Best Church FOR The Community

TODAY’S VERSE
“Then he turned to his critics and asked, ‘Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?’ But they wouldn’t answer him.”
Mark 3:4 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
The Pharisees just didn’t get it. Jesus came to seek and to save those in need. He came to call the undeserving to repentance. He came to love those outside of the synagogues as much as those inside it. And in many ways, neither do we get it. We too put our priorities in the wrong order. This became painfully apparent to me in reading a new book, “The Externally Focused Quest.” Eric Swanson and Rick Rusaw wrote, “Most churches, blatantly or subtly, have an unspoken objective – ‘How can I be the best church IN our community.’ – and they staff, budget, and plan accordingly. – The externally focused church asks, ‘How can we be the best church FOR the community?’ and that one little preposition changes everything.” We can aspire to be the biggest church, best worship, largest children’s program, all good things but if we are not reaching those whom Jesus loves, are we really doing His will? If we are not loving the least in our community, are we really living for Him? The authors asked another crucial question. They asked, “If you had to close the doors of your church today, would your community care? Would they miss you?” Today, what would happen if we all decided to be the best church FOR our community? 

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me to love like You love. Help me to set my own priorities in the order You would have them. Help me work in my church to be the best we can for our community. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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The God Of All Hope

TODAY’S VERSE
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:13 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
There is hope and then there is HOPE. At first it would seem that the difference would be the degree of our trust in Him. Little trust, little hope. Large trust, large hope. But as we read today’s verse we see it is not trust that makes the difference as much as what we have our trust in. Hope comes from the fact that we trust in the magnificence of God. Paul says that God is the source of our hope and that it is God that completely fills us with joy and peace. It is God that gives us His Holy Spirit whose power causes us to overflow with a confident hope. So today put your trust in Almighty God, the God of all power, the God of all love and let Him fill you completely with joy, peace and hope.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, I pray that You would fill me completely with joy, peace and hope through the power of Your Holy Spirit. Help me overflow with a confident hope in You and Your love for me. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Walk The Talk

TODAY’S VERSE
“If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.”
I John 3:17-18

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
John 13:34

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It is harder to “walk our talk” than to “talk our walk.” We can say all we want about how loving we are, but the real proof is in our actions. If God’s love is a motivating force in our life, then helping others is going to be a natural by-product. Christians have lost much of their witness because we have not helped the poor and needy to the best of our ability. Sure our budgets are tight, but then look at what we spend our money on. Expensive cars, homes, furnishings, hobbies, entertainment and food all take their toll on our annual budget. Downsizing will allow us to have discretionary income that we can help others with. We are God’s ambassadors. If we are going to represent Him in this world, then we need to be able to be compassionate toward those that He brings across our path. John says it best, “let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” Ask God to bring someone across your path today that you can help.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, you have blessed me with so much. Help me to be wise with the resources you have given me so I can be compassionate to those that you bring across my path. Even today Lord, show me someone that I can be compassionate toward. Might there be no doubt that your love dwells in me.
AMEN

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Tithe Your Love

TODAY’S VERSE
“What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.”
Luke 11:42 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Protestant Work Ethic. Remember it? It was a social concept that helped build capitalism. It is the idea that we should work hard for the money we receive and use it wisely. It was credited to Christianity because so many Christians had a strong moral ethic when it came to money and work. This same spirit has advocated tithing, the giving a ten percent portion of your income to church. But the Protestant Work Ethic could not hold a candle to the Pharisees! Jesus pointed out that the Pharisees were so obsessive that they even tithed their tiniest income from their herb gardens! But here was the point. The Pharisees were zealous about giving their money to God, but neglected what God really wanted. He wanted us to tithe our interests and focus. He wants us to love Him and those all around us that are in need. In fact, when we love those in need we are really loving God. God cares about people. Broken, hurting and poor people. And if we want to tithe anything then we should give of our time, talent and treasures to helping those in need. Jesus said it best. He said, “You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.” Today, give of yourself to help those in need. This is what God desires.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me to have your priorities. Help me to have a heart that beats like Yours. One full of grace and mercy for those in need. Help me love You by loving justice and those in need around me.
AMEN

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Real Worship

TODAY’S VERSE
“No, this is the kind of fasting I want – Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.”
Isaiah 58:6-7 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
What would God say about us at eleven o’clock on Sunday? You know, when we meet to worship. We sing our praise songs, we listen to the preaching, and we pass the offering plates. And then we go home, back to our own business, until we do it all over again a week later. All the while just miles from the front door of our church there are hundreds if not thousands of people hurting. Some hungry, some depressed, some broke, some addicted, some suicidal, some sleeping in their car. These all have families who are also hurting because of their plight. How many fathers and mothers are broken hearted over the plight of their children? How many children suffer because of the plight of their parents? And yet we worship. And then drive right by on our way home. When is the church going to listen to Jesus when He said, “Go into all the world?” not “Come into my house.” Surely we worship God in song and praise. Yes, we must feed on the preaching of His word. But not at the expense of ignoring what God really wants! Jesus said it best when he said, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.’” Today, worship God by loving those hurting all around you.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, forgive me for only worshiping in Your house and not worshipping in Your world. Forgive me for ignoring the worship that you receive when I help those in need. Help me share my food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Help me give clothes to those who need them, and my not hide from relatives who need my help.
AMEN

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All My Praise

TODAY’S VERSE
“Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths.”
Psalms 36:5-6 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
What do you praise God for? In just a verse and a half, David gives us four reasons to worship God with thanksgiving. First, God’s love for you is unfailing and as vast as the heavens. His love will never fail. Second, His faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Not only does God love you, you can count on Him to be there for you. Not just there but His righteousness is like a mighty mountain. You can count on Him to be righteous on your behalf. His love always has your best in mind. Finally, Gods love is just. God is not like man. There is no sense of unfairness with God. He is just. He will act on your behalf against injustice. Put these together and there is reason to praise. There is reason to worship God and all the unfailing, faithful, righteous and just love He has for you. Praise Him today!

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I don’t understand everything that goes on in life, but this I can count on. You have an unfailing love for me that is faithful, righteous and just. For that I am deeply thankful and give You all my praise!
AMEN

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See With The Eyes Of Jesus

TODAY’S VERSE
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’”
Matthew 9:36-38 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Jesus saw the crowds and when He did, He was filled with compassion. He healed, taught, loved and cast out demons. Now it is our turn. “Ask”, He said, “the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” He has asked us to go in His name and minister to others. We do this by doing what He did. It says, “When He saw the crowds, He had compassion.” Our commission is to see people with the eyes of Jesus. Dr. David Benner, in his book, “Sacred Companions” writes, “Seeing the other person through the eyes of Christ – this is my prayer as I seek to relate to people I encounter in daily life. For when I see them through the eyes of Christ, I see their worth and dignity. I also see what they can become, not simply what they are. And if I am really willing to see them as God sees them, I see Jesus in them; I see them as imagers of the God who was fully represented in Jesus.” When we see what Jesus saw, we too will be moved with compassion. Today, ask Christ to show you what He sees.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Jesus, You saw people and were moved with compassion. Help me see people through Your eyes. Help me love with Your love. Minister through me I pray.
AMEN

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My Own Eye

 TODAY’S VERSE
“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”
Matthew 7:3-5 (NLT)
 
TODAY’S MESSAGE
I don’t agree with everything Freud wrote. There is, however, one of his observations that I think has some truth to it. Freud wrote about “projection,” the action of pointing out faults in others that we have our self.” Have you ever caught yourself criticizing someone and suddenly realize that you exhibit the same behavior? Jesus warned us about pointing out other people’s faults and ignoring our own. He said not to point out the little failings in other people while we have huge issues to deal with. He mastered the use of hyperbole with the comparison of a speck in another person’s eye while we have this huge beam in our own. How funny this must have sounded to His audience, yet how true! We so often take offense at other’s shortcomings when we have glaring inconsistencies in our own life. Today, let us examine our self. Let us come before God and ask Him to point out our own “sins” and deal with them before we worry about someone else’s behavior.  
 
TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, forgive me for judging others. Help me to bring myself to you and allow Your Holy Spirit to work on my behavior. Lord, make me more like You.
AMEN

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Overcomer

TODAY’S VERSE
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
I John 4:4 (NIV)

TODAY’S MESSAGE
The early church was persecuted for their faith. Many were ostracized from society, living in poverty and starvation. Others were imprisoned. Many martyred for their faith. But ironically, this persecution caused the church to flourish. It forced them to band together and have a bond of love that the world has never seen again. It was an infectious witness to those around them. Instead what was more of a spiritual battle was Satan’s battle for the mind of the early believers. It was an all out assault on the truth of the Gospel. During the time this passage was written there many people challenging the message of Christianity. There were some who said that the death of Jesus was not enough that we still had to obey the Jewish law. Others said that Christ was not the real Messiah, or Christ was not the real Son of God. Today it is the same story. Neil Anderson, in his book, “Bondage Breaker” reminds us that our battle with Satan is not a power struggle but a truth encounter. Satan comes to us as the father of lies. We are assaulted by one lie after another. Doubts and half truths constantly attack our mind. But we need not despair. Why? Because John wrote that we are from God and have overcome all these falsehoods and lies of Satan. How is that so? Because Christ in you is greater than Satan and his spirits of deception that is in the world.” Today, when lies, doubts, and half truths come your way, resist them. Tell them to flee from your mind and focus on the greater thing, the truth of Christ and His love for you.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Thank You Lord for Your strength and power. Thank You for protecting me. But also Lord, thank You for Your truth and the fact that You are greater in me than Satan and his lies in the world. Lord fill me with Your truth.
AMEN

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Send Me Out With Joy

TODAY’S VERSE
“How joyful are those who fear the LORD and delight in obeying his commands.– They are generous, compassionate, and righteous. Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly.”
Psalms 112:1, 4-5 (NLT)
TODAY’S THOUGHT
God intended us for joy. And he gave us a way to live that way. He gave us His command to love God and others. This is illustrated by the  Psalmist in his example of a joyful person. Notice the attributes the writer gives to them. He writes, “They are generous, compassionate, and righteous. Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly.” But somehow we get God’s commandments all mixed up. Like the Pharisees we make living for God more about tradition and legalism. And soon joy disappears. But what did Jesus say was the commandments we were to follow? Mark writes about a person who asked Jesus, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” Jesus answered him saying, “The most important one, is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Tim Hughes, in his song, “God of Justice” writes it this way, “God of Justice, Savior to all – Came to rescue the weak and the poor, Chose to serve and not be served – Jesus, You have called us, Freely we’ve received, Now freely we will give – We must go, Live to feed the hungry, Stand beside the broken, We must go, Stepping forward keep us from just singing, Move us into action, We must go – To act justly everyday, Loving mercy in everyway, Walking humbly before You God – You have shown us, what You require, Freely we’ve received, Now freely we will give – Fill us up and send us out.” And He does, He sends us out with joy!

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me to see others the way You do. Help me to see the joy in loving You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and in loving others in the way I want to be loved. Lord, fill me up with Your love and Your joy and send me out.
AMEN

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