrapped in soft cloth, and placed in a crib. Only this was the Son of God who was born. His crib was a corncrib where animals ate, not a baby's crib. His room was a stable because there was no room for him. It wasn't just normal; it was common, even below average conditions for his birth. Can you imagine? The Holy God who created everything enters our world as a baby to share our way of life as one of us. Why? He loves us and wants us to come home to him. Incredible! Incredible story. Incredible love. Incredible God!

Thought for today: Do I ever think of the humble beginnings of my Savior?

Flesh & Blood Christ December 22, 2018

Luke 2:4-5 New International Version (NIV)

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

For the next few days, let's journey with Joseph and Mary as they experience the incredible grace of God. These verses give us the basics: they took a trip south from their home, they went to Bethlehem which was King David's city, they were "betrothed" or pledged in marriage but not yet fully married, Mary was pregnant, and they were going there to register with the Roman government. Intrigue and scandal ripple between the lines of this straightforward account. Promise and fulfillment are strongly suggested with the connection. Faithfulness through the midst of storm is demonstrated. A real historical context for everyday people is made with the presence of a Roman census. Scandal, promise, faithfulness, and history collide. Jesus enters our world very much in a place where we find ourselves — a place of hope and dreams marred by scandal and disappointment. He will be a people's Messiah. We know it before he is even born. It makes us love him and appreciate him more. God has chosen to enter our world as one of us, not as some pristine and untouched alien from beyond. This is a Messiah we can reach and follow. This Jesus is one of us.

Thought for today: Do I give much thought to the fact that I serve a flesh and blood God that walked among men?

Stake In My Claim December 21, 2018

Acts 2:21 New International Version (NIV)

21 And everyone who calls
    on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

Call on the name of the Lord! Proclaim him as your risen Lord! Share with him in baptism as the first Christians did. Have God add you to his holy people. Know that Jesus will save you from the corruption that plagues our world and so many of our lives. You see, God sent Jesus to save, redeem, restore, and bless. Share in the joy of that salvation. Don't wait! Today is the day of salvation! Share in it. Rejoice in it. Pass it on to others. Christ our King has come to bring his salvation to all!

Thought for today: Am I aware of God’s sacrifices for me?

You Can’t Do It For Yourself December 20, 2018

Acts 13:38-39 New International Version (NIV)

38 “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39 Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.

Law couldn't do it. Sacrifices couldn't do it. Piety couldn't do it. Religious practices couldn't do it. Only Jesus can bring full forgiveness of sins. Only Jesus can make us fully righteous and holy. Forgiveness and righteousness come through him.

Thought for today: Do I acknowledge my need for God?

Earnestly Seeking December 19, 2018

Psalm 80:19 New International Version (NIV)

19 Restore us, Lord God Almighty;
    make your face shine on us,
    that we may be saved.

In the days of Jesus' birth, there was a group of devout and lowly people who still looked for God's redemption. They knew that salvation could not, and would not, come without great cost — not just to themselves, but also to God. Isaiah had hinted about this in his Servant Songs (see Isaiah 53). They had experienced in their own history. So with honest hearts, they confessed that they didn't have the power to bring salvation and deliverance. This power had to come from God and had to be released to people who were seeking God's transformation in their lives. They needed to ask God for it! They needed to seek his face, his presence, in their daily lives. So must we!

Thought for today: Am I in the practice of seeking righteousness?

Gratitude With Grace December 18, 2018

Proverbs 31:9 New International Version (NIV)

9 Speak up and judge fairly;
    defend the rights of the poor and needy.

"No room in the inn!" "Placed him in a manger!" So often we play favorites with the rich, beautiful, powerful, and prestigious. Isn't it interesting that God revealed himself as the defender of the widow, the orphan, and the alien and then entered the world as the child of a Jewish carpenter and a young virgin from a small town. God wants us to notice those in need around us. He wants it to be more than an annual good gesture at Christmas. He wants us to be advocates for the folks like Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. We're not just told to be fair; we're told to defend and to plead the rights of those in need. When we do, we do it for him (see Matthew 23).

Thought for today: Do I willingly share?

Trouble Don’t Last Always December 17, 2018

2 Corinthians 4:17 New International Version (NIV)

17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

Life can be very tough. Eventually, our body is going to die. In the process of living, we're going to face some very difficult circumstances and going to experience some awful pain. But, as bad as life's hard realities can be, we are headed for an eternal glory beyond our imagining. Life's difficulties simply can't compare to this glory that awaits us. Our pain is temporary. The things that cause our pain are temporary. The treatments, the prescriptions, the therapies, the surgeries, the setbacks are all temporary. All these things that we have seen and experienced are passing. But our eternal glory, our indescribable bliss, that wonderful future that we cannot yet see, is eternal... forever... incorruptible... and reserved for us, God's precious children!

Thought for today: Can I push past the temporary problems to see the permanent solutions?

Sleep Walking December 16, 2018

1 Thessalonians 5:6 New International Version (NIV)

6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake

and sober.

So many sleep walk through life. They never are awake enough to really live. But we are not going to do that with our lives! We are alive because we know Jesus has come and not only brought us life, but he has also showed us how to live. So we are going to be alert. We are going to be self-controlled. We're going to be fully alive, because we know Jesus' return is imminent and our day of salvation and deliverance is near.

Thought for today: Do I live my life mindful of my accountability?

The message December 15, 2018

Romans 14:5 New International Version (NIV)

5 One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind.

Jesus is God's message. It wasn't a message contained in a book or given in a vision, or revealed on a mountain to only a watchful few. No, God's message was human flesh, bone, and blood. God's message came and lived among us. He faced our hardship, got our dirt between his toes, felt our disappointments, struggled with our temptations, suffered our treachery, and bled our blood. Yet living in our world, God's message brought us more than truth; he delivered us from death by God's grace.

Thought for today: Do I always get the message?

Honor Guard December 14, 2018

Romans 14:5 New International Version (NIV)

5 One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind.

So often we let personal preference, peer pressure, and concerns about the celebration of certain days, especially holidays, have a divisive effect on our Christian relationships. Bottom line, we're not to try to press our opinion or position on anyone else. We're not to judge another because he doesn't celebrate a special day to the Lord and we're not to judge another because she does celebrate special days. This is a matter of personal conviction that revolves around our desire to please the Lord and to honor him in ways we feel are appropriate. Let's not be so insecure that we have to do what everyone else does or force anyone else to do as we prefer. Instead, let's remember the right angle to take with all things: honor God with everything we are and to consider the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Thought for today: Do I honor God in my words, thoughts and deeds?

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough December 13, 2018

Romans 8:38-39 New International Version (NIV)

38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Nothing could keep Jesus from coming to save you — not the distance between heaven and earth, not the difficulty of an unexpected pregnancy, not a city fully of travelers and parents tired from a long journey, certainly not a maniacal king who sought to snuff out his life, not jeering mobs crying crucify him, not disciples that abandoned him, not soldiers that mocked him, not a whip that raked his flesh, and not a cross that claimed his physical life. So what makes you think he would let you go or give up on you after his love has captured your heart?

Thought for today: What prevents me from loving?

Thirsty? December 12, 2018

John 4:14 New International Version (NIV)

14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Water! That precious gift for the tired and thirsty. Water! That essential refreshment we all need. Jesus, however, offers water we don't have to carry or purify. No, this is water that wells up within us. This is the water that the Holy Spirit brings us. This is the water that gives us eternal life that starts now and lasts forever!

Thought for today: What quenches my life thirst?

No Condemnation , Only Loving Correction December 11, 2018

John 3:17 New International Version (NIV)

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

God is not the big Scrooge in the sky, critically looking down on his flawed children waiting to condemn those who mess up. Instead, he saw how broken, flawed, and messed up we were and entered our world to save it... to save us. God's purpose in sending Jesus is our life and our salvation.

Thought for today: Am I open to receiving correction?

The Ultimate Sacrifice December 10, 2018

John 3:16 New International Version (NIV)

16 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.

What else is there to say, other than "Praise God!" and "Thank you Jesus!"

Thought for today: Do I respect and honor the sacrifice in my daily life?

The Greatest Blessing December 9, 2018

Psalm 3:8 New International Version (NIV)

8 From the Lord comes deliverance.
    May your blessing be on your people.

Deliverance does come from the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, our Father. So we ask him to bless us with his richest and greatest blessings. But, he has already given his people the very greatest blessing, the gift of his Son. Now if we will only acknowledge and appreciate that blessing.

Thought for today: Do I acknowledge and embrace all of God’s blessings

Grace Covering December 8, 2018

Philippians 2:10-11 New International Version (NIV)

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

I love the fact that I do each day what everyone will one day do: bow before the majesty and proclaim the Lordship of Jesus Christ to honor the Father's glory. How wonderful it is to be able to make that proclamation because of grace rather than in fear at the end of a life that has been spent in what is rebellion, denial, and waste.

Thought for today: What does grace cover in my life?

God’s Glory December 7, 2018

Philippians 2:9 New International Version (NIV)

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,

For Jesus, Graciousness + Guts + Giving + Grit = Glory. Just one of those equations in salvation math that doesn't make much human sense, but from the perspective of faith, it is powerful wisdom. Jesus came to our world because of the graciousness of God. Jesus had the "guts" to leave behind heaven and face the hardships of humanity, and give of himself to serve others. Jesus had the grit to endure the horrors and humiliation of the cross. So God has shared with Jesus his glory and placed him above all others. The apostle Paul wants to remind us that God doesn't forget our sacrifices, our obedience, and our hardships. He does honor them with his pleasure and his glory because Jesus' sacrifice has made us holy!

Thought for today: Do I consider God’s sacrifice and am I willing to imitate Him?

Nothing To Something December 6, 2018

Philippians 2:7-8 New International Version (NIV)

7 rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

Christianity is not for wimps or the faint of heart. Our example is described by words like... "made himself of no reputation" ..."servant" ..."humbled himself" ..."became obedient" ..."death on a cross!" That's tough stuff. And that is our example. The story of the Jesus may begin with a sweet child, but it also begins with him being placed where animals ate their food. While it may be powerful and precious, it is not saccharine and fake sentiment. It is about the price paid to redeem and the people who are different because they know their Redeemer.

Thought for today: Do I embrace humility?

Do Unto Others December 5, 2018

Philippians 2:5-6 New International Version (NIV)

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

Jesus did not hang on to his heavenly glory, but surrendered it to save us. Now he asks us to follow his example and share his heart. He wants us to treat each other as he has treated us, thinking of their needs and God's will before our own. Now that's one revolution I hope I get to see fully happen!

Thought for today: Do my actions reflect the humility of the Christ?

No Apologies, Unashamed December 4, 2018

Romans 1:16 New International Version (NIV)

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

Are you ashamed? Culture tries to make us ashamed about our faith, portraying people of faith as stupid, insensitive, judgmental, and hypocritical. Are you ashamed? Are you willing to share your faith humbly and gently with those who do not know Jesus as their Lord? Are you ashamed? Your hero left heaven to come to earth and risk everything so that you could come home to heaven with him. This Gospel is powerful. This Gospel is transformational. This Gospel, and the salvation it brings, are for all people. So let's not be ashamed; let's be joyous and generous with this incredible gift that we have received.

Thought for today: Do I appreciate the enormity of the gift of the Christ?

A Foretaste December 3, 2018

Matthew 1:22-23 New International Version (NIV)

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”(which means “God with us”).

God had repeatedly promised it. Men, women, and angels had long anticipated it. Now, in Jesus, it happens. God is with us. Jesus is Immanuel. We live on a visited planet, touched by the very presence of God among us. And it was just as the prophets of old had said.

Thought for today: Do I understand the fact that God walked among us?

Divine Expectations December 2, 2018

Matthew 1:21 New International Version (NIV)

21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Jesus. Yeshua. Joshua of the spiritual world. Mary's boy, God's Son, comes to help us tear down the strongholds Satan has built in our lives. He comes to bring peace to our troubled spirits and joy to our nights of despair. He comes to not only minister to us and bless us, he comes to do what no one else could do: he comes to deliver us from our sins, those spiritual blemishes, rebellions, mistakes, transgressions, and sins. Praise God! A deliver who actually conquered what we could not to make us what we are not — pure, perfect, and holy children of God, like him. (cf. Col. 1:21-23)

Thought for today: Do I stop to think about the enormity of what God has been called to do for me?

Holy Birth December 1, 2018

Matthew 1:20 New International Version (NIV)

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

Reassurance beyond understanding! That's the beginning of the Christ story for Joseph. What he cannot understand and what he had no part in creating, will now be the groundbreaking journey of his own faithful and generous heart. He will be the human daddy to the Savior of the world. He will live the rest of his life knowing that a miracle happened with Mary without his input or involvement. His faith, and God's use of him in this story, should awaken each of us to the incredible possibilities that God may have in store for us. Why not use this December to re-awaken your heart to the Holy One, born Jesus of Nazareth.

Thought for today: Do I have to understand in order to utilize my faith to the fullest?