Morning devotions

Comfort

/ The Pastor

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
[2 Corinthians 1:3-4]

Have you received comfort from God?
Then comfort others.

Have you received hope from God through Jesus Christ?
Then show that hope to others?

Have you found a peace that surpasses all understanding?
Then live peacefully with others.

Have you discovered true joy, even in the midst of sorrow, through the Gospel?
Then exude this joy for others to soak up.

Have you been forgiven through faith in Jesus Christ?
Then proclaim that forgiveness to others and…
…forgive as you have been forgiven.

Do you know God through Jesus Christ?
Then introduce others to Jesus.

This all seems like a no-brainer, because why not share this awesome news? Why not share peace and love and forgiveness with others? Why not share with others comfort when they are in need of comfort. And I am not talking about cliches like, “Everything will be all right” but rather a real hope that is grounded in something sure and certain.

But I don’t know how say this.

God does. So lift up your concerns to God and trust that the Holy Spirit will give you the right words, not cliches.

But how can I relate to someone who feels hopeless?

Share the hope you have through Jesus Christ. If death does not scare you, then why? Do you experience joy, then why? Do you know that your sins are forgiven, then say so and with confidence.

But this is easier said than done.

You’re right, when people are feeling hopeless or are suffering or are feeling despondent, it is difficult to know what to do. It can be nerve-wracking because you don’t want to mess things up. But think about the comfort you have through your faith in Jesus and then share that comfort with others.

There is no formula.
There are no magic words.

There is simply faith and trust in the one who has given you comfort in a world of discomfort. You know your faith. You know your hope. So live it for the sake of those who have no faith and for those who have no hope, but most of all…

…to the glory of God.

May you live in the comfort that God has given you through faith in Jesus. May you live in peace that can only come from the victory won through Calvary. May you live with a joy that radiates for all to see.

May God bless your day, in Jesus name, Amen!

The Pastor -|—

Something more

/ The Pastor

And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. [Luke 12:29-31]

Life is more than food.
Life is more than having a roof over your head.
Life is more than having the newest, popular gadget.
Life is more than having an athletically successful child.
Life is more than having the right friends.
Life is more than good health.
Life is more than money.
Life is more…

Yet we seek and seek
Yet we search and search
Yet we long and long

for something more.

Sometimes we find something “more” but it’s not complete; it’s not “more” enough.

So we search some more and more and more and…
What a vicious, never ending cycle.

Ugh!

Will we ever learn?
Will we ever figure out that God knows what we truly need?
Will we ever accept God’s loving kindness?

Lord help us.

Let our seeking be for the Kingdom of God.
Let our searching be for that which is already clear: Jesus.
Let our longing be for communion with God.

And may we see that, with Jesus, we had more all along.

Praise be to God!

The Pastor -|—

A selfish prayer

/ The Pastor

Father God…

from the heart of this pastor…

I selfishly ask for healing for my little girl even though I know there are bigger issues in this world. She may only have a low temp but it still pains me that she’s not feeling 100%.

I selfishly ask that my little girl sleeps well this afternoon so I may have time to write a sermon.

I selfishly ask that this post may not come off as selfish (even though it probably does).

I selfishly ask that you may grant my requests so my life may flow more smoothly.

And…

I selfishly ask that you, O God, may forgive my selfishness.

I feel sheepish for even praying this (and writing this) but I can’t hide what’s on my heart; for you know all things. So I put this out there and ask for forgiveness.

(and of course, as I bask in the joy of your forgiveness through faith in Jesus, I continue to selfishly ask for my little girl)

Will I ever learn?

Oh God, may you be praised despite my selfishness. May you be praised despite my shortcomings. May you be praised despite my sin.

(and please, O God, heal my little girl)

And may you be praised despite the fact that I’m messed up.

Amen.

There I go again, O well…

Praise be to God!

The Pastor -|—

Shut up and be at peace

/ The Pastor

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. [Philippians 4:6-7]

When I get anxious about something it is usually because I am worried about the outcome or worried about my performance in a certain situation as I face unknown and uncontrollable circumstances.  Sometimes it is a very busy schedule as I wonder how I will get everything done and/or will things get done well. At  times, I worry about expectations from others and myself.

And when I really get anxious, my chest begins to hurt. Sometimes this pain causes more anxiety, but generally I consider this chest pain (heartburn) a gift from God. It’s a little alarm system that God has equipped me with to remind me to calm down, shut up and pray. And with Lent coming up, I anticipate that alarm going off (as it usually does) so hopefully I am paying attention to what I am writing now.

Oh God, I believe, help my unbelief.

The apostle Paul tells the church in Philippi not to worry about anything but rather tell God about it and then trust that everything is under control. This does not mean you become lazy but rather trust that you are not alone. Trust that God will give you what you need and the strength to do it. But most of all, let that trust be a source of peace for you; something that will guard your mind and heart from Satan’s attacks.

A lot of worry and anxiousness stems from a mistrust of God (unless you are dealing with a medical anxiety disorder of some sort). When you get anxious and worry you are saying that God is not big enough or strong enough to handle the situation.

REALLY? Not big enough or strong enough?

Seems silly to think such a thing but this is really what is going on; seeing a problem and thinking it is bigger than it really is or thinking that nothing can help you. Instead, we need to remember that we have a bigger God. This reminds me of something I have seen passed around on social media; a quote that says:

Don’t tell God how big your problems are but tell your problems how big your God is.

I like that except that you should tell God how big those problems are and as you do so remember how big your God is and be at peace. Never believe problems are bigger or stronger than God. And as you are at peace, laugh at Satan and say, “nice try”.

When you become anxious; shut up and listen; shut up and remember; shut up and be at peace. God has overcome this world through Jesus Christ and thus, through faith in Jesus Christ, victory is yours.

So be at peace as you face this day head on with the knowledge that you have a big God going with you.

May God be praised in all you say and do. And may people see your faith being lived out as you face everyday problems and challenges.

Praise be to God!

The Pastor -|—

Naked ~ A Prayer

/ The Pastor

And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord .” [Job 1:21]

Creator God…

I praise you that you wonderfully knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you that you brought me forth to enjoy this creation.
I praise you that I know you and that I can worship you.

Father God, I praise you that all I need is you and that even if everything were taken away ~ food, clothing, shelter, family, friends ~ I would still have everything I need. You have blessed me with these things and people but most of all you have blessed me with Jesus Christ that I may have hope beyond this life.

But even though I see this now and praise you now, I know that the tempter will swoop in to place before me gods and pathways that lead away from you. And I will follow. The tempter will entice this flesh and mind and heart to seek that which will not last. And I will follow. What a wretched person I am. 

Father God, forgive me

Grant me strength
Grant me faith
Grant me the wherewithal to turn to you in moments if temptation

I came into this world naked and will leave the same way; for you have given all the blessings in this world and will eventually take them all away that I may see the true blessing of Life ~ Jesus.

So I praise and worship your holy name, for You are worthy. May I have the faith to remain faithful; may I have the faith to live “naked”. In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen!

May God bless your day as you bask in the knowledge that He gives to you as you need and blesses you to be a blessing. May you seek God with all your heart and may the love of Jesus radiate out from you that others may be lead to praise and worship God.

Have a great day 🙂

The Pastor -|—

Love of money

/ The Pastor

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” [Hebrews 13:5-6]

And then you have Paul’s admonition from 1 Timothy 6:10 ~ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

You see, money itself is not evil, it’s just how we relate to money. Jesus never said that a rich man will never get into heaven, only that it would be difficult.

Why? Because this money god is a powerful god.

This god dictates our priorities and decisions; and we’ll do anything to protect this source of peace. Money also is used a status symbol. The more we have the more we can buy. The more we can buy the better we look in the eyes of others. The better we look in the eyes of others, the more money we want so to look better yet. It’s a vicious cycle.

When you worship money you are saying no to God’s provision. You are telling God that you don’t trust that He can take care of you. When you worship the money god you are clinging to a false sense of peace that will eventually let you down. But worse yet, when you place your faith in the god of money, you are on the fast track to eternal death. Money may be able to buy you happiness for a while but it can not finance eternal joy.

Don’t get me wrong, though, I am not saying that if you have a lot of money then you’re in trouble. What I am saying is that there is greater temptation to see that money as your savior rather than God Almighty through Jesus Christ.

It is all a matter of where you put your trust. Will you praise God no matter what? Rich or poor? Healthy or sick? A big house or a cardboard box? A fancy car  or a bicycle? Is God your God or is it something else?

May the Lord be your helper that you may not fear anything this world throws at you or takes away from you. May the Lord be your provider in this life and in the Life to come.

May God bless your day. Amen 🙂

The Pastor -|—

The Law is good

/ The Pastor

Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law. [Romans 3:31]

Yesterday we explored the awesome grace of God as we briefly surveyed the 10 Commandments and found that we definitely stand condemned, but by the mercy of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, we have salvation.

Praise be to God!

The question before us now (and one that the apostle Paul answers) is this:
Now what?

If we are saved by grace apart from the Law, does that mean that faith in Jesus nullifies the Law. 

Basically, the implication here is that since we are saved by grace through faith, why worry about the Law. Why obey the 10 Commandments when God will forgive anyways? Why bother learning these Laws? The apostle Paul, in response to these questions, would slap you you up across the head and say ” You idiot” (but say it with all love of course) it’s because we are saved apart from following the Law that we are free to obey the Law with all joy in order to show love to our neighbor and to God.

You don’t abandon the Law because you are saved, but rather follow the Law because you are saved. Just read Psalm 119 and you will discover the joy the author has in learning and following God’s Law. He’s not seeking salvation but rather wants to learn more and glorify God.

Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors. (vs 24)

The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes. (vs 64)

Teach me good judgement and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments. (vs 66)

And there are many more such verses. The Law of God convicts us of our sin and therefore our need for a Savior (Jesus Christ). But the Law also shows us how to love God and neighbor. As Tom Brokaw once said, They are not called the 10 suggestions. They are Commandments. This is a holy tension; this grace and Law thing, but one that makes sense through faith.

If your faith is truly found in Jesus Christ, then said faith will find joy in obeying God for God is worthy. When one foolishly tosses the Law away because they are saved it makes me wonder if they are really saved at all.

So give praise to God for salvation through Jesus Christ and then seek to learn God’s righteous decrees more and more. Seek to know Him better through His Commands. Seek to honor God more through your obedience.

May God be praised and obeyed; served and worshiped; honored and glorified; always and forever. Amen.

May God bless your day 🙂

The Pastor -|—

Morning devotions (a little late) ~ Awesome grace

/ The Pastor

[It’s Friday and therefore my day gets thrown off a little bit (in a good way). Being this is my day off, our family sleeps in and takes our time getting ready in the morning. But now the kids are sleeping and I get some quite time. Praise be to God.]

Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. [Romans 5:20-21]

Let’s take a moment, shall we, to ponder the Law. More specifically, let’s examine the 10 Commandments.

The Commandments state that:
~ We shall put nothing before God or fear anything/anyone more than God.
~ We are to refrain from misusing God’s name but rather use it in praise, worship and thanksgiving.
~ We are to remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy; separate/different than other days.
~ We are to honor our father and mother; for they have been called by God for a holy task.
~ We are not to kill in any way, shape or form.
~ We are to hold and speak of sex and marriage in all purity and honor; and husbands and wives are to remain faithful to each other and to God.
~ We are to refrain from stealing in any way and help our neighbor defend what is his.
~ We are to speak of people in the best possible way.
~ We are not to covet what God has blessed others with.

This is a tall order to say the least. And if you are honest with yourself, you have to admit that you are guilty of violating every single Commandment. I could go into detail how but that would have to be a series of other blog posts. The short of it is that we are sinful and disobey God every single day; single hour; every single second. According to Romans 3, all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.

And for me (and hopefully for you) the more I meditate on the Law and my shortcomings, the more amazing God’s grace in Jesus Christ is. I mean, we sin; all the time; over and over; repeating the same sins; and God still forgives. We turn our backs on God’s holy Law and God still forgives. We worship other gods and God still forgives.

The Good News is that when we run to him in faith in what Jesus did on the cross, then forgiveness is ours; every – single – time.

WOW, THAT’S AMAZING!!!

That should blow you away.
That should humble you.
That should drop you to your knees in worship.
That should lead you to thank God every single day.

God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ is incredible, especially when we think that without Jesus, we would be expected to follow the Law without fail in order to earn salvation. But instead Jesus took our sins to the cross and crucified them that we may have the hope of the resurrection to eternal life.

So ponder the Law. Think about your sinfulness. Confess your sins and know the amazing grace of God; giving thanks and praise to him always and forever.

May this awesome news of grace and forgiveness drive you to your need for a Savior and may you know a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Have a blessed day living in the glow of God’s glory. In Jesus name, Amen.

The Pastor -|—

Good but short

/ The Pastor / 1 Comment

And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” [Mark 8:4]

Much like me, these disciples have good but short memories. In chapter 6 they witness the incredible miracle of Jesus feeding 5,000 men (add in the women and children who were there and you have close to probably 10,000 people). But numbers aside, this was an awesome miracle and display of God’s power through Jesus in which the disciples were amazed, but I wonder if they were really paying attention.

Now they are back in the wilderness with Jesus and have been there for three days with 4,000 people on some kind of retreat, as it were. Apparently there was no food committee because at the end of three days the people were hungry. But being the compassionate person Jesus is, he wasn’t going to send them home hungry, lest they faint on their way.

What shall we do? [of course Jesus knows]

Jesus, how can one possibly feed these people in such a desolate place?

Really? Did they just ask that question? Did they just wonder if Jesus is able to provide for a group of people much smaller than the one he fed earlier? Do they not remember the feeding of the 5000 (and then some)?

But we shouldn’t come down too hard on these guys because really, we’re no different. I mean, think about it. Aren’t there times you wonder if God will actually forgive you? Don’t you ever wonder at times if God is actually with you? Don’t you have moments of fear and anxiety over a situation, wondering if God will provide? Do you ever worry or doubt?

Of course you do.

And this is nothing more than sinful people forgetting about this awesome God of ours. You see, sin has a way of shortening our memories of the Gospel and therefore leading us astray. When we forget about God we turn inward and become selfish. When we forget about God we disobey and wander. When we forget about God his awesomeness and holiness becomes nothing more than a theological concept.

So what does one do? More fish oil to improve your memory?

Not exactly.

Rather you spend time with God every single day.
~ Keep His Word in front of you.
~ Set your mind on the things that are above.
~ Surround yourself with other believers.
~ Make sure that the Gospel is being proclaimed to you on a regular basis.
~ Ask someone to listen to your confession and pronounce the Gospel of forgiveness to you.
~ And, of course, read your Bible and pray.

Do these things and more on a regular basis to help with short-term Gospel memory loss. But be careful and don’t lose the sense of wonder. The disciples may have forgotten about the feeding of the 5000 but they had a chance to be amazed all over again. Don’t let familiarity with the Gospel take away the wonder.

Be amazed that God, through Jesus Christ, would forgive a sinner like you.

May you bask in the glory of God. May you remember his love and compassion. May you always know the hope of the resurrection through faith in Jesus.

And may God bless your day 🙂

In Jesus name, Amen!

The Pastor -|—

Morning devotions ~ Flesh vs Spirit

/ The Pastor

For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. [Romans 8:6-8]

The prosperity gospel…

[Oh no, here goes the Pastor again :-)]

…tries to convince people that peace is found in this life; through the flesh. It says that in order to “have your best life now” all you need to do is get your flesh in order. Meaning ~ thinking right, believing right, dreaming right, saying the right things and doing the right things. All of this, they claim, will curry God’s favor and therefore you will live “your best life now“. In essence, the prosperity gospel is trying to sell peace when it is actually bringing the wrath of God.

Those trying to sell this crap (excuse my language but this is what it is) have their minds set on the flesh and not on the Spirit and therefore they themselves are really not at peace. But when you are in the midst of what you believe is “your best life now” you don’t know you’re really not at peace. The flesh has a way of shielding one’s eyes from the truth.

So what is true peace if it is not found in this life? That answer seems pretty simple: By keeping your mind set on the Spirit which is faith in God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
~ A mind set on the flesh thinks only of this life; but a mind set on the Spirit thinks of the promised life to come through Jesus.
~ A mind set on the flesh can only achieve a temporary peace; but a mind set on the Spirit receives true, everlasting peace from the only true peace-giver: Jesus Christ
~ A mind set on the flesh can only achieve a fleeting happiness, that comes and goes and comes and goes; but a mind set on the Spirit has a joy that is not fleeting.
~ A mind set on the flesh CAN NOT please God; but a mind set on the Spirit has salvation.
~ A mind set on the flesh lives in death; but a mind set on the Spirit lives in Life.

And you probably get the point. When you have true faith in God through Jesus Christ then you submit to God’s Law and follow him in complete joy, for God is worthy. Your focus is on pleasing God, not the flesh. The prosperity gospel does not get this and therefore will never preach this. The true Gospel is understanding we can do nothing to achieve peace in this life but rather its submitting to God who is the only peace giver. It’s placing your faith in Jesus and believing your best life is yet to come, not now.

So set your mind on the Spirit and be at peace.

May God grant you a peace that totally blows your mind so that you may see and experience true peace in Him. Amen.

The Pastor -|—