Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Living with no excuses”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself. Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Don’t use perceived limitations as an excuse.”

 

All of us have something wrong with us. Everyone does. Nobody is perfect. Therefore we all have something about us that we can use as an excuse if we want to. For the Apostle Paul it was an eye disease that resulted in very poor vision. Therefore he had to conduct most of his thirty years of ministry without being able to read or write for himself. He had to have others around him all the time to read and write for him. But he didn’t use that as an excuse. He went on to be the greatest evangelist and church planter in Christian history, and he wrote more than half of the New Testament.

 

I recently finished reading the autobiography of Noah Galloway. I borrowed the title of this month’s theme from his book, “Living with no excuses”. Noah was a soldier in Iraq. He was injured by a roadside bomb and lost his left arm and his left leg. Not only did he not allow his status as a double-amputee to become an excuse, he used it as a motivator to push himself to greater heights than he probably would have otherwise achieved in life. He became tremendously physically fit, to the point of becoming a physical fitness trainer. He also became a reality show television star. He is a successful author; and he came in third on the show “Dancing with the Stars”. Yes, that’s right, a double-amputee and he came in third in a professional dance contest!

 

So what’s your excuse? What perceived limitations are keeping you from doing the things you would otherwise like to do? I could write pages of examples of people with significant challenges who refused to use them as an excuse. There’s a man in our church who years ago suffered a terrible stroke, and he has to use a walker everywhere he goes. But he goes everywhere. He participates in everything – even church workdays. He just pushes through and finds ways to do it. My wife Linda is a similar story with her stroke and brain surgeries. She is handicapped but that doesn’t stop her from being the Energizer Bunny with her little black walker on wheels with Harley Davidson stickers and flames.

 

For most of my life I’ve had to contend with a mild case of Tourette’s Syndrome. Fortunately, most of the time, it has been mild – consisting mainly of annoying little ticks and some odd mannerisms. But there have been times when it has manifested itself in violent jerks and twitches which were very noticeable to everyone around me. It was especially bad during the years when I was serving in the military as a non-commissioned officer and then as a commissioned officer. It was something I just had to deal with and push through if I wanted to have a career in the military. I could not use it as an excuse.

 

All of us have something wrong with us. There are things in each of our lives that we can use as an excuse if we want to – but we don’t have to. I encourage you – I challenge you, to live without excuses.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

 

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Living with no excuses”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “The slacker craves, yet has nothing, but the diligent is fully satisfied.” Proverbs 13:4 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Set goals for the New Year”

 

Personally I’m a big fan of making New Year’s resolutions. I know some people think such resolutions are silly and unnecessary – after all, you can decide to better yourself, make a plan, and then carry it out at any time of the year. You don’t need to wait until January 1^st. That’s true enough, but I think the first day of the New Year is a powerful symbol because it represents a New Year filled lots of opportunities, and therefore it’s a great time to start something new.  A New Year’s resolution can be a good motivator that gets us started in the right direction.

 

Goals in general, whether made as New Year’s resolutions or at any other time of the year, are important. There’s a lot of truth in the old adage “If you aim at nothing you’ll hit it every time.” Goals give us focus. Add a plan to your goal and now you have a map to guide you on your way.

 

Beyond that, I believe we should always be striving to improve ourselves in all areas of life. We’re all works in progress and as long as you are still living and breathing, God isn’t done with you yet. This is true no matter how old you are or what you have already accomplished in life. You are a living thing, and living things must grow or they stagnate and die. Granted, one day we will all die but as long as you are alive, why not be as alive and as healthy and as productive as you can be? Setting goals and working towards them helps us to do exactly that.

 

You might be surprised to learn that the primary difference between those who achieve meaningful things in life and those who do not isn’t something like talent, or intelligence, or opportunity, it’s the issue of excuses. People who achieve things do so because they don’t make excuses – they just do it. They set a goal, they make a plan, and then they walk it out.

 

In life excuses are the enemy of achievement. That’s what Solomon was referring to in Proverbs 13:4. The excuse-maker achieves little or nothing. The diligent person sets a goal, makes a plan, carries it out, and achieves much.

 

For the month of December, as we approach the New Year of 2018, with all the opportunity it holds for us, we will think devotional about “Living no excuses”.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Pushing through adversity”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Five times I received from the Jews 40 lashes minus one.” 2 Corinthians 11:24 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “You can handle more than you think you can.”

 

As we conclude our month of thinking about “Pushing through adversity” I would like us to consider the example of the Apostle Paul. I can’t think of any other figure from history who faced more adversity for the cause of Christ, over such a long period of time, and who handled it so well. For probably thirty full years Paul faced one trial after another. When one trial or adversity ended another started – sometimes multiple trials at once. But he never let-up and he never gave-up. He just leaned into it, kept going, and pushed through it. Let’s read how he described it in 2 Corinthians 11:24-28:

 

“Five times I received from the Jews 20 lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the depths of the sea. On frequent journeys I faced dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the open country, dangers on the sea, and dangers among false brothers; labor and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and lacking clothing. Not to mention other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my care for all the churches.”

 

Reading Paul’s description of what his life had been like over those thirty-some years can be either depressing or inspiring depending on how you view it. But Paul was not complaining, he was just stating facts to make a point. If you want to know how Paul felt about the things he had faced in life you should turn to his letter to the Philippians, which was written from prison near the end of his life. There he describes the deep sense of joy and contentment he had, and he tells us that he had learned that despite whatever opposition or difficulty he was faced with, he could do all things through Christ who strengthened him. Paul’s letter to the Philippians is a window into his heart and it has become known as “the letter of joy”.

 

As you continue to face and push through your own times of adversity I encourage you to remember the lessons we have learned this month. Regardless of what’s going on around you, like Paul you have the Holy Spirit of God living within you. That means that you have the Fruit of the Spirit growing in your heart: “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23). The Spirit that is in you is far superior to, and more powerful than, the things that are happening around you. That being the case, your joy, and peace, and sense of security is not determined by what is happening around you but by the Spirit who lives within you. Your sense of joy and peace comes from the inside and works its way out, not from the outside working its way in.

 

Not only can you handle more than you think you can, but you can handle it better than you think you can. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you and you can do them well. With Christ you can handle it all with grace and dignity and confidence and strength.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Pushing through adversity”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, we must work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.” Galatians 6:9-10 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Just keep going.”

 

Two of the key lessons we have learned this month with respect to pushing through adversity are first, we have to persevere. Just keep going and don’t give up. And second, we should take our eyes off of our self and our own problems and focus instead on serving God and blessing others. Doing so will help to further the cause of Christ, it will help other people, and it will keep us from obsessing about our own situation and thereby becoming depressed about it.

 

In Galatians 6:9-10 Paul addressed both of those points. There he urges us to just lean into it, push through it, and never ever give up. He also tells us to always be on the lookout for opportunities to do good things for others – especially for other Christians.

 

All of that points to the vital issue of attitude. When it comes to pushing through adversity attitude is everything. How you think about it will determine how you act, and how you act will determine the results you get. A few years ago I came across a great little book that provides good guidance for achieving and keeping the right attitude – especially when facing tough times. The book is “The Traveler’s Gift: Seven Decisions That Determine Personal Success” by Andy Andrews. I found the book so helpful that I rewrote the seven decisions to personalize them for myself and I keep them in my Bible. Here are my paraphrases of decisions 3 and 4. They pertain to our theme of pushing through adversity:

 

#3. “I am a man of action. I will not dwell in a pit of despair. I will not waste time regretting lost opportunities. I will take the action necessary to make my life better. When faced with a choice of doing something or doing nothing, I will always choose to act. Successful people make their decisions quickly, change their minds slowly, and move forward with confidence.”

 

#4. “I have a determined heart. I have vision. I have purpose. I will persevere. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. I have the power to control my direction as well as my forward movement in that direction. I do not procrastinate. All my problems become smaller when I confront them.”

 

I think the Apostle Paul would agree with those statements. He was a determined man of vision, purpose, and action. He valued perseverance and he just pushed through adversity. He did not let up and he did not give up. I encourage you to have the same attitude. Don’t let up and don’t give up. Just keep going and push through it.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Pushing through adversity”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear …”

1 John 4:18 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “Do not let fear stop you.”

 

Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is the resolve to act in spite of your fears. This right here is the primary difference between those who are defeated by adversity and those who push through it and move on to new and better things. Those who push through and move on are doing so in spite of their doubts and fears.

 

Fear grows out of a belief that something bad is going to happen to us. But fear is not based on the love and goodness of God it is based on the evil influence of Satan. God loves us deeply and unconditionally. He wants the best for us. Even in those times when He has to discipline or correct us, it is for our own good. Therefore even if the adversity we are currently facing is our own fault, and even if God is allowing us to suffer the consequences of our bad choices, it is for a good reason and is intended by God to ultimately result in making us better. Therefore we don’t need to fear it. We recognize that God’s love for us is perfect and there is no fear in perfect love.

 

Satan is the one who brings fear. Satan is the one who wants bad things to happen to us. Satan is the one who convinces us that the future is dark and frightening and something we need to be afraid of. So when you are experiencing fear it’s vital to recognize where the fear comes from.

 

Once we see our enemy behind the fear we can deal with him Biblically. James 4:7 tells us that if we resist the devil he will flee from us. Ephesians 6:17 teaches us how to use the Word of God as an offensive weapon to attack Satan. In Luke 4:1-13 we see Jesus demonstrating for us how to do that.

 

Read Joshua 1:9 and claim courage as yours from God. Read Jeremiah 29:11 and remember that God has a great plan for your life. Consider the truth of Romans 8:28 and know that God is at work in the middle of your adversity to bring good things out of it for you. And then meditate on the great word picture Jesus gives us in Matthew 11:28-30 and know that He will walk with you through the times of trial. End with Hebrews 13:5-6 as you read the Lord’s promise that He will never leave you or forsake you.

 

So how are you feeling now? Has the fear and uncertainty faded? Do you feel a little more courageous and hopeful? As you push through your adversity don’t let fear stop you or intimidate you. Fear is not from God it is from the enemy. God is love, and perfect love drives out fear.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Pushing through adversity”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” Romans 5:3-5 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “Adversity can be a stepping stone to success.”

 

In Romans 5:3-5 the Apostle Paul was describing how times of adversity and suffering often lead to stronger character and hopeful outcomes. As we patiently and persistently persevere through adversity, it can become a series of stepping stones that lead us from suffering to success.

 

When I read that passage this morning it reminded me of one of the most helpful books on the subject that I have ever read. It is John Maxwell’s great little book “Failing Forward”. The sub-title is “Turning mistakes into stepping stones for success.”

 

The truth is that we bring much of the adversity we face on ourselves. It comes to us as a result of bad decisions on our part and mistakes that we make. Many of those bad decisions and mistakes are small and their impact is minimal, but some of them are big and their impacts are tragic, even catastrophic. But big or small, there are always lessons we can learn and growth that can occur in our lives.

 

In his book John teaches us first of all how to think properly about failure and mistakes. Rather than allowing ourselves to sink into depression and become immobilized by it, we need to learn to shake it off and immediately begin moving forward. Then we need to honestly assess what mistakes we made that led to the failure. Then, once we understand what we did wrong, we must make whatever corrections are necessary to ensure we don’t repeat that mistake. And then we begin moving forward, as we pick up the pieces and seek out new opportunities (New opportunities will always be there, which just need to look for them and take advantage of them).

 

The book goes into much greater detail about all of this but John’s point is the same one the Apostle Paul was making in Romans 5:3-5, adversity and suffering can be a series of stepping stones that lead us to new opportunities and new success.

 

So lean into the failure or mistake; push through the adversity; embrace the problem and milk it for new opportunities. Let your adversity become a stepping stone for new success.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Pushing through adversity”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and He with Me.” Revelation 3:20 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Open the door and let Him in.”

 

As I write this I’ve got a song playing in my head. I’d like to say it’s a Christian song but it isn’t. However it does apply nicely to our devotional this morning. The song is by the former Beatle Paul McCartney and the title is “Let him in”. The song is all about someone knocking at the door but nobody is letting him in. So the singer requests that somebody get up, open the door, and let him in.

 

I’ve never particularly liked that song. I really can’t imagine why someone would write a song about getting up and opening a door. The song never even tells us who was knocking and why they wanted to come in.

 

However in Revelation 3:20 we are told who it is that’s knocking on the door of our hearts. It’s Jesus, and He wants to be allowed in. That might sound like a strange request for a believer. After all, you already opened the door of your heart to Him when you prayed to accept Him as Savior and Lord. That is true, and He did come into your heart at that time, but this verse is referring to something different.

 

The meaning of Revelation 3:20 is that Jesus not only wants to be your Savior but He also wants to be your Lord. Not only does He want to be invited in for the moment of salvation, but He wants to be invited into all the moments of your life. That takes a decision on your part to open the door of your heart for each of those individual moments that follow after the moment of salvation for the rest of your life.

 

This doesn’t mean that Jesus ever left your heart once He saved you. He didn’t. Hebrews 13:5 is just one of many verses that assure us Jesus will never leave us. Instead this is a word picture designed to create a metaphor for intentionally inviting Jesus into each and every moment of life. This is what it means for Him to be your Lord as well as your Savior.

 

Inviting Him into every moment of your life becomes especially important when you are struggling to push through adversity. We need Jesus all the time, but especially during the tough times. He is there for you, knocking at the door of your heart, wanting very much to be invited into that situation. But you do have to open the door and invite Him in. Jesus is a gentleman. He is not going to force the door open and He is not going to barge in uninvited.

 

It turns out that Paul McCartney’s song might not be so silly and meaningless after all. Perhaps it does have a Christian application (even if it is unintentional). Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart and wants to be invited into this, and every, situation. So open the door – let Him in.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

 

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Pushing through adversity”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on Him, because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Leave it at the cross”

 

At our church we have a large wooden cross erected on the stage. At the foot of that cross is a large pile of rocks – good sized rocks, each weighing a pound or more. Off to the side of the stage is a large plastic tub filled with a supply of those rocks.

 

Each rock represents a burden someone has been carrying. The rock serves as a symbol and is designed to help us avoid a common problem when it comes to dealing with our burdens. We often talk about laying our burdens at the cross, which is a good and proper thing to do. Sometimes we do it in our minds, and sometimes we actually kneel at the altar on a Sunday morning and prayerfully ask the Lord to take our burdens from us. But then we get up and carry the burden back with us rather than leaving it at the cross with Jesus.

 

The purpose of our cross display, with its pile of rocks, is to assist people with truly giving their burdens to Jesus and then leaving them there. When you come to our altar you can select a rock from the tub (the rock symbolizing your burden). Then you can prayerfully lay it at the foot of the cross. The thing is, once you’ve put it there you can’t have it back. You have to leave the rock (and your burden), at the cross.

 

I have an index card in my Bible with a list of the rocks (burdens) I’ve left at the cross. I look at that list everyday just to remind myself that I gave those things to Jesus. I also swiped a rock from the bin and took it home with me. It sits on a bookcase close to my desk where I can see it every day (I tend to need lots of reminders).

 

In 1 Peter 5:6-7 the Apostle urges us to humble ourselves before God (actually kneeling at the cross helps with this). Then he tells us we should cast all our cares and anxieties on Him because He cares for us. The implication is that if we will give the burden to Him He will gladly take it from us. But, you do have to leave it with Him. Don’t make a show of giving it to Him but then continue to carry it yourself.

 

I encourage you to give your burdens to Jesus – cast your cares on Him, because He cares for you.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Pushing through adversity”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name.”

 

Our thought for today: “Count your blessings – name them one by one …”

 

I’m currently reading a biography about a man by the name of Noah Galloway. The title is “Living with No Excuses”. It’s a great title because that’s exactly what Noah does – he lives without excuses. It’s a good thing too because if he wanted to, Noah could find lots of reasons to make excuses. Noah is a veteran of the war in Iraq. He lost an arm and a leg to a roadside bomb. So he now faces life as a double amputee.

 

I’m going to tell you more about Noah’s story at another time because it’s a very inspiring story, but one of the things Noah’s story did for me is it caused me to remember how much I have to be thankful for. For one thing, I still have all of my limbs. I have two arms and I have two legs. Granted they’re short legs (I’m only 5’ 10”) but still, even though they’re short, there are two of them. And I have two arms, along with ten fingers. I can see pretty well too because I have both of my eyes and a good pair of glasses. Also, I live in middle-income America rather than in a grass hut in Africa. I have plenty of food too, as well as a dependable car (and a Harley), and I have a good income.

 

I could go on but you get the point. I, like you, have a lot to be thankful for. Unfortunately I tend to take so much for granted! I can’t remember the last time I thanked God that I do have two legs – even if they are short ones. Nor have I thanked Him lately for puppies, or clean sheets, or cornflakes. Life itself is a gift and my sixty-three years of life (so far) are a lot more than many people get.

 

Even on a good day we take many of our blessings for granted, but when we’re going through times of adversity we are especially prone to focus on our few problems rather than on our many blessings. In church we sometimes sing the old Baptist hymn “Count Your Blessings”:

 

“Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your blessings, see what God hath done; Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your many blessings see what God hath done.”

 

On this Thanksgiving Day 2017 I encourage you to spend some time counting your blessings. Count the big ones and the small ones. Thank God for your life, and for your family, and for your friends. And then be sure to thank Him for the blessings you might normally take for granted.

 

My family and I wish you and your family a blessed and happy Thanksgiving.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Pushing through adversity”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Do you know what I have done for you? You call Me Teacher and Lord. This is well said, for I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example that you also should do just as I have done for you.” John 13:12-15 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Take your eyes off of yourself.”

 

In yesterday’s devotional we considered the sad example of King Saul. We read of how he was completely self-absorbed, wallowing in self-pity, and he had a victim mentality. Saul’s problem was that he was thinking only of himself, and that made every other problem he had worse.

 

In today’s Bible verse Jesus takes us to the exact opposite end of the spectrum. Here we find Jesus, our Lord and Teacher, modeling a life of service. Rather than being self-absorbed Jesus was always focused on how He could minister to others – and He did it while He had nothing for Himself. He had no home, no income, no money, and He was dogged by His enemies. And yet, He was constantly focused on being a blessing to others. In John 13:15 He made it clear that by doing so He had set an example for us to follow.

 

Psychologists tell us that the unhappiest people in the world are those who are self-absorbed. They’re the ones with the persecution complex and who see themselves as a victim. They’re completely consumed with thoughts about themselves – and that is the exact opposite of what Jesus teaches us to do!

 

Selfishness and self-absorbed thinking is an epidemic in our day. As a result, our society has one of the highest rates of depression in the developed world, with more people on anti-depressant medications than any other country, and one of the highest suicide rates in the world.

 

Conversely, when we do what Jesus taught, when we shift our focus off of ourselves and focus instead on serving others, our level of happiness and contentment skyrockets. Psychologist Paul Kellerman discovered in his own research, “The only path to genuine happiness and fulfillment is through service to others. It is only as we give ourselves away that we can fully discover ourselves.”

 

Taking yesterday’s devotional and today’s together, we learn that one of the best ways to deal with a period of adversity and difficulty in our own lives is to take our eyes off of ourselves and our own problems, and focus instead on serving and blessing others. Do that and you will quickly discover that you’re much happier, and your own problems seem smaller than they did when you were focused on yourself and wallowing in self-pity.  So take your eyes off of yourself and focus instead on serving and blessing others. You’ll be much happier once you do.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim