September 30: Citizens of Heaven

by Paul Lewis

Scripture: Philippians 1:27a

Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.

Observation:

The phrase “above all” is literally the word “only”. It is to be the singular focus of our lives. In this translation it shows that this should be our focus above everything else. So, what should our focus be? That we live as citizens of heaven and conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of that citizenship.

Most people try to live with dual citizenship. They want the rewards and promises that being a citizen of heaven brings, yet they cling to their citizenship in this world and the pleasures that go with it. We fail to realize that to be a friend of the world makes you an enemy of God (James 4:4)? In other words, citizens of the world are not followers of Christ. There isn’t anyone in heaven with dual citizenship!

Certainly, we still live in this world, but we are to live as people in a foreign land. We aren’t to get caught up in the affairs of this world, but are to focus purposefully on heaven. We are to make sure that how we live and behave brings honor to the King and kingdom we serve. We do this by living “in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ!”

Application:

So, just how do we conduct ourselves in this manner? In verse 28, Paul says that we shouldn’t be intimidated in any way. He tells us in 2:3 not to be selfish. And, in 2:5 he tells us to have the same attitude that Christ had. To put it simply, we are to become like Christ (see Colossians 1:28), and help others become like him too. Certainly it isn’t easy, and it isn’t a sudden change, but we press on toward the prize of spending eternity with Jesus.

We do it one day at a time, with others around us to unite with who can encourage and challenge us in our focus.

Prayer:

God, help me to focus on you today. Help me to live as a citizen of heaven instead of a citizen of this world. Thank you for adopting me into your family and for paying the price for me to become a citizen of heaven!

September 28th: Don’t provoke

Scripture

Ephesians 6:4

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.

Observation

God cares about how we raise our children.  We need to bring them up in discipline and instruction, but not provoke them with our style by angering them. 

Application

God is our father.  The Bible uses the term over and over.  How does God grow us in wisdom and discipline…by irritating us, by causing us to be angry at Him?  No, through love….it is often tough love, but love nonetheless.  When I discipline my children, when I need to interact with them as their father, I need to realize that I am modeling God the father to them.  I need to show love…not frustration and instigation.

Prayer

God help me to father like you.

September 27th:It was me

Scripture

Isaiah 53:4-6

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
      it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
   And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
      a punishment for his own sins!
 5 But he was pierced for our rebellion,
      crushed for our sins.
   He was beaten so we could be whole.
      He was whipped so we could be healed.
 6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
      We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
   Yet the Lord laid on him
      the sins of us all.

Observation

This passage from Isaiah is a prophesy about what the messiah, Jesus, will have to go through in order for us to receive God’s forgiveness.

Application

Today it is more of a personal realization than a application.  When I read what Jesus knew what he had to go through, (he knew the scriptures), he still came.  Jesus loved me so much that he willingly suffered for me.  When it comes down to Christs suffering, I am the one who put him on the cross…it was me.

Prayer

Words cannot express my thanks.

September 26th: Anger

Scripture

Ephesians 4:26

And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

Observation

Anger is an emotion most of us feel on a daily basis, we must learn to handle it in the right way. Letting anger control you is giving satan a place to work in your life.  It will soon spread and become worse.

Application

When I am angry, I need to see if what I am angry about is something God would be angry about.  The filter can be as simple as that..  If it is, I should move to action and work to correct the problem…if it is not, I need to let it go and ask forgiveness if my anger has hurt others.

Prayer

God, I turn over my anger to you.  Use it to spur me on to do good work, and help me realize quickly when it is turning me away from you.

September 25th: God made us fit

Posted by: Jeremiah Hann

Scripture:

He makes the whole body fit together perfectly.  As each part does it’s own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.  Ephesians 4:16

Observations:

Paul tells us that each of us is gifted in a different way.  We are all put together differently.  Just like the body is put together, and each part relies on the other parts, we, as the Church Body, rely on other people in the body.  We challenge each other to grow and encourage one another.

Application:

I need to always remember to be challenging others to grow.  As I do the things God has gifted me with, I need to take time to help other people in the Body grow.  When we do this, the whole body will be healthy, and full of love.

Prayer:

Hey God, Help me to always be encouraging others.  I want our church body to continue to be healthy, and working as one body.  Help us to always challenge others to grow as we know this will help us stay healthy.  Thank you for Jesus and his sacrifice.  In His name, Amen.

September 24th: Handicapping God’s power…

By: Brent Hodges

Scripture

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”  Ephesians 3:20

Observation

Paul, writing to the church in Ephesus, is trying to get the people of the church to grasp God’s love for them and his power that is available to them.

Application

God’s power is available to us and is at work in us.  Too often I am guilty of thinking I can take care of a situation myself and I don’t allow God the opportunity to show up and do more than I could have imagined in the situation.  I need to ask God to show up, not step back.

Prayer

Lord, may there be less of me and more of You.  May I ask for your power to show up in the situations that cross my path each day.

September 23: You are a Masterpiece

posted by: Darius Sanders

Scripture
Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s masterpiece.  He created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Observation
This verse tells us a few things.  First of all, we are like a stunning work of art that God thought up.  In all His creativity, He considers human beings His masterpieces.  Secondly, He had great intentions when He created us.  He planned out a number of things that we could do here on this earth to bring Him glory.

Application
This verse should help us to think about life a little bit differently.  At times we can get down on ourselves because we don’t like the way we look or the shortcomings that we have.  In times of frustration we sometimes begin to think, “God must have made a mistake when He made me.”  This verse helps us realize that there is no way possible that God made a mistake when He created us.  After all, we’re referred to as His masterpieces.  A masterpiece is not some random piece of art that turned out OK.  A masterpiece is a piece of art work with careful attention to detail.  God carefully thought out exactly what He wanted you to look like and be like.  Not only that, God created you with the purpose in mind that you would do good things here on this earth. 

I remember asking God in high school why He made me ugly.  I had big feet that I tripped over, big thick glasses, nappy hair, and none of the cute girls cast a second glance in my direction.  I saw the way that I looked as a curse.  In hindsight, it was actually a blessing.  Not being gifted with “good looks” forced me to develop a good personality  (Yeah, I was the guy that you would try to set your friend up with by saying “He has a good personality”). Also, girls were not a distraction to me in life in pursing my educational goals. Most importantly, I was able to keep myself pure until my wedding night.  Now I have an incredible testimony to tell students about the joys of saving their virginity until marriage.  God knew exactly what He was doing by not making me “good looking” in high school.  Now I’m able to see why He created me the way that He did and how He is using my story to influence teenagers to remain pure in life.

Prayer
God thanks for creating a masterpiece when You created me.  I pray that anybody that reads this post that is struggling with the way that they look or their shortcomings in life would be able to see that You created them exactly the way You did for a reason.  They may not understand that reason until a few years down the road, but nonetheless, you created them that way for a reason.  Help people to see that they too are a masterpiece that You created.

September 22nd: Journey Through the Bible

by Dennis Johnston

Scripture:

15Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, 16I have not stopped thanking God for you.  I pray for you constantly.  Ephesians 1:15-16

Observation:

Paul prays for us to grow in our faith and love for people. 

Application:

How do we grow in our faith and love for people?  We are doing this by journeying through the Bible together (growing in our understanding and knowledge of God) and acting on what we are learning (sharing in each others burdens – joys and sorrows).

I love our vision here at Palm Valley Church – to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.  As we journey through the Bible together this year we have stood on one verse:

“I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.”  Psalm 119:16

Fulfilling our vision begins with my own relationship with Jesus.  Apart from God, I can do nothing.  I need to do two things:

1. Journey through the Bible (read each day – start today if I get behind)
2. Pray for others God asks me to “pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) for a reason.  Prayer changes me and othes circumstances.  So through reading God’s Word my thinking can be changed and by praying I change and the needs of others becomes a priority for me. 

Prayer:

Father, help me to delight in your Word and grow in my faith. Give me the desire to wake each day with the desire to read the Bible.  I want to help others – give me the desire to pray for others so that you can be glorified.  I pray that each person would take their next step in their relationship with you and grow in their love for people.

September 21st: You Are Not That Important

by Paul Lewis

Scripture: Galatians 6:1-3

1 Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 3 If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.

Observation:

Paul gives us instructions here about how to help a fellow believer who has fallen into sin. Our human tendancy is to pull back and no longer associate with that person. Paul is saying that a Christian should do just the opposite. We are to share each other’s burdens, being careful not to get entangled in the sin ourselves, and help that person back to the faith.

He points out very bluntly, that if you think you are too good to help, your not! He makes it very clear, “You are not that important”!

Application:

When we see a friend struggle, or even just someone in the church we may not know very well, we can’t just sit back and watch as they struggle and fall to sin in their lives. We need to step up and help them. We are all sinners, saved by the grace of God. We aren’t any better, or more important than anyone else.

Sure, it sometimes is messy, and hard, to help someone who is struggling with sin in their lives, but it isn’t an option! Don’t fool yourself into thinking that someone else will help, or that you are too good, or too important. Don’t think that it isn’t your place. As a brother or sister in Christ, you have a responsibility to encourage and challenge other believers toward Christlikeness. You don’t get to decide which people you will help. Whoever God puts in your path that needs help, you need to help.

Prayer:

God, help me to not shrink back from helping those who are struggling with sin so that they can be made right with you, and be strengthened in their faith. Thank you that you bring people into my life to show me areas of sin so that I can overcome and become more like you!

September 18th: A Great Reminder

By Ryan Nunez

Scripture

Psalm 62:1-2

I wait quietly before God,
for my victory comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will never be shaken.

Observation

These words resound with the spiritual condition as much today as they did thousands of years ago when they were recorded.  Patience and security.  We struggle with patience and relying on God’s strength.

Application

These two issues in my spiritual walk come up weekly, if not daily.  I believe they are universal issues;  waiting on God and remembering that He is in control.  These two verses are great reminders of God’s truths.  I am going to commit them to memory.

Prayer

God help me to hide your word in my heart.