Thought of the Day !!

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 (NLT)

Monday's devotional is coming early because I will be in Jackson in the morning. And there's a neat story behind it too. This morning before church I opened my emails and read a note that came from a visitor to our church. She was expressing how she was pleased with the way some of our folks had treated her. Often times people end their emails with a signature of sorts. Mine is "In the love of Christ". Hers was Romans 15:13.

I didn't pay much attention to it at the time, but later, after the service, I went back to the email to respond to it. I looked up the verse, and low and behold it spoke to me about the hope we have. My sermon this morning was entitled "The Hope of Peace" and came from Isaiah 11:1-9. The sermon spoke to where our hope lies and how this hope is a hope for a future of peace as Isaiah explains it.

So I want to leave you with the words that I used to begin this morning's message. They are not original. I actually heard another preacher use them over the weekend. But does that really matter? The point is just as valid. He said (and so did I) that you can live weeks without food. You can live days without water. You can live minutes without air. But you cannot live a moment without hope.

I believe that hope is just that important. Without it despair will simply suck the life out of you. So as the season of Advent begins and the season of Christmas approaches, focus on the hope that is found in Jesus. This is a hope that the one who was born in Bethlehem and died for our sins and rose from the grave is coming back. And when he does, there will be peace.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
James 2:17 (NIV)

Our actions do not save us. But they do show our salvation. If we claim to have faith, but there are no deeds that show that our hearts have changed and that we truly love God and love each other, then we don't have the faith we claim to have. For true faith is not only intellectual, but something of the heart.

In the love of Christ,
greg

P.S. There will be no "Thought of the Day" emails next week due to me going home to be with family for the Thanksgiving holiday. God bless and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Thought of the Day !!

Call me a thief if you must, but my dear friend Rev. Andy Stoddard sent out a devotion to his folks this morning that I felt was so good that I would share it with you. This is a portion of that devotion. Thanks Andy.


Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors? - Malachi 2:10 (NRSV)

There is a great verse in this passage. Have we not one Father? Has God not created us? In this age of divisiveness, in this age of disagreement, in this age where people are torn down each day; isn't that a great phrase to remember? Hasn't God created each of us? Aren't we each made in His image? Doesn't He desire to know and love each of us?

And if that is how God feels towards each of us, shouldn't we feel that way towards one another? If God cares for you, shouldn't I care for you? If God forgives you, shouldn't I forgive you? As God loves each of us, so are we called to love one another.

Even those people that we might not like. For, isn't God their Father too?


May God bless you and keep you today as we grow in our love for God and for each other.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

A quick thought from my bibleleague verse of the day today that I liked.

1 Thessalonians 5:10 -- [Jesus] died for us so that we can live with him forever, whether we are dead or alive at the time of his return. (NLT)
God thinks you are worth dying for. Do you think God is worth living for?

I've heard it so many times that if God would die for us, shouldn't we live for Him? The answer is "yes". But the question today to think about is not only am I living for Him, but how am I living for Him outside of going to church, praying at times and doing occasional devotionals?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us—I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving. I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches. You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.
2 Corinthians 8:7-9 (NLT)

We've all seen small children playing before. Sometimes they'll get along, and sometimes they won't. I've seen a child hoard all the toys, even the ones that he wasn't playing with before, because he didn't want the other one to touch his stuff.

I've also noticed a little girl who spent a great deal of time creating some craft, only to hand it to me when she was done.

The difference is not between little boys and little girls. For either can hoard their toys, and either can share generously. The difference is that one is showing love for self and the other is showing love for another.

We are the little boy with all the toys, as well as the little girl with the newly made creation. But it's up to us to choose which we will act like.

Are we insecure and afraid to give? Or are we satisfied knowing that what we have is not really our own, but something that is on loan from God?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

[Jesus says,] "Keep alert and pray -- otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing, the body is weak."
Matthew 26:41 (NLT)

Paul talks about how our battles are against the dark forces of this world. We don't see the spiritual powers that continue to tempt us, that are always trying to keep us away from God. So we must do as Jesus was telling his disciples. We must keep alert and pray so that we will have the strength and the wisdom to fight the spiritual forces of this world that are working so hard for our souls.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7 (NIV)

I went to the hospital expecting the worst. The patient was given terrible news and would surely be depressed. As her pastor, I had to come up with the right words to say. But when I entered into her room, I saw a person smile at me and welcome me.

Surely it was shock of the recent news, or putting on a good face for visitors, I thought. But as I visited for a while it became evident that she knew she was going to be alright. Oh, she didn't know if she'd live or not. But she knew things were going to be alright. There was a peace about her that passed all understanding.

Have you ever been assured of something deep inside? Maybe you just knew that your baby was going to be alright. Maybe it was that even if you gave your last little bit of money away to someone who needed it, you'd still find a way to pay your bills. Maybe it is the assurance that no matter what, your sins are forgiven and you are assured that you will be in Heaven one day.

God gives us a peace sometimes that transcends our understanding because we actually have no proof...no physical evidence...that everything will work out, yet we are assured that it will. I love those times because it's then that I can see that God is truly in control of things.

Have you ever had this feeling? Pray for it if you're in trouble or need or are not assured of your own salvation. In God's Word it's written that if we will ask, we will receive. Talk to God about it, and then listen. And see what happens.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
John 13:35 (NIV)

Being a Christian means being Christ-like. Christ was filled with love for his brothers and sisters. True Christians should be able to make the same claim.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

(Jesus) was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come."
Luke 11:1-2 (NRSV)

This is not all that Jesus said in this passage. He goes on to teach his disciples what we now call the Lord's Prayer. But I was thinking about a portion of this prayer that I wonder if we really want to come true or not. Do we really want God's Kingdom to come here on earth? In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus is recorded as saying it the way we think about it when we recite this prayer: "Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven." Luke shortens it to simply state, "Your Kingdom come."

Either way, I assume that if God's Kingdom and/or His will were to come and be done, our lives would be different. I believe it would mean different things for us such as:

• It would mean that we'd welcome any and everybody into our worship service…no matter who they were.
• It would mean that we'd not only invite people into our worship setting, but also into our lives.
• It would mean that we'd not only treat everyone as equals, but also see them as such.
• It would mean that everyone would find time during the week to worship God in a private way and also in a corporate way.
• It would mean that we'd all give of our time and money to the church (which is the people who make up the body of Christ and not a specific group or denomination).
• It would mean that we'd have to think less about how things have always been done and more about how they can be done to help promote the love of Christ in today's world.
• It would mean that there'd be no sexual misconduct or drunkenness, no backbiting or gossip or crude remarks or jokes or hurtful acts of any sort. We'd give all that up.
• It would mean that people wouldn't be hungry because we'd share our food with all those around us.
• It would mean that we we wouldn't worry about whether or not someone deserved our help.
• It would mean that people wouldn't be lonely because we'd make sure that there was always a place for them.
• It would mean that we'd leave the job of judging others to the one most qualified to do so, Jesus.
• It would mean that we'd take our sins seriously and not make excuses.
• It would mean that we'd love God with our whole beings and love each other as Christ loves us.
• It would mean that we'd give up selfishness for humility and service.

I wonder if this is a part of what it's like in God's Kingdom in Heaven? If so then when we pray that God's Kingdom come, we are praying for just these things.

Could it be that we're not only supposed to pray for God's Kingdom to come, but to also work on bringing it about? I'd say most definitely. So I urge you to take this list and add to it all the ways that you can help usher God's Kingdom here on earth. Let us all pray for God's Kingdom as we work for the results.

In the love of Christ,
greg

New Blogger to check out

Mark Covington is a friend and fellow Mississippi United Methodist pastor. He just started his first blog and so I'm promoting it for him. I hope you'll check it out and leave a comment. I'd hate for him to feel all lonely over there by himself. :)

The blog is MarkCovington.org

Check it out.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live.
John 14:18-19 (NLT)

Have you ever felt alone? Maybe a relationship ended or a loved one died. Maybe as a kid you were lost in a department store and didn't know where your parents were.

I remember one time when I was very young and my parents and me and another family took the ski boat out somewhere I'd never been before. I remember being in the truck with my dad driving back up the hill and wanted to be out on the sandy area where my mom was. He stopped and at the top of the hill and let me run back down the hill to be with mom and the rest. But when I got to the bottom of the hill, I'd lost where she had been. Looking back up the hill, I couldn't see my dad anymore. In truth he'd only driven maybe fifty yards away to park the truck. But I had no idea where either parent was and felt lost and all alone for a couple of minutes. I was scared and wondered if my parents had abandoned me...which of course they hadn't.

I wonder how often since then, and before I've matured in my faith, that I felt so down that I felt everyone, including God, had abandoned me? Have you ever been there?

We weren't created to be alone. We were created for relationships. God wants us to have relationships with others...parents, spouses, friends, co-workers, etc. that are strong and healthy. He wants us to have a loving relationship with Himself that far exceeds anything else in our lives. And if this is going to be the case, then He's going to have to always be there for us. That's why Jesus tells his disciples...and I believe us today...that he'll never abandon us.

It might seem like we're all alone at times. But in reality, we can never go far enough or get so lost that our God is not with us. He may not be with us in physical form anymore. But He is with us through the power and person of the Holy Spirit. We can always speak to Him, listen for Him, be guided by Him and walk with Him. No matter what changes in this world, God will never abandon us.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch them and bless them, but the disciples told them not to bother him. But when Jesus saw what was happening, he was very displeased with his disciples. He said to them, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I assure you, anyone who doesn't have their kind of faith will never get into the Kingdom of God." Then he took the children into his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.
Mark 10:13-16

Throw a baby up in the air and it never occurs to her that you will drop her. Tell a child a story about a man being swallowed by a big fish and notice the look of awe on his face. Promise a little one that you will never leave her and you'll have one who believes what you tell her.

Little children have a kind of faith that some adults think of as childish or immature, while others are envious of it. They haven't lived long enough to be let down by society. They haven't been turned down for jobs or laid off. They haven't seen scandals by public officials or people in the limelight. They haven't yet had promises be broken to them.

Yet we adults have experienced being let down. And so we become skeptical. We raise our guards and tell the world that it won't beat us. We mature...learn...grow strong. And in doing so, we become weak. For in doing so, we can loose what we had as an innocent child. We can loose faith.

When we begin loosing faith, whether it's faith in politics, religion, society or even family, it's only a matter of time before we don't know what true faith in anything is. If we learn to become skeptical about everything, sooner or later our faith in Christ and his work on earth will follow.

This world is not perfect. The devil and something called sin has made sure of that. But remember that the only thing that can defeat this unfair world that we live in is a faith in something that's much better. Have faith in the Kingdom of God. Have faith in Christ Jesus and the joy that he will bring each and every one of us.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
Romans 1:16 (NIV)

Don't be ashamed of the Gospel (literally translated Good News) that changes lives. Share it. Live it. Be immersed in it.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 15:5-6 (NIV)

The outcome of yesterday's elections might have brought you great joy and hope for a new future. It also could've brought a sense of fear and trepidation. As Christians the important thing for us to remember is that our God is still at work in our midst and in our world. He loves us the same today as yesterday. And He'll never leave us. And He works through ALL things.

Paul told the Romans that God is the one who gives us our endurance and our encouragement. Many Americans need that today as they think about the economic problems of our country and the safety of our troops over seas and moral issues that we face daily. We need God's help in seeing that in an unfair world He'll always be just and fair with us. We need to know today that our God is on our side, no matter if we're a Republican or a Democrat, a conservative or a liberal, a saint or a sinner, a blue-collar worker or a white-collar worker, a retiree or a out of work person, a northerner or a southerner, a male or a female, and young person or an elderly person.

We've all got different labels that we can describe ourselves and others with. But as Christians we're called to put labels aside and strive for unity. Forget the labels today and pray for God to help us see what divides us and where each of us needs to change so that unity can exist. We might never agree on everything, but that doesn't mean that we can't get along in Christian love and work towards making this life better for everyone around us.

In our small group last night someone prayed that God would guide the winners of the elections and also be with the losers, that He would help each of them to work together to make this a better nation. I pray today the same thing. I pray that we can get past differences in politics, in churches, in beliefs. I pray that we can come together and show the world that Christian love brings unity and not the division that it so often sees. Let us proudly proclaim our faith today in love for our God and for each other and press on towards the goal that is Jesus Christ.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

As I was contemplating what to say on this very important day, I thought about these last several months. It sure seems like it's been a long time since we started thinking about who to vote for. Would this be the first time ever that a woman would become president...a black? Would America's top office remain Republican or change to Democrat? Would we be able to understand the truth about each candidate after getting past all the mud-slinging? Could our country ever truly be united again...or remain close to a 50/50 split?

One of the great things about America is that we are free. We're free to vote for whom we choose. We're free to choose our religion, our denomination, our career goals, our lifestyle, etc.

Today we have a choice when we go to the polls. Make the choice that you feel is best. But as you do, understand something that Rev. Andy Stoddard of Ripley First UMC reminds us this morning in his blog, "who ever wins, whether it's your guy or not, God is still on the throne, Jesus is the Life, and the Holy Spirit is still at work." This is very important to realize. Let us make our choices with this in mind. Let us understand that God will work for good in all things and circumstances, even if _______________ (candidate's name) is in office. And this is because He loves us and wants the best for us.

May God bless our country today, and may He bless whomever comes into office. And may we learn to love each other even when we disagree on whom that person should be.

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you". - John 15:12 (TNIV)

In the love of Christ,
greg

Fall Festival

Before


After

Thought of the Day !!

If you wait until the wind and the weather are just right, you will never plant anything and never harvest anything.
Ecclesiastes 11:4 (TEV)

Sometimes we decide to wait until things are just right to do what the Lord asks us to do. Many people want to wait till later to become a Christian because they're having a good time with living in the world. Others try to wait until they're better Christians before going to church. Still others think that they can work on that habitat home or go on that mission trip next year when there will be more time. And then there are those who've missed the chance to share Christ with someone because they didn't feel comfortable at the time.

To be honest, I have been guilty of all these over my lifetime, but I tend to believe I'm not alone. We all want to do good things as Christians. But how often do we put them off until just the right time. If we're not careful, that right time will never come again and we'll realize we missed the opportunity to serve God and our risen Savior.

Don't put off till tomorrow what God desires of you today.

In the love of Christ,
greg