Thought for the day...

August 22, 2019
Verse of the Day
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19 NIV

 

Let your word be your bond
By Pastor Mark Jeske
If you have any ideas about taking out a home mortgage, your lender will obtain your FICO credit score to gauge your financial capability and track record for debt repayment. Your credit score doesn’t tell the lender everything, but it is a reliable way to reduce the lender’s risk. Once your credit reputation is shot, it gets really, really hard to borrow money.

There’s no rating agency for truth telling, but after a while the people with whom you associate will have a pretty good sense as to how much truth is in your words. Every time you are caught in a lie your “rating” goes down, and you have to protest and embellish and intensify your statements more and more. The more words you have to add to your basic statements, the more people will suspect that you are faking or hustling them.

Jesus has a simple solution: “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37). Simple: develop a reputation for telling the truth. Simple: Look people right in the eye without wavering and tell the truth. Simple: say it one time and then fall silent because there’s nothing more that needs to be added.

That way you never have to wonder which version of the story you’ve told. Because there is only one version.

 

August 23, 2019
Verse of the Day
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.
Hosea 6:6 NIV

 

Leaders go first
By Pastor Mark Jeske
Possibly when you think of leadership you think exercise of power. Possibly you think authority, telling others what to do, command and control. Other words that come to mind—Privilege? Elite?

Leadership in Christ has a different flavor. Leadership within the church of God should not be about power and commanding the obedience of others. Leadership is about persuasion, inspiration, teaching, tone, empowerment, modeling, and service. Christian leaders don’t tell others what to do; they don’t sit on their thrones and expect the little people to do the work and make the contributions.

Look at the example of the capital campaign for the construction of the Jerusalem temple. Leaders go first. “Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king’s work gave willingly. They gave toward the work on the temple of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze and a hundred thousand talents of iron. Anyone who had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the temple of the LORD” (1 Chronicles 29:6-8).

Sacrificial leaders are fun to follow. They release energy in people. They inspire trust. They don’t tell the way to; they show it. They don’t ask people to do anything they wouldn’t also do.

First.

 

Father, we ask that the heart of each child will be connected to the heart of Jesus receiving the wisdom of heaven and turning from the wisdom of the world. In Christ’s name, Amen.
-Abide in Christ
http://www.if714.org/?p=26036

 

BLESSINGS OF FAITHFULNESS
This scene was eerily reminiscent of the sending of the spies in Numbers 13, except this time the result was more favorable. This time emissaries of the nation went throughout the promised land to map out the territory allotted to the seven tribes who had not yet received their land. There they saw the glorious inheritance that God would give to the nation. The land would testify to the faithfulness of God and demonstrate that he was continuing to accomplish his mission.

The church functions in the same way today. As believers gather in local churches around the world, they see a tangible picture of the grace of God. He is still at work, granting salvation to the lost and uniting them together into his family. Local churches, filled with believers, put the manifold wisdom of God on display for a watching world. The mystery of his grace, hidden for generations yet revealed in the person of Jesus, is evident for all to see (Eph 3:8 – 11). He is indeed faithful to bless his people, on earth and ultimately in heaven.

Jesus, please help me to shine within my local body of believers, so that others may be drawn to you. May your family grow in this community. Amen.

Taken from NIV The Jesus Bible

 

August 24, 2019
Verse of the Day
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
Hebrews 12:1 NIV

 

August 25, 2019
Verse of the Day
The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
Psalm 23:1-2 NIV

 

You have changed
By Pastor Matt Ewart
Have you noticed that a place you knew well as a child looks much different when you revisit it as an adult? Rooms are smaller. Walls are shorter. You notice things that you didn’t notice as a child. In reality, this place from your childhood didn’t change one bit. You did.

In a similar way, the more your faith grows, the more your perspective on life changes. There’s no better example than what happened in the lives of Jesus’ disciples the day of his death. The world looked very scary to them on that day. They locked themselves in a room because they didn’t want to face the dangers of being associated with Jesus.

But after the resurrection, the disciples were unleashed. They began to publically preach the gospel of Jesus and would rather face death than hide their faith. What started it all was a visit from Jesus on Easter Sunday when he said these words: “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21).

Once this peace settled into their hearts and minds, the world looked like a very different place. The resurrection didn’t change the danger of the world around them. The resurrection changed them.

Just like it changes you. Today there will be things that make you sad, hopeless, or fearful. When those things come up, look at them from the viewpoint of Jesus’ empty tomb. With death defeated and sin left powerless, the things that used to seem so daunting become quite small. Not because they have changed. You have

 

August 26, 2019
Verse of the Day
Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.
1 Chronicles 29:11

 

Such an angel
By Pastor Matt Ewart
When I was in college, I donated a week of spring break to help out a church with some canvassing. Not only was it an opportunity to serve, but it was also a free plane ticket to a warm, sunny place.

While there I visited hundreds of houses and invited dozens of people to the local church. I am told that one of those people thought I was an angel. (People who know me know better than to make such a comparison.)

That person was in a season of life where God seemed distant, and she sincerely wanted to find a church to get connected. She just didn’t know where to start. That’s when she heard a knock on her door and found me on the other side of it. To her, it was like an angel of God had appeared at just the right time.

Have you had moments where the perfect stranger appeared at the perfect time? Perhaps you concluded that this stranger could be none other than an angel sent by God.

Maybe God does send angels. Or maybe he just sends out his sons and daughters with the good news of Christ that can dispel any darkness.

You might have a chance today to be someone’s angel. You have news from God that can bring light to someone in darkness

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:2

 

Great truths here

 

August 27, 2019
Verse of the Day
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
1 Peter 5:6 NIV

 

The terror of terrorism
By Pastor Mark Jeske
There have always been acts of sensational violence and terrorism in America, but the sad events of 9/11 changed our national psyche forever. Instantaneous worldwide digital media make all of us aware all the time of all the ways violent predators stalk their prey. How can that not leave you with a deep sense of fear and insecurity?

Violent crime and near-constant warfare were part of people’s lives in biblical times as well. Terrorists don’t need guns, bullets, and suicide vests to terrify people. Knives, swords, and arrows cause terror too: “They shoot from ambush at the innocent; they shoot suddenly, without fear. They encourage each other in evil plans, they talk about hiding their snares; they say, ‘Who will see it?’ They plot injustice and say, ‘We have devised a perfect plan!’ Surely the human mind and heart are cunning” (Psalm 64:4-6).

This side of heaven such human cruelty will always be with us. Satan enjoys human suffering and will goad people on to attack one another. But our God sees, cares, acts, protects, remembers, and will bring justice sooner or later.

Our military, CIA, FBI, state troopers, and local police are some of God’s answers to our prayers for security. Thank you, Lord, for these brave men and women. Protect them as they protect us. Send also your holy angels to keep each of us in your care. We trust that we are untouchable until we have finished our earthly work for you.

 

"Our military, CIA, FBI, state troopers, and local police are some of God’s answers to our prayers for security. Thank you, Lord, for these brave men and women. Protect them as they protect us. Send also your holy angels to keep each of us in your care. We trust that we are untouchable until we have finished our earthly work for you."

Amen.