Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Strength and Compassion”

Our Bible verse for today: “… whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life – a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26-28 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “Serving others makes us like Jesus.”

We are most like Jesus when we serve others. I’m convinced this is true. Jesus came not to be served but to serve, and when we serve others we are being like Him. When it comes to the spiritual attributes of strength and compassion, no one was stronger or more compassionate than Jesus and if serving others makes us more like Him, then serving others makes us stronger and more compassionate.

We have two shining examples of this great truth here in our town. Ralph and Connie Regan are the founders and directors of the Bread of Life Rescue Mission. Both Ralph and Connie have tremendous servant’s hearts and both of them exhibit great strength and compassion, but I want to focus on Connie’s example.

A Rescue Mission is tough work. Daily you must deal with people who have hit rock bottom in life and who are struggling just to survive. Some of them have substance abuse issues; some have recently gotten out of prison and have nowhere to go; others are mentally ill; some are families who have lost all sources of income.

Worse, not everyone is honest. Some come to the Mission with legitimate needs and just need a little help at the moment; others would help themselves if they could but they’ve been unsuccessful at getting themselves back on their feet and now they don’t know what to try next; and then there are others who are scamming the system. They make a living just cycling from one church to another, from one helping agency to another, getting all the handouts they can.

Watching Connie serve in the middle of this is a wonder to behold. She is sweet, loving, kind, compassionate, and very, very, wise. Over time she has learned to discern the truth about situations and she has developed the strength and boldness to deal with them appropriately. She treats everyone with love and dignity and respect. She is kind, compassionate and generous, but she is also strong enough to say “no” when that is what needs to be said.

How did Connie develop this great combination of compassion and strength? By serving others. Her entire life is centered on serving others in need and doing it in the Name of Jesus. She seldom thinks of herself or of her own needs. Her focus is always on the person in front of her and how she can be a blessing to them – just like Jesus.

When we serve others we discover that we have the power to make their lives better. When we realize that someone else’s life has been changed (even just a little), and that they have experienced some happiness and maybe even gained a little hope as a result of our act of service, it changes us. We become stronger and our sense of compassion for others has developed a little more.

When we serve like Jesus we become like Jesus. I encourage you to serve someone today.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Strength and Compassion”

Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore, dear friends, since you know this in advance, be on your guard, so that you are not led away by the error of lawless people and fall from your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 3:17-18 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “We have to grow in strength and compassion”

The Apostle Peter wrote his two letters (first and second Peter) to Christians who were experiencing persecution for their faith. His audience was a widely dispersed group of Christians, many of whom had been chased from their homes and were therefore living as temporary residents in strange places. Others had lost jobs; some had been beaten; others were in prison.

As he closed his second letter, he offered three words of caution and advice to his readers. First, be on your guard. In other words, pay attention and be smart. Second, don’t allow yourselves to be negatively influenced by a sinful culture. And third, exercise spiritual disciplines which will result in you growing in grace and knowledge. That way you will be strong enough to face your situations with faith, courage, and confidence, but also with grace.

In yesterday’s devotional I wrote about the importance of training ourselves now for the things we are likely to face tomorrow. The message was built upon the Apostle Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians chapter 9. Today we find Peter teaching a similar lesson. Throughout the month we will find that the same lesson is repeated numerous times, all throughout the Bible, by many different writers. That’s because it’s a common need which applies to all of God’s people, in all places, at all times. We will face adversity as a result of being faithful to Christ and we must prepare ourselves to be ready for it.

Many people believe that when the challenges come (as they will), they will be able to reach deep within themselves and “find” the strength and compassion they need to meet the situation courageously and in a God-honoring way. The problem with that thinking is that strength and compassion aren’t “found”, they’re developed. That’s why Paul told us to “train”. It’s why Peter urges us to “grow”.  Just as a weight lifter exercises his muscles so they will get stronger, so too we must exercise spiritually so we will grow strong in the Lord. And we must do it now, in the quiet and peaceful times, so that we will be ready when the situation isn’t so quiet and peaceful.

Tomorrow we will consider a couple of examples of people who have grown in strength and compassion, and they did it by means of a spiritual exercise which might surprise you.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Strength and Compassion:

Our Bible verse for today: “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training …” 1 Corinthians 9:25 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Train yourself today to be strong and compassionate tomorrow.”

I was once a crewmember on a U.S. Navy ship that was on fire. I don’t mean a little fire either, it was big! A main engine room erupted in a huge fireball. The explosive gases and fire then spread upward and outward through the uptakes, to the smoke stacks, and set adjacent rooms on fire. At one point we had a raging out-of-control fire in the engine room and smaller fires in thirty-two other rooms as well. The aircraft carrier was actually in danger of sinking right there off the California coast.

As a junior officer in the Engineering department I was responsible for leading one of the firefighting teams. I can tell you that when you’re in a situation like that, dressed-out in heavy firefighting gear, your face covered with a large rubber oxygen mask, no lights, dark heavy smoke, the heat is intense and the danger is real, it’s tough to think clearly. You’re scared, the adrenaline is pumping, your heart is pounding, and your mind is racing.

That’s when your training kicks in. This is when all the hours of practice and drilling pay off. Your mind and body go into auto-pilot and you just automatically start working down the checklist and going through the right motions. Former Navy Seal Eric Greitens writes about this in his book “Resilience”, “People like to imagine that they will “rise to the occasion.” (But) … people rarely do. What happens, in fact, is that when things get really hard and people are really afraid, they sink to the level of their training.”

Yes. You sink to the level of your training. That’s why we train. We identify those actions which must be taken in difficult situations and we train them until they become second nature.

Yesterday I told you that I believe we Christians in the USA are headed for turbulent times. Culturally, things are changing rapidly, and Bible-believing Christians are going to have their faith, courage, and compassion tested. When those tests come it will require a strong faith to stand firm on Biblical truth, and it is going to require a deeply ingrained sense of compassion to do so in a Christ-honoring way.

We must train for that now. We must prepare ourselves now for what we are likely to face then. This is what Paul was referring to in 1 Corinthians chapter 9. He was talking about spiritual training that will strengthen the believer to be strong, faithful, confident, and compassionate in all of the different situations life brings to us.

All this month we will explore the idea of how to be both strong and compassionate in the face of difficult times. I look forward to training with you.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Strength and Compassion”

Our Bible verse for today: “Proclaim the message; persist in it whether convenient or not; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching.” 2 Timothy 4:2 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “We need strength and compassion to handle tough times in a God-honoring way.

I probably stopped too soon as I quoted the verse above. I should have included the next three verses as well: “For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear something new. They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths. But as for you, be serious about everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

“They will not tolerate sound doctrine.” “They will turn away from hearing the truth.” “They will multiply teachers for themselves.” Those times are here my friends. We live in a day when Biblical truth is no longer welcomed in the public square and those of us who contend for it are increasingly being portrayed as narrow-minded intolerant bigots. Just the other day I heard Republican Presidential candidate Marco Rubio publically declare that he’s convinced Christianity is under attack in our society and that the only beliefs that are no longer tolerated, are Christian beliefs. I think he’s right.

Culturally we’re headed for rough waters in the years ahead. These will be trying times for faithful Bible-believing Christians. But this is actually nothing new. For 2000 years Christians in every society and in every culture have always found themselves to be “counter-cultural”, meaning that there has always been a clash between Biblical values and the values of the world.

The answer for us is the same as it has always been for Christians everywhere, in every culture, throughout history. We are to be strong, we are to be faithful, and we are to do it with love and compassion. We must know what we believe, we must know why we believe it, and then we must simply stand for the truth. Even if we have to take our lumps while standing for the truth – still, we stand.

In order to do that, we have to be strong. But, we must also be compassionate. Lost sinners are exactly that – they’re lost. They’re confused. They lack an understanding of Biblical truth. And we’re not going to win any arguments (or converts) with angry rhetoric and mean-spirited attacks. If we want to win people for Christ we have to do it the way that Jesus did it – we have to love them into the Kingdom. We must stand for truth – courageously and unapologetically, but we must do so with love and compassion.

Is it possible to be both strong and compassionate at the same time? Not only is it possible, it’s essential. We will spend this month devotionally considering how to be both strong and compassionate for the sake of Christ.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Worry”

Our Bible verse for today: “Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! I say: The Lord is my portion, therefore I put my hope in Him.” Lamentations 3: 22-24 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “With the Lord there is always hope.”

If ever a man had good reason to lament, it was Jeremiah. He was a mighty man of God who had dedicated years of his life to warning God’s people about coming judgment and urging them to repent before it was too late. But they didn’t listen. So eventually God allowed the Babylonian army to sweep into Jerusalem – and the destruction was extreme.

Now, as Jeremiah surveyed the devastation, he was grieved to the point of wailing. Rubble lined the streets; the temple was in ruins; people were homeless and hungry; many others had been led off into captivity. The pain and despair was overwhelming and not only was Jeremiah despondent, but he was worried. How in the world were they supposed to go forward from here? Where would they live? How would they feed themselves? What did the future hold for them?

My friend, I know you have problems, but I doubt if they’re as bad as what Jeremiah and the Jews were facing at that time.

Amazingly, in the middle of all this pain and despair and hopelessness, Jeremiah utters one of the most profound statements of faith found in the Bible. In Lamentations 3:22-24 he writes about God’s faithful love for His people; he reminds his readers that the mercies of the Lord never end; that they are in fact new every morning; and He says that the Lord will be his portion and the source of his hope.

The people must have thought Jeremiah had become unhinged, that he was delusional. In the middle of all that carnage, as they thought about the wrecks their lives had become, Jeremiah told them not to worry because there was still good reason for hope. He went on in verses 25-26: “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him. It is good to wait quietly for deliverance from the Lord.”

Then he sums it up nicely in 5:19 where he writes, “You, Lord, are enthroned forever; Your throne endures from generation to generation.”

Look, no matter how bad things might seem in your life right now, the truth of the matter is that Jesus is still on the throne and you’re still saved. Beyond that, He is sovereign over all the situations of your life. Even if things don’t look so good right now, Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:28 are still true, God has a great plan for your life and even in the worst of situations He is actively working for your good.

When it comes to worrying about the future we can simply trust God. As the old saying goes, “God is large and in-charge.”

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Worry”

Our Bible verse for today: “I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “God designed you to flourish, not to simply exist.”

In his Bible study, “What on Earth Am I here for?” Pastor Rick Warren stresses the great truth that God has designed us to flourish in life, not to simply exist. Rick urges us to identify those activities which really excite us, which give us a great sense of accomplishment and fulfillment, and to realize that those interests and desires are an important part of how God designed you. You are a unique individual created by God with certain talents and abilities and you will be at your best, getting the most joy and satisfaction from life, when you are engaged in the activities for which God specially designed you.

What does that have to do with our theme this month of “Worry”? Only this: There is joy and satisfaction in accomplishment. And when we’re accomplishing things that are meaningful to us, we are much less likely to succumb to worry and distress.

Author Eric Greitens sounds a similar theme in his book “Resilience” when he writes, “Flourishing is a fact, not a feeling. We flourish when we grow and thrive. We flourish when we exercise our powers. We flourish when we become what we are capable of becoming.”

Greitens further notes that we flourish in life when we use our God-given skills and abilities to accomplish meaningful things that make a difference in the world. That kind of flourishing is rooted in action and comes about as we make good choices and strive to become the people God designed us to be.

There is indeed joy and satisfaction in accomplishment, and God did not create you to simply exist but to flourish. When you are flourishing, you will do a lot less worrying.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Worry”

Our Bible verse for today: “Be strong and courageous …” “Above all, be strong and very courageous …” “Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:6; 7; 9 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “God is with you, so be strong and courageous.”

The book “Resilience” by former Navy Seal Eric Greitens, is actually a compilation of letters he wrote to a fellow former Navy Seal who was struggling with PTSD and having great difficulty dealing with life at home.

In addition to having been a Navy Seal, Eric is a Rhodes Scholar, a student of philosophy, and he has extensive experience in humanitarian relief work. So when this friend of his was struggling with deep depression, substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, and numerous broken relationships, Eric wrote him a series of letters designed to help his friend think through and come to terms with the demons which were tormenting him.

In one letter Eric addressed the fact that his friend was having an identity crisis and therefore felt worthless and believed he had nothing to offer anyone. Since he was no longer a Navy Seal, he didn’t know what he was supposed to do with his life. One piece of advice Eric offered was:

“People need you to be strong. Your family, your community, your country. So envision yourself as strong. Remind yourself that you are strong. Become strong.”

By “strong” Eric wasn’t necessarily or exclusively referring to physical strength. He was also talking about mental and emotional strength; he was talking about courage and strength of conviction; he was talking about the strength to persevere through difficult times.

In Joshua chapter one Joshua received similar advice from the Lord – and for much the same reasons. Joshua was facing a change of circumstances which brought with it terrific challenges and lots of uncertainty. Additionally, many people were depending on him. And so, he could easily have succumbed to worry and doubt. But God reassured Him repeatedly. “Be strong and courageous Joshua!” “The Lord your God is with you wherever you go!”

That promise is for you and me too. God is with us wherever we go. In fact, He is already ahead of us. He has gone ahead of us and prepared the way so when you and I arrive in the future, God will already be there waiting for us. So be strong! Be courageous! The Lord your God is with you!

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Worry”

Our Bible verse for today: “When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in His hand. Joshua approached Him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” “Neither,” he replied, “I have now come as commander of the Lord’s army.” Joshua 5:13-14 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “God is on His own side.”

The nation of Israel was about to begin the conquest of the Promised Land. As they approached the city of Jericho, Joshua encountered a supernatural being blocking his path. It was the Lord Jesus Christ in pre-incarnate form. He had come as the Commander of the Armies of the Lord to carry out the will of God.

Joshua questioned Him to determine if He was on the side of Israel or of their enemies. Jesus’ answer is interesting and revealing. He essentially said “I’m not on your side or on theirs. I’m on my own side.” He meant that He wasn’t there to carry out any human agenda. His goal was not to fulfill the kingdom aspirations of the Jews. He was there for the purposes of furthering God’s plan for the human race.

Here in the USA we’re now beginning a new election cycle. Even though the Presidential election is more than a year and a half away, the fighting has already started. The attacks are coming fast and furious, the mud is slinging, and the fastballs are high and inside.

And of course, everyone is convinced that God is on their side. But surely God is a Republican, right? Republicans advocate for conservative, traditional values and so surely God is on their side. But wait, Democrats are for social justice and they claim the virtues of kindness and compassion. Those are Biblical values that God Himself demonstrates and calls for. So God must be a Democrat, right?

No. God is neither a Republican nor Democrat. God is God. God is on His own side. God has a Kingdom agenda He is in the process of working out and it transcends the political agendas of all politicians and their political parties.

During the Civil War President Lincoln was once asked if he thought God was on the side of the Union. Lincoln responded, “I’m not so concerned with whether or not God is on our side as I am with us being on His side.”

As we launch into yet another cycle of politics and elections in our country, I want to encourage all of us to worry less about which political party we’re aligned with, and worry a good deal more about making sure we’re on God’s side and that we’re aligned with His will. Let’s be Christians first and Republicans or Democrats second. Let’s be sure it is God’s agenda which is being promoted rather than that of some politician or political party. Keep your loyalties in proper order and if you’re going to worry about outcomes, be sure your first concern is for God’s will to be done and for His kingdom agenda to be fulfilled.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Worry”

Our Bible verse for today: “If you have raced with runners and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses?” Jeremiah 12: 5 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “God’s got this; so trust Him.”

I both admire and feel sorry for Jeremiah. He was a great man of God and he was a shining example of faithfulness. But he ministered in extraordinarily difficult circumstances and so I wouldn’t have wanted his job.

Jeremiah was assigned by God to be a prophet to a nation in rebellion. Jeremiah’s message to them was essentially, “You’re about to get a whuppin.” “Father God has had enough of your nonsense and He’s gonna put a whuppin on you that you won’t soon forget.”

Needless to say, the people weren’t receptive. In fact they rejected him, they beat him, they chased him out of their towns, and eventually they put him in prison. They didn’t like Jeremiah or what he had to say.

Although Jeremiah was faithful and he did do what God told him to do, he was also human, and so he had times of doubt and worry. That’s what we’re reading here in chapter 12. Jeremiah was complaining to God about how hard things were for him.

In response, God assured Jeremiah that He had everything under control – but He did it in a somewhat comical way by using an absurd but convicting question. In verse 5 of chapter 12 God asked, “If you have raced with runners and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses?” In other words, “Jeremiah, you are standing here arguing with Me, as if you actually have any basis for understanding My ways or the reasons for which I chose to do what I am doing. You can’t even keep up with the people you’re trying to minister to – they’re wearing you out. So how is it you seem to think you can argue with the Almighty God of the Universe?”

The correction God gave to Jeremiah is instructive for us. Whatever situation you find yourself in at the moment; as difficult as it may seem, and as confusing as it may be for you as you try to understand what God is up to; you can be sure that He has it all under control. God has a purpose and a plan. You just be faithful to do what He has instructed you to do and then trust Him to work everything else out according to His good purposes.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Worry”

Our Bible verse for today: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Remember those who died so we can be safe and free.”

In John 15:13 Jesus set a very high standard for the measure of true love, true commitment, true sacrifice. He noted that the greatest demonstration of love is to lay your life down for the sake of another. It is of course, what Jesus did for us.

On this Memorial Day 2015  I want to pause in our devotional series about “worry” to honor the men and women of the Armed Forces who have given their lives so that we here in the USA can live safe and free. No nation has ever enjoyed the standard of living that we here in the USA have today, and no nation has ever enjoyed the level of security that we have. As dangerous as the world is, and even though in our day we do have to contend with home-grown terrorism, we are still the strongest and most secure nation on earth.

Memorial Day is different from Veterans Day. On Veterans Day we honor all those who have ever served in the Armed Forces. But Memorial Day is specifically about those who not only served, but those who gave their lives in the service of our country. While all Veterans appreciate being thanked for their service, please save that for Veterans Day. Today is all about those who have died for our country.

Take some time today to remember those who gave their lives so the rest of us can live free and safe. Say a prayer for their families who are observing this solemn day without their loved ones. Also, thank God for the privilege of living in the USA as opposed to anywhere else. As imperfect as our country is, it’s still the greatest nation on earth. And thanks to the men and women of our Armed Forces we are safe and free. Our enemies cannot invade us, and we will not be conquered.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim