It’s great to be back after a long week. I am so thankful that I am able to leave everything in wonderful hands when I must be away on a trip! I pray you applied everything we learned last Sunday about prayer. Prayer is very powerful and is our primary communication with our Heavenly Father.
Job chapter two is found in the midst of his suffering. We see Satan talking with God and accusing Job of only following God because he has the “good life.” God allows Job to be tested but his life is not to be messed with. The scene quickly jumps from the throne room of God and to a scene taking place somewhere in the Middle East on earth. We see Job already stricken with soars and being pressured to renounce God. In Job 2:9 his wife comes to him and said, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” Notice in the question Job’s wife is questioning his motive for holding onto integrity. Job was faithful to God in the midst of all his suffering. Job spent a lifetime following God and when it comes to the moment of truth, Job matches his actions with his words. Job is truly a good example of a person with integrity.
How do we handle pressure at work, school, and home to go against everything we claim? Sometimes we are asked to put aside our integrity and give in just this one time. When Satan temps us to give in and forget that God seeks integrity, we must remember that these are vital moments to spiritual growth. Being an individual of integrity is not always easy, however, it is the most rewarding characteristic one can develop.
—Josh
“Try great things for God and expect great things from Him!”
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Prayer Power
“To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.”--Martin Luther King, Jr.
The theme for today is prayer. Often prayer is left out of our devotional lives, our decisions, and our interaction together. The only time some people pray during the week is on Sunday morning and the beginning and ending of services. Jesus however saw the importance of prayer and the closeness it brings to the creator.
Throughout Jesus’ ministry, prayer is around almost every corner. You cannot go very far until Jesus is found praying again or teaching about prayer. If prayer was so important to Jesus, it better be important to the spiritual giant. The spiritual giant seeks to have a close relationship with God and knows a key to that relationship is communication on his part.
Some very important points about prayer are made in John 18:
1) Don’t stop praying, there is way too much at stake.
2) Don’t give up when everything seems to be against you...keep asking.
3) Sometimes the answer is just around the corner, God hears you!
4) Keep praying, God is working...even if you can’t see it at the time.
5) Jesus keeps his promises and he tells us that if we ask, God will respond.
Sometimes we get caught up in tough times and situations and feel alone. Sometimes we pray and forget that juts because we think it is an urgent matter, that God should feel the same way. When you are tempted to stop praying and take matters into your own hands, remember that God is faithful and will answer when the time is right. All we need to do is continue to talk to Him.
—Josh
“Try great things for God and expect great things from Him!”
The theme for today is prayer. Often prayer is left out of our devotional lives, our decisions, and our interaction together. The only time some people pray during the week is on Sunday morning and the beginning and ending of services. Jesus however saw the importance of prayer and the closeness it brings to the creator.
Throughout Jesus’ ministry, prayer is around almost every corner. You cannot go very far until Jesus is found praying again or teaching about prayer. If prayer was so important to Jesus, it better be important to the spiritual giant. The spiritual giant seeks to have a close relationship with God and knows a key to that relationship is communication on his part.
Some very important points about prayer are made in John 18:
1) Don’t stop praying, there is way too much at stake.
2) Don’t give up when everything seems to be against you...keep asking.
3) Sometimes the answer is just around the corner, God hears you!
4) Keep praying, God is working...even if you can’t see it at the time.
5) Jesus keeps his promises and he tells us that if we ask, God will respond.
Sometimes we get caught up in tough times and situations and feel alone. Sometimes we pray and forget that juts because we think it is an urgent matter, that God should feel the same way. When you are tempted to stop praying and take matters into your own hands, remember that God is faithful and will answer when the time is right. All we need to do is continue to talk to Him.
—Josh
“Try great things for God and expect great things from Him!”
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Paralysis of Analysis
Many times people amaze me at how they handle situations. I’ve sat with people who have only a little time left on this earth. One obvious observation is there are basically two ways people handle this point in life: 1) some people accept it and are at peace and even ready for death, or 2) others become angry, afraid, or heartbroken at the news (understandably so). I’ve also sat with cancer patients, surgery patients, many sick people, and recovered people. However, sick people aren’t the only ones who amaze me at their responses to the lemons life throws them. My father has amazed me with his response when he was let go from his job of many years. Others also have this amazing “up-beat” attitude. But how do people handle the crossroads in life? Sometimes somebody’s response to difficulty makes me think “wow, talk about a spiritual giant!” While other times, I can’t help but wonder if they truly are who they claim to be.
Life is full of struggles, ups, and downs. We do our best to trudge through the swamps and (on a good day) enjoy the grassy fields. As a people of God, we must follow the example of the spiritual giant when we face both difficulty and a time of joy. The spiritual giant asks for God’s direction, even if it takes him down a less desirable path at the time. Often we get so caught up in making a decision that we forget to seek out God’s decision FIRST. However, sometimes we paralyze ourselves when we cannot clearly see God’s direction (especially between two wonderful choices) by not moving at all. When this happens I want to encourage you to do what Peter did in Matthew 14—get out of the boat and just GO! But when you do, stay focused on the goal and don’t second guess your choice. Trust that God will let you know if it was the right choice or not. After all, God works all things for the good. What boat do you need to step out of this week?
—Josh
“Try great things for God and expect great things from Him!”
Life is full of struggles, ups, and downs. We do our best to trudge through the swamps and (on a good day) enjoy the grassy fields. As a people of God, we must follow the example of the spiritual giant when we face both difficulty and a time of joy. The spiritual giant asks for God’s direction, even if it takes him down a less desirable path at the time. Often we get so caught up in making a decision that we forget to seek out God’s decision FIRST. However, sometimes we paralyze ourselves when we cannot clearly see God’s direction (especially between two wonderful choices) by not moving at all. When this happens I want to encourage you to do what Peter did in Matthew 14—get out of the boat and just GO! But when you do, stay focused on the goal and don’t second guess your choice. Trust that God will let you know if it was the right choice or not. After all, God works all things for the good. What boat do you need to step out of this week?
—Josh
“Try great things for God and expect great things from Him!”
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Finding Passion
One of the things I love about the Apostle Peter is his passion for God. Although we often give him a hard time about action without thinking, one has to admire the dedication and passion in Peter’s heart. Peter loved Christ so much that he was willing to fight for him against a mob of people. I can’t help but wonder if Peter was a bit of an outsider before Christ met him. The devotion Peter shows to Christ challenges the faith and devotion of us all.
One of my favorite stories of Peter (besides when he walked on the water) is at the end of the life of Jesus. When Jesus declares that somebody will betray Him, Peter quickly announces that it would not be him. In fact, he would never do such a thing! Can you imagine how Peter must have felt when Jesus looked him straight in the eyes and said, “Actually Peter, you’re going to disown me three times before morning breaks”? Poor Peter put up his guard so that the prediction would not come true. In fact, he shows just how dedicated he was when he drew his sword at the arrest of Jesus. We all know the story, however. Peter let’s down his guard and disowns not only his Savior, but his best friend three times before the night is over.
The reason I love this story is not because of the events and Peters commitment (or lack there of). No, the real reason I love this story is because of Peters reaction after he disowns his friend. At a low in Peters life, the Bible tells us he heard the rooster, remembered the words of Jesus, and then went out and bitterly wept. Even though Peter messed up, you can still see his love for Christ.
When we mess up, do we still weep? Have we been hardened so much that it has been a long time since a tear was shed on the behalf of Christ? A while back I stated that one thing I loved about the Amazed!? video was it reminds me of my sinfulness and Christ’s love. Do you still weep at the thought of your sinfulness? Do you still have a passion for God or have you allowed the world to harden your heart?
—Josh
“Try great things for God and expect great things from Him!”
One of my favorite stories of Peter (besides when he walked on the water) is at the end of the life of Jesus. When Jesus declares that somebody will betray Him, Peter quickly announces that it would not be him. In fact, he would never do such a thing! Can you imagine how Peter must have felt when Jesus looked him straight in the eyes and said, “Actually Peter, you’re going to disown me three times before morning breaks”? Poor Peter put up his guard so that the prediction would not come true. In fact, he shows just how dedicated he was when he drew his sword at the arrest of Jesus. We all know the story, however. Peter let’s down his guard and disowns not only his Savior, but his best friend three times before the night is over.
The reason I love this story is not because of the events and Peters commitment (or lack there of). No, the real reason I love this story is because of Peters reaction after he disowns his friend. At a low in Peters life, the Bible tells us he heard the rooster, remembered the words of Jesus, and then went out and bitterly wept. Even though Peter messed up, you can still see his love for Christ.
When we mess up, do we still weep? Have we been hardened so much that it has been a long time since a tear was shed on the behalf of Christ? A while back I stated that one thing I loved about the Amazed!? video was it reminds me of my sinfulness and Christ’s love. Do you still weep at the thought of your sinfulness? Do you still have a passion for God or have you allowed the world to harden your heart?
—Josh
“Try great things for God and expect great things from Him!”
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