August 16th: What’s Your Motivation?

by Paul Lewis

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:31

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Observation:

Paul has been addressing the issue of rights versus responsibility. He is primarily dealing with the issue of whether or not to eat meat that had been sacrificed to idols. It was the practice of the day that after a sacrifice was made, meat that wasn’t burned up was often sold in the marketplace. There were good arguments on both sides of the issue, but the problem was that it had become divisive and people weren’t being drawn toward Christ in all the dissension.

Paul was saying that even though we may have the right to do something, we shouldn’t do if it will push someone further from Christ.

In verse 31 Paul is saying that regardless of whether a person chose to eat the meat or not, or in whatever else you do, or don’t do, everything should be done for God’s glory.

Application:

Since bringing glory to God is worship, Paul is telling us that everything we do is an act of worship. No matter what you do, or don’t do, in the name of Christ, you need to remember that it is all for his glory. Are there things that you do or don’t do because of what your relationship with Christ? Don’t let those things become divisive, and make sure that your motive for doing or not doing something is your desire to bring glory to God.

Prayer:

God, you are Lord. Help me to keep my motives pure. Help me to bring glory to you by the decisions that I make to live in ways that I believe bring honor and glory to you. Help me to never become divisive in what I believe is okay or not okay to do.

August 13th: Knowledge vs Wisdom

By Daniel Conner

Scripture:

I Corinthians 8:1-3  ” But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.  And anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much.  But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.”

Observation:

Knowledge can be deceiving.  We can have all the answers to all the questions because of knowledge, but ultimately that will only go so far.  Our heart will be revealed as time goes by, and if there is not any action following the knowledge, then there is no love.  I guess that’s the difference between knowledge and wisdom.  Knowledge is acquiring truth or facts about something, and wisdom is knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action. 

 

Application:

I’ve heard it said, “knowledge without application is an abomination”.  Simply meaning we can have all the knowledge about every topic in the world, be educated about specific areas of life, but until we put that knowledge into practice, it is pointless.  And it’s at this crossroads that we stand and have a decision, will I have wisdom and take what I know, (from God’s Word and applying it) and be a passionate productive person who lives what I believe to draw people closer to Christ, or will I be content with the knowledge, and be a prideful pointless person who lives for only me. 

Prayer:

Father thank you for your Word, and thank you for your promise that if we ask for wisdom that you are waiting to give it to us, all we have to do is ask.  Help me to flesh out what I learn so that others will see you, and come to know you.  Help me to be a passionate purposeful person for you.

August 12th:Hiding and Pirates…

By Daniel Conner

Scripture:

Psalm 32:7 “For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble.  You surround me with songs of victory.”

Observation:

 Ever had a bad day?  I know I have.  Kaos creeps in and trys to take control of what is going on in my life, by impacting my heart.  In the midst of days like those, and it’s really not a matter of if, but when they come.  In the midst of days like those, I have a choice to make, I can physically try to run from my bad day and that may work, but that’s really only temporary, the issues will still be there tomorrow most likely.  Or I can allow Christ to be my hiding place.  What I love about Psalm 32:7 is that God promises to be our “hiding place”, a shelter, a refuge.  The very next verse says, “I will advise you and watch over you.” 

 

Application:

I’m a visual person, and also a BIG Disneyland freak, one of my favor ate rides is the ”Pirates of the Caribbean”.  At one point on the ride as you near the town, you are in the middle of a battle between the “Pirates” who are on a ship, and then the towns people who are on land, and protected by a castle.  Now as you continue on the ride the pirates actually conquered the town, but in reality that would not have happened!  Those people are safe in that castle, they are protected, that castle is a refuge, a hiding place for all who are there.  The battle still might be going on outside, but on the inside it is a little more peaceful.  So is in our lives, Christ is to be our hiding place, our refuge, and that doesn’t mean that the situations go away, but he is our refuge, he is protecting us, bringing peace to our hearts while the battle rages on.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for your protection, your peace, and for being my hiding place.

August 5th:God changes hearts

Scripture

Ezra 1:1-2

1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing:  2 “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:
” ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.

Observation

God changed the heart of a foreign ruler to send his captives (the Israelites) back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.

Application

We all have someone in our life that we have been trying to speak to about Christ, who never seems to respond.  I rejoice in today’s passage that God, the creator and designer of the universe, takes the time to change the hearts of individual men and women in order to accomplish his purpose.  Keep praying for God to change hearts.

Prayer

God, thank you for loving us so much!

August 4th: Timing

By: Ryan Nunez

Scripture

Proverbs 20:21

An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning will not be blessed at the end.

Observation

Timing is a key factor when doing God’s will.  In this proverb, the timing has to do with being patient in gaining an inheritance.  We can all imagine a few bad scenes playing out in our imagination involving jumping the gun on receiving an inheritance.  The getting the inheritance is not bad…the issue is when.

Application

Timing has a lot to do with my obedience to God.  I can do the right thing, but if done at the wrong time or delayed, it could be just as bad as never obeying.

Prayer

God, help me to make your timing, my timing.

August 3rd: Your Next Right Step

By: Ryan

Scripture

2 Chronicles 34 (various verses)

3 During the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestor David. Then in the twelfth year he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, destroying all the pagan shrines, the Asherah poles, and the carved idols and cast images.

8 In the eighteenth year of his reign, after he had purified the land and the Temple, Josiah appointed Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the governor of Jerusalem, and Joah son of Joahaz, the royal historian, to repair the Temple of the Lord his God.

14 While they were bringing out the money collected at the Lord’s Temple, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that was written by Moses. 15 Hilkiah said to Shaphan the court secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the Lord’s Temple!” Then Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan.

16 Shaphan took the scroll to the king and reported, “Your officials are doing everything they were assigned to do. 17 The money that was collected at the Temple of the Lord has been turned over to the supervisors and workmen.” 18 Shaphan also told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a scroll.” So Shaphan read it to the king.

19 When the king heard what was written in the Law, he tore his clothes in despair. 20 Then he gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah,^[c] Shaphan the court secretary, and Asaiah the king’s personal adviser: 21 “Go to the Temple and speak to the Lord for me and for all the remnant of Israel and Judah. Inquire about the words written in the scroll that has been found. For the Lord’s great anger has been poured out on us because our ancestors have not obeyed the word of the Lord. We have not been doing everything this scroll says we must do.”

29 Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 And the king went up to the Temple of the Lord with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, along with the priests and the Levites—all the people from the greatest to the least. There the king read to them the entire Book of the Covenant that had been found in the Lord’s Temple. 31 The king took his place of authority beside the pillar and renewed the covenant in the Lord’s presence. He pledged to obey the Lord by keeping all his commands, laws, and decrees with all his heart and soul. He promised to obey all the terms of the covenant that were written in the scroll. 32 And he required everyone in Jerusalem and the people of Benjamin to make a similar pledge. The people of Jerusalem did so, renewing their covenant with God, the God of their ancestors.

Observation

Josiah took over for his father Amon as King of Judah at the age of 8.  He father did what was evil in the sight of God and lead Israel into idol worship. Josiah, eventually leads Judah back to God, but not having an example of what was right took a series of right steps to bring him closer and to God’s plan.

Application

I was impacted this weekend, when Pastor Greg used the phrase; “your next right step.”  So often we get hung up looking too far into the future and become frozen in our decision making.  As we look at Josiah’s life, we see a series of “next right steps” being taken.  Each time he takes a right step…God reveals what the next step should be.

Prayer

God help me to follow you by taking the next right step.

July 31: Leading by Example

posted by: Darius Sanders

Scripture
Romans 14:13
So let’s stop condemning each other.  Decide to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.

Observation
As followers of Christ, we’re called to live our lives in such a way as to set a good example for other Christians.  Anything that we say or do could draw another Christian closer to Christ or further away from Christ…especially new believers.  The last thing I want on my resume as I enter Heaven is “lived his life in such a way that many believers around him stumbled and fell away from Christ.” 

Application
Serving in Student Ministries, Romans 14:13 is a verse that echoes and reverberates with my soul.  Adult Youth Mentors and I are called to live our lives in such a way that students can follow our example.  We don’t want to do anything in life that would cause teenagers to walk away from God.  If anything, we want to live our lives so passionately for Christ that students are challenged by our actions to go to the next level in their Spiritual journey with Christ.  Realizing that my actions are a response from my heart’s condition, I need to continue to keep my heart in tune to what God is sharing with me daily as I read His Word.  That will enable me to display actions that will keep other believers from falling away from Christ.  

Prayer
God, please help me to continue living my life passionately following You.  I pray that students would forevermore see the example that I’m setting for them and that that example would inspire them to have a more intimate relationship with You.

July 28th: It’s still a mystery to me

Scripture

Romans 11:25

“I want you to understand this mystery,…”

Observation

The mystery Paul is referring to is that the Israelites, despite their hard hearts, will receive a second chance at accepting the Good News after all the gentiles have has a chance to receive it.  This doesn’t quite make sense and Paul acknowledges that by referring to it as a mystery. The word mystery is often used in conjunction with God’s grace and salvation plan.

Application

There are a lot of things we won’t fully understand this side of heaven…and I mean a lot.  I am comforted that Paul uses the word mystery. If he didn’t quite get it all, I am going to be o.k.  I mean that is what faith is all about, right? Not fully understanding, yet trusting God enough to believe that He is right.  When I think of God’s mystery, I am not talking about fully understanding obscure prophecies and the correct interpretation of the book of Revelation.  Think about the Resurrection of Jesus.  How did that one event in history pay the penalty for sin for all time and conquer death?  Trust me I know the basic answer, Jesus was the perfect sacrifice, without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin,…but why,….how?  It is a mystery, and I am quite content to place my trust in it.

Prayer

God, thank you for being too big to explain on the pages of a book.

July 27th: Beautiful Feet

Scripture

Romans 10:14-15

But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”

Observation

The first part of the passage was used by Darius in week three of Jonah explaining our need to go out and share the good news.  I really like the blessing at the end of verse 15; “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”  It is an odd blessing, beautiful feet, but quite fitting.  When someone brings good news, you are so glad that they took the effort to bring it to you, because it is really a benefit for you much more than for them.  When someone shares with you God’s plan for salvation, you benefit from that conversation so much more than them.  They were obedient in their calling and will rejoice in the outcome, but you….your eternity was changed….how beautiful were those feet that walked up to you in order to deliver that message.

Application

People want to receive good news.  We are often afraid to deliver the gospel message because we are afraid people will reject it. But at its core, the gospel is good news to be shared.

Prayer

God give me the confidence in sharing. When I open my mouth may the best possible news will come out.

July 26th: Mark of Honor

Scripture

Proverbs 20:3

Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.

Observation

This isn’t a statement on pacifism or in any way political.  Solomon is speaking, as he usually does, about relationships.  When tension builds in a relationship, the easy path is quarrelling and fighting…that comes natural.  Being able to work through the tension to a solution is an honorable thing to do.

Application

As tension builds in a conversation or relationship I need to do what I can to bring things down to a more calm level.  Not to sweep things under the rug, because that only delays the conflict, but to avoid fighting which is destructive.

Prayer

God give me wisdom to handle conflict.