By the way, I'll be heading to Mexico on a mission trip this weekend and won't have much opportunity to blog about the devotional stuff. Keep spending time in the devotional and we'll crank up the blog again when I get back.
If you want to follow along with our mission trip, check out missionmexico08
Pastor Dave
Friday, June 20, 2008
Day 34...Redo your Attitude
Titus 3:3-8
I have to admit, when I first read these verses I didn't see the connection to the devotional today. I thought maybe they misprinted the verse reference...but then it started to make sense.
You see, it's normal for us to feel and think that other people have better lives than we do - they look better or have better stuff or get treated better. This usually makes us feel even worse about ourselves and just a little (or a lot) resentful toward the "better people." That's normal.
But here's the deal, when God comes into our lives, we stop being "normal" in the sense that we no longer think, feel, and act like we did before God entered our lives. That's what the verses in Titus were talking about. God changes us - not on the outside, but on the inside. God's not into plastic surgery to change the surface of our lives. He's into major transplant surgery to change our inside. He puts a new heart in us so that we see the world around us (including ourselves) the way that He sees it.
So, the next time you think "I wish my life was..." stop and examine your heart. Are you looking at your world through God's heart or your own?
I have to admit, when I first read these verses I didn't see the connection to the devotional today. I thought maybe they misprinted the verse reference...but then it started to make sense.
You see, it's normal for us to feel and think that other people have better lives than we do - they look better or have better stuff or get treated better. This usually makes us feel even worse about ourselves and just a little (or a lot) resentful toward the "better people." That's normal.
But here's the deal, when God comes into our lives, we stop being "normal" in the sense that we no longer think, feel, and act like we did before God entered our lives. That's what the verses in Titus were talking about. God changes us - not on the outside, but on the inside. God's not into plastic surgery to change the surface of our lives. He's into major transplant surgery to change our inside. He puts a new heart in us so that we see the world around us (including ourselves) the way that He sees it.
So, the next time you think "I wish my life was..." stop and examine your heart. Are you looking at your world through God's heart or your own?
- What is one part of your life you wish you could change?
- How can looking at it through God's heart change your attitude about things?
Pastor Dave
Monday, June 16, 2008
Day 30...Invisible
Psalm 25:16-21
Some people are surprised to hear that I sometimes feel lonely on Sunday. They see me walking around the church talking to tons of people and laughing with them. But I feel lonely because I don't have many really close friends. For most of the people I talk with on Sunday mornings. those are the only 3 minutes I talk to them during any given week - that's not a very deep friendship.
I think Jesus was lonely at times too. Think about it. He was in heaven in perfect communion with God the Father and the Holy Spirit...and then He comes to earth. He did that because He loved us so much, but I have to think that Jesus missed His place in heaven with the Father and Spirit. Jesus knows what it is like to be lonely.
I know that you know what loneliness feels like too. The good news is - that's normal! We all feel lonely at times and wonder if anyone really cares. The better news is - God is always aware of every part of our life and no one cares more about how we are feeling or what we are going through. Jesus said in Matthew that God even keeps His eye on the sparrow (a really small bird) and we are worth a lot more than a sparrow to God so He is definitely tuned into our life. As followers of Jesus we are a part of God's family, and God always watches over His family.
Some people are surprised to hear that I sometimes feel lonely on Sunday. They see me walking around the church talking to tons of people and laughing with them. But I feel lonely because I don't have many really close friends. For most of the people I talk with on Sunday mornings. those are the only 3 minutes I talk to them during any given week - that's not a very deep friendship.
I think Jesus was lonely at times too. Think about it. He was in heaven in perfect communion with God the Father and the Holy Spirit...and then He comes to earth. He did that because He loved us so much, but I have to think that Jesus missed His place in heaven with the Father and Spirit. Jesus knows what it is like to be lonely.
I know that you know what loneliness feels like too. The good news is - that's normal! We all feel lonely at times and wonder if anyone really cares. The better news is - God is always aware of every part of our life and no one cares more about how we are feeling or what we are going through. Jesus said in Matthew that God even keeps His eye on the sparrow (a really small bird) and we are worth a lot more than a sparrow to God so He is definitely tuned into our life. As followers of Jesus we are a part of God's family, and God always watches over His family.
- Knowing that Jesus felt lonely at times in life, how does that effect the way you pray to Him when you feel lonely?
- What would you say to someone who is feeling lonely and needs encouragement?
Pastor Dave
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Day 26...Bondservant
Exodus 21:1-7
Slavery as we know it is not a good thing (in case you didn't know). But back in ancient times some cases of slavery weren't that bad. Think about Joseph in the Bible. He was a slave but he lived a comfortable life and had good thing going. There were even times that a slave would volunteer to stay a slave when they could go free (read the Exodus verses)!
I can't imagine wanting to stay a slave to another person, but I totally understand someone wanting to be God's slave. In fact, I want to be God's slave. I willingly give my life to Him. He's the boss in control of me. I can say that so freely because I know how loving, caring, compassionate, and faithful my Master is. I have nothing to fear in letting Him control my life.
Slavery as we know it is not a good thing (in case you didn't know). But back in ancient times some cases of slavery weren't that bad. Think about Joseph in the Bible. He was a slave but he lived a comfortable life and had good thing going. There were even times that a slave would volunteer to stay a slave when they could go free (read the Exodus verses)!
I can't imagine wanting to stay a slave to another person, but I totally understand someone wanting to be God's slave. In fact, I want to be God's slave. I willingly give my life to Him. He's the boss in control of me. I can say that so freely because I know how loving, caring, compassionate, and faithful my Master is. I have nothing to fear in letting Him control my life.
- Like the Apostle Paul, do you consider yourself a slave to God?
- What are the good things about being God's slave? Are there any bad things?
Pastor Dave
Monday, June 9, 2008
Day 23...The Living Dead
Romans 8:9-17
Think of a house. A house that's totally falling a part and all run down. But then someone moves in and puts a Sold sign in the yard and starts rebuilding the house. Before long you can see the evidence of the new owners work. The house is slowly but surely being restored and you can tell that it's going to be beautiful when it's all done.
You are that house! He made us all unique and and gave us each of the qualities that makes us...us. Sadly, sin messed everything up and ruined what God had made. Now, God wants to reshape us into the person we were meant to be before sin twisted everything up. As we submit our lives to Him and live according to His plan, we'll see the best qualities in us come out and the not-so-good-ones will shrink away.
Think of a house. A house that's totally falling a part and all run down. But then someone moves in and puts a Sold sign in the yard and starts rebuilding the house. Before long you can see the evidence of the new owners work. The house is slowly but surely being restored and you can tell that it's going to be beautiful when it's all done.
You are that house! He made us all unique and and gave us each of the qualities that makes us...us. Sadly, sin messed everything up and ruined what God had made. Now, God wants to reshape us into the person we were meant to be before sin twisted everything up. As we submit our lives to Him and live according to His plan, we'll see the best qualities in us come out and the not-so-good-ones will shrink away.
- What do you think is one of the good qualities that God is building into your life (it's ok to say something good about yourself!)?
- Pause now and ask God to help you live according to His plan and to keep working to restore your life to His original design.
Pastor Dave
Friday, June 6, 2008
Day 20...Total Weirdness
I know...I know...no one wants to feel like they are totally different from everyone around them. But to be honest, sometimes I get tired of Christians that are so concerned about being different that they don't do or say anything to stand out for Jesus. They just coast through their days trying to be as invisible as possible. Read John 15:18-19. Sounds like if our faith is invisible to those around us, then we're not living the kind of faith that Jesus had in mind.
So...what should be visible to others? Read Matthew 22:34-40.
It's not how we dress or style our hair or even how we talk. Our love should be the most visible part of our faith. First, our love for God which should invade every part of our lives (including obeying His commands out of love for Him). Second, our love for others which should drive us to accept people and consider them more important than ourselves. Live this kind of love and your faith will never be invisible.
So...what should be visible to others? Read Matthew 22:34-40.
It's not how we dress or style our hair or even how we talk. Our love should be the most visible part of our faith. First, our love for God which should invade every part of our lives (including obeying His commands out of love for Him). Second, our love for others which should drive us to accept people and consider them more important than ourselves. Live this kind of love and your faith will never be invisible.
- Is there any part of your life that is not loving God?
- Is there any way that you are not fully loving the people around you? (hint: I guarantee there is; ask God to show you and help you be more loving)
Pastor Dave
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Day 18...Look Alikes
Today's devotional is a good fit for the study series we just finished in WIRED. Sometimes it's really helpful if everyone looks the same. Think about your sports teams - if the teams didn't all dress alike (their uniforms) we wouldn't know who was on what team. But there are other times that no one wants to look alike. Can you imagine walking into prom wearing the same dress as everyone else?
It is a fact that we become like the people we spend time with. Not too long ago, there was a certain comedian that I was listening to a lot because he made me laugh so hard. It wasn't long before I actually started to talk like him. People would even say, "hey, you just sounded like that comedian!" Because I was spending time listening to this guy, I was becoming like him in some ways.
How great would it be for people to say, "hey, that was something Jesus would have done" or "hey, that sounded like something Jesus said when..." I want to shape my life so that I look and sound more like Jesus and Galatians 5:22-23 is a great place to start.
It is a fact that we become like the people we spend time with. Not too long ago, there was a certain comedian that I was listening to a lot because he made me laugh so hard. It wasn't long before I actually started to talk like him. People would even say, "hey, you just sounded like that comedian!" Because I was spending time listening to this guy, I was becoming like him in some ways.
How great would it be for people to say, "hey, that was something Jesus would have done" or "hey, that sounded like something Jesus said when..." I want to shape my life so that I look and sound more like Jesus and Galatians 5:22-23 is a great place to start.
- Which of the qualities in Galatians 5 do you most need God to work on in your life?
- Is there anything in your life that fits in the list of Galatians 5:19-21? Ask God to change you and take that away from your life.
Pastor Dave
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