Thought of the Day !!

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Romans 12:18 (NIV)

We can't control others, but we can control ourselves. There will always be those out there that make it difficult to live peacefully with, but Jesus never said being like Him would always be a piece of cake. We must hold our tongues, control our anger and not retaliate in any way.

The only way to be successful in this endeavor is to look to Jesus for guidance and pray for help. Again, sometimes it will be difficult, and sometimes we will fail. It's then that we must ask forgiveness and try again to live peacefully with our brothers and sisters.

Is there someone in your life that you find it difficult living peacefully with? If so, whenever you think about their faults, think about yours as well. Pray good things for them. Ask God to give you the right words when you are together. And do your best to stay out of situations that will cause fights and/or arguments.

This will not always be easy. But it will be Christlike. So as you act Christlike to your brothers and sisters, may God bless you, whether they do or not.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.
Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.
Mark 13:41-44 (NLT)

This morning I was reading this passage from my Life Application Study Bible. As I thought about what I might write about it, I read the study notes. So instead of me reinventing the wheel, as they say, I'm going to quote what I read.

"This widow gave all she had to live on, in contrast to the way most people handle their money. When we consider giving a certain percentage of our income a great accomplishment, we resemble those who gave 'a tiny part of their surplus.' Here, Jesus was admiring generous and sacrificial giving . As believers, we should consider increasing our giving - whether of money, time, or talents - to a point beyond convenience or calculation."

Ask yourself if you've ever been in a position where you could tithe comfortably or give from time to time to the church or to help someone without ever even noticing a sacrifice had been made. Do we give up anything to give to God? Do we give to God out of the excess that we have of our time, money or talents? Or are we true joyful and sacrificial givers?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone.
Colossians 4:5 (NLT)

How often have we missed opportunities to share our faith with those who've not truly accepted Jesus? Some people can talk to a sign post. Yet others have trouble beginning conversations. Many of us are afraid of saying the wrong things, or we feel inadequate in our own faith to share. But if God provides a moment for us to share our story, there's no wrong words. Our faith story is our story of our own love of Christ and how our lives have changed because of what He's done for us. You don't have to have any grand theological words. As a matter of fact, it's normally more effective when you don't. Just talk to people honestly and openly.

The latter part of this verse teaches us to let our conversation be "gracious and effective". When we attempt to speak to people about Christ, these two things should be first and foremost on our minds. We're not going to win people to the Lord by pointing out all their faults or telling them that if they don't get saved that they're going to hell. True evangelism is about forming relationships with people so that you open up to them honestly and in a loving way. Then what we say will be credible.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8

Anybody can say "I love you." But true love comes from actions. God has always shown us this. He could have simply said he loved us. But instead of just saying it, He backed up His words with the actions of Jesus. As Jesus came down from Heaven where everything was perfect and he was glorified, he arrived on earth where he was frowned upon, hated and eventually murdered. This showed God's love for us. God loved us so much that he gave of Himself for us. Can we say the same for God? Can we say the same for each other? If we truly have love, we too will give of ourselves. Otherwise, it's just talk.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
2 Corinthians 11:30

It's when we succeed in our weaknesses that we know it wasn't us, but God at work. And when it's His Holy Spirit working in or through us, that's the time to boast and give God the credit He deserves. For it is God that deserves the glory and not us. So remember, don't try to take credit for something God is doing through you. You may just find out that you received your reward here on earth and not in heaven.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

I found it interesting that we were discussing healings in our small group last night and more specifically why all are not healed. Then, this morning, I received this verse of scripture from BibleLeague.org. I'd like to share it this morning as our devotional.

1 Peter 1:7 -- These [trials] have come so that your faith -- of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire -- may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (NIV)

Testing helps you know who you really are. It reveals your strengths and weaknesses. And it proves to you and others that your faith is real. How has your faith been tested? How did you come out in the test?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O LORD, supported me.
Psalm 94:18 (NIV)

I was watching a commercial for an upcoming sitcom episode this week where a guy is climbing one of those rock walls. He's about half way up when it's brought to his attention how far he is off the ground. At that point he passes out.

Ordinarily, he'd fall to the ground, most likely harming himself if he'd even survive at all. But there's something that keeps him from this fate. He's supported by ropes that will suspend him in case he falls.

God is like those ropes that suspend us as we begin to fall. He holds out His arms and catches so that we don't dash our heads on the ground beneath. His love supports us so that no matter how bad things get, they'll never be the undoing of us.

All this happens when our trust is placed in Him and His Son Jesus. His Word tells us not to fear because He's with us. And if He is with us, who can be against us, as Paul says.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Our "Thought" for today comes via BibleLeague.org. I hope it will make you think and be meaningful for your day.

In the love of Christ,
greg


Acts 20:36 -- When [Paul] had finished speaking, he knelt and prayed with them. (NLT)

Sometimes very simple acts can be a powerful way to share your faith very powerfully. Praying with a spouse, a friend, or your family will bring the presence of God into their lives. How is your personal prayer life? How is your prayer life with your spouse? With your family?

Thought of the Day !!

Then Jesus demanded, "What is your name?" And he replied, "My name is Legion, because there are many of us inside this man." Then the evil spirits begged him again and again not to send them to some distant place.
Mark 5:9-10 (NLT)

I was reading this story again this morning about how Jesus comes to the region of the Gerasenes and confronts with a mad man, who's been living in a cemetery. This man is filled with demons, and they know that Jesus is the Son of God. They know His power. And they are obedient to him when he sends them out of the man and into a herd of pigs that are nearby.

What I came away with from this story on this particular morning was the fact that even the demons are obedient to Jesus. Yet I had to ask myself, "How often is it that I'm not?" And this made me wonder.

We all know Jesus as loving, so much so that he willingly died for our sins. We've all heard the scriptures that tell us about the character of Jesus and how he taught us. We've felt the mercy of His saving grace (hopefully). But do we realize that obedience to Him is one of the essential foundations of our Christian lives in much the same way obedience to parents is for small children.

He knows what's best for us. He knows how our lives interact with His other brothers and sisters. He knows what we need and what will fulfill us and bring us joy. He also knows what will bring us down. So lets take this weekend and search for the ways that we're not being obedient. That's the first step to actual change.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

For you have been born again. Your new life did not come from your earthly parents because the life they gave you will end in death. But this new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.
1 Peter 1:23 (NLT)

God spoke and we came into existence. His word is powerful. With it He creates, condemns, tears down and punishes.

God's word is instructive. With it He teaches and gives guidance.

God's word is gentle. With it He gives mercy and shows love.

God's word is eternal. With it He gives new life that lasts forever; a life that will see no death, no pain and suffering. In this world we are born because of an act of a man and woman. But it is God who created us with an eternal soul while we were still in our mother's womb. And this eternal soul is meant to live forever in a relationship with the ultimate Creator, through His Son.

There's a story that I've heard at funerals (and even used once or twice). It's about a dying woman who brings in her new pastor to make the arrangements for her funeral. She tells him that she wants him to make sure a fork is placed in her hand as she lays in her coffin. When the people ask about this peculiar sight, she told the pastor to explain about all the church meals that she attended. At each meal when the plate was taken up she would be told to keep her fork, for the best was yet to come (the dessert).

She wanted everyone to know that she knew that the best was yet to come. And so it goes with us. Some will struggle with more physical ailments than others. Some will have more emotional stress than others. Some will be born with more defects than others. But we all suffer to some degree in this life because of the fact that sin came into this perfect world.

The eternal soul that God created in our mothers' wombs, however, will continue on past this lifetime; a lifetime of pain and sorrow...of joy and happiness...of fear and trembling. And for those of us who decide to accept the invitation into a loving relationship with God, through His Son, the best is yet to come.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.
Psalm 27:14 (NLT)

Patience is a virtue that many people will honestly claim not to have. But in truth, when we learn to be patient, we find that life is much easier and satisfying.

We must remember that God is timeless and that His timing is not always in line with ours. Just because God doesn't seem to answer your prayers in what you feel is a timely manner doesn't mean that He's not listening and acting. He's actively involved in our lives whether we wait patiently on Him or not.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

After Jesus left the synagogue with James and John, they went to Simon and Andrew's home. Now Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. They told Jesus about her right away. So he went to her bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her sit up. Then the fever left her, and she prepared a meal for them.
Mark 1:29-31 (NLT)

We are like Peter's (Simon's) mother-in-law. We too have been healed. She was healed of a high fever. We have been healed, by the blood of Jesus, from our sins. Anyone who has ever accepted Jesus into their hearts...anyone who has ever repented and believed the gospel...anyone who has ever asked for forgiveness...has been healed.

Now take a look at the mother-in-law again. What did she do after she was healed? "She prepared a meal for them". In other words, she served Jesus.

As true believers, healed by Jesus, we are to serve as well. We don't serve by fixing a meal for Christ. We serve Jesus by serving others. We are reminded of this fact by Jesus' words, "whenever you do for the least of these, you've done for me."

Remember, we are not saved by the things we do in service to Christ. We do these things because we're saved and want to follow Christ.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

When the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw (Jesus) eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, "Why does he eat with such scum?"

When Jesus heard this, he told them, "Healthy people don't need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners."
Mark 2:16-17 (NLT)

How often might we miss those living in the margins of society because we don't allow our faith to leave our clean and secure church buildings?

Jesus came to heal those who were sick in a spiritual sense more than anything. Even though they can be found within the church walls, they are more prevalent outside of them. As followers of Christ, we are called to be His hands and feet in the world until His second coming. So we might ask ourselves, "If Jesus were to come today to walk with us, where might he spend his time and who might he eat with?"

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Don't praise yourself; let others do it!
Proverbs 27:2 (NLT)

And what about when others don't notice or lend their praise? Sometimes we feel that we should receive the recognition that we deserve, don't we? But then again, if we think we deserve the recognition, could it be that we did something good for a poor reason?

If it were fair for us to receive all the praise that we deserve, wouldn't it also be fair for us to receive all the criticism that we deserve? But we don't want to hear that.

Basically, God knows all the good we do; the kind words said, the offerings made, the deeds done for others, etc. And God, who knows all we do, will reward us one day for being the overall person He created us to be. He won't forget those acts of kindness that others will. He won't forget those times where you sacrificed, even when others will. He won't forget those times that you acted and nobody else even noticed. He won't forget when we do these things out of our love for Him and for others instead of so that we can be noticed by people.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, 'In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.' These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
Jude 1:17-23 (NIV)

Praying in the Holy Spirit means not just praying for things you want. It means letting the Spirit guide you as you honor your Father in Heaven and as you pray for those who are truly in need.

One more thing that came to mind about this Scripture was the word mercy. It says to "be merciful to those in doubt", and "to others show mercy, mixed with fear." We live in a world of revenge and looking out for number one. Having mercy may include forgiveness. It may mean going into uncomfortable places or situations. It may mean looking weak to peers. But in truth, we can never show as much mercy to others as God has shown to us. Think about that the next time you have something you can hold over another or the next time someone needs help. God is all about love and mercy. And He hopes that His children are like the apples that don't fall too far from the tree.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

"The time promised by God has come at last!" (Jesus) announced. "The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!"
Mark 1:15 (NLT)

This is the beginning of Jesus' ministry as recorded in Mark's Gospel. In it Jesus gives us a mini to-do list. There are two things he tells us to do. We are to first of all repent. Repentance basically means to change or turn away or go in a different direction. God knows how humanity has all been affected by sin and how we are motivated by selfish desires. Jesus is telling us to turn from our selfish motives, which would mean turning to the motives of God that we were created for.

Secondly, Jesus tells us to believe the Good News, or the Gospel. The Gospel is like a net under a person walking on a high wire. Any ordinary person like myself who would attempt to walk on a wire far above the ground would quickly fall. And the ground wouldn't be a soft landing at all. It's the net that would save the falling person from sure death. Believing in the Good News of Christ Jesus (or believing in the Gospel) means having that net to save us from our sins.

Take time today to ask yourself what you need to repent of. Then meditate on what it means for you to believe.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
"I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way"

"a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
'Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.' "

And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Mark 1:1-4 (TNIV)

Once upon a time a man by the name of John, who lived in the desert and devoted his life to fulfilling God's purpose for him, came to the forefront and made a proclamation. He told the people that the Messiah was soon to be among them and that they must repent and be forgiven. The people were the Jews, the people of God. Were they not already among the elect? Were they not already God's chosen people? Why did they need to repent (change)?

As it turns out, we're all called to be part of the elect of God. We're all chosen to come to Him through His Son Jesus. But we must make our paths straight for him. This means turning from our selfish ways of living our lives, renounce our sins and seek God's ways for us.

As Christians, this is what we proclaim. Which leads to the question, "Are we living out the proclamation?" How much of our lives are still selfishly lived by our own will without regards to what God would have for us? How often do we renounce God by our actions, even if not by our words? How often do we truly seek God's will in our lives when we know it will mean change?

John the Baptist came to show the way to the people of his time. But his message still lives on. Let us "Prepare the way for the Lord, (making) straight paths for him."

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
Hebrews 10:24 (NIV)

Happy New Year!!

Yeah, I know, we're already 5 days into 2009. But I've had a short break from our devotions and haven't written yet this year. As a matter of fact, I feel like I've not written in ages. So I begin anew with the new year hoping to spur you on toward love and good deeds.

Now that Christmas has come and gone and the Advent candles of love, hope, faith and peace have quit being lit, these themes need to continue in our hearts. We must show love to a world so steeped in sin and in desperate need of it. We can't help but search for it ourselves. And we'll not be complete until we've experienced it.

Love can be (but is not always) an emotion. The true love that Jesus taught about is hard work. It's sacrificial in nature, which means that others are put first. But when we all show love to one another, life gets better. It even gets easier. Ironic isn't it, I mean real love being hard work, yet making our lives easier. You see, though hate or an uncaring attitude about others is easier on the outset, it makes our lives more difficult and less joyful in the long run. This is because we're not created to go it alone. We're created to share loving relationships with each other. And only when we're being what we were created to be will our lives run more smoothly.

So spur each other on to love and the good deeds that show this love. Let this be our New Year's resolution as we find joy and give it all at the same time.

In the love of Christ,
greg