Thought of the Day !!

Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.
                                                                          James 5:13 (NLT)

James asks if we're suffering.  If so, we should take these sufferings to God in prayer.  Hand them over to Him.  It ain't easy.  I know as much as anybody how difficult it is to let go of some things.  But if we can learn to be totally dependent upon God, it is possible.  

James goes on to ask, "Are any of you happy?"  Well...if you are...he says act like it.  Actually, he says to "sing praises."  How many of us get so excited about what Christ has done, is doing and will do for us that we can't help but sing?  

As you go through your day, keep in mind that God is with you wherever you go.  He isn't there to "keep you straight".  He's there to lovingly encourage and help you through whatever comes your way.  So when the victories come your way, don't forget to include him just as you did when you felt like defeat was almost upon you.  He will be by your side through both.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
                                                            1 John 4:1 (NRSV)

John goes on to say that any spirit that confesses Jesus is from God, and that any spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.  There are evil spirits in this world that try to manipulate people by deception.  These are from the devil.  There are also good spirits, often referred to as angels, that help people.  If one were to hear a spirit, one could know the truth by whether or not the spirit acknowledged Jesus.

But what about people?  False prophets have been around since Old Testament times.  Kings would often times surround themselves with prophets that would tell them what they wanted to hear.  These were false prophets.  There were also the prophets of Baal, a pagan God.  These were false prophets.  But the scariest ones to me are the ones who claim to be from God, but are working out of deception.

Jesus told us to beware of false prophets (Matthew 7:15-20) and that they would claim to come in his name (Matthew 24:5).  These are with us today.  So how do we test whether or not they are from God.  Test them, not by what they say, but by the fruit that they produce and how their lives are lived.  Don't believe anything that goes against what they Bible teaches.  Confirm your theories about them by sharing your concerns with other good bible based believers.  And by all means, pray about it. 

I wonder how many false prophets are out there today leading people along the wrong path with teachings that are what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear.  I wonder how many lead people into even more selfishness instead of closer to God. 

Test those who try to persuade you one way or another.  Test me.  But when you find those Godly leaders that can help you come closer and closer to God.  Listen and learn from them because they are the ones that have been given a gift from God.  Don't worship them.  And remember that they're not perfect and won't ever know everything.  But ask God to bring you to those who will lead you to Him and not those who will lead you astray.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  
                                                                                Romans 10:9 (NLT)

"Jesus is Lord" was the earliest confession of faith for the Church.  They didn't need a bunch of Creeds or sets of beliefs because this was really all that mattered.  The Greek word used here for Lord is "Kurios", which is the same word that the Roman Emperor would use when he would say that the people were to call him Lord.  It's the same word that is used over 6000 times in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures) when referring to the name of God.  

So when the early Christians claimed that Jesus was Lord, they were setting him right up there with where the Roman Emperor wanted to be and where the God of Abraham was.  They were in essence saying the same thing that the author of John claimed when beginning his Gospel by writing that he was with God and that he was God.  

When we honestly make this claim, we are stating that he is the only one worthy of our worship, our time, our efforts, our lives.  We will either be enslaved by the love of self, leading to love of what this world offers, or a love of the Kurios.  Making this statement claims the latter.

Believing in our hearts meant something much different in the early Church.  The heart was not a symbol of love and romance.  It symbolized the core of one's being.  And to believe with our hearts that Jesus was raised means that we believe this in the core of our beings.  It's not simply an intellectual belief.  It's what motivates us to live our lives.  

If Jesus had just died, we'd have a dead faith.  But the resurrection was the surest sign that Jesus was and is the Kurios.  And this leads us back to Jesus IS Lord...not Jesus WAS Lord.  If he died, he would have been.  But since he defeated death, he not only lived...but still lives as well.  

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

O magnify the LORD with me,
    and let us exalt his name together.
                            Psalm 34:3 (NRSV)

Our lives are chances to magnify God.  They come in large and small ways.  With every breath we take, we have a chance to glorify God or thank Jesus for what he's done.  With every move we make, we have an opportunity to put love of neighbor into action.  Yes, every second of our lives are filled with chances to magnify the One who first loved us.  But we must choose.  What will your words and your actions say about your choice today?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.'

"Then these righteous ones will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?'

"And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,* you were doing it to me!'
                                                                                                                          Matthew 25:34-40 (NLT)

(For I was hungry and you fed me)
• You bought food and donated it to the local food pantry.
• You shared your lunch with me when I sat outside your office, instead of calling me a bum and telling me to scram.
• You took me some place and paid for me a meal.
• You invited me to a potluck at your church and said not to worry about not bringing anything, there was plenty.
• You gave me a couple of dollars when you saw me on the side of the road.
• You worked at the local soup kitchen where I had a hot meal.

(I was thirsty and you gave me a drink)
• I worked for you out in your yard on a hot summer’s day and you brought me a cool glass of lemonade.  You told me to visit your well and take all I wanted.
• You saw me in the form of a child at a school outing and noticed that when all the other kids got drinks from the concession stand, I stood off by myself, and you brought me a coke. 

(I was a stranger and you invited me in)
• I knocked on your door and asked to use your phone to call someone to come and pick me up because my car broke down, and you did not send me away.
• I came to your church and you made me feel welcome.  You spoke to me as if you were excited that I was there.
• I was the one trying to get my license at the courthouse that looked confused.  I didn’t know where to go or what to do.  I didn’t speak very good English.  And you took time out to make sure I went to the right place.
• I was the one at the amusement park that was lost, and you stood with me until we found my parents.
• I was the one in the doctor’s office that was trying to hold back the tears.  The expression on my face gave me away though, and it was very noticeable that I was frightened.  You are the one who laid your worries aside and came to me and offered comfort.

(I was naked and you gave me clothing)
• You gave your spare coats to the downtown mission, and because of this, I stayed warm even though I had to sleep on the streets at night.
• My home burned down and among other things, you donated clothes to my children and me so that we would have more than what was on our backs when we got out of the house. 

(I was sick and you cared for me)
• I was in the hospital and you came by to cheer me up.
• When you heard that I had the flu, you made a pot of soup and brought it by.
• When I got hurt, you offered to take me to the Emergency Room.
• When I was sick, you prayed for me.

(I was in prison and you visited me)
• You came and visited me in jail, knowing that no one else would.
• You took part in the prison ministry so that I would know I wasn’t forgotten that that Jesus still loved me.
• When I got out, you did not avoid me at the store or the bank when you saw me coming your way.  You did not judge me as a worse person than yourself.

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 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)

There are some who try to run away from God.  They try to run away from responsibility, or possibly the moral implications of their actions.  Jonah comes to mind.  He didn't like what God was calling him to do, so he went the other direction.  We're just like Jonah if we fool ourselves into believing that God doesn't speak to us and that this or that ministry is for someone else.  God is always with us and calls to us regularly.  Will we try to hide or will we accept His calling upon our lives?  

Then there are those who find comfort from the fact that God is always with them.  When we learn that God is not an angry Parent ready to discipline us for the least little thing, but is instead a loving and caring Parent watching over us, we will see God more clearly.

When understanding that God is omnipresent (ever present; present everywhere), there should be a mix of respect for our Creator to do as He sees best for us to do as well as a sense of security that only a parent can lend to a small child.

Go with God today, for He is already going with you.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

            Finally [the priests and Levites] said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?

            John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’

                                                                        John 1:22-23 (NIV)

God has a plan for each one of us.  Often times this plan is unknown to us.  But I do believe that we can understand the basics of who we are and what we are to be about.  We glean this by seeking our gifts, our passions and God’s will. 

John knew exactly what he was here for.  He went on to tell the people that the Messiah was in their midst and that they didn’t know him yet.  You see, his purpose was to come onto the scene and get the people’s attention so that he could point to the one who would save the world.  He was to be the precursor to Jesus. 

Did John always know exactly where God was leading him?  Was his life mapped out so that he knew exactly what decision to make at every turn?  I doubt it.  I figure God gave him his gifts and a passion for God that would lead him to this moment in history where he could be used.  The one thing I feel pretty confident about is that John had faith in God and sought God’s ways continuously. 

This is where we need to find ourselves.  Has your faith in God’s ability or willingness to guide you into your purpose in this life faltered?  Has life itself gotten in the way leaving you less and less time to convene with God and seek His ways for you? 

I hope that we will all seek God’s wisdom and His guidance as we go through our week.  Maybe He’s just waiting for us to pay attention and have the faith to hear what our ears sometimes don’t want to hear.  And maybe…just maybe…He’s already put that passion in you so that if will just listen, He will show you how to live it out faithfully. 

In the love of Christ,

greg

Thought of the Day !!

You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God's temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What's more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.
                                                             1 Peter 2:4-10 (NLT)

God promised to build a great nation out of Abraham’s descendents.  When Jesus came he proclaimed that all who would believe in Him could be a part of this fellowship that was promised to Abraham.  And Paul brought this message to the world. 

So here we are.  Many generations later we are added to the list of a whole host of others who have been a part of the royal priesthood of believers.  Our qualification for membership – we must believe.  Our dues – they are our lives.  And as we give our lives over to Jesus, we become part of something much bigger than you and me.  We become a small stone in a spiritual temple that’s made up of all the saints.

We are all priests that get our instructions and our formation from the foundation, or the cornerstone, which is Jesus Christ.  And as such we are to go into a darkened world and change it (instead of letting it change us). 

You have the choice.  You’re either a member of God’s kingdom of priests or you’re a creature of this world.  Which will you choose?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness.
                                                                           1 Peter 2:2-3 (NLT)

Peter tells us that we must crave pure spiritual milk.  Now there are two things that jumped out at me here.  First of all there’s this phrase “pure spiritual milk”.  Well, what is it?  You could say that it’s the Word of God, it’s the wisdom of God, or it’s the Truth of God.  And I think you’d be on the right path with any of these.  But to put the phrase in context here where Peter has just warned us to rid ourselves of various things, I would have to say that the spiritual milk he’s getting at is the gifts that allow us to combat these things.  It’s the power and strength to overcome selfishness and move towards self-giving love.  The pure spiritual milk that all born again Christians must crave is the gifts that help lead us to the purity of a new life in Christ.

Secondly, Peter says that we MUST choose the pure spiritual milk.  We must choose that which will lead us to maturity.  And we must wait patiently for this.  This is part of the reason people have a hard time choosing the lifestyle of a true Christian.  They want everything right now.

We live in an “instantaneous society” that expects news as it happens, quick returns on our investments, and instant retrieval of information.  Plus our children have to grow up much faster as they watch after each other while both parents work.  Therefore full maturity is demanded quicker than it should be for some. 

But maturity is a process.  It’s not instantaneous.  It’s a process that takes time.  And it takes more time for some and less time for others.  Rather it’s a child’s maturation or the maturing of a Christian, we have to remember that it is still a process.  And so that’s why baptism is just the beginning and not the ending of our salvation story. 

Salvation isn’t defined simply by one moment and then that’s it.  Our salvation as Christians is a process of being formed into the image of Christ where we make mistakes…are forgiven…try again and again…looking back every day saying to ourselves, “I’m not where I should be, but I’m farther along than I used to be.”

We can do this if we crave the pure spiritual milk that God has to offer us.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.
                                                                            Isaiah 50:4 (NIV)

I know how hard it can be to get up in the morning sometimes.  But whether the alarm clock goes off and we jump out of bed, or we wear out the snooze button (like I did this morning), we are waking each day to a new and glorious day that our Lord has made.  There are so many possibilities for it at that moment.  It can be a day where we make a difference...where we share the good news of Christ...where we help someone out of a jam...where we notice the beauty of God's handiwork.  

At that point we don't know the outcome of the day.  We might fail, winding up frustrated at the end of the day.  Or we might have such a glorious day that we're smiling all the way to bedtime.  But no matter how the day ends, we need to know that it's God who is there when we awaken.  And it's God who will show us the opportunities to succeed.  He's there when we wake to speak to us if we will only listen.  

Let today, and everyday, begin with your Lord, and you'll soon find out that they all start getting better.  

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Jesus asked, "Didn't I heal ten men?  Where are the other nine?  Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?"
                                              Luke 17:17-18 (NLT)

This is the ending of a story where Jesus heals 10 lepers, at least one of which being a Samaritan.  They were told to go to the priests, and on the way they were each healed.  But only one came back to thank the man who had made them whole. 

I once read the story of Edward Spencer who in 1860 risked his life to jump into Lake Michigan and save 17 people from a sinking passenger steamer.  In his later years a reporter came to him to do a follow up piece about the wreck and his heroics.  He stated that what he remembered most is that not one of the 17 people that he saved that night ever thanked him.

Spencer risked his life for those people, but Jesus gave his for us.  How many of us are like the other 9 lepers and go on about our business? 

Thanking Jesus for what he has done for us isn't merely saying the words or even sending a thank-you card.  It's living a life of thanks and obedience.  It's remembering daily what Christ has done and the love that brought Him to do it.  Of these two stories, out of 27 people only 1 showed a thankful heart.  I wonder how many of us Christians live our lives expecting more than we deserve instead of being grateful for what we don't?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Don't speak evil against each other, my dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize each other and condemn each other, then you are criticizing and condemning God's law.
                                   James 4:11 (NLT)  

God's ultimate law is the law of love.  He commands us to love Him and love each other.  There are no laws more important than these.  When we are hateful to others, whether they deserve it or not, we sin and break God's law.  For we are all deserving of worse than we receive from God.  But instead of the punishment we deserve, we received grace.

You will have many opportunities today to be hateful or negative or to say bad things about the people around you: the officer who gave you a ticket, the co-worker who laughed at your idea, the cashier who didn't treat you as you thought you deserved, the person who owes you money. Or you can choose to forgive and be kind, showing the love of Christ to all the people you meet, instead of just the ones who are nice to you.  

Which kind of person would Jesus want us to be?  Which will we be today?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

My apologies for being absent last week.  I got sick and wound up having to see two different doctors.  All is back to normal and I will try to be faithful to bringing you this devotion each day this week.  May God bless you and keep you and bring you all the gifts that He has in store for you.  And may we all share those gifts with all whom we meet today.  

"I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do."
                                                                            John 17:4 (NIV)

This is of course Jesus speaking here.  But who out there believes that Jesus was the only one called to bring the Father glory?

There was a time in my life just after becoming a student pastor that I came to the realization that doing pastoral things for people made me feel good.  It was nice receiving the compliments and pats on the back.  Before long I listened for people to say nice things about me more than I did for them to speak from their hearts about how God had merely used me to bless them.  Thankfully I realized the error of my ways through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  I know now that it's alright to have people say nice things about me, but it's even better when God receives the glory instead of His simple vessel. 

Many people in this world live in a fashion that brings no glory to God, while others are simply happy when God gets the glory for anything that they do.  Which one would best describe you?  Is God happy with the glory that is brought to Him because of you?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.
                                                    Deuteronomy 29:29 (NIV)

Some people say that when we all get to heave we'll know everything.  I don't know if that is true or not.  We may know everything.  We may forget all we never needed to know that was affected by sin.  Or it may just not matter.  I don't know.  And honestly I don't care.  There are some things that are secret and belong to the LORD.  If He wants us to know, we will.

I have this same way of thinking about the Bible.  There are those who may say (or at least act like) they have an answer for any question about the Bible that can be asked.  Personally, I know I have an answer to every question asked of me.  And this answer to several of the questions is simply "I don't know".  

It's OK not to understand all of the Bible.  God will bless you with more and more wisdom the more you prayerfully read and study it.  Don't worry about the things you don't understand. Just try to follow the things you do understand.  And allow God to work in your life through those.  

And who knows?  Maybe the next time you read one of those confusing passages, you'll be shone the answers you need for them too.  

In the love of Christ,
greg