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Have you ever seen a quality in the life of someone that made you want that quality in your own life?
Following someone else isn’t always easy. We are independent thinkers. We want to do things our way, and we often don’t readily trust others, unless we know them well. The Bible says: “Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.” 1 John 2:6 Are you willing to be as self-less as He was? Are you willing to follow His example? Following Jesus' example affects our relationships with others. Are you willing to be an example for others to follow? Paul says follow my example of following Christ… “Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.” Philippians 3:17 “Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:9 Remember, there is only one way this is possible. Paul said, “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 It’s only possible through the power of Christ in you. Jesus is saying, “follow me.” What will you do? Bro. Joe Scripture Readings: Sunday - 1 John 2:6 Monday -Philippians 3:17 Tuesday - 1 Timothy 4:12 Wednesday - Titus 2:7 Thursday - Ephesians 5:1-2 Friday - Colossians 3:13 Saturday - John 13:1-17 Prayer: Father, help me to live like Jesus…love like Jesus…and lead others to do the same. Thank you for the example of Jesus in my life. Amen
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Have you looked at any headlines lately? Whether you read the news or watch what’s going on in our world today, you can’t help but come to the conclusion that something is broken. There seems to be a greater sense of division, disunity, distrust, and darkness than ever before.
We have to remind ourselves that the dark will not stop the light from getting through. There is hope! His name is Jesus. Jesus said, “But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.” John 9:5 He also said, “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:14-15 I can’t help but be reminded of Jesus’ words: “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” If we truly believe as children of God that the light of the world lives in us, then we have the power to overcome the darkness around us by His light within us. This happens when we make sure our lives are consumed with and centered on Jesus and not centered on and consumed by the things of this world. Jesus is the world’s one true hope…Jesus is your one true hope. We cannot be the light if we are not living in the light…Be the light as you live in Christ, the true light of the world. Be an overcomer. Bro. Joe Scripture Readings: Sunday - Romans 8:18-25 Monday - Isaiah 65:17-19 Tuesday - Revelation 21:1-7 Wednesday - 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 Thursday - Galatians 2:20 Friday - Isaiah 43:15-19 Saturday - Matthew 5:14-15 Prayer: Lord, thank you for the hope I have in Christ. Help me, Father, to live in the light and to be that light to the world around me everyday. Amen “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
The gift of life is truly a blessing as well as an enormous responsibility. When new life comes into a home, parents and families are now responsible for one who is totally dependent on others for every aspect of life…for their physical care, emotional care, and spiritual care. Physical care becomes the primary focus for most, along with concern for emotional well-being. Spiritual development is often relegated to the future, once the child is older, but ultimately may or may not enter into that child’s nurture and care. However, it needs to be a priority from the beginning. The verse in Proverbs 22:6 speaks to caregivers and parents regarding a child’s spiritual development and its importance. So, how can you be certain you are providing for your child’s spiritual care? First, be certain of your spiritual well-being…your relationship with God. You can only model and teach that which you know and practice. Pray for your children everyday…their care, safety, well-being, and health. Pray for their salvation and spiritual development. Set an example before them as a follower of Jesus by the things you say and do, which includes your faithfulness to Him and His church. Bring them to church, both Sunday School and worship. Read God’s Word to them for their benefit as well as your own. Above all, ask for help…lean on family, friends, and your church family. “One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. But Jesus said, ‘Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.’ And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.” Matthew 19:13-15 Bro. Joe Scripture Readings: Sunday - Proverbs 22:6 Monday - Matthew 19:13-15 Tuesday - Proverbs 17:6 Wednesday - Proverbs 15:5 Thursday - Ephesians 6:1-4 Friday - Luke 2:41 Saturday - John 3:1-17 Prayer: Lord, thank you for the blessing of new life. Give us the wisdom to train up our children in your ways, O Lord, so that the day will come when they will surrender their lives to you. Amen “Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up…We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.”
2 Corinthians 4:1,8-9 How about you? Have you been there?
If any of this is true for you, listen closely to Paul’s example…”Never Give Up.” Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 4:6-7… “For God, who said, ‘Let there be light in the darkness,’ has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.” It’s because of this treasure, which is the light of Jesus and God’s great power within us, that we are not crushed…we are not driven to despair…we are never abandoned by God…we are never destroyed, no matter what comes our way. We have the power to overcome. “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 Never Give Up…Simply Surrender to Jesus. Bro. Joe Scripture Readings: Sunday - 2 Corinthians 4:1-18 Monday - John 16:33 Tuesday - Psalm 71 Wednesday -Isaiah 40:29-31 Thursday - Isaiah 41:10 Friday - 2 Peter 3:8-9 Saturday - Hebrews 13:5 Prayer: Lord, there are times when life’s pressures are overwhelming and I’m not sure what to do. Help me remember to never give up and to always turn to you. Thank you for never giving up on me. Amen When you purchase something, and it says on the box “some assembly required,” do you follow the instructions? When you find a new recipe, do you follow the instructions exactly, or do you adjust them to suit your taste and desires?
How well do you follow instructions? For me it depends… If it’s something I’m familiar with, I generally ignore them and try to figure it out myself. If it’s something I’m a little familiar with, I consult the pictures and try to go from there. If it’s something totally foreign to me, I will find someone who understands or has experience with the product and ask for their help (always a last resort). Isn’t that the way many of us live out our lives? We often choose what simply seems best without spending time consulting God’s word, which is our instruction manual for living the Christian life. Here is an example of some instructions Paul passed along to Timothy that most definitely apply to believers today: “But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses. And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again…. Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge.” 1 Timothy 6:11-14, 20 These instructions, along with many, many others we can find in God’s word, certainly are instructions worth following. Bro. Joe Scripture Readings: Sunday - 1 Timothy 6:11-14, 20 Monday - 2 Peter 1:3-11 Tuesday - Colossians 3:12-15 Wednesday - John 14:15 Thursday - 2 Timothy 2:15 Friday - Ephesians 5:15-20 Saturday - John 13:12-17 Prayer: Thank you Lord for providing the way to salvation through Jesus Christ and for the map and instructions for life that you have provided for me to follow through your Word. Amen |
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July 2020
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