12-31-2009
New Years Eve
I cannot believe it’s almost 2010. It feels like yesterday we were all worried about Y2K! In the spirit of the New Year, I would like to encourage all of us to make the time to write out our 2010 goals. While writing these goals, be specific. For instance, don’t just say you want to lose weight. Instead, say, “I will work out 5 days a week and spend at least 30 minutes a day on cardio while doing strength training 4 days a week as well.” Don’t just say you will save money. Instead say, “I will save _____ amount of money each week/month.” Be strategic with your goal setting, and make sure they are realistic goals. Make sure you have an accountability partner in place to aid you in your journey of accomplishing your goals for the year. Let’s face it; setting goals can be a lot easier than carrying them out at times!
Each year most of us have the same types of goals (eating right, working out, saving money, etc.). One of the most important goals that are typically overlooked is our spiritual goals. Do yourself a huge favor and make the time to set your spiritual goals. Maybe you want to read the entire Bible in a year, so set strategic daily goals to help you accomplish the end. For those of you that don’t have a church home, your goal should be to visit as many churches as possible until you find a church home that you can plug into on a weekly basis. Having regular prayer time each day might be a goal you need to set. If so, be specific as to the time and place you are going to pray each day. No matter what your spiritual goals are, every one of us needs to have a goal of reading the Bible on a regular basis. There’s nothing more powerful than feeding your mind the word of God!As we end 2009, I will leave you with a quick meeting that took place this week. I was visiting with the Senior Pastor of a church here in the DFW area that I had known for a long time. At the tail end of our meeting he asked me what some of the keys to my success are. You see, he knew me when I was a college baseball coach and then a youth minister. In other words, he knew me long before I had any money. Being there were many keys to success, one thing I knew attributed to my desire to be and do more was my commitment to personal and spiritual development. When I’m working on being the best I can be, I usually perform to the best of my abilities. When I’m not growing personally and spiritually, I tend to get content where I am in life. That being said, make a commitment to grow both personally and spiritually in 2010 and you will find success faster than you ever imagined!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Friday, December 25, 2009
Christmas Day
12-25-2009
Christmas Day
The following devotional is from the Wisdom Hunters Resources. Enjoy!
“When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt.” (Matthew 2:13-14).
The birth of Jesus did not encounter praise and adoration from everyone. There were those who felt intimidated by the attention He received, and they were threatened by His power. Though it was a misplaced fear, because Christ’s motivation was to reign over the human heart not rule over earthly kingdoms. When someone feels threatened by Jesus they attempt to dismiss His claims, discredit His teachings and destroy His influence. Because some people are jealous of Jesus, they will become jealous of you as a believer. Instead of celebrating His blessings in your life and family, they may come to loathe them. Some will even go out of their way to criticize you, your spouse, your children and your work. You may have to protect your family from the unfair attacks of critics by moving on. So be very careful how you display the good fortune of God in your life. Be modest and humble so you do not inflame the insecurities of those outside of the faith. Use your success as a creditable platform to reach out to those stuck in the crazy cycle of cynicism and deception. People trapped in jealousy are driven by anger, so be an example of encouragement and acceptance. Be attractive so they seek to embrace, not reject, Jesus. Be mindful to give your Christmas gifts out of gratitude and thanksgiving, not expecting anything in return. Follow Christ’s model of unconditional love and grace. The pure heart of an infant strikes at the heart of haughty Kings. Therefore, keep the humble and trusting attitude of baby Jesus as the spirit of your service to others. Some will reject, even attack, but many others will, by faith, place homage, worship, praise and gifts at the feet of Jesus. Wise men and women still seek Him, while the proud of heart still reject Him. Pray during this Christmas season that the Holy Spirit will change cynicism to optimism, fear to faith, insecurities to intimacy, rejection to acceptance, anger to forgiveness, hate to love and performance to grace. Indeed, baby Jesus came to replace jealousy with great joy! “An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:9-11).How can I celebrate with great joy the birthday of baby Jesus? Who can I serve and love unconditionally that may be jealous of my faith, my family or me?
Christmas Day
The following devotional is from the Wisdom Hunters Resources. Enjoy!
“When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt.” (Matthew 2:13-14).
The birth of Jesus did not encounter praise and adoration from everyone. There were those who felt intimidated by the attention He received, and they were threatened by His power. Though it was a misplaced fear, because Christ’s motivation was to reign over the human heart not rule over earthly kingdoms. When someone feels threatened by Jesus they attempt to dismiss His claims, discredit His teachings and destroy His influence. Because some people are jealous of Jesus, they will become jealous of you as a believer. Instead of celebrating His blessings in your life and family, they may come to loathe them. Some will even go out of their way to criticize you, your spouse, your children and your work. You may have to protect your family from the unfair attacks of critics by moving on. So be very careful how you display the good fortune of God in your life. Be modest and humble so you do not inflame the insecurities of those outside of the faith. Use your success as a creditable platform to reach out to those stuck in the crazy cycle of cynicism and deception. People trapped in jealousy are driven by anger, so be an example of encouragement and acceptance. Be attractive so they seek to embrace, not reject, Jesus. Be mindful to give your Christmas gifts out of gratitude and thanksgiving, not expecting anything in return. Follow Christ’s model of unconditional love and grace. The pure heart of an infant strikes at the heart of haughty Kings. Therefore, keep the humble and trusting attitude of baby Jesus as the spirit of your service to others. Some will reject, even attack, but many others will, by faith, place homage, worship, praise and gifts at the feet of Jesus. Wise men and women still seek Him, while the proud of heart still reject Him. Pray during this Christmas season that the Holy Spirit will change cynicism to optimism, fear to faith, insecurities to intimacy, rejection to acceptance, anger to forgiveness, hate to love and performance to grace. Indeed, baby Jesus came to replace jealousy with great joy! “An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:9-11).How can I celebrate with great joy the birthday of baby Jesus? Who can I serve and love unconditionally that may be jealous of my faith, my family or me?
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Christmas Eve
12-24-2009
Christmas Eve
As you hurry about doing all you can to prepare for Christmas morning, may you remember the true meaning of Christmas. It’s not about presents, eating, and the like; it’s about the celebration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I heard Jim Johnson, pastor at Preston Trail Community Church in Frisco, Texas say, “Don’t put Christmas in a box.” In other words, Christmas isn’t about giving or getting presents. It’s this time of year we are reminded to give, but why don’t we give regularly? As a reminder to give year round, Jim’s suggestion was to leave one Christmas decoration up year round to remind you to give regularly to those in need. We should celebrate Christ every day of our lives, therefore, don’t put your Christmas attitude in a box once the season ends. Let’s keep the right attitude at all times, and maybe we won’t have a lot of the problems we have.
After visiting a homeless shelter recently, I was blown away at the giving that takes place during the Christmas season. The director informed me they are blessed tremendously with volunteers offering to feed the homeless around Christmas time, but no one wants to volunteer during the year. This is a perfect example of putting Christmas in a box. Again, I think it’s great that Christmas reminds us to give and think of others, but we are called to do this all the time! As believers in Christ we have two commandments of most importance, to love God above everything, and to love your neighbor. One of the greatest ways to show love to someone in need is to provide for them.
As this season comes and goes, my prayer for all of us is that we keep the Christmas box open year round. Do something to remind you of this season. Make a commitment to feed the homeless once a month, or provide for someone in need. After all, it’s much better to give than to receive!
Application:
1. Stay focused on Jesus Christ during the celebration of Christmas
2. Take action to help those in need year round
Christmas Eve
As you hurry about doing all you can to prepare for Christmas morning, may you remember the true meaning of Christmas. It’s not about presents, eating, and the like; it’s about the celebration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I heard Jim Johnson, pastor at Preston Trail Community Church in Frisco, Texas say, “Don’t put Christmas in a box.” In other words, Christmas isn’t about giving or getting presents. It’s this time of year we are reminded to give, but why don’t we give regularly? As a reminder to give year round, Jim’s suggestion was to leave one Christmas decoration up year round to remind you to give regularly to those in need. We should celebrate Christ every day of our lives, therefore, don’t put your Christmas attitude in a box once the season ends. Let’s keep the right attitude at all times, and maybe we won’t have a lot of the problems we have.
After visiting a homeless shelter recently, I was blown away at the giving that takes place during the Christmas season. The director informed me they are blessed tremendously with volunteers offering to feed the homeless around Christmas time, but no one wants to volunteer during the year. This is a perfect example of putting Christmas in a box. Again, I think it’s great that Christmas reminds us to give and think of others, but we are called to do this all the time! As believers in Christ we have two commandments of most importance, to love God above everything, and to love your neighbor. One of the greatest ways to show love to someone in need is to provide for them.
As this season comes and goes, my prayer for all of us is that we keep the Christmas box open year round. Do something to remind you of this season. Make a commitment to feed the homeless once a month, or provide for someone in need. After all, it’s much better to give than to receive!
Application:
1. Stay focused on Jesus Christ during the celebration of Christmas
2. Take action to help those in need year round
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Is It Worth It?
12-23-2009
Is It Worth It?
The world tempts us to put our faith in the temporal; be it money, power, fame, etc. Matthew 19 is very clear in that nothing temporal leads to eternity in Heaven. In fact, it not only doesn’t lead to eternity in Heaven, but can lead us far from the path God’s called us to follow.
Matthew 19:16-30 says the following:
“16Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
17"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."
18"Which ones?" the man inquired.
Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'
20"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
21Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"
26Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
27Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"
28Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”
There’s nothing wrong with having nice things and making a lot of money. The key is to stay focused on making Christ famous and not self. If your focus comes on gaining material wealth and power, you are 100% lost and missing the purpose of life! Christ called us to be selfless givers, not selfish takers. When it’s time to meet your maker, He isn’t going to care how big your bank account is or the size of your home. He wants to see Christ like service and purity. Again, there’s nothing wrong with having nice things, as long as that’s not your focus. If having nice things keeps you tied down, you may want to reconsider just how important those things are. My prayer for you is that God will bless you financially so that you may give abundantly!
A
pplication:
1. Read Matthew 19:16-30
2. Where’s your focus?
Is It Worth It?
The world tempts us to put our faith in the temporal; be it money, power, fame, etc. Matthew 19 is very clear in that nothing temporal leads to eternity in Heaven. In fact, it not only doesn’t lead to eternity in Heaven, but can lead us far from the path God’s called us to follow.
Matthew 19:16-30 says the following:
“16Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
17"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."
18"Which ones?" the man inquired.
Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'
20"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
21Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"
26Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
27Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"
28Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”
There’s nothing wrong with having nice things and making a lot of money. The key is to stay focused on making Christ famous and not self. If your focus comes on gaining material wealth and power, you are 100% lost and missing the purpose of life! Christ called us to be selfless givers, not selfish takers. When it’s time to meet your maker, He isn’t going to care how big your bank account is or the size of your home. He wants to see Christ like service and purity. Again, there’s nothing wrong with having nice things, as long as that’s not your focus. If having nice things keeps you tied down, you may want to reconsider just how important those things are. My prayer for you is that God will bless you financially so that you may give abundantly!
A
pplication:
1. Read Matthew 19:16-30
2. Where’s your focus?
Monday, December 21, 2009
Rich Young Man
12-22-2009
Rich Young Man
Our society leads us into the thought process of, “what’s the price?” While many things can be bought, eternal life doesn’t have a temporal price tag. In other words, the only way to an eternal life in heaven is to put your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. As we dive back into the book of Matthew, we read the following in chapter 19:16-22:
“16Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
17"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."
18"Which ones?" the man inquired.
Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19honor your father and mother,'[a] and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'[b]"
20"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
21Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.”
This man thought if he did the right things, he could earn his way into Heaven. Salvation does not come from good deeds, rather, good deeds are a byproduct of understanding who Christ is, and the price He paid for us! There are 10 commandments, and only six are listed. The six listed are all relational. In other words, all six commandments listed have a relational relevance.
In order to go against one of these six commandments, it involves us wronging another human being. When this wealthy individual was asked to sell everything and give it to the poor, Jesus had hit on the man’s weakness. He was holding onto his wealth. We are reminded that the temporal means nothing. Bottom line we need to be focused on the Kingdom of God and not the Kingdom of ME!
Application:
1. Read Matthew 19:16-22
2. Where’s your focus?
Rich Young Man
Our society leads us into the thought process of, “what’s the price?” While many things can be bought, eternal life doesn’t have a temporal price tag. In other words, the only way to an eternal life in heaven is to put your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. As we dive back into the book of Matthew, we read the following in chapter 19:16-22:
“16Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
17"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."
18"Which ones?" the man inquired.
Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19honor your father and mother,'[a] and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'[b]"
20"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
21Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.”
This man thought if he did the right things, he could earn his way into Heaven. Salvation does not come from good deeds, rather, good deeds are a byproduct of understanding who Christ is, and the price He paid for us! There are 10 commandments, and only six are listed. The six listed are all relational. In other words, all six commandments listed have a relational relevance.
In order to go against one of these six commandments, it involves us wronging another human being. When this wealthy individual was asked to sell everything and give it to the poor, Jesus had hit on the man’s weakness. He was holding onto his wealth. We are reminded that the temporal means nothing. Bottom line we need to be focused on the Kingdom of God and not the Kingdom of ME!
Application:
1. Read Matthew 19:16-22
2. Where’s your focus?
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Six C's To Success
12-21-2009
Six C’s To Success
I attended one of my cousin’s weddings this weekend, and heard a crazy statistic that I had to share today. A study by Newsweek revealed the average couple only spends four minutes a day talking with each other. FOUR MINUTES! When you think about the pace of life the world throws upon us, you can start to see the validity of the studies report. The minister in the wedding did a great job of outlining some keys to a successful marriage so that we don’t fall into the “average marriage” trap.
One of the first keys to a successful marriage is communication. I’ve always believed one of the number one causes of a problem in any type of relationship is a breakdown in communication. We must make a point to communicate our feelings on a daily basis, especially with the person we love.
We must have consideration for each other. We must consider our spouses views, ideas, and thoughts in the decision making process. For example, we shouldn’t simply buy something of value because we like it. It’s right to speak with your spouse first before making big purchases.
Compromise is a must for any and all successful relationships. Love does not demand its own way. My wife is amazing at compromising. She must be the most servant-hearted individual I’ve ever met. She may be the only person that could put up with a stubborn fool like me and still have a smile!
Commitment gives us the ability to see something to the end. Marriage isn’t something we “try”, it is a lifelong commitment to the person you marry. The divorce rate is over 50% in our country and getting worse. We must stay focused on the commitment we vowed to keep.
Courtship is often forgotten in most marriages. Haley and I have our weekly date night every Friday night. If by chance we have something scheduled on Friday, we make sure to have a date at least once during the week. During the date all phones are off, and we give each other our undivided attention. I can honestly say my wife and I have never stopped dating, thus I love her more and more the older we get. I hear people talk about how their marriage has changed, and “it’s not what it used to be.” I’m going to blame the guys for this, because we tend to stop courting once we’ve captured our prey! Never stop dating your spouse.
Finally, there must be one central truth to a successful marriage and that’s Christ. The Bible is very specific in that where Christ is present, you will find success. If Christ is absent, it’s doomed for failure. We are called to love our spouse just a Christ loved the church and His people. In order for us to love our spouse as Christ loves us, we must understand the nature of Christ. Moreover, we must strive to be Christ like in order to love like Christ. If you don’t have a church home, get plugged in, and surround yourselves with a community of believers that provide accountability.
Relationships take work, and we must stay focused on the 6 C’s of a successful marriage if we don’t want to be in an “average” marriage. Have a great day and God Bless!
Six C’s To Success
I attended one of my cousin’s weddings this weekend, and heard a crazy statistic that I had to share today. A study by Newsweek revealed the average couple only spends four minutes a day talking with each other. FOUR MINUTES! When you think about the pace of life the world throws upon us, you can start to see the validity of the studies report. The minister in the wedding did a great job of outlining some keys to a successful marriage so that we don’t fall into the “average marriage” trap.
One of the first keys to a successful marriage is communication. I’ve always believed one of the number one causes of a problem in any type of relationship is a breakdown in communication. We must make a point to communicate our feelings on a daily basis, especially with the person we love.
We must have consideration for each other. We must consider our spouses views, ideas, and thoughts in the decision making process. For example, we shouldn’t simply buy something of value because we like it. It’s right to speak with your spouse first before making big purchases.
Compromise is a must for any and all successful relationships. Love does not demand its own way. My wife is amazing at compromising. She must be the most servant-hearted individual I’ve ever met. She may be the only person that could put up with a stubborn fool like me and still have a smile!
Commitment gives us the ability to see something to the end. Marriage isn’t something we “try”, it is a lifelong commitment to the person you marry. The divorce rate is over 50% in our country and getting worse. We must stay focused on the commitment we vowed to keep.
Courtship is often forgotten in most marriages. Haley and I have our weekly date night every Friday night. If by chance we have something scheduled on Friday, we make sure to have a date at least once during the week. During the date all phones are off, and we give each other our undivided attention. I can honestly say my wife and I have never stopped dating, thus I love her more and more the older we get. I hear people talk about how their marriage has changed, and “it’s not what it used to be.” I’m going to blame the guys for this, because we tend to stop courting once we’ve captured our prey! Never stop dating your spouse.
Finally, there must be one central truth to a successful marriage and that’s Christ. The Bible is very specific in that where Christ is present, you will find success. If Christ is absent, it’s doomed for failure. We are called to love our spouse just a Christ loved the church and His people. In order for us to love our spouse as Christ loves us, we must understand the nature of Christ. Moreover, we must strive to be Christ like in order to love like Christ. If you don’t have a church home, get plugged in, and surround yourselves with a community of believers that provide accountability.
Relationships take work, and we must stay focused on the 6 C’s of a successful marriage if we don’t want to be in an “average” marriage. Have a great day and God Bless!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Faith Like A Child
12-18-2009
Jesus Blesses Little Children
One of my favorite Jars of Clay songs is “Faith Like a Child.” The entire song is powerful, and one of the paragraphs summarizes our faith walk incredibly.
“They say that love can heal the broken
They say that hope can make you see
They say that faith can find a Savior
If you would follow and believe
With Faith Like a Child”
My wife and I took a group of the Dallas Patriots kids to a homeless shelter last night, and though I shed a few tears as I looked at how broken many of the individuals were, I shed tears of joy as I interacted with a few kids at the shelter. Here were kids that had every right to be down and out, as most kids spend time playing with their friends, and these kids were waiting in line to get some food, hoping to find a bathroom in the shelter to use, and waiting for some toothpaste to be delivered, yet they had hope in their eyes. One 8 year old boy was so excited as he was getting to watch the movie Terminator with his dad. Another little girl and I made eye contact, and as I waved she grinned from ear to ear. These kids seemed as happy as could be, when the truth is they had every right to be sad and hurt. If only we could see the world the way a little child does.
Children have an amazing view of life. They haven’t been beaten down by the world. They dream big and find the good in people. A child can have fun in just about any situation if you will allow them. A child will jump into their parent’s arms without hesitation because they know their mom or dad will catch them. The thought of their parents dropping them never enters their mind. When a child sees us in the homeless shelter they embrace us with the love only a child can give!
Matthew 19:13-14 says the following:
“13Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
14Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." 15When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.”
Children have the right attitude, trust, and humility. They keep things simple and retain pure hearts. As we age we tend to complicate things, worry, and lose faith. Let’s have faith like a child and simply follow and believe!
Application:
1. Read Matthew 19:13-15
2. Listen to the song “Faith Like A Child” by Jars of Clay
Jesus Blesses Little Children
One of my favorite Jars of Clay songs is “Faith Like a Child.” The entire song is powerful, and one of the paragraphs summarizes our faith walk incredibly.
“They say that love can heal the broken
They say that hope can make you see
They say that faith can find a Savior
If you would follow and believe
With Faith Like a Child”
My wife and I took a group of the Dallas Patriots kids to a homeless shelter last night, and though I shed a few tears as I looked at how broken many of the individuals were, I shed tears of joy as I interacted with a few kids at the shelter. Here were kids that had every right to be down and out, as most kids spend time playing with their friends, and these kids were waiting in line to get some food, hoping to find a bathroom in the shelter to use, and waiting for some toothpaste to be delivered, yet they had hope in their eyes. One 8 year old boy was so excited as he was getting to watch the movie Terminator with his dad. Another little girl and I made eye contact, and as I waved she grinned from ear to ear. These kids seemed as happy as could be, when the truth is they had every right to be sad and hurt. If only we could see the world the way a little child does.
Children have an amazing view of life. They haven’t been beaten down by the world. They dream big and find the good in people. A child can have fun in just about any situation if you will allow them. A child will jump into their parent’s arms without hesitation because they know their mom or dad will catch them. The thought of their parents dropping them never enters their mind. When a child sees us in the homeless shelter they embrace us with the love only a child can give!
Matthew 19:13-14 says the following:
“13Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
14Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." 15When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.”
Children have the right attitude, trust, and humility. They keep things simple and retain pure hearts. As we age we tend to complicate things, worry, and lose faith. Let’s have faith like a child and simply follow and believe!
Application:
1. Read Matthew 19:13-15
2. Listen to the song “Faith Like A Child” by Jars of Clay
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Preparation
12-17-2009
3-18-2009-REPOST
Confidence is an absolute key to being successful, so doesn’t it make sense to study where confidence comes from? The type of confidence I am referring to is an authentic confidence that comes from being comfortable in your own skin. In other words, you aren’t concerned with impressing the world, and you don’t let situations bother you. A real confidence comes from Christ. When you truly know who you are and where you come from, you will be confident because you know you are a child of God made in His image.
In order to further your confidence in a particular task, job, sport, etc. you must understand the importance of preparation. Preparation breeds confidence! When one is prepared for a certain task, you are able to pull up excellence at a moment’s notice. If you aren’t prepared, you will fail more times than not when put in the same exact situation. In 1 Peter 1:13 it says, “prepare your minds for action.” Peter is writing to the Jewish Christians at the time who were experiencing persecution for their faith. The vital purpose of this book is to provide encouragement, and to PREPARE believers for what lies ahead. In other words, just like you may need to prepare for a big game, a presentation at work, or any other significant moment in your life, Peter is telling Christians everywhere to PREPARE so that we may call up excellence at a moment’s notice. We never know when our faith will be called into action, but we had better be ready! There might be someone reading this right now that hasn’t accepted Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, and God might be using you to be the messenger of life. Are you prepared to answer what it means to be a believer? It wasn’t until my junior year in high school that I truly understood what it meant to be a Christ follower. I had gone to church my entire life, but still had no clue what it meant to understand that Christ died for our sins. If you are reading this and you have questions about becoming a believer in Christ, we are here to help answer any questions you may have, so that you may be prepared for life! Once you know who your maker is, you will begin to understand who you are. Once you understand who you are and why you are incredibly significant to this world, you will become confident in your purpose for living!
I’ve always wondered how amazing life would be if we all spent as much time on our spiritual development as we do on so many other activities. For instance, we spend countless hours on our physical development, watching TV, sports, shopping, and any other activity you can think of. Truth is none of them compare to the value of spiritual and personal development. There is nothing wrong with watching a little TV, playing sports, etc. , but challenge yourself to carve out time, even if just a few minutes, everyday to read a daily devotional and other personal development books, so that you will be prepared to be your best when your opportunity comes. God will not give you the success you desire until you are prepared for success. Start to prepare today, and you too will be able to call up excellence at a moment’s notice!
Application:
1. What type of daily personal growth game plan are you committed to?
2. What areas in your life are lacking in self-confidence? Why?
3. For those areas in your life where you are confident, what are you finding your confidence in?
3-18-2009-REPOST
Confidence is an absolute key to being successful, so doesn’t it make sense to study where confidence comes from? The type of confidence I am referring to is an authentic confidence that comes from being comfortable in your own skin. In other words, you aren’t concerned with impressing the world, and you don’t let situations bother you. A real confidence comes from Christ. When you truly know who you are and where you come from, you will be confident because you know you are a child of God made in His image.
In order to further your confidence in a particular task, job, sport, etc. you must understand the importance of preparation. Preparation breeds confidence! When one is prepared for a certain task, you are able to pull up excellence at a moment’s notice. If you aren’t prepared, you will fail more times than not when put in the same exact situation. In 1 Peter 1:13 it says, “prepare your minds for action.” Peter is writing to the Jewish Christians at the time who were experiencing persecution for their faith. The vital purpose of this book is to provide encouragement, and to PREPARE believers for what lies ahead. In other words, just like you may need to prepare for a big game, a presentation at work, or any other significant moment in your life, Peter is telling Christians everywhere to PREPARE so that we may call up excellence at a moment’s notice. We never know when our faith will be called into action, but we had better be ready! There might be someone reading this right now that hasn’t accepted Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, and God might be using you to be the messenger of life. Are you prepared to answer what it means to be a believer? It wasn’t until my junior year in high school that I truly understood what it meant to be a Christ follower. I had gone to church my entire life, but still had no clue what it meant to understand that Christ died for our sins. If you are reading this and you have questions about becoming a believer in Christ, we are here to help answer any questions you may have, so that you may be prepared for life! Once you know who your maker is, you will begin to understand who you are. Once you understand who you are and why you are incredibly significant to this world, you will become confident in your purpose for living!
I’ve always wondered how amazing life would be if we all spent as much time on our spiritual development as we do on so many other activities. For instance, we spend countless hours on our physical development, watching TV, sports, shopping, and any other activity you can think of. Truth is none of them compare to the value of spiritual and personal development. There is nothing wrong with watching a little TV, playing sports, etc. , but challenge yourself to carve out time, even if just a few minutes, everyday to read a daily devotional and other personal development books, so that you will be prepared to be your best when your opportunity comes. God will not give you the success you desire until you are prepared for success. Start to prepare today, and you too will be able to call up excellence at a moment’s notice!
Application:
1. What type of daily personal growth game plan are you committed to?
2. What areas in your life are lacking in self-confidence? Why?
3. For those areas in your life where you are confident, what are you finding your confidence in?
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Strengths
12-16-2009
3-17-2009-REPOST
Yesterday we spoke about the importance of understanding our weaknesses, so today, let’s talk about the fun stuff…our strengths! God created each and every one of us the way we are for a reason. God never says OOPS! He knows what he is doing, and it’s important to remember that we don’t necessarily need to know why He does what He does. Our job is to control what we can control and focus on the process.
It is extremely important that you not only understand you have God given strengths, but also USE THEM. I feel so many of us travel through life with untapped ability. Instead of being normal and dying with potential, go against the grain and do whatever you can to use the gifts God’s blessed you with in a God-honoring way.
In 2 Timothy 1:6-7, Paul is writing to young Timothy to encourage him to use the gifts God’s given him. Timothy was facing opposition and persecution as he carried out his ministry, and Paul was encouraging Timothy to step out BOLDY in his faith and to use the gifts God had given him to preach. Timothy needed the courage to use his God given gift of preaching and teaching.
What gifts do you have that need to be Ignited? Paul’s encouragement to Timothy was a reminder that when you do what you have been called to do, God will bless your efforts. God will give you the power you need to do what He has called you to do.
Application:
1. Write down a list of your strengths
2. What do you feel you are most passionate about?
3. Do you have the courage to follow the path God has set before you?
4. Do you have an idea as to where God wants you? (most do not)
5. Read 2 Timothy 1:1-14
My goal for you throughout our journey together is that you will find EXACTLY where God wants you!
3-17-2009-REPOST
Yesterday we spoke about the importance of understanding our weaknesses, so today, let’s talk about the fun stuff…our strengths! God created each and every one of us the way we are for a reason. God never says OOPS! He knows what he is doing, and it’s important to remember that we don’t necessarily need to know why He does what He does. Our job is to control what we can control and focus on the process.
It is extremely important that you not only understand you have God given strengths, but also USE THEM. I feel so many of us travel through life with untapped ability. Instead of being normal and dying with potential, go against the grain and do whatever you can to use the gifts God’s blessed you with in a God-honoring way.
In 2 Timothy 1:6-7, Paul is writing to young Timothy to encourage him to use the gifts God’s given him. Timothy was facing opposition and persecution as he carried out his ministry, and Paul was encouraging Timothy to step out BOLDY in his faith and to use the gifts God had given him to preach. Timothy needed the courage to use his God given gift of preaching and teaching.
What gifts do you have that need to be Ignited? Paul’s encouragement to Timothy was a reminder that when you do what you have been called to do, God will bless your efforts. God will give you the power you need to do what He has called you to do.
Application:
1. Write down a list of your strengths
2. What do you feel you are most passionate about?
3. Do you have the courage to follow the path God has set before you?
4. Do you have an idea as to where God wants you? (most do not)
5. Read 2 Timothy 1:1-14
My goal for you throughout our journey together is that you will find EXACTLY where God wants you!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Marriage
12-14-2009
Marriage
Marriage is an amazing union of two individuals whom God has connected to serve as one. I feel extremely blessed to have Haley as my wife as she is literally my teammate in life. As we continue our study of Matthew, the religious leaders question Jesus about marriage and divorce.
Matthew 19 says the following:
“1When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. 2Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
3Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?"
4"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,5and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'6So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."
7"Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?"
8Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery."
10The disciples said to him, "If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry."
11Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. 12For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."
To summarize, divorce is permissible when a partner has relations with another individual outside of the marriage. Jesus does an amazing job of focusing on the positive aspects of marriage, despite the fact the religious leader were trying to do the same thing they did to John (which led to John’s death), in that they wanted Jesus to choose which school of thought he believed in. Some at the time believed you could get divorced for any reason, while the other school believed marriage was to be permanent. Instead of being opinionated about the theology of divorce, Jesus focused on the theology of marriage. Jesus even goes so far as to say some probably shouldn’t get married!
No matter where you are in your relationship with others, it’s important we understand the purpose of commitment. It’s easy to focus on the past and the “he said she said”, and we should learn from the past, but we all need to control what we can control and move forward. If you aren’t married, learn from previous relationships, so when you do find your potential spouse you can be the best partner possible. What could you have done better? What were your strengths and weaknesses in the relationship? For those of you that are married, do all you can to be the best spouse possible. Pray that God blesses your marriage, and seek solutions to any potential problems your marriage may/have encounter. Marriage is a wonderful celebration of two individuals becoming one. Stay committed to each other at all times, avoid the “grass is greener” mentality, and live your life to serve your spouse, not be served!
Application:
1. Read Matthew 19:1-12
2. Are you serving your spouse the way they desire to be served?
Marriage
Marriage is an amazing union of two individuals whom God has connected to serve as one. I feel extremely blessed to have Haley as my wife as she is literally my teammate in life. As we continue our study of Matthew, the religious leaders question Jesus about marriage and divorce.
Matthew 19 says the following:
“1When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. 2Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
3Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?"
4"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,5and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'6So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."
7"Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?"
8Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery."
10The disciples said to him, "If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry."
11Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. 12For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."
To summarize, divorce is permissible when a partner has relations with another individual outside of the marriage. Jesus does an amazing job of focusing on the positive aspects of marriage, despite the fact the religious leader were trying to do the same thing they did to John (which led to John’s death), in that they wanted Jesus to choose which school of thought he believed in. Some at the time believed you could get divorced for any reason, while the other school believed marriage was to be permanent. Instead of being opinionated about the theology of divorce, Jesus focused on the theology of marriage. Jesus even goes so far as to say some probably shouldn’t get married!
No matter where you are in your relationship with others, it’s important we understand the purpose of commitment. It’s easy to focus on the past and the “he said she said”, and we should learn from the past, but we all need to control what we can control and move forward. If you aren’t married, learn from previous relationships, so when you do find your potential spouse you can be the best partner possible. What could you have done better? What were your strengths and weaknesses in the relationship? For those of you that are married, do all you can to be the best spouse possible. Pray that God blesses your marriage, and seek solutions to any potential problems your marriage may/have encounter. Marriage is a wonderful celebration of two individuals becoming one. Stay committed to each other at all times, avoid the “grass is greener” mentality, and live your life to serve your spouse, not be served!
Application:
1. Read Matthew 19:1-12
2. Are you serving your spouse the way they desire to be served?
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Parable of The Unforgiving Debtor
12-11-2009
Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor
In the first part of Matthew 18 we discussed the proper way to handle a dispute with another believer in Christ. The last part of Matthew 18 is the parable of the unforgiving debtor.
“21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a]
23"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents[b] was brought to him. 25Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' 27The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.[c] He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.
29"His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
30"But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' 34In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
Forgiving those that wrong us isn’t the easiest thing to do, however we are called to do so every time someone truly repents. When we stop and consider not only the forgiveness Christ shows us, but also the price he paid for us, we should freely forgive those that wrong us. Just imagine if Christ didn’t forgive us of our sins! We are all in desperate need of Christ’s forgiveness; therefore we should focus on loving people, and not judging people. It’s easy to find fault in just about everything, but the Christ-like thing to do is to forgive others with the love of Christ!
Application:
1. Read Matthew 18:21-35
2. Forgive just as Christ forgave
Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor
In the first part of Matthew 18 we discussed the proper way to handle a dispute with another believer in Christ. The last part of Matthew 18 is the parable of the unforgiving debtor.
“21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a]
23"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents[b] was brought to him. 25Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' 27The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.[c] He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.
29"His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
30"But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' 34In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
Forgiving those that wrong us isn’t the easiest thing to do, however we are called to do so every time someone truly repents. When we stop and consider not only the forgiveness Christ shows us, but also the price he paid for us, we should freely forgive those that wrong us. Just imagine if Christ didn’t forgive us of our sins! We are all in desperate need of Christ’s forgiveness; therefore we should focus on loving people, and not judging people. It’s easy to find fault in just about everything, but the Christ-like thing to do is to forgive others with the love of Christ!
Application:
1. Read Matthew 18:21-35
2. Forgive just as Christ forgave
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
How To Treat A Believer Who Sins
12-10-2009
How To Treat A Believer Who Sins
This passage of scripture is not the most positive topic to discuss, but it certainly provides great instruction to believers everywhere in dealing with conflict.
Matthew 18:15-20 says the following:
15"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.'17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
18"I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will bebound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will beloosed in heaven.
19"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."
It’s important to take this advice in context. This is advice for believers in Christ, and this doesn’t mean we should go around confronting everyone when they sin. Moreover, this is advice for how we should respond when someone sins against us. In other words, take this advice if someone were to sin against you.
We’ve all had moments in our lives where we’ve been wronged, or at least felt that way. It’s important during these moments to use those opportunities to show God’s love. It’s easy to get upset and go down a destructive path. The hard thing to do is take the high road. As we reflect on the life of Jesus, he suffered punishment after punishment, yet never sinned. He was “wronged” on a regular basis, yet he continued to show God’s love. May we carry the cross of spreading God’s love in every circumstance!
Application:
1. Read Matthew 18:15-20
2. Show God’s love in the most difficult of circumstances
How To Treat A Believer Who Sins
This passage of scripture is not the most positive topic to discuss, but it certainly provides great instruction to believers everywhere in dealing with conflict.
Matthew 18:15-20 says the following:
15"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.'17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
18"I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will bebound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will beloosed in heaven.
19"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."
It’s important to take this advice in context. This is advice for believers in Christ, and this doesn’t mean we should go around confronting everyone when they sin. Moreover, this is advice for how we should respond when someone sins against us. In other words, take this advice if someone were to sin against you.
We’ve all had moments in our lives where we’ve been wronged, or at least felt that way. It’s important during these moments to use those opportunities to show God’s love. It’s easy to get upset and go down a destructive path. The hard thing to do is take the high road. As we reflect on the life of Jesus, he suffered punishment after punishment, yet never sinned. He was “wronged” on a regular basis, yet he continued to show God’s love. May we carry the cross of spreading God’s love in every circumstance!
Application:
1. Read Matthew 18:15-20
2. Show God’s love in the most difficult of circumstances
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Parable of The Lost Sheep
12-9-2009
Parable of The Lost Sheep
Matthew 18:10-14 says the following:
10"See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.
12"What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.”
The parable of the lost sheep can be paralleled with so many situations in our lives. We put so much emphasis on the power of one. For instance, someone could give you a million compliments, and if they say one negative thing about you, that’s what you will remember. If an athlete has a great game for all but one second, it’s that one bad second of the game everyone remembers. You could be the best driver in the world, but if you have one little accident it could cause infinite damage on earth. In this same breath, God values the power of one, and he doesn’t want one single person to be lost.
God desires for everyone to know him intimately no matter what the past looks like. Regardless of your sins or way of life, God is calling everyone to turn to him, and our responsibility is to spread the good news to everyone we can. This doesn’t mean we should beat people over the head with the Bible. The greatest way we can spread the love of Jesus is through our actions and way of life. When people see something different in you, the Holy Spirit will take over. Begin to pray regularly that if anyone you know or come in contact with doesn’t know who Christ is, you may have the opportunity to make them aware.
Application:
1. Read Matthew 18:10-14
2. Leave no one behind!
Parable of The Lost Sheep
Matthew 18:10-14 says the following:
10"See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.
12"What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.”
The parable of the lost sheep can be paralleled with so many situations in our lives. We put so much emphasis on the power of one. For instance, someone could give you a million compliments, and if they say one negative thing about you, that’s what you will remember. If an athlete has a great game for all but one second, it’s that one bad second of the game everyone remembers. You could be the best driver in the world, but if you have one little accident it could cause infinite damage on earth. In this same breath, God values the power of one, and he doesn’t want one single person to be lost.
God desires for everyone to know him intimately no matter what the past looks like. Regardless of your sins or way of life, God is calling everyone to turn to him, and our responsibility is to spread the good news to everyone we can. This doesn’t mean we should beat people over the head with the Bible. The greatest way we can spread the love of Jesus is through our actions and way of life. When people see something different in you, the Holy Spirit will take over. Begin to pray regularly that if anyone you know or come in contact with doesn’t know who Christ is, you may have the opportunity to make them aware.
Application:
1. Read Matthew 18:10-14
2. Leave no one behind!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Guidance
12-8-2009
Guidance
From time to time I like to share an email I receive with everyone, as I feel they may bring a very simple yet powerful message. Here’s an email I received this week…ENJOY!
Dancing With God When I meditated on the word Guidance, I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word. I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing. When two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn't flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky. When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another. It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other. My eyes drew back to the word Guidance. When I saw "G" I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i". "God, "u" and "i" dance." God, you, and I dance. As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life. Once again, I became willing to let God lead. My prayer for you today is that God's blessings and mercies are upon you on this day and everyday. May you abide in God, as God abides in you. Dance together with God, trusting God to lead and to guide you through each season of your life.
Guidance
From time to time I like to share an email I receive with everyone, as I feel they may bring a very simple yet powerful message. Here’s an email I received this week…ENJOY!
Dancing With God When I meditated on the word Guidance, I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word. I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing. When two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn't flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky. When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another. It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other. My eyes drew back to the word Guidance. When I saw "G" I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i". "God, "u" and "i" dance." God, you, and I dance. As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life. Once again, I became willing to let God lead. My prayer for you today is that God's blessings and mercies are upon you on this day and everyday. May you abide in God, as God abides in you. Dance together with God, trusting God to lead and to guide you through each season of your life.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Cut It Out
12-7-2009
Cut It Out
Matthew 18:1-9 says the following:
“1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
2He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. 6But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
7"Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! 8If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.”
When we first read the verses 7-9 it can be a bit dramatic. The point we should take from this illustration is to eliminate the things in our lives that cause us to sin. If we have bad habits, we need to replace them with good habits. What we surround ourselves with can lead to our downfall or our elevation to new heights.
Chapter 18 correlates the importance of cutting out sin in our lives with that of a child. For those of us that have an opportunity to make a positive impact in a child’s life, we need to remember what we do and say will ultimately influence whey they do and say. We must always be a positive example in a kid’s life. Not only should we be a positive example in a child’s life, but God calls us to be child like with our very being. Notice he doesn’t say we should be childish!
I have the fortunate opportunity to work with kids on a daily basis, and it’s amazing how kids’ act and speak like their parents. Unfortunately, this can be a good and a bad thing! When kids see their dad’s staring at other women, the kid learns from an early age to stare, and when parent’s use bad language, it’s no wonder their kids do as well. On the other hand, when parents involve their kids in acts of service, it makes sense that the kids grow up with a servant heart. Families that teach their children to pray, have kids that will teach their children to pray. Bottom line is we all have a much bigger impact in people’s lives than we realize, thus it’s our job to be the example Christ has called us to be. A big part of us being the example for others means we must cut things out of our lives that cause us to sin. This won’t be easy, but Christ boldly proclaims its importance. Let’s revert back to childlike ways when we had a pure innocence about us, and live for others. If there’s something keeping you from living a pure and innocent life, CUT IT OUT!
Application:
1. Read Matthew 18:1-9
2. Be the example for others!
Cut It Out
Matthew 18:1-9 says the following:
“1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
2He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. 6But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
7"Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! 8If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.”
When we first read the verses 7-9 it can be a bit dramatic. The point we should take from this illustration is to eliminate the things in our lives that cause us to sin. If we have bad habits, we need to replace them with good habits. What we surround ourselves with can lead to our downfall or our elevation to new heights.
Chapter 18 correlates the importance of cutting out sin in our lives with that of a child. For those of us that have an opportunity to make a positive impact in a child’s life, we need to remember what we do and say will ultimately influence whey they do and say. We must always be a positive example in a kid’s life. Not only should we be a positive example in a child’s life, but God calls us to be child like with our very being. Notice he doesn’t say we should be childish!
I have the fortunate opportunity to work with kids on a daily basis, and it’s amazing how kids’ act and speak like their parents. Unfortunately, this can be a good and a bad thing! When kids see their dad’s staring at other women, the kid learns from an early age to stare, and when parent’s use bad language, it’s no wonder their kids do as well. On the other hand, when parents involve their kids in acts of service, it makes sense that the kids grow up with a servant heart. Families that teach their children to pray, have kids that will teach their children to pray. Bottom line is we all have a much bigger impact in people’s lives than we realize, thus it’s our job to be the example Christ has called us to be. A big part of us being the example for others means we must cut things out of our lives that cause us to sin. This won’t be easy, but Christ boldly proclaims its importance. Let’s revert back to childlike ways when we had a pure innocence about us, and live for others. If there’s something keeping you from living a pure and innocent life, CUT IT OUT!
Application:
1. Read Matthew 18:1-9
2. Be the example for others!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Habits
12-4-2009
Habits
For those of you that missed the devotional from yesterday, we all had a little homework assignment to test the “humans are all habitual” hypothesis. The assignment was geared for those that have a spouse they share a bed with. We were to get on “their” side of the bed to see what they would say about sleeping on “our” side of the bed. Therefore, I got on her side of the bed before she came in the room. When she walked into the room she just looked at me. She knew something was strange when I beat her to bed. I’m usually up working on the computer or reading. She then walked over to “her” side of the bed to put her phone on the charger, and said “are you going to sleep on “MY” side of the bed tonight?” I then said, “Maybe”, and with sort of an annoyed smirk she said, “Okay…whatever.” I couldn’t help myself, so I just started laughing. I then told her what I was doing, and that I feel like the majority of what we do is based on the habits we instill in ourselves, and by making her feel as if I was going to sleep on “her” side of the bed would prove my point. We shared a long laugh about this situation, and she finally admitted that my point was valid. It was strange for both of us to be on the opposite side of the bed, so we immediately switched back to our respective sides.
The exercise was funny, but very truthful. There’s no telling how many habits we need to break, and how many habits we need to instill in our lives. I can’t wait to read all of your responses to this exercise. Humans are habitual, and the silly exercise proves this point. If you missed the devotional for yesterday you may want to go to my blog to catch up before reading the rest of this devotional.
Along with creating habits that will aid our Christian journey, we must make sure we aren’t simply doing “religious acts.” God wants us to be pure with our actions and motives. To read the Bible for the sake of reading the Bible misses the entire point of the exercise. We should read the Bible to grow in our relationship with Christ. While it’s important to form great habits, we need to make sure we never lose sight of why we set out to form certain habits in the first place. If you are in church every Sunday, are you truly there to worship Christ, or are you going because you are supposed to go? Christ calls us to have pure hearts, so let’s create great habits and never lose sight of why we started them in the first place.
Application:
1. Email me your exercise story…I promise to leave out any names.
2. Stay pure in your motives, and make sure you habits are being done for the right reasons.
Habits
For those of you that missed the devotional from yesterday, we all had a little homework assignment to test the “humans are all habitual” hypothesis. The assignment was geared for those that have a spouse they share a bed with. We were to get on “their” side of the bed to see what they would say about sleeping on “our” side of the bed. Therefore, I got on her side of the bed before she came in the room. When she walked into the room she just looked at me. She knew something was strange when I beat her to bed. I’m usually up working on the computer or reading. She then walked over to “her” side of the bed to put her phone on the charger, and said “are you going to sleep on “MY” side of the bed tonight?” I then said, “Maybe”, and with sort of an annoyed smirk she said, “Okay…whatever.” I couldn’t help myself, so I just started laughing. I then told her what I was doing, and that I feel like the majority of what we do is based on the habits we instill in ourselves, and by making her feel as if I was going to sleep on “her” side of the bed would prove my point. We shared a long laugh about this situation, and she finally admitted that my point was valid. It was strange for both of us to be on the opposite side of the bed, so we immediately switched back to our respective sides.
The exercise was funny, but very truthful. There’s no telling how many habits we need to break, and how many habits we need to instill in our lives. I can’t wait to read all of your responses to this exercise. Humans are habitual, and the silly exercise proves this point. If you missed the devotional for yesterday you may want to go to my blog to catch up before reading the rest of this devotional.
Along with creating habits that will aid our Christian journey, we must make sure we aren’t simply doing “religious acts.” God wants us to be pure with our actions and motives. To read the Bible for the sake of reading the Bible misses the entire point of the exercise. We should read the Bible to grow in our relationship with Christ. While it’s important to form great habits, we need to make sure we never lose sight of why we set out to form certain habits in the first place. If you are in church every Sunday, are you truly there to worship Christ, or are you going because you are supposed to go? Christ calls us to have pure hearts, so let’s create great habits and never lose sight of why we started them in the first place.
Application:
1. Email me your exercise story…I promise to leave out any names.
2. Stay pure in your motives, and make sure you habits are being done for the right reasons.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Exercise Faith
12-3-2009
Exercise Faith
When we have a genuine faith in something, we trust whatever or whomever no matter what the outcome or consequence is. We are called to have this same type of faith in Jesus. Faith in Christ should be during the great, good, and bad times, yet we often have a faith of convenience.
When speaking with individuals that believe in God, but don’t go to church, there are usually a few reasons for not going. Many times the individual is lazy. They simply don’t have the discipline to go. Another reason tends to lie in a bad experience that occurred in their past, thereby creating a negative feeling toward the church experience. Some individuals feel they have fallen so far they don’t feel worthy to go to church. It would be awkward to go. Regardless of the reason, God calls us to exercise our faith on our own, and with community (going to church).
There are a couple keys to understanding human behavior as it relates to faith. First, humans are habitual. Chances are you sleep on the same side of the bed every night. When you wake up, you probably have a routine you go through. When you come home from work, you will do the same thing today as you did the day before, and of course you have the same routine at night. Humans are habitual. For those of you that are married, get into bed before your spouse does, but this time lie on “their” side of the bed. Leave “your” side of the bed available. I would love to hear some of your responses from your spouse’s! Seriously, email us the response of your spouse at info@loganstout.com. I will join in on the fun, and report back as to what my wife does.
The second thing to understand is our faith must be exercised. When we exercise our faith on a regular basis it becomes a habit. Once it becomes a habit, it will become a part of your day. Now, this takes time, but imagine if you were to read the Bible just a little bit every day. Take five minutes a day away from watching the television, and instead wipe the dust off the Bible. It’s hard at first, because it’s not a habit. Eventually, you will get to the point where you don’t feel like your day is complete until you’ve read scripture. It’s like working out at the gym. I can’t go more than two days without working out because working out every morning is now a part of my routine. If I don’t work out I feel miserable. Remember, we must exercise our faith in order to make it a part of our routine.
In all times, have faith. For those that have strayed, let’s form a new habit of exercising our faith!
Application:
1. Read Matthew 17
2. Get in bed before your spouse and see what happens when they find you on “their” side.
Exercise Faith
When we have a genuine faith in something, we trust whatever or whomever no matter what the outcome or consequence is. We are called to have this same type of faith in Jesus. Faith in Christ should be during the great, good, and bad times, yet we often have a faith of convenience.
When speaking with individuals that believe in God, but don’t go to church, there are usually a few reasons for not going. Many times the individual is lazy. They simply don’t have the discipline to go. Another reason tends to lie in a bad experience that occurred in their past, thereby creating a negative feeling toward the church experience. Some individuals feel they have fallen so far they don’t feel worthy to go to church. It would be awkward to go. Regardless of the reason, God calls us to exercise our faith on our own, and with community (going to church).
There are a couple keys to understanding human behavior as it relates to faith. First, humans are habitual. Chances are you sleep on the same side of the bed every night. When you wake up, you probably have a routine you go through. When you come home from work, you will do the same thing today as you did the day before, and of course you have the same routine at night. Humans are habitual. For those of you that are married, get into bed before your spouse does, but this time lie on “their” side of the bed. Leave “your” side of the bed available. I would love to hear some of your responses from your spouse’s! Seriously, email us the response of your spouse at info@loganstout.com. I will join in on the fun, and report back as to what my wife does.
The second thing to understand is our faith must be exercised. When we exercise our faith on a regular basis it becomes a habit. Once it becomes a habit, it will become a part of your day. Now, this takes time, but imagine if you were to read the Bible just a little bit every day. Take five minutes a day away from watching the television, and instead wipe the dust off the Bible. It’s hard at first, because it’s not a habit. Eventually, you will get to the point where you don’t feel like your day is complete until you’ve read scripture. It’s like working out at the gym. I can’t go more than two days without working out because working out every morning is now a part of my routine. If I don’t work out I feel miserable. Remember, we must exercise our faith in order to make it a part of our routine.
In all times, have faith. For those that have strayed, let’s form a new habit of exercising our faith!
Application:
1. Read Matthew 17
2. Get in bed before your spouse and see what happens when they find you on “their” side.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
12-2-2009
Jesus Predicts His Death
Matthew 17:22-23 says the following:
“22When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. 23They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life." And the disciples were filled with grief.”
This marks the second time Jesus predicts his death, the first time being in Matthew 16:21. In both cases, Jesus explains his death and the resurrection. Let’s think about those two predictions. Jesus literally informs his disciples that he will be killed and he will be resurrected! This is amazing. If you were sitting there listening to Jesus explain what’s to come, you would probably start to wonder if he was a little crazy. Heck, it would be hard not to tell him to avoid Jerusalem at all cost so if his predictions were right, he could avoid death. This was the same way Jesus’ follower thought, and it reminds us of our temporal ways of thinking. Jesus never took his eyes off the mission at hand. He knew what was going to happen, he informed his followers of what would happen, and it happened! After hearing Jesus predict his death and resurrection, and then seeing it come to fruition exactly how he described the event would occur, how in the world could you not believe!
A great lesson to learn from this passage in scripture is doubt does occur. The disciples walked with Jesus, watched everything he said would happen occur, and they still had some moments of hesitation. We don’t physically see and walk with Jesus today, so it makes sense we too may have some hesitations. Just remember, the resurrection DID OCCUR, just as described, and anytime you start to stray, remind yourself of this truth. Use your moments of doubt as a challenge to dive into God’s word to increase your faith and understanding of who Christ is, and you will become transformed into his likeness!
Application:
1. Read Matthew 17:22-23 and Matthew 16
2. How strong would your faith in Jesus be if you had witnessed what the disciples did?
Jesus Predicts His Death
Matthew 17:22-23 says the following:
“22When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. 23They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life." And the disciples were filled with grief.”
This marks the second time Jesus predicts his death, the first time being in Matthew 16:21. In both cases, Jesus explains his death and the resurrection. Let’s think about those two predictions. Jesus literally informs his disciples that he will be killed and he will be resurrected! This is amazing. If you were sitting there listening to Jesus explain what’s to come, you would probably start to wonder if he was a little crazy. Heck, it would be hard not to tell him to avoid Jerusalem at all cost so if his predictions were right, he could avoid death. This was the same way Jesus’ follower thought, and it reminds us of our temporal ways of thinking. Jesus never took his eyes off the mission at hand. He knew what was going to happen, he informed his followers of what would happen, and it happened! After hearing Jesus predict his death and resurrection, and then seeing it come to fruition exactly how he described the event would occur, how in the world could you not believe!
A great lesson to learn from this passage in scripture is doubt does occur. The disciples walked with Jesus, watched everything he said would happen occur, and they still had some moments of hesitation. We don’t physically see and walk with Jesus today, so it makes sense we too may have some hesitations. Just remember, the resurrection DID OCCUR, just as described, and anytime you start to stray, remind yourself of this truth. Use your moments of doubt as a challenge to dive into God’s word to increase your faith and understanding of who Christ is, and you will become transformed into his likeness!
Application:
1. Read Matthew 17:22-23 and Matthew 16
2. How strong would your faith in Jesus be if you had witnessed what the disciples did?
Mustard Seed Faith
12-1-2009
Mustard Seed Faith
Matthew 17:14-20 says the following:
“14When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15"Lord, have mercy on my son," he said. "He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him."
17"O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me." 18Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.
19Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"
20He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Life is full of peaks and valleys, and it’s the valley’s that enable us to really appreciate the peaks. It’s during the valley’s we learn what we need to so we are able to reach the next peak which in turn is higher than the previous. For most individuals, the valley is where faith is lost, and potential remains untapped.
In order to truly reach your God given potential during both the peaks and the valleys, it’s important to stay focused on your faith in the project on hand, and not only on the project itself. I know I find myself so entrenched in a project, that I forget where the only source of life, energy, and ultimately success comes from. As you strive for that next peak, remember it’s through faith we have been saved, and it’s through faith you will climb the mountain tops of the world!
Application:
1. Read Matthew 17
2. Keep your faith strong and the project or task at hand will stay in perspective.
Mustard Seed Faith
Matthew 17:14-20 says the following:
“14When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15"Lord, have mercy on my son," he said. "He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him."
17"O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me." 18Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.
19Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"
20He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Life is full of peaks and valleys, and it’s the valley’s that enable us to really appreciate the peaks. It’s during the valley’s we learn what we need to so we are able to reach the next peak which in turn is higher than the previous. For most individuals, the valley is where faith is lost, and potential remains untapped.
In order to truly reach your God given potential during both the peaks and the valleys, it’s important to stay focused on your faith in the project on hand, and not only on the project itself. I know I find myself so entrenched in a project, that I forget where the only source of life, energy, and ultimately success comes from. As you strive for that next peak, remember it’s through faith we have been saved, and it’s through faith you will climb the mountain tops of the world!
Application:
1. Read Matthew 17
2. Keep your faith strong and the project or task at hand will stay in perspective.
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