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Praise Thursday

Trust and Gratitude

The word trust is mentioned in the Bible over 50 times.  Proverbs 3:5 is a signature verse for many as it reminds us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart…and lean NOT on your own understanding…”  When we learn to trust and we accept this command, we can face ANY circumstance with confidence and hope!  This especially goes for parents as we raise our children.

Our confidence and hope doesn’t come from our strength, wisdom, energy or power.  It comes from God’s ability.

In our devotional “Time With God for Fathers,” by Jack Countryman, he also uses
2 Samuel 22:2-3:

2 And he said: “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
3 The God of my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation,
My stronghold and my refuge;
My Savior, You save me from violence.

When we trust, we tap into an irresistible force that no one or nothing can successfully oppose!

Have you ever heard this? “Life is 10% what happens, 90% how we react to it.”  What about this one? “You need to change your attitude.” How we approach the challenges of like determines the kind of person we become. If we ponder negative things, our frame of mind will soon turn sour, pessimistic and negative. But, if we fill our minds with the things of God, the opposite happens.

Philippians 4:8 says:

8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things arelovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Todd

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The Dad Manifesto for Valentine’s Day

Today we’re re-issuing a Dad Devotional from last week with a new twist:

A Father’s Prayer – Philippians 4:6-7
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

This prayer is simply, “Guide me with my words and actions toward my children…”

So how can we get some practical ideas this Valentine’s Day?

Here’s a great poster from author Jay Payleitner that hangs in my office…and reminds us of 52 things that we as ‘forever fathers’ should not forget…

Dad manifesto

Thanks for listening!
– Joe

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The Buck Stops Here?

“The buck stops here” is a phrase made popular by former U.S. President Harry Truman in response to the other common phrase, “pass the buck.”  Truman’s Oval Office sign simply meant that taking responsibility sometimes meant NOT passing on the difficult decisions or actions.

In our devotional “Time With God for Fathers,” by Jack Countryman, he addresses this issue using the framework of Luke 12: 8-9…

8 “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. 9 But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

That means as fathers, we are responsible for the spiritual development of our families, especially our children. Like it or not, we will imprint our character, good, bad or indifferent, on our children. This verse reminds us to reflect God’s character and share His influence openly with our children.

We also shared a devotional today about taking that reflection of God’s character to loving our neighbor.  Exodus 20 commands us to reflect Christ’s love with those around us, also reminds us to avoid petty jealousy:

16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

This is then referenced again by Jesus in Matthew 22: 37-40…

37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Jack Countryman reminds us here to take time each day as we mentor children to point out the power of God’s presence all around us.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Todd

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Trouble, fear and courage

Today Todd and I continue our devotional series based on the book “Time With God for Fathers,” from Jack Countryman.  This devotional is meant to encourage fathers (and really all parents) with scripture that can guide them as they raise their children.

Our first scripture today deals with when trouble comes around.  It comes in all shapes and sizes, but it’s what we do with trouble that really matters.  Depend on God for wisdom!

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

We’re also sharing about fear today.  We all deal with aspects of it and need to remember to walk in the power of the Lord’s spirit:

Psalm 27: 1 and 3
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?

3 Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.

We also are sharing about how we can get the courage to be a father of integrity.  Honesty and integrity, as Jack writes, are “the blueprint for the man God wishes you to be.”  Yes, integrity is God-ordained, but it also benefits and blesses us.

Proverbs 11:1-3
Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord,
But a just weight is His delight.
2 When pride comes, then comes shame;
But with the humble is wisdom.
3 The integrity of the upright will guide them,
But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe

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Hope, wisdom and forgiveness…

Today Todd and I continue our devotional series based on the book “Time With God for Fathers,” from Jack Countryman.  This devotional is meant to encourage fathers (and really all parents) with scripture that can guide them as they raise their children.

The first scripture today dealt with our eternal hope in I Peter 1:3-5:

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance [a]incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

It reminds us that despite the challenges of parenting, we always have that eternal hope and nothing can take that away!

Our second passage was about the precious commodities of wisdom and understanding in Proverbs 4:5-7:

5 Get wisdom! Get understanding!
Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;
Love her, and she will keep you.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding.

Then we also thanked God for his amazing forgiveness in 2 Corinthians 5:17-18:

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not [a]imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe

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The building blocks for a prayerful father

Today Todd and I begin a new devotional series based on the book “Time With God for Fathers,” from Jack Countryman.  This devotional is meant to encourage fathers (and really all parents) with scripture that can guide them as they raise their children.

Today we focused on some building block verses from the NKJV:

The Essence of Worship – Psalm 95: 3-7
3 For the Lord is the great God,
And the great King above all gods.
4 [a]In His hand are the deep places of the earth;
The heights of the hills are His also.
5 The sea is His, for He made it;
And His hands formed the dry land.
6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
7 For He is our God,
And we are the people of His pasture,
And the sheep [b]of His hand.

We grow in our relationship with God when we worship Him…

Obedience is Essential – Hebrews 4:12

12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Obedience is expected by fathers of their children, but we also understand that our Heavenly father expects the same of us…

A Father’s Prayer – Philippians 4:6-7
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Guide me with my words and actions toward my children…

Listen to the Holy Spirit – John 14:14-18
14 If you [a]ask anything in My name, I will do it.
15 “If you love Me, [b]keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another [c]Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

Meditate on God’s Word and the spirit will abide with you…

Thanks for listening!
– Joe

 

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Believing what we say…Part 2

New Year’s resolutions… we talked about these last week…people making ‘changes’ for the new year.  But what does it really mean?  To RESOLVE to do something different in 2019.

Today we’re discussing some ideas for us to consider if we call ourselves Christians; people “of and for Christ.”  What are some things we could resolve to do differently in 2019 as believers?  Author and producer Phil Cooke offered some suggestions in an article this week where he challenged readers to do things that show we actually believe the Bible.  Last week we shared:

READ THE BIBLE
TAKE PRAYER SERIOUSLY
BE THE CHURCH INSTEAD OF JUST GOING TO CHURCH
BE MORE MINDFUL OF SOCIAL MEDIA

This week, here are four more:

SERVING OTHER PEOPLE: many people want to complain or gripe about how Christ is not “known” in the culture anymore.  Here’s a quote from Pastor John Piper, “Christ will be known in the culture when we begin treating people better than they deserve.” Knox County alone has so many great ways for you to get connected to serving others.  Your church probably does, too.  Think about practical ways to serve with nothing more than your hands and feet.

TAKING BOLD CHANCES: Phil Cooke shares that it’s rare that we hear of a standout leader in science, politics, business, or even entertainment who is a believer.  Maybe our influence is disappearing because we’re not raising up remarkable people in those fields.  What are we doing in the Christian community to find, mentor and raise up those types of leaders?

UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF LIVING A MORAL LIFE: Rather than criticizing immorality in the outside culture, we lead by starting on the inside, becoming examples ourselves of what a moral life could accomplish.  The fall of Christian leaders does damage to our witness.  Losing our moral authority diminishes our chance to influence others…and the culture at large.

INVESTING OUR LIVES IN JESUS: we talked about living a moral life earlier, but that starts with investing in Jesus first.  In other words, not being so concerned about our status, title or position, but being concerned about investing in Christ first, and then letting him take care of the rest.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Todd

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Doing what we say we believe

New Year’s resolutions… we hear about them all this week.  But what does it really mean?  To RESOLVE to do something different in 2019.

Today we’re discussing some ideas for us to consider if we call ourselves Christians; people “of and for Christ.”  What are some things we could resolve to do differently in 2019 as believers?  Author and producer Phil Cooke offered some suggestions in an article this week where he challenged readers to do things that show we actually believe the Bible.  Here are a few:

READ THE BIBLE: Research from the Center for Bible Engagement shows that engaging the Bible four or more times a week actually causes visible behavioral changes.  But it also showed that only about 19% of church-going Christians read the Word daily and 40% said they read the Bible, “once a month, rarely, or never.”

The survey is revealing, and you can find it here: https://backtothebible.org/research

TAKE PRAYER SERIOUSLY: The research shows that only 63% of Christians say that prayer is essential.  So think about what that means…more than a third of us think it’s not?  Even when we attend church?

1 John 5:14: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” 

God delights in answering prayers that align with his will. But how do we know what God’s will is? The most reliable way to know is by reading his Word. As we seek God through Bible reading and prayer, we get to know his heart and gain wisdom and spiritual insight. This gives us a greater understanding of how to pray according to his will, and a greater chance of having our prayers answered.

Why would we not do this?

The next one…

BE THE CHURCH INSTEAD OF JUST GOING TO CHURCH: this means we get connected to church not just for what we can get out of it, but for what we can give back to it.  Being a vital and supportive member of a local congregation.  This also offers chances for us to serve. Hebrews 10:25 reminds us to “not neglect our meeting together, but encourage one another.”

Here’s one you may not have thought of…

BE MORE MINDFUL OF SOCIAL MEDIA: what does this mean?  It means that we take it seriously.  How we consume it and how we contribute to it.  Don’t be the critical and judgmental one.  Sometimes we also pass on information without verifying its truth or authenticity.  Try not to undermine the work of the gospel with the way you are using your social networks.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Todd

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Praise Thursday – a time for Celebration!

This study today we’re sharing from Saddleback Church Pastor Rick Warren offers us three major purposes for Christmas:

  • A time for celebration
  • A time for salvation
  • A time for reconciliation

Today we’ll focus on Christmas being a time for CELEBRATION…

Remember that Christmas was God’s idea…he planned that it would happen, he planned when and where it would happen…and WHY it would happen.

We celebrate the message of good news.  The good tidings of great joy. What are they? There are three parts to it:

1 – The good news that God LOVES us

God is telling us through the arrival of Jesus that He loves us…and that His love is not based on what we do, but who he is.

Romans 8:38-39

38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 – The good news that God is WITH us

God isn’t absent or distant – he’s with us through the Holy Spirit.  We may not feel His presence, but He’s here whether we feel it or not.

Psalm 139: 7-10

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

Hebrews 13:5

5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,

“I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you.”[a]

God doesn’t like loneliness. You don’t have to face anything by yourself.  You can, but you don’t have to!  You don’t have to be anxious about tomorrow, because Christ’s presence gives us hope.

3 – The good news that God is FOR us

Guilt is what separates us from God.  But the Bible reminds us that God didn’t come to condemn the world, but to save it.

John 3:17

17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

Romans 8:31

If God is for us, who can be against us?

If we are followers of Christ, it is not our role to condemn the world either!  If we want to be more like Jesus, we’re here to point people to Him. Reach out a hand of compassion and show them who Jesus is.

He came to save us, not to scare us – that was how the angel greeted the shepherds.  There are 365 ‘fear not’s’ in the Bible – one for every day of the year.

Christmas is also a time for SALVATION and Christmas is a time for RECONCILIATION

Jesus came to erase the misconceptions about God – he was sent to show us what God is really like!  Christmas tells us that we matter to God.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Lilly

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