Put Your Faith to Work (3)

'...Your faith has made you well.' Luke 17:19 NKJV

Good Morning,
It doesn't get any better than 50 some degrees in December. I was reading out Psalms this morning in 130:5 "I wait for the Lord my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope". That reading so encouraged me and lifted my faith today. It is through His word that we see the promises He has for us to believe, to lift our faith. Luke records something special about faith: 'As He...passed through...Samaria...there met Him ten...lepers, who... lifted up their voices and said, 'Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!' So when He saw them, He said...'Go, show yourselves to the priests.' And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.' (Luke 17:11-14 NKJV) In Christ's day lepers were social outcasts, so they lived together in a colony. But the problem is, you can't get well hanging around people who are as messed up as you are. That's why you need to bring the problem to Jesus. Notice the words, 'He passed through.' Jesus didn't go to the leper colony, He was just passing through. What do you do when you're losing your life, your family, your joy, your finances etc, and Jesus doesn't seem to be looking in your direction? You can get frustrated when it feels like He's blessing everybody but you, and wonder, 'Lord, when is my turn coming? I've served You faithfully, yet it seems like everybody else is the object of Your attention.' It's time to cry out, 'Jesus, have mercy on me!' Away with dignity and decorum, desperate people pray desperate prayers and God responds to their prayers. Notice, when Jesus was passing by these lepers they did not shout, 'Unclean,' as the law required. No, they broke protocol. When you're in a bad situation, sometimes you have to break out in order to break through. You've got to do what David did: 'I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill.' (Psalm 3:4 NJKV) Come on, if you want an answer, put your faith to work!

Put Your Faith to Work (2)

'...Your faith has made you well.' Luke 17:19 NKJV

Good Morning,
You get the two for one deal today. I make up these devotions for future use and grabbed the wrong one. Oh well I know you'll enjoy one from the past. Maybe one of you needed to hear that today and if that's so...please e-mail me and let me know. I pray that these touch you're lives everyday they are sent. Not enough coffee in the system but here we go again. The Syrian army had surrounded the city of Samaria and its population was dying of starvation. Having lived off scraps of bread that folks threw over the wall each day, four lepers quickly assessed that they were in trouble. They said, 'Why sit here until we die?' (2 Kings 7:3 TLB) So they went into the enemy's camp, only to discover God had worked a miracle, causing the Syrians to flee in terror, leaving behind them food, water and riches. What do we learn from these four lepers? When you put your faith into action, God will go to work on your behalf. But you have to rise up and say, 'If I'm going to die, I'm going to do it reaching for something, building something, going after something.' When it feels like you are down for the count of ten, you have to rise up and say, 'I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.' (Psalm 118:17 NKJV) That kind of faith gets God's attention every time.When you get desperate enough you won't care who God uses, you'll be willing to receive any help He sends your way. Naaman the leper, a five-star general in the Syrian army, humbled himself and became willing to listen to a girl who washed dishes and made beds in his house. (That's because she had an answer from God!) He was even willing to dip seven times in the dirtiest river around, in order to come up clean. (2 Kings 5:1-19) Faith says, 'I don't care where I have to go, what I have to do or who I have to listen to, whatever God says, I'll do it.'

Put Your Faith to Work (1)

'...Your faith has made you well.' Luke 17:19 NKJV

Good morning,
Amy and I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! Back to work for many of you and the team at CFW as well. Next week we start our week of prayer and I hope that you will sign up to pray this Sunday for the various needs of the church and those in your lives. We will have the church open each night for one hour for you to come and pray with Thursdays time a special prayer walk setup in the fellowship hall that will help you reflect even further with God. This morning we look at how to put your faith to work.

We become so engrossed in what we see, feel and hear, that we operate within our natural senses rather than our spiritual ones. 'Through your faith, God is protecting you by His power.' (1 Peter 1:5 NLT) Your 'faith' is what activates the power of God. Before a stone becomes a diamond it's just carbon put under extremely high pressure. The Bible says, 'These trials will show that your faith is genuine.' (v7 NLT) Trouble not only places a demand on your faith, but reveals the depth of it. You don't really know much about your faith when your bills are paid, your body is healthy, your children are acting right and your marriage is intact. But when all hell is breaking loose and you trust God to bring you through it, you know you've got faith. Sometimes we think we're doing better spiritually than we are. But often the enemy has not ceased to attack, he's just moved from doing it in the natural realm to doing it in the spiritual realm. He's attacking your mind, your rest, your peace, your emotions and your thought life. So what can you do? Lift up the shield of faith and stop his flaming arrows. Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and use it to drive him back. (See Ephesians 6:17.) Put your faith to work. Say, 'Enough is enough,' and begin to take back what the enemy has stolen from you. For that's your right as a child of God!

The truth of the Virgin Birth

'The virgin will...give birth to a son...' Matthew 1:23 NIV

Good Morning and Merry Christmas!

I hope you will join us this Sunday as we celebrate together this Christmas season...There will be fellowship after service so please bring some Christmas cookies to share. My message Sunday is out of Isaiah 9 looking at the names given to Christ that were fortold 700 years before His birth. In Matthew 1:23 Heaven announced the birth of Jesus in these words: 'The virgin will...give birth to a son, and...call Him Immanuel-which means, 'God with us.' Isn't it ironic that the first people to question the miracle of the virgin birth were religious leaders? The Pharisees said to Jesus, 'We were not born of fornication...' (John 8:41 NKJV) Their insinuation was clear and cruel. After all, Jesus couldn't point to Joseph and say, 'He's my father.' Understand this: Jesus had to be man in order to die, and He had to be God in order to save. You are the child of an earthly father, so you were 'born in sin'. But Jesus was the child of a heavenly Father, so He broke the genetic cycle of sin before He was born. In the Old Testament a sacrificial lamb had to be without blemish (birth defect) or spot (something picked up along the way). Since Jesus had neither inherited sin nor practiced sin, He qualifies as '...the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.' (John 1:29 NAS) The virgin birth is true because: (a) The angel of the Lord announced it (Matthew 1:20); (b) Mary's husband-to-be accepted it (Matthew 1:24); (c) Elizabeth, her cousin, received it by divine revelation (Luke 1:41-42); (d) The story was written by a well-respected medical doctor who knew the character of all concerned: '...since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you...that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.' (Luke 1:3-4 NIV) Christmas is a fact, not a feeling....Merry Christmas to all!

Don't Be Afraid of Failure (3)

'A righteous man may fall seven times and rise again...' Proverbs 24:16 NKJV

Good Morning,
Its getting close to Christmas. Can you hear the sounds of those who are in Need? I hope you can and will make someones Christmas a awesome one...
The Psalmist wrote: 'Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your Word.' (Psalm 119:67 NKJV) By doing it the wrong way, he eventually learned to do it the right way. The truth is, when you fail in one area, it can drive you to explore other areas. Most of life's successes are based on the principle of trial and error. Often failure is not falling short of your goal, it's simply not making the effort. Failure can actually help you discover your area of success. For example, when you hate your job you will likely fail in it. Yet it's in losing that hated position that you may be pressed to pursue what you really like to do, and are called to do. Another benefit of failure is that it makes you less judgmental of others. When you've experienced failure you become more sympathetic. Instead of pointing an accusing finger, you see the need to extend a helping hand. Instead of saying foolish things like, 'I can't believe you did that,' you remember the pit God dug you out of and say with gratitude and humility, 'Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.' You know how it hurts to fail, and you feel their pain because of what you've been through. This makes you a better friend, a better mentor and a better example of grace. Jesus told Peter: '...Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.' (Luke 22:31-32 NKJV)

Don't Be Afraid of Failure (2)

'A righteous man may fall seven times and rise again...' Proverbs 24:16 NKJV

Good Morning,
Continuing in Proverbs 24; Star baseball players only hit the ball about three out of every ten times. How do they live with such a high failure rate? By focusing on the law of averages. They know that if they just keep swinging the bat, they'll get on base. In 1952 Roger Bannister ran in the Olympics and finished in fourth place, failing to win any kind of medal. But he refused to quit. Up until this time many experts considered it humanly impossible to run the mile in under four minutes. Yet that was Bannister's goal. And on 6 May 1954, he became the first man to do it. Now runners do it regularly. What's the point? If you refuse to quit when you fail, you'll ultimately succeed. You just have to be willing to get back up and keep moving forward. In 1832 Abraham Lincoln was defeated for the State Legislature. In 1833 he failed in business. In 1835 his sweetheart died. In 1836 he had a nervous breakdown. In 1838 he was defeated for Illinois House Speaker. In 1843 he was defeated for nomination to Congress. In 1854 he was defeated for the US Senate. In 1856 he was defeated for nomination for Vice President. In 1858 he was defeated again in a US Senate race. But today he is considered one of America's greatest presidents. A wise man concluded: 'It's a mistake to suppose that people succeed only through success; they often succeed through failures.' And you're not defeated until the past takes your focus off the future. So don't be afraid of failure. Jesus was considered a failure and yet the greatest gift ever given was through Him!

Trials

''Consider it all joy...when you encounter various trials.'' James 1:2

Good Morning,
Many of us have things happen to us every day or every week that challenges our faith. James shows us how to overcome the challenge when he writes: 'Consider it all joy...when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance...that you may be perfect and complete' (vv. 2-4 NAS). Peter writes: '...don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you' (1 Peter 4:12 NLT). Trials are the common thread that unites us. When you get through with one, chances are there's another one coming up the road. That's why James didn't say, 'if,' but 'when you encounter...trials.' Observe: 1) Trials come in various categories. They're physical, emotional, financial, and relational; it's not a one-size-fits-all deal. Some are shocking, like the unexpected loss of a loved one; others are more drawn out, like an acrimonious divorce or a prolonged illness. Some play out in public while others take place in your own private hell. Some are due to your own, or other people's mistakes; others have nothing whatsoever to do with human shortcomings. 2) Trials test our faith. They bring us back to basics and remind us where our priorities should lie. One Bible teacher says, 'During...intense trials I go back to...what I really believe...elementals such as prayer and dependence...getting quiet and waiting on God. Trials...force us back to the bedrock of faith upon which our foundation rests, and this becomes a refining and necessary process.' 3) Trialsmature us. When we're suffering there's a tendency to try to look for the quick way out. Don't do that. Trials are designed to make us 'complete.' By letting them do their work, you end up stronger.

Moving On to Maturity (1)

'Let us go on...and become mature...' Hebrews 6:1 TLB
Good Morning,

Amy & I made it back safely from our trip to Seattle yesterday. Thanks for all your prayers. As we get older we begin to mature and catch ourselves sometimes thinking job well done or I might need work in that area. Spiritually, some of us haven't grown up. 'You...ought to be teaching others, but instead you...need someone to teach you...until you become...mature...' (Hebrews 5:12-6:1 TLB) Just as there are signs of physical growth, there are hallmarks of spiritual maturity like the ones mentioned in 1 Peter 3:8 AMP: (1) 'Be...united in spirit.' Now unity isn't the same as uniformity where everybody has to think alike or even unanimity where we have to agree about everything. Unity is focusing on what unites us, instead of the petty issues that divide us. (2) 'Sympathising with one another.' The Greek interpretation of the word sympathy is 'to feel for' others. 'When [they're] happy, be happy with them...when they are sad, be sad.' (Romans 12:15 CEV) When you become more concerned about others than you are about yourself, you're starting to mature. (3) 'Loving each other.' We all need friends to love and support us. The president of Taylor University said one of his greatest hopes is to end up with eight friends who'll attend his funeral without once checking their watches! (4) 'Be...compassionate.' In a high-tech age it's easy to tune out those in need. When Jesus saw people, '...He felt compassion...because they were distressed and dispirited...' (Matthew 9:36 NAS) Hurting people touched His heart, and they should touch ours too. (5) 'Be...humble.' Charles Swindoll says, 'Look for opportunities to give...to build up rather than tearing down, to serve rather than being served, to learn from others rather than clamoring for the teaching stand.' So, how are you doing so far?

Learn to Delegate

'This job is too heavy...to handle all by yourself.' Exodus 18:18 NLT Good Morning, I hope and pray that as your day goes on God gives you directed opportunites to minister in His name. This morning we are looking at Delegating. President Reagan said, 'Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don't interfere.' Yet in our eagerness to please God we take on responsibilities that are 'too heavy...to handle all by [ourselves].' Moses was spending every waking minute listening to complaints from long lines of people. Finally his father-in-law said, 'You're going to wear yourself out-and the people, too,' and advised him to appoint capable leaders to 'help...carry the load.' (Exodus 18:22 NLT) It was a win-win solution; the people got help faster, and Moses became a better leader. Henry and Richard Blackaby write: 'One of our greatest challenges...is determining what God doesn't want us to do! We love God, we love His people, and we see many needs. But sometimes good intentions cause more harm than good...When you become aware of a need, don't automatically assume God wants you to meet it. The only reason to perform ministry is when God clearly tells you it's His will. If you're overwhelmed...you're probably doing more than God asked. Pray about the assignments you take on, so you don't rob yourself and others of God's best.' Jon Walker adds: 'Imagine if God created you to be the Michelangelo of this age but you stayed so busy doing all kinds of things-good things-that you never got around to painting and sculpting. You'd end up missing the best because you got distracted chasing the good. What a disappointment...for God...and all the people who would have been blessed if you'd stayed focused on your original purpose.' Learn to delegate. But never use this as a exuse to do nothing. Release the burdens God never meant you to carry, and focus on what He called you to do.

Three Rules for Living

'For the Lord gives wisdom...' Proverbs 2:6 NKJV Good Morning, What a awesome day yesterday. Christmas songs, the word on Wise Men still Seek Him, touched hearts, and all of you just sticking around to fellowship with each other was so wonderful to see. I asked my self the question how do we succed in life? To succeed in life you must do these three things: (1) Decide what's important. The story's told of a family who moved to the country to get away from the city. They decided to raise cattle so they bought a ranch. One day a friend visited them and asked what they'd named it. Dad said, 'I wanted to call it The Flying-W, but Mom wanted to call it The Suzy-Q. One of our sons liked The Bar-J, but our daughter preferred The Lazy-Y. So we compromised and called it The Flying-W, Suzy-Q, Bar-J, Lazy-Y Ranch.' The friend asked, 'How are your cattle doing?' Dad replied, 'We don't have any. They didn't survive the branding.' Come on, decide what's important to you! (2) Prioritize your time. Too many of us are like the store owner who got so busy trying to keep the place clean that he forgot to open the front door. The reason you're in business is to serve customers and make a profit, not get distracted by secondary things. Base your life's decisions on your priorities. And if you need help figuring out what they are, ask God: 'For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.' (3) Learn to motivate yourself. Most times, nobody else will. When tragedy struck his life, we read: 'David encouraged himself in the Lord...' (1 Samuel 30:6 KJV) You need to learn how to do that too. Jude writes: '...building up yourselves...praying in the Holy Ghost.' (Jude 1:20 KJV) To succeed in life you must learn to encourage yourself, pray and build yourself up in what God has for you...

Change Can Happen for You! (2)

'And He...said, "Behold, I make all things new..."' Revelation 21:5 KJV

Good Morning,

When asking God about helping you make the right choices, here are two more life-changing principles: (1) You must be willing to change unconditionally. In the early stage of therapy counselors bump into the 'change-if' syndrome. The client sees change as a strategy of give-to-get: 'I'll change if they are willing to do... If not, I won't.' With God, your reward for changing is intrinsic. You get the joy of His approval, plus all the benefits that follow from being a changed person. This includes God's gift of '...salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.' (Revelation 3:18 NIV) The ability to see things clearly will enable you to understand the problem and deal with it effectively, regardless of what someone else does or doesn't do. (2) You must accept the truth that change means letting go of the past. Whatever you cling to ultimately controls you. If the offence resulted from your actions, or the loss from your poor judgment, confess it to God, receive forgiveness and leave it at the cross. If it was the other person's fault but you've held onto it because you think you're the innocent party and 'deserve your pound of flesh', the freedom you forfeit and the options you miss are too high a price for the false comfort of being right. 'Forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you' (Ephesians 4:32 NIV) will release you from the chains of resentment, giving you back your future. If you're bound by chains of regret over 'coulda, woulda', shoulda' God stands ready to make your future better than your past could ever have been.(Joel 2:25)

Change Can Happen for You! (1)

'And He...said, "Behold, I make all things new..."' Revelation 21:5 KJV

Good Morning,

On Tuesday in our Fuel Group we had the opportunity to see how God can move and change our lives; but it means we must do something? Expect Gods help because the Bible's story is one of change from Genesis, the book of 'beginnings', to Revelation, where God says: 'Behold, I make all things new.' Whatever your situation today, change is possible through Him. However often you've repented, confessed and tried changing, God can change what you can't-and make it last. But change requires understanding certain principles. Let's look at them: (1) You don't need to change others in order to change your life. 'I'd be happier if he'd stop...' 'Things won't improve for me till she...' Such beliefs make you focus on the problem and not the solution, makes us ignore realistic options and feed depression instead. 'Each person should judge his own actions and not compare himself with others.' (Galatians 6:4 NCV) Instead of trying to change others, which only produces resistance and resentment, let God show you what you need to do differently to improve your handling of the problem. When you stop doing what doesn't work and change your reactions to the problem, others often change spontaneously. (2) True change begins by addressing your relationship with God. Bitterness and frustration over problems just result in distancing from God, leaving you to handle the issue in your own strength. Surrendering to Him changes you fundamentally, challenging pride, envy, resentment, fear, dishonesty etc-characteristics of poor change management. 'Let us search out and examine our ways, and turn back to the Lord.' (Lamentations 3:40 NKJV) With 'our lives under God', we're more honest, self-aware, able to perceive realistically; we're respectful, and prepared to become God's change agents.

Just Enough

'...Each family had just what it needed.' Exodus 16:18 NLT
Good Morning,

I love how God supplies to each of us just when we need it. Exodus gives us a glimpse how God works on our behalf. In the wilderness God provided His people with manna so that they wouldn't go hungry. It appeared miraculously each morning: 'Everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered...a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed.' Ever notice there are times in life when God's blessings seem to '...overtake you...'? (Deuteronomy 28:2 NAS) Your prayers are getting answered, the doctor's report is good, the bills are paid, your job is going great and your children are finally on the right track. When that happens, rejoice and thank God for His goodness. Then there are other times when He gives you 'just enough' light to take one more step. That's when He's teaching you to trust Him on a daily (or sometimes hourly) basis; to test His Word and see for yourself that '...His mercies...are new every morning...' (Lamentations 3:22-23 NCV) Bottom line: God never lets us gather tomorrow's manna today. The Bible says He will '...supply all your need according to His riches in glory.' (Philippians 4:19 KJV) He wants you to rely on the Giver and not the gift, to trust Him to meet all your needs, and to expect that He will bring good things out of bad situations. Instead of getting stressed out, He wants you to '...let [all] your requests be made known to God' (Philippians 4:6 NKJV), to stop fretting when you're alone because He will '...never leave you nor forsake you' (Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV); to realize that no matter what life throws at you, you never have to question His love because it's '...everlasting...' (Jeremiah 31:3 KJV) So stop and think before you fret...who's your Daddy?

When Nobody's Looking

'Glancing this way and that and seeing no one...' Exodus 2:12 NIV

Good Morning,

Amy & I took yesterday off so sorry you didn't get a devotional. Thanks to God and John Shane for a great message Sunday, and to our team for being faithful. What happens in your life when no one else is looking? When Moses killed the Egyptian and hid the body in the sand, he looked around to make sure no one was watching. Ever done something wrong when nobody was watching? We all have! Mark Roberts says he counseled people whose business travel made them vulnerable. 'An executive found that...away from home, she was inappropriately flirtatious, even though she loved her husband and wanted to remain faithful to him. A high-powered professional struggled not to watch pornography in hotel rooms even though he was not tempted...at home. The internet sets innumerable ethical traps... By frequenting an online chat room, a wife became entangled in an emotional relationship with a man who was not her husband. In all of these cases, the sense that "no one was watching" allowed people to sin in ways they would never have done in ordinary, observed life.' Here's what you need to realize: (1) God sees you when nobody else does. When you couple that with a desire to please Him and not grieve Him, it makes a difference in how you act. (2) 'The godly offer good counsel...' (Psalm 37:30 NLT) If you know you're vulnerable in a certain area, share it with someone who will pray for you and hold you accountable. (Nowadays there are even computer programs that will monitor your Internet activity and send a report to others). (3) Avoid situations that afford you too much privacy. One woman closed her personal bank account and opened a joint account with her husband because her spending was out of control. God created you to live in relationship with others, and the more open and honest you are, the less likely you'll be to stray.

Stop Hiding!

'The Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?"' Genesis 3:9 NIV

Good Morning,
Thanks to all those who helped out last night with the Christmas Decorating, the church looks amazing! Todays devotional asks the question; are you hiding? The first recorded question God ever asked was, '[Adam]...Where are you?' And it's a question you need to stop and ask yourself today: 'Where am I-really?' If you don't know the answer, or you do but you don't like it, then today's devotion is for you. When God asked Adam, 'Where are you?' he responded by saying, 'I heard You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.' (Genesis 3:10 NIV) It's amazing the lengths we will go to in order to hide. We'll bury ourselves in work or get involved in an affair or build a wall around our hearts-anything but face the truth. God wasn't trying to find Adam; He just wanted Adam to find himself. Until you do that, you're truly lost. And the problem is, when you hide you become a phony. Have you any idea how much emotional energy it requires to keep up a charade for others? Only two things are worse: being a phony with yourself and being a phony with God. Furthermore, you'll find it difficult to be honest with others or look them in the eye. Why? Because you'll be afraid they might look into your heart and see the real you. Is that where you are today? Afraid to look into your own heart? The good news is, Adam was naked but God clothed him; he was guilty but God cleansed him; he was anxious but God comforted him. And if you come to Him today God will cleanse you, clothe you and comfort you. He's just waiting for the opportunity to do it!

Gods Grace

'If by grace, then it is no longer by works...' Romans 11:6 NIV

Good Morning,

I love the scripture in Romans 11:6 where Paul writes: 'And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.' Dr. Gerald Mann tells the fascinating story of how he got his doctorate in Greek. There were only six students in his class. The professor had never given anyone an A. On the first day he held up a Greek textbook and to their amazement he announced, 'I have already written your grades and no matter how much you study or what you score, I have given every one of you an A!' Dr. Mann said, 'Out of six students, five of us learned more Greek in that class than we ever thought possible. The other fellow just got by and never really applied himself.' Understand this: Grace is the power to excel or license to just get by. Either way, you're accepted and considered righteous in God's eyes the moment you trust in Christ. Why would God arrange it that way? Because the love He gives us is unconditional, and only a response of love can satisfy Him. What an amazing truth; God makes Himself vulnerable to the rejection of people like us! Perhaps you're wondering, 'How can I prove that I truly love God?' That's easy: you'll love your brother and sister. (1 John 4:21) You'll love God's Word. (Psalm 119:97) You'll love spending time in prayer. (Jeremiah 29:12) Grace, rightly understood, doesn't prevent holiness, it produces it. 'The grace of God that brings salvation...teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives...' (Titus 2:11-12 NIV)