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Mystery Monday

New motivation for a new week

Joe’s Monday Motivation today comes from a daily devotional book he got as a Christmas gift – and today’s topic is creation:

“When times get bad, people cry out for help.
    They cry for relief from being kicked around,
But never give God a thought when things go well,
    when God puts spontaneous songs in their hearts,
When God sets out the entire creation as a science classroom,
    using birds and beasts to teach wisdom.

Job 35:9-11

In a world where such glory exists, why do we continually allow worldly concerns to occupy so much of our attention? Let God be our glory, and indeed, when we find ourselves most down, He will lift our heads up and show us all the wonders of His magnificent creation.

Todd’s devotional is called ‘The Bell,’ written by Evan Morgan, and addresses how we handle failure. Read more by clicking here.

Name a reason you might not leave your house all day:
1- bad weather
2- illness/being sick
3- watching TV
4- I have the day off!
5- waiting for a repairman
6- I’m too tired.

Congratulations to Jan from Apple Valley, who guessed the top two answers and won the $5 gift certificate to Everlasting Cup.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Todd

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Honoring Dr. King’s example

Today we honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by sharing a devotional from Pastor Victoria Curtiss, written as a tribute to him.

Matthew 5:43–48

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (NRSV)

Jesus said that anyone can love those who love them in return. What distinguishes people of God is the way we treat those who oppose us—our enemies. Just as God shows love to everyone, so are we to show love to everyone. This inclusivity is the meaning of “be perfect” as God is perfect.

What a fitting scripture for the day we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The key to the life of Dr. King is found in his Christian faith. He responded to violence with nonviolence, to hate with love. Dr. King was always looking toward reconciliation after the battle, because his approach was grounded in the gospel. He wrote, “It was the Sermon on the Mount, not a doctrine of passive resistance, that inspired the Negroes of Montgomery to social action. It was Jesus of Nazareth that stirred [them] with the creative weapon of love.”

Martin Luther King recognized that the heart of the gospel proclaims that love can really change a situation of conflict and enmity: love reaching out toward the oppressor, love pushing negotiation, love offering forgiveness and newness. It wasn’t that he lacked an appreciation for the persistence and power of evil. It was rather his evangelist’s faith. He really believed that the intolerant and prejudiced sheriffs and politicians were sheep who had strayed from the fold, who had the potential to be converted. However powerful evil is, love is more powerful still. “Remember him,” said Coretta Scott King, “as a man who refused to lose faith in the ultimate redemption of [humanity].”

Prayer

Thank you, God, for the witness of Martin Luther King Jr. Guide me as Christ’s follower to love as you love—everyone without exception. I lift up my enemies to you and pray for their well-being. Amen.

Name a sign that people ignore:
1 – stop
2 – yield
3 – do not enter
4 – no littering
5 – speed limit
6 – no smoking

Congratulations to Lyle from Gambier, who guessed the top two answers and wins the $5 gift card to Everlasting Cup.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Todd

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Starting the week right…

Here’s some Monday Motivation from today’s show…

Todd shared this devotional from Winn Collier called ‘Through the Waters…’ read more by clicking here.

I shared some notes from a church study we’re doing to start 2021 about why we need to be intentional about our encounters, or looking for encounters with God:
– we need His power, not our own (I Corinthians 2:4-5)
– we need His presence, not just our practices (Psalms 16:11)
– we need His purposes, not our wants (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

We can encounter God through our desperation, humility, repentance and obedience.

Name something a school bus driver wouldn’t want to see thrown out of a bus window:
1- books or a bookbag
2- another child
3- trash
4- food
5- a bottle

Ashton from Mount Vernon guessed the first two answers correctly and wins the $5 gift card to Everlasting Cup! Congratulations!

Thanks for listening.
– Joe

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Checking the foundation

Today I shared some Monday Motivation from writer John Blase that fits perfectly into the start of 2021. As we think about what we can do differently this year, it might be wise to take a look at our foundation. What is it we are standing on? What is holding us up?

Read “When the Floods Come” by clicking here.

Todd’s devotional is “Strength for the Journey.” Read more here.

Name something people get on and off of:
1 – bus
2 – horse
3 – train/subway
4 – bike
5 – feet

Congratulations to Angela from Howard, who guessed the top two answers and wins the $5 gift card to Everlasting Cup.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe

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The promise of Immanuel – delivered!

Today’s Monday Motivation continues with a Christmas theme:

The word Immanuel means, as we learn in Matthew 1:23, “God with us.”  The coming of the Christ child fulfilled what Isaiah wrote in chapter 7, verse 14: “the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”

In his book Hidden Christmas, Pastor Timothy Keller shares that for centuries, the Jewish religious leaders and scholars had known that prophecy, but did not think that it should be taken literally. They thought it was simply predicting the coming or arrival of some great leader through whose work, God would be present with his people.

However, Matthew writes that this promise is greater than anyone imagined!  It did not come true figuratively, but literally. Jesus Christ is “God with us,” because the human life in Mary’s womb was a miracle performed by God himself.  Then Jesus, with his life, his claims and his resurrection, convinced his closest followers that he was not just a prophet telling them how to find God, but God himself coming to find us.

Keller writes that this claim, that Jesus is God, gives us the greatest possible hope.  Why?  Because it means this world is not all that there is…it means that there is life and love after death and it means that evil and suffering will one day end.

And it is not just hope for the world, but hope for you and me personally. A God who was only holy would have not come to us in Jesus.  He would have just demanded that we pull ourselves together and be moral and holy enough to be worthy of relationship with him. But our God is fully holy and fully human – so he doesn’t send someone else – he comes himself!  Jesus is one of us – and that should give us all hope!

Christmas Gift Exchange winners today:
Becky from Howard and Krista from Howard! Remember the grand prize drawing is Thursday morning on The Morning Thing!

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Todd

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The light of Christmas!

Today’s Monday Motivation comes from Isaiah 9:2, 5-7 (NIV)

2 The people walking in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
    a light has dawned.

5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle
    and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
    will be fuel for the fire.
6 For unto us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

One of the first indications of the Christmas season is LIGHT.  The appearance of lights seemingly everywhere – on trees, with candles, above streets; there is radiance all around us.

Lights are not just for decoration of course, they are symbolic.

In his book, Hidden Christmas, Pastor Timothy Keller says one of the most important spiritual truths at Christmas is this: the world is a dark place, and we will never find our way or see reality unless Jesus IS our light.

Keller writes that the word ‘darkness’ in the Bible refers to evil and ignorance. The world has evil and untold suffering. The world also has no one who can cure the evil and suffering. We look towards the earth and our human resources to try to fix the world.  We think we can end darkness with intellect and innovation.  That’s the ignorance.

So the message of Christmas is NOT, “we will be able to put together a world of unity and peace.”  The message, instead, is a humble one: “Things really are this bad and we can’t heal or save ourselves. Nevertheless, THERE IS HOPE.”

Notice the verse in Isaiah doesn’t say the light comes from the world…it says that upon the world a light has dawned.  It has come from the outside, and Jesus has brought that light to save us!  Because, as John 8:12 says, He IS that light!

Today’s Christmas Gift Exchange winners were Pam from Fredericktown and James, also from Fredericktown.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe

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Out of control…into a trust.

Today’s Monday Motivation comes from our friend Adam Holz (yes, the guy from Plugged In). It’s called ‘Lord of the…Nails?’ and deals with control and trust. Click here to read it!

Name a gift kids DON’T want to open on Christmas morning!
1 – underwear (31 votes)
2 – socks (27)
3 – hygiene products (12)
4 – books (6)
5 – handmade sweater or scarf
6 – puzzles

Congratulations to Becky from Fredericktown who guessed the top two answers and wins the $5 gift card to Everlasting Cup!

Thanks for listening!
– Joe

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How do we ‘hang in there?’

Today’s Monday Motivation features Adam Holz sharing the real source of perseverance…read ‘Hang in There’ by clicking here.

We also shared Patricia Raybon’s story of God’s amazing creation – read ‘A World of Provision’ by clicking here.

If you lost your sense of smell, what smell would you miss the most?

1- food
2- flowers
3- people
4- cologne or perfume

Congratulations to Pam from Fredericktown who guessed the top two answers correctly and wins the $5 gift card to Everlasting Cup!

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Todd

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A little Monday Motivation…

Today I shared a devotional from author Arthur Jackson about how we can lean on God when we are faced with keeping our promises. Click here to read this devotional from Our Daily Bread.

Todd’s devotional is, “What Comes Next?” – click here to read some inspiration from Remi Oyedele.

Name something joggers/runners look out for when jogging:
1- dogs
2- cars/vehicles
3- criminals
4- cracks
5- puddles/mud

Congratulations to Ron from Mount Vernon, who guessed the top two answers and wins the $5 gift card to Everlasting Cup.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Todd

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