Learning It's Not All About Us

Good Morning,...Today I Will Let Go,...And Let God!! We often help to create the greatest obstacle in our lives. By nature we are self-absorbed. We manipulate and plan our day to go a certain way. The things that are not directly affecting us are often, and for the most part, ignored. The truth is that our lives have a purpose and destiny that is much greater than us,..deeper and more profound than we can grasp.

Then he said to them all, if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.—Luke 9:23 (NIV)

Rather than face it, we attempt to fill our days with work and activities but they are merely a substitute, that leave us at days end with empty and hungry hearts. We must move ourselves aside, to truly discover the purpose that God has for us. We do have time in our day to reflect on God’s will,...what we lack is a willingness to listen. If we will listen and follow His direction we will find fulfillment, as well as our purpose.

"Time spent 'waiting on God',...is never wasted."
(OUR DAILY BREAD, December 7, 2006)

Lord God, for too long, we've tried to live independently of YOU,...but now, we seek to deny ourselves, and give the steering wheel of our life, over to YOU. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

"Getting to know Jesus isn't just informational, it's transformational."

With God, We Have A Future Even In Death

Good Morning!! Do you remember the penitent thief? He was one of the two men that died with Jesus on the cross that day. He was honest about his sins,...he offers no alibi or excuses,...he simply beleives and accepts responsibility for his situation. In faith, on the edge of death, he firmly looks onto the future. When we get ourselves in trouble, we usually obsesse over the past,....if only I had done this instead of that,...or if only I had known then, what I know now.

"What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived" the things God has prepared for those who love him, these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.—1 Corinthians 2:9 (NIV)

Hanging on the cross, the penitent thief sees through what was, and what is, and he claims what is to come: "Remember me when you come into your kingdom."...and what the thief has the imagination to ask for, Jesus has the power to grant: "Today you shall be with me in paradise."

Your past may be unchangeable, and your present may be unsatisfying, but remember this; you do have a future.
You may not know what your future is, but you do have one,...and God is in it.

Lord, remember us too, as You come into Your kingdom. Amen.

"Getting to know Jesus isn't just informational, it's transformational."

L.I.G., Accept Loss

Good Morning!! Loss, is a part of life. As Christians we're often asked to embrace the spiritual discipline of giving something up. As during Lent, for example, people give up sweets, meats, alcohol. Some may even regularly fast on certain days of the week. A few years ago our church went on a "news fast" during Lent,...no newspapers or magazines, no radio, no television. Such detachments are voluntary, and they involve sacrifice of a kind,...the surrender of something we enjoy.

And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.—Matthew 26:75 (ESV)

But on a deeper level, we may need to give up things we don’t enjoy,...things like bitter memories, past failures, anger at parents or family. Peter had to give up an almost unbearable self-hatred at denying Christ. Paul had to give up the guilt of knowing that he had once aided in the murder Christians. And there are those losses that are thrusted upon us, that are involuntary and painful, like the death of a child, a parent or spouse,...a failed relationship, or losing one’s job. So much of our emotional well-being and spiritual health depends on being able to; Let It Go,...when the time comes.

It is in giving up, letting go, or dying to some things, that we able to position ourselves to live life, all the more fully, in the days to come.

Holy Spirit, whatever it is,...help us to Let It Go, when the time comes. Amen.

"Getting to know Jesus isn't just informational, it's transformational."

Be Lovingly Truthful, At All Times

Good Morning!! They lied of Jesus,...what makes you think that people wouldn't lie on you? If you've ever had anyone say things about you that weren't true, or have someone slandered you, or take your words out of context,...making it sound like you’d said something that you hadn't said,...then you already know how much it can hurt,...and it's even worst if it's someone you know.

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward.—Matthew 26:59, 60 (NIV)

They lied about Jesus. They intentionally misquoted him. He who was the very "truth of God" had to endure the lies of sinful men. The ninth commandment says, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor" (Deut. 5:20). Speak the truth,...continuously, constantly, habitually. Not only in court, but everywhere,...and every day. And truth is more than simply the agreement of words with facts. Factually truthful statements can at times be mean, selfish, and hurtful. This truth that the Bible speaks of is up-building, healing, and redeeming.

Lies hurt,...but Truth heals.
Put away falsehood,...speak the truth.

Holy Spirit, help us to always to speak the truth, that helps and heals. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

"God doesn't call the qualified,...He qualifies the called."

Where Is Your Faith?

Good Morning!! There are lots of ways to lose, or have our faith weakened. Sometimes we lose faith in the church as an institution, because of the bad behavior of our leaders. It may come from unanswered prayers,...intellectual doubts, or nagging questions like: "How could a good God let bad things happen?" Others can have the faith pounded out of them,...by traumas that break their body, or heart.

...Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.—John 6:68 (NIV)

I haven’t lost faith,...but I have had it shaken. And now I'm a little more understanding, and a little less judgmental, of those who stumble or fall away. We need to know, and remember, that authentic spirituality always includes,...not excludes,...what is bothering us the most. We have to be more like the anguished father in Mark. Faith is not believing because of,...it's believing in spite of.

To stay in the faith, doesn’t mean we have to have solutions to every problem, or answers to every question.

Father God, we believe,...help our unbelief. Amen.

"God doesn't call the qualified,...He qualifies the called."

Who's Will Are We Seeking?

Good Morning!! Before we glibly say, “Thy will be done,” we need to ask ourselves: Do we really mean that? Do we really want whatever God wants? What Jesus wanted in Gethsemane was deliverance,...safety,...and life. So He fell down and prayed,...and when He arose from His knees, He was the calmest person in the garden. Jesus moved resolutely to His cross with the confidence of a person perfectly in sync with the will of God.

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."—Matthew 26:39 (NIV)

Setting aside what we want, so as to align ourselves with what God wants,...are we open to that? Allowing some of our own wants to be crucified, so that we will have the quiet confidence of knowing that God’s will isn’t just happening to us,...but happening through us. Knowing this, accepting this, and living this, is how we can become the calmest people in the garden, as well.

When we pray "Thy will be done,"...we're really volunteering ourselves for God’s service.

Father in Heaven, we want what You want,...and to help make it happen, Amen.

"God doesn't call the qualified,...He qualifies the called."

How Responsable Are We?

Good Morning!! When we think of Biblical heroes, somehow we never think of Judas. But he only did what he was supose to. Judas’s betrayal is the fulfillment of God’s own plan: "The Son of Man goes as it is written of Him," says Jesus. Or as Peter put it in his Pentecost sermon, Jesus was "delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23). Had Jesus not been turned over and put to death,...there could be no resurection, no blood offering,...no salvation for the lost.

The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."—Matthew 26:24 (KJV)

So why does Judas get such a bad rep? How can what he did, be bad, or even his fault? If the deed is inevitable, how can Judas be responsible? And if Judas is responsible, how can the deed be inevitable? On the one hand, we are solely responsible for our actions. On the other hand, there are factors in life over which we have no control: heredity, genetics, IQ, environment. Don’t they to some degree affect our decision making? Of course they do.

Yet Judas is responsible for, and must suffer the consequences of, his treachery,
...in short Judas was made for a job, no one wanted,...but everyone need.

Father God, lead us. Guide us. Use us. For Your glory,...and for all our good. Let Your will be done. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

"God doesn't call the qualified,...He qualifies the called."

What's In You Heart?

Good Morning!! Have you even gotten caught talking to yourself?...well, I'm really surprised that I haven't been caught more often. I do it a lot, like when my computer doesn’t cooperate,...which happens way too often. Or when I’m struggling to fix something. I'm not as embarrassed by doing it as I am about what comes out of my mouth. My rants don't last as long as they once did, but still,...I'm embarrassed by what can still come out.

...for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.—Matthew 12:34 (KJV)

Most of the time when we talk to ourselves, the topic of conversation is always ourselves,...what something or some one is doing to us, what we’re trying to achieve or obtain, our heart is in trouble. This world tries to help us think about ourselves all the time. I heard that if you’re 20 years old, you’ve probably already seen well-over a million commercials. That’s over a million attempts to get you to purchase something the marketers say you absolutely have to have. If self-talk revolves around what's really in or on our heart, then we need to decide what's important, and what we're truely setting our minds on.

What ever is in you will come out, sooner or later,....so if you don't like what's coming out,
....you need more Jesus in you heart.

May the song of our hearts be Your song, O Lord.

"God doesn't call the qualified,...He qualifies the called."

You Have To Know Holy, To Be Holy

Good Morning!! You might think that the life of a mature Christian is marked by holiness, and that’s true. But there is a difference between looking holy, the apparent holiness consisting of "correct" behavior, motivated by fear or pride,...and the inward holiness of a transformed heart. Paul is warning the Colossians not to confuse one, with the other.

Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.—Colossians 2:16, 17 (NIV)

Tension existed in the Colossian church over the niceties of religious observance. Some people were teaching the Colossians that to be true followers of Jesus they had to observe dietary restrictions and perform specific religious duties. Paul condemns that line of thought, instead stressing the freedom we have in Christ, a freedom that makes legalistic practices irrelevant.

Legalistic religion, is of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

Lord, teach us the real holiness, that’s found in knowing You.

"Christians extending hospitality to others, aren't trying to impress people,...they're just trying to reflect God."

Don't Just Look Holy, Be Holy

Good Morning!! Freedom in Christ does not give Christians carte blanche to behave however we want,...what’s sometimes called “cheap grace.” Christian holiness means living for "the things that are above," but with a profound humility that allows us to identify with, and love sinners, together with a joy that comes from the hope we have in Christ.

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.—Colossians 3:2, 3 (NIV)

When I meet holy people, I am always struck by their joy. Some might ask; "What does a holy person look like?" Someone who seems more interested in others than in promoting self,...someone who is neither naive nor jaded about human nature,...someone who is able to bear trying circumstances with poise,...someone whose face radiates with generosity and love. Someone reflecting Jesus,...someone you want to be closer to.

The pursuit of holiness comes from love for Christ, and the delight found in knowing and serving Him.

Holy Spirit of God, we want to be holy,...show us how.

"Christians extending hospitality to others, aren't trying to impress people,...they're just trying to reflect God."

We Can, Together

Good Morning!! Imagine what our communities, our country, our world would be like,...if everyone pursued real holiness. That is the goal that Paul sets before the Colossian church. Chapters 1 and 2 provide the theological framework for Christian maturity, the last part of chapter 3 is its practical application: how should holy people, redeemed by grace, treat one another?

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.—Colossians 3:12-13 (NIV)

Finding our identity in Christ, will free us to love people, sacrificially and selflessly. The more we come to rejoice in the love and grace of God, the more we will feel compelled to share it with those around us. That is why a mature Christian spends less and less time focused on self, and more time thinking about how to help others become mature in Christ.

The source of holiness comes from an intimate relationship with Christ, that's sustained and deepened, through Scripture reading, prayer, and corporate worship.

Our Lord, our God, show us how to love others,
...as you have loved us.

"Christians extending hospitality to others, aren't trying to impress people,...they're just trying to reflect God."

We Have A Purpose, Because God Has A Plan

Good Morning!! David’s name shows up in the Bible more than 1,100 times,...and he was known as a man after God’s own heart. A city was named after him, and Jesus even borrowed his name to refer to himself: "Son of David." Yet, no one saw David’s potential, before it unfolded. His own father did not even count him as an option, when Samuel came looking for a king. But the Lord saw something in David that no one else could see,...not even David himself.

The LORD does not look at the things people look at.—1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)

And God sees something in us. Whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever you may be doing today,...God sees something for you, that no one else may be able to see. Just be ready when He calls.

Only God knows, the plans He has for us,
...we just have to step up, when called.

Dear God, You who see what no one else can, we submit ourselves to Your purposes. Amen.

"Christians extending hospitality to others, aren't trying to impress people,...they're just trying to reflect God."

We Are Commercials For The Kingdom

Good Morning!! God uses His people to show the world what a transformed life is all about. If you are following Jesus and walking in the Spirit each day, your life will show it. You are a commercial for the kingdom, the kind of advertisement that prompts people to wonder,... “Why are you so different?” “Why do you live the way you do?” "What do you know that I don't?"


You are the light of the world. "...let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."—Matthew 5:14a,16b

Jesus used the miracles He performed, to show and authenticated who He was. “Believe Me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves” (John 14:11). In other words, “Believe Me because of what you see with your own eyes!” Whether you announce that you are a Christian or not, people are watching and judging your actions and behavior,...For this reason followers of Jesus, can't behave as others in the world.

The way you live your life demonstrates the kind of "believer" you are.

" Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." (2 Tim. 2:15, NIV)

"Christians extending hospitality to others, aren't trying to impress people,...they're just trying to reflect God to them."

Read The Book, All Of It

Good Morning!! If you have ever attempted to read through the Bible you may have run into several sticking places. Ezekiel’s wild imagery can make us scratch our heads. The symbolism of Revelation is confusing. And the genealogies! Who begat whom?...and why would we care?? Another hard book is Leviticus. The levitical laws strike us as strange at best,...downright savage at worst. That may be why most Pastors rarely dive into Leviticus.

...keep my words, And treasure my commands within you.
Keep my commands and live, And my law as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart.—Proverbs 7:1-3 (NKJV)

Yet, we are taught that "all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16). This affirmation includes those parts of Scripture that seem confusing, outdated, or challenging. As I work on these devotionals I can glance at an older Ron Zamkus, "Power Pill" quote on my desk. It says; Although understanding Scripture is not always easy,...it is always important.

The human heart, is the best place to keep God’s Word.

Lord, open our hearts as we open Scripture. Amen.

"God speaks to those who take time to listen,...and He listens to those who take time to pray."
(OUR DAILY BREAD, Nov. 16, 2010)

Neighborly Love, Godly Love

Good Morning!! Some laws are easy to keep. Don’t litter. Stay under the speed limit (alright, that’s not so easy for some of us). In Leviticus, laws like "Don’t round off your beard" or "Don’t eat uncooked meat" seem easy enough to keep. But verses 17 and 18 get increasingly difficult: "Don’t hate your brother in your heart,...don’t take revenge,...don’t bear a grudge." And then comes the biggie: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Did you even know that was from Leviticus?

"You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD."—Leviticus 19:17 (ESV)

The law says we are not to bear a grudge. We are to love others, even in confrontation. But how? The answer lies in the statement: "I am the Lord." God has loved us even when we disobeyed and looked the other way, something much bigger than canine carelessness. Only by seeing how God loves us can we begin to understand neighbor love.

All good laws, are based on the idea of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you,
...and they’re a form of neighborly love.

God of second chances, help us to love like You love. Amen.

"God speaks to those who take time to listen,...and He listens to those who take time to pray."
(OUR DAILY BREAD, Nov. 16, 2010)

Own To Love, Own To Share

Good Morning!! We all want to possess things. Children learn to say "mine" way before "yours" or "ours." Even as adults, we want to say my stuff, my house, or my money. And we don't stop there, we even own the people around us,...it's my wife, my husband, my kids and my friends. As a society we are so guilty of obsessing over possessing. Still, ownership is not all bad.

The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine. For you are strangers and sojourners with me.—Leviticus 25:23, 24 (ESV)

In Leviticus 25, we see that God expected Israelites to own property in the promised land of Canaan. Ownership can be good in that it can teach responsibility and hard work. The danger comes when we say "mine" as though that’s all there is to it. In the end, we all are renters. "You are sojourners," God says. We’re just passing through.

Knowing that everything is God’s gives us freedom.

Lord, the earth is yours and everything in it. Help us to share freely what you’ve given us. Amen.

"God speaks to those who take time to listen,...and He listens to those who take time to pray."
(OUR DAILY BREAD, Nov. 16, 2010)

It's Not Always About You

Good Morning!! From the begining we're taught that there is a reason for everything that happens,...and that we’re usually to blame. Cavities formed in our teeth, because we didn’t brush them. We did poorly on a test, because we didn't study. We caught a cold, because we didn’t wash our hands, or wear a jacket. This kind of thinking carries over into suffering too,...we must have done, or not done, someting.

Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Where were the upright ever destroyed?—Job 4:7 (NIV)

This view can claim support in the Old Testament,"For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish" (Ps. 1:6 NIV) and even in the New Testament: "His disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' " (John 9:2 NIV). It is only natural to want to know, and understand, why we suffer. While it can sometimes be helpful to look for causation (i.e., sin) in our lives,...the story of Job will make it clear that the answers aren't always so simple.

Your troubles, are not your end.
And this is the Word of God!

Sweet Spirit of God, when trouble comes our way, help us to replace questions, with the certainty of faith. In Jesus' name, Amen.

"God speaks to those who take time to listen,...and He listens to those who take time to pray."
(OUR DAILY BREAD, Nov. 16, 2010)

Give It To Someone How Knows What To Do With It

Good Morning!! So many, want the title,...but very few, are willing to put in the work. We want to be seen as Christians, while still maintaining control of what we can see, do, think and feel. Why is this command to “renounce all” necessary? Author Nancy Leigh DeMoss points out that “to call Him, Lord means to say yes: to His Will, His Word, and His Ways. We can't call Him Lord,...and then proceed to run our own lives.”

So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.—Luke 14:33 (ESV)

It is impossible for us to fully obey Him, while trying to hold things back from Him, and attempting to remain in control of our own lives,...it's entirely un-reasonable. When we think of Christ,...who He is,...and what He did for us, total surrender is the only logical response to His love and mercy.

Surrendering everything to Jesus is absolutely necessary,...and only right.

Love so amazing, so divine, demands our soul, our life, our all. Lord, help us to willingly surrender to You. Amen.

"God speaks to those who take time to listen,...and He listens to those who take time to pray."
(OUR DAILY BREAD, Nov. 16, 2010)

Don't Worry

Good Morning, Here's A Thought, As We End Another Week!! Stress,...its all around us. It's a common saying that, we're all under a lot more stress than people were fifty years ago. But what is stress? When you put weight on a cable, you place it under stress. Too much stress will cause the cable to snap. That's how it is with you and me. Too much pressure, and we snap. The nerves are shattered. There can be a nervous breakdown.

Be on your guard, so that your hearts not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap.—Luke 21:34 (NAS)

The human heart involves the mind and emotions as well as the physical life. Jesus is saying that too great a burden may be placed upon our minds and emotions.We know the dangers of drunkenness, and how it clouds our mind, empires our judgment and alters our emotions. But Jesus says worry is just as deadly as drunkenness when it comes to putting stress on ourselves, diving us to the edge. Worry clouds and empires our thinking too. Worry alters our emotions. We become moody and sharp with others. Too much worry can shatter our nerves and bring us to the breaking point! This is why Jesus warns us to watch out,...be alert,...stay focused.

If you're fearful or worried about what's going on in your life right now,
...then you're not focusing on God.

MEANINGFUL ACROSTICS: FEAR - False Evidence Appearing Real

"People, places, events and things pass in and out of our lives,...what we're left with is whatever we've chossen to keep.There is where we have placed value."
(Bulletin)

Get Over It

Good Morning, My Friend!! There I was,...preparing to add another perceived slight to my already too long list,...when I had a thought; Maybe I can let this one go,...and then move towards releasing the others. It occurred to me that when body, mind, heart, and soul are full of anger and hurt,...the presence, and peace of God, can get crowded out.

[Love] keeps no record of wrongs.—1 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)

The number of Bible studies we attend, the many church committees we serve on, or how often we teach Sunday school classes,...none of that will matter if we allow hate and hurt, to overwhelm our hearts and souls. I know we have to be better at shoveling all of our hurts, and hatred, into a pile at God's feet,...and leaving them there. We have to ask God's forgiveness for holding on to our hostilities for so long,...and then forgive ourselves for not letting go, sooner. Only then can we fully open up to the grace God wants to pour into us.

Keeping a record of wrongs weighs us down,...and retards on our spiritual growth.

Father in Heaven, thank You for Your revelations, and for Your patience until we're ready to receive them. Please keep us wrapped in Your loving arms and open to Your abundant grace. Amen.

"People, places, events and things pass in and out of our lives,...what we're left with is whatever we've chossen to keep.There is where we have placed value."
(Bulletin)

Set It Out, And Leave It

Good Morning!! So many people go through life carrying garbage bags, filled with rubbish from their lives: bitterness, hatred, resentment, envy, hurt, self-pity. Each time they suffer a new hurt, they open the bag and put it in,...the wieght and smell has to be awful. Deep within each person is a desperate longing to be free,...but they just can't Let It Go.

...but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth, unto those things which are before.—Philippians 3:13 (KJV)

Getting rid of the hurts in our lives is a great joy. But the temptation to start filling up a new bag,...with new things to weight us down, is strong. If we do, Christ's invitation still stands: "Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28, TEV). Why take the trash out to the curb, only to bring it back in?

Whatever we're carrying,
...Jesus invites us to release it to Him.

Father in Heaven, help us to Let It Go. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

"People, places, events and things pass in and out of our lives,...what we're left with is whatever we've chossen to keep.There is where we have placed value."
(Bulletin)

Spiritual Sight

Good Morning And Happy Monday!! Our lives are filled with opportunities,....to do right, and to do wrong. But most of us are better at seeing, and seizing, the chance to do wrong. The thing that catches our eye first is the thing we're looking for, or expecting. No one has ever been tempted by any thing that they didn't really want.

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, O Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.—Psalm 8:9-10 (NIV)

We've all heard that; "We see what we are looking for.", but I'll go one better; " what you see depends on what you're looking with." If you're looking with the flesh, you see only ways to please the flesh,...but if you look with the spirit, you see ways to please the Lord."

Our mouths may say anything, as we go through life, but the focus of our eyes, reveals the desire of our hearts.

Holy Spirit of God, teach us to walk in the light,...openly, honestly, and transparently, as before God and His truth. Teach us to take our temptations to our Heavenly Father,...as we learn to let all of our conversations with God, be talks straight from the heart. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

"People, places, events and things pass in and out of our lives,...what we're left with is whatever we've chossen to keep.There is where we have placed value."
(Bulletin)