Tag Archives: devotional

Come and EAT with us! by Pastor Andy

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1“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.
3“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? 4How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.
6“Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.

7“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
9“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

12“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.  -Matthew 7:1-12

 

It’s time to EAT!

Good morning (or possibly evening)! For many of you it may be very close to 6:48. As our theme is prayer, Pastor David challenged us to EAT each day this week at 6:48AM or PM.

  • Exalt
  • Ask
  • Thank

We chose 6:48 based on our theme scripture – James 4:8 –

So come close to God, and God will come close to you…

As you pray (come close to God) this week, here are 3 thoughts from Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount.

1. The Golden Rule

I hope you noticed I added a bit before and after Jesus’ thoughts on prayer.

As the staff discussed the topic of repentance/humility last week, we pointed out how many times Scripture wrapped it around our interaction with people. Humility many times comes because of how we treat and deal with the people around us.

In His sermon, Jesus goes from self-righteous judgment to prayer to the golden rule. I think there is a principle at play there.

Our interaction with people affects how we interact with God.

When we approach God in prayer, we need to be conscious of our heart towards others. Is there unforgiveness? Is there pride? Is there anger? Is there strife?

If we have anything in our hearts toward a brother, sister or enemy, it will keep us from truly connecting with God.

2. Ask.

Matthew Henry has this to say about asking, seeking and knocking –

Ask as a beggar asks alms.

A beggar is totally dependent on the graciousness of the people who pass by. He may be embarrassed, but he asks. Why? He has no other option.

Too many times, we feel we have other options. Approach God in complete dependence. Ask, knock and seek like your life depends on what He doles out.

3. Expect

Here’s where the beggar analogy breaks down. God is so much more than a kindly passer-by dropping a few coins in a cup. He is a good, good Father who delights in answering our requests.

As I write, I reflect on my own children. Often they ask for great things, but I know it is best they wait. Sometimes the wait is a few minutes, hours, days, weeks or years. It all depends on what they are asking for.

I want my 11-year-old to watch television, but I know it’s best if he finish his homework first (a few minutes). I want my 8-year-old to have dessert, but I know it’s best if he waits until after dinner (a few hours). I want my 14-year-old to drive, but I know it’s best she wait until she’s 17 (a few years).

Don’t become discouraged. My children never stop asking. Do the same! Keep asking, and know God will answer at the exact right time. Expect Him to come through!

Is it 6:48?

I look forward to praying with you this week, and I am excited to hear about the wonderful things God does in your lives!

Is it 6:48 yet?

Eat with us every day this week! by Pastor David

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First and Only – Elevation Worship

I want you to EAT every day this week!

If you were unable to attend service on Sunday, I preached a message regarding prayer.  At the end of my message I challenged the entire church to EAT together at either 6:48 AM or 6:48 PM.
E.A.T. stands for
Exalt
Ask
Thank
I’m challenging you to E.A.T. every day this week either in the morning or in the evening.  I would like all of us to spend time praying to our Father in Heaven for at least 5 minutes.  Take a few minutes exalting God, telling Him how awesome He is and that there is no one else like Him. Then begin to ask God for things that are on your heart.  Tell Him what you need.  Finally spend time thanking Him for being an amazing heavenly Father!  I guarantee that God will be pleased and He will smile on you!
Why 6:48?  Well, James 4:8 says this,
“Come close to God, and God will come close to you.”
It’s a promise.  If you draw near to God He will draw near to you. It’s that simple.
Would you join us?  In order to help you remember, take out your cell phone right now and set an alarm at either one of those times.  Then join with us in seeking God’s face.  It will be the best part of your day!!
One of my favorite preachers, Charles Spurgeon had this to say about prayer:
God knows we have much need of prayer. So deep are our necessities, that until we are in heaven we must not cease to pray…
A prayerless soul is a Christless soul.
Prayer is the lisping of the believing infant, the shout of the fighting believer, the requiem of the dying saint falling asleep in Jesus. It is the breath, the watchword, the comfort, the strength, the honor of a Christian.
If you are a child of God, you will seek thy Father’s face, and live in the Father’s love. Pray that this year you may be holy, humble, zealous, and patient; have closer communion with Christ, and enter more often in the banqueting-house of his love.
Pray that you may be an example and a blessing to others, and that you may live more to the glory of your Master. AMEN!

 

Oh, Lord it’s hard to be humble! by Pastor Andy

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2 Chronicles 7:11-16

11So Solomon finished the Temple of the lord, as well as the royal palace. He completed everything he had planned to do in the construction of the Temple and the palace. 12Then one night the lord appeared to Solomon and said,
“I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices.13At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you. 14Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 15My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place. 16For I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be holy—a place where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.

Oh, Lord it’s hard to be humble

As I pondered what to write about today’s scripture passage, knowing we’ve covered repentance and humility all week, I wondered what to say. The question I kept asking myself was,

How many ways can a person talk about humility?

Is there any more ways to cover being humble? I talked about this dilemma with my wife, mentioned this passage of scripture, and she said,

It always reminds me to be humble.

Which really is the point. It’s not about how many ways we can talk about humility. It’s about how many times we talk about humility. Each time we talk about it, read about it, hear about it, think about it, we are reminded to be humble.

Which isn’t easy.

As the old country song goes,

Oh Lord, it’s hard to be humble…when you’re perfect in every way!

Humility may be hard, but it’s necessary. We can’t hear the message enough.

Humble yourself. Pray. Repent. Seek God.

We need reminded. We need humility because it’s what God responds to. Humility is was causes him to open His eyes and ears to our needs.

Thank you Lord for reminding me to be humble…again.

Flee. Pursue. by Pastor Chris

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Flee. 

2 TImothy 2:19-23

19 But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,”[a] and “All who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil.”[b]

20 In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. 21 If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.

22 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.

23 Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights.

As we have gone through this week on the topic of repentance, I was struck by something Pastor Don said: “We tolerate the Agag’s in our life.”  Basically, we get comfortable with certain sins because they are “respectable”.  We fall into the trap of thinking we are good enough.

“We have measured ourselves by ourselves until the incentive to seek higher plateaus in the things of the Spirit is all but gone.”  A.W. Tozer

We forget who sets the bar, and that bar is pretty high.  We like to compare ourselves with others and think that we are OK.  But God sets the bar, and He states, “Be holy as I am holy.”

That is a high standard.

In the verses above, we are told to “turn away from evil” and later it states we are to run or flee from anything that stimulates youthful lusts.

How many do this?  When is the last time we fled sin?  When is the last time we left a tempting situation?  Turned the channel? Stopped the conversation?  Broke off the relationship? Better yet, put down the doughnut?!

We have a tendency to tolerate sin in our lives.  We like to just rely on the grace and mercy of God, which is such an amazing gift.  Let’s not be guilty of taking it for granted.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said this:  “Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our church.”

We rely on this, and go on living our lives without changing.  All this does is stunt our growth when it comes to our relationship with God. We fail to see sin for what it is so we don’t repent and  turn and flee from those situations in our lives that are hindering us.

Joseph fled the situation with Potiphar’s wife, no matter the cost.

Genesis 39:9–No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.”

Joseph knew that sin was not only against his master, but most importantly against God.  And he fled.

Pursue.

These verse tells us to flee and abstain, but it goes further:

It tells us what to pursue and chase after.  This word pursue means to aggressively chase and go after with all haste.

The simple question for today: What are you pursuing?  Are you chasing after righteousness, faith, love and peace?  We need to do this so we may be honorable vessels that the Lord can use, and use to the fullest.

Let’s cleanse ourselves (repent) from what is dishonorable so that we can be the vessels that God needs us to be!!

 

Be ‘umble, find ‘ope by Pastor Matt

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Song: Touch the Sky

Artist: Hillsong United

Be ‘umble, find ‘ope

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 5:6-11

Humble. It’s an uncomfortable word. A difficult word. For all sorts of reasons. Like pronunciation. Humble? Or ‘umble? If only pronunciation was our only hang up with this word!

Yesterday, we discovered that humility preserves unity; it’s an antidote to the wars, quarrels, and fights among us (James 4:1). Today, we realize that humility before God also fosters endurance.

Peter, writing to a group of Christians in the teeth of persecution, strikes a remarkably similar chord to James: Humble yourselves before God.

During our discussions on repentance and humility this week, Pastor Don said something that’s worth repeating: Humility is all about your point of reference.

And, in this passage, the point of reference is undeniably God. It’s His mighty hand that gives hope in the face of persecution. It’s his care that preserves. It’s His grace that restores, confirms, strengthens and establishes.

It’s interesting what Peter doesn’t say. Humble yourselves, and your adversary the devil will leave you alone. Or, humble yourselves, and you’ll be rid of this persecution for your faith.

Rather, Peter says humble yourself before God, and you’ll see your anxieties, your adversary, and your persecution in their proper light. In the hands of the One whose purposes will never be overcome – whose dominion is forever and ever.

Humility, in this passage, is not silent. It’s not passive. It’s not a push-over. It’s sober-minded. It’s aware. It’s vigilant. It’s firm.

And it’s all of those things because it’s anchored in God’s mighty hand, His care, and His grace. And this fosters ‘ope!

As you think about repentance in your life today, take a moment to answer the question: What (or who) is your point of reference today?