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How many of you would say that you are a follower of Jesus Christ?
What does that really mean? …that you’ve asked Jesus to be your savior …that you’ve repented of your sin …that you are allowing Jesus to guide your life YES! Psalm 32:8 -"The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you." John 13:15 - "I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you." But, How do you do it? Be certain that you are in the right position. …are you in front of Him? …are you beside Him? …are you following Him from a distance? …are you close enough to hear His voice and walk in His steps? Psalm 81:13 - "Oh, that my people would listen to me! Oh, that Israel would follow me, walking in my paths!” John 10:27 - "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” In His Steps Bro. Joe Questions for Reflection:
This Week’s Suggested Readings Sunday - Psalm 32:8 & John 13:15 Monday - Psalm 81:13 Tuesday - John 10:27 Wednesday - Matthew 16:24-26 Thursday - John 12:26 Friday - Matthew 10:37-42 Saturday - Luke 9:57-62 Prayer Lord, I desire to follow you. There are times I go my own way…forgive me. Help me to consistently walk in your steps…to listen intently for you voice and be willing to obey your calling and direction for my life. Thank you Father for loving me, saving me and guiding me. Jesus I need you to lead the way. Amen
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What will you say the first time you see Jesus?
Better yet…What will He say when He sees you? Will it be ... "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” Matthew 25:21 For this to be said of us, what will be the measure of our faithfulness? Remember in Matthew 7:21-23 there were those who thought they had been faithful. “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’" These are those who thought they had been faithful, but their measure of faithfulness was of their own making and not according to God’s standard. Which of these two statements would you want to hear from Jesus? 1. Well done, good and faithful servant 2. I never knew you Don’t you want to do all you can in order that you might hear Him say, “Well Done”? In Philippians 2:12, Paul tells us to work hard to show the results of our salvation, “obeying God with deep reverence and fear.” Bro. Joe Questions for Reflection:
This Week’s Suggested Readings Sunday - Matthew 25:21 Monday - Matthew 25:14-30 Tuesday - Philippians 2 Wednesday - Matthew 28;18-20 Thursday - John 12:26 Friday - Mark 10:42-45 Saturday - 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 Prayer Father, I desire to serve you faithfully, yet the best of my ability falls way short. I need Your Holy Spirit to guide me, strengthen me, hold me accountable and remind me that I serve the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Amen Sometimes it seems that the church is always asking us to give to one thing and then to another. You might wonder why we talk about money at all.
Did you know Jesus often talked about money? Sixteen of the thirty-eight parables focus on how to handle money and possessions. In the four Gospels, an amazing one out of ten verses (288 in all) deal directly with the subject of money. The Bible offers 500 verses on prayer, less than 500 verses on faith, but more than 2,000 verses on money and possessions. So, what are some things the Bible says about giving? One thing is found in 2 Corinthians 8:5 “their first action was to give themselves to the Lord..” What does that mean? It means surrendering to the Lordship of Jesus. Giving Jesus charge of every aspect of your life…including your money. Jesus said giving is a matter of the heart. “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:19-21 He also said to give and you will receive. "Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” Luke 6:38 "You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts of the Apostles 20:35 Bro. Joe Questions for Reflection:
This Week’s Suggested Readings Sunday - Luke 6:38 Monday - 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 Tuesday - 2 Corinthians 8:10-14 Wednesday - Malachi 3:10 Thursday -2 Corinthians 9:6-8 Friday - Matthew 6:19-21 Saturday - Romans 10:9-10 Prayer Lord, thank you for how you have blessed me. In return, I give you my life without reservation or condition…I surrender it all to you…including my finances. I desire to be obedient in my giving back to you. Amen Has God ever brought the right person or people into your life at just the right time? That’s what God did for us when He brought you into our lives.
The Apostle Paul expresses Teri’s and my feelings perfectly. "Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Philippians 1:3-6 You and I were created for relationship. Relationship with God the Father and relationships with one another. The value that these relationships bring into our lives cannot be measured. We serve a gracious God who loves us and has provided a way for us to have a personal relationship with Him through Jesus Christ His Son. He also places people in our lives that give us the opportunity to walk together in this journey of faith. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your journey. Again, Paul says it well: "So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. Philippians 1:7 We love you and thank God for you. Bro. Joe Questions for Reflection:
This Week’s Suggested Readings: Sunday - Philippians 1:3-11 Monday - Ephesians 1:15-23 Tuesday - Colossians 1:3-14 Wednesday - 1 Corinthians 13 Thursday - John 3:1-17 Friday - John 15:12-14 Saturday - Proverbs 27:17 Prayer Lord, thank you for inviting me into a personal relationship with You. Thank you for bringing Jesus into my life to give me salvation. God, you have brought people in my life with whom I get to walk in this journey of faith. Thank you for my church family. Amen “Then those who feared the Lord spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to what they said. In His presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared Him and always thought about the honor of His name. (Malachi 3:16 NLT)
In Malachi 3:16 there is a wonderful little spotlight turned on a group of people who were pleasing God. Do you notice the two things that marked their faithfulness? First, they spoke with one another. This does not mean that they just talked to each other. It means that…
That was on the horizontal level, wasn't it? But, there was also the vertical. Second, they thought on His name.
Here is an answer to help us deal with our own weaknesses in living out the Christian life. Talk to others…think on God’s name… rely on His power. Bro. Joe Questions for Reflection:
This Week’s Suggested Readings: Sunday - Malachi 3:16-18 Monday - Exodus 3:13-15 Tuesday - Leviticus 20:7-8 Wednesday - Genesis 22:9-14 Thursday - Judges 6:16-24 Friday - Exodus 15:22-26 Saturday - Exodus 33:1-17 Prayer Lord, thank you for placing people in my life who are willing to help me know you better. Help me to be that kind of person to others. Father, I truly want to know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. Amen |
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January 2019
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