Devotions that IMPACT

This world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live

forever." 1 John 2:17

What a dynamic statement and thought....."you will live forever." Just think of it! You and I have the

opportunity to live with God the Father, His Son Jesus and Him the Holy Spirit of God - forever!

As I reflected on that statement this morning, it reminded me of the fact that life is more than just here

and now. God's eternal purpose for our lives on earth does not end here. His plan involves far more that

you and I can imagine. God offers us something beyond our lifetime.

But what I noticed was there was a qualifier..."if you do the will of God." What is the will of God? It is

fulfilling the Great Commandment and Great Commission. "For you are God's workmanship created in

Christ Jesus to do good works.." (Eph. 2:10) God made us for a reason. He loves us and wants us, but

He also wants to work His love through our lives every day.

We must ask ourselves the basic questions of life: Why do I exist? Why am I alive? Does my life really

matter? What is my purpose? Answer these questions and it will change the direction of your life. You see

you find your purposes in life by getting to KNOW God. "It's in Christ that we find out who we are and

what we are living for.. part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone." Eph.

1:!

"For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible..everything got started in

Him and finds its purpose in him." Colossians 1:16

Father, I praise you for who you are and whose I am. I pray that I may KNOW you more intimately

through your Son Jesus, that I will be so close to you that nothing, absolutely nothing, will come between

you and me. Help me to see you every day in your Word. Open my eyes to the eternal truths of life. It's

so easy to get caught up in "things" of my life that I fail to stay close to you. I promise and pledge to live

my life for your Glory! Amen

Life is certainly just a temporary assignment, but one that is of supreme significance. In

God's says, "We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Cor. 4:18).

We must all remember that this earth is not our home. God has placed us here for a reason and it's crucial that we understand why. I believe God's word speaks loud and clear to us.

“It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others” (Ephesians 2:10 LB).

God calls us to a service far beyond anything we could ever imagine. We were put on

earth to make a contribution in this temporary world we occupy.

We weren’t created just to consume resources—to eat, drink, breath, and be merry. God

designed us to make a difference with our lives. We were created to add to life on earth,

not just take from it. God wants us to give something back.

The Bible says, “God . . . has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already

prepared for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10 TEV). These “good deeds” are our service to the

world. Whenever we serve others in any way, we are actually serving God and fulfilling one

of your purposes (Colossians 3:23–24; Matthew 25:34–45; Ephesians 6:7).

What God told Jeremiah is also true for you: “Before I made you in your mother’s womb, I

chose you. Before you were born, I set you apart for a special work” (Jeremiah 1:5 NCV).

You and I are God's special work and we must do something about it. When most people

think of this “special work,” they think of pastors, priests, and professional clergy, but God

says every member of his family is to minister. In the Bible, the words servant and

minister are synonyms, as are service and ministry. You and I are to serve God in ways

unique to our individual purposes for which we were created.

Have you ever wondered why God doesn’t just immediately take us to heaven the moment

we accept his grace? Why does he leave us in a fallen world and ugly society of people?

He leaves us here to fulfill his purposes. Once you are saved, God intends to use you for

his goals. God has a ministry for you in his church and a mission for you in the world.

Father, Help us not to take advantage of our salvation or as Paul said to neglect "such a

great salvation" may we be the servants you called each of us to be. May you motivate us

through your Spirit to get excited about what we can do for you. May we not be idle in this

work of grace for which you are sending us. Help us to share our faith today and

encourage us to have eyes that see and ears that hear. We go with you in the Name

Jesus'! For His Glory - we pray.

Pastor Don

This morning as I reflected upon our Scripture verse I want to reinforce the fact that we have a God who truly wants loves us and wants to use each of us for His Glory. We belong to Him. He created us and we are His. He’s knows us by name (Isa.43:1-5).

“Now you belong to him . . . in order that you might be useful in the service of God” (Romans 7:4 TEV).

Our call to salvation includes our call to service. They are the same. Regardless of our job or career, we are called to full-time Christian service. A “non-serving Christian” is a contradiction in terms. The Bible says, “He saved us and called us to be his own people, not because of what we have done, but because of his own purpose” (2 Timothy 1:9 TEV). Peter adds, “You were chosen to tell about the excellent qualities of God, who called you” (1 Peter 2:9 GWT).

You see we are called to serve God. Growing up, you may have thought that being called by God was something only missionaries, pastors, nuns, and other full-time church workers experienced, but the Bible says every Christians is called to service (Ephesians 4:4–14; see also Romans 1:6–7; 8:28–30; 1 Corinthians 1:2, 9, 26; 7:17; Philippians 3:14; 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 1:3). Anytime you use your God-given abilities to help others, encourage them, assist them, disciple them, you are fulfilling your calling. The Bible says, “Now you belong to him . . . in order that you might be useful in the service of God” (Romans 7:4 TEV). How much time are you being useful in the service of God? In some churches in China, they welcome new believers by saying, “Jesus now has a new pair of eyes to see with, new ears to listen with, new hands to help with, and a new heart to love others with.” Wow! What a thought! If only we could realize the impact God wants to have on others through us.

Father, I praise you this morning for your grace and love. You are truly a great God worthy of being loved back by each of us. It’s so easy to get caught up in our world and our lives that we forget we are to be just like Jesus and live as He lived among us. As we reflect upon our usefulness, help us to realize the impact we can have if we just live “holy” lives and quite worrying about the things outside of our control. Open our minds and thoughts to your will and way. Help us to be disciplined in our seeking you and to be authentic and genuine in our service for you. Amen!

This morning as I was awakened by the beauty of the lighting in the sky, I was reminded that "as the skies declare the handy work of God"..so we declare the love of God to Others! What we are determines what we do and what we do demonstrates to others what we believe. We either live for God or for ourselves. Either way we will give account to God for our actions. Think about what His word says:

“Each of us will have to give a personal account to God” (Romans 14:12 NLT

At the end of our life on earth we will stand before God, and he is going to evaluate how well we served others with our lives. The Bible says, “Each of us will have to give a personal account to God” (Romans 14:12 NLT). Think about the implications of that. One day God will compare how much time and energy we spent on ourselves compared with what we invested in serving others. At that point, all our excuses for self-centeredness will sound hollow: “I was too busy” or “I had my own goals” or “I was preoccupied with working, having fun, or preparing for retirement.” To all excuses God will respond, “Sorry, wrong answer. I created, saved, and called you and commanded you to live a life of service. What part did you not understand?” The Bible warns unbelievers, “He will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves,” but for Christians it will mean a loss of eternal rewards (Romans 2:8 NLT).

We are only fully alive when we’re helping others. Jesus said, “If you insist on saving your life, you will lose it. Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live” (Mark 8:35 LB; see also Matthew 10:39; 16:25; Luke 9:24; 17:33). This truth is so important that it is repeated five times in the Gospels. If you aren’t serving, you’re just existing, because life is meant for ministry. God wants you to learn to love and serve others unselfishly.

Our Vision and Mission is OTHERS! Living our lives for His glory and not for ourselves is hwat we are all about. God wants us to be used by Him in positive ways to reflect His Love and goodness to those in our sphere of influence. Did you know that when we live that way we are actually worshipping God? Somewhere along the journey of life we have limited our worship of God to merely a worship service, but worship is really an act of service to others for God's Glory and that is the ultimate praise God is looking for from us.

"Give yourselves to God...surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes." (Romans 6:13)

Father we praise you today for creating us and giving us life. Help us to be sincere in the way we worship you and live for you and your purposes. Help us to really examine our lives and get a good look at who we really are, because what we are really shows - whose we are. We want to be genuine in everything we do and say. Help us to not "neglect such a great salvation"..rather help us to live like Christ. We thank you for what you're doing in our lives.

In His Name we pray...Amen!

“This the day the Lord hath made let us rejoice and be glad in it”….are words from the psalmist I can’t seem to get away from this morning. What an awesome and wonderful God we have and one who wants us to know that he desires to use us in his eternal work. Wow! What a staggering thought….God using me! Say it aloud to yourself…God wants to use me! I got the job, I won the prize, I’m promoted to the highest level possible in life…serving God, because He choose me! Speaking of being chosen….

“Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body” (Romans 12:5 MSG).

We are going to give our lives for something. What will it be—a career, a sport, a hobby, fame, wealth? None of these will have lasting significance. Service is the pathway to real significance. It is through ministry that we discover the meaning of our lives. The Bible says, “Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body” (Romans 12:5 MSG). As we serve together in God’s family, our lives take on eternal importance. Paul said, “I want you to think about how all this makes you more significant, not less . . . because of what you are a part of” (1 Corinthians 12:14a, 19 MSG). God wants to use you and me to make a difference in his world. He wants to work through us. What matters is not the duration of your life, but the donation of it. Not how long you lived, but how you lived. If you’re not involved in any service or ministry, what excuse have you been using? Everyone of us are to be involved in serving God. Are you? • Abraham was old, • Jacob was insecure, • Leah was unattractive, • Joseph was abused, • Moses stuttered, • Gideon was poor, • Samson was codependent, • Rahab was immoral, • David had an affair and all kinds of family problems, • Elijah was suicidal, • Jeremiah was depressed, • Jonah was reluctant, • Naomi was a widow, • John the Baptist was eccentric to say the least, • Peter was impulsive and hot-tempered, • Martha worried a lot, • The Samaritan woman had several failed marriages, • Zacchaeus was unpopular, • Thomas had doubts, • Paul had poor health, and • Timothy was timid. That is quite a variety of misfits, but God used each of them in his service. He will use you, too, if you stop making excuses.

Father we pray this morning that we will live our lives for you today. Help us to take advantage of every opportunity to say something, do something or stop something. We want to glorify you every day and we want to be sensitive to your leading. Help each of us to be aware of your presence and to not complain or make excuses, but to simply look to you and allow you to lead us along the path of righteousness, following the model and example of Jesus. Amen!

This morning as I was awakened by the beauty of the lighting in the sky, I was reminded that "as the skies declare the handy work of God"..so we declare the love of God to Others! What we are determines what we do and what we do demonstrates to others what we believe. We either live for God or for ourselves. Either way we will give account to God for the way we live our lives. Think about what His word says:

"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8) Micah could not find an upright person anywhere in the Land. Even today, uprightness (honesty, integrity, loving kindness) is difficult to find. Society rationalizes sin, and even Christians sometimes comprise Christian biblical principles in order to do what they want. It's easy to convince ourselves that we deserve breaks, especially when "everyone else" is doing it. Certainly the standards for integrity and walking with God have virtually disappeared from the Christian lifestyle today. We all can contribute to the problem or we can be a solution to it. God created us to be in a loving and living relationship with Him. He alone is able to transform our lives into the image of Christ -style living if we will do the three things as outlined by Micah... act justly - be wise, fair and loving in every way in our attitudes/actions. (word,

thought ,deed)

to love mercy - be respectful and kind to others. Treat people with dignity and value, rather than demean them.

to walk humbly with your God - the way we treat people is reflective of how we relate to God. Our walk is to be one of humility and love, not hatefulness or demeaning disrespect, but loving in every way. Why? Because God treats us that way. To walk with God is to invite Him to lead the way and to commune with Him everyday. We include Him in our communications, our service to others, our "labors of love". How is your humility these days. How much time are you spending with God? Are you really spening time in His Word and prayer, if not you are probably reflecting a worldly behavior.

As I reflected over all these thoughts this morning, I have to confess that it is easy to

operate in the flesh, instead of in the Spirit. It's easy to become judgmental,

undisciplined and hateful, when God is wanting us to be like Him in attitude and action.

The question is: Are we living that way 24/7? Perhaps the problem lies with the amount

of time we are spending with the Savior!

Father my prayer today is that we the Body of Christ would take the words of Scripture

seriously and be honest with ourselves and you. I want to "walk humbly" with you in

such a way that my life reflects the fact that I have been spending time with you in

prayer and the study of your Word. I pray that as leaders we would be the kind of

servants to others that Christ was to the disciples. Help us to operate in the power of the

Spirit and not the flesh. Show us the way of grace and love. Help us to be Spiritual

leaders of the Church, relying more on YOU than our own intelligence and ability. Anoint

us with your Presence this day and lead us by your Spirit. Amen!

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be

filled." Matt. 5:6

What a joy to meet with God everyday in His Word and just let Him bath you in

His love. Wow! What a refreshing time. In looking back, I realize it is so easy for us to

caught up in the daily routines of life, that most of the time God get's our left-over time.

Perhaps not intentionally, but never-the-less, it happens more than any of us would like

to admit. Rest assured - if you are unhappy and having a struggle, it's probably because

you aren't hungering and thirsting enough for God. It was hard for me to face-up to the

reality that sometimes my devotional time was more about me than about Him. I

realized I need to reverse the order! Thank God I saw it!

As I reflected on the verse above for about an hour yesterday, I had to deal with three

things God wanted me to see. They were:

1. Personal purity was the first thing I thought of in respect to my relationship with God. Do I really hunger and thirst for Him in a way that god can change me daily? The proof of that is

seen in the evidence of the overflow of his life through me. My hunger and thirsting for God is real, because I just can't go a day without being in His Presence. My time with God is

intentional and inspirational. It's what keeps me from falling apart. I want desperately to be just like Jesus in lifestyle! To take a stand for what God's Word says, regardless of the

consequences. I refocused my life!

2. Social justice was the second thing that came to mind. What I mean by that is this; anything

that breaks the heart of God should break my heart. And, it breaks my heart to see what is

happening in the lives of people today, especially those who represent Christ to a world out there that is totally blinded by sin. I realized that I must keep my eyes on the "author and

finisher of my faith." I re-adjusted my eye site.

3. Right relationships are the product of living the righteous life. First, we are to be in a right

relationship with God. He must be number one in our lives and we must have such an intense desire to live for Him that we can't stay away from Him. We take advantage of every

opportunity to be in His Presence. We want to worship Him everyday in spirit and truth. We can't make it without Him. Secondly, we have a right relationship with OTHERS! This is

essential to our spiritual health, which in turn affects our physical health. The overflow of His

love for us must flow freely out of us to others. I remember life is about Him not me!

Righteousness is about living right in every aspect of our lives. "Seek ye first the

Kingdom of God and His righteousness"(Matt.6:33)..means that we are craving for and

striving to discover the truths of God's eternal Word for our lives. It is something that is

beyond us..."not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that

that is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God is by faith." (Phil.

3:9). When His grace flows from our lives, it is God's goodness and

righteousness through my faith in Him!

Father as I reflect over the past 48 hrs I've had with you. I desire for you to open my

mind to the things I may not be seeing about myself that is keeping you from freely

flowing out of my life. My relationship with you is one that - "I must decrease and He

(Jesus) must increase". May it be so in my life, so I can lead your people in the "paths of

righteousness" out of the overflow of your life through me. I realize that the outcomes of

our lives are directly relational to our time spent in your Presence, so help me not to

compromise my time spent with you. I know you want what is 'best"for me and that you

can and will do what is 'best' if I continue in the faith. Change me God! Make me an

instrument of your Glory! Amen and Amen! To you be the glory!

Show me the path where I should go, O Lord; point out the right road for me to walk” (Psalm 25:4 LB).

Getting time with God each day is one of the spiritual habits of effective people. We develop spiritual fitness by having a quiet time each day for Bible reading and prayer. What’s the reason for that? To get direction from God: “Show me the path where I should go, O Lord; point out the right road for me to walk” (Psalm 25:4 LB). Sometimes we can get so busy in life that we can forget the direction we’re going. Like the pilot in World War II flying over the Pacific, he radioed back, “I have absolutely no idea where I’m going. I’m lost. But I’m making record time.” I believe that all to often we rush through our prayer time and don’t give God a chance to really speak to us. Many times we get very busy. We need to slow down and get direction from God. This means we spend time with God on a daily basis; we talk to God in prayer; we let him talk to us from his Word; and we listen for his direction through the Holy Spirit. I can honestly say that every major decision in my life has been made in a quiet time. I don’t just rush into a decision…I say God reveal yourself to me in this moment…Give me a receptive heart and ear. Help to listen! Jesus said, “IF you have ears that hear let them hear. Jesus is our model; He “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16 NIV). You can’t get to know God if you’re always in a crowd. You get to know God in a one-on-one encounter. The divine moments come when we slow down and talk to God face to face through His Word. Notice the Bible says Jesus withdrew often; his quiet time was his source of strength. And Jesus teaches that we are strengthened as we develop a deep and intimate relationship with

him: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you” (John 15:7 NIV).

Father it thrills my soul to know that you are always near and NOW! There is never a moment when you are not present. You are my strength and shield, an ever great reward. May you speak to me about today, giving numerous opportunities to witness and speak on your behalf. I pray for every member of the staff and church board, that we will be united and in one accord as we are busy for you and your Glory. May everyone be an example and model of Christ-like Love and may we each contribute to the kingdom work for which you created us. I pray daily for you to rule our hearts and may “the joy of the Lord be our strength.” In the Name Jesus’ we pray. Amen!

Pastor Don

As I have been preparing for the Stewardship series to begin next month, I have come to

realize that so much of what we do has to do with two things. Making money and spending

money. It's definitely a way of life for all of us. We cannot escape it. Show me how you spend

your money and I'll show you what you value in life. The Bible says....

“Your true life is not made up of the things you own, no matter how rich you may be”

(Luke 12:15 TEV).

The Bible has a lot of great advice on money management. Over half of Jesus’ parables deal

with handling material possessions. In fact, Jesus spoke more about money than He did about

prayer, faith, hope, salvation and either heaven or hell. There at some 2500 verses in the Bible

on wealth alone. Wow! In fact, there are two common myths about money:

Myth #1: Money is evil. Actually money is neither good nor bad. It’s neutral. What the Bible

actually says is “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10 NIV).

Here’s the point: we are to use things and love people. When we get that reversed we get

ourselves into trouble. If we love things, we will end up using people. God says people are

always more important than possessions.

Myth #2: Money is the key to happiness. Obviously, that isn't true either. If money guaranteed

happiness then those with the most would be the most happy. All you have to do is read the

newspaper to explode that idea. Jesus said, “A man’s real life is not made up of the things he

owns, no matter how rich he may be” (Luke 12:15 PH/TEV).

Think about this: “It is better—much better—to have wisdom and knowledge than gold and

silver” (Proverbs 16:16 TEV).

Jesus said, "With the measure you give it will be measured unto you." You and greatly

determine the blessings of God upon us. Let us remember that as make our many purchases

this week.

Father, I praise you today for the many blessings we each have received. There is so much

more to life than just money and things. May each of us remember how important it is to be

givers and to allow you to have control of our finances. When I think about what it cost you to

purchase my salvation, money becomes very insignificant. Bless each of us in accordance with

what we give to you. We want to be controlled, not by our possessions or money, but by the

love we have for you and the grace that purchased our salvation. We love you today - now help

us show it in word, deed and giving of ourselves to whatever yu would ask of us. May we bless

someone today! In your Glorious Name Jesus' we pray - Amen!

My prayer for this series is that we understand the difference between money and God. God

wants us to utilize our money for the necessities of life, but not at the expense of giving to the

kingdom work.

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another” (Hebrews 10:25 NLT).

One of the things that really concerns me today is the lack of spiritual growth and fellowship within the body of Christ. I cannot believe the number of leaders and people who do not attend a Bible study or small group. "I just don't have time" is a historical statement. Jesus set the model and example for us and we should all concern ourselves with His example. Meeting together for spiritual growth and fellowship is crucial to the health of the individual and corporate body...the church.

We develop spiritual fitness when we meet regularly and encourage one another. When you get together with other believers regularly, this is called fellowship—sharing and caring together in a small group. Do you ever need encouragement? Life can be tough and we all get discouraged. The fact is you’re never going to be an effective Christian if you try to go it alone. You need encouragement. You need other people. Life was not meant to be lived by itself. Redwood trees have very shallow roots. They withstand the wind by spreading out and intertwining roots and they hold each other up. What a perfect picture of fellowship! We spread out, we intertwine, and we hold each other up. We strengthen each other. Snow flakes are frail, but if enough of them stick together they can stop traffic. You can’t do a whole lot and I can’t do a whole lot, but together in a group we can do something. We can have an impact on this world. Let me mention that I meet people who say, “I’m going to miss church this week. It’s no big deal.” someone told me just last night that when i miss it's just because I don't want to go.Now, thats honesty and truth. They are simply unaware how you can dry up spiritually whenever you miss fellowship with other believers and have an opportunity to connect with God all in the same setting.

In fact, you need to be in constant contact with other Christians, even beyond what you get on Sunday. You need more than just a “Sunday fix.” Every Christian needs a balance between large group celebration/worship and small group fellowship. You need a big group (worship) so you can say, “I’m a part of something significant.” But you can’t share prayer requests within a large group; you can’t pray for each other; you can’t even know everybody. So you need to be in a small group, also. And by the way, when I say small group that includes Sunday School. What’s the result of getting together with other believers? “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” (Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 NIV).

Most people fail to realize that the answer to their satisfaction and health issues is God and the fellowship of the believers. Do your research and you will discover this is true. The American Medical Association says most people's health issues would be resolved, if they would find geniune fellowship.

Father, Help us to realize today the significance of being united in fellowship and community. We want to grow spiritually and have relational support at the same time. We really do need each other. May you inspire us to get back to the basics of fellowship, where we can grow together in faith and love, where we find encouragement and friendship. Reveal yourself to us today in a fresh new way. Instill within us the desire to be in Sunday school and church each week. May we call someone today and invite them to church and Sunday School. We praise you Father for your love for us. To you be the Glory! Amen!

Just a note of praise. Bill's surgery went great. Continue to pray for his quick recovery.

A question I believe everyone one of us needs to ask ourselves is this: Is your work for God and OTHERS done in the spirit of love and with passion or is it a “thorn in the flesh” to you? God gives us the direction and motivation we should all have. His Word says,

“Do all your work in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14 TEV). The apostle Paul says, “Do all your work in love.” He doesn’t say some of your work, but all of your work. He also says “no matter . . . what I do, I’m bankrupt without love” (1 Corinthians 13:3 MSG). The point is any job can be turned into worship when it is built on the model of Christ’s love: that love is expressed to co-workers, clients, customers

and God's church work. Mother Teresa said, “It’s not what you do so much that matters, but how much love you put into it.” Think about it like this. Two-thirds of the word career is “care”: C-A-R-E. John Rushcan once said, “When love and skill come together, expect a masterpiece.” So, I want you to pray a prayer every day the rest of this week. When you get up to go work—whether it’s at home or at school, in your backyard or at an office or wherever you work—I want you to pray, “Father, today I want to worship You through my work. I want to express my gifts, I want to do it as if I’m doing it for You, and I want to do it in love. Also, God help me serve you out of that same kind of LOVE in my church work. I want to bring glory to your Name and create an environment of unity and harmony. Help us (me) Lord to be Christ-like in my attitudes and actions in my service for you.”

You know if you and I can’t be that way in our work and service for the Lord, we need to spend more time on our knees…until we pray through and get to the point of complete surrender to God’s way and will. We all need to ask ourselves: Am I serving God out of love or obligation. The difference between the two is the difference between night and day. Paul says it best..... “So then, my friends, because of God’s great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His service and pleasing to Him. This is the true worship that you should offer” (Romans 12:1 TEV).

Amen! To you, Father, be the Glory!

It isn’t your position that makes you happy, it’s your disposition.

“May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands” (Psalm 90:17 NIV).

What is it that brings the favor of the Lord upon us? It’s not our smarts! Its God’s hand in what we are doing that makes the difference.

God establishes the work of our hands by giving us gifts that will make a difference in the lives of others. That’s what success is—being what God meant for you to be. Jesus said, “My purpose is to give [you] a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10 NLT). In the NIV, “I have come that you might have life and more abundantly. In other words, God wants us to enjoy everything we do for Him and OTHERS and to do it with a Christ-like mind-set. We are to have the same attitude that Christ had (Phil. 2:4-5) Do you? You may be thinking,” what about work that needs to be done but doesn’t express my gifts; it just has to be done?” Any homemaker knows exactly what I’m talking about. Don’t believe me, then ask my wife Cheryl. I would say to you that every job, even the one you are suited for, has mundane parts. Every job has some parts to it that you won’t like, but you can still worship God through those parts of the job. Don’t let the job get you down!

I would suggest you adopt this attitude: “Maybe this job that I’m in right now is a phase of my life and I’m not going to be here the rest of my life. But this is where I am for now; therefore, I will worship God right now.” The apostle Paul says, “Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering” (Romans 12:1 MSG). “Lord our God, may your blessings be with us. Give us success in all we do!” (Psalm 90:17 TEV).

Father, as we approach your Presence this morning, we come in the Name Jesus’. We love you and want to please you in everything we do. Please, help us to see things from your point of view. To be full of your Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, who will lead us into all Truth. We confess our failure to listen to you through your Word. You have instructed us about the way a person is to live and think. Help us to get into the habit of spending more time with you. May your HAND be upon everything we do. Override our thinking in the flesh and help us to walk in the Spirit. To you be the Glory! Amen!

“In America, we’re facing the worst economic recession of our generation. It would be easy to blame Wall Street’s greed, Washington’s guile and graft, or the world’s gallop toward globalization. But the roots of our national crisis are far more complex and deeper than most realize. America needs more than financial bailout. We need a national healing. Our nation has been wounded by “isms”: materialism, hedonism, relativism, racism, extremism, secularism, narcissism, and cynicism. The patient is bleeding severely and needs immediate critical care.”

When I read that statement I realized that the problem facing America is not what we think it is. It’s the passivity of the Christian that is really the problem of America….even the Church and its influence on the world. Why? Because the world is changing us, we aren’t changing the world. Scripture is plain that we are to be “change agents” and yet that’s exactly what we are not.

Jesus said, “Come, follow me.” He is the model and example we are to follow. It is impossible for us to impact the world, when we look and act just like everyone else. That means everything about us ought to be different. The way the church operates is completely different from the way the world operates. We must become change agents and serve just like Jesus. Christianity isn’t really all that hard. It’s just that the world’s influence has changed us and we really don’t realize it.

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.” Colossians 2:6-8

We need to pray that scripture. Then our church will be different, our ministries will be different, our meetings will be different and above all our lives will be different. May it be so LORD! Let's make a difference for Jesus!

Blessings to you all,

Pastor Don

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:6 NLT).

What an amazing thought! God is in love with us and the psalmist is aware of it. God is fully aware of where we are in life and what we are experiencing.

In fact God is watching over you. When King David writes, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me,” he’s not saying, “Surely only good things will happen to me!” The fact is bad things happen to good people. What David is teaching us is that God can take bad, evil, and difficult situations and bring something good out of them. He sees the big picture. One of God’s great promises to us is this: we can know that all things are working for our good “if we love God and are fitting into his plans” (Romans 8:28 LB). If you’re a believer, the Bible says all things are working together for good—not that all things are good, but that they work together for good. There’s no difficulty, dilemma, defeat, or disaster in life that God can’t ultimately turn toward good. When you understand God’s grace and mercy, there’s no need to fear the future. God isn’t trying to get even with you. Jesus shouldered the penalty for everything you’ve ever done wrong or will do wrong. He paid for it on the cross. So when a bad thing happens, you don’t have to think, “God’s getting even with me.” That’s how God’s grace and mercy work. Mercy, like goodness, follows us in life. Picture a parent following a little child around picking up after them; God is constantly picking up our messes. Think about this: • Christians go to the future, not with a question mark, but with an exclamation point. God will be with you no matter what happens. He will help you out.

• God’s goodness provides and protects; God’s mercy pardons and forgives. God’s goodness will supply; God’s mercy will sooth. God’s goodness will help; God’s mercy will heal. • Goodness is the fact that God gives us good things in life that we don’t deserve. Mercy means God holds back the condemnation we deserve. Now that’s unbelievable love in this messed up world.

Father, we praise you this morning for your goodness to us. Help us to always remember you are on our side. You love us and care about us and that is a staggering thought. I pray that you will reveal yourself to each of us today and help us to realize that you will protect us and keep us from falling. I pray for the church and for our unity. May you give each of us mercy for one-another. Increase our faith and help us to trust you to guide us in the midst of this messed up world. Help us to show love and act like Christ acts. Thank you, Lord for your Love for us. Amen!

“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places

you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever

can” -John Wesley

Serving out of my strengths

“The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him” (Romans 12:3 MSG).

Long before words like empowerment became popular; business writer Peter Drucker was telling us that the secret of achieving results is to focus on your strengths and the strengths of those you work with, rather than focusing on weaknesses. Even Gallop understands the importance of knowing our strengths and making them a priority in our service to God. The truth is all of us have both strengths and weaknesses. No one is strong in every area. If you closely watch anyone with outstanding strengths, you’ll eventually notice that they also exhibit weaknesses.

I think God planned each of us this way. No one is good at everything, so we need each other and are forced to cooperate. The Bible says this: “In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pride fully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t. If you preach, just preach God’s Message, nothing else” (Romans 12:4–6 MSG). Here’s the point: Find out what God made you to do well and do more of it. Don’t worry about what you

don’t do well. In fact, try to do as little as possible of what you don’t do well. Then find out what others do well and help them to be able to do more of it. That is the key to effective ministry. We the church leaders need to be compassionate and understanding of each other and serve each other, not battle with each other. We are a team and we must be team players in support of each other. Who do you need to be more supportive of in ministry?

Father, we praise you this morning and recognize that you are our God and we are your people. As Jesus came to serve, so must we. Help us to be more understanding and supportive of each other. Each of us wants more than anything in the world to live lives worthy of our calling and to please you in attitude and action. Inspire us through your Spirit to be open to your leading. It is so easy to allow our personal opinions and preferences to get in the way. We want to be effective and efficient in ministry, because we love and appreciate each other. May you send us 12 brand new families and grow a strong Spiritual family. We love you and pledge to be the servants you desire us to be. To you is the glory!

Pastor Don

What are you doing for Eternity?

I read that statement and was gripped with brokenness, because so much of what we do today is about us! Why don’t we connect more with people? Why don’t invite people to church? Why don’t we give more? Why don’t we build relationships with others? Why? Why? Why?????????

“There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever” (2 Corinthians 4:18 MSG).

So much of what we waste our energy on will not matter tomorrow or even a year from now, much less for eternity. Don’t trade your life for the sensual or temporary things. Jesus said, “Anyone who lets himself be distracted from the work I plan for him is not fit for the Kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62 LB). Paul warned, “Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts on you. This world as you see it is on its way out” (1 Corinthians 7:31 MSG). We all have to admit things are not getting better for the church, because we are really all about us! What are you allowing to stand in the way of your mission? As leaders of the church, what are you allowing to stand in the way of your mission for OTHERS? Whatever it is, let it go. “Let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back…” (Hebrews 12:1 LB). The leadership of the church must focus on people. Where are all the servants today? Is church just about us? What we want! Let it go! How can we do this? In one of His most misunderstood statements, Jesus said, “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings”

(Luke 16:9 NIV). Jesus did not mean for you to “buy” friends with money. What He meant was that you should use the money God gives you to bring people to Christ. They will then be friends for eternity who will welcome you when you get to heaven! It’s the best financial investment you’ll ever make. What investments are we each making for the church? After all, Jesus gave His life for it! You’ve probably heard the expression “You can’t take it with you,” but the Bible says you can send it on ahead, by investing it in people who are going there! The Bible says, “By doing this they will be storing up real treasure for themselves in heaven—it is the only safe investment for eternity! And they will be living a fruitful Christian life down here as well” (1 Timothy 6:19 LB).

Let us join together in giving not only financially to the church, but investing our lives in people.

Serving in ministry to bring people to Jesus, now that’s an investment you can take to heaven!

Father, we enter into your courts with ‘thanksgiving” this morning, because someone invested in each of us. Someone cared enough to pray for us, to testify of your love and to show us your love by investing their lives and finances into the kingdom work. May we each give of ourselves to you first and then to others. We need a more disciplined lifestyle. Help us to have such “love” for OTHERS that it compels us to get involved in the lives of people. Help us each to see ourselves as we really are, rather than how we wish we were. Oh, Father, hear our request today and bless us with a fresh out-pouring of your Spirit. Inspire us and encourage us through the leading of your Spirit, helping us to intentionally connect with someone who needs Jesus or assistance. May it start with us! In the Name Jesus we pray. Amen!

There is Purpose in Life’s Difficulties

In the last couple of days, I have ministered to people who have been carrying tremendous burdens. Their heart is hurting and they are struggling with the “outcomes” of their situation. Things that are beyond their control and they don’t understand. I can relate to that can’t you? You’ve been there. It isn’t easy or fair, but then, life isn’t fair. Everyone has struggles, but they are not without purpose. Paul understood this…

“Praise be to the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (2 Cor.1:3-4, NIV)

When Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt into the desert toward the Promised Land, he had one problem after another. First there was no water. Then there was no food. Then there were a bunch of complainers. Then there were poisonous snakes. Moses was doing what God wanted him to do, but he

still had problems. David was anointed king, and then for the next several years he was hunted down by Saul. Joseph had a dream of becoming a ruler, yet he was sold into slavery and thrown into prison on a false charge where he languished, forgotten. Imagine the difficulties Noah had building a floating zoo! Jeremiah was a prophet who was mistreated and wanted to die. He never saw one soul won to God and yet all he did was obey God. The Bible says that when Moses died, Joshua was appointed the new leader. Moses led the people across the desert and then Joshua led them into the Promised Land. Did he get the easy part? The Bible says that when the Israelites entered the Promised Land there were giants in the land. Even in the Promised Land there were problems! God does this because He is building our faith and character. When we finally come to a place where the difficulties become so difficult, where we’ve reached our limit, where we’ve tried everything and exhausted all our options, it is then that God begins a mighty work through us:

“I know, even though you are temporarily harassed by all kinds of trials and temptations. This is no accident—it happens to prove your faith, which is infinitely more valuable, than gold” (1 Peter 1:6–7 PH).

How? I’m going to use you in your misery to minister to someone else. You will bring comfort and encouragement out of your crisis and heartache to someone else. Your faith will be strengthened. This “hurt of yours” is not going to go to waste. Only I know what you are experiencing says God…”I Know” and I will help you through to the end. (Isa.41:10)

Father we praise you today for your goodness to us. You have promised in your word that your grace is sufficient for any situation. Thank you Lord for the joy of knowing that you KNOW! What comfort there is in knowing that you know! Thank you for the experiences of life that strengthen our faith, while at the same time prepares us, so you can use us to comfort someone else. Knowing that you’ll use my pain and hurt really brings me comfort. Now, help me/us to comfort someone today. To look beyond our situations and get out of our comfort zones and do something for someone who has a need. In the matchless Name Jesus we pray. Amen!

If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; but when they attend to what He reveals, they are most blessed” (Proverbs 29:18 MSG).

Many people set goals, but few people ever set a Life Objective. Goals relate to separate parts of your life: your career, finances, family, retirement, etc. But a Life Objective sets the direction of your whole life.

My life verse is Philippians 1:21: “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” As one so wisely said, “it is better to die for something than it is to live for nothing.” Which begs the question for everyone of us to answer – What are you living for? Be honest with yourself, because it makes all the difference in your priorities and how you invest your life. That’s why I have a life objective…”for to me to live is Christ.” Your Life Objective is the big picture. There are four tremendous benefits of thinking through and writing down a Life Objective: 1. It reduces frustration by simplifying decision-making. Every day you’re faced with many, often complex, choices. Having a Life Objective gives you a standard by which to evaluate which alternative is best for you. 2. It increases motivation. Your Life Objective should inspire you to get up in the morning and persist when you feel like giving up: “If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; but when they attend to what He reveals, they are most blessed” (Proverbs 29:18 MSG). 3. It allows concentration. Success is largely the result of focusing on one thing and doing it well. The U.S. news anchor Dan Rather used to have a plaque on his desk that said, “Will what I’m doing right now benefit that broadcast?” A Life Objective helps you focus your time, energy, and resources. 4. It attracts cooperation. It is an observable fact that when you decide exactly where you want to go in life, many other people will want to go along with you. People follow those who’ve clearly figured out who they are and what they are here for. Find some time this week to get alone in a quiet place to start thinking about your Life Objective. Here are three steps to begin with: 1. Identify your talents and gifts. Ask “What am I good at?” and “What do I really enjoy doing because I do it well?” When God designed you, he put certain characteristics and abilities into your DNA structure. That combination of traits makes you unique! God wants you to do what he has gifted you to do! 2. Review your experiences. Ask “What have I learned?” Our greatest lessons come from our hurts and pains. These need to be factored into a Life Objective. 3. Decide what is really important. The urgent is not always the important. William James, the father of American psychology once said, “The best use of your life is to invest it in that which outlasts it.” So ask, “What will last the longest?” -Leadership Summit Conference

Father as I reflect on my life verse today, I pray that I will walk worthy of my calling, imitating you in every aspect of my life. Help me to be the person that I claim to be and to live the Christ-like lifestyle in word, thought and deed. Grant numerous opportunities to be a positive model and example to others. I pray that you will bless my wife and family. Give me the wisdom and insight I need to lead the church family, just as Jesus would. Amen!

The greatest thought I ever had was that of my individual responsibility to God.”

-Daniel Webster

As I read that statement, I thought instantly of what Paul said to the church at Colosse:

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for man” (Colossians 3:23 NIV).

During the 2008 Summer Olympics, Michael Phelps gave us an extraordinary display of the pursuit of excellence. But the truth is every athlete in the Olympics pursues excellence as peak performers in their categories of competition. The Bible identifies some ways to excel in your desire to glorify God. 1. People need to excel in their service for God. Regardless of whether the job is big or small, give it your best. Great performers give their best effort, no matter the size of the audience: “And, whatever you do whether in word or deed ,do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” ( Col.3:17 -.NIV). 2. People need to excel in the study of God’s Word. They never stop developing, growing, learning, and improving: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”(Matt.6:33 –NIV) 3. People need to excel in keeping their word. They are reliable. They can be counted on to do what they say they’ll do. So they excel because people of integrity are rare in our society: “Everyone talks about how loyal and faithful he is, but just try to find someone who really is!” (Proverbs 20:6 TEV). 4. People need to excel in maintaining a positive attitude. Even under pressure, or change, disagreement or unrealistic demands, they don’t allow themselves to become negative: “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life . . .” (Philippians 2:14–16 NIV). Be careful in the way you frame your words and don’t use negative “body” language. It speaks loudly as well. 5. People need to excel in doing more than is expected. This is a secret that every successful person has discovered. You’ll never excel by only doing what is required. Jesus said, “If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously” (Matthew 5:40–42 MSG).

Father today I want more than anything else in the world to excel in the things that please you. Please help me be disciplined in the things that will keep me close to you, I want to glorify you in word, thought and deed every moment of everyday. Give us as leaders the desire to strive and excel in our service for you. May your Holy Spirit motivate us to be everything we claim to be. We pray for your church and for us as leaders to be the model and example you desire us to be. To you be the glory in all things! Amen!

Trying to do the Lord’s work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you.” - Corrie Ten Boom

"Let the Spirit change your way of thinking" (Ephesians 4:23 CEV).

Throughout the Bible we see an important truth illustrated over and over: the Holy Spirit releases his power the moment you take a step of faith. When Joshua was faced with an impassible barrier, the floodwaters of the Jordan River receded only after the leaders stepped into the rushing current in obedience and faith. Obedience unlocks God’s power. God waits for you to act first. Don’t wait to feel powerful or confident. Move ahead in your weakness, doing the right thing in spite of your fears and feelings. This is how you cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and it is how your character develops. The Bible compares spiritual growth to a seed, a building, and a child growing up. Each metaphor requires active participation: seeds must be planted and cultivated, buildings must be built—they don’t just appear—and children must eat and exercise to grow. While effort has nothing to do with your salvation, it has much to do with your spiritual growth. At least eight times in the New Testament we are told to “make every effort” in our growth toward becoming like Jesus (Luke 13:24 NIV, Romans 14:19 NIV, Ephesians 4:3 NIV, 2 Timothy 2:15 NCV, Hebrews 4:11 NIV, Hebrews 12:14 NIV, 2 Peter 3:14 NIV). You don’t just sit around and wait for it to happen. Paul explains in Ephesians 4:22-24 our three responsibilities in becoming like Christ. First, we must choose to let go of old ways of acting. “Everything . . . connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it” (Ephesians 4:22 MSG). Second, we must change the way we think. “Let the Spirit change your way of thinking” (Ephesians 4:23 CEV). The Bible says we are “transformed” by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). The Greek word for transformed, metamorphosis (used in Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 3:18), is used today to describe the amazing change a caterpillar goes through in becoming a butterfly. It is a beautiful picture of what happens to us spiritually when we allow God to direct our thoughts: we are changed from the inside out, we become more beautiful, and we are set free to soar to new heights. Third, we must put on the character of Christ by developing new, godly habits. Your character is essentially the sum of your habits; it is how you habitually act. The Bible says, “Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24 NIV).

Father help us live Spirit-filled lives and "make the effort" to live today in a way that pleases you.. We want more than anything else in the world to be godly in our actions and attitudes everyday.. We “thank you for Him the Holy Spirit, whom you have given to us to lead, direct and empower us to walk the talk. Today give each one of us an opportunity to share our faith with one some. We want to have an impact on the lives of people in our sphere of influence. Produce the fruit of the Spirit in us today. Produce your “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” We thank you in advance for doing so. To Your Glory we pray. Amen!

Called Unto Holiness

“It is he who saved us and chose us for his holy work not because we deserved it but because that was his plan” (2 Timothy 1:9 LB).

As I reflected upon that verse, I was reminded of our denominational call to spread Scriptural holiness to the world. Even Peter understood the importance of that teaching when he said in 1 Peter 1:13-16 (NIV) in the context of our calling, “ but just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; Be holy, because I am holy.”

We were saved and called to serve God in a holy way. The Bible says, “It is he who saved us and chose us for his holy work not because we deserved it but because that was his plan” (2 Timothy 1:9 LB). God redeemed you so you could do his “holy work.” You’re not saved by service, but you are saved for service. In God’s kingdom, you have a place, a purpose, a role, and a function to fulfill. This gives your life great significance and value. In fact, it cost Jesus his own life to purchase your salvation. The Bible reminds us, “God paid a great price for you. So use your body to honor God” (1 Corinthians 6:20 CEV) The Bible reminds us in Hebrews 12:14 (NIV) that “without holiness no one will not see the Lord.”

The word holiness in the Greek means primarily three things:

1. Set apart for use.

2. Cleansed from all impurities.

3. Devoted and committed to.

We don’t serve God out of guilt or fear or even duty, but out of joy, and deep gratitude for what he’s done for us and in us. We owe him our lives. Through salvation our past has been forgiven, our present is given meaning, and we serve out of obedient love. In light of these incredible benefits Paul says, “Because of God’s great mercy . . . Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service” (Romans 12:1 TEV). The apostle John taught that our loving service to others shows that we are truly saved. He said, “Our love for each other proves that we have gone from death to life” (1 John 3:14 CEV). If I have no love for others, no desire to serve others, and I’m only concerned about my needs, I should question whether Christ is really in my life. A saved heart is one that wants to serve.

Father my prayer this morning is one of praise for you and to YOU. You are a Holy God and you have “called us unto holiness”. Help us to live lives that are a reflection of your mercy and loving kindness to us. May we realize that you have called us to serve you, living pure lives and standing firm in our relationship with you through our devotion to you. You have chosen each of us for a specific purpose in life. Help us to truly serve you daily in ways that emulate your holiness, because you have revealed yourself to us in your Son, Jesus. We praise you for the privilege of serving you. In His Name we pray. Amen!

Connecting with Others

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the

kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the

people. ” Matthew 4:23

“When Jesus saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their

sick.”

Matthew 14:14

A question that often surfaces in my mind is this: When people think about me, do they say

to themselves, “My life is really better today because I was in his presence”?

I thought about Jim Elliot and a prayer he made: “Father, make of me a crisis man. Bring those I

contact to decision. Let me not be a milepost on a single road; make me a fork, that men must

turn one way or another on facing Christ in me.” What a thought! My life becoming a turning -

point for someone, so that they make a choice about Jesus.

What would happen, if every person had that kind of experience with others who crossed our

paths? This world would certainly be a better place to live. We would add value to their lives.

Like Jesus, I believe each of us must look for opportunities to connect people to the loving God.

Somehow, they must encounter God, because they were in our presence. But, how do you do

that? How do you turn your focus from yourself and start adding value to others? You can do it

by:

Following the model and example of Christ - Just connect.

Put others first in your thinking.

Finding out what others need.

Face the facts and do what you can.

Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to

eat.” Matthew 14:16

We must learn to concentrate not on the inability of people, but rather on the ability of

God! Amen!

Father as we approach this day may we have the mind and eyes of Christ. Help us to see

as he sees and to hear as He hears, but most importantly, to love as he loved. Give each

of us a heart for the same passion He had for Others. May the Sunday School emphasis

not just be another Fall event, but may each of us make an uncommon commitment to

love and care for Others as Jesus did. May your be glorified. Amen!

Loving God Daily

Jesus said, “ If you love me, you will keep my commands”.(JN 14:15)

One way you can express your love for Jesus is by being committed to Him. This is what love is really all about: commitment. You don’t really love somebody unless you’re committed to their best. Nothing significant ever happens in life without commitment. Your commitments determine your future. You are becoming whatever you are committed to, so choose your commitments carefully. If you’re committed to the wrong thing, you’re going to become the wrong thing. You can’t lose by being committed to God. The Bible tells us in 2 Chronicles 16:9 that God is looking for people whose hearts are fully committed to Him so that He can bless and use them. What does it mean to be fully committed to God? • Giving my life to Jesus Christ. • Committing my life to His family—the body of Christ, which is the church—and joining a church family. • Choosing to grow spiritually and become more and more like Jesus Christ everyday in my character .Being in Bible Study every week. • Using my talents and gifts to help others. • Sharing the good news with other people and fulfilling the mission and purpose God put me on this earth to do. These commitments show that worship is not just something that happens in the four walls of a church building. Worship can happen anywhere as you “take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering” (Romans 12:1b MSG).

Father I commit my life to your work today. May your Spirit be my guide and lead me to be where you are. I want to be effective in my obedience and commitments to you. Open my eyes to see like Jesus. Grant wisdom and grace for every moment of the day. May people be encouraged and blessed, because of my faithfulness. Help me not to take you for granted or to make excuses, but to be the humble loving servant you called me to be. May it be so for everyone who prays this prayer with me. In the matchless Name Jesus I pray. Amen!

God Opens Hearts

Ephesians 1:15-19 15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep

asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of

wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray also that the eyes of your

heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has

called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably

great power for us who believe. NIV

How does God work in opening our hearts?

God is the master of opening our hearts. There is no circumstance in which he lacks the power to open our hearts. He waited until Abraham and Sarah were too old to have children to open their hearts. They realized nothing was too hard for God. He further opened Abraham’s heart when he led Abraham to sacrifice the son he had waited for so long. Abraham came off Mount Moriah understanding God as never before. He called God Jehovah-jireh—meaning God will provide. His heart was open—from that point on Abraham eyes were open to God’s presence as never before. God opened Joseph’s heart to his presence as he was unjustly treated. He was sold into slavery and eventually thrown into prison for seeking to do the right thing. God had a seemingly strange way of preparing Joseph to wear the Pharoah’s ring as he took charge of Egypt. In the end, Joseph said, “God meant it for good to save many alive.” God moved Moses to Pharaoh’s palace for forty years, then his murderous ways led him to flee to Midian and herd sheep for another forty years. But it wasn’t over. God led him through the wilderness experience with a bunch of rebels. In his final hours God led him to the top of a mountain and opened his eyes to the vast land the Israelites would inherit without him. Moses entire life experience was about God opening the eyes of his heart to the presence of God’s power.

WE have a God who will and can open our hearts at anytime and in any situation, so we might know Him better. Paul understood this truth and so he prays “that you may know the hope to which he has called you”…

Father please open the eyes of our heart that we might see you today. You are in control of all things and you see what we don’t see. There is nothing you are not aware of or that is new to you. You know each of our hearts and what our deepest needs. Please bless each of us with the very “best” of your goodness and may we experience and understand you in a fresh new way today. We marvel at your love for us. We are so undeserving, but so thankful for your wonderful grace toward us. We love you! We praise you and adore. To you be the glory! Amen!

The Way we view Church..Is it wise?

2 Corinthians 10:12-13 12 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. NIV

Adapting worldly solutions to spiritual problems is something with which we can identify. We often measure one another much like the Corinthians. The last couple of decades have been spent quarreling over how to do church as we strive to revive churches spiritually. We compare this church to that church as we endeavor to figure out what makes for success. We compare the old style of leadership to the new style of leadership as we seek to duplicate the success of others. In captivating fashion we have upgraded the music and the presentation of the message electronically through PowerPoint's and moving videos. We look to a person's giftedness as we seek to fit them into our fellowships. It is common practice to administer written test to assess strengths and weaknesses to fit a person into the fellowship accordingly. I can only wonder--how often does looking at the results of a written spiritual test prevent us from seeing God's potential in a person? It may be a great place to begin fitting a person in, but I can only wonder how often do our test limit what God can do through a person. The early church had non of these test. What happens when we look at a person's natural gifts as spiritual gifts and size them up accordingly? I have discovered a mechanic who becomes a believer usually doesn't desire to be the church's mechanic. I have discovered the same to be true with teachers, doctors, nurses, accountants, cooks, baby sitters, janitors etc. We fail to understand God can use all these people in ways we can't even imagine.

The world looks to great people for great things seeking to emulate their success. The kingdom of God is much different. Jesus taught that those who believed in him would do greater things than he had done. Jesus measured greatness by one's willingness to become least in the kingdom of heaven “greater is he who is in me that he who is in the world.”

God doesn't call us because we are great-he calls us because he is GREAT. God exerted his power in Corinth through base people who brought little to the fellowship. He gave the spiritual gifts needed to make it work. Listen to what Paul continues to say……. 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." NIV

Father, may we each realize today that the greatest thing we can do for you is

to use our giftedness for your glory! To serve you out of our love for you. Praise

be to YOU! Ame

Living Every Moment for God

Here is a test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you’re alive it isn’t. - Richard Bach

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him,” (Col.2:6a –NIV)

As I reflected on that verse this morning, I was gripped by the words, “continue to live in him.” The most important word in that verse is the preposition “in”. We are not to live for ourselves or in our own abilities, but for Christ Jesus as Lord. Meaning what? It means that Jesus is not just to play a prominent role in our lives, but he is to be preeminent. He is to be the most important thing in our lives, every moment of every day. He is to literally be our life - 24/7.

In other words, “For to me to live is Christ...” (Phil.1:21). Another way of saying that is “for to me to live is for someone else to see Jesus in me.” Can you imagine what would happen if we made that our personal goal every day? It would certainly change the way we view things and the way we respond to life’s challenges. You see, faith isn’t just something I say, but it’s who and whose I am every moment of every day. Paul went on to say, “rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith, as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” (Col.2:6b-7)

Do you see the relationship? There’s something amazing going on in my life that happens because I am living by faith - “in Him.” He becomes the very essence of my thoughts and actions and how they translate down into the way I live my life, the choices I make, the perspective I maintain, the confidence I have, the things I do, etc. Being in Christ, however, doesn’t change my circumstances it changes me. My circumstances might change as a result of living in Christ everyday, because He will be leading the way and I’ll merely be the tool He uses to live His life in me and through me…”strengthened in the faith”!

Therefore, I may not go through some difficult times, because He is leading the way. Wow! Reflect on that thought for a moment and it will put you on your knees.

Father, I realize today that it is very important that I concentrate on living and focusing my life on you. It’s so easy to be controlled by circumstances, rather than, being confident that you are in charge and leading the way. We live in trying and difficult

times but, you have promised to go with us through every valley and to bring encouragement and strength to our lives, as we live by faith in YOU! May it be so! Amen! Amen!