God Wants You To Open the Gift

BY: ABBY MCDONALD, as posted on Encouragement for Today daily devotional

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“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:6-7 (ESV)

For months, the box sat in our basement, unopened and collecting dust. At the time, it was just something else to organize.

Until my son discovered it.

“Mama, guess what I found?” he said. He led me downstairs and showed me the numerous photos and pieces of memorabilia from my childhood — which my parents had brought during their last visit to my house.

As I studied my son's smile, I realized that to him, this box was a treasure. Together, we combed through the contents, countless memories coming back to me in an instant.

At first, I had seen the box as an inconvenience. But the more time I spent looking through it, the more I realized this collection was a gift. I remembered moments I might have forgotten otherwise. The box's contents reminded me of the difficult seasons God strengthened me through and how He empowered me at times when I was afraid to respond to His prompting in faith.

It also reminded me of the way I treat some of the gifts God gives me. He gives me the gift of His Spirit, but do I really believe He can do what Scripture says?

Sometimes I read accounts of miracles the disciples performed and think, Yeah, but they had just seen Jesus. They had the benefit of firsthand interaction. And God gently reminds me, But you have the same Spirit in you.

In Paul’s letter to Timothy, I sense the urgency in Paul’s words as he told Timothy about the gift God gives each believer:

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:6-7).

The beauty of these words is that they’re not simply for a believer who lived thousands of years ago; they're for each of us today. They’re truth to help us get out of our own way.

In other words, wipe the dust off the box, and open the gift.

But what does opening this gift look like in everyday life? For the mom who has young children or someone who works a nine-to-five job, how do we live like we believe this passage?

As I dig into God’s Word, He is teaching me:

• When we receive prompting from God and it lines up with His Word, we can act in faith without repeated confirmation. (James 2:14)

• The power of the Spirit in me is activated when I step out in faith before I know what the outcome will be, not after. (Hebrews 11:1)

• God’s power is displayed in me and through me even when my acts of faith bring different results than I envisioned. (Ephesians 3:20)

After I looked through the contents of the long-forgotten box, God prompted me to take a step of faith.

I made a doctor’s appointment I’d been putting off for months, hoping the chronic pain I was experiencing would go away. Although I feared an unwelcome diagnosis, those fresh memories helped me recall all the struggles God had walked through with me in the past. God didn’t abandon me then, and I knew He was with me as I scheduled the appointment. My friend, He is with you too.

God, thank You for giving us the gift of Your Spirit, even though we sometimes attempt to live without the Spirit’s help. When we’re prone to forget the power residing within us, help us instead to live like the sons and daughters we are … so that others may see who You are. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Sharp Devotional

This is a devotional by Daniel Sharp I receive daily for Lent. Enjoy!

-Pastor Ray

“Let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer . . .”

Scripture: Nehemiah 1:5-11

“LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. 7 We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

8 “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, 9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’

10 “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. 11 Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”

Some thoughts:

The context and content of this prayer of Nehemiah is instructive to us. Think parallels in your situation as you read this. A broken Israel had rejected the Lord and been in captive exile for many years under several foreign powers. Nehemiah’s heart was broken as he prayed for his wayward nation. He was a man of much prayer. In fact, there are references to his praying to the Lord at least ten times in the thirteen chapters of this book. He prayed before, during, and after events. In this case we read of his final prayer prior to his going to the king to ask to return to Jerusalem to rebuild his beloved city and encourage those Jewish exiles who were living in that city. (You note here again the practice of mourning and fasting being associated with earnest prayer for a specific situation.)

Nehemiah begins his prayer with words of adoration commenting on God’s character and being. He then simply asks that God would hear his prayer. Confession enters at this point, both confessing his own sin and confessing on behalf of the nation. He is specific about their disobedience and rebellion against the Lord. He then reminds God of the covenant made with his people. Despite their rebellion, they are still his people. He asks in faith for God to listen to his prayer and declares his personal love for God and offers his one specific request, “Give your servant success today in granting him favor in the presence of this man” [the king].

When our hearts are heavy about a specific situation, note Nehemiah’s approach. He puts the bigger picture into perspective. 1)He is truthful about his and the people’s sinfulness. 2)This prayer is instructive of the importance of including ourselves as sinners when praying for our nation. It is very easy to see the flaws of our local and national leadership believing their public sins are more egregious than our “little” sins. 3) He reminds God of the covenant promise he made to his people. 4) He articulates Israel’s history of God’s deliverance. 5) He makes his request-direct, nothing vague. Notice there is a deep reverence toward God. There is humility and honesty. There is much to gain in studying the honesty and pattern of the prayer life of Nehemiah. You may want to work your way through the short thirteen chapters of the book noting the circumstances of each of his time of prayer. What would happen if Christians fervently and regularly prayed for our cultural and societal repentance?

Music: “The Lord’s Prayer” in Aramaic (the spoken language of Jesus)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AdPiRWIam0

Prayer: Lord Jesus, our Intercessor, may our hearts be open to you, to see as you see. May we be obedient to your voice. May our prayer life with you multiply many times throughout the day. We ask that you bring people and circumstances to our minds during the day that need your touch. May we be free to pray with those in need as we go through the mornings, afternoons, and evenings of our lives. In all of this, may you receive glory and may your kingdom be advanced. Thank you for continually interceding on our behalf. We pray this in your tender name. Amen.

-Daniel Sharp

Sharp Devotional

4017 Isle Vista Ave, Belle Isle
FL 32812 United States

Our God does not slumber or sleep.

Psalm 121

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.

A couple of weeks ago I went on a mission trip to Progresso Yucatan, Mexico. Overall, it was a very positive trip, and it blessed my life greatly. Now getting there was a different story, my trip slowly turned into an odyssey as I missed a flight, got a flight cancelled, my voucher for my hotel in Mexico City could not be redeemed, and in the final leg of the trip my ticked got double booked, and almost missed the flight. As I faced these setbacks, I kept thinking that maybe I should just go home. I asked myself the question, “Where does my help come from?” the answer was simple “My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth” So, I did the only thing one can do in such a situation, and that is to pray.

I prayed for God to show me the purpose of the situation I was facing, I prayed for protection, and to stay calm. Because it is not fun to be stuck in Mexico City airport overnight. As I prayed, I felt the peace of God over me, and as that peace settle in, I was reminded that the one that Guards Israel does not slumber or sleeps and He is the same one that guards me, so I should not worry, He has everything under control.

After a long night and four lattes later, which contained an unhealthy amount of extra espresso shots, which is something that any sane person should do. I finally arrived at Merida for the final drive to Progresso. I faced one last set back; the hotel had cancelled my reservation. After finding a different hotel fairly quickly to my surprise, I was ready to be part of God’s story in Progresso.

The following days were of great blessings to my life, as I got to witness people come to Christ, people rededicate their lives, and families come to genuine reconciliation. In the middle of this wonderful events, I still felt that there was something missing. Finally on Saturday I was able to see the big picture of why I faced such an odyssey. On that day as I got to share with the youth, four of them decided to follow Jesus, now this is important because this event was originally schedule for Wednesday, and had I arrived on schedule these four youth would have missed the event because they would not have been there that day.

Now if everything that I faced was for this moment, so that a group of teens could find Jesus.  Then the odyssey was worth it, and I am blessed for having the privilege to experience     this chapter in God’s story. I am truly blessed to have found comfort in the words of this Psalm, as I trusted and believed God’s word in the middle of the uncertainty of my trip and how he watches over our lives.

“The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.”

Thank you, God, for this trip and the blessings it has poured over my life, thank you for the opportunity to be part of your story in Progresso Yucatan. Thank you for the beautiful family of God that I got to meet, blessed them and open future opportunities for our Familia of faith in Weslaco to experience such blessings, in Jesus’ name. Amen.  

Pastor Luis.

Be Strong & Courageous!

By Robin Wiley

Deuteronomy 31:6

6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. 8 It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Such powerful yet hopeful words. We do not have to be afraid because we are not alone with a mighty God who loves us and will never leave us. Moses said this to Joshua, when he was coming to the end of his life and Yahweh was passing the leadership onto Joshua, God’s deputy. The Israelites could go and overthrow the inhabitants of the “land of promise.”  God would go before them and claim the victory. I wonder what Joshua was feeling at this time – was he scared, unsure, filled with doubt or did he lean into the promises of a faithful God?

 I can take comfort in knowing that I am not alone when deciding important decisions for the future. Scott and I have been praying through this new season in our lives. We decided it was time to make plans to sell our home and move to either the Waco area to be nearer to Hannah, our daughter or to the Georgetown/Round Rock area close to where Scott’s parents reside. Sadly, his father unexpectantly passed away last month in February after suffering a minor stroke on Christmas Day. Scott’s mom lives by herself now but needs care as she is recovering from losing her husband of 65 years and also from dealing with major health issues herself.

Unfortunately, and with much sadness, this means I will be leaving First Baptist sometime this summer. This is not an easy decision to make but one we feel – now is the right time. Over the nineteen+ years since moving back to the Valley after marrying Scott, I have forged many wonderful relationships which I greatly value, and each have added to my development as a Christian, a pastor, a wife and a friend.   

Any kind of change, especially a large one, can be stressful and only our sweet Lord  knows that selling a house here, buying one somewhere else near the Austin area, eventually finding a new job and helping take care of an aging parent can be a lot to handle all at once. Yikes – I am stressed out just reading and writing all that!

But just like God was with Joshua, leading him and the other Israelites into the promise land – so is He with us. Going before us. Going before me. God can be our strength and courage, and He tells us so through a wonderful example of His faithfulness in Deuteronomy.

Reading and reciting the above scripture gives me peace because I believe what it says as it was spoken by Moses all those years ago. Those words are fresh for me each day on a post-it in my office at home and at work.

Be strong and courageous! The Lord encouraged Joshua several times with the same words. After Moses spoke them to the people of Israel (v6), he then turned to Joshua and spoke the same words to him in front of all of the people (vv7-8). 

Our strength and courage do not come from a healthy diet, a certain devotional plan, going to church every Sunday, or some ten-step program. Strength and courage come from God, through Christ, as we obediently walk out His purpose for our lives. The Bible says that when we seek Him with all of our hearts, we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13). Relationships are, by definition, mutual, and God wants to be in a relationship with us. But like any relationship, it takes effort.

It is in the morning I often spend time with God in prayer, and in His Word. Sometimes, He lets me see the next steps for my life by giving me scriptures that bring peace and assurance that God goes before us to Austin or anywhere else we may go. He continues to open doors as well as close others as we walk through this transition process.

We can ALL be strong because His strength and truth flow through our minds and our hearts. 

Prayer:

Father God - You are the source of my strength and the root of my courage. You lift me up when I am down, and you fill me with your divine peace. Thank you for your constant presence in my life and may the steps I take live out the life you have planned for me and my family. I love you, Father! Always and forever – Amen!

The Fruit of the Spirit Is…A Spirit-led Life Galatians 5:16-26

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:16-26)

The Fruit of the Spirit Is…A Spirit-led Life

Galatians 5:16-26

·      What does it mean to be crucified with Christ?

·      Of all the positive spiritual qualities listed in this passage, which one would you say most needs to be cultivated in your soul?

·      How can you grow in the Spirit so that the spiritual fruit will be more evident in your life?

How to Trust God in Uncertain Seasons

By Christine Perry, as posted on Crosswalk the Devotional

"My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." - Psalm 73:26, NKJV

Have you ever wondered if God has forgotten you? Have you been crying out to him, and all you hear is silence? Have you been desperate to know where He was leading and what He was doing?

Life can be hard. Life comes with seasons of uncertainty. Perhaps you are facing a season of unemployment, infertility, a health diagnosis, a broken relationship, the lack of a relationship, or the loss of someone you love. It can be a dark and scary place not to have answers on where your next meal will come from, what the doctor's report might say, if there will be a marriage or a family for you, or how you will move forward without your loved one.

In seasons of uncertainty, it can be hard to know what the Lord is doing or why He has allowed you to face what you're going through. You may be asking yourself, doesn't God see the tears I've cried? Hasn't He heard the prayers I've prayed? The answer is yes. God is always working, and He is always in control. However, God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts, and His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9 NKJV).

If we understand God's ways, He wouldn't be God. But how can we find the courage to keep pressing ahead today? How can you endure this season when you feel your prayers are falling on deaf ears and the place you feel God has led you to resembles a desert?

The answer is this: Renew your mind with God’s promises and never, never give up! 

The Christian walk is like a marathon. There will be seasons in your walk, just like when you run a marathon, where you will feel like you've hit a wall. When I ran my first marathon halfway through, I hit a wall that I thought would have taken me out of the race. I had discomfort in my hip that wouldn’t cease. Suddenly, I began to doubt I would finish. I had to fight through the mental wall by telling my feet to take one step at a time. Eventually, I got to mile 17, where I had a friend who I could see cheering for me. Her presence and words of encouragement bolstered my resolve to keep running. 

In your walk with the Lord, you will hit spiritual walls. When you do, you have to hold tight to the promises of God — one promise and verse at a time — and if you have a Christian friend, ask them to pray for you. The enemy of our soul wants us to doubt that God even cares. He wants to make us feel completely alone and discouraged. He does everything in his power to tempt us to throw in the towel because he knows he has already lost and wants us to lose too. Regardless of our situation, God is still on the throne. He has the final say. His plans will not and cannot be thwarted (Job 42:1-2, NKJV). And even if we are faithless, He still remains faithful! (2 Timothy 2:13, NKJV). No situation we face in this life will ever be too hard for God. 

Intersecting Faith and Life:
It’s okay to go to God with all your tears, hurt, doubts, and frustration. Even David cried in Psalms 13, “How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? … having sorrow in my heart daily.” God not only handles our emotions, but He also sympathizes with us (Hebrews 4:14-16, NKJV). However, we also need to realize we are in a spiritual fight. In Matthew 4:1-11, before Jesus’ ministry officially started, Satan tempted Him in the desert. Jesus fought every single one of the enemy's tactics with the Word of God. Spend time with the Lord today, praying and holding on to His promises. Ask God to help you continue believing He is a good, kind, compassionate Father who wants your very best. Then continue holding on to the truth that God sees you, God hears you, God is for you, and nothing is impossible for God.  

“We need never shout across the spaces to an absent God. He is nearer than our own soul, closer than our most secret thoughts.” — A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

Holy Spirit

1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Genesis 1:1-2

In the worship class I teach for Stark College and Seminary, we have been contemplating the nature of the Trinity and reviewing worship songs that celebrate the different aspects of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. While the Father and Son are regularly acknowledged, much of our music neglects the Holy Spirit’s importance and function in our lives.

Jurgen Moltmann compares the Spirit of God’s “hovering” in Genesis to a vibrating guitar string. Yes, I love the musical reference. That vibration is the active part of the creative God that not only helped shape the universe, but is making us new as well. When we talk about being made into a new creation, it is the Holy Spirit creating something new out of us. When we ask God to guide us, it the Holy Spirit is guiding us. When we feel convicted of sin, it is the Holy Spirit convicting us. When we don’t know how to pray, it is the Holy Spirit interceding for us. When we demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit, it is the Holy Spirit fruiting in us…I know, it’s not a word.

We often sing songs about the Father and the Son, but when we worship we are actually praising through the Spirit. This Sunday as we talk about the fruit of the Spirit, we will sing the song, “Holy Spirit” by Keith and Kristen Getty. This song appropriately prayerfully invites the living, creative, renewing power of the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. Join us at 9:30 am or 11 am for worship, live or online!

In Christ,

Ray

Holy Spirit Lyric Video

Holy Spirit by Keith and Kristen Getty

Holy Spirit, living breath of God,
Breathe new life into my willing soul.
Bring the presence of the risen Lord,
To renew my heart and make me whole.
Cause Your Word to come alive in me;
Give me faith for what I cannot see,
Give me passion for Your purity;
Holy Spirit, breathe new life in me.

Holy Spirit, come abide within,
May Your joy be seen in all I do.
Love enough to cover every sin,
In each thought and deed and attitude.
Kindness to the greatest and the least,
Gentleness that sows the path of peace.
Turn my strivings into works of grace;
Breath of God show Christ in all I do.

Holy Spirit, from creation's birth,
Giving life to all that God has made,
Show Your power once again on earth,
Cause Your church to hunger for your ways.
Let the fragrance of our prayers arise;
Lead us on the road of sacrifice,
That in unity the face of Christ
Will be clear for all the world to see.

We use this prayers of Patrick as we come to conference
Christ be with me, Christ within me
Christ behind me and Christ before me
Christ beside me and Christ in me
Christ to comfort and restore me
Christ beneath me and Christ above me
Christ in quiet and Christ in danger
Christ in hearts of all that love me
Christ a mighty friend no stranger
I bind unto myself the name the strong name of the Trinity by the
Invocation of the same the three in one and one in three of
Whom all men shall have creation eternal Father Spirit worthy
Praise to the Lord of my salvation
Salvation is of Christ the Lord
Amen

Dependent on the Vine

By Emily Rose Massey, as posted on Crosswalk the Devotional

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5, ESV).

Anxiety (and depression) has been plaguing my life on and off since I was a child, and it is still something that I wrestle with to this day. I used to think that my struggle with anxiety and depression made me a very weak Christian who lacked faith in God. But that, my dear friends, is not true.  Because sin exists in the world, so do sickness and brokenness, and no one is exempt from any of it. Although we have been redeemed and our eternal salvation is secure in Christ, as believers, we still are subject to suffering in this fallen world that we live in. God may not cause pain, mental illness, disease, or traumatic experiences, but in His great sovereignty, He does allow it.   For me, there came a point in time where I stopped rebuking the devil for all the anxiety and depression I was experiencing and shifted my focus on God Almighty, the only One who could help me through my pain and give me wisdom on what was going on with my body. Whether the anxiety was caused by overwhelming thoughts that I chose to dwell upon fearfully or a hormonal imbalance occurring in my body, God has always remained faithful and near to me in the midst of my suffering. My faith in Him has not waivered, even if my emotions and thoughts did.  Although prayer may not conquer every moment of panic or worry, it is my lifeline to stay connected to the source of peace and life, to abide in the Vine (John 15) so I don’t dry up. I also remember to arm myself with the truth of God’s Word that helps me renew my mind day by day and strengthens my faith, and gives me hope. We need to stay connected to Jesus, for just as verse 5 in John 15 tells us, apart from Christ, we can do nothing:

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5, ESV).

Intersecting Faith and Life:

We will all experience some type of suffering and face “winter” seasons in our lives. Difficult seasons in life can actually be a time of growth and maturity in the Lord. In the natural, trees’ roots actually grow down deeper into the earth in the wintertime. Your suffering can actually be what allows your roots in the Lord to grow deeper. Instead of yielding ourselves to complete defeat and despair when we are suffering, we need to allow our roots in Jesus to grow deeper and deeper. During these dark times, the enemy wants you to dry up and rot- physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, and will even tempt you to run to other things or people to take away your pain, but we must use those times of trial to draw closer to the Lord and drink deep of His goodness and faithfulness. Remember, we must remain connected to our life source, Jesus, the Vine. He alone sustains us through every time of difficulty. No other thing or person can bring you true life, peace, and wholeness, friend. 

Staying connected to other believers is also extremely important to our spiritual health as well, especially when we are in the midst of a trial or storm. Their root systems in God can get “nutrients” to us, and their spiritual fruit can “feed” us when we are struggling to hang onto the Vine. If we isolate ourselves during these times and are not taking in the proper nutrients from God’s Word, we become very vulnerable to the enemy’s lies and fear tactics. Isolation is the breeding ground for hopelessness, doubt, and fear. Don’t allow shame or embarrassment to keep you from reaching out for help when you struggle to find hope. Call, text, or visit a friend and open up about what you are going through. What a beautiful picture of what the Body of Christ is supposed to do when a brother or sister is discouraged and walking through a valley!

Remember, Jesus knows first-hand the depths of pain and suffering here on earth, but the good news is that because His life was given as a sacrifice for our sins, we will one day be with Him for eternity, and He will finally put an end to all suffering and sorrow. Abide in Him and hold onto the hope that He brings, dear friend, mountain high or valley low.

Ripple Effect

By Robin Wiley

I John 4:17-19

17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is, so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us.

Growing up on a farm near a lake in rural Minnesota had its benefits. As a kid, I could be found down by the lake with a pile of stones collected from all over our farm, which I would throw into the water or skip them across the surface when the lake was smooth and calm. Inevitably, ripples would flow from the impact of the stones, and I would spend time watching to see how far on the water they would go.

It’s like that with our ministries. Ever ministry we do here at FBC Weslaco, whether it’s our Food Pantry, Widow/Widowers Banquet, Griefshare, or Wednesday night activities to name a few – every ministry creates a ripple effect on our lives as well as on the lives of others. Every person within those ministries also causes a ripple. It does not matter who you are – what you do – or your position in life – each person can cause a ripple effect by their very existence. God created us all with a plan and purpose and it is a simple one – we are to love others as He first loved us. If we are saved and filled with His Spirit, our everyday life should create a ripple that exudes love to those around us and continues to be far reaching.

Take our Widows/Widowers Banquet the Deacons host every year in February. This ministry used to be just for the widows/widowers, but recently we encouraged them to invite their family members because they too are grieving a loss. From that, people who had been watching our services online came back to worship in-person and even brought their neighbor! Last year, our Deacon body invited their own immediate families to help serve which is seen as such a blessing and a great learning experience for the kiddos helping. Comments and feedback heard from those in attendance said they really appreciated seeing our kiddos serve alongside their parents by sharing their time and love with the widows. What an amazing impact it has toward God’s Kingdom!

Our GriefShare ministry has been going strong for the past five years and one of the many ripples from that ministry has brought more new members to our church family, and they have in turn invited their friends to attend our church. One person in particular who passed away last summer, started coming to Griefshare in early 2020. She loved being able to help others with their grief journey so much – that she continued helping as a grief mentor with other sessions. She eventually joined our church and continued inviting people and sharing the love of Christ with others up until the day she died. Her ripple lives on in those people’s lives.

I could go on and on with other ripple effect stories with any of our ministries. We prayerfully and thoughtfully pursue every ministry through the lens of Jesus. God loves us. Jesus died for us. His Grace is enough for us. We are to take up our cross, crucify our flesh and follow Jesus. Love other people as Christ loves us. Let your ripple represent what you proclaim in your heart!

Prayer: Father, I ask you today to create in me a new heart and a steadfast spirit. Open my eyes to what you are showing me and let my ears hear Your Word for my life today. In Jesus Name, AMEN.

I Won’t Do That: Will I Love Like That?

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13

I Won’t Do That: Will I Love Like That?

1 Corinthians 13 

·      Read through Paul’s message to the Corinthian believers.

·      What jumps out at you about this passage?

·      How can we let our lives be so enveloped by God’s love in Jesus that it spills onto the people around us more fully?

·      Re-read this passage inserting “Jesus” in place of “love.” Let this be your prayer of praise as you re-commit yourself to dwell in Christ’s love.

Corporate Lenten Disciplines: An Ash Wednesday Devotional from the President of Institute of Worship Studies

“I have sewn sackcloth over my skin, 
And laid my head in the dust.”

(Job 16:15 NKJV)

Today is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the season of Lent. God calls us to observe a holy Lent through assessment, penitence, discipline and renewal, using the classical church practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Historically, the Church has set aside Lent as a time of intense instruction and formation in the faith, and a season of detachment, spiritual purification, and enlightenment for all Christians. Notice that prayer, fasting, almsgiving, even formation, are external practices, perhaps preferably communal external practices. As we do, so shall we be. External practices develop internal dispositions, detached from unhealthy, unworthy, or even unnecessary attachments.

Prayer When asked how to improve one’s prayer time, Thomas Merton is said to have responded, “Take the time.” Simply take the time to pray regularly, and you will become more prayerful.

Fasting Bodily pleasures, while not wrong in and of themselves, can become domineering. We fast from bodily pleasures so that the deeper spiritual hungers will arise. Live a fasted life while remembering and helping others less fortunate than ourselves.

Almsgiving In giving alms we acknowledge that the things we own are ultimately gifts from God. The right of private property carries a responsibility for the common good. We participate in that reality by generously and joyfully giving alms for the sake of others.

Other worthy practices: Love your neighbor as yourself, visit the sick, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the imprisoned, help the oppressed, teach the ignorant, counsel the doubtful, evangelize the unbeliever, pray for the sick, comfort the sorrowful and widows, give shelter to the homeless and refugees. When you do these things for the very least of society, you do them for God. Mother Teresa said that is the summary of the Gospel: “You did it to me.” (Matt. 25:31-46)

May our observance of a holy Lent help us all to grow in the fullness of the life of God. 

The Lord be with you,
James R. Hart, President 

Lenten Prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian

I shared this with you for the past several years. St. Ephrem the Syrian is a 4th century saint and doctor of the Church who is known especially for his hymn writing. Here is one of St. Ephrem’s prayers, said to be the Lenten prayer “par excellence” and prayed in the Eastern Church every weekday of Lent.

O Lord and Master of my life,
keep from me the spirit of indifference
and discouragement,
lust of power, and idle chatter.

Instead, grant to me, Your servant,
the spirit of wholeness of being,
humble-mindedness, patience, and love.

O Lord and King,
grant me the grace to be aware of my sins
and not to judge my brother and sister,
for You are blessed,
now and ever and forever. Amen.
 

I want to commend this prayer of St. Ephrem to you for your Lenten devotion. Pray it daily, perhaps even twice each day. Let the words sink into your soul as you allow God to work in you, putting off bodily addictions and taking on divine virtues. Strive for great detachment from worldly attachments with great love toward God and others. St. John of the Cross wrote, “In the twilight of life, God will not judge us on earthly possessions and human success, but rather on how much we have loved.”

The Confidence To Believe You Belong

BRENDA BRADFORD OTTINGER, as posted on Encouragement for Today daily devotional 

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“You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!” Psalm 139:16-17 (NLT)

It was my first day at a new school — midyear, in a place where everyone knew each other and no one knew me.

Naive and 9 years old, I had yet to understand the insecurity that clothed my spirit.

From my first timid step off the school bus that day till the final bell rang after class, I wore a long red coat … totally extra for the wink of winter a southern U.S. season contains.

Walking unfamiliar halls as the new girl wearing a bulky red coat, indoors and out, can set you apart in a way that doesn’t serve your social life well; I don’t recommend it. Yet my antsy insecurity found comfort in my cocoon of a coat that day.

Despite the awkward start, eventually I lost my timidity in that new school, but never would I lose the insecurity that gripped my spirit. Long have I lacked an innate confidence to believe I belong.

As the years grew, I sensed God working in my life and trusted He had plans for me. Yet I still struggled to confidently enter any space believing I was enough to belong.

This mistaken mindset began to shed its grip on me, however, when God met me in the center of my insecurity one day and traded new life for old lies.

That day, as I attempted to skim over a familiar Bible passage, the Lord prompted me to linger with the words rather than rush past them, and I read these truths afresh:

“You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!” (Psalm 139:16-17).

And in the quiet of that moment, I felt a freedom I hadn’t known before, as the truth of God’s eternal heart for me covered my spirit with a comfort like no other.

In this passage, David declared to God, “You saw me before I was born,” recognizing that before he’d ever spied a ray of light or cried a breath of life, his very person was intimately known by God.

This is our confidence: Before we had an earthly identity, God regarded us!

Before oxygen filled our lungs, the Lord laid out every moment of our lives according to His purpose. God hasn’t simply recorded the hours we’ve already spent; rather, from the second He sketched our identities to the futures we’ve yet to reach, He has borne witness to it all.

We can confidently believe we belong anywhere He places us because the Ancient of Days, our eternal God, has made it His business to know and adore us and to tenderly record His trustworthy plans for us.

May we reject the enemy’s lie that we’re not enough to belong, for our confidence is grounded in God’s authority as we walk together with Him into every space He’s already prepared for us.

No earthly brand of belonging can compare to the belonging we have in God.

Dear friend, the God who saw you ahead of your birth — whose precious thoughts about you are greater than numbers can contain — recorded purpose for you long before your life existed in time!

You can shed every lie of insecurity that drapes your spirit today and walk confidently in the truth that your story is already sealed in God’s book. You are a woman precious to your Maker, and you belong where He places you, for you enter with the authority of His divine script.

Dear God, thank You for clothing me in the comfort of Your belonging and for recording trustworthy plans for my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

A Prayer for Good Leaders

By Meg Bucher

“Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.” - Hebrews 13:7 NLT

“Be a leader.”

Between jokes and quips, the Abbot I had the privilege of growing up around was as perfect a combination of wisdom and kindness as a human being this side of heaven could be. Compassionate but sturdy and steady, he taught us the importance of obedience and discipline but also of laughter, love, and a genuine heart for Jesus. He was a great leader and mentor. 

“When you get to the last 300,” coach affirmed, “put your head down and go.” Coach was larger than life. When he said something, we leaned in to listen. And at the mark of the last 300, he was there, louder than life! I ran faster than ever, just like he said I would when he met me as a senior in high school, looking for a way to go to my first choice college. Vividly, I remember him staring into my fear and assuring me he’d be there to pick me up at the finish line if the worst happened. He was …but it didn’t.

These are just two of the people who made a mark on my life. God is faithful to place these hallmark souls in the path of our lives to help us learn who we are while at the same time - if we are willing - shining through our lives to lead the generations following us. He faithfully weaves us together one at a time, our lives blending together to illuminate the beautiful spectrum of color and compassion He knit into every human heart. 

Let’s pray:

Father, 
Your mercies are new every day. Great is Your faithfulness. Lord, You know what we need before we are done expressing the desires of our hearts. Faithful to forgive and faithful to save, You have an amazing way of fulfilling our need for connection on this earth. Thank You, Father, for the way You connect us to the people around us. Thank You for the way You bring leaders into our lives to show us the next steps and to help us understand who we are. Help us to meditate on the words of Hebrews today. Send Your Holy Spirit to fill our minds with wisdom, connection, understanding, and conviction as we personalize and pray this verse today:

Let us remember the leaders who taught us the word of God. 
Let us think of all the good that has come from their lives,
And let us follow the example of their faith. 

Father God, You are amazing in the way You love us. The story of our lives is written so personally and purposefully. The freedom we find through Christ Jesus to fully live our lives is crafted by a love we will not be able to fully understand this side of heaven. Thank You, God, for the leaders You have placed in our lives. As we prayerfully search our memories, we can trace the faithful strokes of Your creative genius and compassionate care for us as we picture and place the hallmark figures in our lives. Along the way, You have undoubtedly blessed our journey on this earth with other people. Help us to remember those who have left us and recognize those who still stand among us. 

Father, help us to appreciate and pray for the good leaders in our lives. Bless them today, Father. Fill their hearts with a peaceful assurance of their good work on this earth. The ability to affect another human life is a powerful sentiment. Sharpen our wisdom and discernment, Father, to spot false and damaging people who appear to be leaders but, in fact, cause hurt and harm. Hold us in the shelter of Your comfort and care, Father, protecting our minds, hearts, friends, and families from bad leaders. They are out there, Father. Scripture assures us. Bless our lives fully with people who have hearts after Your own, Father. And allow us to lead in the same capacity. Keep us on the narrow path which leads home to You in heaven. Equip us to follow and lead all the days of our lives, bringing glory and honor to You.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Stop Worrying about Tomorrow

By Clarence L. Haynes Jr., as posted on crosswalk.com the devotional

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” - Matthew 6:34

On Monday, July 16, 2012, I was on a conference call along with approximately one hundred of my work colleagues. During this call, the regional vice president got on the phone and announced that as of this Friday, you will no longer be employed. Needless to say, all the people on the call were in complete shock.

In 2017, I was visiting my mom’s house with my son, and suddenly he started trembling uncontrollably because he had a high fever. We were unsure of what was going on, so we called 911 and had him taken to the emergency room. That one trip to the emergency room turned into a month-long stay in the hospital.

What Causes Worry?
When you strip away all the things that can lead to worry in your life, they all point to the same cause, which is uncertainty. If you have confidence and a plan for how things are going to work out, chances are your anxiety levels go way down. If you are unsure about what will happen and don’t see the way forward, the natural inclination is to worry. When I lost my job, and when my son was sick, I was uncertain of the next steps, which made me anxious and nervous about tomorrow. 

When you don’t know what lies ahead, or if this is the first time you have walked a certain path, it can lead to concern, which gives birth to worry. That’s why Jesus telling us not to worry about tomorrow makes perfect sense, yet we find it difficult to do. Even more so when we don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow. How then can we look at the realities of life straight on and not be worried? We find the answer to the question in the previous verse.

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” - Matthew 6:33

I can say with almost one hundred percent certainty if you are worried about tomorrow, you are not seeking the kingdom of God today. The reason seeking the kingdom of God is so crucial is seeking his kingdom means you are seeking his wisdom, his provision, his protection, his peace, and his will. Placing your trust in him for your tomorrow helps you know how to live today. Failure to do this produces worry, which does not help you face the challenges of today and does nothing to prepare you for the obstacles that lie ahead. I can assure you God is not worried about tomorrow, and if your trust is in him, then you don’t have to be either.

Don’t Be a Worrier, Be a Seeker.
Jesus never said we would not have difficulties. He said he doesn’t want you worrying about them. The only way not to do this is by seeking his kingdom first. When you do this, you find God has more than enough supply to meet whatever the demand is you will face tomorrow. God doesn’t want you worrying about tomorrow because he needs you present in today. When you worry, you often make poor decisions, and it is those choices you make today that will affect your tomorrow. Worry produces fear, and fear paralyzes you so that you become ineffective today and unprepared for tomorrow. So let’s do what Jesus said and not worry about tomorrow. Instead, let’s seek God today. As you find refuge in him, you discover he has already made provision for tomorrow, so you can set all your worries aside and rest easy today.

Intersecting Faith and Life: 
Situations in life don’t change because you worry about them. They change because you pray about them. When worry is present, prayer is usually absent.

Ask for Help.

 Psalm 121: 

The next step in this journey to joy is found in the psalm in front of us today. It is to call upon God for help.

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (121:1)

For many of us, it is quite difficult to admit that we need help. But we will not journey very far with God without learning to humbly ask for God’s assistance. Would you cry out to God today and ask him for help? He certainly can help, for he “made heaven and earth.” The Creator of all lacks no power or ability to intervene in your life. And as the rest of the psalm then makes clear, he also wants to help. Let us then ask him!

God “keeps” God’s people (121:3, 4, 5, 7, 8); he looks after them, protects them, guides them, “keeps” them. He does not fall asleep (121:4). He does not only answer cries for help during office hours. He’s a 24/7 God, available and able at all times of day and night. He will not let you stumble (121:3) in your walk through life. He is the “shade” at your right hand (121:5). In the hot sun of the Middle East, the picture of God as “shade” is especially evocative. “The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night” (121:6). Why the “moon”? In ancient times, the moon was often associated with evil or trouble or difficulty (see our word “lunatics,” coming from the Latin for moon, luna). God will not only protect you from the hard attacks of noon day opposition, but also from the creeping evil of midnight apparition too.

In fact, the psalmist says that God “will keep you from all evil” (121:7). In what sense could that be true? Is he saying that no Christian ever experiences any evil at all? That cannot be the promise for we know by our own experience and the testimony of history that Christians have had to contend with evil from time-to-time. Plus, the Bible tells us to “resist the devil” and advises us that we are in a spiritual battle. Presumably, then, we still have to contend with evil in this world. The fight against evil can seem very real.

In what sense, therefore, are those who follow God kept from “all” evil? In the sense that God takes even the evil and sadness and terrifying horror that we may experience and turns those things to good for us and glory to him. Hard as it is sometimes to believe, extraordinary as it is even to say, God’s way is to weave even evil into a tapestry of salvation and blessing and good and glory.

We see this at its most extreme at the cross: the greatest evil and yet the greatest good to save sinners. As Joseph said to his brothers at the end of the book of Genesis, “you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Genesis 50:20). The evil that we experience, for those who love God, is not then finally evil, but is by the alchemy of sovereign grace transmuted to glory.

And this is true wherever we are: our going out and our coming in; as we travel (sometimes this psalm has been called the traveler’s psalm); as we journey through life; in all places—and at all times, “from this time forth and forevermore” (121:8).

If this is the God that we serve, why would we not ask him for help? Ask him to help you with your difficulties, stresses, sins, and troubles today! Your help does not come from the hills, not from some other practical source of help, but comes directly from God himself! Ask for help!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Josh Moody (Ph.D., University of Cambridge) is the senior pastor of College Church in Wheaton, IL., president and founder of God Centered Life Ministries, and author of several books including How the Bible Can Change Your Life and John 1-12 For You.

This week this psalm has been in my mind, and I wanted to share this devotional and I hope it has blessed your life as it has blessed mine.

Pastor Luis

The Road to Acceptance

By Meg Bucher, as posted to Crosswalk the Devtional

“Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.” - Proverbs 19:20 NLT

Blindsided. If only I would have been willing to receive wise wisdom and intel into my situation, maybe the hurt would not have felt like I’d been smacked unexpectedly across the face. When we pray to God for wisdom in crisis, it’s really tempting to ask Him to bless the way we want it to turn out. God loves us perfectly, but His good plan for our lives doesn’t always line up with the way we wish and plan for things to go. “Change is the only constant in life,” Pamela S. Willsey LICSW, BCD, PCC, wrote for Psychology Today, “and yet most of us are never taught the tools that will enable us to manage all of the changes we experience.”  

Acceptance is the act of taking or receiving something offered. Synonyms of acceptance include receiving, recognition, acquiring, acknowledgment, permission, obtaining, gaining, compliance, and admission. “Acceptance is an active process,” Pamela S. Willsey continued to explain in her article for Psychology Today, “It doesn’t mean that you can’t work on changing things and that what you’re accepting will be that way forever. But struggling against reality- resisting and rejecting it- we create unnecessary additional suffering and pain.” 

Denial is a tempting alternative to painful realities, but in choosing to ignore reality we stunt our growth. Everything we endure on this earth when we place our faith in God is meant to bring about good in our lives. God is never aloof to our circumstances. He loves us perfectly, compassionately, mercifully, defensively, and wholly. He is faithful, jealous for us, and almighty. His thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways, but His love for us is unquestionable and unchanging. When reality is hard to accept, we can lean on Him for the strength we need to keep moving forward instead of getting stuck.

Intersecting Faith and Life:

“Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.” Proverbs 19:20 NLT

Now raising two daughters, my desire is to share every note of wisdom I have accumulated so they don’t have to stumble and suffer through the lessons I did. “The goal of becoming ‘wise’ might be defined as living with the end in view;” The NIV Application Commentary explains, “If the phrase points to the end of life, then wisdom is a lifelong project, not a job order that one fulfills and moves on.” 

Knowing my daughters might resist wisdom just because it’s coming from me, I pray they are surrounded by wise voices. Sometimes, I go before them and ask others to encourage them in places I know they need it, but are resistant to hear it directly from me. In a much grander way, the Father goes before us, layering comfort and encouragement into our lives when we need it the most. 

The Word of God is life-giving. The Holy Spirit in us allows us to connect with and come into the presence of God through the sacrifice of Christ Jesus in a personal way, everyday. “Given the world, the flesh and the devil are rarely silent,” George Sinclair explains, “I need to be silent before God’s word written every day.”

Jesus is a faithful friend. He walks through reality with us.

Living Loved

SHARON JAYNES as posted on Encouragement for Today daily devotional

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“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.” John 15:9a (NIV)

For most of my life, I felt like I was in second place, not quite as good as everybody else. I was a cheerleader my junior year in high school, but I was an alternate. That meant I was on the squad and did everything the other girls did, but it was clear I wasn’t quite as good as the other cartwheeling, high-jumping pompom shakers. Barely made it. Last one chosen.

When I applied to college, I was put on a waitlist. I got in because someone else dropped out at the last minute. Barely made it. Last one chosen.

Even when I had to serve jury duty, I was the alternate! I had to stay and listen for an entire week just in case someone had to drop out, and I didn’t even get a vote. Barely made it. Last one chosen.

I wonder if you’ve ever felt that you were an afterthought … someone who barely made it … the last one chosen. If so, you’re not alone.

One thing I love about Jesus’ disciple John is that he knew without a shadow of a doubt he was not second place to anyone when it came to Jesus. He referred to himself as “the one Jesus loved.” John knew he was Jesus’ favorite. And so was Peter, James, Andrew, Phillip and all the rest. And so am I. And so are you.

Of course, John wasn’t really saying that of all the people in the world, Jesus loved him the most. But perhaps he was saying that of all the things people could say about him, all the adjectives they could use to describe him, all the names they could call him, “the one Jesus loved” was the only description that mattered.

Check out these verses and note how John described himself:

• “One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.” (John 13:23, NIV, emphasis added)

• "So [Mary Magdalene] came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, 'They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!'” (John 20:2, NIV, emphasis added)

• "Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, 'Lord, who is going to betray you?')" (John 21:20, NIV, emphasis added)

Do those verses make you smile? I'm a bit amused by John’s confidence. But suppose you and I lived like that … My name is Sharon, the one Jesus loves.

Go ahead and put your name in the blank: My name is ________________, the one Jesus loves.

You were not chosen as an alternate, an “also ran,” someone who barely made it or was the last one in. You were chosen because you are Jesus’ favorite, and so am I! Jesus says this about you: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you” (John 15:9a). That’s some serious love right there.

So the next time you feel less-than, say to yourself exactly what John said: “I am the one Jesus loves.”

Father, sometimes I can feel so mediocre, but I know that’s not how You want me to live. Your Word says I am chosen, holy, dearly loved, set apart — equipped by You, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and enveloped in Jesus Christ. I am the one Jesus loves. Help me live like I believe it. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Will I Trust In God?

25 e“Therefore I tell you, fdo not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more thanclothing? 26 gLook at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yetyour heavenly Father feeds them. hAre you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by beinganxious can add a single hour to his ispan of life?7 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, jevenSolomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of thefield, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, kO you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall wedrink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For lthe Gentiles seek after all these things, and myour heavenlyFather knows that you need them all. 33 But nseek first othe kingdom of God and his righteousness, pand all these things will be added to you.34 q“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficientfor the day is its own trouble.

Many times, in our lives we find ourselves not trusting God; this may be because of all the distractions we face daily, and we work so hard in our daily lives that many times we are worried for what tomorrow may bring. We are so busy that we don’t take a moment to just breath, we are always on the move, working, and never resting, working for a better life and we are so busy that we miss the opportunity to enjoy the moment.  

Jesus’ trough his message reminds us to not worry, for us to know that He has everything under control. That He will take care of our every need, and all we must do is to put our trust in God.

Many times, I find myself willing to do the most difficult task instead of the easy one, in other words, we may find ourselves willing to do anything for God, except trust in him.

 We tend to worry more than we should specially about those things that are out of our control, and we usually lose sleep thinking about them knowing that we can’t do anything to change the outcome, now if we add this to someone who is anxious it is a recipe for disaster. Anxiety is a horrible feeling and for those that suffer from it can be excruciating, because of the impotence one feels with it. One person describes Anxiety as follows:

“For me, anxiety feels as if the whole world is looking at me and waiting for me to make a mistake, as it waits in anticipation for my failure, so that it can laugh at me. This makes me feel so unsure of myself and I doubt that if I am doing the right thing.”

Do we suffer from anxiety because, my problems seem bigger than God? But the reality is that our God is greater that any problem we may face, maybe what is not allowing us to trust God fully is that we are so worried by what is in front on us, and we cannot see the answer, and that answer is God, for if he provides for the birds, wont he take care of you? Are you not more valuable than them. Our daily life may be full of noise and anxiety, but we can rest assure that God has everything in control, He is bigger than any problem we may face, and we can lay our anxiety on him, all we have to do is trust in Him.

Pastor Luis.

Scattered Seeds

By Meg Bucher, as posted on Crosswalk the Devotional

“Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.” Matthew 13:7 NLT

The Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed tells the story of several different seeds and how the environment they were planted in and the way they were cared for determined the progress of their growth. It’s a smart and accurate comparison to our current lives and the way in which we decide to water the Word of God in them daily. This parable gives us great direction to follow, when determining to live our lives to the full, as Jesus died for. “The human heart is like receptive soil to the seed of the Word of God,” Greg Laurie explains, “The soil that the seed fell on represents four categories of the hearers’ hearts, four different reactions to the Word of God: the hard heart, the shallow heart, the crowded heart, and the fruitful heart.”

The Receptive Heart

“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.” James 1:19-21 NLT

Per his usual, James put it bluntly! Though we can’t control every thought which enters our minds, we do have a say on whether they stay. In Christ Jesus, we have the power to hold our thoughts accountable to the Word of God. In doing so, we test what is good and what is not. When we seek God, we find Him! 

Unfortunately, we are very distractible! Fostering a receptive heart to God’s Word is an active discipline. Scripture tells us to pray all of the time! Any parent who has ever gotten up from their quiet time with the Lord to lose patience with their child understands! The moment we allow our minds to drift from Him, we allow distraction an audience. Fix our minds on Christ Jesus, the Bible says, the Author and Perfecter of our Faith. We will never get it right and are not expected to! Jesus would not have had to die sacrificially for our sins if we were able to keep from sinning. But, living in a world cursed by sin means we constantly have to check our hearts, clear them by confession, and by the strength of the Spirit in us travel down the road of redemption. Such faith requires perseverance! But in Christ, it’s possible! 

Intersecting Faith and Life:

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.” - Matthew 13:24-26 NLT

Everyday life contains challenges in discernment, trying to establish what is good and what is evil. There is very real evil in the world. The destruction, injustice, and hatred is evident. The greed grows and self becomes more prominent than neighbor. Jesus, in His parable, assures us we will live alongside good and evil. Sometimes it will be obvious, other times it will be hard to tell the difference. 

The truth of the Word of God helps us recognize the lies and embrace the love and light of Christ Jesus. He is the way, the truth and the life. He is the living Word of God. In Him, we are able to see with an advantage. But even then, we will not always be able to understand everything we aim to, nor find answers to all we seek. One thing we can always do …follow Jesus. He will always lead us in truth and light. He is living water. When we are thirsty for answers or direction, wisdom or comfort, we can turn to Him who is the only One able to quench our desire for knowledge, fulfillment, and love. Our self-worth is found in Christ, alone.

One day, truth will be separated from lies. “Let both grow together until the harvest,” the parable continues, “Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, burn them, and put the wheat into the barn.” We, children of God, are the wheat. Our hope is in Christ, alone. We hold tightly to the Truth, persevere and remain laser-focused on Him until the day He returns to right every wrong. 

What to Do with Our What Ifs

By Megan Evans, as posted on Crosswalk the Devotional

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” - 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)

Worry has a way of igniting a series of “what-ifs.” These thoughts trickle down from our heads to our hearts with a lit fuse ready to detonate an explosion of fear. Yet, sure-footed in God’s Truth, we can stomp out these sparks quickly and rest in His peace instead.

Satan knows the effect of God’s power and peace in our lives and tries hard to deter us from trusting the Lord. It is the classic cartoon scene of the coyote chasing the roadrunner. With a baited trail, the wily coyote waits nearby to drop an acme anvil or blast TNT. Worry stems from fear, and ultimately these fretful thoughts and emotions are crumbs the enemy uses in hopes of luring us into traps of faithlessness and hopelessness. However, the Bible reminds us in 2 Timothy 1:7 that a spirit of fear is not from God. Therefore, the pesky cartoon scene that plays out in our hearts and minds is no match for the Lord. Thankfully, we fight with God’s power, or dunamis. In fact, the Greek word for “power” used here in this verse is where we get our word “dynamite.”

Praise God! We can find peace and sound mind, and we can demolish our fears with God’s power and love. We can do hard things, and we can overcome impossible situations because God is bigger than what we see and experience in this life. He is bigger than our greatest worry. As we consider what to do with our what-ifs, we can lean into Jesus today for His Wisdom and Strength. Power over worry is not found in ourselves. Instead, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 reminds us that “we use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.” 

Therefore, when we find ourselves worrying, the first thing we should do is pray. Ask God to abolish this fear and strengthen us with His Truth. It is important not to ignore our what-ifs but to compare what we are thinking and feeling with God’s Word. Memorizing a verse like 2 Timothy 1:7 is a great way to take worried thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. In addition, 1 Peter 5:7 (NLT) tells us, “give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” You may even find it helpful to journal your prayers and record the date to remind yourself that a particular fear has been left at the cross.  Consider some areas of worry you may have for yourself or others today: 

• What if I fail?

• What if I find myself in need?

• What if I’m waiting for answers?

• What if my health declines?

• What if I made past mistakes?

It is easy to rattle off a list like this, and perhaps you can think of a few more. Yet, what a difference it makes when we allow God’s Truth to stomp out worry. It stops fear in its tracks. Praise God! In place of our what-ifs, we will begin to see God’s glory in action in every scenario. In Christ we can live bold instead of timid.  

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Most of what we worry about isn’t a reality, but even when we experience hardship, it doesn’t change God’s character and love. It just means we get to lean into His strength and protection. His power and presence are with us in the midst. How can we ever do life without our Savior? And we don’t have to!

In the good days and bad, God is our Strength and Confidence, our Provider and Giver of daily needs and spiritual gifts. He is our Comforter and Healer. In Christ we stand with our Redeemer and Victor! For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity but of power, love, and self-discipline.

What are some “what-if” thoughts that have taken your mind captive today? What specific fears can you identify and surrender to the Lord today? Stomp out fear by praying God’s Word over each one and live boldly with Christ in His power and victory.