Driving Notes

Today, we continue our devotions from the book “Time with God for Fathers” by Jack Countryman.  Our first focus today, ironically, has to do with our eyes.

USING THE EYES OF JESUS
Romans 15:7
⁷ Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

The attitude and influence we choose to have with our brothers and sisters in Christ is often determined by how we receive those we see every week…in church, at work and in the community.

When God looks at each of us through the eyes of Jesus, he sees us as perfect because Jesus has paid the price for all of our sins. The scripture asks us, in turn, to receive one another without fault or judgment.

When this happens, the barriers that stunt our relationship with other Christians are removed and fellowship becomes the joy of our hearts. This attitude is the foundation for building a solid relationship with those whom we call the body of Christ.

A PARENTAL LIFE WITH NO REGRETS
Romans 10:11-13
¹¹ As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” ¹² For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, ¹³ for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Becoming a parent is a gift that only God can give.

Through his divine providence, we have been given the privilege of having children. We need to accept this blessing…and look forward to the adventure of raising our kids with the love of God in our hearts.

When we place our faith in Christ, his Spirit is ever-present to guide us to be the best parents that we can be. The Lord wants very much to be included in your daily life as a parent and as a follower of Jesus Christ.

God never offers salvation to you and then pulls the rug out from under you. When you put your faith in Christ, everything you need to be a great parent is available. You need only to ask and God, through his gracious mercy, will deliver.

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 the power of God’s love and how it impacts us.

LET YOUR GREATEST LOVE BE GOD

Deuteronomy 7:9

⁹ Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.

Think about this: everything that we do and don’t do, face and don’t face is touched by God’s continuing love.

Everything about us is hanging on love; some might even say hinged on love, because God, who IS love, created you and me in his image. And because God loves us, He gives us blessings and lets us share them.

When we pray and are told to wait, it is because He loves us and knows that we need time to grow. When the overwhelming choices before us make it hard to know which way is up, our Lord and Savior shows us our need to depend on His guiding love…

…and until we come to understand and believe that at our deepest, innermost level…that God is love…we will continue to struggle with trusting him. With obeying him. And seeking him wholeheartedly.

One of the keys to our spiritual growth is believing in God’s love EVEN when we cannot see it.

FOCUS IS THE NAME OF THE GAME

Mark 12:30-31

³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’^] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^] There is no commandment greater than these.”

When we talk about being a Christian and living the Christian life, we know that everything hinges on the first two commandments.

There is first, the vertical commandment: to love the Lord with all of your heart soul mind and strength. Then the second is a horizontal commandment: to love your neighbor as yourself.

The essence of these verses is, of course, love! Love for God and love for each other. It is the kind of love that seeks no reward or personal gain, but rather desires to honor God by sharing his grace and generosity with those around us.

Great character and great morals are built on this foundation…and when we practice these in everyday life the Lord is lifted up. He is glorified! And we are also blessed.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Todd

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