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Humbled

Humbled

Proverbs 8:17 I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.

As I sit in this chair with you this morn
My body is tired from the day;
For it was filled with emotions
You came calling that way.

I have followed that tug
That you placed on my heart;
From your Word every day
I do not depart.

I seek you early each day
I am humbled by your response;
It all started that day
When I opened my Bible once.

Help me Lord to share
Help me Lord to teach;
To show the the way to you
Help me Lord to preach.

Paul wrote to us in Romans
Of spreading the Good News;
Of sharing the hope that lies within us
There is no way I could refuse.

I have felt the stronger tug
Of hearing your call to preach;
I know my strength lies in you
From your Word I will teach.

Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

 
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Posted by on September 11, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Don’t be bashful

Don’t be bashful

Colossians 1:1-8    Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; 5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; 7 as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.

Paul was in prison writing this letter to the Colossian church. It is believed that on his third missionary journey to Ephesus, a person named Epaphras was converted and returned home to Colosse to begin evangelizing his hometown. We are told that the church was composed mainly of Gentiles, and just like many early churches it had it’s problems. There were many that were leading others astray, preaching and teaching different ways to heaven; mixing the Jewish beliefs and forms of mysticisms that placed Jesus at a higher plain, but not as Deity, not as God. Paul starts out his letter to the Colossians to refute those false teachings. Paul begins speaking of their faith, hope, and love.

Do you see this as the prayer that it is? Do you see how Paul was praying for those that had just come to faith in Christ? He was interceding for them, he was going before God and praying for His strength for them. Paul knew that when they came to know Christ, they were going against the world. They needed other believers to pray for them. They needed the strength to endure the trials, the discernment from the Holy Spirit to recognize the false teachings; the truth of the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth. They must take that which He gives them, and spread the hope that lies within them. When we pray for, and are prayed for, God grants us wisdom through His Word and our prayer.

Do you have that faith? Do you have that hope, and that love? If you do have genuine faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior, there will be a natural outpouring of love, spreading that hope that lies within you. The book of James puts it bluntly; 2:17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. Is there evidence in your life of that faith? Epaphras had heard the Gospel, and returned home to tell everyone, He had sought to share that hope that lied within him, for others to have what he now possessed. Don’t be bashful, tell someone the difference Christ made in your life today, the same thing He can do for them.

 
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Posted by on September 9, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Light for the dark road

Light for the dark road

2 Corinthians 12:9-10    And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul had seemingly gone down the road of boasting to prove himself to others; yet he had taken the road not of his intellect and accomplishments, he had taken the roadof his struggles and weakness to glorify God. He had showed how he needed God in all of it, and how God was there through it. 2 Corinthians 11:30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. Paul saw all these hardships as a way to glorify God; he was suffering for Christ and he knew that he was drawing that much closer to Christ as a result of these tribulations. Paul understood that being a Christian, a disciple, an apostle, would mean that this life would not be a life of ease. He expressed great joy to join Christ in these tribulations for the eternal reward.

So many churches now preach the love of God, and not the trials of God. When we come to know Christ, we through him, threaten the kingdom of darkness. When we live for this world, and all comes easy, we are of no threat to hell. When the power of Christ comes to live within us, we are another tool that God uses to reach other people. Our light, is His light, that has come into the world. 2 Corinthians 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The light that shines from us makes the world stand against us; we show the truth that is shadowed by the darkness that is hiding from the light. Therefore the world is against us.

Becoming a Christian is the easiest thing to do; answer that call on your heart that God has placed there; repent of your sins and accept Christ as the only way you will ever get to heaven. That promise that you gain is eternal, now you are called to become a disciple and live your life remaining here for Him. You are not to go on living in sin, you are to flee it. You are to share the hope that lies within you, your light is to bring light to those living in darkness. Satan is gonna be mad, try to make your life difficult, and you should expect it to be, you switched to the other team. Boast in all that you struggle in just like Paul; show the power of the glory of God to help you in all that you struggle with. That help is the light that others need in their life too.

 
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Posted by on September 8, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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I wanna be _______________

I wanna be _______________

Matthew 19:21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

What do you wanna’ be? Seems like a simple question, but complexities lie in it. Sadly our impulsive answer would probably be “rich”. We want what this parable of the rich young ruler had. We are wired and fed by that desire by all this world teaches. Wealth will fulfill all your hearts desires, fame and fortune come with lots of money. We will become noticed for our success, and seemingly held in high regard, for we now have what others want. We begin to think money will cure all our problems; the success of Lotteries is the evidence of our worship of money. I too would like nothing more that to live debt free; I am a slave to the lender and that burden demands so much of my time…..but if I was rich…..yea, it is real easy to go down that road.

There are many roads to go down in this parable of the rich young ruler. He seeming knew all the answers to the questions Christ asked. You can see him puffing out his chest in pride, until Christ hit him where it hurt. He held, and worshipped his money and possessions much more that he desired to “become perfect”. His had greater love for his wealth that he ever had for his Savior. Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (ESV) He didn’t truly wanna’ be perfect, he just wanted to appear perfect. His heart was bound to the wealth he had attained; yet he never understood that God had given it to him; what would he do with what he had been given; where did his heart lie when tested? Can you imagine the life and testimony he could have had if he given all he had to the poor and followed Christ? The outpouring of love would have been used to glorify God to many, but he walked away sad in the realization of the worship of his idol.

What do you wanna be? I wanna be the best disciple I can be for my time remaining here on earth. I want that discipleship to pour into my duties as a husband, father, employer, friend, and all that God places in my circle of influence. I want God to continue this sanctification process in me in the pursuit to make me more like His Son. I know it will be painful at times, but I know that He knows what he is doing. I wanna be a light in a dark world. I wanna be the person that God uses to encourage you to join me on this eternal journey. I wanna be the person who bows at His feet on that day, and hears these words; “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ (Matthew 25:21)

 
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Posted by on September 6, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Unedjumicated

Unedjumicated

1 Corinthians 2:4-5   And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

I have had a lot on my mind the past couple of weeks. I was humbled greatly when I was able to deliver my first sermon; I struggle to explain what that experience is like, but I hope God gives me that opportunity again sometime. I had hoped that I would gain clarity for the direction of my life in it; you know, that billboard from God that we all desire to know what he wants us to do. I wish I could say I got that neon sign, but faith lives in the hope of things unseen (Hebrews 11:1). I was able to spend time with the Godliest man I know, and a best friend. He was able to speak to me words of encouragement just as God always uses him to do; I am beyond thankful for him and our relationship. You must surround yourself with Godly influences to hear from God; He will speak to you through the people that spend time with Him; there is that audible voice you desire.

I have openly shared of my struggles with memory, and looking back long ago in life it most likely translated to my problems in school. I can understand complexities, I just cannot retain what I learn. This carried on into my studies the past year at Liberty University Online. The sermon title that God gave me was, “You don’t have to go to seminary to be a disciple.” The title has weighed on me. There ain’t nuthin’ special about me; I only have a heart for God and the things of God, and try to spend time with him daily learning more about him. All that I have has been found by what He has given me; you can have it too. My heart lies in encouraging other Christians to open their Bible every day and to seek Him. It is in that response to your heart for God, and the pursuit of him, that your life will change. Jeremiah 29:13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. You simply cannot spend time daily with God in prayer and His Word, and He not change you. He will begin to conform you to the image of His Son.

I have decided to withdraw from Liberty for many reasons. I have decided to live what I preached. I am blessed with this ministry that God has given me, and I thank all of you for letting Him use me to speak to you. My prayer is that you begin to seek God on your own; for this to be the catalyst to get you in His Word; to see what ministry he has laid out for you. I am thinking of taking that sermon and making it a book. My testimony is one of pride, great sins, and worldly pursuits; then a life forever changed by Christ and the desire to know more about him every day. All you must do is to spend time with Him every day. All you must do is to have a heart for God, and the things of God, and you will find Him. You will not be able to contain what He shows and gives you. You will become a disciple and seek to share what you now possess. You will begin to produce heavenly fruit for your labor of your love for Him. You will gain eternal rewards in heaven for your heart for Him. Your life will never be the same, and neither will those in your circle of influence that respond to His call.

 
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Posted by on September 3, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Be holy, for I am holy

Be holy, for I am holy

1 Peter 1:13-15    Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

Drugs, women, toys, and booze
These were the things I used to choose;
Numbing pains & hiding fears
Wasting my life for so many years.

Christ rescued me from them
He delivered me from sin;
He changed my life eternally
He started from within.

My life changed forever
I have eternal focus now;
I seek not temporal pleasure
But to serve Him somehow.

By Holy for I am holy
Words to live by every day;
The world teaches self pleasure
In that you will never find the Way.

Change begins at the Cross
What Christ accomplished and gave you there;
You can never change without Him
All other roads lead to nowhere.

When you come to him broken
And you are empty inside;
He will fill you with great hope
You will not be able to hide.

Seek to live your life in honor
of what He gave you that day;
Be holy for I am holy
Is your desire to repay.

 
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Posted by on August 29, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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IF NEED BE

IF NEED BE

1 Peter 1:6-9    In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith–the salvation of your souls.

This month has been a time of highs and lows, more than usual, higher and lower than usual. I experienced my first sermon, more emotions than I can articulate, but the pinnacle was a spiritual high like none before. What I took from the sermon that He gave me was that He would never forsake me; He was there to deliver exactly when and what I needed the most. After that incredible day has come waves of emotion; some building, most seeking to tear down. I have endured painful words, and found mental struggles to be great; things that I hold dear have come to be difficult. Satan is coming at me in that area of anxiety and depression; it is my thorn in the flesh as Paul describes; but even in it, there is a purpose through it from God.

As I awoke this morning, my daily verse from YouVersion was 1 Peter 4:16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. God has that incredible way to speak to us when we truly seek Him. Even in your daily devotionals He can deliver just the right word at just the right time. If in my struggles with anxiety and depression, God can be glorified, than in that fiery trial Satan’s evil works are used for good. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. In the scripture of 1 Peter 1:6, do you see the purpose of God there in between the comma’s; IF NEED BE. There are many purposes of God behind all that is in your life, all that you struggle with can be used by God. There is nothing that cannot draw you closer to Christ. You either rebel and run away drowning your sorrows in some way, or you draw closer to Him as a result of what you are facing.

The IF NEED BE, is between you and God. Many preachers preach that trials are the punishment for sin. I concur, but I also realize we are always lost in sin no matter at what level we pursue righteousness. The trials that we face are just part of the Sanctification process of God; His way of seeking to make us more like his Son. What makes it different is how we respond in them. Do we go to Him, do we point others to Him in how we are dealing with it? The world will teach worldly ways; medication, self-helps and fixes, blame, denial, and every other road except heavenly. When you are facing a mountain, or your mountain seems to be crumbling, go to the One who made the mountain. In and through Him is where you find hope for the ability to climb or find safety from all the rocks falling around you. Then you are able to share how He helped you to deal with that trial to someone else enduring it also; God is glorified in and through you.

 
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Posted by on August 28, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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No surprise

No surprise

Ephesians 2:1-3   And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience– 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Yesterday started out on a real high; a customer and I sharing our faith with each other, building up each other with testimonies, scripture, and encouragement. After I left their house, my day plummeted from there. The details are not necessary, but failures and gut punches seemed to come my way. Truly an afternoon that I was taking a beating, when I was trying to draw closer to God in school study. The social media was full of  the VMA scandal, I looked and it truly sickened me; a product of the pursuit of fame. These children that our children grow up watching go down some of the worst roads imaginable……I struggle deeply with so much trash that we put before our children in the light of entertainment now. What we put in our child’s eyes, Satan worms his way into their hearts.

I lived that life; I pursued all that I could get my hands on. The one who dies with the most wins, I truly believed in some twisted way. I lived in sin and pursued it with a vigor; I only sought what would bring me pleasure, many times at high costs. Satan will tempt; Satan will entice you in all that feels good. He will put a spin in your mind of the worst things, making them seem pleasurable. The scripture above speaks to what we all want to deny; we are born sinners as a result of the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. We are not inherently good at heart. There is much to say about your understanding of your relationship with Christ in the understanding of the fall of man and sin. The Message puts Ephesians 2 like this:1 It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. 2 You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. 3 We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us.

Satan is peaking now before us; our world is living headstrong against the commandments that God has given us. We are turning our backs on God and pursuing sin, or watering down the good news in false religions that just tickle the ears; they stay away from the power of the conviction of sin and the greatest work of the Holy Spirit. 2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. They preach prosperity and love, but not repentance. Our lives are worldly for 6.5 days per week, but we rest on that assurance given us in the church pew on Sunday. That assurance is a false teaching and a work of Satan in this world today. A heart that does not repent, is a heart that will not come to know Christ. How many of us will stand before Him on judgement day, and hear the scariest words in the Bible; Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ REPENT & BELIEVE!

 
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Posted by on August 27, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Lane Change

Lane Change

John 4:34-38     Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! 36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.”

God changed lanes on me this morning as I reflected on the evangelistic message in the scriptures above. The Spirit began to press on me a sin that I had not repented for. It was a sin of how I discipline my boys; verbally; but I have been praying for help on. Satan wants to condemn me in it, the Spirit wants to help me with it.

I sit here this morning
Seeking God early in the day;
I have an eager heart
For in Him I find the way.

He comes in the scriptures
Speaking of spreading His name;
Of giving people a hope
Forgiveness of sin, not to blame.

He then presses on me
Points to sins that cause pain;
Of how deep my need for Him
From them I must refrain.

My words can be strong
They can build up and tear down;
I pray for forgiveness
Mercy and grace to abound.

I pray for change
From the inside out
The work only He can do
The work I cannot do without.

I seek to spread His name
For the hope that lies within,
To share of a future paradise
To experience forgiveness of sin.

When Satan comes he presses
He makes the sin hurt deep,
When the Spirit comes and presses
He reminds you of what you can keep.

The Holy Word of God
Reveals much to you;
From sins to a Savior
All you must do is pursue.

 
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Posted by on August 26, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Needing to know (revisited)

Needing to know (revisited)

John 3:10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you not a teacher of Israel and do not know these things?”

This morning I have so much on my mind. I began reading again in the Gospel of John, and I was stopped in my tracks at this scripture. Nicodemus had come to Christ secretly at night to talk to Him. He wanted to know more, Christ was tugging at his Pharisaical heart. His head knowledge was wanting and needing some heart knowledge. He was responding to that tug on his heart. But what stopped me was the weight of Christ response to him above. I share my faith daily here, and I have many things I do not know or understand; I am in the process of coming to know these things and desiring to share my journey with you. All this is to encourage you to join me and develop your own journey in seeking Him every day yourself.

I have been reflecting back on my life in my devo’s from the past year recently. It seems almost fitting to share the devo from a year ago today; from the title alone.

25 Aug 2012
Needing to know
Philippians 4:11-13 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
I sat out in the cool morning air in the peace of a quiet early Saturday morning and talked to God. I was praying about “needing to know” on many things, and one really big thing. I guess I was wanting the stars to align in my own personal billboard message from God. I came in and researched “need to know” in the Bible and came upon the scriptures above. Paul was speaking of contentment wherever Christ had him for the day. There comes a point in your growth that you begin to understand those scriptures and God’s Sovereignty, or control over your life.
But there is also moving to the next steps in obedience, or acts of faith in doing so. Oswald Chambers ‘My Utmost for His Highest’ spoke directly to it this morning. “We never know the joy of self-sacrifice until we abandon in every particular. Self-surrender is the most difficult thing – I will if…I Oh, well, I suppose I must devote my life to God. There is none of the joy of self-sacrifice in that.” Christ speaks of those sacrifices and steps of faith repeatedly in the Gospels. Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Deny yourself simply means putting Christ first. First in all things, period. Our selfish, sinful nature constantly battles with these things.
I am a ‘thinker/planner’ and have repeatedly been accused of ‘thinking things to death’. As part of the management of a company, it is my responsibility to think steps ahead, and to be planning for those steps to come. Christ calls us to release that planning and control to Him in the denying of ourselves as in Matthew 16. Chambers speaks of the joy, or lack thereof in that abandonment. If you too are struggling in areas of your life, and ‘needing to know’, you must seek God and His Word for the answers, or you may be leaning on your own understanding; far inferior to the Creator and Sovereign ruler of the universe and your life.

 
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Posted by on August 25, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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