Empathy to Angels....

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
Hebrews 13: 1-3

What does it mean to be empathetic to others?

Empathy is a fancy word for feeling what other people feel. To empathize with someone means that you feel what they feel; that you truly understand what that person is enduring.

Sometimes it can be very difficult to walk in someone else’s shoes. We want to understand the hardship of a friend or even a stranger, but the situation of our lives is so different it becomes difficult to truly understand where that person is coming from or the hardships another is experiencing.

To truly empathize with another is a hallmark of the Christian faith. We are called to live our lives with both the head and heart knowledge of the suffering and needs of others. When we see someone in pain we are called to empathize with them, not so that we too will be in pain, but so that we are motivated to help change the situation. When we remember others who are less fortunate than we are it helps us to understand how much we have to thank God for and we are inspired to share our blessings with those who have less than we do.

At times, empathizing with others’ misfortunes can be almost debilitating. Our heart will literally break for kids who are hungry, moms who are sick, dads who are out of work and people who are depressed. Empathizing is hard, but Jesus calls us to rely upon Him even in the most trying of circumstances.

The world is a hurting place and the love you share on behalf of Jesus can be like a healing salve on an open wound. You have the ability to walk along someone and help share their burden, even if that person is thousands of miles away. Each time you empathize with another in pain whether through prayer, acts of service, hospitality or gifts, you share the love of Jesus.

And in sharing the love of Christ, you may be surprised, that you have entertained angels!

Scripture

Matthew 25:31-45

Quote of the Day

The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy.

Meryl Streep

Question of the Day

Ask yourself today, who needs what only I can offer? It is within your power to supply that need.

GUMY Christmas... click on the link for details

http://www.gumyblog.blogspot.com/p/gumy-events-schedule.html

Fear Not...And Let God Lead

I hate spiders.

When I was eleven or twelve, I was in the basement of my parents' house watching TV on the couch and I felt something on my head. I lifted my hand and pulled a couple spiders off of my head. They had dropped from the ceiling and were crawling on me! Screaming, I ran up the stairs trying to shake the spiders off of me. To this day, if a spider is above my eye level, I cannot reach up to kill it for fear of it dropping on me.

Fear is often a learned behavior. Prior to the spider dropping incident, I wasn't fond of spiders, but I wasn't afraid of them. When the spiders invaded my sense of peace, they created a sense of panic and fear, one which I still haven't been able to outgrow.

Fear is created when our sense of calm is disrupted. A fear of heights might develop the first time you swing high on a swing or a fear of fire might develop because you touched a hot stove. Fears come frome a variety of places, but they all have a root cause and they have a common cure.

For I am the LORD your God
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
Isaiah 41:13

We are to "fear not", because the LORD is always with us. We are called to trust in the LORD. We are to trust Him that He will be there for us in all situations. He will help. He will lead us through our fear and back to our peace.

He will take you by the "right hand" and help you. About 90% of the world's population is right handed, which means that when the majority of the world sets out to fix a problem or run away in fear, they start with their right hand. By God taking the right hand, He is taking the lead. We no longer have to be afraid because God will be the shield to protect us and the guide through the troublesome waters.

What is your fear?

You are not alone - - what ever you fear God is with you and He will guide you back to your peace.

Scripture
Isaiah 41:12-14

Quote of the Day
“So I'm happy tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!”

Martin Luter King, Jr.

Question of the Day

What fear can you ask God to walk you through?

GUMY Christmas is THIS SUNDAY December 4th @ 4PM - - Please bring friends and a giving attitude!!! (OH! And your prettiest singing voices too!!!!)



Being Born of the Spirit

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

John 3:5-8

When I was younger, the idea of being "born again" was a foreign concept that people in "other churches" did. We didn't talk much about what it meant to commit your life to Christ or what the symbolism of being born in Christ implied. And in all honesty, the phrase kind of frightened me.

Being born again isn't a taboo topic or even something "people in other churches do", it is a part of one's faith journey which is the catalyst for conversion from the worldly into the faithful. Being born again is a decision to turn toward Jesus and give one's whole life over to Him. The decision is not one to take lightly, but it is also not one which you need to prepare your whole life to make. You were born into this world with an innate desire to reconnect with God. Being born of the spirit - being born again - allows you the gift of reconciliation with Christ.

Born again isn't a cool club or an activity which excludes people, but rather, choosing to be born of the spirit is an experience which is open to anyone who chooses to follow Jesus. There is no age limit or restriction; there are no steps or lists to complete; All that is needed is a willing and open heart to ask Jesus to come into your life and transform you.

Choosing to be born again is a decision only you can make for yourself. Your mom or dad can't decide for you; Your friends or siblings can't decide for you; Your teachers or leaders can't decide for you. Only you can decide you want to follow Jesus - to be born again and to receive His Spirit as your own.

The decision lies within you.

If you have already chosen to follow Jesus than take this opportunity to recommit your life to Him and allowing Him to transform you into His likeness each day.

If you haven't yet decided to follow Jesus, take some time, right now and pray to God to reveal your heart. Ask Jesus to come into your heart and begin to transform you from the inside out.

Being Born of the Spirit is an experience you do not want to miss and one you can not truly live with out.

Scripture

John 3:1-21

Quote of the Day

“There is only one belief that can rob death of its sting and the grave of its victory.. For without that you cannot be born again.”

George Bernard Shaw

Question of the Day

What are you most looking forward to this week?

GUMY Christmas this Sunday, December 4th - ALL GUMY's Meet at the Church @ 4PM. Drivers are needed...More details to follow

Fitting God in a Box?

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.

Isaiah 55:8

We want God to fit in a box.

All too often we think that God should fix this problem or that catastrophe; that He should make our lives easier or more grand. We want God to solve problems the way we think He should solve problems or even worse we want God to remain closed up in a little box in the corner until we are in need of Him.

We try to filter through our everyday, mundane tasks and determine where we need or want God's input. We assume that He is too busy keeping the world spinning at it's perfect angle to come into our daily activities and if we are honest there are several nooks and crannies in our lives which we would prefer to keep hidden from His view. We want to edit our lives into a perfect Sunday morning version of what we think God's vision of our lives should be.

We try twisting and shaping God into the version of Him that we would be most comfortable with but this version is a myth. God doesn't do our bidding. He is always the same. And, God will never fit in a box.

We may think we are bothering God - or wasting our "good prayers" - when we call God into our daily activities and seek out His will in the mundane, but what we are doing is relying on God for all things. We train ourselves to have a relationship with God which is open and honest about the little things, so that when the big things happen we know God will be there...and we can always trust Him.

By relying on God for the little things, we will no longer be able to shove Him into a box in the corner...

Our minds are finite - or said another way our minds have limits to what they can comprehend - which is one of the reasons God came to earth in the human form of Jesus - to give us a relatable, tangible being with whom we can form a relationship.

God is way bigger than the biggest box, category, shelf, or corner any of us can imagine, and regardless of how hard we try He will not stay where we tell Him. His ways are not our ways...and in case we haven't noticed...He is in charge.

And it is always a good policy to go to the Boss with every question you have.

Scripture

Isaiah 55

Quote of the Day

I believe God is managing affairs and that He doesn't need any advice from me. With God in charge, I believe everything will work out for the best in the end. So what is there to worry about.

Henry Ford

Question of the Day

How can you invite God into your everyday activities?



I am My Beloved's and He is Mine

Beloved.

It is an old fashioned word of endearment. To be one's beloved is to be cherished beyond measure, to be loved unconditionally, and to be sought after with persistence. To be beloved is to receive unconditional love from another; you don't earn the title of beloved it is given freely, with no strings attached.

When you are beloved you are pure beauty in the eyes of the one who loves you. If you are beloved, the message you hear will always be grounded in the words of positive joy, even if they are words of accountability. Being truly cherished means being loved for who you are; from the inside out.

This is how God sees you.

You are God's beloved.

My beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me...Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.”

(Song of Solomon 2:10, 13)

Each day, God reaches out His hand and speaks these words to you. "Arise, by beautiful one...come with me..." He sees you as the beautiful creation you are. He knows you have faults, but they do not diminish or tarnish the love He has for you. You are beautiful and cherished; Loved and adored by the Beloved who created you.

Do you hear Him calling to you?

"Arise, my darling...my beautiful one...come with me..."

How will you respond?

My beloved is mine and I am his...

(Song of Solomon 2:16)

Everything else in life will fall into place when we answer the call of our Beloved.

Scripture

Song of Solomon 2

Quote of the Day

Looking back, I have this to regret, that too often when I loved, I did not say so.

David Grayson

Question of the Day

What does it mean to know that God is calling you to be His beloved?

Caring for Your Gifts...

Do you know someone who seems to get everything he wants? How does he treat what he receives? Does he treat his possesions with care, ensuring they do not become lost or broken? Or is he careless with his possesions, assuming he will always get new stuff if the old breaks?

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.

Luke 16:10

What you have is so much more than what you possess; and everything you have is from God. God has blessed you with a great deal; He trusts you with these gifts - gifts of love, joy, peace, patience, self-control, kindess, goodness, generousity and hope. From these gifts, all other blessings will flow. How you treat these gifts will determine how you will view and receive gifts in the future.

God wants to give you an abundance, but He will never give you more than you can handle. If you are careless and carefree with your gifts, He will not give you more because you are unable to handle the abundance. But if you treat your gifts with grace and care, God will continue to bless you beyond measure. He will not overwhelm you if you are unable to handle the gifts, but He has a stockpile waiting just for you when you are ready.

Nuture your gifts and allow them to grow. You will be amazed by the windfall of blessings God will shower upon you in response.

Scripture

Luke 16:1-14

Quote of the Day

The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need men who can dream of things that never were.”

John F. Kennedy

Question of the Day

How are you nurturing your gifts from God?

 

#100 - Thankful for the Purpose

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Collosians 3:17

This is the 100th post! Each post has been a blessing and as I sit down to write today's I am overwhelmed with how God has blessed this experience.

The original purpose of this blog was to get the GUMY's excited about the youth season and to give us a place to share information, updates, memories and pictures, but the daily posts have evolved into so much more. The posts have evolved into a precious time of sharing God's message in a new and fun way.

I am so very thankful for each of you who reads these words - whether daily, occasionally, or even by accident. I hope that God blesses you at least half as much as He has blessed me. I trust the LORD has a purpose in this writing as He has a purpose in everything He does.

This is truly His work and I am just the blessed person who's fingertips He is using.

Thank you for reading and thank you for spending this time each day - or once a week - or once ever - sharing in God's message with me. What an honor it is to share with you.

May your day be blessed and your spirit sour as you allow Him to use you for your purpose at this time!

I love you...but more importantly God loves you; live for Him and His glory.

Scripture of the Day

Romans 1:8-10

Quote of the Day

Faith is trusting in Gods plan, not trusting God will give us our plans... He is not our magic genie.. He is not our servant, WE are His!

Unknown

Question of the Day

How will you honor God's purpose for your life today?



Praying with a Thankful Heart

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Psalm 100:4-5

When you go to God in prayer, what motivates you?

Do you pray because you want to talk with God? Do you pray because you want something from God? Do you pray because you want to take another's problems to Him?

Or do you pray to thank and praise God for all that He is doing in your life?

Prayer is about all of these motivations and yet so much more. When we go to God in prayer, we are entering His sanctuary, His courts; through His Gates. Prayer allows us the opportunity to perfectly align ourselves in God's will. Our first thoughts in prayer should be about recognizing Who God is and thanking Him for giving each of us the grace to come before Him.

Our praise of God should be the first words from our lips - before any cries for help or need - we should first recognize what God has done before and what He continues to do. By verbally recounting God's goodness and thanking Him for how He has acted in your life, your faith in how He will handle the petitions and needs you bring before Him will be strengthened. Through our recognition of God's unending faithfulness our individual faiths will be strengthened.

We are to take everything on our hearts - the good, the bad, the fearful and the faithful - to God in prayer. He wants to be our solution to all of our problems. By beginning our prayers with a remembrance of what He has done before, we will have the courage to ask and the boldness to know He will fulfill our every need.

Scripture

Psalm 100

Quote of the Day

“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is 'thank you', it will be enough.”

Meister Eckhart - German Theologian

Question of the Day

What is your prayer today?



Calling all Little Miss (or Mr.) Sunshines

I can see clearly now the rain is gone
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me down
It's gonna be a bright bright bright bright sun shiny day
It's gonna be a bright bright bright bright sun shiny day

"I Can See Clearly Now" by Johnny Nash

One of my favorite days of the year, is the first day of sunshine after a long series of snowy, cold, icy Ohio winter days. The sun will break through and bounce off of the snow covered lawns and ice draped trees. The brilliance of the light is magnified as it shines against the white and crystal world.

Unfortunately, these days of sun-filled splendor are few and far between from October through April in Ohio. We struggle through endless days of cold, grey, dark winter blues and we long for the brief moments of warmth and light when the sun breaks through the clouds and we are once again blessed with a sun shiny day.

The darkness of the world can close in on us and try to envelope each of us through lies about who we are and who God is, but if we embrace the lightness of God we will not fear the darkness.

the LORD turns my darkness into light. 

2 Samuel 22: 29

God shines light into all of the dark places of the world revealing the destruction the darkness is trying to cause. By embracing the light God offers each of us, we have built in bright, sun shiny days. Through our relationship with Jesus, our light comes from within to shine brightly even in the darkest of situations.

God's light helps us to see clearly the next step on our journey and how He wants us to reveal His light to others.

God gave you the light to not only shine in the places of darkness in your life, but to also be a ray of hope to others who do not have the light of Christ in their lives.

He is calling you to be a little Miss or Mr. Sunshine to your corner of the world.

How will you make it a bright, sun shiny day today?

Scripture

2 Samuel 22 (a song of David)

Quote of the Day

Oh yes I can make it now the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is that rainbow I've been praying for
It's gonna be a bright bright bright bright sun shiny day

Look all around there's nothing but blue skies
Look straight ahead there's nothing but blue skies "I Can See Clearly Now" by Johnny Nash

Question of the Day

What is your favorite thing to do on a sun shiny winter day?

All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is that rainbow I've been praying for
It's gonna be a bright bright bright bright sun shiny day

Look all around there's nothing but blue skies
Look straight ahead there's nothing but blue skies

Focusing on the Grace

I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge.

1 Corinthians 1:4-5

Through the acceptance of Jesus as our Savior, we are transformed by the Holy Spirit which now dwells inside of each of us. What a gift to be truly thankful for!

When Paul wrote his first letter to the church at Corinth (1 Corinthians), he began by telling each of the parishioners that he personally thanked God for each of them and their willingness to follow God. The letter goes on for 16 chapters and through most of the letter Paul is giving instruction and correction for misdirection on the part of the church. But the key is that he first focuses on the blessing that this church has been to him and how thankful he is that God has given the parishioners His grace.

How different would your attitude be to those who were not doing things just right, if you first focused on the blessing of grace in the individual? Would your tone soften? Would your correction be direct, but loving? Would you be able to see this person as God sees him or her - as a sinner dearly loved but far from perfect?

Imagine, if everyone began to think of the blessing from God you are before they spoke to you or corrected you? Would you be more receptive to hearing the feedback if you first knew that the words were being given in love?

Think about how you frame your words - wouldn't it be better received if your words of critique or discipline were framed with words of love and appreciation - of thanksgiving?

Each day we have the opportunity to share God's love with those we encounter. We can make great strides in sharing His love by first recognizing every individual as a child of God who merely a sinner - and yet still dearly loved by God.

Scripture

1 Corinthians 16:12-24

Quote of the Day

“Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses.”

Anonymous

Question of the Day

What is the best quality of one of your siblings? And if you an only child - what is the best quality in one of your parents?

Cornucopia of Blessings

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song

Psalm 95:1-2

In the United States, we have deemed the fourth Thursday of November as our day of communal thanksgiving. This is the day when we take time out of our hectic lives to remember the sacrifices of the first European settlers and how they came together with the Native Americans to find commonality in a meal. We remember their peace that long ago launched a new nation and although this nation is far from perfect we are thankful that we have an origin in peaceful community.

So often we pause before a meal to offer thanks to God for the gift of nourishment, but this time of thanksgiving grace before a meal is symbolic of the thanks we offer to God for each blessing He gives us. When we bow our heads to pray we have the opportunity to remember with a grateful heart all that God has done for us in our lives. Too often we focus on the things we want or we think we need when we go to God in prayer, but in reality we should first be focused on thanking God for the bounty He has already provided.

When we focus on what we already have received, on the blessings which overflow like a cornucopia of delightful blessings, our needs and wants seem less important in the realization that God is overwhelming with His blessings.

Each of us has experienced tremendous blessings in our lives from life, to family, to education, to home and to friendships; the blessings are too numerous to count or relay, but it is important to take time to remember them.

As you approach these days prior to our communal thanksgiving as a nation, remember to take time to thank God for the blessings in your life and to pray for this nation to do likewise.

Scripture

Psalm 95

Quote of the Day

“We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.”

 Francis Keonig

Question of the Day

What is one of the greatest belssings from God?

The World's Most Powerful Sentence

I love you.

Three very powerful words which hold more weight than nearly any other combinations of words in the English language. I love you is bigger than the emotion you feel towards a favorite object or a subject in school.I love you transcends merely words spoken from one person to another, but implies true heartfelt emotion which is deeper than the simple passion between two people. 

Saying I love you translates to:

I love who you are...

I trust what you say...

I know you...

I will follow you...



I love you is a gift given from God to each of us to share in His grace, His mercy and His peace. The ability to love and feel emotions beyond what words can convey is something which only God can create and offer. When we say I love you, we are sharing the love God has for each of us with another.

 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

 2 John 1:4-6

Loving is more than simply saying three words. Loving is displaying grace to all of those around you. Loving others is walking in obedience to God's command on our lives.

Saying I love you is whispering a love letter from God.

I Love You...

Three little words which can transform the world.

Scripture

2 John 1

Quote of the Day

To love another person is to see the face of God.

Les Miserables

Question of the Day

How often do you tell your friends you love them?

Who is your #1 Hero?

Who is your favorite movie star? or athlete? or politician? or famous for being famous person?

Do you have one?

When I was in High School I had two: Andre Agassi - the tennis icon and Harry Connick Jr. the singer/songwriter/actor.

I knew everything there was to know about these two men. I knew their birthdays; where they lived; what they liked to eat; who their families were...And I knew all of this before the internet was even a gleam in Al Gore's mind. I knew all of details about these two men because I admired them and I was infatuated with them.

When we are a fan of someone, we know the in's and the out's of that person. The life of our hero becomes a priority in our own lives. We carve out time to read news articles or gossip magazines or biographies about the icon.

How would you feel if you came face to face with your living hero?

If we were face to face with our earthly heroes, we would likely feel tongue-tied and awash in nerves, but we would be facing human beings not too different from ourselves. They might have nicer cars or fancier homes, but they are all just people.

“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”

Isaiah 6:5

Isaiah was brought into the presence of God - the LORD - the Creator of the entire universe. Isaiah had been studying about the LORD and serving Him tirelessly his entire life and now he is standing before the LORD in His house. Isaiah felt unworthy and unable to speak in God's presence.

If you spent the same time researching God and studying His ways as you spend focused on Taylor Lautner or Taylor Swift or Tom Brady or Maria Sharapova how much more would you know about God? How much more in awe of Him would you become? How much more would you want to know about Him? How much more would you want to serve Him?

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Isaiah 6:8

Having heroes isn't a bad thing...but check yourself and see who is your number one hero? The answer to that question will determine Whose you will be for eternity.

Scripture

Isaiah 6 (MSG)

Quote of the Day

“Celebrity-worship and hero-worship should not be confused. Yet we confuse them every day, and by doing so we come dangerously close to depriving ourselves of all real models. We lose sight of the men and women who do not simply seem great because they are famous but are famous because they are great. We come closer and closer to degrading all fame into notoriety.”

Daniel J. Boorstin

Question of the Day

Who is your favorite celebrity and why?

Don't forget GUMY this weekend...

5PM Prep

5:45 Dinner

6:15 JR/SR

Bring a friend!

The Courage to be Pulled from the Pit

Do you ever feel like you are sinking? Like the world around you is coming in too fast and too chaotic to understand? Like you are barely able to breath...

These feelings of being overwhelmed are pretty common, but the commonality of the feelings doesn't make them any less real or any less terrifying. As Christians we often feel like we have to have all of the right answers and always be positive even in the midst of the most trying circumstances, but it is okay to admit that you are scared; even Christians have bad days.

Life isn't perfect...that is what heaven is promised to be. We will have days when everyone and everything seems to be against us and we will want to say:

I'm feeling terrible—I couldn't feel worse!

(Psalm 119:25 - MSG)

And it is okay to feel those feelings. What is wrong is to allow yourself to stay put in a self-pity wallow. As Christians we will face tremendous obstacles - we have through out history - but God calls us to turn over our fears, our doubts, our anxiety to Him. Through His power and His miracles, He will guide us out of the pit of despair in which we might find ourselves.

Having the courage to ask for help and guidance when you are feeling overwhelmed and under appreciated is hard, but part of the beauty of our faith is being vulnerable and asking for help. God will put people in your path to help you...to pull you out of your pit...and to drag you safely to the shore. You need to be bold enough to ask.

Scripture

Psalm 30:2-4

Quote of the Day

“Life is all about timing... the unreachable becomes reachable, the unavailable become available, the unattainable... attainable. Have the patience, wait it out It's all about timing.”

Stacey Charter

Question of the Day

When have you cried out to Jesus to rescue you from the "pit"?

Finding Fullness in Life

Be generous with me and I'll live a full life...

Psalm 119:117 (MSG)

How generous is God in your life?

He has given you a family, a home, a church, a mind, a heart and a spirit. He has placed in you the ability to do great things in the eyes of man but more importantly in the eyes of God.

Within you is the ability to paint a masterpiece or to hit a homerun; to write a novel or to care for the sick; to be a great mother or a great father; to be a disciple of Christ. A full life does not come from the number of cars you have or how big your wardrobe is. Fullness does not come because you achieve a ton of success or because you earn more money than you could ever spend. Fullness in life comes through your relationship with Jesus.

Open my eyes so I can see what you show me of your miracle-wonders.

Psalm 119:118

Fullness in this life comes through recognizing all that God does. Fullness comes through recognizing who God wants you to be and living that life. God may call you to be an actor or an actress. He may call you to be a doctor or a lawyer or a teacher. He may call you to be a garbage collector or the President of the United States. Regardless of the call God has on your life, living in that call will give you fullness beyond your wildest expectations. Living in God's call on your life will open you to all of the miracles surrounding you and give you the great gift of seeing how God works - even in the mundane and everyday.

God has been mightily generous with you. His blessings are too great to count...and what you have experienced so far is the tip of the iceberg; the best is yet to come - - if you will listen to God's call and follow where He leads.

Scripture

Psalm 119 (MSG)

Quote of the Day

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Maya Angelou

Question of the Day

What is your dream job?



Saving Our Treasures

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces."

Matthew 7:6

It's hard to know who to trust in this world.

Each of us has a tendency to want to trust everyone; to believe that all people come from a good place, with good hearts, but unfortunately not everyone is kind. Some people only are focused on what will benefit them as individuals - they do not care who they have to hurt to succeed. These persons will charm you and woo you into believing that they have your best interests at heart, but in reality they are just using you for what they need in the moment.

We are called to love everyone, regardless of who they are or what they have done, but we must be careful with the treasures God has given to each of us. He has gifted each of us with special and unique gifts...treasures... which when given to the right people, grow and expand, but when given to the wrong people, these treasures wither and waste away.

Share God's love with everyone, but be discerning about who you will give the treasures of your heart. When you give the treasures of your heart - your sacred pearls - to the right person, you will find your strand of pearls growing in beauty and luster, but when you give your pearls to the wrong people your pearls will become worn.

How will you know when the right person comes along to share your treasures with? Trust the One who gave you the treasure in the beginning. He has it all planned out...and the treasures He has in store for you are countless beyond measure.

Scripture
Matthew 7:5-6

Quote of the Day
Half of the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm. But the harm does not interest them
T.S. Elliot

Question of the Day

Okay...fun question - - what is your favorite piece of clothing and why? 

Invitation in the Hands

See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands

Isaiah 49:16

Our hands are amazing tools.

They can hold a hammer to pound nails. They can fly across a keyboard and type a novel. They can lift their fingers to a shoulder and offer unspoken comfort. We use our hands for nearly every activity in life.

Hands can create masterpieces, show love, offer nourishment and play games.

But one set of hands offered salvation.

When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals
Luke 22:33

Jesus gave his life; allowed himself to have nails driven into the palms of his hands so that we might be released from the burden of sin. With each pounding of the nails your name, my name, all of our names, written in the palms of his hands, were washed clean by the saving grace of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.

Our names are engraved on the palms of the LORD's hands. And with the nail scarred hand, Jesus reaches out to each of us and offers us a relationship of reconciliation with God the Father. Our invitation is engraved by a nail on his hands.

"I asked Jesus how much he loved me, and he said, "This much..." and he opened his arms wide as they nailed him to the cross..."

Jesus offers you an engraved invitation to spend your life with him. All you need to do is reach out your hand to his and accept the invitation of salvation.

Scripture
Isaiah 49:15-17

Quote of the Day
God loves us the way we are but too much to leave us that way.
Leighton Ford

Question of the Day

How are you going to use your hands today?



Love Family...Revere God...Respect Government...

“Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God's emissaries for keeping order. It is God's will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you're a danger to society. Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government.”

1 Peter 2:16 (MSG)

Love your family...Revere God...Respect the government...

Pretty solid advice from a man who was in and out of prison, left his business to follow a teacher and helped to organize a band of misfits in a new religious order...Oh, and he was also the one that Jesus said would hold the keys to the kingdom and he would be the rock on which the church would be built.

Peter's advice to all of us is central to the world trusting us and our faith.

The love we show those around us will reflect the love we can extend to those we do not know. Sometimes it is hardest to love those you know the best, because you know all of their flaws and they have likely hurt you the most. But, if we cannot love those who are at the center of our lives, how can we truly love those we do not know? Loving your "spiritual family" is a key component to the world trusting in the love God has to offer.

To revere God is to hold Him in high esteem. God is God. Although we talk to Him and have a personal one-on-one relationship with Him, we must always remember that He is the Master of the universe. He controls all things and He created all things. The respect we show to God will spill over into the respect we have for others and for ourselves because we are creations of the Master. In respecting God, we are called to respect all that He created.

Respecting God and His creation includes the governments under which He has placed us. As citizens of this country, this state and this community, we may not always like how "things are done" but God has put us under this specific authority for a purpose. Until God is ready to release us from this authority, we are called to respect the government and the rules and laws which it instates.

Out of our deep love for God, our love for our spiritual family, our reverence for God and our respect for the government should be a natural outgrowth. By focusing first on our love of God, we will naturally treat others with the dignity and respect God asks of us and in turn, "cure the ignorance of the fools." Now that is a mission we can all get behind.

Scripture

1 Peter 2:11-17

Quote of the Day

Ignorance is not innocence but sin.

Robert Browning

Question of the Day

How can you live out Peter's challenge to each of us (love others, revere God, respect the government)?



Clay in the Potter's Hands

I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

Jeremiah 18:3-4

Have you ever watched a potter work clay into a pot?

As the wheel spins, based on his directed speed, the potter will mold the clay. He tenderly pulls the clay upward, applying water and pressure to form a unique creation. At times the potter may need to press down on the clay if the pot is not forming the way he had envisioned and begin to form a new pot, but the potter never gives up on the clay. His patience and skill come from years of working with clay and forming objects which are both beautiful and useful.

We are like the clay. We are constantly being reformed and reshaped into the person God wants us to be. Sometimes, when we make choices outside of God's plan for our lives, we will find ourselves pushed down so that we can be remolded, but He always treats us with the tender authority, like the potter with the clay.

God is creating you to be a beautiful and useful person with a distinct purpose.

If you attune yourself to His hands, His will and His voice, you will begin to feel Him shape and mold you into the person He wants you to be; the person you are intended to be.

Creation was made because God spoke it into being; but with man, God got His hands a little dirty. He bent down and formed man from the dust, breathing His own breath of life into His creation. God has been the Master Potter from the beginning. Allow Him to form you into the holy creation He desires you to be.

Scripture

Jeremiah 18:1-7

In the Potter’s Hands

by Raymond A. Foss
 September 3, 2007 15:05
I am clay in the potter’s hands
Mold me, shape me, make me
What you will of me
Use me for your purposes
Imbue me with the skills, the spirit
To serve where you would have me serve
Performing the services you would intend
Wherever you would send me
However you would will me
To send me forth
From this space, this place
Into the world
As your servant, your son
Your child, in your image,
The image of your son,
Our brother, our example,
Our savior, like us clay
Held in the potter’s hands

Question of the Day

Have you created a piece of art that reflected you? What was it and how did you create it?



Pulling Weeds...

"I'm not smart enough."

"I'm not pretty enough."

"I will never be good enough..."

Does this sound like a conversation you have had with yourself? Maybe it varies and you have other self-destructive phrases which twist and turn through your head, making you doubt who you truly are.

This world will push and pull at you through TV shows and magazine photos telling you that you are less than everyone else. You might hear from a bully at school that you are ugly or stupid or weak. Maybe you have heard that from someone in your own family. Those words - those lies - begin to take root in the softest part of your soul...and the devil waters the seeds of lies and watches them grow and take root. The words of hate we hear from the world can bend and twist our views of ourselves...but only if we allow those weeds to grow and flourish in our spirits.

Words of hate, of disgust, of hurt, are not from God and as long as we allow the self-destructive language to reside in our hearts, eating away at the persons we were created to be, we cannot make room for the love God has for each of us - a love He intends for us to share.

^"My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. This is the only way we'll know we're living truly, living in God's reality. It's also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves."

1 John 3: 18-20 (MSG)

For God is greater than our worried hearts... The lies and the self-doubt which is planted and nurtured in our hearts by the evil one can destroy our ability to be at peace at home with God, but God is greater than even our most destructive thought. He can pull the weed out by its roots and toss it to the winds, freeing us from the yoke of self-doubt and self-destruction. He is bigger than the boogie man who tries to overtake our lives.

A cycle of self-doubt talk and self-criticism will halt any of the good God has created you to do. You cannot be free to be God's light in this world if you are rooted in lies and deceit.

"God doesn't make junk..."

You are more than smart enough...

You are more than beautiful...

You are good...

You are wise...

You are brave...

You are a CONQUEROR!

You have it within your power to defeat the one who is trying to destroy you from the inside out...one name will make the devil run in fear...

Just call on Jesus - the Great Deliverer.

He will destroy the weeds that are growing in the garden of your heart so that you can make room for the abundant harvest the Father intends to plant in you.

Scripture

1 John 3:16-24 (MSG)

Quote of the Day

All that man achieves, and all that he fails to achieve is a direct result of his own thoughts.

James Allen

Question of the Day

What lies do you hear...What are the truths from God that can override the lies?

Today is Veteran's Day...Let us all take a moment and thank God for the brave men and women who are more than conquerors and who have sacrificed their lives for the freedom we enjoy.

Thank you!



Reflecting from the Inside Out

"Isn't it obvious that your God is present with you; that he has given you peaceful relations with everyone around?"

1 Chronicles 22:17(MSG)

How do we know someone is a Christian?

How does someone else know you are a Christian?

Our faith is not determined by our actions. We cannot earn a place in God's good graces. We don't complete thirty-two tasks and then get a cross on a chain as part of our membership in the cool Christian Club.

Becoming a Christian is about accepting Christ as your Savior and allowing Him to transform you from the inside of your heart to the very tips of your toes. Through that transformation process your actions will begin to reflect the faith that consumes your life; your actions will begin to reflect your faith.

The outside world is filled with people who are sceptics looking for people to fail. They watch people, especially those who are Christians, to see how they act in all situations. They are watching you to see if your actions reflect the change of Christ in your life.

How you act when things go poorly...how you react when you do not win...how you respond when someone is in pain...All of these situations will reflect your faith to the world.

How will someone know you are a Christian?

Isn't it obvious that God is with you?

They will know you are Christians by your love and peace.

It will reflect on your face and in your actions

Scripture

1 Chronicles 22:17-19 MSG 

Quote of the Day

Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion - it is a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ.

Billy Graham

Question of the Day

What is the quality you most admire in a Christian?

God's Justice League...

Justice.

When you read this word, what thoughts come to your mind?

The Supreme Court? The law? Doing what is right?

I tend to think of The Justice League (Superman, Batman, Green Arrow, et al). When I was young I would watch their cartoons or read their comic strips and I was always amazed at how they always knew what was right and were able to accomplish it. They fought through many obstacles and villains to save the girl, save the city, and even save the world.

We are called to be just people, which means that we are called to stand up against those who set out to harm others. We are called to be intercessors for those who are weak or cannot defend themselves. Through the Holy Spirit, each of us knows when an injustice is being done. Whether the injustice is poverty in America, genocide in the Congo, or a kid in school who is being bullied, we know that the situation is unjust. Our responsibility as children of God is to seek justice

Often ignoring a situation of injustice seems easier. Our humanness wants us to walk away, to not get involved and to not rock the boat when we see something we know isn't right. Standing up for those who cannot defend themselves is not an easy thing to do - but God never said our lives would be easy - just blessed.

In fighting against injustice - locally, globally or in school - you will be blessed by walking fully in line with God's plan. By seeking justice for others, your heart will be transformed allowing you to give and receive a bounty of love.

When we fight against injustice, God will lead us to others who will join us in the fight - our own Justice League. Seek out support, but do not be afraid to speak out against the injustice you see. God will guide you with the words - just like He did with Moses.

We are all called to be part of God's Justice League.

We may not have super powers, but we have the Holy Spirit

Scripture

Exodus 23:1-3,6-8; Leviticus 19:13-15; Deuteronomy 16:18-20;25:1-4

Quote of the Day

Justice denied anywhere diminishes justice everywhere.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Question of the Day

Where do you see an opportunity to seek out justice in your everyday life?

You're Gonna Have to Serve Somebody...

But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody

Bob Dylan - Gotta to Serve Somebody

It isn't always easy to follow God - to serve God. The path we follow as God's servants can often be rocky, winding and narrow.

We don't always get what we want. We aren't always going to be the most popular or well liked. We won't always be the best or the brightest. Serving God can be a long and treacherous road.

The road of the world often seems easier. People you know who put their own interests first and who have little regard for others often appear to gain the most success. We can begin to envy what people who do not serve God have: their fame, their wealth, their clothes, the significant others, their "trappings of success". From the outside looking in, their lives seem picture perfect and they get to sleep in on Sundays!

You might start to question, "Why am I struggling to follow God, when the rest of the world seems to have it so easy?"

You have a choice - you either follow God: love Him, serve Him, and follow Him; or you follow the world and strive for the things of this world which will hold you to her.

The world offers you fleeting success, wealth and fame for your service.

God offers you eternal life, salvation and unconditional love.

You can either be trapped by your service to the world or freed by your service to God.

The choice is yours on who you will serve - but know you will have to make a choice.

You are going to have to serve somebody...

It might be the devil or it might be the LORD, but you are going to have to serve somebody.

Scripture

Joshua 24:14-15

¹⁴ “Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. ¹⁵ But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

Quote of the Day

Faithful servants never retire. You can retire from your career, but you will never retire from serving God.

Rick Warren - Saddleback Church

Question of the Day

What is the hardest part about serving God?

Click on the link below to read all of the lyrics to Bob Dylan's "Gotta Serve Somebody"

http://www.bobdylan.com/songs/gotta-serve-somebody



Praying to Peace

Do you ever find it hard to pray for those you do not know? How about those people you don’t like – even if you do not know them? Is it hard to pray for your teachers? Your principal? The mayor? The governor? The president?

God calls us to pray for ALL PEOPLE – particularly He tells us to pray for all those in authority. He asks us to lift up those who He has placed in leadership roles in our lives – from parents to teachers to bosses to government officials. He wants us to remember them in our prayers so that they might be conformed by the Holy Spirit and ultimately give their lives to Christ, because if those in authority are believers than Christ’s mission will become a reality.

God wants us to live holy, peaceful lives. If those who govern our lives are directly opposed to our beliefs, our lives will never have peace. By praying for those in authority, we have the great privilege of growing in empathy for them while simultaneously offering them the greatest gift – Jesus and His love.

Often conflict we feel with leadership comes because we are not beginning at the same starting line. Through prayer, and petitions to God, we can seek to open our eyes to where those we are praying for are starting and we can pray that their hearts will be transformed so we might all end at the same finish line.

We pray for our leadership’s salvation – not just to make our lives easier – but to help to transform the world, because ultimately this is God’s greatest desire.

Scripture

1 Timothy 2:1-7

Quote of the Day

We should pray the hardest when it’s hardest to pray.

Rob Ricketts

Question of the Day

Who can you pray for today that could make a difference in the world?