Week #92 It Is Good to Give Thanks to God

This week's post is coming from InTouch Magazine's Daily Devotionals (Nov. 24, 2009) by Dr. Charles Stanley.
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Psalm 92
Praise for the LORD'S Goodness.
A Psalm, a Song for the Sabbath day.
1It is good to give thanks to the LORD
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
2To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning
And Your faithfulness by night,
3With the ten-stringed lute and with the harp,
With resounding music upon the lyre.
4For You, O LORD, have made me glad by what You have done,
I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.
5How great are Your works, O LORD!
Your thoughts are very deep.
6A senseless man has no knowledge,
Nor does a stupid man understand this:
7That when the wicked sprouted up like grass
And all who did iniquity flourished,
It was only that they might be destroyed forevermore.
8But You, O LORD, are on high forever.
9For, behold, Your enemies, O LORD,
For, behold, Your enemies will perish;
All who do iniquity will be scattered.
10But You have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;
I have been anointed with fresh oil.
11And my eye has looked exultantly upon my foes,
My ears hear of the evildoers who rise up against me.
12The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree,
He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13Planted in the house of the LORD,
They will flourish in the courts of our God.
14They will still yield fruit in old age;
They shall be full of sap and very green,
15To declare that the LORD is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

Throughout the Psalms, we are reminded and even commanded to give thanks to the Lord. Thanksgiving Day should never become a substitute for the daily expression of gratitude to God for all that He has done.

Because our culture is largely characterized by ingratitude, we need to work at developing a grateful heart. Even in prayer, we can become self-centered and drift from one petition to another without a word of praise to God. Giving thanks refocuses our attention onto the Lord as we remember His love and faithfulness and praise Him for who He is and what He has done.

Thanksgiving refreshes our souls as we spend time with God, concentrating on His goodness and grace. Anxiety is replaced with peace, and despondency with joy. If you wake up each morning and thank the Lord for deliverance from the power of sin, provision for all your needs, and guidance for the day ahead, what is left to cause worry or discouragement?

Gratitude to God for His faithfulness in the past increases faith and strengthens trust in Him for the future. Remember how He carried you in times of pain, helped you in periods of weakness, and supplied all your needs. You can trust Him with whatever lies ahead.

To establish a habit of thanksgiving, recall God’s lovingkindness in the morning, and recount His faithfulness at night. Thank Him for blessings—and also for the deep work He is doing in you through difficulties. As you start to see situations from His perspective, your gratitude and trust will grow.

Week #86 it starts with ONE (Week 4)

Acts 4 - "It Starts With One" Small Group DVD from Seacoast Church on Vimeo.

The goal of this week is to look at what it means to live out the mission of the Church in the face of opposition.
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+READ Acts 4:1-22
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Peter and John before the Council
1 While Peter and John were speaking to the people, they were confronted by the priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some of the Sadducees. 2 These leaders were very disturbed that Peter and John were teaching the people that through Jesus there is a resurrection of the dead. 3 They arrested them and, since it was already evening, put them in jail until morning. 4 But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so the number of believers now totaled about 5,000 men, not counting women and children
5 The next day the council of all the rulers and elders and teachers of religious law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, along with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and other relatives of the high priest. 7 They brought in the two disciples and demanded, “By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?”
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of our people, 9 are we being questioned today because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? 10 Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. 11 For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says,
‘The stone that you builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.’
12 There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”
13 The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there among them, there was nothing the council could say. 15 So they ordered Peter and John out of the council chamber and conferred among themselves.
16 “What should we do with these men?” they asked each other. “We can’t deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it. 17 But to keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.” 18 So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.
19 But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? 20 We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”
21 The council then threatened them further, but they finally let them go because they didn’t know how to punish them without starting a riot. For everyone was praising God 22 for this miraculous sign—the healing of a man who had been lame for more than forty years.

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Do you ever feel like God has let you down? If so, in what ways?

What do you do in these circumstances?

Think about some of the ways that God has come through for you in the past.


+READ Acts 4:23-31
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The Believers Pray for Courage
23 As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. 24 When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—25 you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying,
‘Why were the nations so angry?
Why did they waste their time with futile plans?
26 The kings of the earth prepared for battle;
the rulers gathered together
against the Lord
and against his Messiah.’
27 “In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. 28 But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will. 29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. 30 Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.
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Even though the disciples had just been persecuted, what did they pray for?

What would you say the majority of your prayer life is focused upon?

What might this reveal about your faith or your relationship with God?

Where do you currently need boldness from God in your life?

Week #77 I Need a Job...

These days, there are a lot of people saying, "I need a job." There are some who simply can't find a job and there are a lot of us that have jobs but want new ones. While thinking about this, I began thinking about my talents and my interests and how many people have jobs where they are unable to use their God given talents the way they should be and how many people are working jobs that they have no interest in. Too many of us have simply taken jobs for paychecks and not gone after jobs that we were called to do.

Obviously in today's world, we have to work and we have to make money some way to survive. The world's economy today does not help matters much when it comes to being picky about the type of job you have either. Bare with me as I try to throw some Jesus on the points I'm trying to make...

One of the toughest questions you can ask someone is...What do you want to do with your life? With all the different career options out there, how do you narrow down your search? To start off, you have to take a look at the things you are good at. Maybe you are good with numbers or maybe you have a special bond with kids. It will be very hard to find a job that will allow you to use all of your talents and abilities, but through prayer and some soul searching, hopefully you will be able to find a career that you will be good at and a career that you will enjoy doing.

I know things don't always work out this way (personal experience). Sometimes you have to take a job out of necessity. When this happens you have to trust that God will make use of your time at that job and will allow you to use the skills you acquire there in your future. We have to remember that God is not into wasting His time or ours. Our lives here are too short. He has a purpose for each of us and we have to trust that He knows what is best for us and will help get us where He wants us. He just asks that we do the best that we can with the jobs that He gives us and He will do the rest.

So Potiphar arrested Joseph and put him into the prison....But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness. The Lord caused the prison warden to like Joseph. The prison warden chose Joseph to take care of all the prisoners. He was responsible for whatever was done in the prison. The warden paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's care. This was because the Lord was with Joseph. The Lord made Joseph successful in everything he did.

Genesis 39:20-23

Week #74 A Christian Citizen's Responsibilities

Cheating this week...letting Charles Stanley do all the work :) I figured this passage from his devotional magazine (InTouch Magazine: Conquering Your Fears July 2009) would work great for the recently passed July 4th holiday! Check it out...leave some comments...communicate with Jesus more this week than you ever have before!

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"Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword of nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.

This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor."

Romans 13:1-7

If you catalogued every country of the world, you’d find many different styles and structures of government. But all, from dictatorships to democracies, have this in common: their leaders have been given their positions of power by the Lord (Dan. 2:21).

From a scriptural point of view, everyone with political authority is a servant of God for the good of that society. And while the Lord will hold them accountable for how they govern, His Word also details the Christian’s responsibilities as a citizen.

First, believers should be law-abiding. God’s children are expected to obey whether the issue is paying taxes or driving according to the speed limit (Rom. 13:7; Matt. 22:21).

Second, the body of Christ is to pray for government officials. First Timothy 2 urges us to make “entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings . . . for kings and all who are in authority.” While one purpose is “that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity,” God also “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (vv. 1-4).

Third, we have a responsibility to use actions and words to bear a righteous influence upon our government. Notice that I did not say “dictate” or “dominate”; rather, we are to cooperate by working within the system to effect healthy change.

Jesus called His followers “the salt of the earth” (Matt. 5:13), because salt changes the flavor of whatever it touches. The substance is also a healing agent as well as a preservative. God can bring health to a nation through citizens whose first priority is allegiance to the King of Kings.

Week #64 The Words of Our Mouth

This was taken from the InTouch Monthly Devotional Magazine and written by Dr. Charles Stanley.
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23 Don't have anything to do with arguing. It is dumb and foolish. You know it only leads to fights. 24 Anyone who serves the Lord must not fight. Instead, he must be kind to everyone. He must be able to teach. He must not hold anything against anyone. 25 He must gently teach those who oppose him. Maybe God will give a change of heart to those who are against you. That will lead them to know the truth. 26 Maybe they will come to their senses. Maybe they will escape the devil's trap. He has taken them prisoner to do what he wanted.

2 Timothy 3 Terrible Times in the Last Days

1 Here is what I want you to know. There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will love themselves. They will love money. They will brag and be proud. They will tear others down. They will not obey their parents. They won't be thankful or holy. 3 They won't love others. They won't forgive others. They will tell lies about people. They will be out of control. They will be wild. They will hate what is good. 4 They will turn against their friends. They will act without thinking. They will think they are better than others. They will love what pleases them instead of loving God. 5 They will act as if they were serving God. But what they do will show that they have turned their backs on God's power. Have nothing to do with those people.

Gossip is often regarded as a relatively harmless pastime, particularly when compared to wrongs like murder or adultery. Satan has painted talebearing as innocuous, but if we peel away that deception, we see the ugly truth. In the Bible, God lists gossip among the most depraved sins (Rom. 1:28-31).

Nothing about gossip is harmless. Whether the talk is intentionally hurtful or simply some idle musing, the subject can be hurt or embarrassed. A friend of mine decided to trace a damaging story about himself back to its source. He asked one man after another, “Where did you hear this?” Seventeen pastors later, he finally found the person who had originated the tale. This fellow admitted he had speculated aloud regarding a situation about which he knew little. A destructive chain reaction began with just one man jumping to a false conclusion while chatting with a friend.

Even if the victim never learns of the chitchat going on behind his or her back, gossip still has consequences. The people who spread a tale reveal their inner thinking: “For the mouth speaks out that which fills the heart,” (Matt. 12:34). A poisonous tongue flows with the jealousy, resentment, or pride residing inside.

Gossip has the power to hurt feelings, destroy reputations, and divide churches. We do not have the right to bring such damage into anyone’s life. In fact, God is the only One we should turn to when we hear a story. Those facing trials need prayer rather than tongues wagging over their misfortunes (Gal. 6:2).

© 2009 In Touch Ministries® All Rights Reserved.

Week #52 God-Pleasing Generosity

This is a post written by Charles Stanley on his website www.InTouch.org. I hope everyone enjoys it and is moved by it the way I was.

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God-Pleasing Generosity

Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well. But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also.

2 Corinthians 8:1-7

Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church praises the Macedonian believers at Philippi for their generosity. Despite deep poverty and great troubles, they desired to bless others materially. From their example, we know God is pleased when we give . . . 1. According to divine revelation. The Lord has revealed in Scripture how we are to live. He wants us to base our decisions on biblical principles rather than on our own thinking. Looking solely at a paycheck or bank balance before determining the size of a donation is relying on “self,” not trusting God.

2. Out of our need. The Macedonians were poor, but they didn’t let that keep them from contributing. They gave out of the little they had. The widow who gave her last two copper coins was praised for her offering to the Lord (Mark 12:42-44). We don’t need to have extra money in order to give.

3. To those who spiritually nourish us. The Bible tells us to bring our gifts to the local church, where it can be used to further God’s work. The apostle Paul and others were able to evangelize because of the support provided by the church in Jerusalem. Recognizing that they owed those believers a debt, the Macedonian Christians desired to give something back.

Human reasoning tells us that we cannot part with our funds when debt seems too large or income too small. But the Scriptures tell us to trust the Lord to provide for our needs (Phil. 4:19)—and to give generously. Are you living according to these principles?

© 2008 In Touch Ministries® All Rights Reserved. Dr. Charles Stanley

Week #47 Do What I Say

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
"Honor your father and mother" - which is the first
commandment with a promise - "that it may go well with you
and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." Fathers, do
not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the
training and instruction of the Lord.

Ephesians 6:1-4

This one pokes fun at us young folk...and a lot of older folks too. We are told to honor our father and mother. Why? So that we may enjoy long life on the earth. Is it that simple? Pretty much. The Bible is clear that we are to respect our elders and those placed in authority over us. This holds especially true for our relationships with our parents.

Our main job as children is to obey our parents. Our parent's main job should be to teach us about God, show us how important having a personal relationship with God truly is, and set an example for how a godly person should act and carry themselves on a daily basis both inside and outside of the home. (Obviously parents have other jobs and responsibilities, but for the sake of this post, these are the ones I am focusing on...yer dig?)

This doesn't always happen. Many parents don't have a personal relationship with the Lord and therefore they do not know how to relay the importance of having a relationship with God to their children. In this case, we have to hope and pray that a Christian friend, church member, or family member will step in and plant the seed in the family's life. In cases like these, the child that learns about God can be a major influence on the parent's life by displaying the Christian lifestyle to his or her parents. I feel like I have branched off into another topic here (oops).

Anyway...we are supposed to obey our parents. By obeying our parents, we are obeying God. God is pleased when we obey His commands. He wants to bless us and He wants us to enjoy our lives. God teaches us what to do and what not to do, allowing us to enjoy true freedom. By obeying God, we are able to avoid sin and the misery sin brings into our lives and we can look forward to the blessings God wants to pour over all of us!

Week #41 All Shook Up

LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your
holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is
righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no
slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and
casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a vile man but
honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath even when
it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not
accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these
things will never be shaken.

Psalms 15:1-5

We are all faced with challenges. Some challenges come in the form of "big trouble" while other challenges are "small potatoes." How we respond to these daily challenges speaks volumes about our commitment to God and our maturity as one of His followers.

In the verses above, we are given clear answers on how we are to live our lives so that we will "never be shaken." Doing what is righteous, keeping your promises even when it hurts, lending money without usury, and being nice to your neighbors...sounds simple enough right? Then why do we have so much trouble doing (or not doing) the things listed in these verses? Best answer: we are weak. Psalm 37:5 says that if you commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will help you.

God is on our side. He wants us to live lives pleasing to Him. He wants to help us live that kind of life. If we give ourselves to Him and trust Him, He will help us. Every day is a challenge...we have to decide if we are going to follow Christ and trust Him with the things we are faced with or are we going to take on the world on our own. With God on our side, we have no reason to ever be shaken. If we are walking in His light, doing the things that are pleasing to Him, we won't be shaken. The question is...do we trust Him? Are we willing to do what He has asked us to do?

Week #36 The Dark Knight: more than a movie?

This post was done by Greg Swinton. I think he did a very nice job relating a movie we have probably all seen or want to see to our "religious" themes. Whether you like the movie or not, he makes some great points and did a nice job relating scripture to the events in the movie.
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The Dark Knight is probably one of the best films to be released in quite some time ( Make it a point to see it if you have not already). High profile actors, a compelling storyline, and great special effects all combine to create a great movie, however if you examine the feature a little more in depth you will be able to see how the film is able to illustrate a reflection between the life of Batman and the life of a Christian; here are the similarities I noticed. (WARNING: Spoilers ahead if you have not seen the movie).

A. He kept himself prepared.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.....In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."(Ephesians 6: 10-11, 16-18)

Throughout the film Batman is constantly looking for new ways to fight crime more efficiently. From better weapons to better body armor, he was always trying to prepare himself to do his job better. We as Christians should take on that same attitude when it comes to our Spiritual Walk.

B. He was tested for following his beliefs.

"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name."(1 Peter 4:12-16)

There was a point in the film where everyone in Gotham city wanted Batman to give up his identity and give in to the Joker's demands, knowing it was the wrong thing to do. Batman had to deal with the fact that the Joker was going to kill people if he didn't, but again, he knew that giving in to that was not the right choice.

No one said following God was easy or comfortable, and you have to be prepared to make the right choices, even when is it is not necessarily convenient for you or anyone else.

C. He had a good support system.

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."(Galatians 6:2)

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."(Proverbs 27:17)

Throughout the movie, Batman had some people could depend on to help him in his endeavors. He had Lucious for equipment and his butler, Alfred, for overall correction and encouragement. There was a point in the movie where Batman was completely at a lost and did not quite know what to do and here is the response he got:

Batman/Bruce Wayne: People are dying, Alfred. What would you have me do?

Alfred: Endure, Master Wayne. Take it. They'll hate you for it. But thats the point of Batman, he can be the outcast. He can make the choice that no one else can make, the right choice.

That dialogue illustrates two important points: 1) Its always good to have a good circle of people around you to help you when you feel like you cannot bear the load by yourself. Make sure you try to keep yourself surrounded with the right people, so they can give you the right advice
when you need it. 2) The other important point of that dialogue is that it echoes what I covered earlier; the choices made to follow God are not always the easiest to make.

D. He acted on faith

"We live by faith, not by sight."(2 Corinthians 5:7)

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."(Hebrews 11:1)

The final confrontation Batman had with Joker involved him trying to save people in a building as well as 2 ships filled with people. The two ships were armed with detonators to blow up the opposite ship. The people on board were going to be blown up in an hour if they did not chose to blow up the other ship. Batman was only able to attempt to save the people in the building, but was confident in the fact that the people would not destroy one another, even without his assistance. The faith he had in the people trapped on the boats is the faith we should have in God. He acted knowing he couldn't save those trapped on the boats, and still went on without any visible assurance that everything was going to turn out ok. And in the end after all that he endured throughout that film his actions, beliefs, and faith in the people were validated when neither ship decided to destroy the other knowing the consequences.

"And the God of all grace,who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." (1 Peter 5: 10)
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How do you all feel? Can Batman's life be related to the life of a Christian?

Week #29 Working for God

How can I have a better attitude at work? Does God care how I do my job?

READ: Ephesians 6:5-6

Every service we provide, even our professional tasks are to be considered work done directly for the Lord. In these verses in Ephesians, Paul used the terms "slaves and masters"--today's equivalent would be employees and bosses--to describe how we as Christians should labor.

The way we go about our work gives us an opportunity to show others what we think about God. If we produce excellent work, do it with a positive attitude, and show that we care about other people, we are able to model God's character and become a witness for Him. By doing our work well, we please God and it makes more of an impact on others than we realize.

Whatever job you may have right now was given to you by God. He put you in your job, not only to meet your financial needs, but also so that you might be a witness for Him by how you act and how hard you work. God is constantly preparing us for something more in the future, but He wants to see how we handle what He gives us now. Our jobs count as an opportunity for us from God. He has placed you where you are right now. Make the best of it. Be happy, work hard, praise and obey God.

"Everything we do that touches other lives either glorifies the Lord or diminishes His name in front of a watching world."

-Charles Stanley

Week #25 Story in an Email

THE BRICK

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared . Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown.

The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, 'What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?' The young boy was apologetic. 'Please, mister...please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do,' He pleaded. 'I threw the brick because no one else would stop...' With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. 'It's my brother' he said. 'He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up.'

Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, 'Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me.'

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay. 'Thank you and may God bless you,' the grateful child told the stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home.

It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: 'Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!'

God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice to listen or not.

Thought for the Day:

If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.

If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it.

He sends you flowers every spring.

He sends you a sunrise every morning Face it, friend - He is crazy about you!

God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.

Week #24 Scaredy Cat

What's wrong with being afraid?

READ: Mark 5:22-23, 35-36; Mark 6:49-50

Jesus tells us not to be afraid. Jesus knows that fear paralyzes us and keeps us from doing things that God wants us to do. Everything God has called us to do is not going to be easy. Some things require us to have courage and to trust God to take care of us.

Fear convinces us that we will fail, that we will let other people down, and that God will not help us when we need him to. Fear causes us not to think straight. We become overwhelmed with what other people are thinking and all the bad things that could possibly happen. We should not be concerned with these things.

We do not have to worry about what other people think of us, we only need to be concerned with what God thinks of us. God is in complete control of our lives. Nothing will happen to us that He doesn't already know about and He will not put anything on our plates that we are not able to handle with His help. When we become afraid, we should immediately turn our focus to God. Whether we fear having talk to a group of people, fear not being able to find a job, or fear not being able to pay a bill on time, we can focus on the image of God fighting by our side and our fear will fade.

Do not be afraid; for I am with you.

Isaiah 43:5a

Week #21 Be Passionate About Your Christian Life!

Is it okay to celebrate the Christian life and be enthusiastic about my faith? I always thought my faith was all so serious.

READ: Philippians 3:7-12; Psalm 103:2; Isaiah 49:13
The word passion means to have an intense desire towards something or someone. This can apply to many areas of our lives, but it should apply especially to our spiritual life. Sadly, this isn't always the case. We are passionate about our jobs, money, sports, and our possessions. But what about God? Where does He rank on our list of things we are passionate about? Is He even on the list?

As believers, we should passionately seek to know God. In order to be passionate about someone, you have to get to know them. Today, many Christians "know" Christ in a superficial way. We know that He is the world's Savior, that He was the virgin-born Son of God, and that He died on the cross (accepting death in our place) and rose after three days to sit at the right hand of God. Those are the facts that we all know (even non-Christians "know" these things), but just knowing these will not bring lasting satisfaction. We want to know Who is this Jesus that willingly died and why did He give His life? To find these answers we have to seek an intimate relationship with Christ and gain a true knowledge of Christ.

The Lord wants us to be passionate about our relationship with Him. In order for our relationships with Him to grow, we have to read our Bibles, pray with Him, and walk in His light. Jesus wants us to serve Him enthusiastically, joyfully, and with a great sense of delight. We should celebrate because God has given us the biggest reason to celebrate...He has rescued us from the consequences of sin and He promises us the wonders of eternity!

Celebrate and enjoy every moment of life! Be passionate about the gift God has given you, the many blessings He provides each and every day, and the chance He has given each of us to have an intimate relationship with Him! Our passion and enthusiasm will be infectious!

Week #15 Goodness

How can I be good?

READ: Romans 14:17; 1 Timothy 5:10; 1 Peter 2:9

Goodness is not just being talented at something, as in "she is good at painting." Goodness is a composite of many qualities, such as being kind, helpful, loving, pleasant, generous, and gentle. These qualities exhibit our likeness to God. When Christ takes control of your heart, you begin doing good deeds that, when practiced over a lifetime, will be defined as goodness.

When you're growing in goodness day by day and year by year, you're building a reservoir that can become a fountain of goodness flowing out from you to others, showing them what God is like.
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I know I need to be kind, but it's really hard with some people. How can I be kind even to unkind people?

READ: Colossians 1:10; Matthew 7:12; Philemon 1:7; Proverbs 11:17

Kindness is not a single act, but a lifestyle. You practice kindness in all you do and say, always treating others as you would want to be treated. Kindness does not mean always giving in or giving up and letting others have their way. Even when confronting others over a tough issue, you can do it in a kind way without being rude or derogatory. When you do these things, you can have a great impact on others for Christ and His Kingdom.

The One Year Mini for Students

Week #7 Resolutions

I know this is a day or two late, but I thought we could talk about New Year's resolutions and starting off 2008 the right way...God's Way. Everyone is making New Year's resolutions, but few people actually end up keeping them. Most people end up breaking their resolutions a few months after making them.

When thinking about your goals and resolutions for the new year, think about what life goals will bring you closer to God. The type of goals you set should help you develop a better relationship with God. This means focusing on God and on his direction for your life, not on seeking only pleasure or great things for yourself. The Bible says that Enoch had a great relationship with God for 365 years (Genesis 5:23-24)! Why not walk with God for the next 365 days?

Instead of making a long list of things you hope to do this year, try focusing on the one thing that really matters...a daily resolution to be more like Jesus. While on earth, Jesus loved, served, and gave glory to God. We should always be looking for ways to improve our relationship with God and help us to walk with God. If we decide to live this way, we will find that every day brings about a new adventure. For this year, decide to strive to be more like Jesus by loving and serving God and others, and by bringing glory to God in the way that you live.

Check out these versus:
Mark 10:45
1 Corinthians 14:1
2 Corinthians 5:9
James 4:4
Joshua 22:5