Driving Notes

More devotions today from the book “Time with God for Fathers” by Jack Countryman.  Our focus today is on the blessing of trusting in the Lord; plus, the importance of our relationship with Christ.

THE BLESSING OF TRUSTING IN THE LORD

Psalm 62, verses 5-7, reads:

Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
⁶ Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
⁷ My salvation and my honor depend on God^[c];
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

No matter where you travel in Life, or what challenges you may face as a father, the Rock of God goes before you; inviting you to trust in the Lord with all your heart (from Proverbs 3:5).

When you hand over your troubled emotions to him, he will always be there. Let nothing separate you from the love of Christ. Depend on his Spirit to give you strength and to guide you every day, through whatever life may bring.

God’s desire for your family is that each one of them will know the loving grace and mercy that only God can give. Let each day be filled with the power of God’s presence, as you trust him to give you his wisdom and understanding.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JESUS AND YOU

John 15:5-7 says:

⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

The relationship you have with Jesus Christ is the most important relationship you will ever have; in fact, it’s the most important decision you will make in your life: whether to accept or reject Christ.

When you belong to Christ, you have been called to play a significant role in the kingdom of God. This role can only be fulfilled if you allow Jesus to live his life in and through you.

Remember, apart from him you can do nothing; but IN him you can do anything he calls you to do. Jesus did not want you to lead an unproductive or unfocused life.

He chose you not only for salvation, but also to fulfill a specific purpose for the glory of him and his kingdom.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Todd

Today we continue our devotional time from the book Time with God for Fathers, from author Jack Countryman.

Perfect Love Casts out Fear

Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

This reminds us that God’s love is not just a warm sentiment or a good feeling. It is an active, powerful force that changes who we are. God continually reminds us he is with us in the good times and the bad.

Jesus himself forever connected the love of God to His love of people.  When you feel afraid or uncertain about the future, let your spirit be lifted as you remind yourself of the loving character of God.

God Comes to Comfort When your Loved Ones are Hurting

James 5:14-15 reminds us, “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.”

The recognition that God can heal your loved ones is a big part of experiencing his tender love. Not only can he heal, but he can comfort you when you get that bad news from the hospital. God has promised to be with you in sickness and in health.

And as He ministers to you in those times, you should also let him equip you in those times to be a comfort to others when they need it.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Todd

Today, we continue our devotions from the book “Time with God for Fathers” by Jack Countryman.  Our topics include the security and defense against worry that come when we walk with God.

Proverbs 2:1-5 reads:

My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
² turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding—
³ indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
⁴ and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
⁵ then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.

Security and wisdom are like conjoined twins. One cannot accomplish anything without the other. The more we know and understand God’s work, the more secure we can feel in our walk with God.

So many times, we fail to see God’s wisdom and we strive to satisfy our passions and desires without regard to the future or the consequences of our decisions.

In this life, tests will come in all shapes and sizes. Some will require us to endure. Some we will anticipate but others will blindside us. All of them ask us to make the right decisions. Regardless of the task, God instructs us to come to him for the wisdom we so desperately need.

Psalm 145:17-21 says:

¹⁷ The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and faithful in all he does.
¹⁸ The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
¹⁹ He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
²⁰ The Lord watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.

²¹ My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.

Worry is a killer in the spiritual life of a Christian. When worry walks in your door, doubt will soon follow.

God is a great provider. Do not look to God merely hoping for what you need, but rather expecting. Put your hope in his great love, and worry will eventually disappear as you take your concerns to him.

God has the power and the wisdom to take care of those worries. Trust that he always has your best interest at heart.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Todd

Today, we continue our devotions from the book “Time with God for Fathers” by Jack Countryman.  Our focus today is on the important role of parenting.

Today our topics include children and worship – and the joy they both bring.

Children are a joy from the Lord!

Matthew 5:13-16 reminds us that we are the salt of the earth.

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Jesus wants you to take your role as a parent seriously. As salt, our behavior is to be distinctly different from those who do not know God.  It must not reflect the same kind of behavior that corrupts a godless culture.

Do your children see that you are burning with the light of heaven? What good works do they see you doing that reflect well on your heavenly father? How does your faith cause you to behave differently from anyone else?

Let your light shine brightly for God and he will bless you beyond what you can imagine!

God fills fathers with joy when they worship Him

John 4:23-24 gives us a clue to what God seeks:

²³ Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. ²⁴ God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

God is looking for men who eagerly worship Him…according to the truth of the scripture and the power of the Holy Spirit.

In order for us to have an intimate relationship with God, it is essential that we come to him with an open heart.  We must be willing to surrender our life and worship Him in truth and in spirit.

Bringing glory to God will refresh our spirit and draw us closer to the heavenly father.

Make worshipping God a part of your character-building walk with him.

The impact that you will have on those you love will fill your heart with a deep sense of satisfaction; and give you a peace that passes all understanding.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Todd

Today, we continue our devotions from the book “Time with God for Fathers” by Jack Countryman.

Today it’s all about the challenge of patience, and the power of the Holy Spirit to help us!

THE CHALLENGE:

Romans 15: 3-5 starts our plea, “Father, help me to be patient.”

³ For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”^{[ 4} For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

⁵ May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.

Patience has been defined as learning to accept difficult situations without giving God a deadline for their removal.

We know we need patience, but we generally shun the process by which we learn. We want it now. We can’t wait. When we do this and decide we can’t wait for God’s direction…and move ahead on our own…the Old Testament has something to remind us.

“Wait on the Lord, be of good courage; and he shall strengthen your heart. Wait I say on the Lord.” That’s from Psalm 27:14.

The bible promises our trials and tribulations will produce patience as you learn to endure, to bear up, persevere and to keep holding on with no worldly help in sight. If you do so, God will grant you all the patience you need.

THE POWER

So where do we turn for daily guidance on how to live, what to do, where to go, whom to see, and how to make decisions? And how to find that patience we need?

John 14: 16-17 gives us a clue…

¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

The scriptures say the only guide worth trusting is the Holy Spirit.

He’s the only one who knows your past completely…from the moment you were conceived to the present…and who knows your future from this day to eternity.

Only he knows God’s plan and purpose for you what is fully good and right for you. The spirit of Truth is the inner compass for your life, pointing you toward what Jesus would be, say, or do in any given moment.

God desires to make his will known to you. He wants you to know what to do and when to do it…and he gives you this knowledge through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Trust the Holy Spirit to be your daily guide.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Todd

As we continue our series on ‘Time with God for Fathers,” from author Jack Countryman, we turn our focus to passages on honesty and forgiveness.

Proverbs 12:22 is a stark reminder that a father’s character begins with honesty:

“Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
But those who deal truthfully are His delight.”

The Bible clearly states that God always keeps his promises. He always speaks the truth. When a father can be trusted to speak the truth and every circumstance, he builds a bond of trust that pleases God and everyone in his family.

Proverbs 13:3 says, “he who guards his mouth preserves his life…but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.” Guard your words with those you love; for they are watching YOUR character as you try to build up theirs.

Romans 12:17-18 tells us about forgiveness, which is a trait God loves…

^“Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”

Forgiveness is an essential element in living the Christian Life. When you choose to forgive someone who has hurt you or disappointed you, the window of God’s forgiveness will open to comfort and heal your own heart.

Everything you do should reflect well on the Savior; who bought you with his own blood. Pleasing God with your words and deeds opens heaven’s door to bless your life for His glory.

If God has forgiven you of your transgressions, should you not do the same for anyone who is offended you?

Psalm 103:12 says, “as far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Todd

Today is the Collegiate Day of Prayer around the United States – we would LOVE for you to join us in praying for students, faculty and staff here at Mount Vernon Nazarene University.  Click here for more about it!

In our devotional “Time With God for Fathers,” by Jack Countryman, we’re looking at verses about kindness and comfort today.

A father, or parent for that matter, with a kind and tender heart can be a magnet to those he loves. Everyone craves love and encouragement. Kindness builds  confidence, security and trust for those around you.  We can reflect God’s kindness with those in our circle of family and mentorship.

Matthew 7:9-11…⁹ Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?¹¹ If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

The phrase “the God of all comfort” in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 is encouraging.  It helps us remember that God will always come to our aid – it is His promise for those who follow Christ. He will see us through the trials we are facing.

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any ^[a]trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. ⁵ For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our ^[b]consolation also abounds through Christ.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Todd