Pastor John's Daily Journal

11/14 Love Never Fails

2005-11-15T20:50:00.000-08:00

S) 1 Cor 13:8a Love never fails.

O) What a promise! Love never fails is such an amazing promise, because we live in a culture where that word is thrown around so that we can get what we want from other people. But true love will never fail us. His love will never fail us.

A) I have to model love. I have to be an example of love for all of those around me. I hope that my version of love is God's version of love. I don't want to be guilty of using the word love without remembering that it is not supposed to fail. This has been such a busy week and it never fails that when you have a birthday everyone asks if you feel older, of different, and the answer always seems to be, "No", but I want my answer to be, "Yes". I want my answer next year to be that yes, I was closer to the Lord this year than ever before. I don't want this because of my job at the church, but because I hunger after God!

P) Lord help me to live a life where love never fails. Help me to show a love that is not based on what it can get, but on what it can give to others.

11/13 No Entry

2005-11-14T08:59:00.000-08:00

11/12 No Entry

2005-11-12T08:58:00.000-08:00

11/11 I Was Glad

2005-11-11T15:51:00.000-08:00

S) Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go into the house of the Lord"

O) Is that our attitude still today? Is that my attitude still today? We live in a society that is so consumed with "ME" time, that I fear that we are sometimes guilty of "checking in" with God on a Sunday morning. Maybe it's out of a genuine relationship, but it could be out of routine. I hope that I will always be glad to be in the house of the Lord. I want my son and my wife to be glad to go into the house of the Lord as well.

A) Our society is not conducive to putting others first, sadly, not even God at times. I want to be guilty of setting an example that is one that says "I was glad to be in God's house." Help me not to be worried about "ME" time, and to freely give it to You as an offering, as a symbol of my love for You. Help me to model these things in my life.

P) Lord help me to live out these things in my life. I never want to be unhappy with going to Your house. I want You to know that I don't love Your house because I am a pastor, but because I am Yours!

11/10 Magnify Him

2005-11-11T15:30:00.000-08:00

S) Job 36:24 Remember to magnify His work, of which men have sung.

O) What a challenge! How often are we guilty of forgetting His work? As I look around at my situation in life, I must remember to magnify His work. We take so many things for granted, and we often forget to magnify Him for His works.

A) When I look back through the history of the church I can start to grasp the big picture. The songs that must have been sung and attributed to the Greatness of God. I must always remember to thank God for His Awesomeness.

P) Lord I thank You for Your Mighty Works. I thank You for loving me, help me to never forget the things You have done in my life.

11/9 All Things Are Lawful

2005-11-10T17:21:00.000-08:00

S) 1 Cor 6:12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

O) "All things are lawful for me..." Was a slogan of the early church at Corinth. Paul was warning the Corinthians that freedom from the ceremonial law was not freedom to be immoral, nor was it a license to sin and indulge in our own selfishness.

A) I must look at this passage and allow the Lord to speak to my heart. Freedom is not a license to do my own thing, yet I treat it like that at times. I must celebrate my freedom in Christ as a privilege and not something that gives me a license to sin.

P) Lord help me to be a man after Your Own Heart. Help me to know that even though all things are lawful, some things are not helpful or needed in my life.

11/8 No Flesh Should Glory

2005-11-09T17:32:00.000-08:00

S) 1 Cor 1:27-29 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.

O) God in His infinite wisdom could have done things any way that He wanted, but these verses let me know that there is a reason for people like me. Thank God that He will allow no one to get His Glory.

A) I have to hold on to the fact that God wants to use people like us! I am so not worthy of this honor, yet He looks beyond that and sees me through the Blood of Jesus.

P) Lord, I am honored that You would use someone like me. I want to liveup to Your Expectations of me. I want to make You proud of me. Help me to be an example to those around me. AMEN!

11/7 Watch What We Sow

2005-11-08T09:47:00.000-08:00

S) Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

O) We are kidding ourselves if we think we can sow to the flesh and not reap destruction. We must get our priorities right! This Scripture reminds me that I must sow good seed into good soil.

A) In a society that is constantly looking for us to give to something, help somewhere, invest in everything, I am responsible to God for my sowing. I am also responsible to acknowledge that I will reap what I sow.

P) Lord help me to sow right seed into right soil. Help me to make decisions that will have eternal results, and not ones that bring destruction.

11/6 I'm An Heir

2005-11-07T09:41:00.000-08:00

S) Galatians 3:29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

O) As Christians we are the spiritual seed of Abraham's promise. This is an amazing promise. God's provision promised to Abraham's seed is now my promise because of Christ.

A) Now we are born of the promise because of Christ. Racial, social and gender distinctions have no place, because of Christ. We have been justified through Christ.

P) Father thank you for Your provision through Christ. Thank You that I have been included in Your promises, that through Christ I have been justified. Help me to live accordingly.

11/5 Am I A Man Pleaser?

2005-11-05T20:41:00.000-08:00

S) Galatians 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

O) Can I please man and still please God? Today was a crazy day, yet in the midst of all the craziness, I was reflecting on this passage of God's Word. What is my priority? Do I want to please men, or do I want to please God?

A) Paul draws a great picture in this verse, if we still please men we wouldn't be able to be bondservants of Christ. The dictionary say a bondservant is someone bound to labor without wages, in other words, Paul is saying that he is bound to service with Jesus, not for pay, but because of love.

P) Lord I want to please You. I don't want to be a man pleaser, I need to please you. I must be willing to do anything, and everything You ask. Help me to be like Paul, and be an example for other believers.

11/4 It's Our Job

2005-11-04T15:26:00.000-08:00

S) Mark 16:15 And He said to them, ÂGo into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

O) This was acommissionn. This was not a suggestion. It is our job to take the Gospel into all the world.

A) I must be willing to take the Gospel to the whole world. It is not enough to think about it, to just pray about it, to do nothing about it, it must just be done, and I must be doing it! We can never compromise the message of Christ, but we cannot be held hostage by old ways of thinking, and old ways of doing things.

P) Lord I want to spread the Gospel to every creature. Help me to look to You for creative ways to minister to people. I want You to lead me and guide me in every situation.

11/3 The Price Of Our Worship

2005-11-03T15:25:00.000-08:00

S) Mark 14:3 And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.

O) This woman raised the eyebrows of those people around her. Even some of those closest to Jesus were alarmed by her act of worship. It was not done in a showy way, but it was done as a genuine act of worship. Some people try to put on a show during worship, yet all God wants is to see a genuine heart of worship present in all of us.

A) Would I be willing to give all I have to worship Jesus? Would I be willing to not care about what others are thinking about my method of worship? In a world where we all worry about what others are doing, saying and thinking I want to be like this woman who poured out what was so expensive and represented all she had to worship Jesus.

P) Lord help me to give you my all in worship. Help me to be like this women who gave all and didn't worry about those around her, not in an arrogant way, but in a sold out way. As we get ready to spend time this month with going deeper in worship, help me to be an example to those around me.

11/2 House Of Prayer

2005-11-02T15:25:00.000-08:00

S) Mark 11:17 Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”

O) We need to be about the Lord's business.

A) What is His House called in your life? What about mine?

P) Lord help me to see things the way that You see them. Help us to keep Your House in proper perspective.

11/1 He Loves Me

2005-11-01T15:26:00.000-08:00

S) Mark 10:21 & 22 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ÂOne thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.Â 22 But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

O) I saw something in this passage that I have never seen before, that was that Jesus, looking at him, loved him... Jesus knew what his answer would be, yet he loved him in spite of his response.

A) Jesus loves me this I know..Thisis is an amazing song, He really loves me, in spite of how I can blow it sometimes. Jesus sees into our hearts and He challenges us right where we are at. I thank God for His love.

P) God, thanks for loving munconditionallyly. Thanks for loving me when You know my answers won't please You. Help me to always choose Your Ways.

10/31 I Don't Need A Sign

2005-10-31T17:12:00.000-08:00

S) Mark 8:11 & 12 Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. 12 But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, ÂWhy does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.Â

O) What are we looking for? Are we searching for a sign? I must ask myself what aI i looking for. I must be content to follow Jesus whole heartedly.

A) I have to be willing to follow You, Jesus. I don't care about signs, I just want You. I don't want to be guilty of chasing hard after You.

P) Lord help me to be an example of someone who follows You with all of my heart. I don't need a sign, I just need You!

10/30 What Faith

2005-10-30T16:49:00.000-08:00

S) Mark 6:56 Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.

O) Wow! Where ever Jesus was the people brought others who needed Jesus to Him. This could be the church. We meet with Jesus all the time, but we don't often have faith like these people had. They believed that Jesus would heal everyone! What do we believe?

A) Today has been such a long day. I have thought a lot about our church and the people that call it home. I found out as I was out of town today, that the guest speaker didn't show up at our church, but that God did. As a matter of fact, God showed up in a very special way. Do we expect that Jesus wants to heal everyone? I want my faith level to grow to that level of expectancy.

P) Lord help me to expect You to have that kind of influence in my city. I know You have chosen to use us, Help us to live up to Your expectations.

10/29 Listening to Jesus

2005-10-29T14:18:00.000-07:00

S) Mark 4:1 & 2 And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. 2 Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:

O) This must have been quite a sight. He used the natural setting of this water and the crowds gathered at the shore as a ampitheather if you will. The acoustics were probably awesome. I am amazed at times when I read the Bible how much sense it makes. I have been to a quiet lake side where we could project our voices, and hear it echo all around us. Here we see a picture of the people probably glued to Jesus' every word.

A) I want to be able to sit and to listen to what Jesus wants to speak to my heart. I want to be able to hear His Words echo in my spirit before I make that next step.

P) Lord help me to get to the side of the sea and to listen for Your instructions. I want to listen, please continue to speak to me.

10/28 Keeping The Sabbath

2005-10-28T13:48:00.000-07:00

S) Mark 2:27 And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath..."

O) I look at this verse and think that sometimes we have it all backwards. Do we worship on Sunday, or Saturday? Do we look at the Old Testament pattern of Sabbath, or do we modify it to fit our lifestyle? So many times we major on the minor stuff. I see that we need to make sure we keep the Sabbath, but it cannot control us.

A) As a bivocational Pastor, there does not seem to be enough hours in a week at times, but I still have to be a dad, a husband, and a get both my secular and church work accomplished. I see to many of my friends in the ministry kill themselves by never taking a day off, so I ask them what other commandments they break as a routine practice. I have been traveling for a week straight now, and I have had our son with me, so I have been teacher as well, but I believe with all my heart I must prioritize my life as follows:

1. God
2. Family
3. Ministry

If I can do this successfully, I will make it. It doesn't do anyone any good I don't keep a Sabbath Day for the Lord, but I can't let it rule me.

P) Lord help me to keep the first things first! I want to keep the Sabbath, but I understand that You don't want it to rule over me. Thank You for not being so legalistic that I have the freedom of choice in my life. Just continue to help me to make the right choices. AMEN!

10/27 Salvation For The Gentiles

2005-10-27T09:19:00.000-07:00

S) Acts 28:28 “Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!”

O) Thank God that salvation has come to the Gentiles.

A) I am amazed at the way the Lord allows people to hear His message. In a world where the Jews thought they were the only ones entitled to Salvation. We are that way at times, we think that the only ones entitled to the Gospel is us. We would never say that, but we act that way in that we don't share Jesus, or our testimonies, or what the Lord has done in our lives, we wait until someone asks us, or comes to us for help.

P) Forgive me Lord, for not sharing you at every opportunity. Help me not to keep You for myself. I need to let Your light shine through me and to make a difference in the lives of others.

10/26 Sharing Our Testimony

2005-10-26T09:14:00.000-07:00

S) Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”

O) I find this interesting that even Paul, didn't win everyone who he shared his testimony with.

A) Although we may not win everyone, we still have an obligation to share our testimony with people.

P) Lord help me to be willing to share my testimony with everyone.

10/25 God Has Our Best Interests At Heart

2005-10-25T20:11:00.000-07:00

S) Acts 22:20-21 And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him. 21 Then He said to me, Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.

O) It took quite a while for me to get this Scripture to speak to my heart. I kept looking at it over and over, and just not seeing what the Lord was trying to speak to my spirit. Sometimes we can look at something over and over before it finally sinks in. Even though Paul had just reminded the Lord of his involvement with Stephen's stoning, God still had Paul's best interest at heart.

A) We blow it all the time! We let God down over and over again, yet He has our best interests at heart! I don't deserve it, you don't deserve it, yet that is how AWESOME our God really is. He will warn, protect, and try to steer us in the right direction, His direction.

P) Thank You for always having my best interest at heart. Even though I let You down, You still love me so much.

10/24 Who Are You?

2005-10-24T23:39:00.000-07:00

S) Acts 19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”

O) So many times I joke using this Scripture as a reference, but I wonder how often this really happens? I say things like "Dear Jesus it's me John, you know Kim's husband", but how many of us are doing things in our own strength? And if God doesn't know us, how can the enemy?

A) I love what my wife says, "When I wake up I want the devil to say,"oh no Kim is up!"" That should be our attitude. It is a law of nature, that if something is not growing, it is dying. God help us to grow. Help us to radically change OUR WORLD for Your Glory.

P) Lord help me everyday to be known not only by You, but by the enemy as well. I don't want this because of self credit, but because I am striving to make a difference in MY WORLD!

10/23 A Provoked Spirit

2005-10-23T10:03:00.001-07:00

S) Acts 17:16 Now while Paul waited in Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols.

O) Paul was a godly man. His spirit was provoked because of what He saw in Athens. Are we godly people? Are our spirits provoked by what we see in our city? Have we become used to the stuff in our city?

A) I must not allow myself to be okay with the things around me if they are not right. I must get a heart after God, so I will be provoked in my spirit at such things.

P) Lord help me to become closer to You. I need Your Heart and Your Convictions to be mine so that I won't just accept the things around me as being okay.

10/22 No Entry

2005-10-23T10:03:00.000-07:00

10/21 No Entry

2005-10-23T10:02:00.000-07:00

10/20 Answered Prayer

2005-10-20T11:57:00.000-07:00

S) Acts 12:16 Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.

O) That is just like us as believers. Here we are gathered together praying for God to do something, or to answer our prayers, and when He does, we don't believe it. They just accused the girl who answered herself as being "beside herself". We say we are full of faith, and then we admit our amazement when God answers our prayers. Was it that this prayer was too hard? Was it that this request was too big? Are we asking for things that are too hard or too big?

A) I must live this life of faith that I preach. I must expect the God whom I trust and serve to be able to meet the needs and prayers whether they are small or big, easy or hard. How does it look to those around me, especially non-believers, if when our God answers our prayers. I am asking God to do several "big" or "hard" things in the lives of the people around me, and I have to believe that He is able and willing to meet these needs.

P) Lord, help me to trust You for the things I have prayed about. I know that you are God, and can do these things, but I need to get that from my head to my heart at times. Help me to live a life that is an example to everyone around me, both believers and non-believers, so that You will be glorified. I expect You to answer my prayers, not because of who I am, but because of who You are and because of my faith in You. AMEN

10/19 Being Happy

2005-10-19T22:33:00.000-07:00

S) Job 5:17 Behold happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.

O) Yeah right! Who likes to be chastened? I don't. I can be such a baby at times! I think that we look for happiness in a variety of places, but not in being chastened. We look for happiness in people, things, successes, and even in failures at times, but that is contrary to this passage.

A) God needs to correct me! That is how I know I missed it. I have to correct my son at times, but it is done out of love and compassion, (he doesn't think of it that way). Ironic isn't it, because we don't see it that way most of the time when it happens to us. I must look at it the Lord's correction in a different light.

P) Lord help me to know You have to correct me at times, because I need it. Thank You for Your correction.

10/18 Walking Right

2005-10-18T22:25:00.000-07:00

S) Acts 9:31 Then the churches through out all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

O) This sounds like a good pattern for church growth, walking in the fear of the Lord, and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

A) I don't know if I can say with an honest heart that I have always done these two steps. I think we try to much stuff on our own. I need to walk in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

P) Lord help me to always walk in fear of You. Help me to walk in the comfort of the Holy Spirit so I am not doing stuff in my own strength.

10/17 Like Kids On A Playground

2005-10-17T12:05:00.000-07:00

S) Acts 7:57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord:

O) This must have been a sight to see! Grown men with their fingers in their ears and yelling so as not to hear the words of Stephen. It probably looked like a group of kids on the playground.

A) I see so many things in this passage. How many times do we as adults say we will go, yet we go kicking and screaming? If this is our reaction to a situation, we had better examine where we are at,

P) Lord I want to listen when You speak, even if it hurts. Help me not to be like those who wouldn't listen and killed Your servant.

10/16 Obey God

2005-10-16T14:08:00.000-07:00

S) Acts 5:29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said, "We ought to obey God rather than men."

O) I find this sentence to be refreshing. It really makes me think of our churches and leadership today. Sometimes I think that we are guilty of chasing something that is over there somewhere. We buy books about all things about God, growth, leadership, outreach, and other hot topics, and we put so much stock in that and still we lose sight of asking and obeying God. We need to get back to asking and obeying God. This must start at the top and funnel its way through the church.

A) I needed to see this. I want this to be a life verse for me. I want to be guilty of hearing God and obeying Him, and not to worry about men. Don't get me wrong, we need to be accountable, and listen to leadership, but we have to keep it in proper perspective. The last the the church needs is more copying something we see somewhere else, and trying to duplicate it here.

P) Lord forgive me for not obeying You. Forgive me for not even asking You at times. I want to worry less about men, and more about You. I want to live a life that is submitted, listening, and growing closer to You every day.

10/15 Have You Been With Jesus?

2005-10-15T22:51:00.000-07:00

S) Acts 4:3 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

O) I was wondering what people saw in these men. They saw the boldness, they perceived that they were uneducated and untrained, and yet they marveled. They realized that they had been with Jesus. What do people see in my life? Boldness? Uneducatedness? A lack of training? Or can people tell that I have been with Jesus?

A) This week has had many challenges, from the passing of one of my hero's in Pastor Shotwell, to Bill our bookkeeper being in a serious motorcycle accident, and one of my best friends daughters being taken by helicopter to a San Diego hospital, with the chance of losing her 6 1/2 month old baby girl. In a week of such stuff, did the people around me see Jesus in me? Was I as bold as I should have been? In every situation? I think that I have to make sure that I am the man that Jesus wants me to be, all the time.

P) Lord today I want to commit again to You to be like Peter and John. I want people to marvel at what happens through me, not because of who I am, but because of who I serve. I know my limitations of education and training, but I know that I can do all things through Christ. I can say to my son and others, "follow me as I follow Christ!"

10/14 Looking At The Need

2005-10-14T13:31:00.000-07:00

S) Acts 3:4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us."

O) Recently I heard a missionary speak on this text and I was amazed at something I had never seen before. Peter and John looked at him. How many times have we as believers chosen not to look at a person in need? The panhandler, the person on the freeway ramp, the person who appears to have a physical impairment? Do we choose to look needs right in the eyes, or do we choose to look past them?

A) I don't want to look past the needs anymore! I don't want to be guilty of not looking at people who are hurting. I must be willing to face the needs head on like John and Peter did.

P) Lord forgive me for not being Your Hands extended. Help me to see people the way that You do, and not to look past people.

10/13 One Accord

2005-10-13T12:36:00.000-07:00

S) Acts 2:1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

O) One accord? Imagine what would happen. We see that on the Day of Pentecost, and in one accord, thousands were added to the kingdom. We must find a way to get along. We must get past our differences and get in one accord.

A) We must strive for one accord. We can agree to disagree, but we have to get together. Our goal must be unity. No matter what the cost! Will you be willing to join in this task?

P) Lord help me to get into one accord with my brothers and sisters. Help me to set an example for others. Thank You for letting me know that it is possible. AMEN.

10/12 I Need The Holy Spirit

2005-10-12T11:41:00.000-07:00

S) Acts 1:5 "for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

O) Can you imagine what these guys must have been thinking? They had just been told to wait in Jerusalem for this promise, yet they must have been wondering what promise? Do you think Peter imagined what it would look like on the Day of Pentecost?

A) I need more of the Holy Spirit! I need this baptism in the Holy Spirit constantly. It isn't enough to go the the well one time, and think that we have it all done. I must live a pattern of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

P) Lord fill me again today. Help me not to try to do it on my own. I need the Holy Spirit, every minute of everyday.

10/11 Open My Eyes

2005-10-11T22:05:00.000-07:00

S) Luke 24:30-31 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

O) What a picture we see in these Scriptures. These disciples walked with Jesus well into the evening, yet they didn't recognize Him. It wasn't until they had fellowship with Him, that they knew Him.

A) We can be so busy that we miss Jesus. We might even walk with Him for a long period and still miss Him.

P) Lord, I'm sorry if I have been so busy that I have missed You. Help me not to be so busy that I spend all day with You and my eyes stay closed! Open my eyes! I want to see You. AMEN!

10/10 I'm Tired Too...

2005-10-10T21:46:00.000-07:00

S) Nehemiah 4:10 Then Judah said, "The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall."

O) Like so many times in life we see that the laborers get tired. We have seen the 80/20 rule, where most of the work,(80%), in the church gets done by a few people, (20%). It's okay to get tired, it is okay to feel like the job is too big, but the problem only lies in the fact that we give up.

A) Don't Give Up! Don't Get Discouraged! If we admit when we get weary and tired, we can allow the Lord to recharge our battery. I must know my limitations. I must trust God to bring new life into my situations in life. I must not ever be willing to quit, to give up, to STOP! I have an obligation to finish the fight, to run the good race. If I am going to make an adequate assessment of the task at hand, I have to be willing to admit my dependence on God.

P) Father help me to lean on You! Thank You for letting me know that it is okay to get tired, but thank You more for always being willing to recharge my spiritual batteries. I want to be able to lead by example. I don't want to ever be guilty of asking someone to go where I will not go myself. Strengthen the laborers around me, my fellow leaders and help us to finish what You have called us to do! AMEN

10/9 A Commanded Blessing

2005-10-09T21:30:00.000-07:00

S) Psalm 133:1 & 3b Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethern to dwell together in unity! ...For there the Lord commanded the blessing - Life forevermore.

O) Wow, what a promise! This chapter shows an incredible promise from the Lord. If we can somehow get past the "us", in the equations, and be able to have the"unity" aspect of relationships that God intended, there would be a commanded blessing.

A) Why is there fighting? Why such a competition? Why are we so territorial at times? Why don't we have God's commanded blessing? Is it because we don't have unity? Wouldn't it be amazing to those we are trying to minister to if we could all get along? I was just told of a church not letting it's neighbors use the church parking lot without paying $300. To this unsaved family it could have been an incredible blessing, yet it became an incredible stumbling block. The children of Israel never attained the level of unity or commanded blessing, that I believe the Lord intended for them. Are we going to be the save way, or are we willing to let go of what is ours and commit to unity above all else so that we can accomplish God's very best. Can we be the starting place?

P) Lord, today I commit to strive for unity, not compromise, but common ground, a sense of fellowship that is above reproach. I want You to pleased with me, and the level of unity in my life, family, church, with fellow laborers and leaders to put myself and others in a place of YOUR COMMANDED BLESSING!

10/8 My Role In Life

2005-10-08T22:49:00.000-07:00

S) Psalm 131:1b Niether do i concern myself with great matters, nor with things too profound for me.

O) In this psalm of trust, attributed to David, we see a picture of humility. This was not only one of his best traits, but we see it was a pattern at times that he strived after. I think this shows a picture of humility for us, today as believers. If we concern ourselves with those things that we can control and leave the rest to God, we would be better off.

A) I want to live a life of humility. As Richard Exley once said, "I want to be as dumb as a stick, so I can't get in the Lord's way." We must be willing to get out of God's way so that He can be God. In the business of the "supernatural", we must let God do the "super"part, and we have to do the "natural" part, under His guidence and direction. The world needs God, and God needs us, in that He set it up that way, so if we will partner with Him, we will see our world change.

P) Lord, help me to worry about what I need to take care of, and help me not to be concerned with the things that are out of my control. You are my Lord and Savior, help me to live out my faith accordingly. AMEN

10/7 Don't Cheat Caesar

2005-10-07T17:28:00.000-07:00

S) Luke 20:25 And he said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's"

O) We live in a society where everyone is looking out for NUMBER ONE! We might even know people who "fudge" figures around April to save money. We in the church should be setting an example, yet we are guilty of being some of the worst offenders. I realize that our situation with the church parking lot improvements has been trying at times, and the fees and permits seem outrageous, but we need to "Render therefore to Caesar...". If we won't set the example, who will? It is easy to get caught up in the "stuff" of life, and to blow an opportunity to let our light shine without grumbling and complaining.

A) I guess it has to start with me! Well, I guess it should start with me, with us! Are you willing to go first? Even if no body goes with you? I think that if we will set the bar high, it will bring honor to God. We should be the ones that make sure we have our houses in order, not only when it comes to Caesar, but when it comes to the Lord as well.

P) Lord, help me to give You what belongs to You and to give the government what belongs to them. I want You to be proud of me! I want You to be able to say that You trusted me with the small things, so You were able to trust me with the bigger things. Help me to be an example, AMEN.

10/6 But Lord, He's A Sinner

2005-10-06T16:51:00.000-07:00

S) Luke 19:7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner."

O) I think that it is very interestingthat we see the people, some of whom were followers of Christ, get mad about the company Jesus was keeping. When we look at how life works, we see that Jesus doesn't always do things the way that we think He should, or spend time with who we think He should.

A) I think that I need to be less worried about the "tax collectors" in life. I have to do my part to take Jesus everywhere. I should celebrate who ever He touches, however He chooses to touch Him.

P) Lord help the scales fall off my eyes, so I can see people the way You do. I want to be Your Hands and Feet extended in my life and my shpere of influence.