Devotional for Monday March 3rd

Good Morning Everyone,
 
Our theme for this month: “Never forsaken, never alone.”
 
Our Bible verse for today: “Lord, I seek refuge in You; let me never be disgraced. In Your justice, rescue and deliver me; listen closely to me and save me. Be a rock of refuge for me where I can always go.” Psalm 71:1-3 (HCSB)
 
Our thought for today: “You can always go to God.”
 
Psalm 71 is a great affirmation of God’s faithfulness in times of trouble. On the one hand, the Psalmist writes about the various trials and tribulations he has experienced throughout a long life. He tells of oppressive opponents who have attempted to deal with him unjustly; powerful and wicked people who sought to do him harm; and enemies who have plotted against him.
 
But then he declares that through it all God had always been there for him. He speaks of how God consistently delivered him from the schemes of the wicked; he declares that he has come to know that God is his rock and his fortress; he writes that from the earliest days he has depended on God.
 
And all throughout the Psalm he weaves in words of hope and confidence and praise for his God. “But I will hope continually and will praise You more and more.” (v 14); “God, You have taught me from my youth, and I still proclaim Your wonderful works.” (v 17); “My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to You because You have redeemed me.” (v 23); “Therefore, my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness all day long, for those who seek my harm will be disgraced and confounded.” (v 24)
 
Psalm 71 was written by a man who knew from experience that God would never forsake him nor leave him alone. More than that, he had learned that when he intentionally turned to God for help, strength, or refuge, God provided it. The same is true for you and for me. God has promised to never leave you nor forsake you. He has offered to be your refuge and your strength. He will protect you and guide you. And, through it all you will come to know Him in a much deeper and more personal way, just as the writer of this Psalm did.
 
Psalms like this have been included in the Bible for our instruction. This isn’t just an historical story of how God protected and provided for one man. It’s intended instead as a model, an example, of how God cares for us as well. Through this Psalm God is speaking to you: “I will be your rock, your strong fortress, your rescuer, your deliverer. I will give you peace, and assurance, and hope. I am here for you.”
 
In your times of trouble go to God and then be patient. He will be there fore you and He will help you.
 
God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Deovtional for Saturday and Sunday March 1-2

Good Morning Everyone,
 
Our theme for this month: “Never forsaken, never alone”
 
Our Bible verse for today: “I will never leave you or forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
 
Our thought for today: “Christians are never forsaken by God and we are never really alone.”
 
One of the greatest fears most people have is the fear of being left alone. The thought of losing a loved one and the idea of being alone in the world is frightening. Whether the reason is the break up of a relationship, the death of a loved one, conflict with a long time friend, or moving to a new location, the thought of being alone is unsettling for most of us.
Perhaps the worst form of feeling alone is the loneliness that comes with having been abandoned. The spouse you love leaves you for another; the children you bore and raised now want little to do with you; the friend you depended on and trusted has betrayed you; or maybe worst of all, a child is abandoned by a parent. Not only does that abandonment disrupt comfortable patterns and create gapping holes in our lives, but it also damages our sense of self-worth. It’s at times like that when Satan moves in and begins whispering lies about us being unworthy of love or friendship.
 
But our heavenly Father will never abandon us. Jesus is a friend who is closer than a brother. The Holy Spirit doesn’t just walk alongside us, He lives within us. The great truth is that with God we are never alone and we are never abandoned.
 
All this month we will explore the truth that God will never leave us and He will never forsake us. That being the case, a close relationship with God will provide us with the comfort and stability that no relationship on earth ever can. When everything around us seems to be falling apart God will be a source of strength and stability. When those closest to us, the ones we depend on the most, are no longer there or no longer dependable, God will be there and He will be dependable. The great truth is that Christians will never be forsaken by their Heavenly Father and we are never really alone.
 
God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Devotional extra for February 2014

Hello Everyone,
 
Although we’ve completed our month of devotional studies on the theme of patience, today I was writing a few extra devotionals on that subject to be included in a book I’m writing, and I just couldn’t resist sharing this one with you. Hope you find it helpful:
 
Good Morning Everyone,
 
Our theme for this month: “Patience”
 
Our Bible verse for today: “God, deliver me. Hurry to help me, Lord!” Psalm 70:1 (HCSB)
 
Our thought for today: “It’s ok to tell God to hurry up.”
 
What do you think about that? Is it really ok to tell God to “hurry up”? Well, evidently it is. Here in Psalm 70 that’s exactly what King David did. In verse one he very emphatically called on God to get a move on it and deliver him from his troubles. Then in verses 2-4 he recited what some of those problems were. And he ended the Psalm in verse 5 by repeating his call for God to hurry up, “I am afflicted and needy; hurry to me, God. You are my help and my deliverer; Lord, do not delay.”
 
All this month we’ve been considering the Biblical virtue of patience. We’ve even noted that patience is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit which Paul wrote about in Galatians 5:22-23. We’ve considered how important it is to have patience and how it is that, when God allows circumstances into our lives that try our patience, that is a form of spiritual exercise which is in fact actually strengthening us and making us more patient.
 
But there’s also a tension here. The Bible teaches that as we’re in the process of being patient, it’s also ok to urge God to pick up the pace a little in getting that answer to us. That’s what David did in Psalm 70 as well as in some of the other Psalms. And if you think about it, it kind of makes sense. I mean God already knows that we’re impatient for an answer. We’re not fooling Him if we pretend to be patient but secretly we’re practically wetting our pants while we’re waiting for Him to act. So why not just be honest and talk to Him about how we really feel?
 
Jesus frequently taught that we are to ask our Heavenly Father for the things that we want. James wrote that one of the reasons we don’t get what we want from God is because we don’t bother to ask Him for it. So if you want an answer to your prayer, and you want it now, then tell Him so. That doesn’t mean it will happen that way, and you may still find yourself having to patiently wait, but for pity’s sake, be honest with Him. That’s what David did and we be can too.
 
God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Devotional for Friday February 28th

Good Morning Everyone,
 
Our theme for this month: “Patience”
 
Our Bible verse for today: “The righteous will live by faith.” Romans 1:17 (HCSB)
 
Our thought for today: “Patiently live by faith.”
 
This world sure is a mess. Wars are raging across the globe. Multiple millions are starving. Weather patterns have shifted causing flooding in some places, droughts in others, and widespread suffering. The global economy is weak. Political divisions in our country are more pronounced than ever.
 
But perhaps the greatest challenge for Christians is the fact that unbiblical values are being promoted as normal and we’re under great pressure to agree with these new cultural trends. It’s now being demanded that we embrace them and even help to perpetuate the notion that these ideas are not only normal, but good – even though they run counter to what God teaches in the Bible.
 
However Christians are called to view the world and all of life not from a cultural perspective, but from a Biblical perspective. Cultural norms change from place to place and from generation to generation, but the Bible never changes. Societal standards of ethics and morality change all the time, but God’s standards never change – they are the same for all people in all places at all times.
 
And so, despite whatever new thought or idea or behavioral patterns society is currently promoting as good and normal, as the people of God we turn to the Word of God as our sole reference for what is good and right and acceptable. Doing that will often put us at odds with whatever society we live in. That’s ok. That has always been true for God’s people. Whether we’re talking about the Israelites as they attempted to live as a holy people surrounded by pagan nations, or the early Christians living among Romans and Greeks, God’s people, in all places, at all times, in all societies, have always found themselves out of step with the worldly values and behaviors being practiced and promoted by others.
 
The answer has never been to give in and go along. The answer is, and always has been, to be a people apart – a people distinct and separate – a holy people who live by the Word of God regardless of current cultural trends.
 
As we conclude this month of devotional study on the virtue of patience, I encourage you to patiently live by faith. Trust that for God’s people, God’s Word is the only legitimate standard for how we are to live. Know it, trust it, and then patiently live by it.
 
God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Devotional for Thursday February 27th

Good Morning Everyone,
 
Our theme for this month: “Patience”
 
Our Bible verse for today: “…so that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior.” 1 Timothy 2:2-3 (NIV)
 
Our thought for today: “Just be patient and live a good life.”
 
It’s easy to get caught in the trap of thinking we have to do big splashy things for God in order for our lives to be meaningful. Many times we can feel that if we’re not caring for lepers in the gutters of Calcutta, or witnessing to drug addicts in the dirty back alleys of New York City, then we’re obviously not doing much for the cause of Christ.
 
But that’s just not true. God doesn’t call most of us to be career missionaries in some remote corner of the world, or even to inner-city ministry right here in the USA. For the most part, for most of us, we’re called to live quiet and simple lives right where we are, but to do so in a way that clearly marks us as the people of God. We’re to be faithful witnesses making a difference in our homes and neighborhoods and work places.
 
The editors of “The Mission of God” study Bible, in their introduction to the book of Romans, as they’re explaining Paul’s purpose for writing the letter, write this: “Here is your part in God’s mission: live as one transformed.”
 
That’s pretty good. You are to live – right where you are – as one who has been transformed. Everything about you should be different from the world around you. Your quiet sense of peace, joy, and serenity; your obvious displays of kindness and compassion; the way you use your words to build up and encourage others; the fact that you are known as a man or woman of integrity, one who is completely dependable and trustworthy. Your lifestyle itself is a witness to the world around you. That’s your part in God’s mission.
 
Don’t get frustrated or impatient with yourself because your life isn’t the subject of inspiring magazine articles or movies. It isn’t supposed to be. There may be times when you will go overseas on a short-term mission trip; or on a weekend trip to Eastern Kentucky to minister to impoverished people living in a remote region of coal-mining country; or to your local rescue mission to serve a meal. But most of the time, for most of us, we are to patiently and faithfully live quiet and godly lives that are a living testimony to the love and compassion and mercy of God. Be content to patiently and faithfully live a good life.
 
God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Devotional for Wednesday February 26th

Good Morning Everyone,
 
Our theme for this month: “Patience”
 
Our Bible verse for today: “May God be gracious to us and bless us; look on us with favor so that Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all the nations.” Psalm 67:1-2 (HCSB)
 
Our thought for today: “We have been blessed so we can be a blessing.”
 
In Psalm 67:1 the Psalmist prayed for God’s blessing to be upon the people. That’s nice. We all want to be blessed by God. But wait, what was the intended purpose of God’s blessing upon His people? Was it simply so they could sit back, relax, and enjoy a comfy lifestyle? No. In verse two he makes it clear that the purpose of the blessing that was asked for in verse one, was so that God’s ways could be known on the earth, His salvation among all the nations. God’s people were being blessed so they could then be a blessing.
 
It’s a common theme all throughout the Bible. God blesses His people so they can in turn bless others in His name, and all so that His ways and His salvation will become known throughout the whole earth. We know this. Both the Old and New Testaments teach the people of God to go out into the world and bless people so they will experience God’s love and come to know Him in a real and personal way. Jesus did this, and then He commissioned us to go and do it too.
 
But this business of going out into the world and sharing God’s blessings with people can be messy and frustrating. Many times those we offer the blessings to either refuse to receive them, or don’t appreciate them, or they do receive them but it doesn’t seem to make any noticeable difference. That can be frustrating. How do we deal with it? Well mostly, we just keep on keeping on. We just patiently continue to do what the Lord told us to do and trust that in His way and in His time it will make a difference.
 
In Genesis 18:18 God told Abraham that ultimately, eventually, all the nations of the earth would be blessed through him. But Abraham never got to see it. In fact, on the front end of that promise Abraham couldn’t even imagine how it could be so. And yet, the promise did come to pass. The little nation of Israel has been the most influential nation in history. Jesus, the Messiah, the Savior, came from the line of Abraham. Now for 2000 years since then, the entire world has indeed been blessed by the spiritual descendants of Abraham, the followers of Christ, as they go out into the world sharing the blessings and preaching the Good News.
 
And so it continues. Today you and I – the people of God in this age, have been blessed and are being blessed, so we can in turn be a blessing to others. Sometimes it isn’t easy. Sometimes there don’t appear to be any immediate results from it. But be patient and do it anyway. It will make a difference. I encourage you to make it a point to be a blessing to someone today.
 
God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Devotional for Tuesday February 25th

Good Morning Everyone,
 
Our theme for this month: “Patience”
 
Our Bible verse for today: “You get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.” 1 Peter 2:20 (NLT)
 
Our thought for today: “We must assume personal responsibility for our actions.”
 
How many of our problems are our own fault, a result of our own poor choices? If we’re honest about it we probably have to admit that much of what we suffer in life we bring on ourselves. One of the worst and least helpful things we can do is to play the victim. Way too often people convince themselves that their problems are someone else’s fault and they are the innocent victim of unfair treatment from people who are being mean to them. That’s a prescription for failure. You can’t succeed in life if you won’t take personal responsibility for your situations.
 
That’s pretty much the point Peter was making in 1 Peter 2:20. If I’m suffering as a result of wrongdoing or bad choices on my part, then I’m getting what I deserve. Now I have to deal with the consequences. Of course, there are times when we are treated unjustly by others. When that happens, God is aware of it and He will ensure there is justice in the end. For our part we’re to respond in a Biblical way that honors Him.
 
But still, and this is my primary point today, we must assume personal responsibility for our actions and for our poor choices. If you are fully or partially to blame for your problems, but you fool yourself into believing it’s really all someone else’s fault, you stand virtually no chance of fixing the situation or of avoiding a similar problem in the future.
 
The best response is to assume full responsibility for your actions and the consequences of them, and then patiently work with the Lord to fix it. Righting the wrong and repairing the damage may take some time, but the starting place is to acknowledge your personal responsibility for the situation you are in.
 
God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Devotional for Monday February 24th

Good Morning Everyone,
 
Our theme for this month: “Patience”
 
Our Bible verse for today: “Naaman and his whole company went back to the man of God, stood before him, and declared, ‘I know there’s no God in the whole world except in Israel.” 2 Kings 5:15 (HCSB)
 
Our thought for today: “Be patient, God is working.”
 
Naaman was the commander of the army for the king of Aram. He was renowned as a mighty warrior and was highly regarded by the king and the people. He was not a Jew and therefore did not know or worship the God of Israel, but that was about to change because Naaman, this mighty warrior, this hero of the nation, was suddenly diagnosed with leprosy. He desperately needed help.
 
Through an unlikely series of events God brought a young Jewish girl into Naaman’s home as a servant for his wife. The girl told Naaman’s wife that there was a powerful man of God, a prophet named Elisah, who had power from the One True God to work miracles and perhaps to even heal leprosy. So a skeptical, impatient, and unbelieving Naaman went in search of this so-called “prophet” and to his astonishment, he was healed. Through the process Naaman came to place is faith in the One True God, the God of Israel.
 
It turned out that God was at work, behind the scenes in Naaman’s life, not only to bring about a cure for the man’s leprosy, but to bring him to a saving knowledge of the One True God. As these events were unfolding Naaman had no idea what God was doing, or even that there was a God. But God’s unseen activity behind the scenes ended up have a profound and life-changing impact on him.
 
The editors of “The Mission of God” study Bible write, “God has a purpose for everything, even the odd, painful, or difficult events that occur. Because we can often see behind the scenes in the lives of Bible people, we are privileged to watch how God works. He weaves together a complex set of choices and events to bring about His will. And His work is never limited. He reaches out to all people and meets them right at their point of need.”
 
The same is true in your life. Be patient with your current circumstances. God knows what you’re going through and even if you can’t see where it’s heading or how it will turn out, you can be sure that God is quietly at work behind the scenes orchestrating events as necessary to bring about His desired results. God has a purpose and a plan for what you’re dealing with. It is a good plan and in time you will see that. Just be patient.
 
God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Devotionial for Saturday and Sunday February 22-23

Good Morning Everyone,
 
Our theme for this month: “Patience”
 
Our Bible verse for today: “Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed off to Cyprus.” Acts 15:39 (HCSB)
 
Our thought for today: “Be patient with people.”
 
People are fallible. We make mistakes, we make bad choices, and often we’re our own worst enemies. Sometimes we’re just young and foolish and make immature decisions. Other times we’re older and should know better, but we screw it up anyway. Fortunately our God is a God of second chances, and third, and fourth, and ….
 
Barnabas was a young man who was given the golden opportunity to travel with, and minister alongside of, the Apostle Paul and Barnabas. But, he blew it. We don’t know exactly what happened but apparently things got a little tough and Mark wasn’t up to it, so he left and went home. Later, when it was time for another mission trip, Barnabas wanted to take Mark with them again but Paul said “no”. Evidently Mark wanted a second chance but Paul wouldn’t give it to him. However Barnabas did give him a second chance. Barnabas parted ways with Paul, took Mark on their own little mission trip to Cyprus, and it turned out to be just the thing Mark needed. Mark ended up becoming a great man of God in his own right, he wrote one of the four Gospels, and in his later years Paul even admitted that Mark had turned into a valuable ministry partner. Thank God for second chances.
 
Jesus gave Peter a second chance and look at what that resulted in! Paul stuck with the young man Timothy, even though he was timid and lacked self-confidence, and ultimately Timothy ended up becoming a leading pastor in his region. The Old Testament prophet Elijah patiently worked with the impetuous young man Elisha and eventually Elisha became a powerful prophet too.
 
The editors of “The Mission of God” study Bible offer this helpful insight about sticking with, mentoring, and giving people second chances:
 
“I believe in you.” Perhaps some of the most powerful words we can say to someone. These four simple words evoke confidence and anticipation in all that a person can and will become by God’s grace and power. If you have ever had the privilege of someone uttering those words to you, you know the emotion it evokes. They inspire you to become all God wants you to become.”
 
You’ve probably seen the old bumper sticker that reads, “Be patient. God isn’t done with me yet.” There’s a lot of wisdom and truth in that. God isn’t done with any of us yet. We will all make mistakes and we will all find ourselves in need of second, third, fourth, and tenth chances. The truth is that we need to be patient with each other.
 
God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Devotional for Friday February 21st

Good Morning Everyone,
 
Our theme for this month: “Patience”
 
Our Bible verse for today: “Don’t say, ‘I’ll avenge this evil!’ Wait on the Lord, and He will rescue you.” Proverbs 20:22 (HCSB)
 
Our thought for today: “God will right all wrongs.”
 
As a military officer I was trained to think fast and act fast. Most military training is designed to condition you to respond quickly and appropriately to a crisis or life-threatening situation. Your goal is to quickly assess the situation, decide on an appropriate response, and then act decisively and with speed. Of course, you don’t want to allow your decision-making to get ahead of your facts, but you also can’t afford to hesitate for very long. Bold and decisive action usually carries the day.
 
Unfortunately, that’s also the way most of us react when we think we’ve been wronged. Basic human nature moves us to respond. While that may be a good thing in a crisis or in some life threatening situation, it’s frequently the wrong response in most other cases. Most of the time the better thing to do is to patiently wait, prayerfully consider the situation, and many times – do nothing.
 
Allowing our emotions to dictate our responses is almost never a good thing. Unless you’re shooting down an incoming missile, dodging a bullet, or fighting off an armed robber, an immediate response to a negative situation is seldom the right thing. Almost always it’s better to let time pass, emotions to cool, and tempers to settle down before you say or do anything.
 
When dealing with difficult and unpleasant situations I’ve usually found that if I commit the thing to prayer, and then patiently wait on the Lord, He will very often deal with the situation for me, and in the end there will have been little if any action required on my part.
 
I’m not necessarily advocating for doing nothing. Sometimes we do have to respond. But if time and the situation allows, then the more prudent approach is usually to patiently wait and give the Lord plenty of time to deal with it first. It may turn out that you are supposed to respond. It could be that the Lord intends to respond to the situation through you. But even then, that will become apparent in time. Almost always it’s better to patiently wait. In time God will right all wrongs.
 
God Bless,
Pastor Jim