Thought of the Day !!

...take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:17b (NLT)

In reading through my Spiritual Formation Bible this morning I came across a few pages of quotes. I'd like to share a few.

"Let no day pass by without reading some portion of the sacred Scriptures and giving some space to meditation; for nothing feeds the soul so well as those sacred studies do." - Theonas of Alexandria

"Scripture is like a river, broad and deep, shallow enough here for the lamb to go wading, but deep enough there for the elephant to swim." - Gregory the Great (540-604)

"Even when carrying out needful tasks, keep meditating inwardly and praying. Thus you can grasp the depths of divine Scripture and the power hidden in it, and 'pray without ceasing.'" - Abba Philimon (Late Sixth Century?)

"Reading seeks for the sweetness of a blessed life, meditation perceives it, prayer asks for it, contemplation tastes it." - Guigo II (1188)

As you read these, see if one speaks to you and think about it today as you seek how it can make your life of reading the Word of God more meaningful.

I'd love to hear which one you see as helpful. If there is one, leave me a note letting me know. Personally, I like the fact that God's word is shallow enough for the lamb to be able to wade through (being such that children and explorers can understand) while deep enough for the elephant to swim in (being such that we will never quit learning and growing).

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD -- and he will repay you!
Proverbs 19:17 (NLT)

Who are the poor around you?

What do they need?

What can you give?

Did you realize that every time you give to someone who is poor, or in need, you are lending what you give to God? Jesus said in the Gospel of Matthew that whenever we do unto the least, we do unto Him. So be blessed as you show kindness to those less fortunate while at the same time giving back a little to the one who's done so much for you.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.
Galatians 6:9 (NLT)

Sometimes we just need to be reminded not to get discouraged. It can be so easy at times when nothing seems to go right. I've surely had those days/weeks. But the truth is that God is with us whether or not we can feel his presence. When things aren't going right, it might just be then that we're hanging on only because he's holding us up. And even though we may seem to be getting nothing accomplished or no rewards for our service, remember that Jesus said that we are storing up treasures in Heaven. And there's nothing here on this earth that can compare to those treasures to come.

May we all be kept strong. And may we all stay the course of Jesus. And may we all keep our eyes on the rewards of the future when there's nothing but dismay in the present. And may all these come through the work of God's mighty Holy Spirit.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Let me hear of your unfailing love to me in the morning, for I am trusting you [God]. Show me where to walk, for I have come to you in prayer.
Psalms 143:8 (NLT)

Could there be any better way to begin each morning than for us to listen for God to speak to us? The more we pray and open our eyes, ears and hearts to what God has to say to us, the more we will receive. For God's love is truly unfailing. Our God does desire to share with us his blessings.

So begin each day with the Lord, and spend the rest of the day alert to where he might be speaking to or sharing with you. As we do this, we will come to realize just how much God does for us. And we learn how to place our trust in him for every detail of our lives.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
Matthew 5:13

William Barclay once wrote that "Christianity is to life, what salt is to food. Christianity flavors life."

Of course...that is only when Christians have not lost their flavor. How many Christians do you know that have poor attitudes or are always negative? How many Christians do you know that have taken on the look of the world because they're so caught up in it, and therefore look no different from non-Christians? How many Christians do you know that say one thing and then do another, coming off as hypocrites to nonbelievers?

How about you? Are you a flavorful Christian, or has your salt lost its flavor? It's time that we become the people we were meant to be and flavor the world by sharing Christ's joy and love with it. Where can you be a salty Christian today?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord's feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, "Lord, doesn't it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me."

But the Lord said to her, "My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her."
Luke 10:38-42 (NLT)

There’s an old story about a factory in the Soviet Union. It seems that there had been a lot of petty theft, so they hired a guard and placed him at the entrance of the factory. This particular guard new all the workers quite well. And so when a man named Petrovich came out with a wheelbarrow that had a bulky sack in it, the guard said, “All right Petrovich, what have you got there?”

Petrovich replied, “Oh, just sawdust and shavings.”

“Oh come on now. I wasn’t born yesterday,” said the guard. And he made Petrovich start to empty the bag. Sure enough, all that was there was sawdust. So he let him put it back in and go on.

Well this went on for a week. And the guard, frustrated, finally told old Petrovich, “OK Petrovich, I know you. You’re as crocked as they come. I know you’re stealing something from the factory by carrying out these bags every night. You tell me what you’re stealing, and I promise I won’t turn you in. But I just have to know.”

So Petrovich, who knew that guard was a man of his word, said, “OK, you’re right. I have been stealing from the company.”

The guard asked again, “What is it then?”

And to this Petrovich replied, “Wheelbarrows.”

The guard was so preoccupied, or distracted by what was in the sacks, that he failed to see that Petrovich kept taking home wheelbarrows.

Martha was distracted by work, that while was not unimportant, was also not a priority at the time. She was distracted by her many tasks. And this upset her, and led her to tell Jesus what he should do. “Tell her (Mary) to help me.”

Jesus' reply is that that Mary has chosen her priority. And this priority is Jesus. Even the most important things of this world fail in comparison to growing our relationship with Christ. So let us not become so distracted by anything in this life that we lose focus of what's truly most important.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1 (NRSV)

I wonder how many people go to churches every week that don’t have this assurance. I'm talking about the people who come every week, but honestly don’t know if it makes a difference or not.

Faith is a gift. It’s truly believing the unbelievable. It’s God’s assurance that what we believe is true. And this comes to us when we ask for it.

John Wesley was having problems with his faith once, and he was about to give up preaching. But after asking a mentor about it, he was given this advice. Preach faith until you got it. And when you get it, you'll preach it because you got it.

If you don’t have that assurance deep down in your heart that Christ died to save even you…pray and ask for it. Prayerfully read your bible. Pray until you got it. Then when you get it, pray because you got it.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

When [Jesus] had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish."

"Master," Simon replied, "we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing. But if you say so, I'll let the nets down again." And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear!
Luke 5:4-6 (NLT)

Simon (or Peter) and the guys have been out all night fishing. They knew what they were doing. They weren’t amateurs. They fished for a living. But there was just no fish to be found this evening. They had failed miserably at their task.

Jesus tells Simon to go out into the deep water, and go fishing. Simon tells Jesus that there’s nothing to be caught. Maybe then there's a pause. And then he says “Well, ok, if you say so. We will do what you say.” And a miracle happens……

How often have you gotten discouraged by failure? Maybe it was a failed business…maybe a failed marriage…maybe a failure in school or in raising kids…maybe a health that has failed you.

How have you handled it? Have you given up and become defeated. Do you live in the past, all the while becoming bitter. Or do you pick yourself up, dust yourself off and commit yourself to moving forward?

Giving up on life only leads to depression, sour moods and ultimately a bleak existence. Living in the past with bitterness and unforgiveness only leads to unhappiness. But moving forward with the help of Jesus, will lead to life…to victory over any defeats that may come our way. But moving forward takes commitment. It’s a commitment not to give up. May we all commit to never giving up.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
John 10:10 (NRSV)

I remember few Greek words from seminary. I always figured I'd have Bible dictionaries and commentaries to point out what the original Greek meant when I needed to know. But one of the words I hope I will never forget Dr. Minor teaching me is Zoe (Zoe-EE). This is the Greek word used in the Gospel of John for life. What is so important about this word is that it doesn't mean the kind of life that exists through our hearts beating and oxygen flowing in and out of our lungs. It means living with purpose, meaning, and even pizazz. (I believe that the word Dr. Minor used was "ummphh".)

As I was reading Maxi Dunnam's book Irresistible Invitation this morning, I came across these words that continued the definition of Zoe life for me. He writes that he pondered life and that this is what came up.

"It looks like acceptance experienced by a despised tax collector. It looks like forgiveness experienced by a woman who had sold her body and was about to be stoned by those who didn't understand such forgiveness. It looks like new meaning for a person estranged from her community, who comes to the well at midday to find a mysterious young Jew who tells her about the refreshing waters of eternal life. It looks like healing for a man possessed by forces that drive him to dwell among the tombs, but has his mind put at ease as his disease is eradicated. It looks like comfort and hope for two women who are helplessly crying because their beloved brother is in the tomb. It looks like hungry men sharing some loaves and fishes on a hillside, like human need of all kinds being met, the lame leaping for joy, the blind receiving sight, the deaf hearing, captives released, the dead brought to life again." - (Irresistible Invitation, pg 95)

Is this how you see life, or is your life simply about getting up every day, doing your routine, maybe having a little fun from time to time, keeping that heart beating and that oxygen flowing?

If your desire is for Dr. Minor's and Maxie Dunnam's description of life, then you're in luck. It can be had. Simply ask, seek and listen for Christ to share this kind of life with you. Then go out and live it. Do your part in making your own life meaningful by making others' lives meaningful at the same time.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:10-12 (NLT)

Going into battle, you must know who your enemy is. If you go onto the battle field and you don’t know the difference between your guys and the enemies…you’ll be in trouble. It’s very important to know who you are supposed to be fighting. This is part of what Paul is trying to stress to us in today’s scripture.

Part of seeing who our enemy is, is understanding who he isn't. Paul tells us that the enemy is not flesh and blood. In other words, the enemy is not human.

We look at people like Saddam Hussein or Osama Bin Laden and say that they are enemies. The same was once said about Hitler and many others. These are some of the terrible human beings that wanted to do great harm to others.

Maybe you have people in your own life who have harmed you, taken advantage of you or abused you, and you see them as your enemies. The truth is...our enemies don’t come in human form according to Paul. You might say, “But wait, that guy is pure evil…or that woman is just mean.” But if we can look at things from Paul’s point of view…who by the way was heavily influenced by Jesus’ point of view…we’ll see that there is evil in this world. And it's the evil in this world that's really our enemy.

People make choices. Some people make terrible choices. They choose darkness over light. They choose evil over good. Ultimately, they choose Satan over God. And these people must be punished for these terrible choices. But the truth is that God still loves them. He created every human being in His image. He created each person to love. Many ignore this and allow the enemy (the devil...the tempter...the Father of Liars) to influence them.

So remember, even though people must be punished for the wrong that they do, the true enemy is the evil behind what tempts them to do the things they do. And one more thing, this same enemy that works on serial killers, mass murderers, rapists and thieves is also trying to undo your relationship with your Father in Heaven. So stay in tune with God and stand behind the blood of Jesus.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
Deuteronomy 11:18 (NIV)

To truly be changed by God's Word, we must earnestly and honestly engage it regularly. When we do this, understanding will come, and our hearts will be changed.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you."
Joshua 3:5 (NIV)

Joshua wanted the people to prepare themselves for a sacred event that was about to happen. They were about to cross over the Jordan River into the Promised Land. They had been wandering in the Wilderness for 40 years, and now was the time for something special to happen. They were about to take the land that was to be their inheritance.

If you knew that tomorrow God was going to perform some sacred event around you, would you do anything special to ready yourself? Would your prayers be more plentiful...more penitent...more sincere? Do you think that you'd clean up some things that had gotten out of hand in your life by apologizing or forgiving? If God asked you to consecrate yourself for the "Big Event" (whatever that might be), what would you do?

Tomorrow could be the day that God performs a sacred event in your life. It could be the day that brings you to a crossroads. It could be the day that He blesses you with something special or gives you a specific calling that will change your life. It could even be the biggest of events...the day that Jesus comes back. As Christians we believe that Jesus not only died and was resurrected, but that He will come again in glory. Tomorrow could be that day! Who knows?

Since we don't actually know if tomorrow will bring a sacred event or not, maybe the lesson for us is to simply consecrate ourselves, or ready ourselves, for whatever God might decide to do in our lives. It might be HUGE! And it might be small. But anything that God does is important. So let us ready ourselves for God, expecting Him to do something each day. And if we do this...He just might exceed our expectations.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

May those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me, O LORD, the LORD Almighty; may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me, O God.
Psalm 69:6 (NIV)

As we go about our day we can do things that make God proud of us. On the other hand, we can also do things that let Him down.

When people who know we are Christians see us, what are they seeing? Do we make our Maker proud by the words we say and the things we do? Or do we bring shame upon the name Christian?

Think about your actions today. They make a difference.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.'
Mark 7:15 (NIV)

Man or woman...it doesn't matter. What he or she eats...it doesn't matter. What's on the inside...Now that's what matters.

Filthy mouths that spew venom cannot come from a clean loving heart. There may be mistakes made with the mouth, for as James says,"...no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison." But when hateful things constantly come from this mouth, it means that the heart is filled with more selfishness and/or hate than love.

On the other hand, a mouth that is constantly lifting people up means that the heart is filled with love. Which do you have?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

So since God's grace has set us free from the law, does this mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don't you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval.
Romans 6:15-16 (NLT)

I love to watch the Television show "Monk". It's about a detective (played by Tony Shaloub) with deductive reasoning greater than even Sherlock Holmes. What makes him so great is the fact that he notices every little detail. And he claims that "it's a gift and a curse."

Each of us was born with free will, which in a way is the same as Monk's gift and curse. It truly is a gift from God. It shows God's love for us in that God doesn't control our every action. We are not simply puppets on a string being controlled by another being. Because of this free will, we can make decisions on our own and experience wonderful things. Also because of this free will, we can make mistakes that can harm us...maybe even indefinitely. This is the curse.

Given the choice, Christians believe that everyone should choose Christ. But others that don't know Christ don't always see it that way. And so they are cursed with the free will that brings about the wrong choices and ultimately eternal death.

But what about those who choose life? What about those who choose to accept God's grace? Since we are now free from sin, does that mean we can do anything we want? No, of course not. You see, we are free from the consequences of our past sins. At the same time, we have freely given ourselves over to Christ as Lord, which means that He governs our lives. So we are not free to commit any act of sin because we chose to freely give up that right so that we may live a righteous life that will never end.

May we all freely turn our day over to Jesus. For we will be ruled by one master or the other. We will be ruled by Christ Jesus or we will be ruled by sin. The choice is a gift and a curse. Which will it be for you?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

O righteous God, who searches minds and hearts, bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure.
Psalm 7:9 (NIV)

In a world full of violence and hate this verse can have great meaning for us today. God, who is righteous, is the only one who can completely eradicate war and greed and abusive power and hate. He is the only one who can supplant these things with love. He began this when He sent His Son to us. And He will finish the process one day when He sends Him again. It is then that the righteous will be secure. It is then that we will all sing for glory. It is then that we will all worship Him with gladness.

But we do not know when "then" will be. Jesus said that it would be like a thief in the night. We must be patient, knowing that God's time is not our own, and that in His perfect timing it will all happen. Jesus will come back, and Heaven's doors will be opened. Oh what a day that will be.

I will be gone tomorrow and Friday to a Leadership Conference in Tupelo, MS. This means that there won't be any devotions for the next couple of days. This is my third week in a row away at the end of the week. And I hope it is my last for a while. Please keep me in your prayers as it is supposed to be raining the whole time and I have a long drive. May God bless you all.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.
Psalm 63:1 (NIV)

Have you ever had a day that just made you feel dry and weary?

We had some rain here recently. But before that, we'd gone through several dry weeks. My grass was brown, and nothing was growing except the weeds in my yard.

Sometimes I feel just like my yard has looked lately. It's not that there's a major crisis in my life. It's just that it can become ho-hum at times. The daily routine might become a daily grind. I might see more ugliness than beauty in God's creation. My prayer life at times has all but ceased without me even realizing it. My bible would be beginning to collect dust. And there are times when I have just seemed dry on the inside.

Just like the weeds in my yard, the only thing that seemed to grow in me was what was not welcome; things like doubt, laziness, being content with less than what I was created for.

Have you ever been there? Some people might call it a rut. Others might call it burn-out and claim that they just need a break. I believe it's a spiritual drought where we've forgotten what's most important in life. But the good news is that He hasn't forgotten us. For just like the rain that came this past weekend here, God's Holy Spirit can flood down on us and green us up. He can lift our spirits and make us anew.

Become desperate for God, seeking Him constantly, listening for Him around every corner. And these times of drought will either come less often, or will not last as long. For the Bible says if we will seek, we will find. God bless you as you seek God today.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
Psalm 139:7-10 (NIV)

Has anybody ever left you? Have you had a boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse ever give up on you? As a child, did you ever have a parent forget you at someone's house or any other place? Have you ever fought with a friend and part ways (even if only for a short time)?

The thing about God is that no matter what happens, He'll always be right there. We can't go far enough to get away from the love He has for us. In Psalm 36 the Psalmist tells us that God's love "reaches to the heavens". It is so great and so deep that we can never make Him fall out of love with us.

I know that God is with me when I mess up and sin. This brings me a guilty conscience often times. But He's there because He loves me and won't leave me. And this brings me comfort and joy.

How about you? Can you feel God's presence with you today? Do you feel that you've let Him down lately? Have you gotten numb to Him because things are going pretty well and you haven't had a need to call out to Him?

No matter how you feel or what you sense, He's there. Call out to Him. Beg Him to make Himself known to you. And then seek for the signs of His love. They can be found in the beauty of His creation, the ways He cares for you or others, and many other ways. Seek them and you will find them. And may you be blessed in the seeking of God today.

In the love of Christ,
greg