You may read this and previous devotions on my blog at come2lifechurch.blogspot.com.
Many years ago Bill Gaither wrote a song that was popular among all, but seemed to feature children often in its presentation. It was just cute to hear children sing “He Still Workin’ on Me.” The song asked for patience while God finished His work in our lives. It was cute for kids but important for all of us to realize that no matter how long we have been, as they used to say, “in the way, He’s still working on us. I saw a bumper sticker a while back that said, “Be patient with me. God’s not finished with me yet.”
1 Corinthians 1:8 (NCV) Jesus will keep you strong until the end so that there will be no wrong in you on the day our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.
Philippians 1:6 (NCV) God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again.
Two things jump out at me from those Scriptures. What kind of work is He doing? “A good work.” Not just any work... a good work. Paul said in Ephesians that God has prepared in advance “good works” for us to do, and He is doing a “good work” in us.
The second thing is when will it be finished? “When Christ comes again.”
I was talking with one of my board members at our meeting last night. They have just returned from a vacation trip to South Dakota. He was telling us about Mount Rushmore and how magnificent it is. Then he talked about the carving of Crazy Horse, a famous Indian. The entire Mount Rushmore carving of four presidents could fit on the face of the Crazy Horse work. It is still a work in progress. They just recently revealed the first fifty years of work and are working on the next fifty years. It has taken more than fifty years just to form the head. The family is committed to finish the work no matter how long it takes.
God is committed to finish His work in us, but don’t get discouraged if you still see flaws and unfinished parts. We live in a day of fast food, quick fixes, extreme makeovers where houses are removed and new ones erected in seven days, but this makeover of our lives takes a lifetime.
1 John 3:2 (NCV) Dear friends, now we are children of God, and we have not yet been shown what we will be in the future. But we know that when Christ comes again, we will be like him, because we will see him as he really is.
So be patient with me, and I’ll be patient with you, and we will all trust in Jesus who will make us perfect when He comes again. What a day! It will be sooner than we think. Next month ( the last four Sundays in July) I will be teaching on prophetic themes reminding us that this is the shortest life we will ever live. There is another one coming and if we die in Christ or leave in the Rapture it will be a perfect one.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your commitment to work on me and for Your patience with me in the process. I know I haven’t always been the most cooperative subject, but help me to be more submitted to Your design for my life. Make me a blessing in the process as well. I am not just a lifeless statue, but a living work. I want my living to be for You and to please You. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
Friday, June 22, 2007
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Integrity... Is it still important?
The story of Joseph’s rise to power in Egypt is always exciting. Remember after he had survived all the challenges and sat comfortably on the throne his brothers came asking for help for they were starving in their country. They did not recognize Joseph so he decided to test them and had their money put back in their sacks without their knowledge. When they discovered the money their father told them to return it but double the amount. Genesis 43:12 (NIV) “Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake.”
“Perhaps it was a mistake.” Have you ever been given too much change? If we are short changed we are quick to let it be known and expect it to be made right. But are we as quick to notify of being given too much? Is it easy to walk away and think, “Oh well, they should have been smarter or more careful. It’s the price you pay.” Several weeks ago I was ordering at a fast food establishment. I ordered a chocolate shake and was charged on my bill for a chocolate cookie. I immediately noted that to the lady waiting on me. She seemed shocked that I would say anything. Surprised at honesty?! What a shame! She gave me the shake at the price of a cookie, but it bothered me that she was surprised by honesty.
We are fast coming upon Presidential elections once again in America. They seem to come around much faster than they used to. There was a time when the central focus of political campaigns was whether or not the candidate had integrity or not. Lincoln ran on this platform in 1860 and 1864. Theodore Roosevelt did the same almost fifty years later. But now, a century since Teddy, the fact that a man or woman has shown less than sparkling character during the course of their personal lives seems to be of little importance in a more “pragmatically focused” world.
To quote a former president caught in gross immorality, “our personal lives are none of the nation’s business.” (Bill Clinton, 1998.) I would vehemently disagree! Issues like whether or not you have cheated on your spouse or faithfully served your country in the military or, for that matter, believe in God, have been relegated to the scrap heap and called time-worn and irrelevant ideas that are no longer applicable to our times. By the way, if you ever have wondered what common thread tied Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt in such a way as to be the faces depicted on Mt. Rushmore, you need look no farther than this: each man led a life of integrity.)
Honesty and integrity should be something we can expect in a presidential candidate and everyone else as well. Ted Engstrom gives the following definition of integrity, “Simply put, Integrity is doing what you said you would do.”
Integrity means you keep your promises. When you promised to be faithful to your mate, integrity says you’ll stay with that person no matter what -- for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health. If you promised the Lord that you would give Him the glory, integrity means you keep on doing that whether you’re reduced to nothing or exalted to the highest pinnacle on earth. If you promised a friend that you would return a call, integrity means you return it. If you promised your child that you would spend Saturday together, integrity means you keep that appointment. A promise is a holy thing, whether made to a chairman of the board -- or to a child.
In a world that seems to have given up on values that made us what we are let us be counter culture, go against the grain, live with integrity in all our lives. Don’t even think gray. It’s black and white, right and wrong. If there is a question then go to the side of honesty and integrity.
Prayer: Father God, You have never failed to keep a promise. Help me to live a life of integrity that brings honor to Your name. Even when at the moment it seems that integrity costs me something give me to courage to be honest in the confidence that in the end it will be greatly rewarded. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
“Perhaps it was a mistake.” Have you ever been given too much change? If we are short changed we are quick to let it be known and expect it to be made right. But are we as quick to notify of being given too much? Is it easy to walk away and think, “Oh well, they should have been smarter or more careful. It’s the price you pay.” Several weeks ago I was ordering at a fast food establishment. I ordered a chocolate shake and was charged on my bill for a chocolate cookie. I immediately noted that to the lady waiting on me. She seemed shocked that I would say anything. Surprised at honesty?! What a shame! She gave me the shake at the price of a cookie, but it bothered me that she was surprised by honesty.
We are fast coming upon Presidential elections once again in America. They seem to come around much faster than they used to. There was a time when the central focus of political campaigns was whether or not the candidate had integrity or not. Lincoln ran on this platform in 1860 and 1864. Theodore Roosevelt did the same almost fifty years later. But now, a century since Teddy, the fact that a man or woman has shown less than sparkling character during the course of their personal lives seems to be of little importance in a more “pragmatically focused” world.
To quote a former president caught in gross immorality, “our personal lives are none of the nation’s business.” (Bill Clinton, 1998.) I would vehemently disagree! Issues like whether or not you have cheated on your spouse or faithfully served your country in the military or, for that matter, believe in God, have been relegated to the scrap heap and called time-worn and irrelevant ideas that are no longer applicable to our times. By the way, if you ever have wondered what common thread tied Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt in such a way as to be the faces depicted on Mt. Rushmore, you need look no farther than this: each man led a life of integrity.)
Honesty and integrity should be something we can expect in a presidential candidate and everyone else as well. Ted Engstrom gives the following definition of integrity, “Simply put, Integrity is doing what you said you would do.”
Integrity means you keep your promises. When you promised to be faithful to your mate, integrity says you’ll stay with that person no matter what -- for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health. If you promised the Lord that you would give Him the glory, integrity means you keep on doing that whether you’re reduced to nothing or exalted to the highest pinnacle on earth. If you promised a friend that you would return a call, integrity means you return it. If you promised your child that you would spend Saturday together, integrity means you keep that appointment. A promise is a holy thing, whether made to a chairman of the board -- or to a child.
In a world that seems to have given up on values that made us what we are let us be counter culture, go against the grain, live with integrity in all our lives. Don’t even think gray. It’s black and white, right and wrong. If there is a question then go to the side of honesty and integrity.
Prayer: Father God, You have never failed to keep a promise. Help me to live a life of integrity that brings honor to Your name. Even when at the moment it seems that integrity costs me something give me to courage to be honest in the confidence that in the end it will be greatly rewarded. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Are You Courageous?
Eddie Rickenbacker said, “Courage is doing what you are afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you are afraid.”
Too often we think courage is the absence of fear. John Wayne said it this way, “Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.”
Theologian Karl Barth said, “Courage is fear that has said it prayers.”
In the first chapter of Joshua the young man is hearing God speak to him. He is reminded that Moses is dead and it is now his responsibility to lead this people across the Jordan River to the land promised to them. His mind had to speed back forty years when he along with 11 others had spied out the land. He wanted to go then. He was ready then. It was different then... Moses was leading. Today he is leading. It’s different when you are following and when you are leading. But good leaders are always those who have first been good followers of great leaders.
Here’s the Biblical account...
Joshua 1:2-11 Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them — to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates — all the Hittite country — to the Great Sea on the west. 5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
10 So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: 11 "Go through the camp and tell the people, 'Get your supplies ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you for your own.'" NIV
You have to face fear with courage today. You have followed fearless leaders, but today it will be your turn to lead with courage. You have been prepared for this day... you are ready. Step up, stand up, and move forward. Here’s God word to us today. “I will give you every place where you set your foot.” Some people have so little, accomplish so little in life because they are paralyzed by fear and never take a step. Take one, then two, then three. Every step increases your possession, your success. God can only give us what we in faith and courage step up for. He has great plans for us. Ephesians 2:10 (MSG) “He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.”
Prayer: Lord Jesus, infuse me with unusual courage today. I do not ask You to remove fear but give courage to run past my fears. I ask for faith to walk, to possess what You have already ordered for my life today. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
Too often we think courage is the absence of fear. John Wayne said it this way, “Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.”
Theologian Karl Barth said, “Courage is fear that has said it prayers.”
In the first chapter of Joshua the young man is hearing God speak to him. He is reminded that Moses is dead and it is now his responsibility to lead this people across the Jordan River to the land promised to them. His mind had to speed back forty years when he along with 11 others had spied out the land. He wanted to go then. He was ready then. It was different then... Moses was leading. Today he is leading. It’s different when you are following and when you are leading. But good leaders are always those who have first been good followers of great leaders.
Here’s the Biblical account...
Joshua 1:2-11 Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them — to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates — all the Hittite country — to the Great Sea on the west. 5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
10 So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: 11 "Go through the camp and tell the people, 'Get your supplies ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you for your own.'" NIV
You have to face fear with courage today. You have followed fearless leaders, but today it will be your turn to lead with courage. You have been prepared for this day... you are ready. Step up, stand up, and move forward. Here’s God word to us today. “I will give you every place where you set your foot.” Some people have so little, accomplish so little in life because they are paralyzed by fear and never take a step. Take one, then two, then three. Every step increases your possession, your success. God can only give us what we in faith and courage step up for. He has great plans for us. Ephesians 2:10 (MSG) “He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.”
Prayer: Lord Jesus, infuse me with unusual courage today. I do not ask You to remove fear but give courage to run past my fears. I ask for faith to walk, to possess what You have already ordered for my life today. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
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