Thought of the Day !!

For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
James 1:3 (NIV)

Has your faith been tested lately? Did you rejoice? Probably not. But remember that in Romans 5 Paul says that we rejoice in our sufferings because they bring about endurance, which brings about character, which in turn brings about hope (the hope we have in God).

Ok, so maybe we won't always rejoice when we suffer and/or our faith is tested. But bear in mind that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him. He allows our faith to be tested to make it stronger. So keep the faith, therefore keeping the hope in God to see you through any testing in your lives. God bless.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world." Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
John 6:14-15 (TNIV)

This comes immediately after Jesus miraculously feeds thousands of people with nothing but 5 loaves of bread and 2 small fish. The people have now seen him heal people and satisfy their physical need of hunger. And they want Jesus as their king.

Jesus, though, did not come to satisfy the desires of the people. He didn't come so that everyone could lead a comfortable life here on earth. These are the things that people then (and still today) want. But Jesus is about the will of the Father in Heaven, not the will of those he came to save. Because of his of great love for us, he desires to do what His Father knows is best. He desires for us to have eternal fill instead of a temporary one.

How often might we have our own agendas where we want Jesus to fall in line with our needs; our desires, instead of us falling in line with his will for our lives? Remember, if Jesus is really King of your life, then you follow Him, not vice versa. You are to be about fulfilling His purposes, not the other way around.

Let us follow our King and receive eternal joy.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

I dug this up out of my archives and wanted to resend as a "Thought of the Day !!". This is coming early because I've got a busy morning tomorrow and will be heading home after lunch. Ya'll have a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving, and I'll be back posting the devotions after the Thanksgiving weekend.

In the love of Christ,
greg


I've been listening to a Casting Crowns song entitled "And Now My Lifesong Sings". It's a slower song of prayer to God. You can check it out on YouTube at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dx1_7gfCy38

And Now My Lifesong Sings by Casting Crowns

I once was lost, but now I'm found
I once was lost, but now I'm found
So far away, but I'm home now
I once was lost, but now I'm found
And now my lifesong sings

I once was blind, but now I see
I once was blind, but now I see
I don't know how, but when He touched me
I once was blind, but now I see

And now my lifesong sings
And now my lifesong sings
And now my lifesong sings

I once was dead, but now I live
I once was dead, but now I live
Now my life to You I give
Now my life to You I give
Now my life to You I give

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Let my lifesong sing to You

"I once was lost, but now am found". Sound familiar? Sound like Amazing Grace? Sound like what happened in your life? Sound like something you would like to happen in your life?

I once lived a totally dedicated life. The problem was that it was dedicated to myself. I didn't know it at the time. I didn't understand what it meant to be lost. But lost is the best way to describe just where I was.

God had been calling out to me, but I just hadn't really listened. I believed in a God and a Jesus because surely they wouldn't lie to me in Sunday school when I was little. But I didn't know that God wanted me to have this close connection with me. I didn't know that Jesus wanted to abide in me and be not only my Savior and Lord, but also my friend.

I was lost, but finally God's call connected. And I was found. I hope that many of you have a similar story…about being found I mean. And if you're still in the lostness, know that God doesn't give up…even if we think we've given up in Him. He loves us so much that the bible tells us "…He gave His only begotten Son, that whosever believes in Him, shall not perish."

But as the song goes, that's only half the story. When we are found; when we're no longer dead, but alive, we are to give our lives to Him. He doesn't want our lives to rule like Kings of old who took control by force. He wants to rule our lives like someone who truly cares for us. He wants to see us succeed. He wants to show us His peace and mercy and love. And He wants us to live our lives sharing these things with others. This is what it means to be a Christian.

So how about it, huh? What kind of song will your lifesong sing?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

Do you think that we will be forgiven if we decide not to even try to forgive others? In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells us the answer in the Sermon on the Mount. And his answer is "No". He tells us if we don't forgive others, then our Heavenly Father will not forgive us.

Forgiveness can be hard though, can't it? Maybe there is someone you need to forgive, but you're having a tough time doing so. If you are bringing this problem to Jesus, asking for his help, Jesus will help you. So if you haven't completely forgiven yet, but are truly trying, I believe God takes that into consideration. After all, He IS a God of grace.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Colossians 4:6 (NIV)

Whatever you say to someone today could be forgotten right away. On the other hand, it could be remembered for a very long time.

If your words are hurtful, mean or antagonistic, people will remember. If they are arrogant or rude, people will remember. And they will remember how you made them feel.

Wouldn't it be better if people remembered that today when they spoke to you that you made them smile? Somebody might need to hear a kind word, and you'll never know just how much it meant to them. Somebody might need a little less talking down to and a little more building up today. So how about it? Are you up for the challenge?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

"Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."
Genesis 9:16 (NIV)

Just as the rainbow represents a covenant between God and all His creatures, our baptism represents the covenant between Him and us as well. And Holy Communion represents the new covenant given to us by Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins.

When we were baptized, it was a outward sign of what we did or what was done for us by our parents or guardians (depending on whether or not you believe in infant baptism).

But baptism is not just about something we do. It's preceded by an inward grace. This is the grace of God that saves us. Every day we should remember our baptism and be thankful. And in doing so, we should remember the grace and the covenant that God gave us then and continues to give us each day.

Holy Communion is an outward meal that we eat and drink of to remember that Jesus died on a cross as a sacrifice for our sins. It represents forgiveness. Each time we partake of Communion, also known as the Lord's Supper or the Eucharist, let us also remember that grace that saves us from eternal damnation.

God loves us so much that He made covenants (or promises) to be our God and to give us a way out of sin. Think about what these two covenants mean to you today as you go about your day. And then give thanks for the promises that He has made.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?"
Matthew 6:25 (NIV)

For many people food, drink, clothes and entertainment are the most important things in life. How about you? If you're not sure, ask yourself where most of your money goes.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

I get the Life Application daily devotion every day. It's called Living Water. Here is today's as a sample for the Thought of the Day !!.


Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.
Colossians 3:16, NLT

Thankful people can worship wholeheartedly. Gratitude opens our hearts to God’s peace and enables us to put on love. Discontented people constantly calculate what’s wrong with their lot in life.

To increase your thankfulness, take an inventory of all you have (including your relationships, memories, abilities, and family, as well as material possessions). Use the inventory for prayers of gratitude. On Sunday, before worship, quit rushing around; instead, take time to reflect on reasons for thanks. Declare Sunday as your “thanks, faith, and hope” day. Celebrate God’s goodness to you, and ask in prayer for all your needs for the week ahead.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
Colossians 3:5 (NLT)

Paul is telling the people of the Colossian Church that there were things in their lives that needed to be put to death. He speaks of sexual sins and those sins that come from greed. In today's world many things that are sinful are simply accepted by our culture. And today I want to ask you flat out if you are living with someone you're not married to and having a sexual relation? Are you lusting after another who is married, or if you are married? Are you sexually active out of wedlock? Also, do you have the kind of greed that makes you worship something more than you worship God?

These are some blunt questions that can be asked over an emailed message. Many of you who read this could be appalled that you were asked because you live a life obedient to Christ. Others could be angry because I've struck a nerve and so you get defensive.

The truth is the truth whether we like it or not. It's time to repent, or change our lifestyles from the ungodly ways that some of us have been living. And even if your sins are not sexual in nature or come from greed, they could be just as evident in your life. Let us quit making excuses for calling ourselves Christians, but living apart from Christ.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Each person should judge his own actions and not compare himself with others. Then he can be proud for what he himself has done.
Galatians 6:4 (NCV)

It's easy to judge others. It's much harder judging ourselves. So how do we do this. Should we look to a friend, a neighbor, a mentor, a pastor? Do we gauge how well we're doing by others? If so, I say gauge yourself by someone like Mother Teresa and see how you stack up instead of the old friend from high school that's been in and out of jail and marriage. I bet you'll get different results. Ha ha!

Seriously though, others can be good role models for us. My dear departed friend, Wayne McCord, had a heart for people and tolerated so much that I do wish I could be more like he was. And I thank my God for placing Wayne in my midst to influence me. But should I compare myself to Wayne? No. I can learn from Wayne and his witness, but when I judge myself it should be by what I hold true in the Scriptures.

Jesus is ultimately the one that we should model. Will we live up to his example? Probably not. But as long as we're trying, God is happy. So if I'm going to compare my life, my lifestyle, my actions, my thoughts, etc. to anyone, it should be to Jesus. And then I can remember that Jesus grades me on a curve, so that I don't have to be perfect. I must simply strive to be. Then I can be proud of what I've done.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Philippians 4:8 (NLT)

I wonder how many places my thoughts will lead me to today? As I look out my window my thoughts are fixated on God's beauty found in the reddish leaves of the tree outside. In an hour or two my thoughts will be fixated on how my stomach is telling me that it needs to be filled. And during the day the various things of my work will be on my mind, like parishioners in the hospital and sermon preparation.

But so many other things will go through our minds in the span of a day's time. If we're not careful, many of these can become negative. We can think about someone who hurt us or how we're going to get back at them. We can focus on the ways we were mistreated while out and about. We can complain about the weather because it's too cold or too hot or too dry or too wet. If we're careful our day and our lives can become one negative thought after another.

But this is what Paul teaches. "Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent (as opposed to not up to par) and worthy of praise (as opposed to being complained about)."

As the day progresses continue to say to yourself these words; true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and worthy of praise. And then try to focus on these types of things as opposed to the alternatives.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20 (NLT)

How many of us can say with Paul that we've been crucified with Christ? Are we living as new people with Christ living in us? Or are we still slaves to our old ways? Do we live each day striving to be what Jesus wants us to be? Or do we conveniently forget His ways when we want to do something that goes against them?

When we refuse to give up things in our lives that are unGodly, we are not trusting completely in the Son of God, who gave up His life for us to be saved. What is it in your life that you've been thinking you might ought to give up, but haven't had the will to do so? Ask God and He'll help you rid yourself of whatever it might be. It might be immediately, or it might be over time. But God is faithful to listen to those striving to be like Jesus and striving to make the Father proud.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.
1 Corinthians 3:5-9 (NIV)

A lot of Christians are at work today doing great ministry in the world. Numerous homeless shelters, food pantries, evangelistic efforts etc. are being run to help tons of people. The question we might ought to ponder today is why we are doing these ministries. Are we doing them for our own glory, or the glory of God? And is our work more important than who has called us to do it?

We can get so caught up in doing good things that we forget why we started, and the work becomes what we worship instead of God. I remember hearing a quote from Oswald Chambers one time that described this. He said, "We slander God's name when we work for Him without first knowing Him."

Are we slandering God's name by doing a plethora of ministries simply because we're "supposed" to or for our own good feelings? The key to successful life-giving ministry is to get to know the God that calls us to it and stay in constant touch with Him. We can do that by spending time worshiping Him and studying our bibles and simply speaking to Him (and listening).

Today, make sure you get to know your God, your Savior, your Spiritual Guider, before you go to work for Him. And find joy in the ministry that He leads you to.

In the love of Christ,
greg