March 1, 2010
Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children.
Genesis 16:1
The promise had been given. God said to Abram, “You’re going to have a family as numerous as the stars in the heavens.” But time passes, and guess what? Abram starts wondering. Abram is now eighty-six, Sarai seventy-six, and they think, “This is not working.”
Always remember this, saint: When God gives a promise, there is often a gap of time between the giving of the promise and the fulfillment of the promise. In Abram’s case, there was a thirteen-year gap.
Maybe you’ve been waiting on God for the fulfillment of a certain promise. Is His delay due to procrastination on His part? No. Is it due to preoccupation? Is He just too busy? No. God’s delay is due to preparation; He is preparing you in the arena of faith. You see, the gaps between God’s promise and its fulfillment provide opportunities for our muscle of faith to be exercised. Like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, if there is no struggle, faith never soars.
This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Pillar By Day" by Pastor Jon.
February 8, 2010
Cover the Nakedness
And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
Genesis 9:24–25
When Noah awoke from his drunken state, he knew what Ham had done and cursed Ham’s son. No doubt Ham thought, “I’ve got big shoulders. I can handle the repercussions of my sin.” Unbeknownst to him, however, was the fact that the repercussions didn’t fall on him. They fell upon his son. How bad were the repercussions? The Canaanites were the worst culture in the history of the world. Totally immoral and completely perverted, they were eventually annihilated.
Dad and Mom, if we sin, we must not think we alone will pay the price. Sin doesn’t work that way. The consequences will often come in ways that will break your heart as they relate to your family. The children of parents who expose the weaknesses of bosses and neighbors, of sisters and brothers; the children of parents who are dour and sour and critical grow up unmotivated to go to church, bitter about the things of God, and uninterested in the Bible.
So what are we to do?
We are to say, “I’ve been forgiven of so much that I will not talk about the weakness of my boss, my neighbor, my pastor, the person sitting next to me, my friends, or my enemies. I will not speak or listen to negativity.” Every one of us will fail at some point or another. But if you choose today to be like Shem and Japheth—to cover the nakedness of others—you will likewise be covered when you fail.
This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Pillar By Day" by Pastor Jon
February 3, 2010
Reaching...
And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth. Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; but the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.
Genesis 8:7–9
Most of us need pictures and stories to understand theology. I know I do. The text before us provides just such a picture, for it pointedly and powerfully portrays what it means to be empowered by the Spirit . . .
The first animal to leave the ark was a raven—a black bird that goes “to and fro” eating the carcasses of dead animals.
When Satan came before the Lord one day in heaven, the Lord said, “Where have you been?”
“I’ve been going to and fro,” said Satan, cruising around just like the raven (see Job 1:6–7).
Peter tells us Satan is always on the lookout for those whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). But the good news is that, as the raven circled, Noah released a dove, which throughout Scripture, speaks of the Holy Spirit.
Why?
The dove is the purest of all birds, for not only is it white in color, but it secretes more dirt-repelling oil on its feathers than any other flying bird. The dove is also sensitive because it is one of the few animals that mates for life. Finally, the dove is a symbol of peace because, unlike vultures or buzzards, doves vacate places of frenzy or fighting.
As Noah saw the dove circling overhead, he could have said, “If the dove wants to land on me, he can. I’m open.” But that’s not what he did. Noah extended his hand, grabbed the dove, and brought it in.
So often, with regard to the power and presence of the Spirit, people say, “If the Holy Spirit wants to bless me and empower me, I’m open.” But that kind of passivity will never bring the potency of the Spirit in the greatest possible degree. If you want to be empowered by the Spirit, you cannot be passive about the work of the Spirit any more than you were passive about the work of salvation.
This is where so many people err. You see, God is looking for those who will partner with Him, and not just be passive about Him. Noah didn’t simply fold his arms and watch. He stretched forth his hand and reached.
This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Pillar By Day" by Pastor Jon.
January 20, 2010
Grace..nothing more..nothing less..nothing else!
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Genesis 6:8
That Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord does not mean that God showed grace to Noah exclusively. Yes, a flood eventually wiped out everyone else, but not before God gave them one hundred years to repent of their wickedness and receive salvation. Yes, the planet was deluged, but every man had opportunity to hear His message as they observed Noah building the huge barge. But the world refused to grab hold of the good news of salvation, and they drowned in their sin. It wasn’t that God looked at Noah with grace and everyone else with condemnation. God looked at everyone with eyes of grace and mercy. It’s just that Noah found the grace.
The question I want to ask you today is this: What have you found in the eyes of the Lord?
The story is told of the time a London traffic jam prevented C. S. Lewis from arriving at a certain religious symposium on time. The panel, comprised of the world’s most highly esteemed religious thinkers, began without him, their first question being: What is unique about Christianity? Although the Buddhist, Muslim, Jew, and Taoist discussed the question, they could arrive at no conclusive answer. In the midst of their debate, C. S. Lewis burst into the room.
“Dr. Lewis,” said the moderator, “tell us what is unique to Christianity.”
“That’s easy,” Lewis is said to have replied. “It’s grace.”
C. S. Lewis was right. No other religion or philosophy provides unmerited, undeserved, unearned favor. Every other religion, every other philosophy says there are things we must do—devotional exercises, good deeds, or righteous acts—to earn blessings from Allah or to gain favor from Buddha. Only biblical Christianity says, “It’s all grace, nothing more, nothing less, nothing else.”
This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Pillar By Day" by Pastor Jon
January 11, 2010
Flesh of my Flesh
And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh . . .
Genesis 2:23
“Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh” is a Hebrew idiom meaning, “exact counterpart.” I believe it was a matching of body, soul, and spirit that caused Adam to realize Eve was truly bone of his bones.
“Marriage and misery go hand in hand,” wails the world. Not God. He says, “I want marriage to be a taste of heaven for you. If you’ll go My way, it can be just that.”
“It’s a little late for me to hear this,” you might be thinking. “I married the wrong person.”
That’s what Jacob could have said . . .
After seven years of working and waiting, he woke up to find he had wed Leah instead of Rachel—the older sister instead of the girl of his dreams. But at the end of his life, when deciding where he would be buried, Jacob again had to choose between the two women. And this time, with eyes wide open, he chose Leah. Why? Because Leah produced a son whose name was Judah, from whom would come Yeshua, Messiah, Jesus.
So too, I have known people who have difficult marriages. However, they have developed, out of necessity, a deep walk with the Lord which never would have been developed if they had had an easier, simpler marriage. I know people who have hung in there and now say, “If I could do it all over again, I would willingly choose my husband or wife because our marriage has brought me to a richness with Jesus I never would have known had it been easier.”
If you have gone through a divorce, if you have dropped the ball, if you have missed the mark, know this: We all have. Every one of us has totally blown it (Romans 3:23). But the good news is that the work of the cross completely takes care of my failure, my shortcoming, my sin. And it takes care of yours as well. All we have to do is say, “Lord, I’ve failed. I determine by Your grace and with Your help to walk rightly to the greatest possible degree. And if my hurts or mistakes can help others, use my wounds.” If we confess our sins rather than cover them up, excuse them, or justify them, our points of failure can be our points of greatest ministry.
This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Pillar By Day" by Pastor Jon.
January 5, 2010
Be Fruitful
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it.
Genesis 1:27–28
Before things went haywire after the fall, God assigned Adam and Eve the job of subduing the earth. From whom were they to subdue it? Satan.
You see, from the very beginning, it was as if God said, “This little rock called earth is the place where there is to be a cosmic showdown between Me and Satan. So I’m going to use you, mankind, to partner with Me as part of the process to drive out the Enemy.”
How? By being fruitful and multiplying.
How are you to subdue your earth, your world, or your family which seems to be in the grasp and grip of the Enemy? By being fruitful.
Because the fruit of the Spirit is love (Galatians 5:22), and because love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8), you’ll be fruitful if you don’t criticize, gossip, or find fault with things, people, or situations. You’ll be fruitful if you speak words of love and peace, patience and gentleness, for such is the fruit of the Spirit.
James talks about the tongue being an instrument of fire (James 3:6). If you find fault with your neighbor, your job, your school, your church, or your family, you will hand your world over to the hellish flames of the Enemy. But if you speak words of affirmation and encouragement, of faith and joy, you will replace the fires of hell with the fruit of heaven.
How do we multiply?
Acts 6:7 tells us the Word of God increased and the number of disciples multiplied when the Word was shared.
If you talk to your kids, your classmates, or your co-workers about the Word, you will see multiplication of life and love. And eventually the world in which you live will be subdued—won back from the Enemy.
This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Pillar By Day" by Pastor Jon
The Good Shepherd
December 28, 2009
And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.
Revelation 15:7-8
Knowing that sin bites, burns, brutalizes, and butchers His children (Romans 6:23), God sends His surgical team of angels with vials of the bitter medicine of judgment in their hands in order to deal with the sin that destroys humanity.
In a parallel passage, we see David dealing with the repercussions of his own sin following his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba, and the subsequent murder of her husband, Uriah ...
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Psalm 51:7-8
When a lamb repeatedly jeopardized his own safety by continually wandering away from the flock, the shepherd would break its leg. Then, throughout the healing process, the shepherd would carry the heretofore straying lamb on his shoulder, during which time something amazing transpired in the lamb.
You see, when after five or six weeks, his bone could again support his weight, the lamb remained close to the shepherd, never to wander again — not because he feared another broken bone, but because he had become attached to the shepherd. So it is as a shepherd that David cries, ‘Lord, I know that the bones which Thou hast broken shall rejoice again.’
Precious people, if we wander away and continue in sin, the Good Shepherd will do what He did with David, and what David did with his own sheep: He’ll break the bone of our self-sufficiency in order to force us to draw close to Him in ways we never would have otherwise.
But lest you think the vials of judgment about to be poured out in the Tribulation are still unfair, take another look at our Shepherd, and you’ll realize that the Good Shepherd is also the Lamb of God, Who suffered not a broken bone, but a broken body and a broken heart as He died for our sin.
This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Days Journey" by Pastor Jon.
December 17, 2009
Eyes to See
… And anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.
Revelation 3:18
The same Jesus Who says, ‘Anoint your eyes with eye salve’ is the One Who put mud in the blind man’s eyes in John 9. The way of the Great Physician is to allow irritation to produce illumination. ‘You’re seeing everything in a carnal way,’ He says, ‘and you need to humble yourself before Me and deal with the mud.’
‘Ouch,’ we say. ‘That mud hurts.’
But in reality, there must be an awareness of the problems in our hearts and the trouble in our souls before we can see.
‘Search me, O God,’ cried David, ‘and see if there be any wicked way in me,’ (Psalm 51). Listen, if you’re feeling Laodicean, if you feel lukewarm, you need to ask the Great Physician to search you, for that will be the eye salve which will allow you to see clearly.
How long has it been, dear saint, since you’ve been on your face before the Lord saying, ‘Search me concerning the words on my lips, the bitterness in my heart, the thoughts on my mind’? Truly, confession precedes vision as surely as irritation precedes illumination.
This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Days Journey" by Pastor Jon.
December 7, 2009
The Love of God
Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Jude 21
The foundational theme of this wonderful epistle, as found in verse 21, is an exhortation to keep ourselves in the love of God. Underline this phrase because it is the hinge upon which the Book of Jude swings. Jude’s heart is, ‘Yes, there are heretics and deceivers, but you, beloved, keep yourselves in the love of God.’
Keeping yourself in the love of God does not mean earning God’s love by being a ‘good little boy or girl’. God’s love is unconditional — so much so that in Romans 5:8, Paul declares that God demonstrated His love towards us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. When did God demonstrate His love for you and me? Not when we were trying to be good Christians, but when we were pagans, heathens, and rebels. When you couldn’t have cared less about Him, God looked at you and said, ‘I love you deeply.’
Never buy into the thinking that you earn God’s love by being good. Many Christians look at God as being like Santa: He’s making a list, checking it twice, and He’s gonna find out who’s naughty and who’s nice. If you’ve been good, you’ll get gifts; if not, you’ll be lucky to get a lump of coal.
But nothing could be further from the nature of our Father. Making a list? Checking it twice? Paul says that the list of our failings was blotted out by blood of Christ (Colossians 2:14). The list of my sins was pinned to the Cross of Calvary and cleansed so thoroughly by the blood of the Lamb that the writing became completely illegible. God’s love for us is not based upon anything we do or don’t do - His love is unconditional.
What, then, does it mean to keep yourself in the love of God? It simply means to keep yourself in the place where you can receive His blessings. In other words, God is constantly showering us with blessings, love, and grace. He’s not saying, ‘Hmm, you’ve been bad today, so I’m turning off the spigot.’ No, God’s blessings are always coming down (Lamentations 3:23).
‘Then why am I not being blessed?’ you ask. The answer is easy: you’re not under the spout where the blessings come out. You have wandered away. God didn’t close the spigot — because even when we are faithless, He is faithful still (2 Timothy 2:13). God doesn’t monitor the flow of blessings depending on how we’re doing. No, the spigot is on full blast all the time. Therefore, the only thing we have to do is to make sure we’re in the place where we enjoy God’s blessings — that we’re standing under the spout where the blessings come out.
This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Days Journey" by Pastor Jon.
November 30, 2009
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
1 Peter 5:7
‘Epirrhipto’, the Greek word translated ‘cast’, is interesting because it means to roll something which will most likely roll back upon you. Have you found that after casting your care on the Lord, you feel OK for a day or two, but then the burden rolls right back on you once again? If so, know that’s the way of the Lord. Why? Because He wants us to stay in close touch with Him, and if we cast our care upon Him never to feel the pressure, the anxiety, the tension, or the worry again, we would not be people who pray.
You see, the Father wants to do something bigger than merely taking our burdens from us so we can go on our merry way down the road of life without thinking about things of eternity. He wants to develop a relationship with us.
Thus, the burdens and struggles which repeatedly roll upon us cause us to become linked to Him in continual prayer. And that’s infinitely more important than the solution to the burden for which we were praying in the first place.
So cast your care upon Him — and keep doing it over and over and over again knowing how deeply He cares for you.
This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Days Journey" by Pastor Jon.
November 10, 2009
Trials
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.
James 1:2
Newer translations render this verse, ‘Count it all joy when ye fall into various trials’. Why? Because the Greek word for both ‘trial’ and ‘temptation’ is one and the same.
You see, what God will send or allow as a trial to strengthen our faith, Satan will seek to exploit to get us to sin. Conversely, what Satan throws our way as a temptation, God allows to be a trial. Satan wants to use the event to tear us down and wipe us out; God wants to use the same event to show us how faithful He is and how real He can be.
Think of it this way: If Jerry, a master woodworker, invited me to sit in a chair he had made, I wouldn’t do so wondering if it would hold me up, but rather marveling at how well it was crafted. If, on the other hand, our youth director, Tad, invited me to sit in a chair, I would be leery, knowing it would probably either be pulled out from or collapse underneath me.
So too, the chair that Satan seeks to pull out from under us is the very one God uses to show just how strong He can be.
In the Book of Job, we see Satan trying to wipe Job out by afflicting him physically, causing him to lose his family, and ruining him financially. But God was proving something else. God was showing how faithful He would be. As a result, all of history would marvel in studying how, in the midst of what Satan meant for evil, God used for good as He sustained Job all the way through, and rewarded him ultimately.
When a trial comes your way, Satan will be there the same day to try and get you to do what Mrs. Job suggested her husband do — to curse God and die (Job 2:9). But God will be there as well, waiting to show you His strength in seeing you through.
This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Days Journey" by Pastor Jon.
November 3, 2009
...Seeing ye are dull of hearing Hebrews 5:11
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The term translated ‘dull of hearing’ is the word for ‘ignorant’ in Greek. But the ignorance spoken of is not due to never hearing. Rather, the ignorance spoken of is the result of ignoring. In other words, when truth was shared, the response was, ‘Big deal. I don’t care what you say. I have my own perspective.’
There are those who say, ‘I’m just not getting anything out of Bible study. I go to church, but nothing registers with me. I read the Bible, but it just seems like ink on paper.’ Why? It could very well be because they are those who are dull of hearing. Why? Because God spoke to them a week ago, a month ago, a year ago concerning something they were to do. But they ignored it. Why, then, would God keep speaking to them if they refused to do those things He already made clear to them?
It is a loving Father who says, ‘Jon, I’m going to make it real simple: when you do step 1, I’ll take you to step 2. When you do what I ask, when you incorporate what I show you — then I’ll take you further down the road. But I’m not going to keep on heaping instruction and insight upon you if you’re only going to ignore what I’ve already told you.’
Dear saint, what’s the last thing God told you to do? Have you done it? |
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| This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Days Journey" by Pastor Jon. |
October 27
'THE' Vice
The Lies we believe...
“It’s good to feel proud of yourself. I don’t see why you would want to be worried about that.”
“It’s just a person who is really focused on themselves. They don’t care what other people think.”
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Here’s what C.S. Lewis had to say about pride:
The essential vice, the utmost evil is pride. Unchastity, greed, drunkenness are mere fleabites
in comparison. Pride leads to every other vice. It is the complete anti-God state of mind.
Pride is the number one roadblock to revival. It blinds us to our true spiritual condition. Psalm 10:4 says, “In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him.”
When someone is full of pride, it tends to push us away. They think they can handle things themselves, so we back off and let them try.
Did you know that God does the same thing with us? Scripture after scripture tells us that God is repulsed by pride. When He backs off and lets us try things on our own, we’re in real big trouble.
But God is drawn to humility. In Isaiah 57 it says, “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”
Do take some time today, and examine your heart.
Would you ask God to show you any areas of pride that might be keeping you from seeking Him?
N.L.DeMoss
October 15, 2009
Right Side Up in an Upside Down World
All that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12
This is the spiritual law which is as unchangeable as the law of gravity. We must get this fact firmly fixed in our minds: We live in an upside-down world. People hate when they should love; they quarrel when they should be friendly; they fight when they should be peaceful; they wound when they should heal; they steal when they should share; they do wrong when they should do right.
I once saw a toy clown with a weight in its head. No matter how it was placed, it invariably assumed and upside-down position. It could be placed on its feet or on its side, and when let go, it flipped back on its head.
In our unregenerate state we are just like that! Regardless of the circumstances, we always revert to an upside-down position. From childhood to maturity we are always prone to do what we should not do and to refrain from doing what we ought to do. That is our nature. We have too much weight in the head and not enough ballast in our hearts, so we flip upside down when left alone.
That is why the disciples seemed to be misfits to the world. To an upside-down man, a right-side up man seems upside-down. To the nonbeliever, the true Christian is an oddity and an abnormality. A Christian's goodness is a rebuke to another's wickedness; his being right side up is a reflection upon the worldling's inverted position. So the conflict is a natural one and persecution is inevitable.
-Billy Graham
So what do I say? So be it! We are to be a light unto the world; the salt of the earth. We can not allow our identity to be overshadowed, covered up or compromised. We are to be a beacon for those who are lost. We need to continue what the disciples started. To stand against everything that is not of God and to continue to seek Him and do His will. So I am going to be persecuted because of Jesus? Ok, bring it on! I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is there anything too hard for me? Jeremiah 32:27
Jparelli
It is finished....
September 21, 2009
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; Colossians 2:14
The sins which have plagued you are written on a list. Santa Claus makes a list and checks it twice in order to find out who’s naughty and nice. Our Father, on the other hand, makes a list and checks it once. Then He nails it to the Cross, where the blood of His Son covers it completely. The list of our sins, shortcomings, and stupidity is blotted out in totality by the blood of the Son of God.
Many Christians aren’t healthy because they fail to understand this foundational and profoundly simple principle. They know they’re forgiven, but they can’t believe the one who hurt them is.
‘You can’t ignore the abuse, the trauma, the anxiety which has been inflicted upon you,’ they are told. ‘It must be dealt with.’
Wait a minute! It wasn’t ignored, and it has been dealt with by Jesus’ blood on the Cross. He hung on the Cross of Calvary dying for the very sin which bugs us in others. Therefore, for us to say, ‘We gotta dig it up and talk it through,’ makes a mockery of what Christ did on Calvary.
‘It is finished,’ Jesus declared. It’s done. It’s paid for. So be forgiven and forgive one another.
This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Days Journey" by Pastor Jon
Things Said in Secret...
September 16, 2009
"The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious" Ecclesiastes 10:12
Some say that anonymity is the last refuge for cowards. Judging from mail and comments I’ve read that have been submitted anonymously, I would agree. People hiding behind the screen of anonymity or a false identity feel the freedom to launch angry, hurtful tirades. Anonymity allows them to be unkind without having to take responsibility for their words.
Whenever I am tempted to write something anonymously because I don’t want to be identified with my own words, I stop and reconsider. If I don’t want my name attached to it, I probably shouldn’t be saying it. Then I do one of two things: I either toss it out or I rewrite it in a way that makes it helpful rather than hurtful.
According to Ephesians, our words should edify and impart grace (4:29). If I’m unwilling to use my name, there’s reason to believe that my motive is to hurt, not to help.
Whenever you’re tempted to say something in secret—
perhaps to a family member, co-worker, or your pastor—consider why you don’t want your name to be identified with your words. After all, if you don’t want to be identified with your words, God probably doesn’t either. He is gracious and slow to anger (Ex. 34:6), and we should be the same.
September 11, 2009
Encourage
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother, To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colossae: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you. Colossians 1:1-3
Although Paul had never been to Colossae, what he heard about the believers there caused his heart to rejoice and to respond by praying continual blessing upon them.
I encourage you to do the same thing. When you hear something encouraging about someone, pray for them. My tendency is to pray for those I hear are hurting or backsliding. That is needed indeed, but it’s also vital to pray for people who are doing well because the enemy will inevitably launch an attack against them in order to destroy their witness and tear down their testimony.
Be like Paul. When you hear or see someone doing well, thank the Lord for him and intercede on his behalf.
This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Days Journey" by Pastor Jon.
September 2, 2009
Indentified through Conversation
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ
Philippians 3:20:
Newer versions translate the word ‘conversation’ as ‘lifestyle’ or ‘citizenship’. Why? Because a person’s citizenship — be he English, French, or Australian — can be readily identified through his conversation, through the way he speaks. The same is true spiritually, for Scripture declares that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). What is your conversation, your lifestyle, your citizenship? It will be revealed in the heat of battle ...
After civil war had broken out between the men from Gilead and the men from Ephraim, Jephthah, leader of the Gileadites, ordered his men to seal the passes lest the Ephraimites get away.
‘But how will we identify them?’ asked his men. ‘They’re our brothers.’
‘Tell them to say the word ‘river’, or ‘shibboleth’, said Jephthah.
Why? Because the men from Ephraim could not pronounce the sound of ‘sh’. Thus, instead of ‘shibboleth’, they said ‘sibboleth’ — and were immediately betrayed by their speech (Judges 12).
The same holds true for you and me. In the heat of battle, how do we talk? When the accountant says, ‘You’re bankrupt’; when the doctor says, ‘It’s cancer’; when your boyfriend says, ‘Goodbye’, what do we say? Our speech, our conversation will reveal whether we’re men and women who live for the material, the temporal, the earthly — or whether we are those who live for heaven singularly.
This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Days Journey" by Pastor Jon.
August 24, 2009
Draw Others
Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the Gospel. Philippians 1:12
Just as God used a sling in David’s hand, a pitcher in Gideon’s hand, and a rod in the hand of Moses, He used chains on Paul’s hands. That’s not surprising, for chains are what open the door to speak to people who would not otherwise give us the time of day.
You see, it’s when a wife hangs in there with her difficult husband; it’s when an employee refuses to talk behind his boss’s back; it’s when a high-schooler willingly submits to his parents that people take note, thereby opening opportunity for the wife, the employee, the high-schooler to share the reason why.
I’m convinced that the troubles, challenges, and problems we face are custom-designed to do one thing: to allow us to draw others to Jesus Christ and to encourage them in Jesus Christ.
‘But my burden is too heavy,’ you say.
Listen, God will not tempt you above what you are able (I Corinthians 10:13). God doesn’t play favorites — and if He has put you in a certain imprisonment, it’s because He has prepared you for it and given you everything you’ll need to go through it.
This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Days Journey" by Pastor Jon.
August 10, 2009
Under Jesus' Feet
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Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under his feet … |
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Ephesians 1:21-22 |
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Principality, power, might, and dominion are all words that describe various categories of demonic entities and angelic beings. Jesus has power over them all, and the same power that caused Him to be resurrected is in you. Whatever you're struggling with, whatever I'm wrestling through is infinitesimal compared to what it took to raise Christ into heaven. Therefore, if I'm in bondage, it's not because I need more power but because I've failed to utilized the power already in me.
We say, 'I'm addicted.'
God says, 'You're free.'
We say, 'I'm wounded.'
God says, 'You're as whole as you need to be.'
We say, 'I need counseling. I need drugs. I need a program.'
God says, 'You have Me.'
How does this work out practically? All things are under Jesus' feet. What things? Dominions, powers, addictions, problems, pornography, profanity, gossip, depression, meanness, temper, sadness, laziness - whatever it is you can't get over.
'But my problem is so overwhelming,' you say.
It couldn't be any more overwhelming than the waves threatening to drown the disciples. Yet even the waves which rolled over their heads were under Jesus' feet and provided the very foundation He walked upon to reach them (Matthew 14:25).
Nothing is over Jesus' head. All things are under His feet. Jesus is in absolute control of every situation, be it financial, physical, relational, vocational, or parental. Whatever might seem to be rolling your way, ready to sink your boat, and wipe you out is already under His feet - and might be the very path He chooses upon which to walk to you. |
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| This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Days Journey" by Pastor Jon. "A Days Journey" |
July 7, 2009
Governed by God
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For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves... |
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2 Corinthians 1:8-9 |
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Demetrius the silversmith was angry with Paul. So many people were getting saved in Ephesus that his business was being affected by loss of revenue from the sale of idols. Following his instigation of a riot, soon the entire city was in an uproar (Acts 19). Yet the dark days at Ephesus had a purpose indeed: They caused Paul to rely solely on God.
Like Paul, the tendency of most of us is to try to solve our problems with our own strength. Therefore, as He did with Paul, the Lord brings us to the end of ourselves from time to time — to the point where we feel pressed beyond measure, despairing even of life — in order that we will have no other choice but to call upon Him and find in Him greater strength than we could ever find in our own ability.
He was a go-getter from the very beginning, as evidenced by his grabbing his older twin brother’s heel in a failed attempt to be first-born. Throughout his life, Heel-Snatcher, or Jacob, was one who drew from his own cunning and acumen to get ahead — until the day he heard that his brother, from whom he had cheated his birthright and blessing, was headed his way, accompanied by 400 men.
So desperate was Jacob that when an angel appeared to him, he said, ‘I have no other heel to snatch; I’m at the end of my resources; I won’t let you go until you bless me.’ So they wrestled all night. And although Jacob ended up with a blessing when his name was changed from Jacob to Israel, from ‘Heel-Snatcher’ to ‘Governed By God’, he also limped away with a dislocated hip, as though God said, ‘With every step you take, you will be reminded that you — who once walked so proudly, who once stood so confidently — came to the end of yourself. And it was the best thing that that ever happened to you, for now, in your brokenness and weakness, you’ll be stronger and more useful than you could have ever been in your own energy and cleverness.’
It’s a great day when a man finally comes to the end of himself and realizes, ‘I don’t need to go to another seminar or call another counselor; I don’t need to enroll in another program or come up with another creative idea. All I need is You, Lord. I’m going to wrestle with You. I’m going to cling to You. I’m going to depend on You because I need to be governed by You.’ |
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| This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Days Journey" by Pastor Jon. "A Days Journey" is a collection of 365 short devotions from the New Testatment. |
June 17, 2009
Meditate on these Things..
I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works. —Psalm 145:5
Some Christians get a little skeptical when you start talking about meditation—not seeing the huge distinction between biblical meditation and some types of mystical meditation. In mystical meditation, according to one explanation, “the rational mind is shifted into neutral . . . so that the psyche can take over.” The focus is inward, and the aim is to “become one with God.”
In contrast, biblical meditation focuses on the things of the Lord, and its purpose is to renew our minds (Rom. 12:2) so that we think and act more like Christ. Its objective is to reflect on what God has said and done (Ps. 77:12; 119:15-16,97) and on what He is like (48:9-14).
In Psalm 19:14, David wrote, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord.” Other psalms reflect on God’s love (48:9), His deeds (77:12), His law (119:97), and His testimonies (119:99).
Fill your mind with Scripture and focus on the Lord’s commands and promises and goodness. And remember this: Whatever is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, “if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Phil. 4:8).
June 10, 2009
The Land of Eternal Spring
I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken. —Psalm 37:25
The former president of Columbia Bible College in South Carolina, J. Robertson McQuilkin, pointed out that God has a wise purpose in letting us grow old and weak:
“I think God has planned the strength and beauty of youth to be physical. But the strength and beauty of age is spiritual. We gradually lose the strength and beauty that is temporary so we’ll be sure to concentrate on the strength and beauty which is forever. And so we’ll be eager to leave the temporary, deteriorating part of us and be truly homesick for our eternal home. If we stayed young and strong and beautiful, we might never want to leave.”
When we are young, happily occupied with all our relationships and activities, we may not long for our celestial Home. But as time passes, we may find ourselves without family and friends, afflicted with dim vision and hearing difficulties, no longer able to relish food, or troubled by sleeplessness.
Here’s the advice I give myself: Be grateful that, as the apostle Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 6:17, “God . . . gives us richly all things to enjoy” in life’s summer and autumn. And rejoice too that with the onset of life’s winter we can anticipate that we’ll soon be living in the land of eternal spring.
Vernon C. Grounds
There’s a land that is fairer than day,
And by faith we can see it afar;
For the Father waits over the way,
To prepare us a dwelling-place there. —Bennett
The promise of heaven is our eternal hope!
June 2, 2009
Are You Obsessed by Something?
Who is the man that fears the Lord? —Psalm 25:12
Are you obsessed by something? You will probably say, "No, by nothing," but all of us are obsessed by something— usually by ourselves, or, if we are Christians, by our own experience of the Christian life. But the psalmist says that we are to be obsessed by God. The abiding awareness of the Christian life is to be God Himself, not just thoughts about Him. The total being of our life inside and out is to be absolutely obsessed by the presence of God. A child’s awareness is so absorbed in his mother that although he is not consciously thinking of her, when a problem arises, the abiding relationship is that with the mother. In that same way, we are to "live and move and have our being" in God ( Acts 17:28 ), looking at everything in relation to Him, because our abiding awareness of Him continually pushes itself to the forefront of our lives.
If we are obsessed by God, nothing else can get into our lives— not concerns, nor tribulation, nor worries. And now we understand why our Lord so emphasized the sin of worrying. How can we dare to be so absolutely unbelieving when God totally surrounds us? To be obsessed by God is to have an effective barricade against all the assaults of the enemy.
"He himself shall dwell in prosperity . . ." ( Psalm 25:13 ). God will cause us to "dwell in prosperity," keeping us at ease, even in the midst of tribulation, misunderstanding, and slander, if our "life is hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3). We rob ourselves of the miraculous, revealed truth of this abiding companionship with God. "God is our refuge . . ." ( Psalm 46:1 ). Nothing can break through His shelter of protection.
May 28, 2009
I am not afraid....
Do not be afraid, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10
It's funny how you may read a verse a hundred times over but depending on your life's course or particular situations that arise, you get a different understanding. I know that God is always with me. That has been taught to me in school since, well, forever. So I am never afraid because I have faith and believe what God has told me. That was two weeks ago....I still believe that God is with me and there should be no fear. But..now I read this verse differently today. You see, my father in law passed away two weeks ago. He had stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He had cancer in the liver, lung and bones. Physically, he was a mess. Coming from the medical field myself, I knew what was coming down the pike. Of course, I still did not put God in a box. He does miracles every day..he can devinely heal him with a wave of His hand. Did he answer that prayer? Absolutely! I know what your thinking..'she just said he passed away, he wasn't healed..'.
That is why I love God's Word...because His Word is ALIVE! My father in law is not dead but ALIVE in the presence of the One true KING!! He is there with God. Face to face for eternity. He has been given a heavenly, perfect body with a new name. He has finished his race and now is reaping the reward.
My father in law's miracles started 6 months ago when he got the devasting news that he had this dreadful disease. He accepted Christ in the hospital room. He completely surrendered his life to Him. He knew that this hurdle was one he didn't want to do alone and who, but Jesus, could carry him through this. After that, we saw miracles everyday. He gained weight, tolerated his chemotherapy, grew stronger as the weeks went by. We had 6 full months. We enjoyed our time together with 'papa'. The kids craved time with their 'papa' and treasured every moment with him. Time passed and we knew that phyical healing wasn't happening. Spiritual healing was soaring!!! He sought time with Christ every morning. He read his bible. He came to church every Sunday to hear about this King who would die for him. He knew what awaited him when he left this life and entered eternity with his creator.
That was why in the last few hours of my father in laws life, his only words were...." I am not afraid..."
So there you have it. Same verse...different meaning. Be not afraid for I am with you.
Dearest Jesus,
Thank you for giving us 6 more months with dad. Thank you for this horrible disease, because through this horrendous ordeal, he found YOU. Thank you that you welcomed him home with no pain, and no suffering. Thank you for sustaining my family in the midst of pain and loss. I love you and praise your holy name forever!
Amen
J. Parelli
May 20, 2009
The Advocate
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Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. |
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Romans 4:25 |
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Jesus died for our sins redemptively and He was raised for our justification advocationally. Furthermore, I John 2 tells us that He lives to make intercession for us continually. He is our Advocate, our Defense Attorney. Satan condemns us not only in our hearts day and night, but before the very Throne of God (Revelations 12: 10), saying, ‘Look at those people down there. They’re hypocritical, weak, faltering.’
But the moment he hisses these accusations, Jesus is literally there, saying, ‘Depart, Satan. They’re washed in My blood, and robed in My righteousness.’
And the Father says, ‘Case dismissed for lack of evidence,’ as He casts our sins into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19). Why the depths of the sea? Because, as a people, the Jews were terrified of the ocean. Therefore, the Lord put their sins in the last place a Jew would have gone looking for them.
To our culture, He would say, ‘I have cast your sin into the bottom of a toxic waste dump. Your sins are not only forgotten by Me, but I’m putting them in a place where there’s no danger of anybody looking at, digging up, or talking about them. On the basis of the Finished Work of Calvary, every sin you’ve ever committed, are committing, or will commit is forgiven, forgotten and out of sight.’
That’s forgiveness.
That’s justification.
That’s Good News! |
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| This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "A Days Journey" by Pastor Jon. "A Days Journey" is a collection of 365 short devotions from the New Testatment. |
May 7, 2009
Mother's Comfort
"As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you."
Isaiah 66:13
How many times in our lives have we gone to our mother in times of distress or stuggles? Many! We can call ourselves blessed having a mother who can listen, and give sound advice. We need their knowledge and experience to guide us through those rough periods in our lives. But, truly, who wants to be the 'mother' in all situations? Our loving Father! He craves our attention, good or bad. He wants to be an integral part of our lives and wants to give us Godly advice that HE knows will go well for us. If we think back at a time in our lives when we knew what we should do, but chose a different route that ended badly. How often do we just say, 'if I only knew 'or 'If I had the chance to do it over again?'...But we do know better. WE know who to go to when we have nowhere else to go. God. That's it. No fancy guru. No self-help book of the year. God. Just God. This is where mothers come in. God blessed you with parents who are to guide you in the ways of the Lord. Hopefully, that means teaching you that all these burdens that you carry daily can only be lifted by the one true King~ Jesus. So ..what now? Ask Jesus into your heart. Ask Him to guide you. Ask that He gives you wisdom in all situations and decisions. Thank Him for giving you loving, wise mothers who are placed in this world to guide you, direct you, and show you Jesus in word and action.
Dear Lord,
Thank you for your loving mercy and daily grace you gives us! Thank you for giving us our mothers who guide us and show us the way to you Lord. Bless them, Lord, with health, peace and continued wisdom. As we draw near to Mother's Day, a day we celebrate our mothers, allow us to give back the love and kindness shown to us everyday. Thank you for your blessings to us with our mothers and loving us enough to make sure we are taken care of, body, spirit and soul. Thank you for loving me enough to send your precious son to us and giving the ultimate sacrifice, so that we can be with you one glorious day!
Thank you Jesus!
Amen
April 30, 2009
Our Anchor
"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain." Hebrews 6:19
Like an anchor holding a ship safely in position, our hope in Christ guarantees our safety. On a ship, the anchor goes down on the ocean bed. Our anchor goes up into the true heavenly sanctuary! It is firm, it is secured, and not waivering. ...It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain....who else but Jesus can enter the Holiest of Holies? He is our anchor, the one who intercedes for us.
So many times when my boat is rocked, travelling stormy waters of doubt, despair, anguish, it is Jesus who calms the seas and releases me of my distress. So why do I claim my burdens back after Christ took them from me? We are human and fall short of the glory of God. Thankfully, He extends that hand everyday to us through Jesus. He is wonderful, merciful, loving God who created us in His own image. Why wouldn't He want us to have hope in the anchor which He so lovingly gave us for our salvation?
Dear Father,
Thank you for loving me enough to send your one and only precious son for me! To be my anchor and the one to intercede for me. Help me to remember that Jesus IS the anchor for my soul and He will keep me firm and secure when the storms hit. Thank you Lord! Thank you Jesus! JParelli
April 20, 2009
Producing Fruit
"It is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."
-Philippians 2:13 (NIV)
WHILE chatting with a friend, I mentioned that I had begun taking art classes and that I was not doing well because I am not naturally creative. My friend surprised me by saying, "Jane, the Creator lives within you! Of course you are creative."
That truth began to change my thinking. Scripture verses to support her assertion came to my mind, such as when Jesus said, "I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit" (John 15:5, nrsv). Before long, I was creating - making inspirational cards by using watercolors, pens, and verse. As I worked, I prayed that those who received the cards would see in them the hand of our ever-present Creator who is at work in and through us.
The great Initiator of all good, creative works desires to dwell in us. God lovingly cultivates the soil of our lives to produce fruit through us - sometimes in ways we never dreamed possible.
Jane Ebersole (Pennsylvania, USA)
Lord, help us to discover your creative powers within us. Use us and them only for your glory. Amen.
April 15, 2009
Rendering unto God
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Romans 12:1
April 15 in the United States is a day dreaded by most Americans. It is the day when our income taxes are due to be paid to the government. Often there is a frantic rush to complete the forms that should have been done much earlier but were put off. Post offices in big cities stay open until midnight for those who procrastinated in doing their taxes, and have a chance to send their returns without penalty.
Jesus told His followers to "render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and unto God that which is God's" Matthew 22:21 At such a time of year when we are preoccupied with what we owe the government, we would benefit by thinking about what we owe God. We owe God everything! We have been bought and paid for with a price, the broken body and blood shed from God's son Jesus.
Because we belong to God, if we trusted in Christ to save us from our sins, God has a right to expect that we would render certain things unto Him. We have an obligation to present our bodies a "living sacrifice, made holy and acceptable to God". We are comanded to present God with our tithes and offerings. And beyond that, God wants to have communion and fellowship with His children. Much like most us parents want the same relationship with our own children.
Billy Graham
April 6,2009
The Other Goat
He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. —1 John 2:2
The Scapegoat, a novel by Daphne du Maurier, is about two men who are amazed at the striking similarity in their appearance. They spend an evening together, but one runs off, stealing the other’s identity and leaving him to step into a life filled with problems. The second man becomes a scapegoat.
The origin of that word comes from a ceremony performed with two goats on the Hebrew Day of Atonement (known today as Yom Kippur). The high priest would sacrifice one goat and symbolically place the sins of the people on the head of the other—the scapegoat—before it was sent into the wilderness carrying away the blame of the sin (Lev. 16:7-10).
But when Jesus came, He became our scapegoat. He offered Himself up “once for all” as a sacrifice to pay for the sins of “the whole world” (1 John 2:2; Heb. 7:27). That first goat had been sacrificed as a sin offering for God’s people and symbolized Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. The other goat was a representation of the completely innocent Jesus accepting and removing our sin and guilt.
None of us is without sin—but the Father laid on Jesus “the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6). God sees followers of His Son as blameless—because Jesus took all the blame we deserve.
Cindy Hess Kasper
I am so thankful that Jesus did what He did. I go about my day, doing my daily routines and then it hits me. He didn't have to do it. He is perfect, unblemished, spotless, blameless, the perfect lamb. There are so many adjectives I can put down that describes Him. But He loved me so much that regardless of how unperfect, defective, blemished, and unpure I am, He still wants me to be with Him in heaven. I think about this and figure that I would do just about anything for my children, including dying for them. Could I say the same about family? Yeah, maybe, if I like them enough. Friends? Ughh, that gets tricky. People in the entire world? No way! That would mean I would be dying for those who don't even know who I am and why I am doing it for. There you have it. Jesus is one of a kind. God who came down and became human. A king who became a servant. Thank you Jesus for loving me enough to die for me and taking on my sins so that one day I may be with you in paradise!
J.Parelli
April 1, 2009
The Fool
"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God."Psalm 14:1
April first is April Fool's Day. I'm not sure how this designation was made, but it is usually a time when people will play tricks on you or try to get you to believe in something that is not true. They might say, 'your house is on fire' causing you to run out and check and then feeling foolish for believing the prank.
God is not a practical joker. He tells the truth and He never lies. Therefore, while man looks foolish for believing a lie in the form of a practical joke, God calls a person who refused to believe in Him a fool. In the one case, a person is a fool for believing something that was made up. In the other, a person is described as foolish who refuses to acknowledge God's ample evidence for existing, for His love for us, for His desire that we might come to know him through Jesus Christ and for His provision for us throughout our lives.
When one believes the April Fool's prank, he is momentarily embarrassed, but soon gets over it. When one refuses to believe what God has told them, he will soon find out how foolish he has been.
We recieve only one life during which we have many chances to come to know God. We are the biggest fools of all if we make the eternal mistake of rejecting the truth that God has give us!
Billy Graham
March 23, 2009
Staying in the Word
"Both of them were running. The other disciple ran faster than Peter. He reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there. He also saw the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself. It was separate from the linen. The disciple who reached the tomb first also went inside. He saw and believed." John 20:4-8
First, John came to the tomb and saw the linen clothes lying. The word 'saw' is 'blepei', which means, to look at, to see visibly.
In verse 6, Peter, saw the linen clothes lie, and the word used is 'theorai,meaning to study more carefully, and from which we get the word theory from.
Finally in verse 8, the word translated 'saw' is 'idein', from which we get the word 'idea' or 'I get it'.
I find it interesting that most of the time our faith progresses according to this pattern. That is, first you are exposed to some piece of information. You hear what the teacher is saying. Then you give it some thought down the road. And finally comes that moment when you really get it. More than merely a concept theologically, it becomes a part of your life personally.
But if you never hear the information, you'll never be able to embrace it. And that is why you'll never see the process unfold if you don't come to the place where you can invistigate the claims of Christ. Keep in the Word!
'But I am not getting much out of it,' you say.
Wait! Eventually it will begin to stir something inside your thinking, and finally it will become a part of your being. Read your bible. Stay in the Scriptures, and see the process unfold for you even as it did for Peter and John.
March 18, 2009
"There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: For one star differs from another star in glory." 1Corinthians 15:41
Five year old Mary loves made-up stories about a little girl named Francesca who is very much like her. Francesca's life , like Mary's, revolves around her ballet classes and her friends. Mary is an extrovert. Friendships are the air she breathes. She could no more go without playdates than she could go without food. She is at her happiest in ballet class, dancing and giggling with a half a dozen other girls. She is different from the rest of her family. They are the introverts. Her father has been known to walk around the block in the morning to avoid chatty colleagues in the office elevator. Her sister likes to do math problems and read while her brother loves to play alone and listen to stories on CD.
Mary is a great joy, with her beautiful, bright smile and her energy and enthusiasm. But she is also a big puzzle. Raising her requires her family to stretch their minds to understand someone whose gifts and needs are very different from their own. They are certain that it was God's plan to have her in their family!
Dear Lord,
Help us to value the variety of gifts that You give to those around us. Let us see the 'different stars' you put in our midst and to recognize those gifts and talents of others to further Your Kingdom in Heaven.
Amen
March 6, 2009
"...Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things." Phil.4:8
For many of us that live in a beautiful community, surrounded by family and friends, can be in denial about what things are NOT lovely or NOT pure in our community. Often an 'open door' to this denial is, as Christians, the Holy Spirit speaks to us as to what we are to "think on". We are to keep our minds on those things, for these are the Hope found in Jesus Christ. BUT we are not to forget the injustice of the destitute, the children that are abused, abortion, the homeless, and so much more! By denying what is going on around us, we are often self-absorbed in our own comfortable world instead of walking in the responsibility and authority that God has placed in us. To be used by the Lord to bring true change into the lives of others. The true transformation in our communities, through the love and power of the Holy Spirit.
"For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice." James 3:16
March 2, 2009
The Club
Close your eyes for a moment and imagine with me that you are 8 years old.
School is out for the day and you have no homework! You and some pals run down the street to your friend's house, to the place you call, " The Club". J.C get to use the room above His mom's garage as a clubhouse for the neighborhood kids.
It's fun to be in "The Club". J.C. is a great guy and you get to do cool stuff and go on adventures. You're glad to be a member because it's "Invitation Only". But things are about to change....
J.C. tells the gang that he will be leaving. He's is going to live with His Father.
"But what about the Club and the Clubhouse?" we ask.
"Don't worry," He says, "my best friend, T.C. (The Counselor) will come and take my place and you guys can meet any place you want. Oh, there is just one little thing about T.C., He is invisible."
J.C. leans toward one of the guys and blows softly on his cheek.
"Did you feel that?" He asks. "T.C. is like the wind. You can't see Him, but you can see His effect on things. Besides, you guys will have even better adventures with Him around. I've got to go now, but I will be back one day. My friend T.C. is coming and I have just two words for you: RECEIVE HIM."
What did He mean by RECEIVE? Was he talking about a TV receiver that you have to adjust to see the clearest image or maybe a radio that you fine-tune so you can hear every word? Or did He mean, recieve with open arms like when you welcome a guest into your home?
Now open your eyes and take a look at yourself and those around you. We're all a lot older by now, but we're still invited to be in the Club. The rules haven't changed and T.C. is still in charge but have we really RECEIVED HIM like we were told to?
Scripture References
John 14:26-27
John 16:7
John 20:22
John 3:8
