December 7th: God’s Design

Scripture

Proverbs29:13

The poor and the oppressor have this in common—
the Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.

Observation

This passage reminds me of our free will.  When God creates us, he doesn’t lay out our path for life.  This will be a good person, this a bad.  This person will be angry, this will cheerful.  We choose to do these things.

Application

Wherever I am in life, I have choices that God has allowed me to make.  His way or my way….the choice is mine.

Prayer

God, may I seek your guidance every day to follow your way.

December 6th: Truth is Truth

Scripture

2 John 1:7-9

I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward.  Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son.

Observation

People over the times (and according to this passage, at very early times) have taken the message of Jesus and twisted and turned it so much that he is no longer part of the story.  If anything, he is set aside as one of many characters in the salvation story.  For some, He is spoken of figuratively as an ideal man that we should all strive to be like.  Here point here is very clear, Jesus was real and who he said he said he was.  Anything else is incorrect.

Application

In my daily activities I need to be constantly drawn back to Jesus.  The savior of the world, God in the flesh Jesus who died for me.

Prayer

Thank you for sending your son.

December 5th: The love of the Father…

By: Brent Hodges

Scripture

“And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too.”  1 John 5:1b

Observation

This passage is written as a foregone conclusion…it’s not always as easy as it sounds!

Application

This passage would be much easier to apply if it read, “And everyone who loves the Father loves his children who love them, too.”  It’s easy to love those who are lovable…it’s the ones we know that aren’t so lovable where the rubber meets the road.  I’m not capable of this kind of love on my own, but it is through the overflow of Christ’s love for me that I see his children through his eyes.  If I’m struggling showing love to those around me…I need to check my heart and take it to God.

Prayer

Lord, may your love consume me to the point that it overflows in my interaction with any of your children today.

December 3rd: Proof is in the Pudding

by Dennis Johnston

Scripture:

Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. 1 John 3:18

Observation:

Words are powerful!  Out of the overflow of our heart we speak (see Luke 6:45).  It’s important to have a pure heart.  At the same time, our actions must match our belief system as Christ followers.

Application:

How can I measure if my actions match up with what I say?  God has lots to say about being obedient to His Word.  He says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says” (James 1:22).

One way I measure this is to take a look at how I treat people who can do nothing for me.  I love the following verse.  “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27).  I love being connected with a church family where people are:

1.      Adopting kids from other countries and providing them with a loving environment right here in Arizona

2.      People are committed to supporting a church in Value, Haiti and equipping their leaders

3.      People are serving the needs of those at Rancho Sordo Mudo (a Christian school for the deaf in Mexico)

4.      People meet in homes each night of the week all over the West Valley for Home Teams and they connect with each other, grow in relationship and journey through the Bible together

5.      People are passionate about prayer and seeing God work in the their lives and the lives of those they are praying for

6.      We are growing in our knowledge and understanding of God’s Word as we journey through the Bible as a church body together on Route 66

7.      People are asking, “How can I get involved and serve others at Palm Valley?”

8.      People are having Christmas parties at their house and inviting others to hear the Good News during our Christmas Services (Palm Valley Church)

Our actions are reflective of our hearts and our love for Christ.  I love serving alongside you and meeting the needs of others with the love of Christ.  It’s a blast and God is being glorified in both our words and actions.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for impressing on my heart the need to “reach out” to others and show them the love of Christ.  I pray that you will be glorified as others see our love for others by my actions.

 

 

 

 

 

December 2nd: Adoption

By Paul Lewis

 

Scripture: 1 John 3:1a

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!

 

Observation:

God himself calls us his children. John points out that this isn’t a figurative point, that in fact, we are literally his children. In John 1:12 it says, “But to all who believed in him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.”

If you have a relationship with Christ, you are God’s child.

 

Application:

We must first believe in and accept Christ as our Lord and Savior. If we do that, we become God’s children. While it is conditional, it is our choice. As orphans, we get to choose God as our adoptive Father. He gives us that opportunity. It’s like a reverse orphanage. Instead of children waiting for a father to come and adopt them, they are able to go out and choose their father. God hopes that we will choose him. The benefits of choosing him far outweigh any other choice.

 

In that, we need to celebrate our adoption into God’s family. We have a wonderful Father who loves us and cares for us. He calls his children, how cool is that!

 

Prayer:

God, thank you for loving me enough to invite you into your family, I choose you!

November 27: Thank You

Posted by: Jeremiah Hann

Scripture:

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet, and a light for my path.”  Psalm 119:105

Observation:

This verse reminds us that when we look to the bible (and to Christ), for our answers, we will find the way to go.

Application:

I need to make sure that I am constantly talking to God, and constantly looking to Him and His Word for guidance.  God knows all the answers, and I need to always be looking to Him to get them for myself.

Prayer:

Hey God, Thanks so much for your Word.  Thanks so much for allowing me to read it anytime I want without worry.  Thank you for sending Jesus down to the earth.  Thank you for allowing me to have a relationship with you.  Thanks for the model that I get to read about with Jesus.  Thank you for putting guys like Daniel in the Bible, that I can see how he was living for you.  Thank you for today.  Thank you for family, and thank you for loving me with an unconditional love.  In Jesus name, Amen.

November 26th: Service…

By: Brent Hodges

Scripture

“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts.  Use them well to serve one another.”   1 Peter 4:10

Observation

Peter is writing to tell the church how to show love to God and to one another.

Application

God has blessed each of us with a unique spiritual gift.  One that is meant to be used to bring glory and honor to his name and to show his love to those around us.  I will use the gifts that God has blessed me with to be a blessing to others.  If you do not yet know your spiritual gift, I would encourage you to take a quick spiritual gifts survey.  You can find many of these surveys online for free.  The key is…once you know where you are gifted to use that gift to serve others.

Prayer

God, may I honor you by my service today.  May I show Christ’s love through the talents you have blessed me with.

November 25: Be Ready

Scripture

I Peter 3:!5

“Instead you must worship Christ as Lord of your life.  And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.”

 

Observation

Peter tells followers of Christ to be ready.  He wants them to be ready to tell others why they believe what they believe.  If anyone is to question them, they shouldn’t say, “Let me get back to you.”  Instead, they should be prepared with an answer for why they live their life for Christ.

 

Application

I like how this verse refers to our relationship with Christ as our Christian hope.  There truly is hope when you believe in Christ.  Since we have hope in Christ, others will see the way we live our lives and have a desire for that hope as well.  That is our open door to share with them about the good news of Jesus Christ.  We may not get open doors like that every day so we need to be ready to let others know why we believe what we believe once the door opens for us.

 

I have had some good conversations about Christ with people lately.  I’m so thankful that the topic of conversation came up and that I had a biblical answer to share with them at the time.  I need to be ready for any and every situation in which this happens.  I like how the next verse, I Peter 3:16, notes that we should share our responses to people in a gentle and loving way.  I could cram Christ down someone’s throat in a forceful way, but no one will come to Christ that way.  Instead I need to be wise in my choice of words and loving when I share with others so that they see it is done with a heart of love.

 

Prayer

God, thank You for the Christian hope You have given me.  I pray that you would continue to open doors for me to share about the hope I have in You in a loving and respectful way to others.  Please continue to use me to make a difference in the lives of my neighbors and in my community in Your name, Amen!

November 24th: Husbands must…………..

by Dennis Johnston

Scripture:

In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives.  Treat your wife with understanding as you live together.  She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life.  Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.  1 Peter 3:7

Observation:

This chapter gives each Christ-follower instructions for husbands and wives.  Specifically, verses 1-6 discuss those of the wife.  In verse 7, we learn about the responsibility of the husband.

Application:

So how can I give honor to my wife?  Sounds like something worth my time.  By:

1.      Being understanding of my wife’s physical and emotional needs

a.       Be aware of those things that encourage my wife (words of affirmation, etc.)

b.      Asking about and listening to her as she describes her day and the experiences she had – good/bad and ugly.

Treat her as you should!  Not as I feel, but as I should………………..

1.      I’m told to love my wife as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (Ephesians 5:25).  What is love?  1 Corinthians chapter 13 tells us that love is:

a.       Patient

b.      Kind

c.       It does not envy

d.      It does not boast

e.       It is not rude

f.       It is not self-seeking

g.      It is not easily angered

h.      It keeps no record of wrongs

i.        Rejoices with the truth

j.        It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

By continually and consistently focusing on “what love is” I’m able to give honor to my wife as we live together.  Additionally, when we pray together I don’t have guilt (etc.), but the freedom to approach Christ with a pure heart and ask anything in His name (John 14:14).

Prayer:

God, I desire to honor my wife and love her and give myself up for her.  Strengthen me to be patient and kind – to always protect and trust in her as we grow together.

November 23rd: Who And Whose We Are

by Paul Lewis

Scripture: 1Peter 2:9

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people.You are royal priests (a royal priesthood), a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

Observation:

Who we are:

- A chosen people

- Royal priests (many versions translate this as a royal priesthood)

- A holy nation

Whose we are:

- God’s very own possession

Why?

- So that we show others the goodness of God

How?

- He (God) called us out of darkness into his wonderful light

Application:

We have been called for a purpose. We are chosen, royal, and to be holy for the purpose of showing others the goodness of God. We aren’t saved for our benefit alone, but so that we will become active in the process of saving others as well. It is a huge honor, priviledge, and resposibility that God has invited us and called us into the process of bringing others to salvation, just as someone played a part in leading us to salvation.

How are you showing others the goodness of God?

Prayer:

God, help me to show others you goodness each day. Especially those who don’t know you!

Amen