Imitate What Is Good

(guest devotion from my brother Chris)
Children and trained birds like the parrot or parakeet are great mimics.  They willingly repeat what they hear.  Praise God and show selfless love to those around you and your children will most likely do the same.   Do the opposite and the same is true.  

What we speak, our children hear and repeat.  What we do, our children observe and do so in kind.  

I've lost count of the number of times that I've experienced the "painful" realization that the behavior(s) of my children that cause me the most anxiety are those that they learned from me in the first place.

Paul understood our nature and our desire to mimic when he wrote in verse 11 of chapter 1 of 3rd John "Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good.  Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God."

In this letter, Paul is speaking directly to fellow called servant Gaius, but the words he uses speak just as loudly and clearly to us today.  These words convict me of my hypocrisy as a parent, an employee, a leader, a church member and most glaringly as a servant of Christ.  I know what is right to do and say, and choose the opposite.  I know that my words and actions can inspire others to action, either to sin or to seek salvation.  How often have I failed this test?  I choose to mimic the world, and not my Savior.  Forgive me Lord.

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Dear Lord, 
Help me to always, and in everything, imitate YOU and NOT what is evil.  
Guide me to speak words of love and encouragement, not hate and derision.   
Motivate me to live my life in selfless service to ANYONE in need and not to make excuses for why I'm too busy or too ill equipped for service.  
Guard my heart, my mind and my mouth from evil Lord, and, if it is your will, use me to set an example for others that leads others to saving faith in you.
Amen.
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What's the big deal about Jesus?

Ap-parent-ly

As a parent - there is no better feeling than hearing that your child has done well.
Sitting in the audience and witnessing them winning an award for faithful service that you had no idea about.
Hearing "I just want to tell you what a blessing your son/daughter is to me..."

We hear that from John as he writes in 3 John 1:3-4.
"Nothing could make me happier..."

Thanks - Lord - FOR GIVING me this opportunity to bring this child into the world.

As a parent - there is no worse feeling than hearing your child hasn't done well.
Sitting on the sidelines of their life watching unhappy events unfold.
Hearing "We'd like you to come in so that we can talk about your son/daughter's performance/attitude/behavior/etc."

"Nothing could make me sadder..."
But just as parenting continues until your last breath - so also does God's gracious love.

Psalm 13
How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
    and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
...
But I trust in your unfailing love;
    my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing the Lord’s praise,
    for he has been good to me.

Additional Help: 9 ways to encourage the parents of prodigals

Thanks - Lord - for FORGIVING me my failure (or my child's failure) to walk in Your truth.

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Lord, 

Thanks 

- FOR GIVING me this opportunity to bring this child into the world.

- for FORGIVING me my failure (or my child's failure) to walk in Your truth.

Bring me and them back to You - always.  And forever.

Amen.

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What's the big deal about Jesus?

Shine with your best

Sunshine.
Have you noticed how powerful and pervasive it is?
Amazing - because you can't touch it.
You can't capture it and save it for later.
It just shines right then and there.

When that sun comes up in the morning (especially if you have an eastern window) you just can't ignore it!

The Bible uses light (and I think of sunlight) as a metaphor for Jesus and us in our lives as followers of Jesus.

"Let your light so shine..."
"be salt and light..."
"light of the world"

In Colossians 4:2-6 - Paul gives us practical advice on how to "light it up and shine with your best".

"Pray diligently. Stay alert, with your eyes wide open in gratitude. Don’t forget to pray for us, that God will open doors for telling the mystery of Christ, even while I’m locked up in this jail. Pray that every time I open my mouth I’ll be able to make Christ plain as day to them.

Use your heads as you live and work among outsiders. Don’t miss a trick. Make the most of every opportunity. Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out."

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Lord,
Help me shine with my best today!
Amen.
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What's the big deal about Jesus?

Mighty Powerful Words

(guest devotion from my brother Chris)

When I say "Powerful Words" what comes to mind?  For me, the first two words that came to mind were Ruler, as in King or dictator and hurricane as in high winds and immense damage.   Those are both things that are most certainly powerful, but do the words themselves pack any real power?

So, how about mountain and ocean.  Again, both are certainly words that conjure up powerful images, but is there any real power in the words themselves?

In today's text from 2 John 1:3, John uses some seemingly simple, meek and perhaps even weak works when he says "Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, will be with us in truth and love."

According to Dictionary.com the word grace is defined as "the freely given, unmerited favor of God".   Mercy is defined as "compassionate or kindly forbearance shown towards an offender or an enemy...".  Finally, peace is defined as "a state of tranquility or serenity".

Knowing this, my heart sings this sentence:  "My powerful God, in His infinite wisdom and immeasurable, incomprehensible love, showed me mercy when He granted me His grace.  Knowing this, and that through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus that I am washed clean of my sin and that my debt is paid in full, I am at peace."

Now THOSE are some POWERFUL words!  Grace, mercy and peace to you, in this moment, on this day, in this life and in eternity.

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God,
Thank you for the little, powerful words.
And for your Word that it the source of those little, powerful words.
Keep me in it and plugged into the power!
Amen.
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What's the big deal about Jesus?

School's out

I think this would make a great inspirational speech at a graduation ceremony.

"My advice is simple and straightforward.  
Just go ahead with what you've been given.
You've received your instructions - now live them.

You know what to do.
It's ingrained in you.  
Well constructed around you.
You know your way around now.

Schools out - quit studying it and start living it!
And let that living spill over into the lives of others you touch."

That might stir a few hearts and minds at a graduation ceremony.
But even better - way better- is when these same words are about Jesus Christ - and He is the school that you've graduated from.

Check out Colossians 2 (v 6-10)
My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you’ve been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You’re deeply rooted in him. You’re well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you’ve been taught. School’s out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving.

Watch out for people who try to dazzle you with big words and intellectual double-talk. They want to drag you off into endless arguments that never amount to anything. They spread their ideas through the empty traditions of human beings and the empty superstitions of spirit beings. But that’s not the way of Christ. Everything of God gets expressed in him, so you can see and hear him clearly. You don’t need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without him. When you come to him, that fullness comes together for you, too. His power extends over everything.

And read more of Colossians 2 beyond verse 10 for bonus advice on graduating with honors - and what to do when pressured and bullied by life and those who populate it.

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Jesus,
Wow - just what I need and just when I need it.
Your Word is always there with the right stuff.
Lead me to read and listen and pay attention!
School's out.
Amen.
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What's the big deal about Jesus?

Walk in the Light

(guest devotion from my brother Chris)
We've all done it; Tried to navigate a room in complete darkness.  Admittedly, I've not had much success in walking around in the dark.  I've knocked over lamps, stepped on legos, toy cars and television remotes, destroyed an alarm clock, run in to door frames and stubbed toes.  In the interest of time, this is only a partial list of my "dark walk failures".

In 1 John 1:5-7 we read,
5 This, in essence, is the message we heard from Christ and are passing on to you: God islight, pure light; there’s not a trace of darkness in him.

6-7 If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we’re obviously lying through our teeth—we’re not living what we claim. But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed bloodof Jesus, God’s Son, purges all our sin.

So, the question now is, how do I walk in the Light in my daily life?  Just as turning on a light in a pitch black room grants you the ability to avoid stumbling around in the dark, walking in the Light allows you to live an illuminated life.  Wait...is this guy saying that I won't have to deal with the "stubbed toes" of life if I'm a Christian?  NOPE!  An illuminated life is what we are given when we have Jesus as our Saviour.  We know the truth.  We need not stumble indarkness.

But back to the question, how do I walk in the light?  It's not easy, because our sinful nature LOVES the dark and wants to take us back to it ALL the time.  But the support structure and "lifeline" is there; provided by our loving God. 

4 Steps for Walking in the Light

1) Spend as much time as you can in the Light.

 - Read the Word

 - Worship with fellow Light walkers

 - Avoid the dark

2) Know where the Light comes from.

 - Acknowledge and confess your sin, daily

 - Speak to your Creator in prayer

3) Share the Light with others.

 - Live a life that shines Light on those around you

 - Give the Light away freely, to EVERYONE

4) Repeat


When you fall into old habits, when you stumble in darkness, drop to your knees and seek the Light.
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Lord,
Thank you for the light.
Remind me how much I need it.
And help me to seek it!
Amen.

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What's the big deal about Jesus?

Howdy folks!

Romans 16:1-16 contains some Biblical "howdy folks" as it starts out.
Paul is making sure to say hi to people.
Specific people, real people.

People who meant a lot to him.
In the past several weeks I've been reminded that Christianity is all about relationships and not all about rules.
These verses in Paul underscore that.

And Jesus does, too.
The scriptures are full of him talking to and interacting with people.
Meeting them where they are (no matter how lowly or messed up they are).
All about relationships and not all about rules.

Confession time: I'm terrible at maintaining relationships.
Out of sight, out of mind - that's how it works with me.
I have a LOT of room for improvement in this area.

I'm not too bad at following rules.
So - what is more important?

I thank the Lord that He is patient with me (and you and everyone else) as I try to get my act together here on earth.
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Jesus,

Never once does the Bible mention your daily calendar, meeting schedule or to-do list.

Always it focuses on you meeting with and dealing with people where and when they were.

Teach me, tell me, explain to me - help me.

Amen.
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What's the big deal about Jesus?